patrick.net

Social mobility has decreased, but those numbers don't sound that bad.

That could be turned around to say:

More than 57% of men born to fathers in the lowest class raised themself above that class, and nearly 8% raised themselves all the way to the highest class.

I don't know what to make of those numbers, but I think in just the last decade or two, too recent to be addressed by those stats, it's gotten much worse. Which the author does address later (actually a quote of Charles Murray):

You are a white man aged 30 without a college degree. Your grandfather returned from World War II, got a cheap mortgage courtesy of the GI bill, married his sweetheart and went to work in a factory job that paid him something like $50,000 in today’s money plus health benefits and pension. Your father started at that same factory in 1972. He was laid off in 1981, and has never had anything like as good a job ever since. He’s working now at a big-box store, making $40,000 a year, and waiting for his Medicare to kick in.
Now look at you. Yes, unemployment is high right now. But if you keep pounding the pavements, you’ll eventually find a job that pays $28,000 a year.

The only thing for a poor person to do these days is to self-study, do a cheap online degree [ one which is really discounted like London Univ ], get accepted to a medical school, and then, become an Anesthesiologist. Other than that, one will need connections to make it in finance, technology, and other areas where the barriers of entry have a lot to do with who you know, and whether or not those persons can get you your first internship.

Rin says

The only thing for a poor person to do these days is to self-study, do a cheap online degree [ one which is really discounted like London Univ ], get accepted to a medical school, and then, become an Anesthesiologist. Other than that, one will need connections to make it in finance, technology, and other areas where the barriers of entry have a lot to do with who you know, and whether or not those persons can get you your first internship.

BS

Rin says

Other than that, one will need connections to make it in finance, technology,

Nope you just have to know your Shit. Also don't answer job postings that was placed by some HR bitch that is unqualified to even understand what is written on your resume, let alone, fully understand the job description or distinguish who's qualified for the job or not So at the end of the day, you're right. It becomes a contest of formalities and congeniality. Fuck'em I'll have none of it.

And 90% of the Software in companies out there, shows just well effective they are getting the top talent. Their doors are a revolving door, of rewriting poorly planned software, the last batch of well screened and highly qualified personnel, Per Marge thoroughly screwed up.

You don't get employed at those companies, you just become the replacement son of a bitch that is already over budget and behind schedule.

CaptainShuddup says

Nope you just have to know your Shit. Also don't answer job postings that was placed by some HR bitch that is unqualified to even understand what is written on your resume, let alone, fully understand the job description or distinguish who's qualified for the job or not So at the end of the day, you're right. It becomes a contest of formalities and congeniality. Fuck'em I'll have none of it.

And 90% of the Software in companies out there, shows just well effective they are getting the top talent. Their doors are a revolving door, of rewriting poorly planned software, the last batch of well screened and highly qualified personnel, Per Marge thoroughly screwed up.

Here's the thing Captain ... both you and I have years of experience under our belt. Thus, my BS in Applied Chemistry plus X no of years in biopharma/IT/HF will result in work for me, even if I wasn't in this current HF partnership gig.

Today, if someone were to follow in my shoes, most likely, his BS in Applied Chemistry would get him squat, without someone at let's say an Exxon-Mobil or Eli Lily, offering him an internship, prior to his resume getting into some HR circular. And then, even with those intern/CO-OP experiences, there are others, with 2-3 years of their resumes, willing to take on another entry level task, just to make a lateral move within the industry.

In contrast, studying hard, getting B+'s to A's in bioscience courses, is a lot more under a person's individual control. And then, they have the system of applying to US medical schools, Foreign medical schools, Physician's Assistant schools, Nursing programs, etc. Well, I suspect that one will land in one of those, depending upon GPA and standardized exam scores. Afterwards, some clinic, somewhere, needs a helping hand. One doesn't need to be a top notch talent for that line of work.

CaptainShuddup says

You don't get employed at those companies, you just become the replacement
son of a bitch that is already over budget and behind schedule.

Yeah it was different before when you had long term employees who knew the business, the infrastructure and had no incentive to work longer than they had to. But corporate America got rid of that and gave it to armies of consultants who are supposed to come in and in six months understand the entire business, architecture, propose a solution and make it work. Oh and the more the consultants drag it and bill extra, the more they are secure and depending on contract can bill for massive overtime. That and they have teams spread across continents-just sweet.

But nobody wants to see that-at least not management. Not to mention shipping off millions of manufacturing jobs and letting them bring the finished good back with barely no tarriff. Raise import taxes is a big no-no, but go after the 1% or whatever-yup that will solve the problem of millions of unemployed factory workers and other millions of workers and small businesses they supported.

lostand confused says

Yeah it was different before when you had long term employees who knew the business, the infrastructure and had no incentive to work longer than they had to.

That's why I only interview with people who know the technical aspects of the business and understand the business rules on a technical level.
Either the owners of the company, or the Senior IT person there.
Or as the types of companies I avoid would label them "The CIO".