Planetarion Forums

All Systems Go · 27 Jul 2006, 13:00

this thread is a little premature but I thought it would be best to do it when I've got plenty of time to consider my options.

today I recieved a letter saying that I have an interview for a position in the local library.

I would like the job and I don't really want to turn it down (if I should get offered it) just in case I don't get any of the other jobs I've applied for. this job application seems to be moving far faster than any of the others so any offer of a job would be before any others.

the only problem is that the job is only 18.5 hours a week. Whilst it would be nice to have an income I'm not sure how long I could live on this, considering I don't want to be living at home for too long nor do I want to live in the local area.

My question to you is, what time-span is appropriate for quitting a job? I don't want to be there for three weeks and then quite because that seems unprofessional, but I don't want to stay there for a year just out of a feeling of obligation.

So there we go, how soon is too soon to quit a job?

Dante Hicks · 27 Jul 2006, 13:09

Anything less than three months is probably a disappointment to your employers (it takes this long to get people trained up for an average admin type job I think).

But if you quit after a week you're not going to put it on your CV so who cares?

hyfe · 27 Jul 2006, 13:18

If you're upfront about primarely wanting a full-time job; there's essentially no such thing as too soon. You'd still be an asshole for quitting, but they knew about the risk so you'd be in the clear.

jt25man · 27 Jul 2006, 13:56

I stayed in a ****ty job for 7 months one time working at a telemarketing center, I hated that job, but for some reason they were the only ones that would hire me and work around my schedule for school. I'm surprized I didn't get fired after a few weeks anyway, I never made quota (on purpose), because I think the whole business is retarded. It was funny to listen to answering machines and get cussed out, one guy if you got him, he'd just yell "**** YOU!" into the phone and hang up. I don't think my 'team leader' ever caught on to the fact I was intentionally not making quota, and when I did find something better I just didn't show up anymore and didn't tell them I wasn't coming back.

Phang · 27 Jul 2006, 14:09

on a similar subject, can anyone suggest types of job that will happily hire me for 4 weeks on a full-time basis?

Deffeh · 27 Jul 2006, 14:11

You can quit your job any time you want and you shouldnt feel bad about it. Remember, your employer expect more from you than is in your contract, you will be paid less than market value and you are prostituting your happiness for money by accepting most jobs. Sure, theyll make you try and feel bad if you quit, but tbh, thats their ****ing problem, not yours. Do whats best for you and you alone and dont have any bad feeling about it - companies dont have consciences.

jt25man · 27 Jul 2006, 14:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nantoz

I think all of us that have worked in telemarketing have had some great experiences during our time there.
Such as this...

One of my favorites was a call, as soon as I read the opening line "Hello may I speak to Lyles Gay" I heard a click of hang-up. Either this individual really had this name, or one of his friends was playing a good prank on him by signing him up for something with that phone number and that name hoping that some day he would get telemarketing calls.

Edit: I did have calls somewhat like this, but I wasn't a moron, if they started talking like that I'd tell them I'd put them on the 'Do not call' list, and give the moronic closing statement, usually to dead air, but it was a requirement. I usually ended up putting lots of people on 'Do not call' list, usually by subtly hinting to them that it would keep them from future calls.

JonnyBGood · 27 Jul 2006, 14:51

I remember a friend of mine who was working in a supermarket for a few months before he got an interview for the bank. He went along to this interview and the interviewer starts asks him some questions about his employment record. One of these is asking what he was doing the last 6 months. "Dying slowly inside" he said.

He didn't get the job.

Point is it's better to quit earlier than later as you'll just turn into a bitter shell of a man like dante or yahwe in a couple of more years.

Dante Hicks · 27 Jul 2006, 15:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnyBGood

Point is it's better to quit earlier than later as you'll just turn into a bitter shell of a man like dante or yahwe in a couple of more years.

I actually quite like my job.

JonnyBGood · 27 Jul 2006, 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dante Hicks

I actually quite like my job.

It appears dante is in too deep and has forgotten what happiness is like. Our heartfelt condolences go out to him and his family. Er I mean him, T&F and sbolly.

jt25man · 27 Jul 2006, 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonnyBGood

I remember a friend of mine who was working in a supermarket for a few months before he got an interview for the bank. He went along to this interview and the interviewer starts asks him some questions about his employment record. One of these is asking what he was doing the last 6 months. "Dying slowly inside" he said.

He didn't get the job.

Point is it's better to quit earlier than later as you'll just turn into a bitter shell of a man like dante or yahwe in a couple of more years.

That answer should be on the list of things not to say at an interview.

I once got asked at an interview for Build-a-Bear what kind of animal I think I would be. I should've just walked out at that point but needed a job. Then I found out when they opened the store a month later there were no guys working there, if I was a prick I would've sued them for discrimination. I didn't realize that you were allowed to only hire females.

JonnyBGood · 27 Jul 2006, 15:06

I always come up with these lines in interviews when I get asked bullshit questions and struggle to hold them in.

"What do you think you can add to the company?"
"Eight. No wait, fifteen!"

jt25man · 27 Jul 2006, 15:09

I always like "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

I always bs this question. I have a hard time seeing what I'm going to do next week, let alone 5-10 years from now.

Some day I'm going to get asked, "What is your greatest weakness?", and I'm going to answer. "Kryptonite", just because I don't like this question either.

JonnyBGood · 27 Jul 2006, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by jt25man

I always like "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?"

I always bs this question. I have a hard time seeing what I'm going to do next week, let alone 5-10 years from now.

There's great skit on this in Family Guy. Probably one of the best moments in tv history in fact.

JonnyBGood · 27 Jul 2006, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nantoz

Doing your wife?

Nearly may not have won the race but apparently he's great with kids.

jt25man · 27 Jul 2006, 15:53

What I've noticed lately for bigger retail companies (at least in US), they want you to apply through there website. Then they have these questioneers that are the stupidist thing in the world, and the guy who thought of this idea needs to be shot.

You act pleasant even when you feel bad
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly Agree

Edit: Then there's always the ones that cancel each other out, "You like spending time alone", "You like being in a crowd". "You like to plan things ahead", "You take things as they come, rather than plan ahead". I answer agree to all of these.

Tomkat · 27 Jul 2006, 16:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by jt25man

I once got asked at an interview for Build-a-Bear what kind of animal I think I would be. I should've just walked out at that point but needed a job. Then I found out when they opened the store a month later there were no guys working there, if I was a prick I would've sued them for discrimination. I didn't realize that you were allowed to only hire females.

Or maybe the females gave sensible answers like ducks, cats and turtles.

The men probably all said duck-billed platypuses (platypi?), mountain lions and poison dart frogs.

Tomkat · 27 Jul 2006, 16:48

My friend had one on an online application form for a graduate job that was something along the lines of "If you were trapped in a hot air balloon that was going running out of fuel (don't ask - I thought it would just drift slowly to earth but hey) with 5 others and only 1 parachute, why should you be the one to get it?" or similar.

I wanted her to write "Because while the others were faffing about discussing it, I'd have pinched it and jumped out"

Deffeh · 27 Jul 2006, 16:59

yeah those questionairres are a riot. some of them try and lull you into a false sense of security and make you forget you are applying for a job. some of them are outright silly. and then they hit you with one that actually is relevant out of nowhere

the william hill one goes something like
(agree/disagree)
People always come to me when they want to talk about their problems
Cheese makes sandwiches better.
I dont mind working as part of a group.
People always comment on how approachable i am.
I prefer Scrubs to Friends
I am good with fractions