also "score hunting"
Referring to and primarily derived from the western film trope of
gun slingers carving a score in the grip of their guns for every man they have killed in a duel (The Fastest
Gun Alive, 1956). On film, one of the main purposes of the scores would be to flaunt them as assumed proof of skills like hand
speed and
target accuracy. Reinforcing the image of the carrier as a fast-on-the-draw killer they present a discouraging or provoking effect; someone you should think twice about challenging, or someone you should gun down in a duel to get your own fast
gun reputation going.
As of today the
urban idiom "score hunter" is a person who is systematically and somewhat ruthlessly exploiting their position at work to seek out and gather prestigeful short term assignments. Typically these assignments are not part of their ordinary daily
job. The main goal is to improve the image and build up a reputation/resume impressive enough to get to a
better position with another employer, and/or into a more desirable or more prestigious
line of work in another branch.
The typical behavior of a score hunter is to grab every opportunity to be in charge of, or at least a part of, anything and everything that looks good on a resume, eliminating other possible candidates for the
job if necessary. Driven by ambition rather than
talent, skills and leadership abilities, the score hunter is usually not the most suitable person for the
job but the most likely to get it.
Person A:
- He is just an accountant, why did they put him in charge of producing our commercial
spot? Shouldn't someone in marketing be doing that?
Person B:
- He's a score hunter, he's going for a
job at an advertising agency. He is not going to be here
long.
