Shady.

In my line of work, I meet a lot of cooks who are in the same boat as I am.  We all freelance and are basically competing for the same jobs.  Truth is, there is work somewhere out there.  You just have to be diligent in finding it.  And like all other freelance work, it's feast or famine.  That being said, I shouldn't be surprised about how some cooks act when it comes to work.

Here's a typical interaction:

New Cook:  So, who else do you work for?
Tim:  Here, and (big catering company) and (small local place).
NC:  Oh, is (bcc) hiring?
Tim:  They probably are.  Send them your resume.  Let me give you a contact there.
NC:  Thanks.
Tim:  Where else do you work?
NC:  Just at (other big catering place).
Tim:  Oh, I've heard of them.  Do you have a contact that I can reach out to?
NC:  I'll ask if they are hiring.

Seriously?  Is that what you are going to do for me?  How about you do the same thing that I just did?  Give me a contact name and let me send them a resume.  And let me deal with it from there.

I asked a trusted friend about this type of interaction.  She said that it's because they are scared that I am going to take away their work.  Really?  This trusted friend has gotten me gigs at the same places she works.  And she has never lost a job because of me.

I considered not giving out contacts anymore but the truth is, I don't live that way.  I find it very tiring to feel that someone may "take away" my work.  I just work as hard as I can and leave it at that.  So far, it seems to work.  Is it others lack of confidence in their work that forces them to be this way?  All I know is that I don't want to ever feel like that.  I see no problem in helping people find work.  If I lose work because of that, then it's my fault for not working hard enough to keep it.

Labels: negativity, Pounding the Pavement

  ¶ 10:03 AM