Employers: A little respect could go a long way

In today's tough job market, some employers really lack respect and courtesy for people who are looking for a full-time job, even in the teaching profession. I recently went on a job interview at an elementary school in a suburb and found that out firsthand.

First, I received a message to come in to interview on a certain day and time, but not what position I was going to interview for. I returned the message saying that I would be there, but I wanted to know what the position was. Never was called back.

Since I'm looking for work and want very much to find a full-time teaching job, I tried to prepare as best I could.

I showed up 10 minutes early and waited 35 minutes for an interview team to finish with the person before me. It would have been OK if the principal who greeted me would have apologized for (the delay), but that never happened.

Next I was told to wait five minutes, while the interview team talked about how much they liked the person who came before me, within clear hearing distance of where I was sitting.

When it was my turn to interview, I did my best to answer their questions and finally, I had to ask what position I was interviewing for. I found out it was a teaching position that I had very little experience in and probably had no chance of getting.

People go on interviews and some people are a good fit for a position and some are not, that's life and you deal with it. What angers me is the lack of respect shown to me when I showed up to interview and the courtesy to let people know what they are interviewing for.

People looking for work in a tough market, their time is as valuable as the people who hiring them. Individuals deserve more respect from current and future employers, regardless of who they are and what their situation is. I think a lot of people in authority have forgotten about that.

Mike Baker

Schaumburg