I would like to give you a scenario that happens to me on all the time. I go out to eat with friends at least once or twice a week in order to get a little social time, and to meet some potentially attractive waitresses. The place that happened most recently was Applebee's, and it was last night. At 9 pm on thursday nights there is bingo at Applebee's, and so I invite people to come at around 850 so that we can get seated by the time bingo starts at 9. The first people to get there are basically in charge of telling the hostess how many people there are going to be in the party. They also don't typically seat you until at least half or more of your party arrives just because there is usually limited seating. Here is where punctuality is a must. I show up at 8:50 on the freaking dot. Just forget the fact that I haven't gotten exact numbers on the party size because people are so flaky. We give the hostess a ball park number on how many people are in the party, last night was 9 or 10, and then we have to wait until most of the people get there. Here is what happened last night. I showed up with a friend, and another friend was there waiting for us. This was at 8:50. 9 o'clock no one is there. 9:08 another friend shows up. He had a valid excuse for being a little late. It turned out it wasn't his fault. 9:10 we get lucky and they set up our table and let us sit down (this never happens). 9:22 another friend, who I knew was going to be at least 30 minutes late, shows up. At this point there are 5 of us, about the amount that they might let us sit normally, and it is 30 minutes later then we had told people. I can't remember the exact time, but I think it was about 9:38 when the rest of our party arrived. Nearly an hour late. No text messages saying that they were going to be late, no phone call, nothing. I am a very forgiving person. If someone has a good excuse for something that I am mad about I will apologize for losing my temper or getting angry with them. If we were notified in any way about them being late we could have at least gotten a smaller table so that we could be seated sooner. We got lucky that we were seated so early, there have been times that we have waited for an hour or more to sit down because people don't bother to tell us that they are going to be late. Are you kidding me with that crap? Where in your mind does that seem ok? Do you just forget that there are other people in the world that depend on you to keep your word? You wouldn't show up that late to a movie. That would just be stupid, and people would tell you that you are stupid. "You paid $8 to see the last 40 minutes of a movie? What are you a moron?" I realize that I am not perfect. I am not trying to attack you if you are one of the people who like to be late to things. I am trying to help you understand that you are hurting other people with your actions. I am sure that I am at fault with things that similarly hurt people in different ways, and the only way I am going to find out is if people tell me. One of the biggest problems these days is that people are to scared to offend other people, because people make such a big deal about their feelings and blah blah blah. It is just selfishness. If you really want to be a good person learn to listen to and accept criticism, and try to change yourself. In this case you get an A for effort, which makes absolutely no sense. Wouldn't it be an E for effort? Seriously though, even if you make an attempt people will thank you.
On to my next item of discussion. Job interviews. I have had 2 in the past 2 weeks and I failed the first one, and I am certain I failed the one I had yesterday. I hate how formal they are. There is no way that they can really judge whether or not I am capable of a job in 15 minutes or less. Especially by asking questions that "don't have a right answer". Yeah, they do that. I believe the question I was asked was "If you were working alone and there was a long line of customers, the phone started ringing, and a member of the faculty came to the counter and needed something. What would you do?" This was an interview for a library aid position at the college. First of all I have no clue what their policies are, and I called them out on that. Because obviously, I am going to answer the phone if they have a phone policy that says I have to answer the phone if it rings. But they said, "no, what would YOU do?". The fact that they told me there was no right or wrong answer is a lie. I am pretty sure if I told them that I would pull out my samurai sword and throw it at the closest black person, then drink a 5th of vodka while yelling obscenities at the top of my lungs and slapping a girl scout in the face--that would be a wrong answer. The biggest annoyance is when after sweating bullets trying to figure out what the crap I would do, and finally telling them my final answer. They said "well you would never be alone, we always schedule 2 people at a time". It was at that time that I wish I had my samurai sword. So basically they gave me an impossible situation so that they could watch my brain explode trying to figure out how to say what they wanted me to say. I am certain that they had a camera in that room so they can record people going into a nervous breakdown trying to figure out how to answer their impossible "no right or wrong" questions correctly. It is the perfect situation for people to freak out. They are stressed because they need a job, they are trying to professional, and they are getting questions that don't have a right answer but they really do. It is like taking an english test...well the last part is. I hate the job interview question where they ask what is the most important thing you look for in a job. Well, I want good hours, a nice boss, good team work, a good work environment. Bull Crap!!! You want money, that is what you look for in a job. That is what everybody looks for in a job, except public school teachers they don't get paid anything. Everything falls second to the fact that you need money from your job. If that wasn't the case people wouldn't be working at McDonalds and Wal-Mart. I really doubt those jobs have many things that people like about them besides the fact that they get a paycheck. Just kidding, they love the angry customers, the horrible hours, and the fact that people think that they know more than employees. I bet the management is awesome too. Yeah right! While I am on that subject I kinda feel like everyone should have to have a retail job for at least a year of their life. There are too many people that don't understand the hell that is being an employee in that industry. Customers just make it worse with their inability to have empathy for the employees. I kind of feel like employees should be able to be jerks right back to the customers if they are being unreasonable. If the problem persists then the customer and employee can take it out to the parking lot and fight. Companies could make some good money off of the bets that take place in those matches. Obviously, if there is a young female employee involved she will have to change into a bikini and mud wrestle with the customer in question. That is fun for all ages folks! I think I have made my points and then some.
Thanks for reading!
