If They Knew What They Wanted

On the 27th of July, I was dismissed from a part time Job I'd been working at for all of three weeks. Bob didn't actually say I was being dismissed. His words were "you've helped us get caught up so we're going to move you to an inactive status and call you in as we need you". This rather awkward pat on the back seemed to be the thanks I was receiving for trying to impress him and his partner Bill by cramming 5 hours of effort into each 4 hour day.

The entire situation with this company had been a bit wonky from the very beginning. I'd interviewed for the position of production and fulfillment associate on Thursday the 14th of June. During that 90 minute period, the two owners had seemed to be pulling the conversation in somewhat different directions. Although the position had been advertised as 20 hours per week, Bill was very interested in learning if I'd be available to bump up to at least 30 in the not too distant future. Bob was giving the impression of seeming to think that they'd only need someone for about 10 to 12.

After being interviewed by Bill and Bob, I'd spent several minutes touring the warehouse with the production manager. That's usually the type of thing that happens when they plan on giving a candidate serious consideration. Once Kim had brought me back to the office, Bill and Bob said they planned on announcing a decision by the end of the day on Friday.

Friday came and went without me hearing anything. On Monday morning, I again started searching through the job sites and sending our resumes. Six days later, I walked into the house on Sunday June 24th and our answering machine had a message from Bob. I returned his call and was informed that they'd like for me to start on the 9th of July, if I was still available.

While I was perplexed that it was going to be almost a month from the interview to the actual start date, the time lag did give me the opportunity to work out a good arrangement with the company I'd been doing marketing work for. As we talked the situation over, the people at E&W made it clear they'd be happy to have me work an event booth for them any weekend or evening I might be available. All in all, it seemed like I was now in a win / win situation. I could work both jobs for 3 or 4 months, get a handful of bills paid down and eventually pull back and just work the production and fulfillment job.

Three weeks into the new job, reality suddenly got turned on its head and I was headed out the door. Only two hours earlier, Kim had been telling me about all the ways she planned on using my talents to help her get ahead on a variety of issues. She now had time to think ... to look for little problems that needed solving ... to work on improving procedures and updating the product catalog.

But I was suddenly out the door and Kim was just as stunned as I was. I'd been rudely kicked out of the job I'd been promised. She'd just lost the talented assistant she'd been promised. And from what I heard when I stopped by to pick up my final paycheck, at least one of the owners can't seem to move past the concept that they can somehow grow the business by another 30 percent without having to make any serious increase in the work force.

I wish them the best of luck. I think they're going to need it.

As for me ... I'm currently putting in as many hours as I can in the oddly scheduled marketing job while again searching for something with more consistent hours.

Travis Clemmons