Got offered a job for a very high salary; abroad with trips “home” (not to my home town, but to my country) every weekend. My preferred line of work, too.
Then I found out it was for this client I had years ago, whose name still makes my hands itch for the world’s largest flamethrower; the worst-managed, most unethical company I’ve ever worked for. The procedures were hell, the processes misdesigned, and if I could have scrubbed my soul when I got home from the office I would have. I emailed my withdrawal right away.
I recently looked for part-time work. Two places offered me positions within a few days of each other. One of them knew I was going to be going to grad school, and didn’t plan on staying more than two years. The other one. . .well, didn’t. They wanted someone long-term.
I would’ve liked the second one better–casual dress, more regular hours–but I declined it, as I felt dishonest about the whole thing.
Just a few months ago, I was contacted by a former boss about a position that was open on his team. I decided to hear him out and it sounded decent enough so I did some phone interviews with the HR rep and the hiring manager. I later came into their office and had a couple of interviews with people on the team. We all had a great rapport and they were really interested in my experience and ideas. They asked how much I wanted and I said $xx,xxx. They said they were not sure they could swing that, they were thinking about $5K less. About a week later, the offer came in at the figure I was asking.
I still turned it down. Ultimately, it just didn’t feel right to me. I can’t really explain it. The atmosphere at their office didn’t suit me and I couldn’t imagine working there every day, even though they were offering a 20% raise for me. I talked to my old boss and explained how ultimately I did still like where I work now and it’s significantly closer to where I live. He understood and said that if I change my mind, I should let him know. We’re all good.
2 years out of grad school I was offered a job at RCA in Camden, NJ :eek: to somehow be involved in supervising people in my old department around a government project (DoD related, no doubt) based on my dissertation. I was polite, but I was so over that subject. Plus I thought the whole area was dying (I was right) plus I’d have to move from near Princeton to near Camden. Plus I had just gotten promoted.
I have no idea if this was for a contract already awarded, or for a contract they were just going for. I never heard anything to make me think they ever got it or did anything on it. It was nice that someone was interested, but no way would I ever do it.
Around 1982 I was job hunting and answered a vaguely worded help wanted ad. Pretty much just no experience necessary, apply in person, no phone calls please. When I went to the place, they gave me a generic job application form to fill out. I sat down, filled it out, and gave it to the person at the front desk. Then they invited me to go back so they could show me what they did.
They were selling stupid coupon books, making cold calls out of the phone book. About 20 or 30 people sitting at long folding tables (like you see at churches or schools). I think some were even sitting on upside-down trash cans. The only way to make it more of a classic boiler room operation would have been to be in an actual boiler room. They didn’t even interview me and just glanced at the application long enough to see that all the blanks were filled in. The gist of the conversation, which lasted 5 minutes tops was, here’s where we work, we sell coupon books, you start tomorrow at 9.
I said thank you, left and never came back or spoke to them again.