Job hunting

LOTS has been going on the past week, especially as far as jobs go.  Corey was hired for a seasonal position at a certain 3 story store in the mall we'll call "T"  I don't want to refer to it by name because they've been causing some frustration, and I don't want them stumbling across this entry.  He had orientation on Sunday, then Monday afternoon the Sony store called and scheduled him for an interview Tuesday. He had his first day of training at T on Wednesday.  He was told Wednesday that someone would call him that night or the next day with his schedule for the week.  Thursday morning the Sony store called and asked if he could start working that afternoon.  By the end of the day he still hadn't heard from T, so he let Sony schedule him, including working Sunday evening.  Friday morning he even stopped into the store and there was no schedule posted.  Friday afternoon someone from T FINALLY called him with his schedule, including working Sunday evening.  He told them he was already scheduled at another job and asked what he should do.  Then told him to call back the next day and talk to "X."  He called Saturday morning but X was on lunch break.  He told them the situation and they said they'd let X know and have her call him back.  He never got a call back.  We walked down to the mall that afternoon, so he stopped in to talk to X in person.  She was, of course, already gone for the day.  They told him to call back Sunday morning.  He called Sunday morning.  X wasn't in yet.  He explained the situation once again, and they told him he needed to get his schedule in from another job 3 weeks before they made the schedule...  They told him to call back at 2.  He told them he was scheduled to work at 2.  They told him he needed to have called sooner.  He told them he's been trying to get it worked out for 2 days, ever since he got his schedule.  They pretty much just told him "ok" and hung up on him.  If it comes down to it, he's just going to quit T and work at Sony because 1) They pay him $1.50 more (+ possible commission) 2) They seem way more organized 3) The job seems more fun 4) He has a better chance of being hired on after the holiday season.

He's also been having a lot of trouble setting up direct deposit with T.  They told him he could do it from home.  He tried and it told him he wasn't allowed to do it from an outside computer.  He went in one day to do it on their computer.  It froze.  They didn't know how to restart it.  They had him use a computer in someone's office.  It locked him out of his account.  He called the number to unlock it.  When he logged in it told him that his account wasn't currently available.  He went in another day.  The computer mouse was missing.  They had him use the computer in an office again.  The entire server was down.  So he still hasn't been able to get it set up.

Thursday morning T called me about a position in their Starbucks.  I was scheduled for an interview Friday at 9am.  Before I went in though, I had to do a call in survey to see if they qualified for a tax credit (they ask if you're receiving food assistance, in the military, stuff like that).  I called and it kept telling me I entered an invalid birthday, made too many errors, and hung up on me.  I tried again, made it all the way to the part where I talk to an actual person, but when they transferred me over to electronically sign and get my confirmation code, it said it couldn't process it, and hung up on me.  I asked about it after my interview Friday and she had me do it from their phones.  I tried twice, and both times there were no representatives available to help me.  I tried later from home Friday afternoon.  They told me they'd been having some technically difficulties, and if it didn't work this time, try calling back Saturday.  They transferred me, and it said it couldn't process it, and hung up on me.  I tried Saturday morning.  I was put on hold for a long time because there were no representatives available.  It finally put me through to a person, then hung up on me.  I guess I'll try Monday morning and see if I can get through then.

So, Friday was my interview.  On the phone I asked where to go, and I was told the offices on the first floor.  They were all locked doors, so I asked a girl that worked there where to go.  She called someone, and they were actually doing them in the offices on the third floor.  I got there first at 9, but didn't leave until 12:30.  I think I was the last one in the 9:00 group to leave.  First, we had to fill out this questionnaire thing.  It gave situations and asked what I thought the best and worst way to handle it was.  I felt like I was in the first Men in Black movie where Will Smith's character is in a room with all sorts of military men taking a survey, but they're actually watching their behavior.  The answers on my question sheet were labeled 1-5 but the answer sheet was a-e.  The question went in pairs, and I noticed on question 14 that there were only 15 answer bubbles but at least 16 questions.  I looked through my book and there were actually 20 questions total.  Then I saw that there was an answer sheet in the back of my booklet with 20 answer bubbles, and they were labeled 1-5.  So I transferred over my answers and finished the questions.  I flipped through the book, but there was nothing with 15 questions.  I asked the lady what I was supposed to fill out and she said either sheet, and that there was only the 20 questions.  I think they may have printed off the wrong sheet because later people have an answer sheet with 20 bubbles.  After most people were done we watched an introductory video.  At some point more people started showing up for later interviews and they kept coming until at least 12.  In all, because of new people coming in, I watched the video 2 1/2 times.  Some people may have seen it more.  After waiting forever, I went in for my first interview.  It was with the same girl that told me to go to the third floor.  She was really nice, and it went really well.  Then, I went back and waited forever.  The HR person called me in for my second interview.  She was really nice too, and that one went really well.  She said she liked me and thought I'd fit in there really well.  She told me after I tried the phone survey again, to see Gloria and she'd get me on to the next step.  I luckily had 2 interviews.  Some had 1 and were told they'd receive a call (which most likely means no) and some people had at least 3 interviews.  I went to Gloria after giving up on the survey, and she told me to go back to the waiting area and she'd call me.  After 40 minutes, she called me and 3 other people.  She asked us to come back Monday at 10am.  She couldn't say why, or if we got the job.  The HR lady made it seem like I was hired, but people who are hired right away are given paperwork and sent to take a drug test.  So I have no idea what's going on.  Guess we'll find out tomorrow.

Thursday, Mary's friend Dee had a job interview in Santa Monica.  Just as I was about to leave to walk to the store, she called me saying her bus never showed up and asked if I could take her if she paid for gas.  Since I didn't really have anything to do, I drove her down there.  It was cold and rainy and gross that day :(  We were luckily only 15 minutes late.  Dee's interview was at a Thai restaurant almost right across the street from the pier.  I walked down to the beach while she was in her interview, but it was just wet and muddy.  I did get a nice picture of the pier in day light.

Click to see it a bit bigger

Dee called me when she was done.  They liked her, but because she isn't a citizen and didn't have a SS# they couldn't hire her.  They gave her some advice on how to be able to work in the US though.  Because it was such a yucky day, and to thank me for driving her, we stopped into a little restaurant for a drink and some sweet potato fries.

The drive home was AWFUL!  This was my first real experience dealing with LA traffic.  We left Santa Monica around 5:30.  The I-10 was barely moving.  We hadn't even gotten out of Sana Monica and we both kind of had to pee, so we got off at the first exit we could.  We stopped at a gas station, but they didn't have a restroom *rolls eyes*  He sent us across the street to the Burger King.  Luckily there was a back door we could go in so it wasn't obvious we were just using the restroom.  We got back into the car, and Dee discovered her temporary phone has a map with real time traffic.  The local roads were moving better than the highway, so we took them for a while.  I've never driven on it, but I've heard the 405 is a terrible highway to deal with, so we tried to at least get passed where the 10 meets the 405 because it was most likely backed up with people getting on and off of it.  We got passed, but then couldn't get back on the highway.  It was right next to us, we could see it, but we couldn't find the entrance ramp.  I'd follow the signs for East, then I'd get to the ramp, and it said West.  We finally figured it out.  There was this little left turn lane that looks like it turns into a dark alleyway, but it's actually the entrance ramp.

The 10 was a little better, but still moving slow.  The other highways got better and better as we got further and further from downtown.  We eventually made it home!  I don't think we got there until after 8.  Or was it 9?  I can't remember now, but it was forever.  It was a fun adventure though.

Dee had another interview Friday in Hollywood.  She made it to this one just fine.  This place is willing to work with her as she gets her work visa/citizenship/whatever worked out.  So, she has a job-ish :)  I'm still not 100% sure what it is, and I don't know if she's sure yet either.  When she went to the interview she said it had something to do with being a translator, she thought it was documents and stuff.  But she mentioned the other day that pay depends on how many clients she gets.  Her first day is tomorrow, so we'll see.  She also has a co-worker that she hasn't met yet that lives in the area who can sometimes give her a ride.  It's awesome how things all work out.  Also, since she has a job now and can stay in the US, that means I have another roommate!  (It also means rent is cheaper!)

Hopefully tomorrow works out for me!  :D