I was reminded of jobs and job interviews this week when I saw the question "tell us about your toughest job and what you learned". Interesting. Does one pick the most prestigious endeavor or go back to our youth and/or first job. "When I was inventing the internet" "As I was discovering the cure for cancer", etc. What constitutes a job? That you got paid? That you were committed to certain hours, certain days? That it kicked your butt, however (wanted to say but, but butt but sounded weird) you HAD to do it? I was pondering my paper route days and thought no one would pick their first unskilled position, but I was surprised. It appears that those bumps, bruises and screw-ups that come with your first unskilled position - paper person, ice cream stand, pizza delivery, go-fer provided the many moments for learning.
My paper days were every night for at least 6 years through high school. As stated before, "I was lightening on my feet" (thanks Taylor Swift) so I usually was the anointed one that "ran" the route leaping in and out the back window like a demented ninja. However collections were the real learning opportunity. A lot of slackers out there. Taught me to pay what I owed when I owe it-a rare commodity apparently. Also in retrospect I got to know my Mother very well through those long harsh winter nights as she tried to keep both our spirits up while racing around like a female Andretti on the streets of Grand Rapids. Did you know people call and complain when there is 10 inches of snow or roads are an ice rink and want to know why their paper is late?
Working the cafeteria at MSU during my college days was an eye-opener as well. People are slobs but from a research standpoint it was a wonderful opportunity to observe and comment on human behavior. For instance I never knew the amount of food one can shove into the enclosed napkin holder which we work-study peons had to clean out. These were opened gingerly as half-masticated items might shoot out. Also did you know you can launch a butter pat as high as the ceiling if you snap the fold of the napkin just right? One Sunday afternoon, the OH who was my boyfriend at the time was tsk tsking the beginnings of a food fight (well what do you expect when you serve watermelons full of seeds). He sat quietly observing as the furor escalated and then he of course got nailed with a plate of mashed potatoes as I recall. Hard to pretend I was appalled as I was laughing hysterically. (No I did not throw the taters)
I also learned not to work too hard or at least not show up the full-timers. Lasted one week as a clerk at a local billing office typing forms allllll dayyy longggg. I rather noticed I was probably putting out twice as much paperwork as the regular staff. At the end of the week the temp agency told me I was making too many errors-right. Which no one thought to mention at the time, like the first day. This was not the proverbial "rocket science" level of work. I now also understand why insurance payments take forever to process...
Moving to job interviews; I performed at a few and held court over many more as I became the employer. I remember one question at the State where they asked "what would you do if a complaining person threatened to go to the Governor". Coming from a highly political position I knew there was no way in Hades it would ever go that far unless it was the CEO of a major company who would just get another pardon or tax abatement. My answer was basically "it is my job to be sure it never goes there and if so cover my rear with full disclosure to the next level up" There is always a next level up LOL.
On the hiring end of the stick, I remember one gentleman answering my question of why he was interested in the job I was offering. His job-killing answer was baldly "I have been working for myself for years and I want to relax". Yep-right up there with my dream candidates. Also learned that people LIE! Oh my. That is why one checks references. Get a clue and don't give me personal references who are going to tell me the real truth. Ouch. It is surprising how many folks do not check out what people tell them-oh yes, because I found out people LIE. I always checked their claims which is why the City did not pay bogus workers' comp or unemployment claims if they just gave me a crack at it first. What a meanie.
In the interests of full disclosure, people lie, including me. As I graduated high school at the tender age of 17 I had to "suggest" I left my driver's license at home when they wanted to verify my age the summer before college. I needed the money, they needed the warm body-which when you work in a bakery is a given-so we agreed all was good. Also this was right after I lost the KFC Asst. Manager gig as they eagerly called before I got home and my little sister answered truthfully when they asked if I was planning on going to college in the Fall. Geez Mom thanks for raising us that way.
Of course, one gets "schooled" all the time by life. After hearing the story this week of the black realtor, his client and son being handcuffed and held at gunpoint when showing a house I was shamefully reminded of how old I was when I first realized people of color were not treated the same. In theory, perhaps, but I did not learn the true extent of bias until I was a full-time working wife, mother and returning college student. One of my fellow students relayed how his father was "gently" (right) steered away from certain neighborhoods when looking for a house for his family. I was credulous that the color of their skin dictated where they would live. As a female in a non-traditional role I have had my moments of discomfort, sneaky harassment or out and out prejudice, but not anywhere to that level. Though when a car dealer referred to me as "the little woman" and looked around for my male counterpart Burt was conditioned enough to pull Kristen away and make for the hills so she wouldn't hear her Mother deal with the situation. Major faux pas, he did not make a sale obviously and I believe blood (virtually) was spilled.
Which brings up another point. Gov Cuomo is being vilified and threatened with impeachment by all and sundry. If he did the crime, he needs to do the time. However why is it we all pile on when it's a democrat but when its the other side - think Gaetz, Green, McCarthy, Roy Moore (Alabama pig) the other side says nothing or defends. Integrity perhaps? I know both sides have their bozos, but the dems seem quicker to fall on the old sword when one of their flock screws up.
Speaking of dangerous situations as one skips merrily through life oblivious (I know we weren't speaking about it except perhaps metaphorically), coming out of Meijers the other day I was smack dab beneath the upraised platform of the JLG working on the building. No notice, no sign, just hope the hydraulics don't happen to fail at this moment. Reminds me of an episode at work when I shocked a worker by sharply telling him not to cross between the bobcat mast and the cab. Double duhhh. They were always surprised, supposedly, that I was the only one who saw the hazard.
PUBLIC SERVICE MOMENT: A critically ill eleven month old baby is airlifted to a hospital suffering from the effects of covid as her local hospital pediatric ward is full. There is so much wrong with that statement. Get the poke folks, we're hurting babies here. No one asked you to give up your liberty, just give a crap for your fellow humans.
Finally, another unanswerable question. Does anyone else wonder how their bath towels stay intact when you clean the lint trap after drying a load? It looks like they massacred one of their own and shredded the evidence from the amount of soft fuzzy stuff I have to dig out. I think I need to count how many go in and how many come out, similar to the missing sock mysteries of laundry day...
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