Saturday, July 30, 2016

H/R Guide

Ami has a post up about what to wear to a job interview.


Prior to selling cars (1986) I bounced around the construction and related industries in management and sales. At one point I was hired by a skylight manufacturer (great job, things were always looking up). Walked into a bad situation as the general manager and the production manager were stealing as much as they could. Sexual favors from the female employees were demanded. They got caught and I was suddenly the big cheese.

Back story. I always had a problem with not being from the right background, right education, right social circles, etc. and was often passed over or held back in favor of people who were less talented and effective but were the “right sort”.

My criteria was to hire and promote those who could do the job. Other than not stealing and being reliable, I didn’t care about appearance (bathing was encouraged), race, age, or sex.  Catching a couple of breaks, the business rapidly expanded from about three production workers to twelve. One of my early hires, a woman (as described in Ami’s blog remarks) became the production foreman. We had a retired career Army 11B (no one would hire a Vietnam killer), a laid off Boeing engineer (over qualified with many advanced degrees and too old) , a burned out cop,  and three other women among others. They were a rowdy bunch with lots of joking around.  I didn’t care because they worked their butts off.

Summer came around. The factory was always hot from the ovens heating sheets of acrylic and was hotter in the summer even with lots of ventilation and fans. The clothing got scantier as the days went by. Calling all the women into the break room, I explained they needed to cover up a bit before some man stuck his hand into a saw. “Ladies, men can’t help looking. Please keep that in mind as you dress for work”. My words seem to be well received and I was rather pleased with myself. Little did I know.

Two days later the production foreman said she and the other women wanted a meeting. Oh, shit! Gathering in the break room, she asked me if I approved of their clothing? Seeing them all in sweatshirts and T-shirts with sleeves I said, “Yes, that is perfect’.

“Good”, she said. “We wouldn’t want you to be distracted”.

She gave a signal and all the women raised their tops. All were braless.  My reaction, and shocked expression, must have had the desired effect judging from the gales of laughter.


My blog title has been earned many times over.

8 comments:

Coffeypot said...

I had to send a young lass home to change into more appropriate attire. A new policy allowed for dress down Friday's. Jeans, nice shots, appropriate t-shirts,, etc. Even allowed longer lunch times, too. But this young, pretty thing came in with short shorts, camel-toe a-blazing. My tongue was so hard it was difficult to tell her home to go home and change or take a day of vacation. She took the day off and promised to not dress so down next time. I am a man, ya know.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

You don't stop being a male. Hard to control in a business setting. Once worked at a family owned lot with five sisters in and out. The ugliest was drop dead gorgeous.

Ami said...

I don't care. I'm still wearing a bra to my interview tomorrow.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Good idea, even in Portland.

drjim said...

Dayum....I never have stuff like that happen to me!

Well Seasoned Fool said...

You probably work around sane people. Just for the record, none of those ladies were Hooters material.

Old NFO said...

LOL, that had to have been an 'interesting' place to work...

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Most every place I ever ran turned out to be "interesting". Also, profitable.