A Not-So-Crafty Applicant

(I’m helping with some interviews for a craft store, as I’m a new manager. I am asked to interview a girl in her twenties, just a couple of years younger than me. I go through her application and it looks normal: some retail experience, finished high school, computer proficient. I call her to set up the interview.)

Me: “Hi, is this [Applicant]?”

Applicant: “Yeah. What’s up?”

Me: “This is [My Name] with [Store], calling about your application. We’d like to have you come in for an interview!”

Applicant: “Oh, cool. Can we do it at [Coffee Shop]? I don’t wanna come all the way out there.” 

Me: “Unfortunately, we have all interviews done in the store. I can see if it can be done on a day you’re more open, though!”

Applicant: “Ugh, I guess.”

(We get it scheduled, and I tell her goodbye and hang up. I look at the other manager in the office with me.)

Me: “If driving to the store is such a hassle just for the interview, how is she gonna manage driving here to work when she’s scheduled?”

Manager: “Yeah, I’ve seen that.”

(Later on, she comes in for her interview. She’s dressed somewhat professionally but looks annoyed the entire time. I bring her back to one of our classrooms to do the interview so it’s out of the way.)

Me: “So, do you do any crafts?”

Applicant: “Ew, no. I just go on Etsy a lot.” 

Me: “All right, do you know a lot about any of the crafts?” 

Applicant: “Nope. Don’t care to learn; I finished school and that’ll be it for learning.” 

(I’ve already made my decision about hiring her, but I decide to finish out the interview as a courtesy. The rest of her answers are about the same: she doesn’t seem interested in helping customers, doesn’t care to do overnights to stock, and doesn’t want to work the register. We wrap things up, and I let her know we’ll call her.)

Applicant: “Okay. So, do I do my new paperwork stuff tomorrow?”

Me: “We have work on our end that needs to be done first, which can take a bit. Like I said, we’ll call you.”

Applicant: “Ugh, okay.”

(As I come back into the office, I apparently look exhausted, because the other manager looks concerned.)

Manager: “Bad interview?”

Me: “She doesn’t craft, doesn’t know anything about crafting, and doesn’t want to learn. She says if a customer is rude, she’ll just tell them to leave. And that if they need help, they can just Google it. How has she worked retail like this?!”

Manager: “Probably either lied or has a family member in management. At least you don’t have to try to train her.” 

(She called back weeks later to ask when she should come in. The other manager had the pleasure of telling her we went with someone else.)