Comments on: Job Search Nadirs

By: Cheri

Cheri — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:00:36 +0000

I am currently looking for biotech jobs in San Diego and I came across one job for the San Diego Eye Bank. Some of the requirements were
being well groomed
have had the Hepatitis B vaccine
handle death, dieing and the grieving process

yeah, going around and gathering EYES from recently dead people… no thanks Craigslist

By: Molly W.

Molly W. — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:07:39 +0000

The summer after I graduated from college, all burnt out and tired, I applied to (count em) 74 different jobs, ranging in difficulty from retail sales all the way up to staff writer for a local newspaper. This was over a 4 month period, mind you.
I only landed two interviews; one I was 10 minutes late to because the person gave me the wrong address for the company (they wouldn’t let me reschedule) and the other one, I got the job… selling CDs at a chain music and books store… for &7.25 an hour. Really felt good about my degree at that point.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:33:25 +0000

A little over a year ago, I was laid off by the company I had been working for for about 10 months (while I was in the middle of a week-long California vacation, no less). They told me I was eligible for rehire, so a few months later, when my former position opened up, I applied. A week or so later, I recieved a letter thanking me for the opportunity to look at my resume, but at this time, they were reviewing other candidates that were more qualified for the position… I really hate that company.

By: Moon

Moon — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:02:03 +0000

Wow. What kind of union grocery job pays only $10/hr?

I think the average STARTING wage is more than that.

By: Marshall G Boyd

Marshall G Boyd — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 13:12:16 +0000

Dan, there is a reason why everyone calls it Kroger’s. When Mr. Kroger started the chain, everybody called “Old Man Kroger’s” store. So the possessive stuck. Similar story in NYC, where they have a Houlihan’s on every corner. The story I heard was that Mr Houlihan had a restaurant that failed. The new proprietor heard people saying that this was “Houlihan’s old place” referring to the new owner’s place. So he called it Houlihan’s. These are stories, bear in mind.

By: Marta

Marta — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 02:12:22 +0000

A few months back I was browsing through Craigslist looking for jobs out of boredom and frustration. (I had been working for the same restaurant company for 8 years and decided that I needed a change before I turned into one of my managers.) I found what seemed to be a great job as a personal assistant for a local artist. It paid $75,000 a year and all it required was organizational skills, light office work and a willingness to travel on occasion. The only other requirement was that you had to be an attractive female. I was a young, pretty college grad, so I called the number to find out what the deal was. Boy did it turn out to be too good to be true. The artist guy let me talk about myself for about 2 minutes before he asked how comfortable I was with “companionship”. I knew right away what he was talking about. I told him the truth- that I would be more than willing to pretty myself up and look like I was interested in him during shows but I was not going to sleep with him. He said that’s what everyone says, thanked me for the inquiry and told me to give his number to anyone I knew who would be down for it. Hands down the weirdest job hunting experience ever.

p.s.-I no longer look for work on craigslist.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 23:00:31 +0000

I have two:
In the early 90s, I was called in to interview for the p.r. department of a video monitor company. My would-be boss asked me to write a press release so she could see what my work looked like, and to find her when I was done. Fifteen minutes later, I looked for her, and she’d gone home (at 2 p.m. in the afternoon.) Never got the job, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she hadn’t just used me to do her job for her.

Also, in college, I applied for a summer job leading a tour group of high school students through Russia. My interviewers commented that since I’d worked my way through college (instead of having a rich daddy to pay for it), they were afraid I wouldn’t fit in with the rich kids I’d be showing around. The job, by the way, paid all of $400 for six weeks.

Now I’m on the other end of things and have sordid tales about job applicants.

By: Kara

Kara — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 18:02:53 +0000

Many years ago I answered an ad for a part-time job during the evening hours which would’ve been perfect for me since I had classes during the day. The job was operating a telex machine for a satellite office of some Japanese company. I had tons of telex experience, but the interviewer didn’t seem particularly interested in that. He handed me an incoming telex from their headquarters which was written in Japanese. He asked me to read it out loud. I explained that I didn’t speak Japanese. He encouraged me to just try. I’m sure I was mispronouncing everything, because he just sat and grinned at me. He then excused himself and returned with two other men. He told me to continue and the three of them giggled wildly while I stumbled through the message (stopping every four or five words to remind them that I don’t speak Japanese). I got to the end of the telex and thought that they were going to wet themselves they were laughing so hard. I scooted out of there shortly afterward, but they called the next day and offered me the job. I politely declined. To this day I’ve never figured out what the heck was going on…were they having me read some kind of Japanese porn story or something?

By: lauraebk

lauraebk — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 15:55:19 +0000

in the 90s i applied for an HR position at Thomas Kincade inc, San Jose. The interview was a long discussion of my religious background and beliefs.
Hello lawsuit?
Left a horrible taste in my mouth

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 14:37:26 +0000

Pardon me while I vent one of my top pet peeves. It’s even worse because I live in Cincinnati where there are Krogers on every store.

It’s KROGER! Not Kroger’s! There’s no ‘apostrophe S’!

Thank you and I return you to your regularly scheduled programming