There's an article in the DF about being nice to the receptionist at a job interview

[fancyginglass]

Some rubbish article in the DF today but it reminded me of a conversation I had with a summer student who came in to work. He was at Uni and had massive plans to be a high flyer but he told me his mum had told him that you have to be nice to everyone at an interview including the receptionist. I said to him why would you treat the receptionist any different - no one is any better than anyone else. What a self entitled little prat who actually gave up Uni a year later. Does someone actually need to be told this stuff?

[nowishtofly]

I recruit and always arrange for one of my team to pick people up from reception and take the to the interview. Normally they would also set up a timed test/work related exercise.

I always ask them how each candidate was. If they say 'very quiet' 'seemed nervous' no worries, introverts welcome. Like the example of a PP - the guy in the lift if they are rude or dismissive it's a red flag that could cost them the job.

Once in the job, managers who are dismissive of or rude to junior staff get a black mark in my book. I often say in team meetings that there is a big pipeline of work that comes, we all do our bit and everyone's bit is important. So in my book everyone should have equal respect.

[Al1langdownthecleghole]

@sashh

She realises now what I meant as some of her colleagues are so rude and entitled so naturally the nurses don’t go out of their way to be helpful to them .

Ah the 4.00am call to write up a paracetamol vs the 9.00 am, "Here's a coffee, I know you had a rough on call".

I worked in Oxford for a couple of years, a lot of Oxford grad junior Dr are just not used to not being 'the best'.

One junior Dr refused to attend a test until he was ready. Not a problem, I called the secretary to ask if another junior Dr could help, The patient had an appointment time and I wasn't going to have him wait. The consultant answered the phone and decided to come and supervise himself.

The junior doctor's face when he walked in was a picture, and the consultant told him to go carry on with whatever was so important.

I said something to a class about them being dirty leaving chewing gum under desks for X to clean.

Who's X miss?
She's the cleaner
Sneary face, You know the cleaner's name?

Yes I do and there is nothing wrong with being a cleaner and it doesn't matter who is cleaning it they shouldn't be leaving it for someone else.

The best compliment I got was from a work colleague who is now a good friend, but as colleagues she said, "You ask me to do things in a way that makes me want to do it"

You’ve just reminded me of a very arsey reg. Was doing the morning drugs round and patient was written up for IV and oral meds and I needed to check the prescription. As the ward round was in progress, instead of bleeping the HO I waited for the team to reach the patient.

Arsey reg, made a big deal of telling me off in front of the consultant for delaying treatment (by 20 mins) due to not querying immediately. He finished by telling my that if I ever needed to check a prescription again I must call him straight away.

So I did. Every. Time. And I worked a lot of nights.

[ThePinkGuitar]

So I did. Every. Time. And I worked a lot of nights
😂😂

[sashh]

@Al1langdownthecleghole

They have no idea how much help or hinderance non docs can be, or how much we know.

[Gwenhwyfar]

"A bit nervous is normal for some, but such an over-reaction is not! It doesn't stop you from being polite."

You think feeling sick at an interview is abnormal? Why then do interview books advise you not to eat if offered a biscuit because your stomach is probably suffering. Bad nerves are pretty common at interviews even if they don't affect everyone.
My response about feeling sick was not about 'being polite' but a response to the person who said you should be 'chatty' with the receptionist. I disagree with this.

[Gwenhwyfar]

[quote Redcrayons]@Warpdrive that just reminded me of an account manager we hired who wouldn’t fill in some of the HR forms because it was private information. Stuff like his home address, emergency contact information etc. He just gave them his full name and national insurance number. It was so bizarre, and was indeed and indicator of how awkward he would be. He refused to have a company phone and left his laptop in the office every night even when he was going away with work. He didn’t last long.
He was nice as pie to all the support staff though.[/quote]
You shouldn't be forced to give an emergency contact. I don't have one and no way do I want my old parents who live in another country being bothered because I've got a concussion or something.
I also won't have a work phone and leave the computer at the office - there is no work life balance either and you shouldn't be forcing people to do overtime.
(I'm presuming he was a manager though).

[Gwenhwyfar]

"I always ask them how each candidate was. If they say 'very quiet' 'seemed nervous' no worries, introverts welcome. Like the example of a PP - the guy in the lift if they are rude or dismissive it's a red flag that could cost them the job.

Once in the job, managers who are dismissive of or rude to junior staff get a black mark in my book. I often say in team meetings that there is a big pipeline of work that comes, we all do our bit and everyone's bit is important. So in my book everyone should have equal respect."

Finally a good recruiter on MN!

[trixiebelden77]

Of course some people need to be told.

When I pick up the phone it’s astonishing how rude many people are when they think I’m the ward clerk....and the massive turn around when they realise I’m the doctor is nauseating.

I’m really surprised you haven’t observed this before.

[Allergictoironing]

I also won't have a work phone and leave the computer at the office - there is no work life balance either and you shouldn't be forcing people to do overtime.
(I'm presuming he was a manager though).

In this case he was an Account Manager, often travelling away from work. In that job you DO need to have a work mobile even if you switch it off at the end of each working day, and the laptop again is necessary when visiting clients. In this day and age, it's seen as VERY unprofessional for an account manager to not be contactable by phone and/or email.

[Redcrayons]

@Gwenhwyfar he was in sales, he could be out visiting customers for a week. No phone so no way to contact him, no laptop so he didn’t do any ‘admin’ except when he was in the office . Nobody ever knew what he was doing.
Fair point on emergency contact details though.

[Gwenhwyfar]

[quote Redcrayons]@Gwenhwyfar he was in sales, he could be out visiting customers for a week. No phone so no way to contact him, no laptop so he didn’t do any ‘admin’ except when he was in the office . Nobody ever knew what he was doing.
Fair point on emergency contact details though.[/quote]
Oh I see. I thought you meant that he refused to take his work home with him. Yes, if you're mobile during working hours, a phone and laptop are a good idea!

I do remember someone telling me that in the 70s if you had a job with lots of meetings, nobody could know where you at any given point or when the meeting finished, and they often went to the pub in work time!

One of my colleagues did once try to 'force' me to give a contact person, but relented when I explained. It's not obvious for singles.

[Gwenhwyfar]

"When I pick up the phone it’s astonishing how rude many people are when they think I’m the ward clerk....and the massive turn around when they realise I’m the doctor is nauseating."

It's upsetting the other way around as well. When people think you're 'somebody' and then lose interest when they get your job title. Yes, it's a good social filter in a way, but still hurts.

[KarmaNoMore]

@Gwenhwyfar, I’m not a doctor but a manager who doesn’t have the word “manager” in her job title business efforts trying to make us look less “hierarchical”... I get at least 2 of those calls a day.

I remember going to a course for new business owners years ago, one of the lessons in networking was “Always be nice to the receptionist... because she has the power to forget you called”