I had a job interview yesterday for a work study position on campus and it did not go well. Not on my end mind you, but on the part of the psychopath conducting the interview. Below, I'll share a little background of the type of worker I am and why I won't work for the Adolf Hitler type.
Even though I live in the city, both of my parents were raised on farms. Thus, I was raised with an old-fashioned protestant work ethic of putting in a good days work for my employer. As a kid we had daily chores to do, and received a weekly allowance when money was available. My mother may as well have been a female Steve Jobs, as she taught me the importance of attention to detail when completing my tasks.
Building A Lifelong Work Ethic
We all took turns washing dishes for instance, and she would inspect each dish. If even one plate or glass felt greasy ore had even a single crumb on it, she'd toss all of the dishes back in the sink and make us wash them again. This happened over and over until they were perfect. She thought nothing of keeping us up until after midnight on a school night even. Everything had to be perfect.
So I got it when Jobs' father told him to paint the inside slats of the white picket fence that no one would see. My slave driver of a mother was handing down what she had been taught as a child to lock in the importance of attention to detail when performing a task. She always said that "Idle hands are the Devils workshop" and made sure we were completely exhausted so that we had no time or energy to go out and get into trouble as the other neighborhood kids did.
So when I got my first job, they were surprised that I was such a good worker, and didn't need to be watched like some of the others. All throughout my life my work ethic has highlighted my value as an employee. And trust me, I've worked for some real assholes, and decided awhile ago that where possible, I'd choose to not work for someone who acts like a Parris Island Marine Corps drill instructor.
The thing is, I'll go above and beyond the call of duty if treated with a modicum of respect. So of course who am I sitting across from today? But the personification of Hitler himself.
A Little Too Direct...
He's one of these "very direct" types that I absolutely despise. You know, the type that repeatedly interrupts you when you're sharing your job experience and work ethic. Within five minutes, I knew he was a giant pus-filled anal aperture walking on two feet.
This nutjob had such a thick foreign accent, that he was getting frustrated that he had to enunciate in order to be understood. We have a number of Africans from Nigeria and Guinea that live hear, and they always get angry at American cashiers for instance, who keep asking them to repeat themselves. Sorry, but you're speaking with a mixture of a French and African accent. It's your job to be understandable and bone up on your English in OUR country. Many of the students here can't understand him when he speaks. That's something he needs to work on.
Example: When he says "day" it comes out as "Dee" leaving staff and students totally perplexed as to what in the fuck is he talking about. You've lived in this country for years and still haven't learned proper English? Who's fault is that?
He cut me off so many times that I said "You're not a good listener, are you?" He's the type that likes to broadcast, but never wants to listen in return. So realizing I likely wasn't going to take the position, I decided to give him the same attitude he was giving me, and pushed right back. Back and forth we went, and I cut him off many times in return.
A 'Hole" In One
"What kind of manager are you? Are you a hard-ass? Do your workers think you're an asshole?" He told me it remained to be seen whether he was an asshole or not, and I'd have to fins out by working for him. I'd heard that he went through work study students like a hot knife through butter and wanted to see for myself.
He seemed surprised that I was giving as good as I got. His assistant smiled when I told him that I know what value I bring to a company, and I don't work for assholes, and he seemed like one to me. He's from somewhere in Africa, and other staff say that he's not used to workers standing up for themselves. But you're in America baby, so get used to it.
He actually has the employees call him "sir" and I told him there was no way in seven Hell's I was gonna do the same. It felt so good telling this psychopath that I wasn't going to be his human pinata. Even as I left, I think he felt he had gone too far, and asked me to contact him again. Yeah, right.
It seems that he's been allowed to run roughshod over his workers for so long that he thinks everyone will put up with that nonsense. All I ask for as a worker is a little human respect. Give me that, and you'll have a fantastic employee who'll be only too happy to give you 150% as a valued member of the team. Mutual respect goes a long way. Treat your workers right, and it'll pay rich dividends for years to come.
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Wow, your Mum was a hard task master!! I mean, my parents were particular, but not slave drivers! I'm sure it did teach you an incredible work ethic though that your boss should have been very grateful for!
Indeed, if only he would have listened, I was perfect for the job. Both of my parents grew up on farms, so even though we lived in the city, we were raised with a traditional work ethic. But his workers are afraid of him, as he likes to pontificate but not listen. (The fear in the air was the first sign that something was wrong).
See, he's used to kids standing around playing mobile games or hiding out from work. He never allowed me to get across to him that I was the exact opposite. I've never been so cut off and interrupted during a job interview like that in my entire life. Couldn't get a word in edgewise. His subordinate got it, and tried gently to interject on my behalf, but was clearly afraid of him.
They've lost so many work study students due to his attitude. He kept repeating the difficult parts of the job, but I had extensive experience in all of it, and kept telling him "no problem, I've been there before and I have a work ethic that's a good fit for what you need."
He's an older man from Africa and likes to hold court but doesn't like to listen. Kept sticking his finger in my face warning me about how hard the job was and the difficult conditions, and I'm like: "Not a problem, I've dealt with all that before" But everytime I'd even begin telling him of the many times I've completed similar jobs, he'd cut me off and jabbing his finger at me saying: "I want you to understand when I tell you something to do, you do it!"
I was like "whoa, where is the attitude coming from?" I'm told that in his African culture, the workers never speak up to the boss, and scurry around in fear carrying out his orders. This ain't Africa, bro. Not the kind of environment I wanna work in. Students keep walking off the job because of his attitude, and he lost a good one yesterday. I woiuld have given them 150%, I just wanted a little respect, but it's not in him. Too bad.
Sounds like the key.. he's not smart enough to be flexible and adaptable or read the room. Old, male.... that can say it all to me. What a twat!