[BC] Fallout from Cuts

[RichardBJohnson at comcast.net]

The worst job interview –ever
An agency set me up for a job interview at Amplifier
Research in Souderton, Pennsylvania in the early
‘80s. This was just before GE was going to close
the Advanced Development Group where I worked
in Rancho Cordova, California so I was eager to
have a job lined up if all hell broke loose.

The airplane to Philadelphia arrived late so there
were no rental cars available. Souderton is about
an hours drive from the airport. I had to take a taxi
to somewhere in Marcus Hook to locate a rental
car. After I arrived in Souderton I found that the
company had not reserved a room at the hotel
so I had to find another hotel. There was some
farm animal conference in town so the main hotel
was full!

It was 3:00 AM by the time I got a room, but I
couldn’t go to bed yet, because I needed to
locate the plant so I could find it in the morning.
This involved a ride into the wilderness, with
several stops at gas stations trying to find School-
house Road, I found it and retraced my steps to the hotel.

In the morning, I got a cup of coffee and a bun at
some foreign (litterly --they didn't speak much
English) coffee shop and arrived at the plant at
8:30 for my 9:00 appointment. I then waited in
the front entry-way until about 11:00 AM. Then
I was ushered into a conference room where
every engineer, technician, and janitor interrogated
me until about 6:00 PM. I had no breakfast,
no lunch, and no supper as I was finally escorted
out the door.

I extended my hotel stay so I could get some
sleep and recover from this insult. I called the
head-hunter (agency) and told him that if he ever
sent me on another trip like this, I would search
him out and “discuss” it in some back lot behind
his place of employment. I must have gotten
through because he eventually represented
me in obtaining the job I have now retained for
nearly 25 years! Anyway, about a year after I
had obtained a new job, I got a letter from
Amplifier Research, offering me a job. I
wanted to write them explaining that if it
was the last job on the face of the earth
I wouldn’t take it. However, the head-hunter
convinced me to write a single-line response
declining the job offer.

--
Cheers,
Richard B. Johnson
Read about my book
http://www.LymanSchool.org


 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Rich Wood <richwood at pobox.com>
> ------ At 12:59 AM 5/5/2008, Brent Hall wrote: -------
[Snipped]

> CBS offered you a job and required you to pay your way to the 
> interview??? That should have been you first clue that something was 
> wrong. Jobs at that level not only pay all expenses but relocate you, 
> as well. I've worked in a number of cities and have never paid 
> expenses for interviews or relocation.
> 
> That amazes me. It might happen today but not back in 1981.
> 
> Rich