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[geaaronson]

Here�s an interesting anecdote that I hope prompts comments-

I have a private student who works as an economist at Mexico�s federal ant�-trust division. She,in turn, told me an interesting story about her colleague who had been recently been fired. Upon hearing it I wa aghast by the sheer stupidity of what had occurred. Let me see what anyone else out there has to say.

The economist in question was about to take a three month leave from the commission she works for on account that she had been awarded a fellowship by the British Economic Council to work at the American Federal Trade Commission, (FTC). Don�t ask me to explain what a Brit agency is doing awarding moneys for an American agency, but I have had several other students likewise tell me of similar transnational awards. I myself have applied for a residency in Belgium with moneys that came from American foundation sources, so please don�t question this aspect of the story.

The particular residency had been supported by the Mexican commissions upper echelons including the applicants immediate boss.
Five days before the woman was to begin the fellowship in Washington, DC, her boss fired her.
As the residency stipulated that it only be awarded to an economist working for the MXan government, the applicant now felt she had no recourse but to decline the residency.
She did not inform either the Council or the FTC that she would not be attending her newfound position as she was so much in shock of having lost her position.
My student is unbelievably honest so I have no cause to doubt the veracity of this story.
Apparently there had been considerable tension between the applicant and her boss, partly due to the fact that the applicant was more capable, partly because the boss�s managerial style was alienating the other employees as well. The applicant went to the superiors the following week to see if she could be rehired in another capacity at the same commission. They told her that as she had never come to them to complain about the boss, that they would not intervene in her favor or award her another position.

At the very least, I believe the applicant should have immediately got ont the phone the very next day and spoken with the FTC and the British economic council, neither of which she did. What are your takes on this situation?

[Dragonlady]

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[geaaronson]

So, I was not so far off. Good to hear that you agreed that she should have gone on the horn immediately. I suppose the woman was so floored by the experience that she could not think straight. It`s unfortunate that she so badly played the whole situation and could have come out in a stronger position, possibly getting herself an economist position on an international level, i.e with an multinational corporation or an international organization such as IMF, World Bank or any of the others.
My student�s ignorance of the proper handling of that situation also bothered me. Although she is excellent friends to the discharged employee she was not able to correctly advise her as to her future plans. I`m sometimes very amazed that here are people with fantastic jobs on track to high falutin�economic positions who are easily snapped up by employers, but are not quite sure of their own worth.
My student has had several fellowships granted her. Last year she was approached by an international organization who wanted her to do a year internship in Europe to do research in international regulation and trade. She had been working at the Mexican antitrust division for 3 years and has an MBA in economics from a Mexican university, but is Costa Rican by nationality. I told her the great powers to be are looking at her as a prime emloyee in the future for economic matters. She has received a fellowship as well from a Spanish university for a training course as well as other grants, so she is being earmarked as an upcoming international economist, but when I asked her the name of the org. that wanted her to do the internship, she could not remember their name. As she loves England, much more than Mexico, I would have thought a stint in Europe would have had extreme appeal to her. Again, her honesty is impeccable, so I don`t doubt her word, it`s just that since she did not seriously consider the offer but was flattered by it, that she could not remember who offered it to her.
As a teacher, if Harvard U. solicited me as a prospective employee I certainly would remember.