A potential employer was nasty to me on the phone

[jiacinto]

A man was really rude to me on the phone. I called him and said that I
had moved to Florida. I then explained that I left a nonprofit due to the
fact of pay not coming in.

He then said basically to me: "Do you want a career in sales or politics?"
He then laughed at the fact I worked at a dept store in DC and said that there was no
"way corporate sales would hire me" and hung up on the phone.

He didn't even talk to me or say anything. He was so rude to me on the phone
and was an asshole. I am really upset. He was then like "No company is going
to give me money to bring you to be interviewed."

And that was it. I am stung significantly but I have to persevere so to
speak. I applied to jobs at two stores here. One of them made me fill out a personality test
and said they would look it over and call me back.

And that is even more upsetting because I have an MA and a BA. That he would treat me so poorly is upsetting.

I am so upset right now.

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. keep your chin up

I'm sure with an attitude like that, HE'LL be the one out looking for work in a few months...

[KCDem]

2. don'cha just love this economy?

:shrug:

Sorry, I hope that soon you will find something both lucrative and fulfilling. I understand how you feel. It sucks to be in a position where others can just laugh at your qualifications.

Take care.

[cally]

3. ((((hugs)))))

Whenever I have looked for a job, so many folks are so rude. I just wish the same on them when they are unemployed. I promised myself that whenever I got in a position to hire someone that I would treat them with respect. There is no excuse to treat others this way.

Just ignore the assholes. :hug:

[meegbear]

4. Be thankful ...

if they act like that while interviewing, imagine what it's like working there.

[jiacinto]

7. It sounded sketchy

And frankly it's his loss, not mine. I have two degrees, know how to sell things, and they are the ones who are missing out.

[noiretextatique]

30. it's your GAIN

imagine getting the job and finding out he was an asshole later. thank goodness he uncloaked over the phone.

[Japhy_Ryder]

5. Asshole

If that guy is that much of an asshole with potential employees, imagine how he is with the people that work for him. You're probably better off not having to work with him, and besides which, people that are assholes to total strangers, tend to not be the happiest people in the world, so take heart that you're better than him.

[jiacinto]

8. It's his loss

nt

[Don_G]

6. A Free Republican Maybe?

I personally wouldn't want to work for anyone with the personality of outhouse contents. There are plenty of decent employers out there. Just keep on truckin'.

[Southsideirish]

9. Employers are incredibly arrogant these days.

They are sitting pretty with mucho applications so they can be as nasty as they want to be. I have really heard some horror stories - the SOB's.

[JanMichael]

10. A head-hunter right? Not an employer?

Fact is Carlos that those types of recruiters are not really interested in young, non-techy, job hunters.

Don't let it bother you!

A family member of mine knows a buttload of NC politicians, could you handle NC over Florida?

Then again, do you want to work in politics? The pay sucks until you can get graft...

[jiacinto]

11. Well

I had posted my resume on careerbuilder.com or one of those search engines. They emailed me. I called them back and they were rude to me.

[Bossy Monkey]

12. Write a savage letter to his boss. You don't have to send it,

but you'll feel better.

I again advise you to temp. You've been through 4 of the most stressful experiences of life right in a row: graduating, moving, starting a new job, quitting a job. You've got to give yourself a break and take some pressure off. Temping will allow you to do both as well as let you look for work at the same time. It will also bridge the time into 2004 when the campaigns are more fully up and running, so you'll be able to segue straight into a campaign job if you so desire. Consider it. Regardless, take care of yourself, and best of luck.

[Iris]

13. He's a jerk and cannot speak for every company out there.

Just try to let it go. He's not worth the energy.

[jiacinto]

14. I know

nt

[sangh0]

15. He did you a BIG favor

If you're smart, you'll review what was said and use it to figure out what to say and what not to say to the next potential employer. Also, you now know better than to go work for that asshole. It's better that you found out before you took a job with him.

I once had an interview that was something like that. After just a short review of my experience and background, he realized that I was nothing like what he was looking for, and immediately started in with some similar stuff as you experienced. I was also upset, but I realized that though he WAS an asshole, he did have some reason for being so dismissive. The fact was, I really wasn't fit for the job, and my being there was a waste of time for both of us.

Searching for a job is a lot like searching for a girlfriend, and blind dates are the worst.

[jiacinto]

17. He didn't even give me a chance

That bothers me. And I do think I was a match for the job. I didn't even find out what the position is before he acted so rudely to me!

[sangh0]

19. He's an ass

but sometimes, even an asshole can teach you something important.

Would you really want to work for people who treat other people that way?

[jiacinto]

20. No

but I am back at Square One.

[sangh0]

21. Another thing

I used to work in 2 WTC, South Tower. I worked for a company where many of it's employees were long-time with decades of experience working for them. At the time, I would have loved to retire someday from there. However, during my 5th year there, they hired a new mgr for my dept. He wanted me to engage in a fraud. I refused, and he forced me out. Now he's dead, and I'm still alive.

Sometimes, things that seem horrible turn out to be life-saving. Literally and figuratively.

[jiacinto]

22. Ok

nt

[sangh0]

23. Another story

After leaving that company, I went to wrok for another, but after 5 years they went out of business, and I was once again on the job market. Now one thing you should know is that for most of my career my skill set was centered on a technology that was very specialized. Basically, it's a small market, so I'm garaunteed a job somewhere, but my choices are limited.

Wanting to expand my choices, I started to learn about related areas that would offer me more choices. I learned it and started looking. In short order, I had an interview, and they offered me a position. For reasons I won't go into here, their offer was rescinded. I was very disappointed. This job was very promising.

Two weeks later, I got an offer from my present employer, a charity. I now work with people who are liberal, dedicated to helping people, and willing to be paid tens of thousands of dollars less than they could in the private market. I get to work with people I admire, and I get to help people too. My boss is a great guy, and my colleagues are also my friends.

Not getting the job I wanted was the best thing that ever happened to me because now I've got the job I ALWAYS wanted.

[rustydog]

16. Every cloud has a silver lining...

Actually, every cloud has rain..but...
Would you want to work for such an uncaring ass ?
the economy sucks, but keep your head and spirits up!
Good luck ont he search.

[ibegurpard]

18. Job hunting sucks so bad.

I really feel for you. It's very discouraging. Hope that you find something soon.

[monkeyboy]

24. Here's what you can do to feel better

Go to your local marine supply store and buy one of those aerosol fog horns. Call the bastard back. Speak in a really low voice so that he has to press his ear against the phone to hear you. You know the rest...

[Nikia]

25. Maybe he was jealous of you

Don't you wonder about people that majored in human resources so they can just hire people in a field that they've never worked in? (Sorry, human resources DUers) I experienced such a person at a temp agency that applied to after finding out that I didn't get the job that I really wanted shortly after graduating from college. She said that no one would want hire me because I did not have a specific technical degree like she did which was in human resources and did not have a career related internship in college, like she did. I sort of wondered what her point was in her comparision of herself to me. I got a job on my own two weeks later. A week later, she found a job that she wanted me to take. Even if I hadn't found a job, I don't think that I would have taken a job from someone so rude. I think that she probably was jealous of my potential and your interviewer was probably jealous of your potential as well.

[CMT]

26. write a letter to his boss and ask if that

is how they like potential employees and customers treated. It is uncalled for.

[ulysses]

27. hi Carlos

A question that I hope you'll take in the spirit in which it's intended...

What *do* you want out of life?

[noiretextatique]

32. this is a great question

i mentioned this in another thread: focus on what you want.

i know some think this kind of thing is woo-woo, but i'll use my recent experience as an example.

a few weeks ago, i missed out on getting what i thought was a dream job...an accounting job, with little room for growth...excellent pay though. when i didn't get that job, i decided i needed to focus on what i wanted:

a job that would lead to an eventual career change, from accounting to either property management/real estate or IT.

well...i'm vying for two jobs now, and both would eventully lead to the career change that i really want. the job i really want would start me off as an accountant, then after a year, train me to help manage their growing condo association business. this job is with a for-profit property management company...very solid, growing company.

and with the backup job, i'd be learning more about networking in addition to managing the finance department. this job is with a growing non-profit, so there is a lot of potential for future growth. plus the work they do is great.

i am really praying for the property management job because the income potential in that job (and field)...well, the sky's the limit.
and at this point in my life...SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!!

figuring out what you want really does help you focus getting what you want.

[bleedingheart]

33. very good question

I never have interviewed well for companies that I didn't like or work that didn't seem appealing to me...

[goobergunch]

28. Time for a group hug for Carlos!

:grouphug:

[Deja Q]

29. Nobody should be treated so poorly unless they made the first insult

It doesn't matter if you have a BA or MA or are King of the Universe. Rudeness begets rudeness. It's sad that they are that way bcause they seem to cause more problems than they solve. (in other words, I'm amazed you didn't get rude back at him!)

That aside, good luck in getting a good job!

And as for those personality tests, if they're too intrusive, go find the state attorney general or lawyer or somebody. What's important is that you can do the job. That's what counts, nothing more. I'm still waiting for the call back from Best Buy. I don't think they will call back because I'm probably too much of a nutter for them. :eyes: (if all of corporate america was like retail, think of how many more people would be out of work! Corporate america is evil, period.)

[chadm]

31. The truth is, we don't know

Yes, the guy was a jack-ass...but sometimes jack-asses speak the truth and we can learn from them.

So, rather than asking for us to help get you off the hook, consider this:

Do you think he was right? Did you do anything that might be wrong for the field of sales?

His comments about politics being different from sales is dead wrong, by the way. It's the same field.

I've been in sales for 7 years so let me know if you have any questions.

[jiacinto]

35. He may have been telling the truth

But I've worked for a dept store for almost two years. Also the man could have been more polite and said:

"Frankly I don't think you have the skills for this position and don't think this can work out. But thank you for calling".

It was highly unprofessional for him to insult me.

[area51]

34. employers

jiacinto said:

"A man was really rude to me on the phone."

I'm sorry to hear that, jiacinto. I've had something similar happen to me. This is exactly the kind of sh*t some employers are doing now, since they know that we're in the middle of the 2nd Great Depression and job seekers are a dime a dozen. There are some very sick bosses out there.

[philosophie_en_rose]

36. I guess it's best that you know now

Instead of relocating and getting your hopes up, you will not have to work for that particular asshole. That certainly won't pay off any student loans, but at least it leaves you open for something else.

I feel sorry for the people who work with that asshole.

[jiacinto]

37. I think he was a middle man of some sort

nt