Professional Darwinism: Update to OP on p.74

[ladyknight1]

I work with the Federal Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA) and we have permanent and salaried employees who are fired on a regular basis for violating FERPA. It usually involves money, student athletes and the media.

[Morticia]

DH's work had one recently. They are are hired to work 8 hour days and then be on call until next morning.  Our candidate takes the job.  He is on call. He is texted that he has a call. He replies that he is not taking it. He is busy.  This happened more than once, that shift. They found someone to replace him who understood the meaning of "on call".

[artk2002]

I've read a number of the "showed up on the first day of work, went to lunch and never came back" postings and kept asking "do people really do that?" Apparently, the answer is "yes," because we had one this week.

Without going into detail, our hiring process is a mess. To circumvent some of the issues, our CEO(!) hired a developer on a contract-to-hire basis, with a 2 month contract. A pretty good idea since we haven't had the opportunity to fully vet the candidates; there's little risk for either party. The developer showed up on the first day and left after 4 hours, telling the contracting company that it "wasn't a good fit." There's some speculation that the developer had a better offer, but my guess is that they were put off by the offices -- the bulk of the team are in some temporary space and it isn't nearly as elegant as other places in the Silicon Valley (and this developer had been at one of the ritziest.) Personally, I would have worked through the contract and then left.

The developer's name is going into my "bad apples" file.

[Diane AKA Traska]

I've read a number of the "showed up on the first day of work, went to lunch and never came back" postings and kept asking "do people really do that?" Apparently, the answer is "yes," because we had one this week.

Without going into detail, our hiring process is a mess. To circumvent some of the issues, our CEO(!) hired a developer on a contract-to-hire basis, with a 2 month contract. A pretty good idea since we haven't had the opportunity to fully vet the candidates; there's little risk for either party. The developer showed up on the first day and left after 4 hours, telling the contracting company that it "wasn't a good fit." There's some speculation that the developer had a better offer, but my guess is that they were put off by the offices -- the bulk of the team are in some temporary space and it isn't nearly as elegant as other places in the Silicon Valley (and this developer had been at one of the ritziest.) Personally, I would have worked through the contract and then left.

The developer's name is going into my "bad apples" file.

My favorite phrase for that is "what, my greenbacks aren't a fancy enough shade of green?"

[Shalamar]

I have a work friend who was on call once, and he got a work call while he was at the movies.  His response was "I'll call you back later."  That did NOT go over well with the bosses.  To this day, he still doesn't really understand what he did wrong - "I was at the MOVIES!  What was I supposed to do?"

[ladyknight1]

Environment of an office can be a make or break choice for a lot of people. A year ago, we hired a woman to be an assistant director for a new program. She worked the first week, then gave two weeks notice. She didn't like our office space.  I guess she really didn't need a job, as she is still unemployed.

[Spriggy]

I finally have a story to add!!

Background:  I work at a museum.  There are security cameras everywhere - including "behind the scenes" where only staff are allowed.  These security cameras are not necessarily watched and monitored 24/7, but the tapes always get reviewed the next day.

Story:  One Sunday evening (after the museum is closed), off-duty security officer Alan comes to pick up his paycheck.  Alan ends up talking to on-duty security officer Bob and on-duty security manager Carl.  Bob gets some sort of pill out of his locker and gives it to Alan.  Alan subsequently passes out.  Carl and Bob determine the best course of action is to somehow wake Alan up, carry/escort Alan out to his car and let him leave.  At no time did anyone think to call emergency services or to report the incident to higher ups.

Security tapes were reviewed on Monday.  We now have openings for two security guards and one security manager.

[pierrotlunaire0]

Spriggy: Just what the e-heck???  They let the passed out guy drive away?

[TurtleDove]

My boss told me this tale that happened about 15 years ago.  The company interviewed for a new receptionist, and the president decided who he wanted to hire and called the applicant to offer the job.  Everyone was surprised to see a different applicant at the reception desk the next week - apparently the president had mixed up which resume went with which person and had offered the job to the wrong applicant.  Oh well, we'll see how this works out, was the decision.  Fast forward a few months.  The receptionist wasn't particularly well liked, but she wasn't completely incompetent either.  Things were okay.  There was a conferenc in New Orleans and the president, vice president and for some reason the receptionist flew to the conference and attended the first day.  The second day, the president, vice president and receptionist attended the morning session and then parted ways for lunch.  The receptionist was never heard from again.  Like, never.  She was not on the plane home the following day.  She never showed up for work or collected her belongings.  No one ever called looking for her.  Nothing.  She just vanished.  I asked my boss why they didn't follow up or report her as missing.  He said they just didn't really think about it.  That seriously blows my mind!  I really wonder what happened.  I am going on a trip to New Orleans with my boss in a few months and I am a little concerned that I might disappear too! 

[Amara]

No one called the police??? Did anyone ever do anything?

[Garden Goblin]

DH's work had one recently. They are are hired to work 8 hour days and then be on call until next morning.  Our candidate takes the job.  He is on call. He is texted that he has a call. He replies that he is not taking it. He is busy.  This happened more than once, that shift. They found someone to replace him who understood the meaning of "on call".

This actually reminds me of an anti-professional darwinism story.

New kid had his first 'on-call shift'.  He was at a library about a mile from the place of business when he got paged.  He went out to his car, went to put the key in the door, and realized his tire was flat.  Instead of calling in or even spending the 20 minutes or so it would take to change the tire first, he grabbed his backpack and took off at a dead run, making it to the office within ten minutes of when the page went out.  His boss had some difficulty not laughing at him, but was apparently impressed.

[Spriggy]

Spriggy: Just what the e-heck???  They let the passed out guy drive away?

Yes, they let the passed out guy drive away.  Bob and Carl's excuse was that he was awake enough to drive by that time, so they didn't see the need to call emergency services.   

[LEMon]

This actually reminds me of an anti-professional darwinism story.

New kid had his first 'on-call shift'.  He was at a library about a mile from the place of business when he got paged.  He went out to his car, went to put the key in the door, and realized his tire was flat.  Instead of calling in or even spending the 20 minutes or so it would take to change the tire first, he grabbed his backpack and took off at a dead run, making it to the office within ten minutes of when the page went out.  His boss had some difficulty not laughing at him, but was apparently impressed.

I'm impressed.  A note would have been added to his file if I were manager/boss.  The kid thinks the call is important so he puts it first.  (That might be a really neat new thread - what really impressive things have co-workers done at work)

[ladyknight1]

I sense a spin-off!

[magician5]

This actually reminds me of an anti-professional darwinism story.

New kid had his first 'on-call shift'.  He was at a library about a mile from the place of business when he got paged.  He went out to his car, went to put the key in the door, and realized his tire was flat.  Instead of calling in or even spending the 20 minutes or so it would take to change the tire first, he grabbed his backpack and took off at a dead run, making it to the office within ten minutes of when the page went out.  His boss had some difficulty not laughing at him, but was apparently impressed.

I dated a doctor once. She was a wonderful person in many ways, but the demands placed upon her time were too much. The activities that could be suddenly halted, perhaps even abandoned, because of being 'on call' were  ... daunting, is that a good word? I suppose, look it up in your SCRABBLE dictionary (nudge nudge, wink, wink, know what I mean?).