What's Up With This?

     The story went something like this.....There was a man in upper management of a very large company.  He had posted a job opening and this position would pay somewhere between $90,000 to over $100,000.....that's a lot of coconuts.  The man was at one of the stores, where the interview was to take place, and a large shipment had come in.  It just so happened that four workers had called in sick so this man did what leaders do, he jumped right in and helped unload the shipment along with helping to stock the store shelves.

     While he was working, he wandered up to one of the check out lanes and the customer in line just happened to be the person he was to interview for the above mentioned position.  He knew who she was, she did not know him.  While he was there, this young lady turned and looked at him and made a remark about his shoes. She obviously thought they were goofy looking and began to make more rude comments.

     The person working the register knew who this man was and she made an attempt to get the young lady to shut up, but it didn't work. The young lady continued on, thinking she was quite funny, when finally the woman at the register called the man by name.  Needless to say, she didn't get the position.  I'm not sure, but she probably did not even get the interview.

     I have no idea if this was a true story, but it holds a valuable lesson.  I wondered how often this was common place.  It was not long after I had read that story, a young man that I know, also in an upper management position, claimed he had set up an entire day for job applicant interviews........and most of them showed up late for their interview.  Seriously?  That seems to me to be an immediate three strikes, you're out and oh, thanks for wasting my time.

     As I was standing in line at the bank the other day, I heard a woman ask how long it took to get an interview.  The bank president just happened to be out in the lobby and inquired as to what the woman wanted.  It was simple, she wanted to know how long it took to get an interview...........to a position she had not even applied for yet.....she wanted to know if it was worth her time to even fill out the application.  It never occurred to her that, #1, would her qualifications even land her an interview and #2, the first impression she just made with the bank president may not have been in her favor.  

     I watched as the bank president, an impeccably professional woman who treats her customers and her staff with the utmost respect, explained the process to this lady.  She even walked out the door with her and continued their conversation outside.

     It seems that common sense has left the building with Elvis and I'm not sure it is coming back.  It has been replaced by the entitlement attitude, the 'something for nothing' way of thinking.

     We are told to be ourselves and that is good counsel.  If you are not a nice or kind person at heart and think that is your right to be that way, then do not whine if you don't get the job.  But, it might be a good idea to at least  fill out the application first.