This entry comes from my ongoing search for a new career, or to speak more plainly, a search for a steady paycheck to compensate for our present economic environment. 

When you are over 50, well actually over 60, it really isn’t about a career any more, as in my case you most likely have already met your career mileposts and are ready to ease the throttle back a little.

This is not to say that anyone that hires me would be getting less than my full effort. I just don’t have the driving need to reach long range mileposts like I did when I was in my twenties and thirties.  What an employer will get is someone that has a mature work ethic, has a vast amount of experience to draw from, and a desire to do a great job while someone else manages the business.

Keeping this in mind, you may appreciate if not relate to my dismay at the changes since the last time I worked for someone else over twenty years ago.  One of the things I have found is that searching for a job is a whole new game filled with human resource and industry in-speak.

It appears the Human Resource person writing the job description is either making sure that a known candidate will get the job, or they are really successful at ensuring their own position by creating job descriptions that only another HR person might be able to decipher.

For example, take a look at the following quotes from a recent posting for a test project manager: “managing the test activities within multiple simultaneous projects…”; “advocating the appropriate level of testability focus…”; “advocating defects severity and priority”.  

What is wrong with using a more clearly recognized term like “support” instead of “advocating.” And just how do you “advocate defects severity and priority”? Does this mean you “support” defects? Or did they really mean that you set the priority for testing defects and then ranking the severity?

While I understand that technological advances have brought about complex changes in many areas, sometimes a “simple” approach really will get the results just as well.  What is wrong with using clear concise language instead of pretentious industry speak?

So, as I continue my job search,  I am going to keep looking for the job description that says “Wanted, hard working individual with a mature work ethic, capable of handling multiple projects at the same time. Experience a factor in determining ability, along with an open and creative mind, good communication skills, and the ability to work well with others. “