In the spirit of never being content, I’ve been job hunting. I had one positive interview for a position that I am very qualified for, and all seemed to go well. I gelled with the young gal who served as the human resources screener, and at the end of the interview she told me she would be sending me a couple of tests to complete via email.
I didn’t mind the first test; it was a personality test with a lot of situational and bizarre questions. When it comes to personality tests, I don’t try to think about them too hard, and always answer honestly. Frankly, if I have a personality that conflicts with the rest of the office, the sooner it’s discovered, the better, no matter how much I want the job.
It was the second test I had a problem with. I know the little HR screener was just doing her job, but asking me to take a basic skills computer assessment is a bit offensive. At the bottom of my resume I list quite an impressive array of computer programs I have experience with. One should immediately deduce that if I stand up and say I’m proficient at In Design, Illustrator, and specialized auction software, maybe, just maybe, I have the mandatory brain cell capacity to master the Microsoft Outlook calendar or sorting a list on an Excel spreadsheet.
The problems persisted when I couldn’t open the test. Apparently the online company that administers the test has to have a receiving computer with a very weak firewall that allows a shitload of cookies and pop-ups. Since we get a tremendous amount of junk mail, as well as virus-infected mail from Jeff’s brother (which he claims it’s not him…yeah right), Jeff installed two firewalls and every other anti-virus software on the market. The end result was that I couldn’t log onto the site and take the basic computer assessment.
I tried again today from one of Jeff’s office computers, and still couldn’t get access, and now (how spoiled is this), I don’t even care about the job anymore. I understand that the HR assistant has to have her little boxes of “to do” items checked for each qualified candidate, but I’m to a point in my life where I don’t feel like dealing with one ounce of bureaucratic bullshit.
I was up until 5:00 AM on Friday night designing display boards for an auction. Does any HR assistant have that on their fucking checklist! How can a basic computer skills assessment tell anyone that I’ve worked on nine auctions and have raised a collective $5.5 million? Instead of wasting my time asking me to show you how well I can use the Bold function in Word, why don’t you ask me how I manage to coordinate a team of volunteers after working a 100-hour week, and pull off a splendid party for 400 people that raises money.
Perhaps I have a bad attitude, but due to this detail gone wrong, I’m no longer even interested in the job. I am currently with an organization that is so steeped in bureaucracy that it gives their employees the shaft on a regular basis. Do I really want to work for another “by the book” employer? Maybe I’ve become spoiled by the cool organizations that I’ve worked for that were wonderfully non-conformist and didn’t care what you did, how you did it, or when you did your job, as long as you met your goals and performed.
To be fair, I emailed the little HR gal back, and maybe I’ll hear from her. If I don’t, then I’ll accept it as something that wasn’t meant to be. Besides, I have another job interview next Monday for a position that would be way cooler, and hopefully, they won’t ask me to take a lame-assed basic computer skills assessment.
5 comments:
I wonder what job it was?
Professional Hack?
Cynical observer?
Republican basher?
It's 'modern' management. It's like a virus spreading everywhere. Everything must be done 'just so' or it's against the rules. You can't say this you can't do that. I'm actually quite pleased I'm getting old. I couldn't stand the thought of 60 years of this.
RD - No, the Professional Hack/Cynical Observer/Republican Basher is my secret identity, like Diana Prince/Wonder Woman only without the cool costume. To the outside world, I'm a Special Events Manager that specializes in fundraising auctions, galas and golf tournaments. Smiling at corporate sponsors = Diana Prince, telling George W. to fuck off = Wonder Woman.
4D - Modern management is a joke. My husband got so sick of it, he started his own business. Perhaps I'll do the same eventually, but for now, I'll be a real picky bitch when it comes to what I will and won't do, because I'm very specialized and I have that luxury.
If there's one thing that will forever keep me fleeing from the land of cubicles and power point presentations, it's the absurd amount of micro-managing that is entailed. All my office-hound friends spew out the details of their agony to me and how all the menial tasks and mindless heres and theres just slather the company in BS.
Kudos to you for not selling yourself short. From what you've said about your achievements in your field it sounded like you were overqualified for the job and can do far better.
Hope the interview went well!
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