husband's Job.......Update

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Temp co called and said he didn't get it.

husband was devastated, I mean he REALLY took it hard.

He kept saying over and over.........I don't understand. They kept talking to me like I nailed it, already had made up their minds they wanted me........all that I'm so perfect for it, so much experience yadda yadda........and then I don't get it?

Then he kept saying how could he have been so wrong?

Temp co said that of course the company didn't say this was the reason, but they believe his age was a major factor. husband is 63.

I too, find it a bit odd that they would be sooooo excited during the interview process, then suddenly decide his age was against him. They knew his age when he got there. It's not like the man looks 20 yrs old for pete's sake. :sigh:

It's like a major punch in the stomach when you need it as badly as we do.

Still.......the lab manager kept telling him that they also direct hire in special cases. Now I'm NOT getting my hopes up at all. But I'm wondering.......IF they wanted to direct hire him and the temp co knew about it, they'd have to buy out his contract with temp co in order to keep using them. IF they tell temp co they're going with someone else........then contact husband that they want to direct hire him, they don't have to pay temp co anything. (we're talking a 6 mo contract they'd have to buy out here, that's a lot of money)

So I'm wondering if it's possible that may be what's going on. Would make a little more sense with their feedback during the interview process because they made it sound to husband as if doing the other interviews was just a formality to appease the temp co, who sends an assigned number of applicants for each session.

But like I said, neither he or I are getting our hopes up that is the case.

Thanks for all the good thoughts and prayers though.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
I've been looking for your update and keeping the good vibes going. What a major disappointment. It certainly may be because of his age but you will never know, of course. Perhaps after the initial mourning period has passed you and he can focus on a walking kick or something physical that will help him trim off a few pounds and more importantly add something new to the routine. Just sitting at home waiting for an opportunity can be terribly depressing. Sending caring thoughts your way. DDD

Another thought just came to mind. I'm not sure what his specialty is but could volunteering his time with a charitable organization perhaps widen his contact group plus make him feel more worthwhile? Hugs
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
I hope you're right in that they would rather hire directly or maybe even for a different position.
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
Not that it matters FOR him? But I went to the Garbage company for the FOURTH time......the one that told me TWICE that I had the position FOR SURE. Except this time - I was two days late on paying my sanitation bill - and I received a letter in the mail that said they had turned me over to a collection agency. Trash has always been billed quarterly. I usually pay bi-annually.

SO I allowed my trash bill to run out so there would be absolutely no none nada doubt in their mind and mine as to how much money I owed them IF they never came past Friday. AND since they already turned me in to a collection agency - they could go pound sand. This was the same place I posted about and asked why they would ask for a credit app on a job application. Remember? Okay - so I grabbed my check book, and went down because - THEY were now late picking up MY garbage. I didn't care, because I owed them. They are ALWAYS late picking up the garbage, days late. We never complain. We just drag it back down the drive and wheel it out another day and wait, etc. No big deal it's garbage. Things happen, life happens....you don't know WHAT happens - truck breaks down, guys get sick - whatever.

SO she tries to get me to pay for the next three months and I told her "Nope, not happening, I want to discontinue service." She looked at me and I said. "You know the letter ya'll sent out about turning me into the collection agency for being TWO days late? Well - that ****** me off. Period. " She said "Well I am sorry and I will be telling them." SO I said "NO need -----if they cared at all to begin with - they would have never sent that letter. In a state where unemployment is the THIRD highest in the NATION - the former garbage company used to just work with you, call and ask if you were okay- could you send in half, and maybe it wasn't the best business but it was GOOD business - and they had OUR business for 12 years. This group cares.....about figures, not wheter or not I have a job or not and while were on the subject of jobs....you know I applied for a job here and filled OUT a credit app.....and I would HAVE to guess that the ONLY reason YOU ARE STILL advertising for drivers is because my credit app didn't make it because I graduated in the top of my class, have a hazmat, and a tankers endorsement ----and past that I can't figure out WHY no one from here would even give me a chance - to have a job so I could PAY this bill. ON TIME........."

She just kinda sat there and kept saying "I'm sorry." I said "WHY are you sorry? You haven't done a thing....." (and I CAN SEE behind the wall of this portable building THREE MEN.....THREE MEN and one of them does the HIRING for drivers........OMG I was FURIOUS." and I loooked at her and I said "YOu don't have any women drivers working here do you?" SHe shook her head no. I said "NOPE you don't SO you should change your signs to read BLAH BLAH garbage company NEEDS MEN DRIVERS NOW.....then I kinda laughed She said -
Well I'm sorry and I said "Yeah I'm sorry too - It can't be because they're arfraid to put me with black guys - I WAS IS SCHOOL with an all black class and my brothers are black and they'll all tell you I'm hard working and can hang....I don't get it. ANd for all that matters....They could have put me in a roll off truck. I dunno.....but anyway you can come get your can anytime you like before next THursday. She said "Why by next THursday - I said BEcause I want it out of my yard." lol......and she said "Well I'm really sorry Ms. Star....." and I said "I am too - because you work for some real cowards - and I can see EVERYONE of you standing behind that wall listening to this entire conversation and letting a WOMAN take the heat over a cancelled account...AND the fact that a good woman driver didn't get hired and can say her peace face to face to a man through a wall - but wouldn't come out FOUR times and face me. Proabably better I did NOT get hired here. If this is how you handle problems with women - hiding behind walls I'D LOVE to see how you handle conflict resolution with MEN. SHEESH. And I added - And by the way - My trash can was scrubbed out last week with bleach because it smelled nasty and I felt bad for the garbage men. So it's ready to go, and I don't expect to get a bill for cleaning it. Have a nice day.

OMG I was furious.........When I left oddly enough - my brother who is a brother called me and said "You know Star I think you should go to that Garbage company ONE MORE TIME - Don't give up. I nearly fell out of the car. " What timing.

If NOTHING ELSE? Maybe it would make your husband feel better if he went there and just faced them and said WHAT THE HECK???? Cause I know it made ME feel better to know - IT WAS NOT ME -----IT WAS THEM.

Can you imagine - THREE MEN hiding in the hall and allowing a woman to take the heat like that.....The only person I told NOT to apologize was her. NO I'm not kidding and YES I was that forward. I've had it. I'm not over the hill, I am a comptetent person, I'm responsible, and I'm not a lunatic. Whimpy little panty kissers ......not one of them could come out and say "Hi I'm so and so the hiring guy and here's why we couldn't hire you you for real or Hi I'm so and so from customer service and I'm sorry we sent that ridiculous letter out. Or HI I'm sorry to have lost your business after 12 years. MOney money money money money. Good for them.
I helped a garbage business in Ohio about 30 years ago - I was around 16 and IT is still in business today - I picked up trash, worked on the trucks...did mechanic work.....in snow, heat - you name it -----it IS hard work. I'm not afraid of hard work. But wow - what a looser company to hitch your wagon to.

Hound - tell DF - there is a reason he wasn't hooked with that company and I did NOT get the reason I wasnt hooked with this one and I really wanted it too.........NOW? I'm glad I was NOT. Better things are ahead. And I'm not kidding if it makes him feel better to go down there and ask or tell - I say LET HIM.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
DDD I'm not sure what his job title really is.......his qualifications are much more versatile than we ever dreamed when he got out of the army. Most of what he does is quality control testing for petroleum, plastics, pharmaceuticals, film......and probably more. Seems the same instruments / methods are used for all those areas. But I dunno how he'd use it for charity or volunteering.

And I've told him, we're working on him shedding those pounds whether he likes it or not. Shedding pounds and getting into better physical shape.
 

DaisyFace

Love me...Love me not
Lisa--

I wondered (after reading your first post) about the interview that tried to by-pass the temp agency in the first place...

Having worked on the "business side" of a temporary agency - I can tell you it's very common for companies to try and get around the temp agencies fees. Sometimes companies think that if they orginally contract for temps, and then decide they just want to do a direct-hire....that then the placement fees do not apply...or that they get some kind of a discount.

I'd bet that's what happened here. Company thought they could do an end-run around the temp agency. Tell them that "O well, we decided just to hire directly instead of doing the 6 months temp arrangement first, so...."

And when they discovered that they were going to have to pay full price for your husband either way ?

That probably made them balk. And his age may even have come up in the argument. As in "Well, it's not like we're gonna get 30 years outta this guy...."

I'm so sorry, Lisa...
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Oh, Star that blows wind big. Two flimping days?? omg Ours is bad, but not that bad. Although husband had to go toe to toe with them over us paying for a YEAR in advance. Seriously, we had to fight them to be able to pay it that way. Although the 1st year they were thrilled we paid it that way, they were just starting out. But I made him pay it like that when our tax return came.......did it with all the ones we could do it with so we didn't have to worry about them until next tax time. We have enough to worry about without trying to make sure our trash gets pick up. ugh

Our water and gas co used to be that way. With the current unemployment rates they've backed off huge. But I still won't take any chances.

husband probably won't go ask them why. He's not confrontational that way. I would go and ask. But he won't.

He doesn't know it, but easy child offered to let me watch her boys for 60.00 per day when she gets back to work. It's what she pays the sitter normally. Sitter won't hurt because of it because she landed a good job at sister in law's Mom's subway for while easy child wasn't working. I'm not telling husband this. I want him to stay scared and motivated. Maybe that's sort of mean.......but I know he's getting awfully down about the job thing so if I don't give him proper motivation he'll just give up and we're sunk. *sigh*
 

Star*

call 911........call 911
They put in a trash station down the road from us about 5 years ago - recycling and everything - We're going to use that.

As far as being confrontational? I had nothing to loose. I didn't say anything that I felt I wouldn't say or have said to defend myself given the situation again. Maybe a little less what a whimp =- but seriously ALL three men standing there listening? And doing NOTHING.....hiding.....they were hiding. I felt like walking back behind the wall and pointing. Had I felt they wouldn't have had me arreseted for trespass? I probabaly would have - they were that type. And actually - men that would run a business and hid behind a receptionist? I wasn't loud....I stated facts as I felt them. They have no women, they are advertising for help and they DID tell me I had the job then NEVER called - they even told DF I had the job - they needed women to balance the ratio. OH BROTHER. Makes me feel like getting a civl rights atty. Anyway - It WILL get better for all of us. I feel that for sure.

Hugs
 

susiestar

Roll With It
I get so frustrated wehn companies don't want to hire an older worker. Older people have work ethics that the twenty somethings just do NOT have. It isn't like ANYONE is going to give a company thirty years anymore. Jobs just don't last that long - the frickin' companies lay off or fire people or make the job so miserable and benefits so bad that people cannot afford to stick around. largely companies do this with benefits and morale because they figure they can hire new people for half of what an experienced person makes and then pay the person less than half. husband had a job years ago where that happened. The boss ended up paying 2.5 times his salary to the three new people he had to hire to get 2/3 of husband's workload done. He lost a LOT of business because he lost husband - the customers ADORED him it cost them not just husband's lab but also their other lab. The two labs did different EPA testing but had many of the same clients. When they heard husband was fired they started looking for new places for ALL of their work. Sadfly this is COMMON in business today.

They don't want to hire someone if they think they cannot get 30 yrs out of them, but they won't commit even two years to that employee. It is no wonder we have had so many businesses fail lately. No common sense is used in running them. Employees are not like computers or furniture that will take whatever you dish out whenever you dish it out.

To be honest, the interview sounded like they didn't want husband for the job they interviewed for but rather for a higher level job. I would encourage him to go ahead and contact them and let htem know he is interested in any open positions they have. A thank you note, if not sent, would be an excellent move. Otherwise, a letter or even email to let them know he is interested might result in a better job. Often they won't hire someone experienced for a lower, temp position because the company requires people to stay in a position for a year or more after becoming a permanent hire because they won't be able to move them to the best place for them. IF it is the company I am thinking about, they are pretty notorious in the area for inteviewing people for temp jobs and then waiting until the contract with the temp agency says they can hire them directly. My cousin interviewed there via a temp agency and then 3 mos later was offered a MUCH better job with them. He was already in a job with a candle company and didn't take it, but they called him a few times a year for about five years to see if he was interested. He had NO degree, NO experience in taht field, but was an amazing manager for the sign co he worked at until the owners got hooked on drugs and started making irrational business decisions and abusing employees (this sign co hired a driver and babysitter to bring his wife in to work two weeks after their oldest daughter was born - she was the best at the computer design software and they had contracts that NEEDED her but then a few years later started to try to bill them for the driver and sitter because the owner's daughter wanted her job but couldn't do it so they had to drive her away).

I would encourage him to work on losing weight, consider subtly coloring his hair if it is gray or faded (if you have a Sally's nearby you can even get the stuff to do his eyebrows - it is easier than you would think just be sparing and use a light hand the first few times even fi you have to do it 2-3 times a day apart to get it as dark as you want) and stay in touch with the people he interviewed with. It may turn out to be a great job. As for volunteer work, check local colleges to see if they could use a mentor. Also look at trade schools and tech schools that train people for these jobs to see if they need a teacher. HIs experience might make him excellent for this. I am pushing my husband to look into teaching at the high school/tech school/junior college/univeristy level. He loves to teach and always has and is amazing at it. I am even shoving him into developing his own course for teaching kids to create computer games as a way to develop his own career outside an employer. I think that is the way his career should go and am tired of him not paying attention to his greatest strengths. I also want him to work on a fantasy novel because his writing in incredible and he has a few old short stories that would fit the market amazingly well right not.

Focus on what your husband is good at and then get creative. Ask the kids to help you brainstorm. Traditional jobs are NOT the only avenue for emplyement, though often our guys need many kicks in the tail to keep them motivated.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Susie, you're right about how many companies run things now days. I first started noticing it about 15 yrs ago. First good company husband worked for were over the top well run. Treated their employees super well, like family, not kidding. husband hired in to them via temp too. I was pregnant with Travis, with all the problems that I had. With Travis' birth and going to NICU.......well husband was hired in right before Travis was born, but insurance wouldn't cover the ob cost ect. Well, turned out president of the company heard of the whole traumatic birth thing and NICU thing and forced insurance co to pay the entire cost of his birth ect. The co did their OWN insurance, handled by an outside source. These people sent me cards and flowers and plants each time I was in hospital for the 2 yrs following his birth for my kidneys. Always had really nice notes attached. Only company picnics I ever enjoyed were with them......everyone like one huge family. The co president and his wife used to make over our kids like they were their grandkids. lol Wonderful people. I nearly killed husband when he lost that job...........but wasn't a year later and they were bought out by someone else and then closed down. Made me sad.

And no one else he's ever worked for has ever been like that again. It's all.....what can we get out of YOU before you ditch us for someone else. ugh

I'll have him look into maybe volunteering at some nearby tech schools. As for other skills........not really sure if being a sniper and war experience would get him far. lol That's why a few years before leaving the military he had them train him in a skill. (some times he can be fairly smart lol)
 
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