Sounds Like They Both Dodged A Bullet (Maybe Literally?!)

Neither of these stories happened to me; they happened to two friends, who told me about them afterward. They involve a large company that conducted itself as if it were the CIA. Its founder also acted this way. Why, nobody knows. After many years, it was bought by a megacompany and no longer exists.

Incident #1:

[Friend #1] applied for a job with [Company] and was offered a position, so he called the recruiter.

Friend #1: “Thank you for the offer. Which office has hired me?”

Recruiter: “We will tell you that after you accept the position.”

Friend #1: “No, I need to know which city the job is in before I decide to accept.”

Recruiter: “No, we will assign you the city after you accept the job.”

Friend #1: “Sorry, it doesn’t work that way. Thanks, anyway.”

Incident #2:

[Friend #2] was offered a job as a technical writer with [Company] and she accepted. She flew to the location that was performing training for new hires, and she showed up for her first day.

Company Employee: “Okay, go to room five for new computer programmers.”

Friend #2: “No, I’m a technical writer.”

Company Employee: “No, you will be a computer programmer.”

Friend #2: “I have no background as a programmer. I’m a writer.”

Company Employee: “You are now a programmer. Room five.”

Friend #2: “Then I quit.”

Company Employee: “Okay. But you will reimburse us for the plane fare and the hotel.”

[Friend #2] grudgingly did so.