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The K.P. Wee Podcast


May 24, 2022

Guest Host: Stan Markotich, former News Director at CJIV Radio

A Very Special Episode: How to Get Hired!

Guest: K.P. Wee, Author and Podcast Host

SUMMARY:

You’re in the process of nailing down a promising job and feeling excited with good reason, but there can still be red flags and bumps in the road worth noting. This episode of The K.P. Wee Podcast welcomes back Stan Markotich, former News Director at CJIV Radio, who along with K.P. shares anecdotes and advice about shady hiring situations. You’ll learn about real-life scenarios from which these two veterans of the workforce have learned lessons – some of which they recognized immediately and others that they figured out after the fact. 

Whatever mistakes they’ve made, K.P. and Stan are sharing their hard-earned experience so that you can avoid some common pitfalls and know when to speak up. They offer practical tips and scenarios for which any job candidate should be prepared. There can be ethical dilemmas, mis-representations, even exploitation. This podcast is all about giving listeners the tools to ensure a fair deal and healthy workplace situation. The pair are touching on areas that require some defensive strategy and wariness, but getting hired of course mostly has many upsides and positives, which they plan to highlight in a future episode. So stay tuned and, in the meanwhile, work on being at the top of your game in the current employee-friendly economy!

Click here if you would like to hear previous episodes of The K.P. Wee Podcast. 

If you’re a fan of this podcast’s intro music, please follow Roger Chong: Twitter @chongroger and Instagram @chongroger

 

KEY TOPICS:

  • (1:00) Stan introduces himself and the episode’s special focus: How to Get Hired!
  • (2:00) K.P. joins in to kick off the conversation by sharing an instructional anecdote from an interview he went through a few years back. 
  • (3:25) Tip #1: Try always to show up a little early for interviews.
  • (5:48) Tip #2: If you’re being mistreated in an interview, don’t be afraid to speak up on your own behalf.
  • (9:39) K.P. reflects on the discriminatory nature of his interaction with an interviewer who was in fact herself Asian (as is K.P.). Needless to say, it was unprofessional and distasteful.
  • (11:09) Stan weighs in with thoughts about the fact that bad interview experiences can go both ways, leaving either side of the desk stuck navigating as best as possible.
  • (12:18) Stan shares two pieces of basic advice for interviewers:
    • Never slam the competition.
    • Never be late for an interview. 
  • (17:40) Tip #3: Don’t badmouth your employer or any other organization.
  • (18:09) About K.P.’s growing involvement with the local sports community, including his contributions writing weekly recaps for a team in the BC Major Midget League. In a total breach of journalism ethics, K.P. had to call out a local reporter who plagiarized his work. The response was unsatisfactory.
  • (26:50) Tip #4: Be impeccable with your etiquette around communications and follow-up.
  • (30:52)  K.P. shares a story from a research job some years back that demonstrates the potential for lack of transparency and manipulation around compensation. Be alert!
  • (34:14) When an interviewer asks about the salary your current or former employee has paid, do you lie to inflate it? This is a tactic common in an employer’s market. Not great, but a reality not worthy of compromising your integrity.
  • (37:09) If demand for employees is high, you’re far less likely to be asked about your current salary because the market for talented hires is tight and competitive.
  • (37:48) Training new hires, K.P. found himself in a quandary after he discovered a delta between what an employee thought he should be paid and what in fact he would be paid. Should K.P. reveal the truth? Is it his role or responsibility?
  • (41:47) Stan takes a look at the apparent bait-and-switch on salary requirements that K.P. witnessed from the employer perspective. What was this employee’s true value?
  • (46:54) Requiring full transparency from employers about compensation and related issues is your right, as Stan points out based on a personal experience. 
  • (48:11) What do you do when you show up for a job, as Stan did once in a short-term opportunity, and the terms have suddenly been changed to broaden the scope of work required? It’s not okay to alter a job description after the salary or contract has been negotiated.
  • (50:30) Tip #5: Beware mission creep. Employers should not be allowed to exploit you by demanding additional work without additional compensation.
  • (51:11) Tip #6: Beware toxic environments. When a boss started bad-mouthing the friend who had helped K.P. get a job, he was done. He wanted no part of it.

 

KEY QUOTES:

  • (9:11) “When you walk into an interview, if you feel that you are being mistreated or insulted you should stand up for yourself.” (K.P.)
  • (13:00) “If an interviewer is late for an interview, that’s generally a signal that the person has already lined up a candidate and what’s happening is just going through the motions.” (Stan)
  • (29:40) “Getting hired does mean in many cases that there will be a reality that involves issues of ethics and ethical considerations.” (Stan)
  • (36:42) “People in charge may want to take advantage of you if you have certain skills. That’s how the game works (sometimes).” (K.P.)
  • (47:44) “My position (if compensation is unclear) would be, ‘Until you can tell me, I won’t be doing anything.’ ” (Stan)
  • (52:45) “In life it’s never one way. It’s never all great. It’s never all bad. And you’ve got to be aware of both sides.” (Stan)

 

About Guest Host Stan Markotich:

Born and raised in Vancouver, Stan completed his undergraduate work at Simon Fraser University in 1985. From there, he went on to receive a master’s degree from the University of Victoria. In 1987, he moved to Indiana University, earning his doctoral degree in history under the supervision of Dr. Barbara Jelavich. Upon graduation, Markotich accepted an appointment with Radio Free Europe, serving as Serbian analyst and remaining in Europe for roughly a decade. He is the main author of White Paper of the Independent Media Commission: Media and Democratisation in Bosnia and Hercegovina (2000). Markotich is currently revising a memoir that deals with his years in the Balkans. Now based in Greater Vancouver, he teaches classes at a private school, lectures for Brock House Society, and offers courses on the Balkans through SFU Continuing Education.

 

About K.P. Wee: 

K.P. Wee is the author of multiple books and a regular contributor to sports radio programs and websites. In addition to hosting The K.P. Wee Podcast, he also enjoys writing sports and psychological fiction with a twist of romance. He spent a decade working as a program developer and instructor for a private school before joining the Vancouver Canadians baseball club’s media relations department. 

You can find out more about books by K.P. Wee here.

Follow K.P. Wee:

K.P. @Twitter

Additional episodes of The K.P. Wee Podcast are available here.