We hire for Attitude and train to Aptitude

"We hire for Attitude and train to Aptitude" is what the HR director advised when scheduling me for a face to face interview for a Managerial Accounting opportunity. I was hyped about the interview because of the company motto, thinking that this had to be an awesome place to work.

After preparing by doing my research on the organization, planning to go, and praying for God' to order my steps, I felt that I was pretty prepared for the interview. I arrived a few minutes early and stood in the lobby of a very posh office on Southbeach. After standing for five minutes waiting on the receptionist to return to her desk, I called the HR director from my cell phone to advise that I was in the lobby.

The HR Director retrieved me from the lobby and offered me a cold drink. We retreated to her office and began to talk. Only a few minutes into the interview, she asked if I minded if she ate her lunch because she was very hungry. I said "no" but thought that this was very unorthodox, being that it was an interview and 3 o'clock in the afternoon. However, she preceeded to make a tuna salad at her desk with relish, mayo, lettuce, and tomato. I could not believe it.

We continued to talk while I inhaled the smell of tuna which I am not that fond of atal. Then her cell phone rang out loud. She asked if I would leave her office because she needed to take the call. I walked outside and closed her door, where I stood for nearly 5 minutes while she completed the phone call.

She called me back in and apologized for the interruption. By now, I was disturbed by her lack of professionalism and ready for the interview to be over.

Clearly, I did not have the right attitude for that work environment.

Still one of the flock....

Please share your comments and experiences.

The Essay

After the initial shock that I would be laid off along with 70% of the organization, I decided to look for the resume. I cleaned it up, added the new job responsibilities and proceeded to post it on the familiar job seach engines. Several times a day, I would check to see if there were any new postings. After two weeks of applying, I received an email from an employer advising that they were impressed with my resume and they would like for me to continue in their "Award winning selection process." I was hyped! They requested that I fill out their 9 page employment application including all of the salary that I had received reported on my W2, Linkin with the HR Director & Recruiter, and write a 500 word essay.......Now as if the application wasn't bad enough, a 500 word essay.....

In another job market, I would not have written the essay but because I was now one of the many in the flock, I had no choice. I wrote the essay and my big sis proofread to ensure it was ready. Two weeks later, I received another email stating that they would like for me to continue in their "Award Winning Selection process" by completing a phone interview. The phone interview went well and they advised that they would contact me for a face to face interview. Six weeks later, I received another email stating they would like for me to continue in their "Award Winning Selection process" with a face to face interview........

Now is it just me, or is this just too much. How can all these steps be cost efficient or useful. However, I am anxiously awaiting the next interview....as I am just one of the flock......

What do you have to say?