Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho It’s Back To Work I Go

Herb’s Blog, Herbdate 22144 – 716:

Some of you may recall that I had started job hunting a couple of months ago. I have been increasingly disappointed by the lack of hours the office supply store was giving me, down to a few hours one day a week and sometimes no hours a week. So, I am going to work at the big brother of the big blue box I used to work for. The big blue box was one I felt ambivalent about but the local store management and one assistant, in particular, made it a dread to go to work. When she chewed me out one night in front of a line of customers in a packed store, I quit the next day. My good friend, fellow Sunday School teacher, and all-round good guy had left a different store in the chain for reasons of his own. He was now in management at a call center and encouraged me to apply. I would probably still be there if they had not lost a major contract.

Anyway, when I left the big blue box it was on good terms with all the people who counted, including the assistant who checked the box on the computer (because I did things the right way and gave them an exit interview and was respectful) that said, “Rehire – Yes – No” with a yes. (She ticked the box for all of my English speaking audience) I think I shall refer to the new place as Big Blue’s Kissin’ Cousin (not the little green sister). It is something like a lateral move because it’s the same type of work I’m doing now and the pay rate is the same but there will be more; and more consistent, hours.

There will be adjustments to my blogging as I get settled in on a new routine but I plan to keep my commitment to post every day. For a while the quality may go down a little as I develop a different rhythm of life.

36 Comments

  1. Leadership at the big blue box was a real mix for me. There were good ones, and there were terrible ones, and the employees were a direct product of that. I honestly don’t think anyone cared about anyone else there (except for the good ones like you!).

    Hopefully it’s a little better at the big brother. It’s got to be better than a call center. My six months at one in the Springs was an absolute nightmare. It’s what I had before the blue box. Those idiots were absolutely committed to a losing formula. I don’t care how long they can milk it, if it’s a losing proposition you don’t keep doing it badly and hoping enough good results to compensate. But I suspect that’s how business works in general. A lot of idiots doing idiotic things because it’s the only way they’ll be employed, since they can always depend on each other, and the lower numbers of opposition means they’re easy enough to eliminate…

    The dream should be for all of us to be able to escape this deadly trap of stupidity. Not twenty years worth of Dilbert ever convinced anyone that it’s a defective model needing replacement. And that’s the real problem. Idiots are immune to observation. They thrive on setting the conditions in the first place. At least set them up with checks and balances. That’s all I’m saying.

    • Well, I guess we shall see. Some call centers were okay but you’re right, there is also a lot of stupidity and redundancy that only ever annoys customers. I think the structure is somewhat different at Big Brother than the other place so I’m hoping that helps. I didn’t mind the other place but Annette was impossible to deal with and like I said, she went out of bounds, in my opinion.

  2. A new job is always exciting and I hope it works out well. I’m back to work now too so don’t get my reading on blogs done as often as before. Anyway, they are lucky to have you around, Herb.

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