I decided that after I retired, that I could still do some things that I enjoyed and had some training for in my past jobs. (police training, Mess Kit Repair for the Army and anything to do with guns.) I was totally shocked at a few things in regards to finding a job these days. The last time I had to apply for a job, it was paper forms, now everybody wants stuff done on line. I’m good with that, but I don’t think it should be an excuse for poor manners. Recruiters working for some employers will totally bullshit you and then lie about it. (you can’t lie and bullshit a person who’s been a cop for 32 years and did “mess kit repair” on 2 deployments.)
The first thing I discovered is most civilian employers don’t even tell you how much they are going to pay for the job…and some don’t tell you up front whether or not it’s full time or part time. In many cases, I’d spend hours filling out a form online and answering questions designed for an 18 year old….like: “did you get along with your teachers in high school?’
What kind of retarded shit is that for an adult?
In several cases, I’d get called up and asked: “You sound perfect, can you come in tomorrow for an interview?” Well, sure, I guess so, but that’s kind of short notice. But I’d go….to be interviewed usually by somebody younger that my sons. Most of the time they had no idea what or how to ask questions….in a few cases I had to explain that a question they asked was illegal….like what church I went to. Then, after they said: “well, I have to have my boss interview you…” I’d asked: “by the way, how many hours a week and how much does this job pay?”
When they told me, I told them: “It’s not even worth me starting my truck to come here for 5 hours a day at that kind of pay…..I’ll just sit home and watch TV.”
One job I applied for working as a contractor for a military branch---this was with a nationally known big company that makes all kinds of cool shit and stuff. I went in for an interview one day on very short notice. As I walked in, they said: “Oh, we made a mistake, the job we want to interview you for is not that…( a job I was totally qualified for) but for this other job…(that when they explained it to me, I had no idea what they were talking about.)
The guys who were going to interview me, were not prepared but said it would only take about 30 minutes. It took over 2 hours…because neither one of them knew what they were asking…they were not prepared. We wasted their time and mine….and the assholes were not even polite enough to get back and tell me I didn’t get the job. If they had offered me the job, I would have turned it down because I couldn’t work with people that dis-organized.
Another thing is since I am a “triple Vet” I am supposed to get job preference in any government job I apply for. Now, I won’t take a job from a young vet who really needs the job, but when they totally ignore that rule and hire some person who’s never served, then what good is that rule?
The most dysfunctional place to find a job is with the US Federal Government. They have tried to combine all federal jobs at www.usajobs.com but this has so many problems, I’d need another post just to describe them.
I know jobs are hard to come by these days, but that doesn’t make it right for Human Resources and employers to be rude, lie, not post the pay and hours and in general just be assholes.
Anyway, I’m happy now working part time and 2 jobs I really enjoy. You see, it’s not so much the money as I wanted to do something I enjoy doing and work with good people….who know what the hell they are doing.
13 comments:
That. Is. Pathetic.
w/v: fastra
half-assed fast track?
I loved this:
When they told me, I told them: “It’s not even worth me starting my truck to come here for 5 hours a day at that kind of pay…..I’ll just sit home and watch TV.”
I have sat many interviews, qual boards, and other boards in the Navy, which has helped my skills.
The last qual board I sat, 10 months ago, I was asked at the end how I did. I looked at the LCDR asking me the question and told him I did well.
Oddly, even though I did do well, he did not like me saying it. I didn't care, the truth is the truth. . .
I have recurited and done lots of hiring for cops in the last dozen or so years...I'd spend hours working on the questions so we would get the sort of cop we needed etc. and I had to clear everything through the HR dept....who usually just said: "can't we just use the same questions from last time?"
I worked for a PD for 20 years, left and when I went back, they were asking me the same questions I wrote...only they didn't know what the correct answer was supposed to be.
I walked out of an interview when I retired and told the guy he didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground as I walked out of the door. His boss heard me and ask what's up. I told him and he said he would interview me. I told him that if he was stupid enough to put that dumb-ass in charge of recruiting then he was as dumb as the dumb-ass and that I wouldn't fit in. I didn't get the job, believe it or not. My reaction was more from fatigue and all the interviews I had been though and not my sparkling personality.
holy guacamole, batman - i can't believe people post jobs without telling you hours or salary! That makes no sense. Unless they're hoping you'll be so desperate for a job they can suggest something different to each applicant, see how low a salary they can get away with?
My most recent job interview was 6 months ago, when i reapplied for the job i've been doing for 3 years (hey, it's the public sector, they're having budget cuts). Lucky for me, i got the job! And a £2k pay cut. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Take a deep breath homes.
PS for what it's worth these guys always loved working for their company and are actively involved in training troops. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Professional_Resources
I don't know what kind of hoops they'd make you jump through though.
El C,
I've chatted with L3....had a few job offers, but in bad places...
Got onto it on the telephone with one potential employer. He was upset I hadn't provided him with my social security number and exact date of birth.
I asked him if he ever heard of identity theft; that I was going to provide sensitive information to a Craiglists ad.
Vet preference? Ha! Looked into a Census job. Don't think many of the chipper 20 something's hired were vets. I wasn't hired but showed up at the first training session just to see who they hired.
That was a fun tenminutes until they called security.
I just don't understand people... you'd think that they'd love to hire someone with that much experience. I think that you must have got it right when you said that they really didn't understand what you were qualified to do.
But I'm glad that you have two part-time jobs that you enjoy.
W.S.F....there are some scammers out there looking for ID theft info...and some companies who just hire retards...most HR folks are retards by the way.
Sak, what some didn't understand that witht the stuff I've done...one time in Baghadad the Command Sergeant Major told me to show him the bottom of my boots.
I did and asked why. He said he wanted to see what they looked like for somebody who could walk on water.
I told him I didn't actully touch the water...but floated a little above it.
As a general rule, unfortunately, the stupidest people in any organization end up in HR. I can't count the number of times I have been asked idiotic questions like, "So, are you familiar with Windows?"
Uh, no, well other than the 4 years I worked at Microsoft working on 3 different versions of Windows. Did you people even read my $%%&ing resume?!
Chief, Yep...like in college, people who can't do a job- teach...people in a college who can't teach= work in HR or become deans.
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