‘Just don’t expect me to wash my hair for it’.
We were talking on the phone, my sister and me. About my job interview the next morning, of which I wasn’t really sure if it even was a real interview.
I did need to wash my hair. It was getting slightly greasy. But these days I try to keep my hair washing to the bare minimum, with my red dye slowly but steadily fading away.
For any real job, I would have definitely washed my hair. But the woman had already almost given me the job over the phone. And it was not like they even asked for a CV. Even more so, you could not have finished high school and they wouldn’t even be interested in knowing this information. It just didn’t seem like a good waste of the already decreasing number of washings I had left.
We settled for dry shampoo. ‘At least try to put some effort in it.’
And so it was that the next day I biked to the office on my old rusty bike that misses a couple of spokes with an unwashed dress and greasy hair that smelled strongly like dry-shampoo. At least dry shampoo smells nice.
I applied for a side job to deliver mail. This particular job-attempt was the first one of my attempts that received a positive reaction. Getting a side job is my short-term master plan, because I like the idea of eating and having a home. This way I can buy myself some time to figure out what I want and potentially find a truly awesome job.
Anyway, I was received by a friendly woman who explained me everything. The company, the history, the way of working. She had a small flip-over on her desk with laminated papers that explained everything. She read each page out loud. She explained me how much I would earn in cents. Yes, not in euros, in cents. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to laugh uncontrollably about this scale and prospect of slavery or cry. I decided to just nod. She explained that the work wasn’t that difficult: ‘Basically, the only thing you need to be able to do is read’. Check, I think I have that one under control.
Then she came to the part where she explained the rules. I expected some part on privacy/confidentiality here, as mail is mostly private. There was a rule like this. But it wasn’t by any means the best rule. The best rule was this: ‘Do not leave any mail behind in nature or throw mail in waste containers.’ At this point I was laughing uncontrollably. I simply couldn’t believe that this was part of the main explanation procedure. We are talking about your only job being to deliver mail, but instead ignoring that job and throwing everything in the bushes when nobody is watching because you feel like it. The woman stopped and said: ‘No seriously… people actually do this’.
Then she invited me to the yearly BBQ with fellow colleagues in June (who I will never see because this is kind of an individual job) to which I wasn’t really sure how to respond. I was still recovering from the rules. I think I was silent for just too long, because the lady carefully added ‘But if you don’t want to, you don’t have to’.
She explained more until she had explained everything there was to explain. She asked me if I wanted the job. I think she would have asked me that even if I had shown up in jogging pants and two more days of not washing my hair. I said yes.
A moment later, I was on my way back home, accompanied by the continuous noise that my vehicle produces only interrupted by the occasional skip of the chain, thinking to myself: ‘I just hope my bike will hold the weight of the mail-bags.’
Perhaps they should make a rule about that. And then laminate it. And read it out loud…
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22 Comments
Beckie
May 8, 2013 at 00:11
What an interesting job interview experience! It’s a good thing you didn’t waste a wash after all haha. But anyway, I like this job for you. I think you’ll make it interesting since you’re the kind of person who makes everything seem like the best things ever. I can’t wait to read about some of your mail-delivering shenanigans!
P.S. — In reply to your comment on your Queen’s/King’s Day festivities: If only I lived in Denmark! I would have you introduce us! : ]
P.P.S. — I love your little rabbit pet!!
Magical Day Dream
May 8, 2013 at 09:30
Haha if there are worthy adventures during the job I will share them here ;) I live in The Netherlands though; but I would. I love my rabbit too! It was a gift from my boyfriend for my graduation; he remembered that we once were at a market where they were selling these and that I loved them :)
Magical Day Dream
May 8, 2013 at 10:25
Holland/ The Netherlands explained, cause it can be quite confusing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE_IUPInEuc
Beckie
May 13, 2013 at 03:37
Haha, thanks! I don’t know why I said Denmark. Someone has actually corrected me on this before too. Oops. But I will check out this video and hopefully not make this mistake again : ]
And I love that your boyfriend got you the lamp! He knows you well!
floating thru fields
May 8, 2013 at 01:24
well interesting did you like the dry shampoo?
I’m excited that your short term master plan is going well :)
Magical Day Dream
May 8, 2013 at 09:32
Well, I always feel like it doesn’t really work. But then again, I only tried it twice when I should probably have applied it earlier :p The job is still nog enough to cover my expenses, but it is something :)
bekswhoknits
May 8, 2013 at 02:28
Dry shampoo is my friend. Pink washes out even quicker than red does.
My partner does a lot of inductions because he works at a lot of different job sites. Basically every site he has to listen to someone explain ‘the rules’ which amount to ‘do your job properly’.
He had to do one last night which was a video so I got to watch it too (lucky me). It’s all basic common sense and it makes me a little worried that there are people who need this stuff spelled out.
Magical Day Dream
May 8, 2013 at 09:33
whaha I know right? I guess it is good to set out some basic guidelines, but indeed, also slightly worrying that these apparently don’t come natural to people.
Katherine
May 8, 2013 at 03:39
Hahaha! I had a similar-ish experience last summer, when I applied to a shoe store and the manager immediately offered me the assistant manager position. I had and “interview” the next day, and he, the manager, showed up almost 30 minutes late. I ended up turning down the job, since I had some babysitting jobs that would just barely cover my rent.
I hope that delivering mail is fun, and you get exercise, and get to be outside!
Magical Day Dream
May 8, 2013 at 09:35
Haha. Yes, I wish I was in a position to turn down jobs ;) but the economy is really horrible at the moment! I do feel lucky that the weather is getting better and being outside isn’t so bad at all :)
Kyla
May 8, 2013 at 11:36
What an interesting job! I can’t believe people actually throw mail into bushes…but congratulations on the new job :)
Magical Day Dream
May 21, 2013 at 16:45
Thank you!
Brewed Together
May 9, 2013 at 04:24
Sounds like it will be a fun new job. Congrats! And good to know that dry shampoo deal didn’t go to waste! ;) Thanks for sharing! Xo, M&K at brewedtogether.com
Magical Day Dream
May 21, 2013 at 16:45
Haha i know right?
Flo.
May 9, 2013 at 11:20
Made me think of ‘Here’s your sign’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5ZkdHImCuQ
Magical Day Dream
May 21, 2013 at 16:45
Hahaha Can you make me a sign? :D
marietta
May 10, 2013 at 16:28
♥ I love that I spend some minutes reading this! :)
and also think, that you should start writing more stories…illustrated maybe?
Magical Day Dream
May 21, 2013 at 16:46
Yes I have been thinking about that, perhaps I will, because I really do like writing the longer posts as well, besides the more visual ones I usually have
marietta
May 23, 2013 at 22:02
aha :) they would totally make a cool side post-project!
Julia @onlinephduk
May 11, 2013 at 12:50
Wow, what a challenging job you’ve got there. Anyway, congratulations! Worrying about dry hair? Me, too! It’s always been a problem and I’m very tired of it. But I’ve read in an article that the number enemy of hair is heat. Mostly, it is advised to use shampoo or hair care product with UV protection. Ciao!
from Online PhD UK
Magical Day Dream
May 21, 2013 at 16:48
Well, dry hair is not really the problem, and I never use hair straighteners, dryers and there isn’t THAT much sun in The Netherlands, but thanks for the tip anyways ;)
gerrardlarriett
May 18, 2013 at 12:29
Thanks for the post. You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!
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