With 20 seconds to spare I parked my 1963 Dodge convertible and ran in the front door of the large office building. A sign to the personnel department directed me up a couple of steps, down a hall and up a slight ramp. The personnel director waved me into his office and asked if I had any questions about the open position. I said no.
And then came his questions.
"Was our grass mowed in front of the building?"
"Did our outside sign have blue letters on white or white letters on blue?"
"Was the flag next to the parking lot at full or half mast?"
I was stunned - since I didn't see any grass and didn't look at their sign. And a flag?
"Was our grass mowed in front of the building?"
"Did our outside sign have blue letters on white or white letters on blue?"
"Was the flag next to the parking lot at full or half mast?"
I was stunned - since I didn't see any grass and didn't look at their sign. And a flag?
He had one more question. "What floor are we on right now?" Now the first three questions were bad enough, but I quickly remembered the steps and ramp and realized I had no idea what floor I was on!
No job offer on this day, but it is interesting that I have never forgotten these questions - more than 50 years since this interview. Even his first question. I quickly learned that you never go into an interview without having done research about the company, which will include prepared questions about the position.
A BORING SUNDAY ON SHADY LANE - Enola Pennsylvania is not an exciting place for a 12 year old on a Sunday afternoon, especially when you live on a street called Shady Lane. When I was alone I spent a lot of time across the street in a field full of high weeds. No one knew about my special hiding place in the middle of the field.
On this Sunday I remembered that a few days before I had buried a can full of treasures. Marbles, miniature cars, a yoyo and matches. I was especially bored so I gathered some weeds and started a small fire. It is amazing how quickly dry weeds and wind make for big flames. It seemed like less than a minute before the fire spread out of control. Attempts at stomping out the fire were futile, so I ran the full length of the field and dove under our neighbor's car. I heard distant sirens, but not for long.
Turns out the neighbor made two quick phone calls after seeing me dive under the car. One call was to 911. And the second call? After a few minutes I saw what looked like my dad's shoes. I was shown the way back to our house and got the talk and the belt. So much for a boring Sunday on Shady Lane.
No job offer on this day, but it is interesting that I have never forgotten these questions - more than 50 years since this interview. Even his first question. I quickly learned that you never go into an interview without having done research about the company, which will include prepared questions about the position.
A BORING SUNDAY ON SHADY LANE - Enola Pennsylvania is not an exciting place for a 12 year old on a Sunday afternoon, especially when you live on a street called Shady Lane. When I was alone I spent a lot of time across the street in a field full of high weeds. No one knew about my special hiding place in the middle of the field.
On this Sunday I remembered that a few days before I had buried a can full of treasures. Marbles, miniature cars, a yoyo and matches. I was especially bored so I gathered some weeds and started a small fire. It is amazing how quickly dry weeds and wind make for big flames. It seemed like less than a minute before the fire spread out of control. Attempts at stomping out the fire were futile, so I ran the full length of the field and dove under our neighbor's car. I heard distant sirens, but not for long.
Turns out the neighbor made two quick phone calls after seeing me dive under the car. One call was to 911. And the second call? After a few minutes I saw what looked like my dad's shoes. I was shown the way back to our house and got the talk and the belt. So much for a boring Sunday on Shady Lane.
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