Another Delco Guy In South Jersey

On The 'Courtesy Interview'

Being out of work, or 'underemployed' is no fun. We've all been there, combing the online ads, sending out resumes over and over, hoping for an interview, sweating bullets in the lobby while we wait for someone to ask us 10 questions in 30 minutes that could possibly change your life.

Being on the other side of the desk is no fun either.  Trying to figure out who fits best for an opening, who will play nice with the team, who you can afford, who has puffed up their resume or may be a secret psycho is no cake walk.

Still, I certainly prefer to be the guy on this side of the desk.

A good friend of mine is currently one of the millions of Americans working part time, without benefits, while looking for full-time work.  That scenario is bad enough if you are a recent college graduate looking to break into your field, but imagine you are a single parent trying to get back into the workforce after 10 years.  You've got a master's degree and are an expert in your field and you can't get an interview.

Except the 'courtesy interview.'

Which brings me to my point. 

There is nothing courteous about a courtesy interview. Nothing angers me more than to hear a friend or colleague saying that they already know who they are hiring, but hey have to do a courtesy interview.

If it was me, I would prefer the courtesy of you telling me I did not have to waste my day coming to talk to you about a job you are not going to give me.  If you feel like you have to interview me because I work here, or I am a friend of a friend, you're wrong.  Be a big boy. Call your friend and tell them you are hiring someone else and you don't want to waste anyone's time with a courtesy interview.  They will respect you more for that than for any courtesy interview you might offer.

If I work for you and you think you need to offer me a courtesy interview, then you are clueless and I am probably interviewing all over the planet to escape from your cluelessness in case it's somehow contagious.  Bring me in and tell me who you are giving the job to and why they are better qualified.  It will save time and the eventual embarrassment that you will feel when it comes out - and it will someday - that it was a sham interview from the start.

If you are bringing someone in from outside for an interview, having them take time off from another job, get child care, pay for transportation or parking, learn about you and your organization, and get their hopes up, they better have a shot at the job.  It is the height of rudeness to interview a person who has no shot at the position.

You may think that you need to do it because you have to interview a certain number of people before you can make a hire, but you're on shaky ground here.  There is nothing ethical about making a decision before you interview people and then bringing in a few hopeless fools before making an offer.  It's dirty pool and it may not even protect you legally.

Anyway - I will climb down off my soapbox now.  Return to your regularly scheduled day.

Exhibited!

It may not be my best work, but three of my images are on display until the end of the month! They are part of the annual Staff Show at The University of the Arts. It's pretty cool when you are having a bad day to look over and see your work hanging in a real exhibit hall. 

Stop by and see how talented my co-workers are!

Wordless Wednesday - Art

 

Commuting

I work about 20 miles from my home.  The kids' schools are about 7-8 miles each way.  In any other place but New Jersey or Southern California this drive would probably take 45 minutes.  Some nights, if I work late, and don't have to pick the kids up, it can actually be done in the time Google Maps says.  But most times when I am driving it, it's between 60 and 75 minutes.

Varying the drive helps.  Several of the alternate routes add 10 miles or so, but the traffic flows a bit more nicely and the time still ends up being the same. I thend to prefer the longer distances and fewer tail lights in front of me.  The stress of having to get from one place to another by a given time is plenty without having to worry about if you are going to have some idiot on his cell phone not notice that you have stopped and plow into the back of you.

Every now and then I take the PATCO train into town just to shake things up.  It's not the most convenient thing to do, since I have to drive about 30 minutes to the train station and then the train takes another 30, but it's an interesting change on days when I don't have to pick the kids up.  The views are a bit more stimulating than the back of the Honda Pilot or Chevy Tahoe that I would otherwise be looking at on Route 70 in Cherry Hill.

No matter how I do it, I still spend about 20 full days a year in the car on the way to or from work.  That's an awful lot of time spent listening to NPR, Audible books, with the occasional top 40, country or sports talk station mixed in.  You'd think that for all that time spent doing something that I would have more to show for it than just returning to the same place as I started the day.

Thanksgiving Eve - Getaway Day Followed by Amateur Night

After five days off, Another Delco Guy is in the office today with his skeleton crew, dreading the traffic we will see later.  This is a work day for me that is sandwiched in between 5 off for family time and the 4 day Thanksgiving holiday. 

The kids have half days all week, and going in today was particularly hard for Emma. I had visited John's classroom yesterday to see his presentation on 'Hurricane Jyatt'  which is a pretty funny video if you are interested.  Emma was feeling a bit left out that I wasn't visiting her class today for the Thanksgiving feast.  Sadly, I didn't know about the feast until last night and had already been scheduled in the office today.  Thankfully, we have had a lot of daughter-daddy time lately and she perked up a bit when I reminded her that I would see her tomorrow and we would go see her cousins in Swarthmore for Thanksgiving.

In the meantime, we're holding down the fort at the UArts ghost town and maintaining our pre-holiday good cheer.  Later on we will fight our way through the traffic to get home or to second jobs or to whatever else might be planned on the biggest traveling and drinking day of the year.  I know many of you are on a half-day as well, so enjoy the afternoon off!

Tomorrow is the big day, family, food, football and fellowship.  It's the greatest holiday of them all, and I will of course have my 6th annual Thanksgiving Day post as well.  I know you are all breathless with anticipation!

Whatever your plans for later, please be patient and safe on the roads, enjoy your friends and family and remember to tip your bartenders and wait staff!

Pig Takes Over Ike's Computer

We are monitoring a tense standoff between a pig and Ike in the SFS office at UArts.

More details as they become available.

This is A Big Meeting

It kind of blows me away to be at a huge conference sometimes. There are over 2000 people in this session and we lined up 45 minutes early to get in. What's more is that the session repeats 3 times during the conference.

There are big changes happening in how America pays for higher education. The US Department of Education is hosting about 10,000 folks at Disney World this week to talk about those changes. While I have not seen any weapons this week, there is clearly some hostility in the sessions as long-time aid officers vent about their feelings on the newest Federal rules.

Needless to say the bars are full at night!

Clancy Gets Crafty

Ok this one is for the crafty mommy bloggers out there. 

Coworker Jo-Anne Clancy got crafty over the weekend and the result is a small coven of marshmallow witches for the office. Made from marshmallows, coconut shavings, a chocolate cookie, a Hershey's Kiss, a mini Reese's cup and some icing to hold it all together, these tasty treats are geeting us through a tough Monday morning!

Sorry the photo isn't any better, but it's tough to shoot on your dekstop with a cell phone camera!