The time has arrived! And that’s a very good thing. We’ve reached a point here at the Baer House where it has once again become necessary to hire help. That’s a good problem to have because that means we’re busy. When the Covid unpleasantness hit last year and there was so much confusion and fear and everything was forced to shut down, I had to let my housekeeper go, for obvious reasons. No use having someone come to clean guest rooms when there aren’t any guests, just lonely dark rooms.
Because my sweet housekeeper needed income, she interviewed and was hired for another job. I was sorry to say good-bye, but I completely understood her need to pay her bills. That’s what responsible people do. They get jobs to pay for their bills (including student loans but don’t get me started on that.) And, she was gracious enough to let me know that she’d taken another job.
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a job listing on Facebook. I received 8 responses. I called 6 of them (2 of them had FB names like BambiBoBina or SusieAin’tYourBitch so I skipped those) and scheduled 5 interviews. (1 gal lived too far away to drive here for 2 or 3 hours a day, which is all I need most days.) 3 of the 5 did not show up for their interviews. 1 was an hour late, but she insisted she came at the time I told her so . . . being the optimistic person I am . . . I gave her the benefit of the doubt, thinking perhaps I remembered incorrectly, and interviewed her anyway. Neither person arrived with a resume or list of references.
Despite my wariness, I offered both interviewees who showed up a job. 1 for 3 days a week and other for 4. Neither of them showed up on the days they were supposed to start work. No phone call with a flimsy excuse, just a no show. One gal was quite young, so I just figured she didn’t know any better. But the other gal was older than me and she said she was just looking for something to do during the day because she was bored. That lady should have known better than to accept a job she had no intention of showing up for. She works in the healthcare industry a few nights a week. She absolutely knew what she was doing when she accepted the offer and when she deliberately did not show up.
Young people aren’t taught interview skills or appropriate professional conduct these days. They are totally clueless about how to dress, how to act, and how to present themselves. The young gal’s failure to show up didn’t really come as a surprise to me. The older lady, that one just made me really angry. I wanted to call her and give her a piece of my mind, but then I remembered what I’d been taught about proper professional conduct and refrained. Some days I’m a saint.
But, by God’s grace and the help of my mail lady, I found a lovely young woman who took the initiative to walk over here – yes walk – she doesn’t have a car, but she lives 2 blocks away – just to introduce herself. She said she’d been talking to Patsy (the same lady who delivers my mail) and told her she’d love to find some part time work close by since she didn’t have a car. Patsy suggested she come see me. She did. I interviewed her. I hired her. She showed up a few minutes early on her first day, and she’s been working for me ever since. Funny how things sometimes work out the way they’re supposed to, like when God uses the United States Post Office to deliver a message.
Granted, I was concerned at first, because this gal doesn’t have a car, she has several kids, and a cell phone that doesn’t have voicemail. (She can receive text messages though.) But, I needed help and she did take it upon herself to approach me and she does have experience cleaning hotels so I thought that was a good sign. I’m glad I quieted my negativity, letting my optimism once again rule my actions, and hired her. I mean, what does that say to God if he goes to all that trouble to send me a message and I refuse to see it? Sheesh. I don’t want that hanging over my head at the Pearly Gates.
The Lord does work in mysterious ways. And, I now have a housekeeper, which frees up a wee bit more of my time to focus on other things. Like laundry. Always laundry.
Have you guys ever received a message from an odd source? Have you ever felt karma, or whatever in your life? Do you have a story to tell me about attempting to hire someone? I’d love to hear it.
Word of the Day: Linstock
Fun fact about me: I don’t think I make a very good boss.
Original post by Jansen Schmidt, May 2021. Images by Google and giphy.com.
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jansenschmidt 
You don’t think it could be the administration’s “don’t worry about working, we’ll give you money” effect do you?
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I definitely think that’s part of it, especially with the young gal. But the older one is not getting unemployment. She has a full-time job. She told me she was just looking for something to do during the day so a job that only required 2 or 3 hours a day was perfect for her. Based on that, I hired her. The fact that she didn’t show up just baffles me. If she had no intention of showing up, why go to the trouble of interviewing and then accepting the job when I offered? People are just weird.
And, our state is one of the one’s that has declined the additional federal unemployment money, so folks who are truly unemployed only get a maximum of $235 a week. Those folks are going to start going back to work in June, now that that extra money is going away.
I think everything worked out the way it was supposed to. At least I hope so. Time will tell. The gal I hired may flake out too. I’m remaining my usual optimistic self.
Thanks for visiting. Have a wonderful week.
Patricia
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I’m glad you’re on good terms with your postal carrier. We used to be, but recently got a new one who refuses to leave packages at the front door because we have dogs. Two old, lazy, might-lick-you-to-death dogs. Pretty frightening, I know. But if we have packages too large for the mailbox, she simply writes a note that says “dogs” on it and leaves it in our mailbox. Which means I have to use my lunch break to go to the post office and wait in line to pick up packages that should have been delivered as part of the job. Worse, management refuses to do anything about the problem, claiming their postal carriers’ welfare is most important. Even if our dogs are always in the kennel or in the house? They said if she believes there’s a dog anywhere on the premises, she doesn’t have to deliver. It’s ridiculous. And our only remedy is to complain to our local congressman (ie, a waste of time). I think that same issue with your hired housekeepers not showing up is affecting employers everywhere–people don’t really want to work, and working hard at a job seems even rarer. Which makes you appreciate a good employee who shows up early and actually wants to work that much more, right?
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Oh good grief. Any excuse NOT to do their job right? Always look for the easy solution that requires you to do expend the least amount of energy. No wonder we’re a society of lazy overweight people. It’s sickening. I think the problem is that people haven’t learned the value of a dollar. Money has come easy to them and they have no ambition to better themselves so they just sit and stagnate.
Sorry about your postal situation. At least it gives you an excuse to get out of the office at lunch time right? Hey, gotta look for the bright side.
Thanks for visiting today. I hope you have a wonderful week.
Patricia
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Glad you found your housekeeper, and funny about it being through the mail carrier! I can’t say I’ve had any messages from odd sources lately, and I definitely don’t think I’ll ever have a use for a linstock, but you never know…
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It is funny how it worked itself out. The timing was divine providence, too. I’m sure of it. This gal knocked on my door the day the second woman failed to show up. Sometimes the Lord works in mysterious ways.
If you come to Vicksburg (and I hope you do) and you visit the National Military Park, you may get lucky and see someone using a linstock! They do that sometimes as part of their living history programs.
Thanks for chiming in. Have a wonderful rest of the week.
Patricia
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I took 15 months off work in 2016-2017. I took a 5 week vacation to the USA in 2017, which was when I stayed with you.
When I returned to Australia, it was time to find a new job.
I was walking along the beach at sunset and said out loud, “OK Universe, where am I supposed to work? Guide me to a great part time job, preferrably Wednesdays and Thursdays please.”
2 weeks later, I had an interview for a job working Wednesdays and Thursdays, and I started a week after that!
Im still there and I love it, orking a 5 day fortnight with fantastic work colleagues and lovely clients.
Bonus is that it’s in the health service, so my work colleagues can help treat all my aches and pains! Heh!
Maybe sometimes you just have to put your intention out there. 🙂
Im astonished that BOTH your original interviewees didnt show but so glad that you finally found a great employee! (And that your business is doing well again!) 😀
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I am a believer in attracting to yourself what you “think about.” If you think positive, positive things will happen. I believe the universe listens. I’m glad you found your perfect-for-you job and that the universe was looking out for you. Good things come to good people.
And, yes, we are finally doing a really comfortable business again. It was so, so scary last year, but we’re still here (because of positive thoughts I’m sure) and we’re reaping a nice harvest right now. I hope things continue in this vein.
I also hope we’ll see you again soon. I’m so sorry I had to miss you this past go around. I do enjoy seeing your FB posts though.
Thanks for visiting and sharing in the conversation. Have a wonderful rest of the week.
Patricia
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