I Believe In Fairness

Bretrick

Bretrick

Well-known Member
Location
Perth Western Australia
Just a minor rant about how society treats it's citizens
I remember when I was at a group interview for a Multi Million dollar company.
They were looking to employ 8 people. There were 12 applicants including myself.
One guy came along with a folder full of his previous applications and I am not lying when I say it had to be at least 6 inches thick.
My first thought was that I felt sorry for him. All those rejections.
We went through the interview process all seated around a large table.
Each of us was to introduce ourselves and talk a little of our lives experiences, etc.
The fellow with the folder spoke well, seemed well adjusted and had plenty to offer.
Interview over, a week later I was notified that I had been successful in gaining employment.
The guy with the large folder had not been offered a position.
A month or two down the track, once I got to know the boss well enough, I asked why the "Folder Guy" was not successful.
His reply saddened me, "If he has been rejected by so many potential employers there must be something wrong with him"
I never said what was on my mind.
To me, no one gave him a chance. How could anyone make the assumption that there must be something wrong with him if he had never been employed?
I gained a real insight into not only how society treats it's fellow citizens but also how Companies make assumptions based on first appearances.
The guy must be so disheartened, rejection after rejection. I only hope that he stopped taking that file with him to interviews and that someone gave him a chance.
That is all one asks for, a chance to join society, to be a part of what everyone else is a part of. Not to be rejected on assumptions.
Yes, some of you may have the thought in your head that, if he had gotten the job, then I might not have. True. Which in itself would not have been such a big issue for me because I had many skills to gain employment.
 

Reminded me of a job interview from 30 years ago.
While looking over my application, the "Manager" noticed that I worked in 2 places that went out of business.
He says: "You seem to have been employed in several places that went out of business. What attracted you to firms that were so poorly managed?"
I replied, "Well, I wasn't attracted to them; I needed employment. I couldn't very well ask for a financial statement, could I?"
 
win231 said:
Reminded me of a job interview from 30 years ago.
While looking over my application, the "Manager" noticed that I worked in 2 places that went out of business.
He says: "You seem to have been employed in several places that went out of business. What attracted you to firms that were so poorly managed?"
I replied, "Well, I wasn't attracted to them; I needed employment. I couldn't very well ask for a financial statement, could I?"
Click to expand...
That was a rather silly question to ask.
Every place I have worked, bar two, have closed down.
That question showed the poor standard of the Manager. Very unintelligent question.
 

Murrmurr said:
I totally get your point, Betrick, but taking a pile of rejected job applications to a job interview is not a good tactic. I wouldn't hire someone who thought that it was. I'd figure something was wrong with him.
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Yes, I hope he learnt not to take that file with him to further interviews.
Saddened me immensely that no one gave him a chance.
 
When you have 12 qualified applicants and only eight positions to fill you use your gut, trust your instincts, etc...

In a perfect world maybe we should be able to hire them all and gradually cull the herd after we see how they perform.

We used to do that with temporary employees supplied by employment agencies. We would hire temp to perm or release them after a brief trial period.

We hired some very odd people that did not interview/present well yet ended up being great employees.
 
No one is necessarily at fault for their appearances and how they conduct themselves in life. There is always room for improvement if a person desires to do so. Even no desire to change or improve oneself is neither right or wrong but a decision to remain the same.

Society judges and rejects individuals based on social differences. These are neither right or wrong just different.
 
I've always tried to be a very fair person. My first thought is why in the world would someone take a folder of rejections to a job interview?! Perhaps his poor judgement in using that tactic contributed to that employer's decision. I do agree however, that people deserve a chance. Obviously in the situation you were in, 4 people were not destined to get that chance. When going on job interviews, people should put their best feet forward, dress appropriately, speak the language properly and highlight their good points and what they can bring to the table. I could tell you stories about people I've encountered who i know did not do the first three.
 
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Bretrick said:
That was a rather silly question to ask.
Every place I have worked, bar two, have closed down.
That question showed the poor standard of the Manager. Very unintelligent question.
Click to expand...
It seemed like he was implying that I had something to do with them going out of business.
Or the fact that I accepted employment there showed poor judgement on my part.
 
@Bretrick

Quote
"One guy came along with a folder full of his previous applications and I am not lying when I say it had to be at least 6 inches thick."

You made a judgement. What was your 1st. thought when you saw that folder?
 
win231 said:
Reminded me of a job interview from 30 years ago.
While looking over my application, the "Manager" noticed that I worked in 2 places that went out of business.
He says: "You seem to have been employed in several places that went out of business. What attracted you to firms that were so poorly managed?"
I replied, "Well, I wasn't attracted to them; I needed employment. I couldn't very well ask for a financial statement, could I?"
Click to expand...
i might have been more blunt, in part because that question would not speak well of the management folks at the company. i might have asked him 'So you would agree to showing me your company's Financial Statements, Tax records before i accept or reject employment with you?' or 'Are you trying to warn me this company is on the downhill slide???'

By the time i was in my 50s i had come up with a couple of questions i'd ask interviewers when they gave me the opportunity: 'How many people have held this position in the last decade?' and 'Why did they leave it.' Even if they weren't totally honest in answering, their level of being flustered by the questions could give me a clue. If there'd been high turnover and they were reluctant (usually would cite 'privacy' issues tho i wouldn't know the people by name) to share the reasons i knew that either inept or micro managers were a likely cause and i'd pass. If people were promoted out of the job or retired from the company it was a better risk.

As someone who worked HR at a major University for almost a decade i can attest to the fact that many people doing hiring aren't very good at asking appropriate questions...it's why large companies and educational institutions have HR Dept to train the various managers and keep them apprised of what can legally asked and what not. Still many try to get around regulations. Some department mgrs would cover their prejudices by saying a well qualified Person of Color just wasn't a 'good fit'.
 
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Bretrick said:
One guy came along with a folder full of his previous applications and I am not lying when I say it had to be at least 6 inches thick.
Click to expand...
Perhaps he should have submitted those applications instead of carrying them around. Doing so might have improved his chances of getting the job. :ROFLMAO:

Or were they rejection letters?

I have to admit, I've never received a rejection letter. When I didn't get the job I was applying for, I just never heard back from the perspective employer. Maybe things are different in Australia, but that's how things generally work here in the U.S.

Government jobs may be different. They might send out rejection letters to those they reject. I really don't know. I've never worked for the government directly, although I have worked on some government projects — both NASA and for the military — but I was working for the private companies that won the contracts. I did one small project directly for the state as a contractor right out of college where I did some maintenance on the agency's software. I didn't actually apply for the job; I got it through a job shop, so it still wasn't directly for the government. The job shop paid me or employment agency, whatever the hell they were called.
 
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Irwin said:
Perhaps he should have submitted those applications instead of carrying them around. Doing so might have improved his chances of getting the job. :ROFLMAO:

Or were they rejection letters?

I have to admit, I've never received a rejection letter. When I didn't get the job I was applying for, I just never heard back from the perspective employer. Maybe things are different in Australia, but that's how things generally work here in the U.S.

Government jobs may be different. They might send out rejection letters to those they reject. I really don't know. I've never worked for the government directly, although I have worked on some government projects — both NASA and for the military — but I was working for the private companies that won the contracts. I did one small project directly for the state as a contractor right out of college where I did some maintenance on the agency's software. I didn't actually apply for the job; I got it through a job shop, so it still wasn't directly for the government. The job shop paid me or employment agency, whatever the hell they were called.
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The folder contained copies of his applications plus some rejection letters.
He mentioned his job search efforts when he spoke about himself.
 
Years ago, I needed a job, fast. I applied for a minimum wage job as a night clerk at motel. At the interview, the 'boss' acted like I was applying for the CEO at Microsoft. He's asking what are my goals in 5 years. This is a night clerk at a motel job!!!!! I'm thinking to get paid by next Friday., and maybe work at a place that isn't going to be a laundromat in five years. Nope, didn't get the job. Drove by the motel a month ago, "Help wanted "sign still in the window.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
Years ago, I needed a job, fast. I applied for a minimum wage job as a night clerk at motel. At the interview, the 'boss' acted like I was applying for the CEO at Microsoft. He's asking what are my goals in 5 years. This is a night clerk at a motel job!!!!! I'm thinking to get paid by next Friday., and maybe work at a place that isn't going to be a laundromat in five years. Nope, didn't get the job. Drove by the motel a month ago, "Help wanted "sign still in the window.
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Similar has happened to me in the past.
Applied for job with all the required skill, had interview, We will let you know"
Never got the position and they continued to advertise for months after.
 
Part of a comedian's stand-up routine about a job interview:
"Why do you want to work here?"
"Well, I've always admired Burger King."
 
Bretrick said:
When he spoke about himself he seemed okay. He was not hesitant and it seemed he had a lot to offer.
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The woman I talked to was otherwise fine as well. A nice person in fact. She was there, like me, because she knew she had a problem. But you could see how something like that would limit her opportunities too. Who knows what trauma made her feel the need to do that.
 

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