George vs. Craig, Employer vs. Unemployed

According to BEPC’s Senior Vice President and Head of Human Resources, George Feldkamp of the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida area, it is not at all surprising that approximately 80% of proactive executives in the work force either find themselves unemployed or fear an impending unemployed future. A poll conducted by Platinum Avenue supports George Feldkamp’s claims and research suggests that there truly may be a risk or lack in job growth potential. The poll, which focuses on executives like George Feldkamp, shows that 25% of employees in the same position are either uneasy about their futures or are weary of their jobs being jeopardized. An additional 13% complain of very limited job opportunities, and another 40% were already unemployed. Despite these statistics, however, George reassures cagey employees claiming that Tampa, Florida offers stable opportunities in health care, energy, aerospace, medical device, manufacturing, and nutraceuticals.

Despite his claims, however, just how reliable are  Feldkamp’s reassurances? Just ask Craig, also of Tampa, Florida, who met with him regarding possible employment. At first, it seemed that Craig’s appointment with George Feldkamp was going well. Initially, Craig had only positive reviews to offer. He was told that his concerns regarding his lack of private sector experience and age were of no merit. George Feldkamp had even gone so far as to state that Craig possessed “transferrable skills” that would be highly sought after by any private sector employer. It was intimated that Craig would find far more success and job opportunities by becoming a client of the man, as opposed to using more traditional methods of job searching.

While this certainly does sound like plausible statements coming from the ever supportive Mr. George Feldkamp, upon the second visit, Craig was unhappy to be informed that his situation was the very opposite of what had initially been stated. His lack of experience and age were negative factors counting towards his possible employment, and Craig immediately sent a registered complaint letter to Feldkamp. So far, there is no record that Craig’s issue has ever been resolved since then.

So who is to blame in this situation? Do we point fingers at George Feldkamp, the man with a claim to prestige and employment, or do we scoff at Craig, the “skilled” yet inexperienced job seeker? Perhaps it is a matter of deeper investigation into the situation. After all, George made his reassurances in regards to other fields in Tampa employment, not in opportunities with BEPC. It also would not have hurt if Craig had done additional research before approaching Mr. Feldkamp. In the end, a lesson can be learned for all – when it comes to employment, the one with the most knowledge wins the race.