I will not feel sorry for myself. An old friend sent me a lovely photo of himself, his wife, and their young baby this week. Along with his CV and the news that he had been made redundant and did I know any companies looking for his skills? And another friend told me her husband was about to be made redundant. So the fact that I have two rejections to report will not get me down.
Mr Workaholic chose the "other" candidate (if the job actually existed). Phoned me at 9.30 on a Friday evening to let me know. Great start to the weekend. After staring at a blank desk for ten minutes in stunned silence, I pulled myself together, went online and was exciting to find a role with a local college – closer to home than the job I’d just been turned down for, and a similar number of hours. Perhaps this was the job for me. Perhaps this was meant to be. I applied immediately.
I suppose the good news is that at least this was a short, sharp rejection. Not even an interview. Just a letter, with my name misspelled, telling me I had not been short listed. No reason. You never get a reason. It would be so useful to have a reason, but why should employers waste their time giving you a reason?
I read with interest the results of the Table talk: consultancy discussion. Some of the advice would work for job seekers too – they confirm my view that you should get more respect if you admit your limitations rather than try to bluff it. The discussion also dealt with how clients can get the best out of consultants. I understand the point they were making, but ultimately the client has the upper hand and I wondered how some clients would respond to being told what they needed to do. Imagine a bunch of job seekers telling potential employers how to treat us? Please acknowledge our applications, especially electronic ones which are so easy to respond to; please don’t keep us hanging around for weeks for a result; please don’t make us put lots of work in preparing a presentation or a proposal when the job doesn’t really exist or you already know who you're going to give the job to. Oh yes, and please spell our names correctly on rejection letters.
Friday, 20 November 2009
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Blood out of a stone
I may have my first contract. I expect to hear any time now….. The job sounds very exciting, and the owner/ director I met at the first interview seemed to be the sort of person I could work with.
I was invited to a second interview - a good sign. Only this time, the MD invites his HR person. The HR person starts asking odd questions like - “supposing this company quadruples in size in the next six months - how will you cope if the work starts to take over your life?” I explained that I would not let it take over my life. The job spec had stated that they needed 3 days a week for six months, and that is what they would get. “Yes, but what if after six months we’re a multi-national organisation and we need you to spend two months in India setting up a new branch?” Let me think. I know - I won’t do it. I thought that was an honest enough answer. I wouldn’t want to get the job based on the false premise that although I had responded to a request for part-time help, I had a secret urge to work 80 hours a week. However, he went on, as if there was really some other question he wanted to ask but couldn’t, or as if he thought if he asked often enough I’d eventually give in and say “Of course, what I really want is to sleep in the office, give up my home life, and work myself into an early grave.” I’ve read all those articles on stress in HSW (see March 08, June 08(1), June 08 (2) and September 08) and I know I won’t be doing myself or my employer any good if I allow myself to be pressured into taking on more than is reasonable.
Feeling that the discussion with Mr HR Workaholic was fruitless and heading towards frosty, I took the decision to ignore him and talk to the more sensible MD about what he actually wanted done in the job. I’ll let you know when I find out if that was a smart move or not.
I was invited to a second interview - a good sign. Only this time, the MD invites his HR person. The HR person starts asking odd questions like - “supposing this company quadruples in size in the next six months - how will you cope if the work starts to take over your life?” I explained that I would not let it take over my life. The job spec had stated that they needed 3 days a week for six months, and that is what they would get. “Yes, but what if after six months we’re a multi-national organisation and we need you to spend two months in India setting up a new branch?” Let me think. I know - I won’t do it. I thought that was an honest enough answer. I wouldn’t want to get the job based on the false premise that although I had responded to a request for part-time help, I had a secret urge to work 80 hours a week. However, he went on, as if there was really some other question he wanted to ask but couldn’t, or as if he thought if he asked often enough I’d eventually give in and say “Of course, what I really want is to sleep in the office, give up my home life, and work myself into an early grave.” I’ve read all those articles on stress in HSW (see March 08, June 08(1), June 08 (2) and September 08) and I know I won’t be doing myself or my employer any good if I allow myself to be pressured into taking on more than is reasonable.
Feeling that the discussion with Mr HR Workaholic was fruitless and heading towards frosty, I took the decision to ignore him and talk to the more sensible MD about what he actually wanted done in the job. I’ll let you know when I find out if that was a smart move or not.
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