Clout?

Clout?
M.D. Wright
4.5.09

Clout:

Main Entry:

Pronunciation:
\ˈklau̇t\
Function:
noun
Etymology:
Middle English, from Old English clūt; akin to Middle High German klōz lump, Russian gluda
Date:
before 12th century

4: pull , influence (ex. political clout)

When I hear people talk about the clout they have; the influence with their company and what not, it really gives me pause. I was the eternal cynic until this year, so I automatically called B.S. half the time when I heard people mention they can do this, that and the third. I have been looking to resume my career since May of 2006. Why am I only coming up with 100% commission jobs? With my background, education and defined skill set, this is ridiculous. I look at some of the jobs that are going to people with less work experience, fewer years serving the community -- while I have a non-profit under my belt and assisted with helping another opening -- and education than I do land gigs paying 55-75K. I'm in No Man's Land right now, because graduation is less than six weeks away and all I've landed have been job offers for 100% commission. One of them was in New York, which was half the reason I went back up there a few weeks ago. NIGHTMARES. I recounted the money I spent going up there and back. ONE GRAND. For what? I couldn't even stay for my cousin's birthday party and her daughter's art exhibit. DEAR GOD. The guy who interviewed me told me over the phone I was being considered for management. As they SHOULD have been. I have had 8 years' experience in insurance. Enough trying to get me to go into sales. I'm not doing it. Especially on a 100% commission basis. HOLY STEVEN. With my body of work, anything less than management is an insult. I get there and he goes into this spiel about sales after trying to create a seamless segue (not realizing I've heard the same pitch from another con-artist with the same company down here in NC as well. I have not lived in New York ALL my life, but I'm no idiot, man. I think he thought I'd jump at the opportunity. How in BLUE HADES am I going to pay $1,500/mo. rent on a commission job?

Anyway, I digress.

For these past three years, all I've listened to is a bunch of hooey from people telling me a bunch of nonsense they would not do if they were in the same situation. I SWEAR I wish some of these people could walk in my shoes for one WEEK -- much less the three years I've dealt with this sickening BS. They're always bragging about who they know, how much pull they have at their office, "all I have to do is talk to so and so and it's a wrap". Oh really now? Where's my phone call? Why don't you have an office if you're that important? I'm sick of people bragging about what they can do when they have ZERO influence. They're nobodies. And what pisses me off most, these are the (sometimes superspiritual ones) who claim they're praying that God will block me being able to go back to New York, that my purpose is to remain in North Carolina (that's laughable, since I have known that wasn't true since 9th grade). Yet, when I try to find a job or come to them -- as they brag that I should because of their "connections" -- I come up high and dry. I'm about to give a big, fat J.O.D.E. to a bunch of people in the next three months.

If you have clout, good, do something with it. If you don't, well -- I'm trying to avoid cursing, so you can tell where I am going with this.

What have you...