I declare a state of emergency!

Later Edit (29.02.2020, 05:30 - 07:10): "This article has been edited to be even more accurate and even more close to the true happenings of the facts that occurred within the past week. This article is also the result of years of commercial experience, years of following credible research sources in multiple fields, years of advice between myself and more knowledgeable employers of mine. This article expresses a professional's discontent with the commercial attitudes of the given employees, and it is meant to provide an alternative resolution to how could they have treated the complaints on a very accurate assessment of the events in such a way they can correct and better their future commercial relationships. It has also been written to help the author acknowledge her own improvement areas and blow off the steam of the week in a productive and efficient manner in her own virtual enclosed network space. All the events related within this article can be backed up by the screenshots of the conversations, emails or any other proof that the author holds and guards within her own personal cloud environment.

Thanks for taking the time to read this piece, and looking forward to seeing all your inputs upon this piece. This article has been written only with my professional expertise and no legal department, nor lawyers help!" Georgiana Costache

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It is Thursday, and we're 4 days into the last week of February, and I feel I have gathered so much rage upon the professional world in Bucharest. This week, was not short for testing my resilience, and I have to admit, there are certain aspects that need improvement within my own garden. However, the general consensus I have came to with myself, after a stream of at least 5 experiences implying the lack of knowledge, skill, and professionalism of my 8 recipients has reached new highest in my alertness levels: I declare a state of emergency!

I do believe that much of my frustration stems from observing my professional peers' arguments. I need to confess I have tried and tested each individual, in order to establish report, and with a sole exception, Kudos to you, Valentin, all have failed miserably in justifying their own comprehension of the context, the used speech and behavioural actions.

I do believe that most of those situations were prone to failure, due to my peers lack of understanding of the most basic unit of speech, namely: words.

So let's dig in all the 5 failed experiences, as I will cover the conversation with Valentin in a different post, since he was the only one able to understand my modus operandi.

#1 - Monday - Ionut, CEO Tokinomo & Mark, Sales something at Tokinomo.

I have presented myself to an interview with both named people above on February, the 8th. They have been really impressed by my business acumen, and concluded that we will hear each other in the near future. Upon leaving, they have asked me my availability to start working for them once they have made the offer, to which I have replied one business week, since I receive it.

The offer has arrived in my mailbox on February, the 13th, to which I have replied affirmative the next day, and reinforced my previous statement of one week + 1 business day, given that my confirmation arrived on a Friday.

During the coming days, some back and forth WhatsApp conversations have occurred between me and Ionut, to sort out the legal aspects of our collaboration, to which he has replied he is a bit busy, but we will speak on Monday the 24th. None of his inputs have contradicted the starting date, even if I have extensively tried to understand what time I should present myself at their office during the first day of work. In the absence of concrete information, I have decided to keep up to my promise and go to their office at 10:00 AM.

To my consternation, Mark has told me that they have not taken a decision, but from his knowledge the job is only opening in the middle of March, and that he will follow up with Ionut and provide an adequate clarification to the situation at hand. I have understood this, and gently excused myself while leaving their premises.

On my way home, I receive a phone call from Ionut, who I thought initially will clarify the situation, but to my surprise was in fact a BLAME sort of call. Long story short, he was insinuating that I have been visiting their office on a regular ("I have heard that today you have ALSO visited our office"). Nothing more inaccurate and a rather disturbing approach since it was not true. I have tried to ask him what do you mean by today ALSO, to which he couldn't figure out an immediate pertinent answer and he quite rapidly jumped to lecture me upon I cannot take decisions within other people's business. I still went on to understand what he means, and really tried to explain that in lack of contradictory evidence provided by himself, I have merely acted upon my word. He did not seem to get it, and he send a message saying half sorry, half accusing me of the same nonsense: my persistence.

I do not need to explain how awfully disappointed I was by his behaviour. First of all, trust is a matter that is being established through positive actions within a given incipient phase of any relationship, and I did not understand why he was so adamant to pull the plug on me, given the fact that when I have asked for one day to provide my final response to the offer, he took the sentimental approach and wrote in his email that he is rather disappointed that I just did not jump on board once the offer presented itself.

En plus, all this could have been easily avoided, if when he called me first he would have had the following speech:

"Hey, sorry for you having to come to the office and find us unprepared. As I have previously told you, I was rather busy with a fair in Germany, and I did not have the time to solution everything in respect to the job. Shall we resume on X day he would have chosen to".

FRUSTRATION LEVEL : 10,000 out of 100.

#2 - Monday - Fake news sponsored ad on Instagram - cannot remember the company

This one was announcing how employers were lacking the right talent in the market.

I have replied that maybe those entrepreneurs lack the know how and expertise to attract and maintain a talented workforce with their companies. They have not offered a reply to the time of this writing.

FRUSTRATION LEVEL : 10 out of 100.

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Later Edit (28.02.2020, 20:33): Friday, 28.02.2020, 16:14. I have received a subpoena from the company being mentioned under happening #3, and thus I have decided to alter the name of the brand and company mentioned. However, I do not intent to withdraw my claims, as they have been objectively reported, and I have all the necessary emails and Facebook conversations that were described under the happenings. One of the claims of the subpoena states that I have been using the brands names without their permission and I am bringing a prejudice to the respective company. I would argue, that their own handling of the situation has brought them a prejudice, as reputation is everything in the free market, because, in any country with commercial tradition, their attitude and handling of the situation would have not happened. What's more, I believe the only prejudice they have suffered from this article was facing the harsh reality of their own actions in practice. If they would have had any commercial sense, they would have taken the below situation and they would have understood the learnings I have offered them for free, in order to better their future commercial relationships. The power of feedback would actually work in their favour, have they been open enough to accept it!

Where in the sane world is this attitude permitted?

I feel gutted, that in Romania, they are using legal intimidation for me not to express my professional opinion, on my personal profile space, on my personal account on SM, to express my utter dissatisfaction with the service they have provided.

On top, they have dared to explain in the subpoena, that their publication has suffered from my publishing of this article on social media, that up to this later edit hour (19:36) has only 196 views (I have a valid photo to attest this). This is obviously a bad joke.

Anyway, I would like to continue arguing, that their communist mentality is preventing them from making progress, as, Alex from Frank, that he himself has been mentioned on happening number #5 has actually liked this article.

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Later Edit (29.02.2020, 05:08). I need to stand corrected upon a small fact with happening #3. Upon a second verification, it appears that the initial blank email that contained only the presentations by itself has been recalled from my inbox (maybe I was very quick to read it during that particular sent day) and I only have the second email sent, that contained the cost eulogy together with the wrong quotation and wrong media toolkit for the wrong publication as already explained in the initial text.

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#3 - Monday/Tuesday - Elena, PM Lur?vedA GnidloH and Denisa - Marketing something at Lur?vedA GnidloH

I have worked as a contributing writer for the entire month of January at Lur?vedA GnidloH. During my collaboration I have understood that the publication I was writing for (?nuB ?tfoP ?KcilC) was suffering from a deficit of revenue. As a willing to help person, I have tried to explain some new ways of generating revenue, both in the offline and the online publication mediums. All I could hear from everyone were excuses, probably their own inadaptability to face change and pull the trigger on a dying business model. Because I have dared to want a better future for the publication at hand, my contract has been suspended upon LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND COMPREHENSION OF THE ROMANIAN LANGUAGE. I found this absurd, but I went along with it, since I knew it was a dead end for me anyway.

Coming back to Monday morning, one of my favourite collaborators wanted to buy 1 page advertorial space within ?nuB ?tfoP ?KcilC and kindly asked me to manage everything, so I have contacted Elena, specifically asking for an ad space rate card, and the option to have a discount upon the price of purchase of a given number of the magazine, established by them in such a way that it's a win win for everybody. She has directed me towards Denisa, and I have made the same request via email to her also.

Now, Denisa's first mail, was a media Toolkit for EnizagaM?KO? The second email she sent was a quotation for the exact same EnizagaM?KO? and a very long and boring eulogy of how they cannot provide discount for the number of magazines my client was interested in acquiring. I was shocked. First, it was the wrong publication, second was the wrong quotation, third I was not interested in her internal cost eulogy, as I was the client, and those aspects were not of my concern. I decided to write back and kindly ask her to provide the right quotation for my request. During Monday, I believe I have received some other messages from Elena trying to excuse her 950 EUR/ 1 page price in the context of the magazine having sold at least 200, 000 issues per month, to which I was again afraid she did not understand that I did not want the EnizagaM?KO? publication, but the ?nuB ?tfoP ?KcilC, which in January merely sold 15,000 issues. I have given her my own estimate, which was in itself inflated than the actual value, around 690 EUR/ 1 page.

Tuesday morning, seeing that Denisa did not bother to reply I have decided to inform Elena about the lack of professionalism they have displayed when treating the issue at hand. To my even more so surprise, Elena did not make the difference between constructive feedback and personal affronts, and she decided to attack my feedback, and quite blatantly insinuate that I was disrespectful, when she was the one calling them names and blaming me for establishing the price within her business. Later edit (Tue, 03.03.2020,09:12): En plus, she was telling me that I cannot represent my client from a legal standpoint, and that the contract needs to be closed directly between Lur?vedA GnidloH and my client. Now, who was bossing who around on their own business? (end of edit).

I have decided to close the argument by explaining, that during a negotiation, the client might be aware of the value of a service, and I was only suggesting to find a reasonable middle ground. She went forth and brought into conversation how desperate I was trying to contact the entire department, and how she cannot talk with someone like me. Up to this point I have managed to keep my professionalism, but reading her text I have snapped and decided to lower myself to her understanding and explained that I had no hidden agenda, nor any editorial novela, but I sincerely wanted to help, and that I might not be able to speak perfect Romanian (though it is my mother tongue) but at least I have a better understanding of psychological mirroring, and what she was accusing me of, was merely more relevant to her own perception rather than myself. I have ended on a bitter note, and said that they deserve the insolvency that haunts them.

Meanwhile, Denisa replied with the ?nuB ?tfoP ?KcilC ad space: 700 euros/1 page, very close to my own estimate. However, by the time of her reply, I have decided not to award them the contract since they did not deserve it.

FRUSTRATION LEVEL : 20,000 out of 100.

#4 - Wednesday - Andreea, HR Ocean Credit/Volt and Radu Marketing something Ocean Credit/Volt

This was a rather short conversation, which I thought was quite polite, but I was not impressed by Radu's readiness to cut the cord on the conversation not even 30 minutes in. Need to mention that Radu was driving during this Skype call.

I went with it, but then I have remembered I was trying to explain their search flow, and sent them a link of the first URL I have landed upon when typing their brand in G search. It was upon this event, that I have noticed with surprise that Radu did not pay attention to what I have been telling him during the call: that I would not recommend SM advertising, but rather Google search, because the user intention is implicit when searching on Google.

He said good day, and left the conversation. Trying to reach him and understand why the sudden exit, I have added Andreea on Linkedin. Within a matter of minutes, Andreea has accepted my request and quite readily was letting me know how she has noticed my profile and was willing to invite me to an interview for the companies she was representing. I laughed, and wrote back that I have just closed the skype call with her and Radu. Then I have decided to write back, this time on Skype to ask her how can they make money, as from my previous work experience, lack of clarity and attention to details costs any given company. She has replied that by being involved, and constantly listening to feedback. I have admired her effort, at least in part, because it makes no sense on my side, to be involved without paying attentions to details, but at least she was on the right track with the feedback.

FRUSTRATION LEVEL : 1,000 out of 100.

#5 - Wednesday/Thursday - Alexandros from Frank Group - Junior Strategist on IQAds for McCann; Frank Group - this was my way of testing their understanding, not really interested in the jobs

On Wednesday night, I have decided to write a controversial message for the above two distinct positions to the above named companies. My message was containing hints of the discrepancy, inadvertent and rather silly combination of the two words in the job description, and it was sent more as a challenge and a joke at the same time.

McCann has not replied to this time, but some head of something within Frank group has decided to show his arrogance by providing a screenshot of how Google can answer all my question within a click distance. I decided to give him a chance to ponder upon the true meaning of my message and replied : "If everybody does it, does it make it right? Food for thought..."

I will copy paste his follow up message, as it is the only one in english piece from the entire week so far, and I am a bit bored of writing in passive voice.....

Its not about right or wrong here. Its about the actual existence of a position. You could say the same for every junior position in the world. As a junior you are called to help the senior by providing him data, reports and insights(read job description) not to implement the whole strategy, till the day you become senior.?

That was one part.?

Second part is that there are big clients with big strategic needs and only one or more seniors should collab to offer a robust strategy and then there are very small clients with very small strategic needs that a junior with lower salary and experience could perfectly manage and deliver even with or without the overview of a senior.?

So, with all my respect I believe that your statement is making absolutely no sense and as I proved previously not only to me, but to the whole marketing and advertising market in all over the world.?

Nothing more FALSE :)) My reply as follows

[email protected], wrote:

WRONG!

Sorry, I appreciate the response, but for me there is no common sense logic behind those justifications, mainly because it is a?case of right and wrong.?

Let me explain,?as you have quite accurately pointed, the whole thing is in reference to the lower payroll and ASSISTANCE to implementing a given strategy. In?this?case, a better suited word would be Strategy Implementation Assistant, at most apprentice.?

The root &?etymology?of junior?Middle English?(as an adjective following?a?family name): from?Latin, comparative of?juvenis?‘young’?makes no sense in terms of plans and tactics, tools and techniques, or the whole young long-term aim.

strategy?|??strat?d?i?|?

noun?(plural?strategies)?

1?a?plan of action?designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim:?time to?develop?a?coherent?economic strategy?|?[mass noun]?:??shifts in?marketing strategy.?

2?[mass noun]?the art of?planning?and directing overall military?operations?and movements in a war or battle:?he was a genius when it came to?military?strategy.?Often contrasted with?tactics?(see?tactic).

??[count noun]?a?plan?for?directing overall military operations and movements:?non-provocative?defence strategies.?

Assistant?

ORIGIN

late Middle English: from Old French, or from medieval Latin assistentia, from Latin assistere (see assist).

Apprentice

ORIGIN

Middle English: from Old French aprentis (from apprendre ‘learn’, from Latin apprehendere ‘apprehend’), on the pattern of words ending in -tis, -tif, from Latin -tivus (see -ive).

Now, that I have concluded my case,?and proved to you, that just because everyone does it, it doesn't make it right. Furthermore?I rest assured, that human superficiality is greater than I have imagined, since one is happy to argue on things they have no comprehension of.?

Warm regards,

Georgiana

The conversation was turning into the right direction up to a certain point, when it was clear to me that he was clearly not accepting defeat and kept on with his nonsense, just for me to prove him wrong at every corner. I thought he would have been a good opponent in the future if he would have only accepted that sometimes, younger ladies are more knowledgeable than middle-aged men.

FRUSTRATION LEVEL : 0 out of 100.

#6 - Thursday evening - Juliana at Omniconvert (sorry Valentin, you rock, she doesn't)

Checking my email I have received a rather auspicious invitation to prove my marketing acumen for Omniconvert. I decided to give it a shot, but soon after starting the test, some things did not make sense to me. So I decided to restart the test, and write 9 out of the 29 questions in an email to the host of the test, namely Juliana. For each question I have provided my own input and understanding of how the answer should have been framed or written.

I have decided to challenge Juliana even further by asking her to convince me why would I want to work for her, given that the test lacked depth. In the same time I have sent the body of the email to Valentin on Linkedin. I have promised earlier, and Valentin hold me accountable if I forget, to write an extensive piece why Valentin was the only winner of my respect for the named events of those 4 days of hell.

Anyway, it was not surprising to see that Juliana had not understood the challenge before her, and she decided to close the conversation by informing me of a rather redundant misfit between my personality and the organisation, and that the quiz was actually developed in partnership with Hubspot!

I have decided to reply in style, and ask her if it has occurred to her, that if they were Hubspot's clients and they gave HS the wrong brief, those might not want to take an active interest in educating their clients, as that might mean losing money. I have went on to make her question why I was frustrated with her last email and decided to close the email with even more style and quote Aristotle's famous line:

“We Can't learn without pain.”

―?Aristotle

FRUSTRATION LEVEL : 400 out of 100 - only because Valentin has reduced the threshold

TOTAL FRUSTRATION LEVEL : 31,410 out of 100 (31,410%)

From the above events it is futile to state how many mishaps and missed opportunities, and really healthy chances to grow for both themselves and myself have been bypassed. All this happened in 4 days!

Anyway, I am sure that among my followers there are people that appreciate my know how, logic and could empathise with all this nightmare.

If you are interested in thought leadership articles, please don't hesitate to contact me.

[email protected]

I rest obliged!