BITOG gadfly seeks employment in industry

[GROUCHO MARX]

I work a few blocks from the ABC network HQ and WABC TV in NYC. I can't tell you the number of cutbacks that have gone on in the past few years.

Many guys who were full time employees were given packages and returned as independent contractors.

This extended to cameramen, directors, mainetenance, you name it. Of course, many worked on the soap operas which are now defunct. Talk shows and reality television are the current trend.

 

[Dave Hess]

eljefino

How old are you ?

 

[The_Jeff]

thirtysomething

 

[Dave Hess]

For some reason I thought you were close to retiremnet age.

Maybe a career change is a good thing.

 

[The_Jeff]

Went in for a pre-interview interview at the tire shop. They like me; I like them. Minimum wage plus incentives.

But heck it has health insurance.

They just today started a policy of turning oil filter gaskets in to the boss when one is done with a change. There must be a backstory.

 

[The_Jeff]

Oh, and they have about ten clicker torque wrenches on the wall each painted a different color and each preset for a specific wheel torque. IDK if they ever unload (turn to zero torque) them at night...

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Oh, and they have about ten clicker torque wrenches on the wall each painted a different color and each preset for a specific wheel torque. IDK if they ever unload (turn to zero torque) them at night...


More importantly do they ever calibrate them on a regular basis.

 

[The_Jeff]

Just worked out a P/T job with another branch of the chain with all the preset torque wrenches in different colors on the wall.

I'm the first new employee under a just-instituted drug testing policy... of course I'm clean, but what a surreal experience that is! I got a private room with a toilet, no sink, no running water, and bright red "evidence" tape over the tank so I can't dip the supply. They dye the bowl water deep blue so I can't steal that and put it in my cup. Waiting room resembled a methadone clinic, for all I know, they do that too.

Store stocks front end parts that are equally made in USA, Turkey, and China, with no rhyme or reason that I've yet figured out.

More to follow.

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Just worked out a P/T job with another branch of the chain with all the preset torque wrenches in different colors on the wall.

I'm the first new employee under a just-instituted drug testing policy... of course I'm clean, but what a surreal experience that is! I got a private room with a toilet, no sink, no running water, and bright red "evidence" tape over the tank so I can't dip the supply. They dye the bowl water deep blue so I can't steal that and put it in my cup. Waiting room resembled a methadone clinic, for all I know, they do that too.

Store stocks front end parts that are equally made in USA, Turkey, and China, with no rhyme or reason that I've yet figured out.

More to follow.

Woot! Congrats! One dancing banana is hardly sufficient, so here are four more... and a Michelin man!

 

[JOD]

Originally Posted By: eljefino


I'm the first new employee under a just-instituted drug testing policy... of course I'm clean, but what a surreal experience that is! I got a private room with a toilet, no sink, no running water, and bright red "evidence" tape over the tank so I can't dip the supply. They dye the bowl water deep blue so I can't steal that and put it in my cup. Waiting room resembled a methadone clinic, for all I know, they do that too.


consider yourself lucky you aren't getting drug tested for a sporting competition, where a guy stands there and watches you pee into the cup. Good times....

congrats on the new gig!

 

[The_Jeff]

I was expecting someone watching me! It's like they always want a loophole.

I wore long sleeves, which they didn't do anything about, but they made me take off my hat and empty my pockets.

Front desk held my photo ID (in case I bolted?) and gave it to the orderly who handled things from then on out. I got it back when things were "in the bag", or, as it were, vial.

 

[cchase]

Sounds like a far more professional outfit than when I had to do it. When I did it, it was a bathroom and I was not supposed to flush the toilet when I was done. Of course, a lifetime of "always flush the toilet" mentally engrained and what do I do?

 

[The_Jeff]

Some backstory: I also interviewed at Monro Muffler and they have a tiny shop! Two mechanics and a manager who also spins wrenches when there's lots of work. They pay their employees, apparantly, a percentage of the bill. Manager proudly pointed to an audi getting "$1400 done". They have a $9.99 oil change that's $13.50 after all the fees, but they use valvoline in varying grades and valvoline filters. (PS the fees are bunk: they have a waste oil furnace!) One also gets a "free brake inspection and tire rotation" which is of course a ruse for uncovering and upselling more services.

The labor rate at Monro is a corporate-set, locally unreasonable $100/hr, so the manager knocks time off the bill to make things cheaper. They were also not at all busy when I was in there. Sketchy!!! I would have, however, had my share of challenging work. Will be doing batteries, tires, and oil changes at where I am now.

Monro called me over the weekend and I set up a 2nd interview this morning at 7:45 which I then had to cancel-- all from my cellphone at my day job, sneaking out a fire exit-- when my preferred gig also (!) called me back, didn't fool around, and offered me the job over the phone. So I had to cancel the 2nd interview at Monro, drive down, get a form from my future boss-- he stores them in his safe!-- and drag that form with its four carbon copies up to the quick-care that does drug testing.

When I woke up this morning, I had not anticipated this turn of events.

 

[andyd]

Congrats. looking for work is the pits.