Work Ethics to Overcome
Work ethics to overcome
An under two minute audio of one man’s memories from the seventies.
This is under two minutes, but stop and listen to this gentleman speaking. I always try and find something for the blog that is “authentic”, for you to listen, watch, or read something that is suitable not only for the topic at hand, but also, for language learning. I think this man, from the Unites States, speaking about his job situation in the past (interview in the 70’s) is a unique example of what I want in this blog.
So… this is very short, but lovely.
Questions that I put forth to you (remember – LISTEN first, without reading the transcript!):
- Do you have any natural obstacles that others may have had against you at your current – or past job?
- How did you overcome it/ them?
- Care to share your particular experience?
- How did Dee get over his problem – careful, it may be a trick question!
- Have you ever had a problem for being over efficient?
- What kind of job do you think he had?
- Do you think that the person who interviewed him had ever had a similar position?
- Do you think it is common for the person interviewing to have ever worked in a similar job to the post they are looking to fill?
Some of these questions may seem a bit off-hand, however, I believe that the topic leads to potentially interesting conversations, so, let’s talk!
Transcript:
Dee Dickson (DD)
Dee Dickson remembers trying to get a job as a shipyard electrician in the 1970s.
(DD): The guy that was interviewing told me I was too little, that I wouldn’t get along with the guys, that they would make life hard for me. He didn’t think I needed to be doing it. And my dad said, “Well, you know, my Uncle Alf is superintendent out there. I can get you on like that.” Finally, at the end of that week I let my dad take me to see Uncle Alf. So, I went the next Monday and the guy said, “Look, I got the word from the top. I don’t like it, but you’re hired.”
Then I went to the ship. And none of the guys would work with me. They said, “These are men’s jobs. You’re taking jobs away from men who have families.” I said, “I have a family and no man and I need money.” It took about two weeks before I started proving myself. And the guys were doing better with it. They would work with me. I had several guys who told me, “You need to slow down — you’re making us look bad.” (Laughs)
You know? And I’m like, “I’m here to work!”
We had to go to school two nights a week. And I was the first apprentice who had ever become supervisor before graduation. And they were mad because I got a raise. And I got a position they thought was theirs. It’s just… I had a knack for getting stuff done on time and getting it done right. Now, I had to do some things a little differently than they did, you know? I couldn’t lift an 80-pound transformer. But I found a way to do the same things they were doing. And it kind of made me better than I probably would have been if I was a guy.