Common Courtesy Dictates....

[athenahollow]

I was scheduled an interview at the evil megacorp Walmart today (I need insurance for my kid and it was just cheaper to work part time there than pay for it on my own). They told me to come in at 1:30. As per the laws of interviews go, I was there 15 minutes early. 1:30 came around, and nothing. Then 1:40. Finally, at 1:58 I got fed up and left.

Total crap if you ask me. I don't care what's going on. I didn't even get confirmation that they were going to see me SOON. WTF?

So, my question to you all: How long would you have waited? (Disregard the fact that it was Walmart).

[Velvet-Tongue]

You talked to the managers and let them know you were there right?

I guess I'd have waited an hour. Working at Wal-Mart just to get insurance is pretty lame though. Your gonna be working there at least 6 months + before you can get insurance and the insurance you do get will barely cover anything. Plus I don't think they'll give you insurance unless you're a full time employee. Your state may work differently though.

Insurance from those jobs sucks balls for the working class. Its really one of the worst parts of this country. Your ability to go to a doctor, get your teeth drilled, get medicine or do anything related to health is directly related to which company you work for. And of course all of these insurance companies want to save as much money as possible and generate as much profit as possible so they cut every corner they can find, use cheaper and less effective drugs, work together to drive up prices (seriously 1000 dollars for an xray? 250$ for shitty, generic pills?) Its all a big, fucking scam.

/end rant

One thing my friend and his wife did was set up a medical savings account. Forgot exactly how it works out but they put away about 6k and any medical expenses are paid from that and insurance helps as well.

[Velvet-Tongue]

/turns rant back on for a moment.

Ever since I saw the amazing scams going in my white collar crime course I've become very jaded about anything related to insurance and health. Do you all remember the UPROAR and shitstorming that happened when we started discussing free-health care for the populace? At first I thought it'd just be the Republicans trying to dig in and undercut the democrats so they could win the election but the more I thought about it..the advertisements, tv spots, "organized protests", propaganda and more are all being funded by some of the richest corporations in the world. Universal healthcare would **** the hell out of their profits.

In the class they showed undercover videos of CEO's and Representatives of corporations with similar interests all sitting around, drinking wine and figuring out how best to fuck us all over by artificially jacking up prices, smudging numbers to say there is less supply. Creating artificial shortages to jack prices up even higher. Then one of the big, fat, shiteating bastards stands up and goe s"I don't care about them! You guys are my family!"

Fuck.

[nathanmbailey]

I wouldn't have waited personally. After about 10 minutes, I would have walked if there was no confirmation. Then again, I have no patience for that stuff. I would have then found the number for the manager's supervisor and called them to let them know about it. If nothing else, I'd probably be able to manage some sort of gift card or discount on my next purchase.

[Deetz]

I wouldn't of left till I got something. Even a "huh?".

I'm too tired to rant on it.

[TheDeathKnight]

I guess it depends how much you want the job. I waited an hour for an interview one time. But the job was really awesome. It just turned out that the boss who was supposed to interview me, got stuck with a client. Once he finished, he came in the room, apologized for the delay, and ended up hiring me.

[athenahollow]

My brother works for Walmart and at least HERE, he has decent coverage for a rather low amount per month (as opposed to the other places I was looking where it was going to cost about 78% of my paychecks each week.) And would have only taken 3 months to get said insurance. Not too bad of a deal. Oh, and I believe (if I remember him correctly) you only had to work 30 hours a week to get it, and they were wanting me to work 4 days / 8hour shifts (technically 9, but no paid lunches and I don' t know if breaks were paid or not)

But, either way. I talked to the one person who was in the department I was said to wait in. She called the manager after I'd been there for about a half hour, maybe a bit longer. Finally, after 3 calls, got a hold of said manager. I don't know what was said, but the girl sounded rather irritated herself that I had been waiting that long, pointing out to the manager that I was STILL there (and put great emphasis on "still").

[Raza]

I woulda walked out 12 minutes before the interview was supposed to start and torched the toilet paper section on the way out - if nothing else to save myself from whatever horrible lapse of judgement brought me there in the first place.

[Deetz]

over here I can't afford to walk out on a job interview period lol. I guess it depends on your situation really. I have a family to support and college. So while my husband is trying to get into the coast guard and get some credits in college, I'm trying to get into college and find a part time job, just so that we can have at least a little bit of food. Over here in Virginia, you're lucky if you even get a "maybe" on an interview.

With the job space being as limited as it is, I'd be lucky to get one anywhere.

[HeadlessBill]

A few years ago I had an interview. I showed up about ten minutes early and let someone know I was there for the interview. After standing around for about half an hour, someone finally came up to me asked me if I needed anything. I mentioned the name of the person I was supposed to be meeting and that I was there for an interview. The person apologized profusely saying that about the time I showed up for my interview the person I was meeting with got a phone call saying his wife had gone into labor and he wasn't there.

I thanked them and left and then called the voicemail of the person I was supposed to interview with and wished them 'Congratulations' and that I hoped his wife's labor went smoothly and told him to call me and let me know when he wanted to reschedule my interview. I never heard back from him.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

I was scheduled an interview at the evil megacorp Walmart today (I need insurance for my kid and it was just cheaper to work part time there than pay for it on my own). They told me to come in at 1:30. As per the laws of interviews go, I was there 15 minutes early. 1:30 came around, and nothing. Then 1:40. Finally, at 1:58 I got fed up and left.

Total crap if you ask me. I don't care what's going on. I didn't even get confirmation that they were going to see me SOON. WTF?

So, my question to you all: How long would you have waited? (Disregard the fact that it was Walmart).

Little trick we managers play....Make 'em wait to see how bad you want the job. Guess you didn't want it THAT bad.

[Mr Karl]

wouldn't know, haven't had to interview for a job in about 20 years

[Raza]

Little trick we managers play....Make 'em wait to see how bad you want the job. Guess you didn't want it THAT bad.

So you're so well aware of your unwillingness to offer employees anything worth staying for that you won't even get started with them unless they're absolutely desperate? Filter out the people that expect to be treated with any pretense of respect from the start, rather than having them cause trouble later?

[LeilaHazlett]

I've waited about an hour for a doctor's appointment...but I really didn't have a choice in the matter for that one. I don't think I'd wait more than 20mins for an interview, unless I was really desperate...which I kinda am

[LeilaHazlett]

So you're so well aware of your unwillingness to offer employees anything worth staying for that you won't even get started with them unless they're absolutely desperate? Filter out the people that expect to be treated with any pretense of respect from the start, rather than having them cause trouble later?

Have you ever been to a walmart?

[KessM]

id have bugged people. and waited an hour.

[Raza]

Have you ever been to a walmart?

There is no walmart in the Netherlands, but yes, I know that's exactly what their reputation dictates I should expect from them. Regardless, Ajax does not work at walmart and still admits to treating potential employees like that, so the question remains relevant.

[Mr Karl]

So you're so well aware of your unwillingness to offer employees anything worth staying for that you won't even get started with them unless they're absolutely desperate? Filter out the people that expect to be treated with any pretense of respect from the start, rather than having them cause trouble later?

Actually I think he's saying that most jobs that require you to have a manager that interviews are one's that require you to have a pulse, not much more.

If your meant to be a cog, you'll wait, because instinctively deep down you know that this place could be a place where you'll fit in and work with the other parts of the company..........if you leave before seeing someone it means you thought of leaving, thinking is bad, unless it's thinking about a problem that's been given to you to think about..............it's got nothing to do about finding desperate people, it's about finding the right parts for the machine

[toxicat]

Do you think his wife was really in labor?

A few years ago I had an interview. I showed up about ten minutes early and let someone know I was there for the interview. After standing around for about half an hour, someone finally came up to me asked me if I needed anything. I mentioned the name of the person I was supposed to be meeting and that I was there for an interview. The person apologized profusely saying that about the time I showed up for my interview the person I was meeting with got a phone call saying his wife had gone into labor and he wasn't there.

I thanked them and left and then called the voicemail of the person I was supposed to interview with and wished them 'Congratulations' and that I hoped his wife's labor went smoothly and told him to call me and let me know when he wanted to reschedule my interview. I never heard back from him.

[Cafe_Post_Mortem]

Little trick we managers play....Make 'em wait to see how bad you want the job. Guess you didn't want it THAT bad.

Why would anyone worth hiring play that stupid game? Skills and desperation seldom hang out together long.

[Amelia G]

I woulda walked out 12 minutes before the interview was supposed to start and torched the toilet paper section on the way out - if nothing else to save myself from whatever horrible lapse of judgement brought me there in the first place.

This is pretty much my answer taking into account the place of employment, except that I would have also been late.

If it were some place I really wanted to work, however, I would have been there until they either interviewed me or kicked me out at closing. Of course, I would remind them I was there at regular intervals, but, unless I had something vital to go do, anything important enough to be worth 30 hours a week of my time for the indefinite future is worth a day of my time to actually get.

[mystoo]

I woulda walked out 12 minutes before the interview was supposed to start and torched the toilet paper section on the way out - if nothing else to save myself from whatever horrible lapse of judgement brought me there in the first place.

Nice

[mystoo]

I'd probably have waited a half hour or so and then caused a scene. I hate fucking waiting. It's pretty sad that it's come to this. Seriously, Walmart?!?!?!

[Deetz]

I once had to go in for an interview at IHOP(yeah, thats how bad it's gotten), which is no better. The woman told me to come back in a few days to have an interview. When I came back, I waited at least 30 minutes before another manager came up asking if there was something I needed. I said that I had an interview with the person who told me to come back in. He shook his head and said, "well shes not in today" and I'm sitting there like "ohhh k? Well will she be in later? she told me to come around now" and he just kept shaking his head, saying she won't be in but if they have anything opened, they'll let me know. What the fuck?

So I call the woman back the next day and she acts like she had never set up the appointment in the first place. She told me that I could come in the next day. I never did.

Unless you've at least waited and heard something back, I wouldn't leave an interview. My brother in law does that, a lot. But he's also really picky on where he wants to work. He let a job go because he didn't want to work in the mornings. ?!? If I had a job handed to me, I'd work anyway, any time, that I could. Because it's not just me on the line, it's my family as well.

[ForrestBlack]

For a job I wanted, for whatever reason, I would wait as long as it takes, unless other important engagements came up. If I had a noon appointment and I had to pick up kids at say 3, I would probably wait till say 2:30, let them know I was leaving for a prior responsibility, but that I would return as soon as possible, which I would also do. If I want something, I can be patient, but if I was conflicted or really not into it, you'd be pressed to get me there in the first place. I do get impatient with slow bartenders though, not sure what's up with that.

[athenahollow]

Ok, lots of people confused about "Why Walmart".

There is very little that is within a 10 minute drive from my house. What there is, I've filled out applications for. I really want a part time job outside the house. I work from home, and have for over a year.

As some of you know, I have a 3 year old daughter, and a fiance. Sometimes I just want to get away from them and spend time with other adults. He's semi anti-social, so that happens rarely w/ him. And she's... well she's Demon Spawn haha. Anyone that's met her would agree with me.

BUT, I can't waitress because I have the onset symptoms of Carpul Tunnul; There are no business offices (not that I'd want to work there, because I want to be around people, not zombies) and I absolutely refuse to ever do tech support again. Worst. Job. Ever.

My brother works for a Walmart across town (easy job for a kid right out of high school waiting to go to college) and he likes it. He gets decent pay (around $10/hr for night stock), good benefits and the people he works with are good people. So, he told me that if I wanted to be around people THAT BAD to go there and fill out the application. I did, and finally, they called me back haha.

So there ya have it. It's not like it's a necessary job, though the insurance would be nice. I just need out of this goddamn house. I go insane staying home all the time...

[Raza]

So you intend to work at Wallmart for fun?

You know there's friggin tons of fun/educative/productive shit you can do outside the house that doesn't require you to turn in your personality at the door, right? Ok, so the 'spending time with adult human beings' criterion narrows it down a bit, but you should still be able to manage.

I mean, I'm not trying to be mean here, but the idea that you feel like you need a job to get adult social contact when you could do anything to use that time and fill that gap strikes me as a very bad case of the internal bourgeois checklist for a complete unsatisfying lifestyle.

[Deetz]

So you intend to work at Wallmart for fun?

You know there's friggin tons of fun/educative/productive shit you can do outside the house that doesn't require you to turn in your personality at the door, right? Ok, so the 'spending time with adult human beings' criterion narrows it down a bit, but you should still be able to manage.

I mean, I'm not trying to be mean here, but the idea that you feel like you need a job to get adult social contact when you could do anything to use that time and fill that gap strikes me as a very bad case of the internal bourgeois checklist for a complete unsatisfying lifestyle.

Not only that but to be mad about the situation that happened, when it even really wasn't a huge deal to your living situation to begin with (other than needing adult contact, so to say) is kinda..dumb-founding to me, I guess.

I don't mean to be mean or offensive as well, but I thought you actually needed this job..so..I dont know how to really think about it.

[Raza]

Iunno about that. I think wanting to do something is at least as respectable a reason to act as 'needing' to, and her motivations don't make that manager's actions any less unreasonable either way.

[Deetz]

Iunno about that. I think wanting to do something is at least as respectable a reason to act as 'needing' to, and her motivations don't make that manager's actions any less unreasonable either way.

That is beside the point I'm trying to make. I understand what you're saying but in my opinion, a person shouldn't be as upset about it, if it wasn't crucial (and when I mean crucial, having 3 days worth of food supply and only 5 buckets to buy groceries with).

When I'm trying to do something really important and someone messes up I get pretty upset, but if I'm doing something whim, even if that whim is semi-important to me, like applying at Wal-Mart, if someone screws up, I feel that it's better to kinda, in a way (not to offend or sound harsh) get over it, or take it lightly, so that I can go back to a different "whim" (like applying at a different store), if its that important to me.

[Cafe_Post_Mortem]

If you need the job you should put up with that crap exactly as long as you have to. If you want the job...

Well personally, knowing my potential boss would leave me hanging out there without so much as a "tell them I am running late" would seriously make me reconsider whether or not I really ant the job. It takes that magical combination of poor time management and a lack of consideration for people to leave someone hanging like that.Maybe the guy just assumed anyone applying for wallyworld would just shut up and take it, maybe he just forgot. Either way, that is not someone I would want to work for and to be honest if I did have to come back there and try again, I doubt he would remember I left the first time.

I mean, do you ever wonder why some places all of the employees seem like lifeless, customer dodging drones? If they start out the job waiting two hours for their interview it really sets the tone of the place. When you make people feel like a worthless cog, they will act like a worthless cog.

I bet the guy athena was supposed to interview with is yelling at someone right now about being on time.

[Raza]

Right, the stoicism card. I'm with you there in principle, but I'm not really seeing the 'mad' from Athena's post. A hint of rhetorical indignation, maybe, but that suits the subject matter. 'S'for her to say, really.

[Nos]

For a job I wanted, for whatever reason, I would wait as long as it takes, unless other important engagements came up. If I had a noon appointment and I had to pick up kids at say 3, I would probably wait till say 2:30, let them know I was leaving for a prior responsibility, but that I would return as soon as possible, which I would also do. If I want something, I can be patient, but if I was conflicted or really not into it, you'd be pressed to get me there in the first place. I do get impatient with slow bartenders though, not sure what's up with that.

That's what I normally do for jobs ... I've had to wait 3 hours for an interview before. Working in the film/model world over the years has taught me to be patient.

I always show up 15 min. early and have been bitched at by managers/employees for doing so. - When this situation occurs I still do the interview but I generally end up not taking the job. Who wants to work for assholes?

You have to remember that you are interviewing them too.

[HeadlessBill]

Do you think his wife was really in labor?

Most likely. Seems like an odd thing to do if they didn't want to interview me, considering they had my application and resume and called me to set up the interview, rather than just coming out and spending half a minute to just say (whether it was true or not) that they had already filled the position.

[FedorasBox]

I think that set precedent for the store and job....imagine how long you'd have to wait for a promotion.

[athenahollow]

I think that set precedent for the store and job....imagine how long you'd have to wait for a promotion.

Well, I'm not really looking for a job for a career or even to keep it more than 6 months. Just something to keep me busy, that doesn't require a diploma (yes I know I know. Luckily I've been able to land some awesome tech jobs in the past even though I didn't have it), and is within possible walking distance, since I don't have a license myself.

[VoldtaEngler]

When I applied for Target years and years ago, I went in and applied at their computer, went home 5 minutes later and called them to see if they could look at my application. They looked at it on the phone and told me to come back in 5 minutes. I did and next day I was working there.

Years later I applied to a grocery store who told me to come in for the interview at 4:30..went, and 5:30 rolled around and they tell me that the manager (who told me in the first place to come at 4:30), had left and forgot about my interview.

Now, I work by myself.

[Deetz]

When I applied for Target years and years ago, I went in and applied at their computer, went home 5 minutes later and called them to see if they could look at my application. They looked at it on the phone and told me to come back in 5 minutes. I did and next day I was working there.

Years later I applied to a grocery store who told me to come in for the interview at 4:30..went, and 5:30 rolled around and they tell me that the manager (who told me in the first place to come at 4:30), had left and forgot about my interview.

Now, I work by myself.

For some reason Target is super easy to get work in. My husband applied at Target, within a week or so he got a call back for an interview. They offered him a job position on the spot and the within a couple of days, he was working full time.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

So you're so well aware of your unwillingness to offer employees anything worth staying for that you won't even get started with them unless they're absolutely desperate? Filter out the people that expect to be treated with any pretense of respect from the start, rather than having them cause trouble later?

Those who tend to be desperate also tend to want to keep their jobs once they get them. Usually those are the ones that you don't have to treat like they're 5 years old and they tend to do their jobs very well. And no, it's not a pretense to how I'm going to treat them. My employees love working for me because I'm one of only managers who give their people PLENTY of respect. I don't yell at them or treat them like shit, I give them plenty of kudos when they do a job well done, and if I do have to discipline them, I do so behind close doors and never in front of other employees. I've worked over 3 years at this particular branch so far. I've had one employee quit to go back to school and one employee retire. No other employees have left. You tell me (at least people living in the U.S.)...How many times do you go to a bank and the same people who were there last week are gone and now new people have taken they're place? Not at my branch.

And to answer Cafe's question. No. Of course, I look at skill also. In fact I look at MANY things when deciding to hire somebody. If I didn't and just hired some buttmunch then I wouldn't really be doing my job well, would I?

But....If you go to an interview and after deciding to leave 25 minutes after waiting, than chances are, you don't really want the job that much and experience tells me that you're probably not going to take your job so serious if you're hired. Does that mean Athena would suck as an employee?No, but experience tells me that a majority of others who left, would have.

One thing to keep in mind also. Let's face facts. Walmart isn't some place that you need super skills to work at. At least, not in most of the departments. Right now, being that unemployment is super high, they probably have piles and piles of people applying for jobs. Well....If you do not need that much skill to work there, then how do you funnel through so many apps to find, I'm sure, what little work they have to offer at this time, but at the same time fill a position where the person is going to get done, what needs to get done? One way would be to see who desperately needs the job vs. somebody who feels hurt they got dissed and just gets up and leaves. Is this a pretense that Walmart is going to treat the new worker like shit? Possibly, but it's an employers market out there right now and those that really, really need a job are going to be the one's that take care of business when they're given a task.

One last thing......Although I use this technique, I'm pretty sure I've never let anyone wait more than 15 minutes. 25 IS a little extreme in my book.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

Oh....And By Athena's explanation of her reason to find a job (To hang with grown-ups)....I rest my case.