I am currently searching for a job. I currently work full-time, so I need a bit of notice when it comes to interviews.

One day, I come back from lunch and sit at my desk. My mobile phone has been ringing continuously and it’s all from the same local number.

Calling back, I’m greeted by an irate and rude man telling me there is no way that I will ever work for his company! How dare I?!

As soon as he stops shouting, I ask him what his problem is. He quickly tells me that I missed a job interview that afternoon. I search my call history and email and inform him that this is the first time I am hearing from him. I have never even been invited to an interview.

Suddenly, the man goes sheepish as he realises what has happened.

It transpires that he had organised an interview and had spoken to HR, the team, and everyone in his company. However, he had neglected to actually tell me about the interview.

He then tried to rearrange an interview… after shouting at me and calling me a b****. I said no.

I’d say I dodged a bullet there.

(I am getting myself some tea in the break room at work. When I walk in, I see a note on the coffee maker/hot water dispenser that says it is broken and someone will be coming to repair it. While I make my tea, I watch no less than four different people walk in, read the note, and STILL try the hot water dispenser. Each of them looks shocked that it doesn’t work.) 

Me: *to one coworker* “It wasn’t working, like it says on the sign.”

Coworker: “Oh, I didn’t really read it, and I thought the sign was just for the coffee part.”

(People amaze me.)

Since we work with confidential material, our office is only accessible with a security pass. Which is fine… until one morning when I arrive at work and see several people waiting in front of the building. Our team leader, who always arrives first, tells us the system is apparently down, so the passes don’t work. In order to make them work again, the server has to be rebooted, but the server is inside the building. 

Of course, the company has a physical key to the building, as well. In fact, the director had passed it to the team leader for this reason. He also advised her to make copies, just in case, but she never got round to it. Now, where was this key? Well, before the team leader went on holiday, a few weeks ago, she passed it to the department manager, who would be opening those weeks. He then gave it to his manager, who asked for it in order to have copies of the key made… which he did not do. This senior manager also happens to live in a city that is about a one-hour drive from our office. To make his blunder complete, he didn’t even take the key home, but instead decided to lock it in the small safe where we have to put all the keys of our office cupboards. In other words, there is no normal way to open the door.

Finally, the department manager and his brother-in-law, who is also a coworker, arrive with a tool box and try to open several doors into the building with them. After some time, they realise this isn’t working, either. Seeing only one solution, the department manager takes his hammer and smashes the man-high window next to the front door, after which he carefully enters, shuts off the alarm, and opens the front door manually. In order to get to our department, the two men have to force another door open, this time without breaking anything, but still…

When I see the senior manager a few hours later, he is trying to laugh it off as “a little mistake.” I have always seen him as a typical “David Brent” style manager, who prefers being funny over being professional, while not being really funny, either. By now, I feel sure about this more than ever.

(As I am processing purchase invoices, I come across one from an unfamiliar supplier. Upon closer inspection. I notice that I have only been given page three of three and the delivery address is to a business farther down the road. Normally, I would pop it into an envelope and deliver it myself or give it back to the postman. However, as I only have page three, I think it will be best to request that the supplier resend their invoice. I call the company at approximately 17:05.)

Automated Message: “As our offices are closed, you will be redirected to our messaging service.”

(I wait for the beep so I can leave my message but a person answers the phone, instead.)

Person: “Hello. How can I help you?”

Me: “Hello, my name is [My Name] and I’m calling from [Company]. The postman has delivered an invoice to us by mistake and, as I only have page three, I can’t forward this on. Would you please resend invoice [number]?”

Person: “Sorry, but we are just a messaging service for [Supplier].”

(My mistake. I thought because it was so close to normal closing hours, maybe someone had picked it up rather than letting it go through to voicemail.)

Me: “Okay. Would you please ask them to resend invoice [number], as it has been delivered to the wrong address?”

Person: “No, we are just a messaging service for [Supplier].”

Me: “Could you please pass the message that they need to resend invoice [number]?”

Person: “No. We cannot do this. You have not come through to [Supplier]. We are just a company that they hire to take messages out-of-hours.”

Me: “Yes. I understand that. You do not work for [Supplier]; you work for a messaging company but you don’t seem to want to take my message.”

Person: “Well, we just need your name and number and then they can call you back in the morning.”

Me: “I see. That’s fine. My name is [My Name] and I work for [Company]. My direct dial is [phone number].”

Person: “Okay, that’s [repeats info back to me].”

Me: “That’s correct.”

Person: “And do you have a message you’d like me to pass on?”

Me: “Hi! Thanks for calling [Company]. This is [My Name]; how can I help you?”

Customer: “Who can I talk to to get a withdrawal form faxed to me? I can’t print it from your website.”

Me: “That would be us, sir. I can help you with that. What fax number would you like it sent to?”

Customer: *pause* “Gee, I don’t know. I’ll have to get a fax number and call you back.”

Me: “Okay, sir, not a problem. Call us back when you have a fax number.” *facepalm*

Related:
Taxing Faxing, Part 26
Taxing Faxing, Part 25
Taxing Faxing, Part 24