black is the default

i have now been here over 5 months. i am still at the isp, still a recruitment specialist, and still looking for a permanent job (i didn't get the one at noah; but i've just applied for another one at a health and development agency).

first things. the job is going a bit better, though i am not enjoying it that much. it isn't much of a challenge and i do the same thing day in, day out. namely, i try to look busy while the other run around like headless chickens. i am managing 25 vacancies throughout the company. what impresses me is the salaries for it people. if i was motivated by money i would go and learn how to be a java/C#/.net developer and hey presto!

the other thing that interests me is that i have to write a motivation for all non-ee appointments (ee being employment equity). i have to basically suport us wanting to offer a job to a white person. i don't think i agree with the whole bee thing anyway, and the motivation just makes my job that much harder. also, seeing as most of the people i am hiring are in it, it is hard enough trying to find people with those skills, let alone black/indian/coloured people with those skills. there aren't very many of them at all! and as the subject states, black is the default in south africa. i guess it hasn't filtered through yet? and all the skilled people have emigrated to australia or wherever. it is a very strange state of affairs.

similarly, my man has been headhunted from the post-production house that he works at now, to a new company. the company is part of this whole bee thing - it is a government initiative with private investors (i think i am explaining things right, but don't quote me on this!). a certain percentage of the board has to be equity - 100% of the board is black. one of his friends from film school is part of the board. they already have contracts and now they are in the process of setting everything up to get going properly. it's a great opportunity. and the initiative is very interesting to me; though i guess the uk has the same thing in terms of ethnic minorities.

the company i work at had a 'conference' last saturday - weirdest conference i've ever been to! about 200 of us were bussed to soweto to help out at a center for children with special needs. it was fantastic - everyone got their hands dirty painting, digging, fixing, drilling, sewing etc. the looks on the kids faces when they were watching us was very special. apparently, companies over a certain size have to fulfill community service quotas for the year. well i guess it is one way to make people 'give' a little. and everyone in the company seemed to enjoy themselves too. i think they all felt worthy!

and now i'm bored of writing about work and equity. i think perhaps i should actually go and do some work instead. hmph.