Harrison Is Back!

Has it really been almost two years since my last post? That is crazy. Sorry about that, folks. I guess life just got too busy.

I took a merchandising job - gave up the Doordash (DD) gig. Does anyone actually make money Dashing? My calculations showed I actually lost money. But I got out of the house, met some interesting folks, and made a few new friends. The income, and especially the tips, were nowhere near enough to offset the expenses - mainly gasoline at the time, and of course, vehicle maintenance and repairs. And then, I still had to deal with the FERAL taxes at the end of the year, which consumed what was left. 

I advanced to the top at DD - Platinum status, had many favorable reviews, and even a few regulars who actually did tip well. I appreciated the opportunity. Everyone was helpful at corporate. But whenever you deal with the public, you are going to find a few bad ones. And they can screw up your day.

It's Always The Artistic Kids That Cause Trouble

I now work for a very large North American company that specializes in assisting retail with just about everything. In just under two years, I've changed divisions once, and changed companies once. It's a part-time job. One day I might be stocking trading cards on Target shelves. And the next, checking C-stores to confirm they are running a specific beverage promotion. And the resets are a blast. This is when a category - like salad dressing for instance, is rearranged to group them by brand, and/or to give certain products more visibility or slots. 

For instance, we did a salad dressing reset in several Dallas stores. Who knew Hidden Valley had so many flavors and product extensions?

Imagine, A Pasture Full Of Sizzling Hot Strips Of Bacon, Grazing In The Sun.
Why Is This Place Hidden? I Want To Go To There!

  

I never had Covid. But the global panic caused me to lose my job. Then, I did experience some health issues and ended up living with family. After a time, they decided I needed to leave. I sent resumes, called former employers, did the networking, but there was nothing but crickets. All the things that worked in the past seemed useless in this brave new DEI world powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

My background is quite unique. I've done a little of everything in the advertising and marketing world. But the irony is, while my background is diverse, I am the complete opposite. Let me list my strikes: Male, White, Heterosexual, Christian, Conservative, Dispensational Premillennialist. OK, so the last two are likely not relevant to MOST employers. My age might win me some brownie points, but that often is considered a negative as well. Ageism is alive and well.

When I had to hire people, I noticed that even in the 90s, HR was weeding people out on the flimsiest of reasons. Now it is done by computers, who often just search for keywords. Nobody really looks at the individual as a whole. Some of my best hires rarely had what I would call the perfect resume. Yet, they had knowledge of, and a passion for our product, and an eagerness to learn - none of that can be taught!

So how do you get noticed if nobody wants to listen (or read)? That is a challenge. Apparently, big companies do get "brownie points" for hiring certain types of people. The reverse racism of the recent past seems to be in decline. But folks who are economically disadvantaged, veterans, and those with disabilities are among the anointed groups. I have no idea exactly what the incentives are. Maybe tax breaks, a government pat on the head - whatever. I just know every online application is asking these questions. So how do you make this knowledge work for you?

There are dozens of rather common health challenges that are considered disabilities. I honestly don't believe in illness or disabilities, and certainly don't want to claim them. Yet if I do deal with something, why not make it work FOR ME? On a recent application, I found about 6 items I could honestly claim. Thankfully, I did not have to be specific. So if this gives my resume/application a little boost, why not? I hope, at the very least, this gets my resume read by a human.

Whenever I imagine some AI/HR gatekeeper, I picture Lucifer, the cone-headed IL-series Cylon android from Battlestar Galactica - the original TV series from the 70s. He was second-in-command to the human traitor Count Baltar, and the Imperious Leader. Would Lucifer even interview me? 

"BY YOUR COMMAND!"

In the short term, I am learning new skills, attempting to stay current with technology while still writing. As some of you know, I had a couple of websites that featured over 300 Children's stories, Bible lessons, sermons, poems, and songs. They were hacked, and the price demanded to repair and "secure" them sounded more like extortion than good business. I turned instead to other sites like YouTube. With AI, I have the ability to illustrate some of my stories, Its not easy, but I am getting better. There are also many choices, so testing the platforms takes time. I would encourage you to subscribe to my YT channel. Check out the 30 or so videos posted thus far, and follow my progress. Its primarily Christian, but there are few fun things thrown in. Thanks for your support and prayers.

Here is the URL: Harrison Woodard YouTube Channel

It's amazing what you can do with AI, and a little imagination.

Thanks for visiting. I promise to post more often going forward!