Quick to refuse
Times have changed. The conversation in the workplace really does separate us on the basis of age. And, not on the basis of interests, or political leaning. Rather, it comes down to the difference in how we got to where we are.
First, I have to admit that my career path has followed a sinuous route. Where I am now was not on the horizon when I started out in the workplace. Heck, my job wasn’t on the horizon. Times change. And as I prepare to withdraw, my regrets are few. But that’s a tale for another time.
Today, the topic turned to experiences with HR. Specifically, what it takes to get hired (or fired). And with co-workers that are a full generation younger, I had to admit that we didn’t have similar experiences. Specifically, in the “you didn’t get the job” section. I’ve been very lucky, I guess. A low application to hiring ratio. Few refusals. For the “lads”, things haven’t gone as well.
Although the unemployment rate is low in this area, all of them had to go through the arduous trials of postulate, interview, refuse. Over and over again. In one case, the email of bad news was sent within one minute of the interview ending. Hardly time to clear the doorway. Which points to a particular weakness in HR. They don’t like people. That email had to have been already boiler plated, and a secretary had to be sitting with a finger hovering over the send key.
In the “good old days”, they took a week or two to get back to you.
