Yeah, I’d rather use a different word than “stuff” in the title, but I like the fact my blog has a G rating.
I have some thoughts on the job hunt, interviewing, etc., that I’m going to share now. I had an interview this morning, and walked away feeling bothered, and it’s finally gelled for me.
Today I interviewed with a local company needing an IT guy. Easy enough job for me, and it sounds great. I was thrilled to get the call last Thursday and schedule an interview for Monday morning. Friday I got a call back, and they needed to push the interview to Tuesday. That’s fine. It’s a job in Prescott, and I’ll do anything to get it.
This morning I arrived at 8:30 and headed in. Another guy was also there waiting, and he was waiting to interview at 9:00 a.m. They’d double booked. Monday interviews were canceled, and were pushed to Tuesday double booking with other folks. Bad sign.
The other candidate went to interview with the organization’s head guy, and I went to interview with the IT Manger and HR Manager. It went well, and the IT Manager was clearly interested. His one concern was my resume. Given my skills he worried that I’d leave soon finding something better. Good lord, does anyone read my blog? I’ve been trying to get something HERE for the longest time, and I’m sincere when I say it. People just don’t believe each other any more, do they?
After wrapping up I went to the waiting area to interview with the other person while the other candidate went up to talk with the IT manager. I sat, the HR Manager asked for the head guy to be called, and I waited.
And I waited…..
Oh yes baby, let’s wait some more……
Finally 40 minutes later the HR person let me know that the person I was to interview with was tied up with corporate and unavailable.
So, I got half my interviewing done. A short apology from the HR person, and no offer of rescheduling.
You know something? That’s rude.
Gear Shift
I’ve been applying to anything and everything lately. The Phoenix option I’d mentioned the other week was offered to me. Part time, no benefits, and it would cost me more than I made to live there, but it would be a foot in the door. Still, not even a livable option, which is why I’ve been filling out applications everywhere.
Ah, and those applications are so much fun. When you’re looking at “Big Box” stores I’ll tell you, the process is downright disheartening. The best part are the personality profiles. What are those you ask?
Here’s a sample of questions I’ve answered at several big box shops in the past few weeks.
- Do you think smoking pot outside of work is ok?
- Do you think doing cocaine after work is ok?
- Do you think doing LSD or other drugs outside of work is ok?
- Do you think stealing is ok if you’re not making much money?
- Do you think corporations stick it to their employees?
- Do you think smoking pot at work is ok?
- Should a person be fired for stealing if they apologize?
- Would you return found money if you knew who lost it?
On and on and on. Now, ask yourself this……who the hell would think any of this stuff is ok? Worse, would you want to work with someone that thought any of this is ok? Are these questions for real?
After this morning’s experience all those crazy personality questions popped back to the front of my mind. The fact that I was rescheduled, and then blown off for half my interview, made to wait for 40 minutes, and not even offered an alternate time…..rude, right? Sure.
Now, think about all those goofball questions on stealing and drugs. Anyone who thinks it’s ok to do any of that stuff in a work place certainly doesn’t consider anything or anyone around them. Rude attitude as well.
Everywhere I’ve ever worked I kept my appointments. I made sure that the environments I was in were safe workplaces. The folks I worked with respected each other. We never needed personality questionnaires like what I’ve seen. Then again, when I made appointments with people I kept them too. I’m guessing we have gotten to the point where we need to ask this stuff, haven’t we?
Ah, brace yourself Rich. One more interview today. I’m waiting for the questionnaire that asks whether or not I think dog fighting is ok. I’m sure that will show up on NFL applications in the near future.
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But, don’t I know that! They say on those there is no right or wrong answer, but when you have to degrade yourself to answering those questions to work at places like Albertson’s or Target where you see people employed there with facial piercings and tattoos evrywhere. Well, they MUST have a winning personality and did something right on those questionnaires because they certainly didn’t get hired for looking like professionals.
Rant on Road Warrior, rant on!
I am speechless (almost…I’m alternating between crying and running down to the first place you interviewed with to give them what for) And, we wonder why things are the way they are in these corporations? I want to say something horrible about Prescott, but I’m just going to assume that it’s this way everywhere now? It is demeaning and crazy to even answer these questions at an interview…and as my mother said, “…if you say yes to any of those questions, they probably make you management.”