John Sewell, a great Torontonian
- Thread starter danmand
- Start date
Getting back to Sewell....
He's before my time, so I can't say much about him, other than what I read.
But in reading the initial article, what struck me is how he's held about 20 jobs or positions over the years. He never stays put very long.
Now some would argue that it shows that he's dynamic and always re-inventing himself. Others would argue that he's a pinball and never happy and he either leaves or gets forced out of one position or another. The most dangerous thing is when you have a guy who changes jobs every 18 months - it could mean that he's incompetent. Usually anyone can fake a job for a year, but after a year, it's hard to fake it. The cracks start after a year and with another 6 months, they are shown the door.
I hire people.
I'm always very wary of people who have a different job every 18 months. It shows that either they can't get along with people, or they are never happy and think that the only way to get ahead is to move around. (It is, but not every year or two.)
Based on that - something is not right with Sewell.
He's before my time, so I can't say much about him, other than what I read.
But in reading the initial article, what struck me is how he's held about 20 jobs or positions over the years. He never stays put very long.
Now some would argue that it shows that he's dynamic and always re-inventing himself. Others would argue that he's a pinball and never happy and he either leaves or gets forced out of one position or another. The most dangerous thing is when you have a guy who changes jobs every 18 months - it could mean that he's incompetent. Usually anyone can fake a job for a year, but after a year, it's hard to fake it. The cracks start after a year and with another 6 months, they are shown the door.
I hire people.
I'm always very wary of people who have a different job every 18 months. It shows that either they can't get along with people, or they are never happy and think that the only way to get ahead is to move around. (It is, but not every year or two.)
Based on that - something is not right with Sewell.
That is a VERY closed minded view. It may be correct for the types of positions you hire for, but a person like Sewell is more likely to be brought on in a consultant capacity or is likely to have several jobs at the same time. To take your limited experience and use it as a lens to judge all situations really shows just how narrow minded you are. YOU SIR ARE NO CAPT KIRK!!! lol
Thanks for your words of wisdom. I will of course defer to your infinite wisdom on all things in the Universe.
While someone with that record wouldn't make a good hire for an ongoing job, they're likely just the ticket as a consultant to come in and critque your operation, or to come in and get you started up, then leave when you can manage what they designed. The fact that the architects or the engineers don't stay working on their building until it crumbles away says nothing bad about them; why should it about a gadfly like Sewell?
The Naders and Ghandis and Sewells and Assanges do usefull things too. The ones to fear are the ones who stick around, the Lenins and Maos and Francos.
Not to mention those long-serving CEOs at GM.
Of course, it is only logical that based on your reaction to my original post that you change jobs every 18 months.
If Sewell was an architect or Engineer, I'd agree with you.
But in looking over his resume again, he was teaching lLaw and Social Science at York University. Being a University prof is a very sought after position. Great pay, great envrironment, lots of perks, lots of nubile young chicks. In all my years at University, I didn't see any profs in my faculty quitting. Quite the opposite in fact. Usually they are gunning for tenure.
He was Chair of Metro Housinng. Again, very prestigious job. Attend some meetings, set policy, work with chicks, you don't have to worry too much.
All of Sewell's jobs are "governmental". Never the stress of having to win proposals and bring in work to keep people employed. (Some of us have to do that and feel a huge sense of responsibility to keep people employed.) That's fucking huge stress. Government types don't lay awake at night with a freight train running through their heads to be sure. Sewell is the poster boy as far as I can tell looking at his resume.
I think it more likely that he's just a pain in the ass to work with and he ends up not liking what he's doing and moves on to a fresh bunch of chicks.
