I went on an interview just yesterday for a job at a *nameless* company. I shall not release the details to protect the guilty who work there, or more specifically, "Da Boss". I had some problems getting there on time, and knew luck wasn't going to be a lady that day. When I arrived at the building there were two doors. Identical, with directories posted on the wall inside each, instructing me to go to the fourth floor. Unfortuanately, *not* instructing me which door to use to accomplish this feat. I made my choice, because I was losing precious time in getting to see this woman on time, and had already miscalculated how many blocks away from the train stop this place would be. (Note: Of course, this shows how slovenly I am, and how I can *never* get places on time, and how I do not care about the time of other people. I should be burned at the stake with Tobasco sauce for flavour, I am such a horrid specimen of humanity. I do so envy those perfect people who make no mistakes! Why couldn't I be blessed as they are!)
I picked the wrong door. Wouldn't you know it! Now, of course in the scheme of things, it is my fault and my fault alone that "Da Boss" of this place did not tell me on the phone the day before about her multiple door problem. Why should she be expected to tell me about a major quirk in the building where she works everyday? I mean, if *she* can get there, everyone else should automatically know where and how to get in, right? That's why she is Da Boss, and not us. Now that we have that out of the way...
Here are a list of the things I found to be heinously wrong with Da Boss, including but not limited to:
She could not remember my name on the phone
She asked how my writing skills were twice (Could not remember my answer the first time?)
Did not greet me or shake my hand upon meeting
Did not thank me for my time after the interview.
Neglected to mention that there were two entrances to her building or tell me which to use
Told me all about her having a cold, taking an Advil and how they sometimes make her drowsy (Pertinent info to working there?!)
Did not ask me if I had any questions at the interview, but in her phone conversation told me to "Think of any questions I will want to ask"
When reviewing where I had worked, she said, "Oh we HATE (X company)!". How endearing! I decided not to tell her that they hated her company as well, and I had never heard one good word about her company. Also, my previous company treated its employees very well, and never acted with such snobbery as Da Boss Lady was projecting.
Told me the schedule for the job, asked, "How are these hours?" I say, "Fine" She says, "Why are you so flexible with your hours?" (I guess I should have said, "Why those hours just WON'T do!! change them NOW!")
She had this very strange little giggle she would tack onto her sentences, designed to make a person feel that they aren't saying the "right" thing. God help the poor employee of hers who makes a "Gasp! It can't be!" mistake.
Told me I would have to meet with her Human Resources "Guy", and he was not available until later that day or the next day. If she knew she would be interviewing someone she may want to hire, and to be hired that person needed to meet the Human Resources "Guy", why couldn't she think ahead and show courtesy and good organizational skill and have him available? Or at very least, schedule the interview for when he will be there. Just ridiculous unprofessionalism. She of course tried to make this look as if it were my fault, that I was inflexible and needed to bow to their schedules. I had previous commitments, I have a job. She knew this. Da Boss ain't too quick on the uptake. The kind of boss we want? The kind of boss to get the job done? I think not...
...which leads to these doozys: I informed her that the forums on her site were chock full of Spam. She had "No idea" about this and would have "to check it out". Excuse me, but you aren't even monitoring what is on your site? Lazy are we?
and this one: I went to her site, and within ten minutes found a huge thread of messages posted by users and customers (Who pay an average of $99.oo for this service) who were enraged that "nothing worked" on the site and they were not getting anything for their money. On top of that, the customers said the staff continually ignored their pleas for help and direction, they felt ignored, they hated the three ads that were on each and every page and resented the fact that their homepages were inaccessible, as well as other aspects of their membership package, but the three ads worked each and every time to perfection. (I must admit this put Da Boss is a VERY bad light, did nothing for my trust in the product or the quality of service. If they treat their customers this way, how do they treat employees?)
She also had a very weird problem with her age, referring to it a bit too much. She must have been worried about the wrinkles and those huge bags under her eyes (Ok, I am being petty. I apologise.)
In the initial phone conversation, she asked me about where I see myself, one of those "future" questions. I told her my ambitions. She quickly jumped in to remind me that the position I was applying for at her company was beneath those future ambitions. I guess she wanted to hear how I want to be in her dept until the crack of doom. Silly me for wanting more.
Through it all, Miss Boss acted as if she were God's gift to the industry and that her time was so valuable. I was totally unimpressed with her attitude. She had such a disgraceful lack of knowledge of her own site, and obviously got by in the industry stepping on talented people and trying hard to make them feel that they deserve her abuse.
The moral of the story is, don't act as if you are so valuable without being able to prove it. She did not prove it, just talked her way through it so people don't notice. I did notice. She had no meat, but mouth. When the time comes to deliver she will rely on others to do her work for her while she pops Advil and makes excuses for herself.
I am glad that most managers are informed and know how to conduct an interview. There are always bad apples, and that's part of our humanity. I just resent it when one human characteristic is excused because the person is the "Manager" and the same characteristic is condemned because the culprit is an "Applicant". It's amazing what a little kindness and understanding will do.
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