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[David Incorporated Esq.]

Waiting an hour for an interview does not equal "eating shit"

Again there's a difference between waiting and being ignored.

 

[Brakke]

Yo that email is a disaster. People who say "with all due respect" are about to say something disrespectful; people who have to label themselves "professional" aren't.

 

[NullPointer]

Actions like this send that signal loud and clear.

And what signals was the potential employer sending?

Why is this only a one way street?

 

[terrisus]

Maybe you're okay with that, but I'm pretty interested in not eating shit. I've had plenty of opportunities to eat shit and smile about it but instead of that I've always come back and said "This is shit and I'm not eating it." Know what it's gotten me so far?

Raises and career growth.

Know what happens when you're out of work for too long?

"Eating shit" is no longer just a metaphor from dealing with something that you don't want to do.

 

[Telephoto999]

Whelp next time you make a thread complaining about not being able to get a job and other woe is me shenanigans, I'll link to this thread and not care about your plight.

I've never once asked for pity, or "woe is me".

I've stated my troubles, and asked for help and advice... but I also like sharing my story so people can get a perspective. There's obviously differing opinions on how I handled this today but I think there is a big enough grey area that it could swing either way.

The facts.

I drove 45 minutes and arrived early. I was finished with my paperwork and completely ready for the interview at 3. By 3:45 I had heard nothing except small talk from the receptionist and not a word from the owner despite him finishing his previous interview and then continuing about his work day like I wasn't there.

At 3:45 I left, and was immediately contacted by phone and email by him asking if I was "coming back". Note, in both of these he never once apologized for the wait... he honestly seemed pretty pissed I left stating "I was expecting to interview you today, are you not coming back?"

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Maybe you're okay with that, but I'm pretty interested in not eating shit. I've had plenty of opportunities to eat shit and smile about it but instead of that I've always come back and said "This is shit and I'm not eating it." Know what it's gotten me so far?

Raises and career growth.

Agree. HOWEVER.

If you're unemployed sometimes you need a "bridge" job to maintain your income to pay your bills. While employed you keep searching for the job you really wanted or keep going to school or whatever...but given a choice between being unemployed and being gainfully employed in a decent office job? I'll take the decent office job. We're not talking about hard labor like picking vegetables all day or something. Sounds like it would have been something he was interested in and he'd be coming into a company that really needs his expertise giving him a certain level of job security.

Again there's a difference between waiting and being ignored.

And the difference could have only been discerned if he had spoken to the receptionist about the time and asked her to tug on his sport coat to remind him you're there.

Lots of assumptions have to be made to justify simply walking out of a interview situation. Assumptions that didn't have to be made. I don't think I'd want an employee who'd rather make decisions based on his imagined realities than simply communicating with someone and getting truth.

 

[DoktorEvil]

This is what get's me. It's like part of GAF is proud of laying down and being a doormat. I've dealt with extreme shit the past 8 years of my life due to the misdemeanor that was on my record. (It was my fault, I did it... I deserved to be punished but it was extremely overboard the money and damage to my career it caused)

However... I am also a very loyal, dedicated and hard working individual. I do not wish to eat shit. I feel as if I can have a good, mutually beneficial relationship with an employer. One that doesn't start with huge red flags regarding my employment there.

Are you kidding?

No one here said your were "laying down and being a doormat"

For Christ's Sake, grow up!

You pissed away a potential job offer and now you come begging to collective GAF for pity and sorrow?

I can't even...

 

[daemissary]

This is what get's me. It's like part of GAF is proud of laying down and being a doormat. I've dealt with extreme shit the past 8 years of my life due to the misdemeanor that was on my record. (It was my fault, I did it... I deserved to be punished but it was extremely overboard the money and damage to my career it caused)

However... I am also a very loyal, dedicated and hard working individual. I do not wish to eat shit. I feel as if I can have a good, mutually beneficial relationship with an employer. One that doesn't start with huge red flags regarding my employment there.

Sometimes to prove that you're a hard worker, YOU NEED TO EAT SHIT!!!

And waiting 45 minutes is hardly doing that. I've waited 45 minutes to get my iphone fixed at the apple store. Which is only slightly less valuable than a ~$70k a year job.

 

[Joe Molotov]

Did any of this even really happen.

Questionable.

 

[Ferrio]

I've never once asked for pity, or "woe is me".

I've stated my troubles, and asked for help and advice... but I also like sharing my story so people can get a perspective. There's obviously differing opinions on how I handled this today but I think there is a big enough grey area that it could swing either way.

The facts.

I drove 45 minutes and arrived early. I was finished with my paperwork and completely ready for the interview at 3. By 3:45 I had heard nothing except small talk from the receptionist and not a word from the owner despite him finishing his previous interview and then continuing about his work day like I wasn't there.

At 3:45 I left, and was immediately contacted by phone and email by him asking if I was "coming back". Note, in both of these he never once apologized for the wait... he honestly seemed pretty pissed I left stating "I was expecting to interview you today, are you not coming back?"

Well in the end you showed them! But really you need to tone down the pride a bit man.

 

[Blader]

OP needs a therapist to assess what is driving him to be so self-sabotaging.

I mean, Jesus, you didn't even ask the receptionist for any kind of ETA on the owner? Just a little prod, "Hey, my appointment was for about 45 minutes ago and I was just wondering if something came up, or what?" Don't just up and leave! Yeah he was being unprofessional, even if he didn't necessarily intend it, but your response and subsequent email were absolutely crazy.

 

[ZackGamer]

I'm sure it seems like a lot of us are jumping down your throat but all you can do is move on and make it a learning experience. Sometimes we have to suck it up when it comes to interviewing for a job we want and if that includes waiting longer than originally scheduled, you deal with it because the job is worth it.

Ya, deal with it to be honest

 

[ShockingAlberto]

So your big problem here, OP, is that getting an IT job in Atlanta means you're probably working with people that went to Tech and work around Tech. That means they all still talk, tweet, Reddit, and Facebook to each other all the time.

If this story isn't on Facebook already, I'd be shocked.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

This is the exact opposite feeling I have at the moment. I've worked with small companies in the past... and I am wanting to move to a larger corporate IT structure.

You're in for a shock. I mean a shock if you think bigger company = automatically perfectly professional all the time. If anything, a bigger beast guarantees things will be more complex and slow to react for the simplest issues.

 

[whytemyke]

I'm a gm for a national retail chain and I would have done exactly what you did, FWIW. Not gonna get you paid but, yeah, that kind of unprofessionalism is rarely a one time thing.

 

[Enron]

It's like part of GAF is proud of laying down and being a doormat.

There we have it, folks. If you don't walk out on employers when they make you wait, you are a doormat and are living your life in chains!

 

[traveler]

Not showing up to talk 45 minutes after a scheduled interview is a pretty big alarm bell. Two techs leaving unexpectedly the previous week is an even bigger one. That said, I still would have stayed and been polite about it. I would noted both of those issues mentally, maybe even resolved to not take the job even if offered, but I would have at least stayed and seen how the interview went, how the interviewer conducted himself, and if and how he apologized.

In general, always show your most polite, gracious, and best behavior while on the hunt. Remember- you don't have to take the position if their treatment irked you, but you should at least reach the offer point before deciding on that.

 

[Devolution]

Questionable.

Get the feeling it's just all made up to troll.

 

[Telephoto999]

Are you kidding?

No one here said your were "laying down and being a doormat"

For Christ's Sake, grow up!

You pissed away a potential job offer and now you come begging to collective GAF for pity and sorrow?

I can't even...

I am not begging for pity and sorrow. I wouldn't have posted this if I was, I am asking for input to develop my personal skill set in handling situations like this because honestly.. it felt so unprofessional to me at the time but now that GAF has shown some light on it I can kinda see it from the other side as well.
I love hearing it from differing perspectives because it will give me something else to think about next time. I appreciate the input and advice and I do take it to heart, I promise you.

 

[DoktorEvil]

OP needs a therapist to assess what is driving him to be so self-sabotaging.

I mean, Jesus, you didn't even ask the receptionist for any kind of ETA on the owner? Just a little prod, "Hey, my appointment was for about 45 minutes ago and I was just wondering if something came up, or what?" Don't just up and leave! Yeah he was being unprofessional, even if he didn't necessarily intend it, but your response and subsequent email were absolutely crazy.

I agree.

Maybe you had a panic attack, Thacker.

 

[Ferrio]

I'm a gm for a national retail chain and I would have done exactly what you did, FWIW. Not gonna get you paid but, yeah, that kind of unprofessionalism is rarely a one time thing.

There's a difference of currently being employed and knowing your worth to a current company and not having a job.

If you have a job or least job offers...walking out is fine.

 

[ShockingAlberto]

I feel like I am the only one that doesn't think being made to wait an hour is being disrespected unless you're being served food you're paying for.

 

[DarkFlow]

I'm sorry, but this simply is not an option.

You don't have a choice to be a hero - being a hero is your only choice.




You say that like you didn't do that yourself already.

It's just a matter of GAF getting to share in this.

I'm sorry but I don't have the same blood lust for watching the OP go down in flames. So don't group all of "GAF" in your silly quest for shaming the OP.

 

[terrisus]

So your big problem here, OP, is that getting an IT job in Atlanta means you're probably working with people that went to Tech and work around Tech. That means they all still talk, tweet, Reddit, and Facebook to each other all the time.

If this story isn't on Facebook already, I'd be shocked.

Heck, someone check the TechGAF threads - it may be here.

 

[daemissary]

Get the feeling it's just all made up to troll.

I'd feel much better about the world if it was all made up. It boggles my mind that anyone could actually be that entitled.

 

[CeramicDragon]

What is so important that you have to leave? Your precious time? You have no job. I would wait 4 hours if I didn't have a job. Driving 4 mins? Boo boo. My commute is 90 min each way.
Time to man up.

 

[Devolution]

So question.

Six months later and you guys are still getting trolled.
I love it.

Do you make these threads earnestly or this ^.

 

[Enron]

So your big problem here, OP, is that getting an IT job in Atlanta means you're probably working with people that went to Tech and work around Tech. That means they all still talk, tweet, Reddit, and Facebook to each other all the time.

If this story isn't on Facebook already, I'd be shocked.

Tech, UGA, FSU, Auburn, most of the big southern universities with alumni networks in atlanta, yeah.

And yeah, a small part of me is beginning to think this didn't really happen.

 

[No Love]

xxxxxx,

With all due respect I arrived at 2:45pm and walked out at 3:47pm. I filled out your application, took your test and was completed by 3:00. Your previous candidate that you were interviewing walked out around 3:05 and I waited an extra 40+ minutes for my interview that you scheduled at 3.. While I understand things come up, and business must keep going, I am also very professional in how I handle myself and any business relationships. To be made to wait, with not so much as you coming out to shake my hand, introducing yourself and letting me know you were running behind I feel was extremely unprofessional. While I respect your accomplishments and your business, I have no desire to pursue any sort of working relationship with your company.

Thanks,
xxxxxxx


edited: fixed some grammatical mistakes from editing out names

Lmao. You are just silly at this point.

 

[Social]

you did the right thing. move on

 

[Mikey Jr.]

Don't blame you OP.

Extremely rude not to even greet you and explain the situation. Just making you sit there like a piece of shit. I would have done the same.

Having said that, if you are in dire circumstances and needed a job, I'm not sure if it was the right decision.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Sometimes to prove that you're a hard worker, YOU NEED TO EAT SHIT!!!

And waiting 45 minutes is hardly doing that. I've waited 45 minutes to get my iphone fixed at the apple store. Which is only slightly less valuable than a ~$70k a year job.

Yo this. I damn sure would have brought something else to do *just in case* things started running late.

There's a reason I take my iPad everywhere. For just such occasions. And again...why not just communicate before leaving. Even if the excuse is bullshit (like picking someone up from work), it at least provides a message for the boss to consider and react to.

I'm just sad. But again...gl on your continued search.

 

[Iolo]

Not sure if others have responded to this point yet but most decent recruiters are not going to see a six month stint at any company and think it's a good thing. If anything, it raises red flags, because it opens the door to all sorts of questions like "Why were you only at X place for such a short amount of time?" Obviously the job market is still totally upside down so some of the "old" wisdom doesn't necessarily apply, but a lot of the old wisdom absolutely still does. The only way 6-month blocks benefit the job seeker is if he or she is a contractor moving from project to project, client to client, being placed by one company. Otherwise, it doesn't indicate stability, which is a big issue.

You're missing the big picture here.

First, OP is unemployed and has been so for an indeterminate amount of time, possibly years. 6-month blocks of employment beat that with a bat.

Second, the point is to level up for 6-12 months then -- if this job sucks -- start looking for a job *while you have one*. That could take quite a while, so we are hardly talking 6 month blocks.

Finally, you may only have to do this once -- get employed and get experience, then get your dream job. No one is talking about moving around every six months for years.

I swear it's like people don't realize OPs situation, know how unemployment can last years, or have never been out of work themselves. One might as well add "posted from the comfort of my workplace / school" to some of the advice here.

 

[terrisus]

I'm sorry but I don't have the same blood lust for watching the OP go down in flames. So don't group all of "GAF" in your silly quest for shaming the OP.

But that's already happened right in this thread.

 

[riotous]

I am not begging for pity and sorrow. I wouldn't have posted this if I was, I am asking for input to develop my personal skill set in handling situations like this because honestly.. it felt so unprofessional to me at the time but now that GAF has shown some light on it I can kinda see it from the other side as well.
I love hearing it from differing perspectives because it will give me something else to think about next time. I appreciate the input and advice and I do take it to heart, I promise you.

My advice is just to not sit around coming to conclusions in situations like this.

You weren't very humble basically. You assume you know what signals people are sending you based on very little information. Receptionist makes a "paperwork is painful" joke and you thought she was trying to tell you to stay away from the job? You are a bit too confident in your ability to discern things IMO. You just sat there not bothering to speak up about the wait time and drew all of your own conclusions.

Honestly I imagine a lot of psychotherapist would read all of the assumptions you made and conclude you don't actually want a job.

 

[Angelus Errare]

I've never once asked for pity, or "woe is me".

I've stated my troubles, and asked for help and advice... but I also like sharing my story so people can get a perspective. There's obviously differing opinions on how I handled this today but I think there is a big enough grey area that it could swing either way.

The facts.

I drove 45 minutes and arrived early. I was finished with my paperwork and completely ready for the interview at 3. By 3:45 I had heard nothing except small talk from the receptionist and not a word from the owner despite him finishing his previous interview and then continuing about his work day like I wasn't there.

At 3:45 I left, and was immediately contacted by phone and email by him asking if I was "coming back". Note, in both of these he never once apologized for the wait... he honestly seemed pretty pissed I left stating "I was expecting to interview you today, are you not coming back?"

Here's what a smart logical person would have done.

*Walk to receptionist*
"Excuse me, could you remind XXXXX that I'm waiting, he might have forgotten about me"
*smile*
"Thank you"
*Sit back down*

So again, when you complain about being jobless I'll link back to this thread.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

You never even introduced yourself to him? Doesn't sound like you really cared at all.

Edit: what the poster above said. Being passive aggressive is never the way to go when looking for employment. Be aggressive. You should have at least asked if there was a scheduling problem or an eta or something other than "keeping it real" and storming out.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

xxxxxx,

With all due respect I arrived at 2:45pm and walked out at 3:47pm. I filled out your application, took your test and was completed by 3:00. Your previous candidate that you were interviewing walked out around 3:05 and I waited an extra 40+ minutes for my interview that you scheduled at 3.. While I understand things come up, and business must keep going, I am also very professional in how I handle myself and any business relationships. To be made to wait, with not so much as you coming out to shake my hand, introducing yourself and letting me know you were running behind I feel was extremely unprofessional. While I respect your accomplishments and your business, I have no desire to pursue any sort of working relationship with your company.

Thanks,
xxxxxxx


edited: fixed some grammatical mistakes from editing out names

You're a fucking idiot.

Edit: Sorry, to add context:

That is ridiculously unprofessional. Even if he was being unprofessional by not greeting you/forgetting the meeting/whatever, telling him this in this way, is straight up moronic. You torched the bridge before you even built it.

 

[whytemyke]

There's a difference of currently being employed and knowing your worth to a current company and not having a job.

If you have a job or least job offers...walking out is fine.

Very true, and I haven't seen anything OP had posted about his financial situation. If he's comfortable on money, it might not have been a terrible move. If he's broke and living on credit cards? Well...

 

[DarkFlow]

But that's already happened right in this thread.

Yeah with what the OP has shared, you want a 3rd party to dig deeper for you so you can laugh and point.

 

[NullPointer]

I'd feel much better about the world if it was all made up. It boggles my mind that anyone could actually be that entitled.

Are customers similarly entitled? Or does this standard only apply to job seekers? Why?

Because I'm also certain that showing up for an interview 45 minutes late would be hailed as a bad thing too.

Seems like unearned respect for the 'job creators' while forgetting that employment is a two way street. If your boss is not your peer you're fucking up imho.

 

[DoktorEvil]

I am not begging for pity and sorrow. I wouldn't have posted this if I was, I am asking for input to develop my personal skill set in handling situations like this because honestly.. it felt so unprofessional to me at the time but now that GAF has shown some light on it I can kinda see it from the other side as well.
I love hearing it from differing perspectives because it will give me something else to think about next time. I appreciate the input and advice and I do take it to heart, I promise you.

So question.
Do you make these threads earnestly or this ^.

I don't even know now if any of this was genuine...

 

[Effnine]

I swear it's like people don't realize OPs situation, know how unemployment can last years, or have never been out of work themselves. One might as well add "posted from the comfort of my workplace / school" to some of the advice here.

Agreed. It's fucking scary to be unemployed, especially for months on end ...

Edit: In fact, it took me YEARS to get back into my professional field ... I had to take what I could because I knew it was a stepping stone that needed to be taken to get back on track ...

 

[Ferrio]

Very true, and I haven't seen anything OP had posted about his financial situation. If he's comfortable on money, it might not have been a terrible move. If he's broke and living on credit cards? Well...

His past posting history doesn't seem he's in a good place right now.

 

[terrisus]

So question.



Do you make these threads earnestly or this ^.

who was that guy on gaf who took a girl out on a date and was to cheap to buy her theater snacks so he parked at a supermarket and got snacks there before the movie then got a boot on his car and made a threat crying about it then posted embarrassing texts and kept saying "dem teddies"?

cuz him tho, lol

Thacker.

Oh...

Wow.

 

[bigkrev]

This is what get's me. It's like part of GAF is proud of laying down and being a doormat. I've dealt with extreme shit the past 8 years of my life due to the misdemeanor that was on my record. (It was my fault, I did it... I deserved to be punished but it was extremely overboard the money and damage to my career it caused)

However... I am also a very loyal, dedicated and hard working individual. I do not wish to eat shit. I feel as if I can have a good, mutually beneficial relationship with an employer. One that doesn't start with huge red flags regarding my employment there.

I'm the person who's going to interview you. I don't know this yet, but he actions you have taken tell me you aren't dedicated in the least.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

I am not begging for pity and sorrow. I wouldn't have posted this if I was, I am asking for input to develop my personal skill set in handling situations like this because honestly.. it felt so unprofessional to me at the time but now that GAF has shown some light on it I can kinda see it from the other side as well.
I love hearing it from differing perspectives because it will give me something else to think about next time. I appreciate the input and advice and I do take it to heart, I promise you.

let's play nice and let the OP learn from this

we all make shit mistakes

 

[theepicoftyler]

And what signals was the potential employer sending?

Why is this only a one way street?

The OP controls how he presents himself. He handled each stage of this poorly. There's nothing to stop that employer from telling everyone else he networks with to avoid this guy now do to his unprofessional attitude and impatience.

Demonstrating that you're a loyal hardworker requires that you be working hard for someone.

 

[DarkFlow]

I do know that some retail places like Best Buy make you wait awhile on purpose, they want to do see how you handle it.

 

[Foffy]

This is what get's me. It's like part of GAF is proud of laying down and being a doormat. I've dealt with extreme shit the past 8 years of my life due to the misdemeanor that was on my record. (It was my fault, I did it... I deserved to be punished but it was extremely overboard the money and damage to my career it caused)

However... I am also a very loyal, dedicated and hard working individual. I do not wish to eat shit. I feel as if I can have a good, mutually beneficial relationship with an employer. One that doesn't start with huge red flags regarding my employment there.

But nobody here has told you to eat shit. In fact, the reason people are bodying you is not because of bullshit like "a job's a job" for the most part, but the fact it looks like the entire blowing up of this opportunity is 100% on you. If you felt like you didn't want a job doing things you don't like doing and people were making that "a job's a job" call, that you must do it, then you can entertain the idea of being a doormat, that you're expected to bend over.

But you very clearly chose something you had an interest in, and it's all on you as to why you aren't getting this particular job, at this particular place. In this experience, you trampled yourself, not anyone yelling at you to take any kind of job you can find.

You really sound entitled if you think waiting for someone who is observed to be busy is "eating shit". You are not long for any major interaction with people if that is crossing some sort of line, my friend. You have to be willing to set your expectations lower for things happen. This whole problem started because you had an idea in your mind of what it ought to be, and to see that things went up, some people are overworked due to fewer staff and the boss being busy, you tried to make it look like it's the place that was bad, not your lack of waiting until things get sorted.

I have an honest question, and hopefully it showcases the core error in your thinking applied in a far more general sense. How do you handle people caught in traffic and you're waiting for them somewhere? Do you tell them to cancel the plans, or do you wait due to unforeseen circumstances?

I think there is a big enough grey area that it could swing either way.

No.


No. The failure here is entirely on you. Don't try saying it can swing to make your errors seem like they belong on someone else. Take responsibility.