Et tu, Brute?

Let me tell you of my experience at Best Buy last night (Sunridge in Calgary). I will preface this with my own disclaimer, I know this is not typical of all locations. In fact, pretty much every other location I've visited has been top-notch. This one, not so much.

Since Futureshop is dead to me (short version: don't offer extended warranties if you're not going to honor them), so when I needed to pick up a video camera for work, Best Buy was my first choice. It should have been a quick stop, I knew what I wanted so I should be in and out. If they had been busy I would have been more understanding of how things turned out, but it was the first real snowfall in Calgary and not many people were out on the roads. Let's face it, most people in Southern Alberta take a few days to remember how to drive in the snow, but I digress...

I made my way to the video cameras, checked them out, and found the one I wanted. Then I stood there for about ten minutes watching all the blue shirts/vests walk around the camera department like it was contagious. It's not like I blend into a crowd, so I have to assume they didn't want to see me. I finally decided to try an experiment...

I went and stood in front of the $1500 SLR digital camera and picked it up. Well, I barely had it in my hands before a blue shirt popped up and asked if I needed any help. "Yes I do, over here..." and I took him over to the video cameras, showed him the one I wanted and asked if they had any in stock. He checked the number on the tag and went over to the computer.

On his way, a couple asked him for help, so he spent five minutes assisting them. When he was done, he had to come back for the number again so he could check the stock level. The only thing keeping me in the store at this point is the fact I'd chew off my own arm before I went to Futureshop, and the next closest Best Buy is down by Ikea and I'm not going on the Deerfoot in this weather.

Good news, they have three in stock. The only problem is the computer doesn't say where they are. He went to the back under the pretense of checking for stock. I think he went for a break, because unless he opened every box in storage, there's no way it should've taken that long. When he came back out, I could've sworn he didn't have a 5:00 shadow when he went in, and does his hair look longer to anyone else?

He finally found the three boxes, in the locked glass case UNDER the display (in his defense, they were hiding behind another box). He rang it all up and sent me on my way... without taking the giant security device and cables off the box. Less than helpful. Not only will it set off the alarm as I leave, but there's no way to cut the cables without an acetylene torch.

I took it to the front cashier, who proceeded to ring it up in her till, even though I showed her the receipt.

"It's already paid for..."

She looked confused, like I had just asked her to tell time on a clock with hands or asked her to make change without using a calculator. "Is it an exchange??"

"No. The helpful salesman in cameras didn't take off the security device."

She still looked puzzled, but she removed it and was nice enough not to charge me twice. I guess I should be grateful for that at least...

Just When You Think You've Seen It All...

After reviewing so many resumes and job applications, you get to a point where you think you've seen just about every blunder there is to make. But it seems as though no matter how low you set the bar of expectation, someone always manages to limbo under it instead of stepping over it.

I wish I could post actual clips from some of these gems here, but I imagine that would violate some sort of privacy act somewhere. So, you're just going to have to trust me on this one.

Someone faxed in their resume this morning... hand-written on sheets of 3-hole loose-leaf paper. Nothing says "I've jumped into the 20th century" like hand-writing your resume. I'll skip over the whole technology proficiency section of the pre-screening and just assume your VCR, microwave, and stove have been flashing 12:00 since some time in the mid-80's.

One of the draw-backs of hand-writing your resume is that if you make a mistake, you can 1) ignore it, 2) cross it out and correct it, or 3) start all over again on a fresh piece of paper. Our environmentally-friendly applicant chose option 2 in this case. She apparently has the "ABILITY TO GET CALONG WITH PEOPLE" (the whole thing was done in capital letters, another personal peeve).

Another drawback is the spell checking function requires a hard-copy dictionary. This applicant listed her "Aducation" achievements, which apparently didn't include spelling. Her work history also mentioned she worked at a "Care Canter".

In short, submitting a resume like this will probably ensure your hope-to-be employer has fresh new fodder for the company party. If you do manage to get an interview you have to wonder just how hard-up for staff they really are, and just how bad were the other resumes??