Persistence
After reading Lindsay's blog and then remembering that Spliller is out there looking for a different job, I remembered a story about a friend of mine that has always given me inspiration.
Many years ago I had a friend that was in need of a job. He was 24 years old, had just gotten married, and found out he had his first child on the way. Sad to say I never found him to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, if you know what I mean. He did have a job at that time but it didn't pay enough to raise a family on and had no benefits.
We had a paper plant, at that time, that had been in our community for years and my friend decided that he needed to work there. After some persistence he managed to get an interview. He was told at the interview by the lady who was in charge of hiring that he could fill out an application but the plant had a hiring freeze in effect for at least a year and they were not hiring. My friend explained to her that he needed the job for his family and could not take 'no' for an answer. She said "sorry" and sent him on his way.
The next day when she arrived at work my friend was waiting on the steps of her office building. Again she explained they would not hire him, she then went inside leaving him on the steps. He sat on those steps until the lunch alarm went off in the plant. He then proceeded to the lunchroom to have lunch with the plant workers. After lunch he returned to her steps until the the shift was over and she left for the day. He repeated this process everyday for five days. He only stopped because she hired him.
After the fifth day she called him into her office and explained that during the time he had sat on those steps they had something like 15 people call in sick, and countless show up late for work. She figured if he was willing to show up everyday on time with no pay it was a safe bet that he would make one hell of an employee. He never let her down.
I can only imagine how much courage it took to show up everyday, knowing they didn't want him. How stupid he must have felt eating with the real employees that were being paid to be there. I wonder how many times he almost got up off those steps and went home. I'm still in awe of the determination he had and his devotion to his young family to put himself through that. When times have gotten tough I have often thought of my friend and said if he could do it why not me? Really, why not? Why not anybody?
I haven't seen that friend much over the years as he has had more children and is very busy now, running his own company. I guess that knife was sharper than I thought.
Many years ago I had a friend that was in need of a job. He was 24 years old, had just gotten married, and found out he had his first child on the way. Sad to say I never found him to be the sharpest knife in the drawer, if you know what I mean. He did have a job at that time but it didn't pay enough to raise a family on and had no benefits.
We had a paper plant, at that time, that had been in our community for years and my friend decided that he needed to work there. After some persistence he managed to get an interview. He was told at the interview by the lady who was in charge of hiring that he could fill out an application but the plant had a hiring freeze in effect for at least a year and they were not hiring. My friend explained to her that he needed the job for his family and could not take 'no' for an answer. She said "sorry" and sent him on his way.
The next day when she arrived at work my friend was waiting on the steps of her office building. Again she explained they would not hire him, she then went inside leaving him on the steps. He sat on those steps until the lunch alarm went off in the plant. He then proceeded to the lunchroom to have lunch with the plant workers. After lunch he returned to her steps until the the shift was over and she left for the day. He repeated this process everyday for five days. He only stopped because she hired him.
After the fifth day she called him into her office and explained that during the time he had sat on those steps they had something like 15 people call in sick, and countless show up late for work. She figured if he was willing to show up everyday on time with no pay it was a safe bet that he would make one hell of an employee. He never let her down.
I can only imagine how much courage it took to show up everyday, knowing they didn't want him. How stupid he must have felt eating with the real employees that were being paid to be there. I wonder how many times he almost got up off those steps and went home. I'm still in awe of the determination he had and his devotion to his young family to put himself through that. When times have gotten tough I have often thought of my friend and said if he could do it why not me? Really, why not? Why not anybody?
I haven't seen that friend much over the years as he has had more children and is very busy now, running his own company. I guess that knife was sharper than I thought.
13 comments:
Years ago, at the plant I used to work at an older guy was fired one day. The next day he came in and started working like normal, he was told to leave but he wouldn't, he was told he wouldn't get paid. He just kept coming to work as usual, he was there until he retired(getting paid of course.)
RT this brings me to another topic for a post. What is smart, bright, clever, sharp, etc. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer? I worked with a guy for 28 years, he knew math like nobody I'd ever known, his speech was perfect, his knowlege of the english language was unbelievable, he was the stupidist idiot I had ever met.
Good 101st post RT.
What a lovely story, made me smile. Have you seen 'in pursuit of happyness?'
Not really on par with your friend, but when i graduated noone from my course could seem to get a job. everyone waited for recruitment agencies to call them. Some took job not even in our field.
I sent out 200 CVs. I went to the websites and found out the name of the person in charge. I rang them and asked if they'd got my CV. I asked if I could have an interview.
I got 3 interviews and 2 job offers. Some people on my course think I don't deserve to get paid what I do and drive the car that I drive because I was never as clever as them. I had to work twice as hard at uni. I was 1 of only 2 people that got a 2:1 on my course. I was the only girl on my course. I didn't come from an I.T. background like most of them did. But I persisted. :)
HB: I know what you mean, intelligence does not always equal common sense or so it seems.
20 Something: I've noticed something about my generation and even more so about your generation, people think you go to college (uni) so you won't have to work hard to have money. WTF? Education is just one part of a successful career. Work ethic ranks up there pretty high as well. As I see you have figured out :)
Determination like that makes me feel like such a slacker throughout life. I rarely fully apply myself to anything I do - this semester at school is the first of which I've been to every class I have so far. It's tough! Tales like this make me wish to be a better person.
~^~
Don't wish to be a better person Wookie, make it so.
I had a hard time focusing on the important stuff when I was young. It's hard to understand how everything you're doing now will effect the rest of your life but it will. I don't think I got it until I got married and had someone else counting on me.
Figure out what's important and focus on it, the rest is just bullshit
and welcome to my blog :)
Imagine if you could go back and do it over? Or I should say had to go back, because I would never want to do that again.
The one thing I would do differently is realize I was going to live till 30 or 40 and save money. Back then I didn't think I was going to live long enough to care, or there was always something I had to buy.
The things you can do without to be able to save money are not a hardship at all when you are young, they just seem like it.
Saving money when you are young is the only way to go.
You will be set for the future and you can retire earlier.
You want a good (short) story of Persistence?
My husband convincing me to marry him!
It took him ten years of begging before I gave in. Every week he's say things like "I'd like to go to the movies. Do you want to go? You know, we'd probably get in cheaper as a couple?!" or "These eggs are really good, but I think they need a little more pepper. Or maybe you just need to marry me? Yeah, that's it!"
We were eating at a resturant when he said something about getting married, and I said "You don't even have a ring, James!" He got up, left Mike and I sitting there, drove to the store, bought me a ring, came back, knelt down, and popped the question. I had to say yes. My food was getting cold.
Persistence...
:)
Tough call HB, I know exactly what you're saying but When I think back on my youth some of my favorite memories are when I was doing something stupid and pissing away money. Not smart but just the kind of things you can get away with only when you're young.
Jen: you made me laugh out loud. after all that I can understand why you would say yes, I hate cold food too. :)
But think of this; 2,000 dollars a year from age 19 to 27 years old, that's all it would take. Heard that on the Suzie Orman Show, or whatever her name is.
Ha, I have thought of that HB. When my children were born, before they turned one, I bought them each a whole life insurance policy. Very cheap at their age. By the time they turn 60 years old each policy will be worth more than a million dollars. That may not be as much then as it is now but if you combine it with whatever they add to their retirement they should be set. :)
Sorry only just seen this - been away for a few days. That is a lovely story - just proves how great determination is.
I am thinking that I might have to go and sit on some steps somewhere.......
I was wondering how the job search was going. Not to good I take it?
Sorry to hear that :(
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