Job Interviews

I recently went to a job interview in a school. Naturally, I rode my bike
there (I don't own a car and the school is a bitch of a place to get to on
public transport, particularly in the middle of the day, which was when I
had my interview.)

I am one of those people who always wears full protective gear (and given my
history, that's a good thing).

It seems the Head was somewhat taken aback by that fact that I turned up for
a 45 minute interview in the middle of a work day in my bike gear, and this
may have adversely affected his opinion of my skills as a teacher and my
worth as a potential employee, because he saw fit to mention it to other
panel members. (I removed my jacket, gloves and helmet. Were I to be
teaching at the school, I would naturally enough have "work" clothes & shoes
to change into, as I do every day in my shithouse public service job...)

As much as I loathe playing the gender card, I wonder whether a bloke in
fairly tame looking bike boots (no toe-sliders, buckles or butch-looking
hardware!) and protective pants, with a nicely ironed shirt, would have
earned similar disapproval.

I also wonder whether the Head would've preferred me to take my only
available mode of transport to the interview without appropriate protective
gear, thereby putting my unco self at greater risk than I am prepared to
accept, just so I could present an acceptable image of the good little
schoolmarm I am.

I haven't had the official "Thanks but No Thanks" yet, but from what I've
heard on the grapevine I think that will come later this week. I'm feeling
pretty gutted.

Aw **** it. What was it that Groucho Marx said about not wanting to be a
member of any club that would have him?

betty the reject

 

Don't mind if I do. Thanks petal. See you at PI! (I will be able to do that
if I'm not a teacher! Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!)

betty

 

I hope you get the job...

But do you really want a job where the boss is going to judge you on
the fact you ride a bike?

you are want you are Betty...dont change

mh

 

I hope you get the job...

But do you really want a job where the boss is going to judge you on
the fact you ride a bike?

you are want you are Betty...dont change

mh

ta marty - but when you say that I am what I am - I'm a bloody good teacher,
and it really really sucks that it can be overlooked just coz I was wearing
bloody bike pants & boots at the time.

As (pre-emptively)gutted as I feel right now, I will pick myself up,
whatever the final outcome, and make the most of whatever there is (as soon
as I get my head out of wrist-slashing mode, ha ha ha!)

Fingers crossed that there's no need for the wrist-slashing thing, eh?

betty

 

I experience similar issues often times when I turn up at an industry or
government meeting on the motorbike Betty.

Despite what some people believe there is still discrimination against
motorcyclists, it's just less overt and more of a glass ceiling type of
thing.

It's subtle but it's real as you've just seen


G-S

 

Hmmm..... I think I can feel an article coming on.....can I call on you for
anecdotes, G-S? What about the rest of you? Anybody else ever felt that
being a biker has automatically put them in a bad place re jobs/credibility
in industry/government fora?

betty the writer

 

Yes, there's lots of bigots about still.

I went to a computer site on my way home once (sixties) and the
manager rang up my boss to complain that I turned up in a leather
jacket and a helmet, My boss's reaction? "Yes, he was wearing a helmet
but he had his head in it, didn't he?"

We had a young lady motorcycle courier deliver stuff to our main
computer site in the sixties. She had a hand-painted helmet in a
paisley pattern. About the fifth time she showed up I realised that
hidden in the pattern were the words "**** the Fuzz". I commented that
that was an interesting pattern on the helmet. She gave me a big smile
and said a very artistic friend did it for her and that very few
people got the message.

Theo

 

In aus.motorcycles on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:43:51 +1100

Bummer!

Being in a profession where black t-shirts and combat boots are the
standard uniform I haven't had the problem.

I did once ask if riding a motorcycle and therefore never wearing
dresses (my excuse and I'm sticking to it!) was a problem for a public
service job and was told no. Probably because in the mid80s it would
have been very bad juju to have said yes!

I get thanked regularly by a friend of mine for tipping her off to the
fact that unlike her usual PA/Secretary type jobs if she used her
undoubted science skills (she's a fine biological sciences tech) as a
job instead of a hobby she'd never have to dress up again.

"Be a tech" I said "And they won't care what you wear as long is it's
clothes".

(Mind you... this is the same woman who announced the best motorcycle
safety gear she'd ever had was a little red cocktail dress. "There's
no doubt that the drivers saw me.")

Zebee

 

In aus.motorcycles on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:44:00 +1100

Like I said earlier... At least I only *sometimes* wear the sysadmin
uniform of the combat or motorcycle boots, the black jeans, the
t-shirt with the cynical saying[1], the leatherman in the belt
sheath and the evil expression.

If I turned up to a sysadmin job interview in "normal interview
clothes" the only people who would hire me are people I wouldn't
work for!

On the other hand... I've been refused service in a restaurant and 2
pubs for turning up in bike kit.

Zebee

[1] my current fave is "I can only please one person today, and today
is not your day. Tomorrow isn't looking too good either"

 

1. Sorry that you did not receive a better reception by the committee.
Applying for any position takes some doing so you must have been at least
mildly interested.

2. Look at possible ways of interpreting the interview. The headmaster's
actions indicate that he is prejudiced, ignorant or both. Receiving a
rejection letter could well indicate that the remainder of the committee are
yes people. If these conclusions are correct, they are very probably doing
you a favour is declining to accept you. Working should be enjoyable, at
least most of the time.

3. Better luck next time.

4. I recommend against beating yourself up over this. Anyone who
motorcycles all year round in the ACT is obviously determined and
resourceful.

JD

 

Thanks Gerry...

I keep saying the same thing to myself, to make myself feel better, and then
I think of the kids who I won't get to teach, and I just get cranky all over
again!

It's one of the biggies that gives me the irrits - I quit teaching because I
thought it was the right thing to do when I got to a horrible point of
overload in my life where I actually stopped caring about the kids - and I
really believe that nobody should be a teacher if they don't actually CARE.
And now, after a decent respite at a time when a respite was essential, I
can't get back in. Because I ride a fucking motorbike? Oh puhLEASE!!!!!

betty the sad and cranky

 

I have that sitting above my desk. Pity management keep ignoring it

Cheers, Bill

 

Sounds very much as if he had stored his ruler rectally and I doubt
you waned to work with a myopic such as he

I suspect you would have got the same reaction sans boob tube , he
prolly has let the position to a relative and is following form as per
requirements

Wyy ?
I am unsure of your teaching set but remember night time tafe work
pays much better (in my field about 3 times as much)and you could always
score work at a catholic college there are lots of alternatives

 

In aus.motorcycles on 23 Mar 2010 11:07:27 GMT

Right now I think I need something like "TPMs[1] will be shot,
everyone else who bothers me might get a chance to run"

Zebee

[1] Technical Project Managers. Who are not technical and couldn't
manage to pour piss out of a boot if you put instructions on the
heel...

 

Can't you read Johno ??
Betty has already had her whine

 

Either foolish or not rich enough for a car
gets bloody cold soon

 

And we all want you are too Betty!

 

Sad, but the interview process is all about *no* rather than *yes*.
They're there to *exclude* all but one of the their [1] applicants so
any reason will be grasped-at.

Bloody!

 

Nothing to offer here Betty.
I can't recall doing a job interview in bike-gear but I know that I must
be a ratshit interviewee because I've *never* gotten a job I've been
formally interviewed for!

 

The only biker discrimination that I've ever experienced (or ever
picked-up-on) was at Parkes where the Motel receptionist looked at my
soaked and bedraggled self and offered that I should go to the
caravan-park instead as I would be more comfortable.
I did (and I probably was!)

[but then I'm not very perceptive]