Job hunting rant

[Rahmota]

Well I've been out of the job market for 4 years now but decided that maybe a little extra folding before christmas might not be a bad idea. So I decided this morning to go job hunting in the retail world (yes even though I've been reading and paying attention here) as they are no doubt hiring for the holidays.

When did the retail stores start requiring you to either go online and fill out the application or sit at a kiosk in fornt of the store so that anyone who wants to read over your shoulder and see your personal info can do so?

And what is with those insulting, irritating, disgusting attitude tests? You know the ones I'm tlaking about the one that are filled with questions liek How much have you stolen? And then only gives you certain dollar ranges to select from or otherwise treats you like you are an idiot or a thief or both. I mean why dont they go on ahead and ask Have you stopped beating your wife? It would fit with the rest of the questions.

I hate that as I just filled out an application for pep boys and got denied an interview or anything because I apparently failed their stupid attitude test somehow. That is so irritating that the company doesnt even want a human involved in the hiring process anymore and prescreen anyone out who might need to explain thing in a face to face interview where questions and answers belong. Those fraggin tests need to be outlawed. (Does it show that I'm a bit peeved about them?

[ShockQueen]

I detest those things as well. I'd rather just fill in my information, check what I'm interested in, and then go from there. I mean...heaven forbid you don't fit their "perfect psychological profile" or something. If I had to do one of those for the job I have now, I probably wouldn't have gotten it. It takes bare minimum, about 30 minutes to fill one of those out. When I was job hunting, I did one at Albertson's, Wal-Mart, AND Home Depot. I think there isn't anyplace now that doesn't have one of those (outside the small stores that can't afford the outside shrink).

I mean, what is the matter with sitting down and TALKING to the individual? You can learn so much more that way than by having you fill out some "this is the person I am" test, because contrary to popular opinion, those questions are not fair, and don't really tell you what kind of person you really are.

Makes me glad I don't have to look anymore. GAH!

[ditchdj]

It's obvious. Look at the job market. Go down to the local welfare office and take a look for yourself how many people out there are looking for a job. Back in '98 the economy was so smokin' hot employers were so hard up for people all you needed to do was be able to sign your name and bingo! you got a job. Even UPS was hiring anyone off the street. Not like that anymore when you got 70 year olds now competing for those very jobs your're applying for.

[powerboy]

I hate filling them out on the computer. That is why, I didn't get hired at any of the places that does it like that. Because I do not answer, how they want. I want to actully talk to the person, to find out more about the place, that I am putting in at.

[Sofar]

Man, I thought the math tests were patronizing until I had to take one of those personality profilers. Of course, during the interview at the place with the math test, I learned that three quarters of their applicants don't even get two questions right.

I was very happy when I walked into the place at which I work now and asked "May I please have an application?" and received the reply, "Oh, we haven't one. Here's a piece of paper, just write down any information we'll need to contact you." Wow, I don't need a doctorate and a five-year internship to become a short-order cook? But don't you want this seven-hundred-word essay on why I feel I'm Burger-Jobber material?

[Pezzle]

Yeah those psychological inventories are a little annoying, especially when they're all outsourced to the same company *unicru, cough*.

But hey i answered it the exact same way and Circuit City came knocking instead of Best Buy. Their loss.

[Becks]

At two of the last places I've worked at, I was one of the last to actually get paper applications to fill out, instead of the computer.

I got hired at both.

I've also been called to help figure out how the stupid computer works, even though I never used it.

[Girly]

I moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to a very small town in Southern Virginia (pretty close to Bristol, if you know where that is).

It's really hard for me to find a job here, not because I'm not qualified, or because I tank on interviews, but because I'm not from around here. It's not that bad, really. If I'm not working, it's not like we aren't going to not eat (thank goodness), the husband makes enough money to where I don't HAVE to work.

We did know it was going to be hard for me to find a job in the first place when we moved down here, but man is it frustrating!

[powerboy]

I think that they should never had the damn E-applications in the first place.

[Rahmota]

ditchdj spoke:It's obvious. Look at the job market

I can see what you mean. And people wonder why I want to put a wall around the farm with no gates in it.

Anyhow one good thing I guess to try and be positive is that it does save me gas money as in the past day I've applied at several different stores without having to drive 20 miles to get to them.

[friendofjimmyk]

I can't stand those personality tests! The questions are ridiculous! Some of them don't have answers that I like and I have to pick something that is not how I feel, but kind of close to it. Kind of? Why don't you just freakin' interview me and ask me those freakin' questions?

They have you fill those things out and then they fax them to the "grader" and then it comes back with a score! WTF?

After those tests, and at least 2 - 3 interviews at any given place, I don't want the job anymore.

[MamaMootz]

Just wait... I went through all that and passed the tests - and they went to check my background. It's an unfortunate fact of life that the companies I've worked for since 1990 - have all gone bankrupt/downsized and no longer exist.

Here's the funny part: the company had their in-house guy doing my background check and an external vendor doing one at the same time. They both called me to grill me about why they couldn't find anything about my work history - I had to tell both of them that the companies were gone. I DID mention this to the person who gave me the job offer, but I imagine they didn't record it.

The external vendor said, "Well, I'm just going to tell the company that your background cannot be verified."

The internal guy said, "Do you have any proof that you worked where you say you did?" As it happened, yes - I saved my old performance evaluations and letters of recommendation, as well as W-2's... so he let me fax them to him and I was hired.

I don't understand why they employed two companies to do that, and I also don't understand why I couldn't have just given the paperwork to the hiring manager proving I worked where I said I did ahead of time... but I guess that's how companies do things nowadays.

[MystyGlyttyr]

I've been fishing for a part-time evening job as well and I just lie like a rug on those damn personality tests. I told my boss that "for every question, I just answer the opposite of how I want to answer."

It would be one thing if they'd at least let you qualify your answer...like for the following statement "I enjoy going out with large crowds." Well, I don't, you know why? Because I'm an Aspie and because the sensations of a large crowd make me crazy. But I can work around it if given a chance, I know how.

Why does that even matter when I'm applying to work in the back room as a stock girl anyway?? I can see if I were trying to be a cashier or a front-end CSR but I'm applying for the job where I sit in the back room and put tags on boxes all day. WTF?

[Tria]

It would be one thing if they'd at least let you qualify your answer...like for the following statement "I enjoy going out with large crowds." Well, I don't, you know why? Because I'm an Aspie and because the sensations of a large crowd make me crazy. But I can work around it if given a chance, I know how. WTF?

*Wonders if that's why I hate crowds* Should one day get it checked....