Blacklisted For Work--Interrogation As Career

Ivar's down by the ferry's--Menu Board says "Beat The Tide":

I talked to this guy a week ago for the job. He told me they were extremely busy and filling a few extra positions for servers. I gave him my application and talked with him and nothing was a problem for him.

I didn't tell anyone where I had applied until a day or two ago.

I called yesterday afternoon and asked if he still wanted to interview because he told me to call mid-week. He said definitely and to come over at 2 p.m. today, which was the next day. Nothing had changed, they were still interviewing for work.

So I get there, and then this guy Jonathan comes over after speaking with the first guy and he tells me they can't hire anyone because they don't have any positions until Christmas.

I said I was confused because the other guy, Bryan, had said they were hiring more people and then it SLOWED down around fall and winter.

So here is Jonathan, telling me the exact opposite. He was saying they couldn't hire anyone until later.

When I mentioned I had heard it wasn't even that busy in winter, he changed and said well, they were actually going to have to lay people off maybe. So suddenly they weren't hiring in winter either.

I asked to speak to the Bryan. Bryan comes out of the office and sits down and I said I was a little disappointed and just wanted to clarify some things. He said he didn't think he'd promised me a job and I said, no, he hadn't, but he had told me there were several server positions available.

He said there just wasn't, and that they couldn't hire until later.

I said, "I suppose it's just confusing to me, because when I talked to you, you were hiring more than one. I never thought you promised me a position, but you did promise there were positions available. If you don't have positions available, why did you ask me to come down here for an interview?"

(Here, here. Points on the debate table.)

He just sat there. Didn't know what to say, and I added, "...Because you went from telling me just late yesterday afternoon, to come down to interview, to telling me today there were no positions at all."

I told him I'd gone out of my way to make an interview that he must have already known was pointless, unless they'd just decided there was no work as of this morning or afternoon. He apologized and I asked him to buy me a cup of coffee.

May as well make it worth my f---in' while. I got my coffee and figured out this was blacklisting. There were jobs, and after I told some people where my interview was, someone contacted somebody here and told them to change their tune. That's blacklisting in the best form.

What this one guy told me, who was maybe the only one to have good info and be straight up with me, was that I was not going to find work in this town for this very reason--I was blacklisted and there are people who will do anything to prevent me from making any kind of income.

I may not have the job, but at least I have a brain.

The guy here asked where else I was applying.

I didn't tell him.

I said, "Oh, several places in the area, and some through word of mouth."

I'm starting to think I need a job outside of food service. I need a job that involves interrogation.

The other places I was directed to for work, were all around "The Flying Fish". I was told to keep coming back and sure, we're interested, but I saw some of the looks being exchanged. They weren't hiring me and I knew it even though they kept telling me to come back and to leave a resume and talk to yet another person. The guy taking me around kept saying he was sure I was going to get hired, but I intuitively knew it was a waste of time and then this acquaintance confirmed this for me.

I at least, if he or his friend's ever read my blog, really appreciate the honesty. It validated what I knew already, and at least is confirmation it's not my imagination.

I think, truly, that something I would be good at, would be a legitimate job that involves some kind of interrogation. I don't know all the jobs that do involve this, except maybe law, where you stack someone's word and see if it's adding up. I was actually even more perceptive in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon bankruptcy hearings. None of the lawyers were standing up to question inconsistencies and yet I did, and it was then noted on the record.

People give themselves away a lot. If not through words, through demeanor. It's very hard for most people to keep a good front. Even those with a good front will sometimes slip up then with actions, or behavior. I remember watching that cable show where the former FBI guy asks contestants to determine whether someone is lying about something or not. On the few occasions I watched the show, I got all the liars right.

It's not paranoia, it's called having a B.S. Detector. Sometimes I'll go along with the whole game knowing where it's leading, just to see how it will end up. I sometimes stay in a situation or play along, just to gather more info, because whether or not someone is screwing you over, the more time you actually have with that person, the more that's revealed. Of course, then there are the times you just cut loose and it's not worth it.

It doesn't make me feel bad to know what's going on. I like knowing, even if it's bad news. I would feel worse if I were totally oblivious. Knowledge is power, always.