Articles written by Chauncey Kenton

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About me - Chauncey Kenton

I earn my living in the professional world, doing analytical work and business writing. I would love to retire and just write full-time.

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Jobs & Careers > Job Interviews Job interview horror stories: 2 of 25
I was verbally abused at a job interview, and even though I was desperate for a job, and my self confidence was low - I stood up to the abuser and told him he was an idiot! That had the amazing effect of boosting my self esteem, and enabled me to be more assertive in the next job interview, where I landed a great job! In 200... More..
Jobs & Careers > Managing Your Career (Other) Do you hate your job?: 4 of 35
My job has great pay and benefits, and I telecommute 50% of the time, working out of my home office. But what if I told you that most days I wake up, and cringe at the thought of walking across the hall to that office, where I feel chained to the computer? But it is true - and I feel so ashamed and overwhelmed with guilt to ... More..
Creative Writing > Essays Essays: Drug addiction: 6 of 38

It started out as a bright shiny morning in June, full of hope and new adventures. I didn't realize that today I was going to be a witness to the profound effects of a family dealing with drug addiction. I was sitting in my car, on a downtown street in Norfolk, VA. I was waiting on my son, who was taking a test for a job, in... More..
Jobs & Careers > Employers Victimization and the white-collar worker: 1 of 5
Salaried workers in this country are being squeezed out of their white collars and ties by a declining economy. Our manufacturing base has eroded, leaving lower paying service jobs in their wake, and fewer higher paying jobs are being created to lift the standard of living. Throw in outsourcing, automation, and baby boomers ... More..
Jobs & Careers > Office Politics Sexism in the workplace: 3 of 10
After all our awareness about the women's movement, I wish I could say that it does not exist in corporate America, but it does. Sexism is alive and well, and it doesn't matter if you work in a blue or white collar environment. Let me give you some examples from my work experience: At one of my former jobs in the 1990s, the ... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: High school: 11 of 19
Say the words "high school" and I cringe inside, just thinking about those 4 years of agony. I attended a rural high school in the late sixties, and like a lot of other kids that attended this same school, I came from a lower income family that could not afford many of the necessities in life. To add to the misery, my family... More..
Jobs & Careers > Starting Out Why are jobs so hard to find in today's world: 21 of 36
I can tell you why - companies in today's tough economy want twice as much work out of their employees, and the employees are so scared of getting fired that they will work long hours, under any conditions, to stay employed. The corporations in our nation are running a huge scam on their salaried employees - and no one is li... More..
Jobs & Careers > Office Politics Do bullies still exist in the workplace?: 22 of 34
Yes, it is a sad but true statement - bullies do exist in the workplace. There are even courses you can take to deal with these types. These courses have titles like "How to deal with strong personalities" or "How to handle difficult people in the workplace." I think it is a reflection of our culture. On reality TV shows, it... More..
Health & Fitness > Aging & Longevity Should elderly patients be cared for by family members or by health care professionals?: 28 of 39
I say health care professionals, and I will add this additional twist: What if you had a bad relationship with your parents, and moved to another state for your own sanity? Why should you be forced to deal with them again in their old age, when they treated you so badly when you were growing up? I think this is a dilemma tha... More..
Jobs & Careers > Employers Why credit checks on prospective hires make good business sense: 7 of 7
While I do understand why employers might run credit checks for some positions, I do not agree with the policy. It might be appropriate for verifying that employees have been honest on their applications, but the credit report does not reveal the true character of the individual, nor does it have any relevance for predicting... More..