I know the market is though. I know people are losing jobs and finding one these days is not an easy task. But I never thought I will be treated as dirt just because I am looking for a job.
I am using an internet service to find a job. I pay a monthly fee so I can search their site where employers post their potential vacancies. The site keeps my resume, and in case I like the offer I can direct them to send it to the company offering the job. I am now applying to numerous positions, and I would think my resume is nothing to be ashamed of.
Some have automated reply, which I usually follow with a more personal e mail, telling them that Yes, I am interested, and attaching my resume again.
I got the first call today. The woman on the other side of the line had this bossy tone to her voice, as if I am already in trouble with her, asking me why I sent my resume again if I already got a reply from them. I told her that it looked like an automated reply and it is just a formal thing I usually do, but she kept asking if I can read Hebrew well enough to understand the e mail that was sent to me. There was an uncomfortable argue like conversation going back and forth about my ability to understand Hebrew ( I live in Israel), and it turned into a questioning about how well I can use the office programs. She was asking questions like children do in kindergarden: "can you do this? can you do that? Do you understand what it means?".... It was humiliating and annoying at the same time. Since I am still employed for the next 30 days, I don't really have the time for chit/chatting so I told her to contact my current employer with questions regarding my abilities, as I already told her that I am working with these programs daily. She probably thought I was out of my mind telling her off, and asked me what I mean by current employer, when will I be available to work. I told her I was given 30 days before the termination of my position, which will end on "ddmmyy" - around the middle of next month.
She goes: " Well, I don't have time waiting for you, and I am not going to sit and wait for you to finish working there. We'll talk when you are available to work" - and with that she hang up on me.
HOW RUDE!!!!! She should be worry about people who were fired and jobless for who knows how long, and who knows for what reasons. She should understand a situation in which a qualified person is being released for financial reasons only, and in the time period given she is looking for a job SO SHE WILL NOT BECOME JOBLESS. These 30 days are for me to look for a job, go to interviews, and never have to apply for income aid. This is not something I should be ashamed of. This is not a reason to be treated like that. Never mind hanging up the phone in my face!
The whole experience was just outrageous. Too bad I did not get the company name - I wonder what is their customer service like. I wonder what it is like to work with this woman. I know I would NOT want to work with some one who treats me like this daily. I know I would not want to live my life in fear because my boss talks to me that way. But than I think about the job situation today, and I realise that there must be so many qualified people out there jobless, hopeless, and broken that employers can basically treat us however they like. People will shut up and take the job if it is given to them, because they need it and they know there are many others who will take the job if they won't.
How sad..........
