Wonderduck's Pond

March 18, 2015

...pation.

Some of you with memories longer than that of goldfish may remember that I had a job interview a couple of weeks ago. This was the company where I had to take a Wonderlic test, and they discovered that I had a giant pulsating brain.

^{Remarkably accurate representation of Wonderduck}

After the interview they said that they'd let me know "early next week." After it became LATE "next week", I e-mailed the company HR person to see where the matter stood. The reply was pretty much exactly what I expected: "We're still trying to decide, we'll let you know." Well, my thinking went, I've done my part, all I can do is wait. So wait I did.

The supposed start date of March 16th came and went. I wasn't terribly surprised, as they had said that they could push it back if they didn't have enough qualified applicants. However, I'd be lying if I thought this an encouraging sign. Well, whatever. Today, as I was getting dressed to have lunch with the folks, I received an e-mail from the company. In effect, they were scared of my giant pulsating brain and decided to hire dullards instead.

I have been told in the past that I'm too smart for my own good. This is the first time that's really the case. The intelligent part of me knew this was coming, it's not a surprise, so on and so forth. It still really, really hurts. I wanted this one badly, and nope, not good enough.

I can't even get a data-entry job. WTF, life?

UPDATED: Since I applied for the job through CareerMonster or one of those jobsites, I get e-mails from the company occasionally saying "here are some positions you might find interesting." It's just after midnight, and one just popped up. They've got six more openings. So much for keeping my application on file, huh?

^{Remarkably accurate representation of the company and Wonderduck.}

Posted by: Wonderduck at 04:37 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 There was a story arc with a similar outline in the beginning of The Trenches. I bring it out every time this happens.

Posted by: Pete Zaitcev at March 18, 2015 08:57 PM (RqRa5)

2 Can't a duck catch a break anymore? Gah.

Posted by: GreyDuck at March 18, 2015 09:44 PM (AQ0bN)

3 You obviously failed the American teachers' unions by not being a lo-info drone sans ability to reason. Donate 25 IQ points to the nearest anti-Mensa chapter in Duckburg and apply again.

Posted by: The Old Man at March 19, 2015 06:44 AM (o6+UC)

4 Well, that's the trouble with testing -- there's plenty of advice and help on how to do better, but not enough on how to do worse.

Maybe there's a business opportunity: test-antiprep courses that excessively smart people can take when they need to look like amiable conformists within +1 or 2 standard deviations of average.

> they've got six more openings.

And, of course, the trouble with smaller cities -- much more acting talent is required in order to go back with a disguise and an alias and see if you do better.

"But seriously, folks:" People who for whatever reason are committed to a smaller city or a rural area, and have more capability than the local economy can absorb would seem to be an untapped stratum of human resources. There's a lot of talent lying fallow for lack of an efficient way of using it (and corporate culture that can accept a nontraditional work situation)...

Posted by: Ad absurdum per aspera at March 19, 2015 01:38 PM (4sBqR)

5 If it were California, our host would've been considered within an easy commute range from Chicago. I lived like that for a few years. Unfortunately, it is not California.

Posted by: Pete Zaitcev at March 24, 2015 04:04 PM (RqRa5)

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