At&T: Discrimination and Identity-privacy violation

I recently asked some of my Linked-In contracts for their knowledge and opinion of a company requiring a person's SSN BEFORE they will even accept a resume from a person or recruiter. There really is no legitimate reason for this. I could lead to identity theft. The offending company if AT&T. I run in to this because as a consultant/contractor, I do project work and I get contacted by many different recruiter, 5-10, every day about At&T projects. I suppose being a large company and having many open opportunities makes AT&T feel entitled to to just about any boundary and ethics violation. Also At&T asks for the moon! They want one person to do the ob of 5 - 5 specialties, and development skills alone so broad as to be very hard to find. They are using every recruiter in the world - not just American workers to do their R work. I find this offensive, as this county needs jobs. They should hire an American recruiter. In spite of the difficulty of matching the requirements (for all positions and locations, the same), all recruiters tell me that I have the package it is very hard to find one with this skill set. In spite of that AT&T has not interest in me. I did some checking on the net and it seems there are allegations with some evidence, that AT&T requires SSNs up front so as to rule out mature applicants. hat does explain a lot and another thing I can add to my list of things to dislike about AT&T. Read more: http://community.ere.net/groups/atlanta-recruiters/discussions/912/

The Decline of Civility

Although generation after generation bemoans the loss of social morays to which they have become accustomed, I fear that this time the effect is too extreme, pervasive and lasting.

To begin, I see signs that the USA, once and always a strong, proud and dynamic country built on the middle class is losing that middle class foundation. I see it taking swift strides toward emulating a third world culture in which, as demonstrated (double entendre intended) by occupy wall street, the upper one percent is countered by a lower ninety-nine percent in which the traditional U.S. middle class is being squeezed out of existence.

I was a member of that vast middle class, and I say was because I am no longer sure where I fit in, except that it is not in the upper one percent nor anywhere near it. The notion of socioeconomic status is seemingly outdated.

There was a time perhaps when because money afforded education, profession and upbringing they were equal. Now, people with all of these attributes may have no job, a job not suited, and no money. Conversely some with no education, poor speech, no manners or social graces are able to attain greater financial status and stability than those who do have all of the graces necessary for social status.