Tag Archives: Bill

Back Door Man

Well it’s been yet another odd day in the course of a weird week. Let me also start off by saying that I was upset yesterday and decided to post directly to the people that comment frequently, namely Annemarie and Harpy.

It left me with a strange feeling, enough so that I relented and posted on the blog today, what was written yesterday. I’m feeling slightly better today despite somethings that have happened in the last couple of days.

It all started Tuesday night. Around the close of the business day for those that are still engaged in business, I saw an ad on Craigslist and sent my resume to the email address posted. I didn’t expect to hear anything until the next day, but to my surprise, I got a call back within minutes.

Cathy Cline was her name and she told me that she had received a job posting that I would be perfect for, and could I come in to see her the next day, Wednesday? She mentioned that timing was everything and I chose the 9:30 appointment in the morning.

I got there, right on time, filled out paperwork that I was told I would not have to fill out since I filled it out online. I meet with Cathy Cline who mentions that she’s worked with Teresa Scalisi & Janelle Rintrona, both former Wanker Banker employees.

It seemed like I was in good company. Cathy Cline had some requests, to revamp my resume, using bullet points. She gave me a memo with the company’s name on it, Selective Equity. Selective Equity is located at Great Jones Alley by Lafayette Street. I could definitely work there.

I called Bill afterward and asked if he could help with the revamping. He started doing it when he got the chance and I continued working on it when I got home. Emails between Bill and myself and Cathy Cline went on for an hour or so before we agreed on a bullet point resume.

All I had to do was wait. The day progressed into the evening, no problems. I had a good feeling about Selective Equity and hoped for the best. The next morning I was in the shower.

I heard the phone ring but couldn’t get to it. When I dried myself off I checked the phone. It was Cathy Cline asking me to call back. It’s all in the timing. Cathy Cline seemed pretty happy.

I called her back. She told me that the company, Selective Equity liked my resume and wanted to see me either that day or today, Friday. Timing being everything, I said today, meaning yesterday.

I was excited and started to think about what I was going to wear when the phone rang again a few minutes later. It was Cathy Cline. This time she didn’t sound so happy. She tells me that Selective Equity changed their minds, something about tossing out all the resumes and going to start all over again.

It seemed that Selective Equity was revamping their job posting. That was crushing. And from that point I drifted into despair. And while despairing, I decided to not post last night. I was that unhappy.

The day went on and it dragged for me. As I shuffled about here and there both inside the apartment and outside in Hoboken, a dark cloud hovered over me. I did whatever it was that I did yesterday when I finally had an idea.

I decided to call Selective Equity directly. Their website was quite lame, just a pitiful logo with no information available but I did have their phone number from the memo.

It was around 5:00 when I called and spoke to the receptionist. I mentioned that I had applied for a job and was told that Selective Equity had decided to do the job search a different way and threw out the resumes they had gathered.

The receptionist didn’t know anything about it and asked how I knew about the job, what company did I sign with? I told her I was reluctant to say the company’s name. She asked the counselor’s name and once again I was reluctant. She asked my name and I said, John.

Then she put me on hold and I thought to myself, ‘What the fuck am I doing?’ and hung up. I had a feeling I had gone too far. I did my best to put it out of my mind.

No harm, no foul, right?

Watched the usual Thursday night comedies, couldn’t get into them. My phone call lurked in the back of my mind. Bill came home but I didn’t say anything about it. We watched Jurassic Park, which I rented from the library.

I had seen it a few times, and I still really enjoy it. Bill had never seen it so we watched it. I was still enjoying the intensity of the whole thing. Spielberg, if anything truly can do suspense really well.

Bill went to bed afterward, I stayed awake watching TV. The day started as usual, Bill kissing me goodbye, me getting out of bed some time later.

Once again, I showered and once again the phone rang. Once again I checked the voice mail. Once again, Cathy Cline. Not so happy. I called Bill.

Now here is the basic difference between Bill and myself. I’m hesitant to call Cathy Cline back, and I explain what I had done the day before. Bill says I should call, that she might have a different position for me.

For Bill the glass is half full. For me, the glass is being held by Hiram Monserratte and he’s coming towards my face.

I thought the best possible thing I could do is deny, deny, deny. I get off the phone with Bill and call Cathy Cline. Oh how Cathy Cline was upset with me.

How could I betray her like that? She trusted in me, giving me the name of the company, since I knew Teresa Scalisi and Janelle Rintrona that I must be alright. This is why companies hire recruiters so they don’t have to deal with applicants like myself.

I explained that I was desperate and just wanted to find out about the job. She didn’t need to hear that, telling me that she knows how hard it is out there. Only a few jobs and way too many applicants. Her own son is unemployed so she knows all about that.

Oh she was disappointed with me and basically left me feeling that she would not doing anything else for me. Oh, and she wished that I would have a good weekend.

I actually felt a little better once I knew where I stood. The day wasn’t as heavy as it was yesterday. I went out, walked around. Enjoyed the sunshine. Texted a lot with Rand and when I got home sent out more resumes.

Hopefully Cathy Cline won’t blacklist me, sending my name out to other staffing agencies and letting them know of the egregious sin that I performed.

If she did, well the news hasn’t reached Jersey City, where I have a job interview set up for Monday morning for yet another agency.

Nothing is guaranteed, they’re just going to meet me and see what skills I have.

I will be there at 10:59.

Pinball Wizard

It’s Tuesday. So far so good. Spent part of the day job searching. Online of course. New York State Department of Labor, the New York Times and Craigslist. More of the same, cover letters, resumes and waiting with hope.

The online job search has included some phishing lately. If you don’t click a box for continuing your education via online ‘colleges’ your search ends. If you do click the box you get phone calls telling you why you should sign up with them.

Today I heard from Tiffany at AIU and Sharon from the University of Phoenix. Both tried the hard sell telling me that continuing my education (which I marked as interested in a post doctorate degree in criminal justice) would be the way to go.

One of them even went so far as to ask, ‘Don’t you think you didn’t get that job because of your education status?’ I answered no. I think I didn’t get the job because someone will work for less money than I would.

And that’s basically the reason. Money. Someone will be hired because they are willing to work cheap. I am willing to take a $10,000 cut in salary but any more than that would be crazy.

I also used a link that Janelle, a friend and former co-worker from my Wanker Banker days gave me. I sent an email a little after 5:00 not expecting anything until tomorrow.

About 5 minutes later I get a call from the woman I sent a resume to. I remarked that I was surprised at how fast she called back. She said timing was everything.

Turns out just as she got my resume, she received a job posting. She thinks I will be good as an office assistant and would I like to see her tomorrow. She offered a 9:30 or 11:30 interview. I said 9:30 since it’s all about the timing and if it works out, it will work out earlier.

I already have my suit picked out, my shoes, socks shirt & tie. I’m trying not to get anxious about it, thinking that the job is mine. I do that a lot and wind up having my spirit crushed, but I do have a good feeling about it.

Also smartly decided not to post anything about it on Facebook. It was nice getting all the good wishes and thoughts regarding the last interview, but it was a drag to keep repeating the outcome. So if you have good wishes, post them here.

Easier to maintain and you’ll read about what happened tomorrow night. Last night, Heroes was pretty good. Perhaps for the first time this season. After that I watched Futurama which is always fun to watch.

Helped Bill with his sleep apnea mask which works best when he wears an eye mask. Unfortunately Bill can’t see what he’s doing while wearing the eye mask so that’s where I came in. If we plugged his ears too he’d probably play a mean pinball.

It worked and I had the best sleep I’ve had in days. And so did Bill. So that’s that for today. I’ll fill you in tomorrow with regards to the interview. Until then, keep it under your hat.

8:32PM Phishing. Nathan calls with an offer for online education with the pre-approved GE Home Safety Alarm attached.