I had an interview today for an accounting job for a large department store, whose name I won’t mention (but rhymes with “smears toefuck”). The HR people there decided I would be well suited for one particular job: Each morning I would be responsible for preparing all of the previous day's money from all of the cash registers for depositing to the bank and have it ready for pickup by armored trucks, along with handling charges on company credit cards. This was an unexpected opportunity; and I was nervous and excited at the prospect of a ‘real’ job at last.
But I think I blew the interview when I asked if there were any benefits. My interviewer made little effort to conceal the incredulous look on his face. The company, he explained, was struggling to survive in a competitive market. Employees, of course, are the first to lose out. (Thank you, Walmart.) So I guess I was being as impudent as Oliver Twist asking for more porridge. I should’ve known that the job would not include health insurance, vacations or sick time.
But I think I blew the interview when I asked if there were any benefits. My interviewer made little effort to conceal the incredulous look on his face. The company, he explained, was struggling to survive in a competitive market. Employees, of course, are the first to lose out. (Thank you, Walmart.) So I guess I was being as impudent as Oliver Twist asking for more porridge. I should’ve known that the job would not include health insurance, vacations or sick time.
And I guess I screwed it up further when he asked how long I could envision myself staying there and I found it hard to summon any more words than “I don’t know.”
Honestly, at this point I’m desperate enough to take just about any job, but at the moment I guess I was just a little stunned that anyone would be entrusted to handle such responsibilities for $8 and hour.
As time wears on, and I have found nothing more than temporary work since moving to New York, my optimism wanes for finding anything better than the opportunity I most likely missed today. I consider myself very lucky to have Roger supporting me now; but I think it’s time I go back to the temp jobs and earn what little I can there, and hope that I can somehow manage to set up interviews to find something better at the same time.
I can’t help but wonder about other people who aren’t so lucky to have someone to fall back on. The next time the news reports the latest employment figures, I think it might be relevant to qualify that by including how many of those counted are working for low pay with no benefits at part time and/or temporary jobs.
As time wears on, and I have found nothing more than temporary work since moving to New York, my optimism wanes for finding anything better than the opportunity I most likely missed today. I consider myself very lucky to have Roger supporting me now; but I think it’s time I go back to the temp jobs and earn what little I can there, and hope that I can somehow manage to set up interviews to find something better at the same time.
I can’t help but wonder about other people who aren’t so lucky to have someone to fall back on. The next time the news reports the latest employment figures, I think it might be relevant to qualify that by including how many of those counted are working for low pay with no benefits at part time and/or temporary jobs.
2 comments:
huh. $8 an hr and no vacations? Are you serious? I think sometimes companies have their heads up their collective backsides.
It's always reasonable to ask about benefits at a job interview.
Sounds like the interviewer could have phrased their answer better.
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