What Would You Do?

[PrincessDijon]

O.k. so I am sure that many of you are not even up yet.....

Sadly, I am....I thought today was going to be a great day because it was my first day of my new job!!! I am already home....why?

Well, today was SUPPOSED to be my first day of training. HR called me yesterday afternoon around 3 to let me know to show up today at 7 a.m.

So, I drive 40 mins to get there and it was about 6:35 when I arrived. I figured that I would be early so that I could take a small nap in my car until the manager arrived. Well, 7 a.m. comes around an NO ONE is there.

I figured that traffic may be backed up so I waited......and I waited....

Look at the clock, 7:30 and no one is there....I went to check the doors just in case someone may have not taken their car to work...Nope....both entrances were locked.

I get back in my car and call my HR rep on his cell, he of course, didn't answer.

So I left a message letting him know that I was on time and that no one was there at the store and to call me back. No response back....

I waited until about 8:10 and then I said screw it....If they aren't going to respect me by being on time, then I am not going to be waiting all day for them to show up. So, I wrote a note to the manager, slipped it through the crack of the door, left and went home.

Is it me? Or is that completely disrespectful.....

Granted I really want to give them the "benefit of the doubt" by saying that either the GM "didn't know" I was training today or that an emergency came up (i.e car accident, child care, illness, ect.) But I think that it is highly uncalled for to not even get a phone call of apology or to reschedule if there was an issue.

What if I were late to work and hour and 20 mins....I'd be fired right???

If I was late to an appointment, I'd have to be rescheduled....

Man some people just AMAZE me.....

Any thoughts? Should I keep this job or find another that actually respects me and my time?

I realize our economy is horrible and that we do have to "take what we can get" but I don't think that work ethic should have to suffer because of it.....

:::Rant Over:::::

 

[neatfreak]

Just to play devil's advocate here, there wasn't a training location that you were supposed to show up at instead or something like that right? Sometimes companies train people off site, so that would be my only thought. But I do think it is extremely disrespectful of someone for obviously lacking in communication somewhere! I would be really annoyed too. I'd call the HR person again at 9 and see what they have to say. At least you did the right thing by leaving a note and messages to show that you were there at the right time. That sucks that your first day ended up so frustrating!

 

[fieryred33143]

Well...you may just have to find another job.

If I were a manager (and I was) and one of my trainees decided to leave because I or another employee showed up late, that person wouldn''t be an employee of my store anymore.

I once waited in the lobby 2.5 hours because the HR person wasn''t there. Turns out she had a flat and because the other recruiters don''t know each other''s schedules, they had no idea that I was waiting downstairs. And I guess in the chaos of the morning, she forgot to tell someone that I would be downstairs. So there I sat, waiting. But for me, it was my dream job so I would have waited all day and came back the next if need be.

It doesn''t sound like this job is really for you anyway. Are you willing to start the job hunt again?

 

[gwendolyn]

What time was the building set to open? If it wasn''t open at 8:10 when you decided to leave, surely it would''ve been open by 9 at the latest? Sorry, but I would''ve waited and talked to someone to find out what was going on before leaving, even if it meant sitting around doing nothing for a few hours.

 

[Regular Guy]

Date: 11/17/2008 10:10:53 AM
Author: gwendolyn
What time was the building set to open? If it wasn't open at 8:10 when you decided to leave, surely it would've been open by 9 at the latest? Sorry, but I would've waited and talked to someone to find out what was going on before leaving, even if it meant sitting around doing nothing for a few hours.

I think...ditto that.

Relatedly...based on eastern time...(these posts...you're still into the beginning of the day). If you haven't been called, and this hasn't been taken care of...I would assume there's been a miscommunication, and call you office, explain as best you can, and speak to someone. Now.

Regards,

P.S. Did you want this job? Let them be wrong 9 times out of 10...on your first day.

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 11/17/2008 10:10:53 AM
Author: gwendolyn
What time was the building set to open? If it wasn''t open at 8:10 when you decided to leave, surely it would''ve been open by 9 at the latest? Sorry, but I would''ve waited and talked to someone to find out what was going on before leaving, even if it meant sitting around doing nothing for a few hours.

I agree. Weird things happen, or maybe they forgot. People make mistakes-- how can they forgive you for any- if you don''t forgive them?
I DO think it''s rude on their part too, but until you have the whole story I think you should stick with that company.

Good luck too!

 

[meresal]

At many companies there can be a VERY large disconnect between HR and their work places. (IE, my HR is out of NYC, and I work in Houston... don''t even get me started on the fact that I didn''t have email access for the first 2 months I worked!!) There is a very good chance that the office didn''t know you were supposed to be coming this morning. I''m also a bit surprised that they didn''t give you any contact info for the office manager, if there was an emergency on your part either. Which also leads me to believe that the manager didn''t know you were coming. If you really want this job, I would be trying to call them multiple times today.

Good luck!

 

[bee*]

Date: 11/17/2008 10:10:53 AM
Author: gwendolyn
What time was the building set to open? If it wasn''t open at 8:10 when you decided to leave, surely it would''ve been open by 9 at the latest? Sorry, but I would''ve waited and talked to someone to find out what was going on before leaving, even if it meant sitting around doing nothing for a few hours.

ditto. I would have waited outside until someone came or I got through to them on the phone. Have you gotten through to them yet?

 

[dragonfly411]

I would have waited as well, but I would continue to try to call .

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Since the job market is really bad, I would have waited even if the job wasn''t one I wanted long-term. There would not be much else to do except vent on PS or look for another job

.

Best of luck to you and I hope the job ends up working out for you.

 

[PrincessDijon]

Well, thanks everyone for responding. I am super grouchy in the morning because I have been working the night shift for years so my body was in a bit of "culture shock" getting up so early this morning!

Anyway, I got to the bottom of the problem....and it's a good thing that I didn't wait outside because I would have been waiting until about 10:45 for them to show up....

Anyway, the HR guy told me the wrong time...

He said "Oh, it was actually supposed to be eleven am, not seven"

At least he apologized for the miscommunication. He's actually having the store manager talk to me in a few mins to set up a schedule (which is what they should have done in the first place to make sure that we are on the same page.....)

I gotta love corporate America.....

At least I still have a job.....

 

[dragonfly411]

Princess - well I''m glad this turned out for the better! Sometimes miscommunications happen. Good thing they are working it out with you! GL with this new job, hopefully they get more organized

 

[gwendolyn]

Glad it all worked out!

 

[bee*]

Best of luck with the new job!