Trivial things that annoy you

conorhal

eisenberg1 wrote: »

A couple of years back, I was involved in an interview, when the candidate was asked if the had any questions in relation to the position, she asked "How long do you have to be here before you can go sick and how long do you get for lunch hour"

Between that and Czarcasm's post, I suspect sombody's using the 'Spud from Trainspotting' method of 'fukking it up good and propper', after all, my leasure is your pleasure!

Lucena

Czarcasm wrote: »

I'm really, and I mean, REALLY, starting to wonder about people. I just received a cover letter and attached CV by e-mail (snipped out the irrelevant bits, underlined the relevant bits):

Do you think they were doing a Spud from Trainspotting on it? Were just lazy? Or genuinely didn't have a clue? (Serious question)

Where I work, I’ve had people in on work experience (generally 18 or 19) who were fairly clueless, making mistakes that seem obvious (playing with their mobile in an important meeting for example) but that they genuinely didn’t know/hadn’t fully integrated.

The worst example I ever had was someone who rang up looking for a work experience placement, with a sob story (probably true) about how he had had to stop his placement in a tropical country due to disease/illness, and now needed a placement here to be able to continue his studies. Felt sorry for the guy, so asked him to come in to the office on the Friday at 4 o’clock.

Four o’clock came and went and no sign of the guy. He eventually turned up at 4:45, came in, sat down, no word of an apology for being late. This put me in a bad mood, as I’d just spent three-quarters of an hour doing nothing (can’t really dig into anything serious when someone’s about to turn up) and I’d stayed late for this guy.
He launches into a big spiel about his disease and the fact that he was in the **** and he really needed the placement. Not a word about his skills,experience and motivation.

So we (another colleague was present) started asking him a few questions about his experience and knowledge of invasive plant species on riverbanks, which he would be working on identifying and mapping. His knowledge wasn’t great, but that wasn’t a problem, as he would be here to learn. When we asked him if he’d be able to cover X kms of river in two months, he said that wouldn’t be a problem, he’d use his canoe. The only problem was, the river in question has dozens of weirs and very low water flow during the summer, so using a canoe would be impossible.

This information was just a Google away, so it was obvious the guy had made zero effort to do any research, making turning him down one of the easiest decisions I’d ever made. It’s one thing not knowing stuff, we all had to start somewhere, but people not even making the tiniest of efforts, and being disrespectful (being late without apologizing) makes me want to *facepalm*

humbert

Lucena wrote: »

Do you think they were doing a Spud from Trainspotting on it? Were just lazy? Or genuinely didn't have a clue? (Serious question)

Where I work, I’ve had people in on work experience (generally 18 or 19) who were fairly clueless, making mistakes that seem obvious (playing with their mobile in an important meeting for example) but that they genuinely didn’t know/hadn’t fully integrated.

The worst example I ever had was someone who rang up looking for a work experience placement, with a sob story (probably true) about how he had had to stop his placement in a tropical country due to disease/illness, and now needed a placement here to be able to continue his studies. Felt sorry for the guy, so asked him to come in to the office on the Friday at 4 o’clock.

Four o’clock came and went and no sign of the guy. He eventually turned up at 4:45, came in, sat down, no word of an apology for being late. This put me in a bad mood, as I’d just spent three-quarters of an hour doing nothing (can’t really dig into anything serious when someone’s about to turn up) and I’d stayed late for this guy.
He launches into a big spiel about his disease and the fact that he was in the **** and he really needed the placement. Not a word about his skills,experience and motivation.

So we (another colleague was present) started asking him a few questions about his experience and knowledge of invasive plant species on riverbanks, which he would be working on identifying and mapping. His knowledge wasn’t great, but that wasn’t a problem, as he would be here to learn. When we asked him if he’d be able to cover X kms of river in two months, he said that wouldn’t be a problem, he’d use his canoe. The only problem was, the river in question has dozens of weirs and very low water flow during the summer, so using a canoe would be impossible.

This information was just a Google away, so it was obvious the guy had made zero effort to do any research, making turning him down one of the easiest decisions I’d ever made. It’s one thing not knowing stuff, we all had to start somewhere, but people not even making the tiniest of efforts, and being disrespectful (being late without apologizing) makes me want to *facepalm*

Maybe it's just me but that story doesn't translate well. You didn't mind him having a poor knowledge of the subject, were willing to tolerate him being 45 mins late but not having at intimate knowledge of some particular stretch of river was a deal-breaker. A problem that could have been overcome with a sentence like, "actually that stretch of river has weirs, got an alternative method?".

Maybe he was a fantastic canoeist looking for a bit of a challenge.

Lucena

humbert wrote: »

Maybe it's just me but that story doesn't translate well. You didn't mind him having a poor knowledge of the subject, were willing to tolerate him being 45 mins late but not having at intimate knowledge of some particular stretch of river was a deal-breaker. A problem that could have been overcome with a sentence like, "actually that stretch of river has weirs, got an alternative method?".

Maybe he was a fantastic canoeist looking for a bit of a challenge.

Wasn't really willing to tolerate 45 mins late, but the guy was in and had sat down. I was expecting an apology, but it was too late at that stage, I wasn't going to just throw him out.

In my line of work, it's important to have an idea of the kind of river you'll be working on (rural, urban, a mix of both) and the kind of problems you'll be dealing with (industrial pollution, agricultural pollution, erosion, pesticides, nitrates, invasives) If the guy had been really interested, he'd have looked this stuff up, out of pure interest. The fact that he didn't showed he wasn't really interested, and I didn't fancy the idea of spending two months with someone with no "get up and go" about them.

There were a few other indicators that pointed to him being a lazy so-and-so, but I can't really remember them now.

MurdyWurdy

Czarcasm wrote: »

I'm really, and I mean, REALLY, starting to wonder about people. I just received a cover letter and attached CV by e-mail (snipped out the irrelevant bits, underlined the relevant bits):

Shocking! that's also exactly the type of person who will bitch about the recession and there being "no jobs" and how they've applied for "everything"

Czarcasm

Lucena wrote: »

Do you think they were doing a Spud from Trainspotting on it? Were just lazy? Or genuinely didn't have a clue? (Serious question)

Where I work, I’ve had people in on work experience (generally 18 or 19) who were fairly clueless, making mistakes that seem obvious (playing with their mobile in an important meeting for example) but that they genuinely didn’t know/hadn’t fully integrated.

Sorry I'm only getting back to this now Lucena but to answer your question- I really, really don't know. It's absolutely inexcusable that a person with a third level education, an honors degree no less, would write so poorly. It's drilled into every student from secondary level up - make sure there are no careless spelling errors on your CV.

Speaking of young people on work experience, I'll give you an example of the kind of dedication and commitment that IS out there (I've been looking for a PA to work with me for two years now!) -


I was in the middle of reviewing those CVs I'd got in (Note to future applicants - If you send me a link to your CV online, lock down the rest of your shìt so I'm not subjected to what "mad weekends you get up to". I shouldn't even have to go chasing your CV in the first place!), when I got a call from my son's school that he'd taken a tumble in the yard.

Now I knew I'd a meeting in the college opposite his school so I was due out there anyway, just that I'd have picked him up from school after the meeting. So I met him at the school and was going to take him home but he insisted on coming to the meeting with me (He'd sat in on meetings during the Summer holidays and taken notes).

We met my wife after the meeting and she insisted on taking him out to the hospital to have his arm looked at. It turns out he's broken the two bones in his wrist! He sat in the meeting with me today taking notes with a broken wrist!

He's eight years of age, and has never brought home his spelling copy with a mistake in it yet. His homework is neat and legible (truth be told his handwriting is better than my own!), and he's able to get around Outlook and organise all my meeting schedules, appointments and agenda. He's having to stay overnight here in the hospital for surgery in the morning, and what was his biggest concern?

"Did you bring in my tablet so I could work on some ideas for your presentation next week?"


I only wish I could find a PA over the age of 18 with that sort of commitment and dedication (sans broken wrist obviously, my wife says she could never work with me as I'm an unconscionable bastard, but I'm not THAT bad :pac:).

MurdyWurdy

Czarcasm wrote: »

Sorry I'm only getting back to this now Lucena but to answer your question- I really, really don't know. It's absolutely inexcusable that a person with a third level education, an honors degree no less, would write so poorly. It's drilled into every student from secondary level up - make sure there are no careless spelling errors on your CV.

Speaking of young people on work experience, I'll give you an example of the kind of dedication and commitment that IS out there (I've been looking for a PA to work with me for two years now!) -


I was in the middle of reviewing those CVs I'd got in (Note to future applicants - If you send me a link to your CV online, lock down the rest of your shìt so I'm not subjected to what "mad weekends you get up to". I shouldn't even have to go chasing your CV in the first place!), when I got a call from my son's school that he'd taken a tumble in the yard.

Now I knew I'd a meeting in the college opposite his school so I was due out there anyway, just that I'd have picked him up from school after the meeting. So I met him at the school and was going to take him home but he insisted on coming to the meeting with me (He'd sat in on meetings during the Summer holidays and taken notes).

We met my wife after the meeting and she insisted on taking him out to the hospital to have his arm looked at. It turns out he's broken the two bones in his wrist! He sat in the meeting with me today taking notes with a broken wrist!

He's eight years of age, and has never brought home his spelling copy with a mistake in it yet. His homework is neat and legible (truth be told his handwriting is better than my own!), and he's able to get around Outlook and organise all my meeting schedules, appointments and agenda. He's having to stay overnight here in the hospital for surgery in the morning, and what was his biggest concern?

"Did you bring in my tablet so I could work on some ideas for your presentation next week?"


I only wish I could find a PA over the age of 18 with that sort of commitment and dedication (sans broken wrist obviously, my wife says she could never work with me as I'm an unconscionable bastard, but I'm not THAT bad :pac:).

I worked as a PA until having a baby recently - I bet I could sort you out!

I am the baby's PA now though and he's a pretty demanding boss

Lucena

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

I worked as a PA until having a baby recently - I bet I could sort you out!

I am the baby's PA now though and he's a pretty demanding boss

I'd say the hours are a bitch, as well!

MurdyWurdy

Lucena wrote: »

I'd say the hours are a bitch, as well!

Yep, definitely

Ted_YNWA

rewards are high though

MurdyWurdy

Ted_YNWA wrote: »

rewards are high though

Also true - there is also a lot more contact with bodily fluids than a normal PA though.

Czarcasm - are you looking for a PA you can puke, wee and poo on?

eisenberg1

Lucena wrote: »

Wasn't really willing to tolerate 45 mins late, but the guy was in and had sat down. I was expecting an apology, but it was too late at that stage, I wasn't going to just throw him out.



There were a few other indicators that pointed to him being a lazy so-and-so, but I can't really remember them now.

Did he ask if a company canoe was one of the perks?

Lucena

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

Also true - there is also a lot more contact with bodily fluids than a normal PA though.

So you're saying you have to take a lot of sh1t from your boss?!:P

mikemac1

The neighbour gets a lift to work

His buddy drives into the estate and blows on the horn for aaaaaaages. Every single day

How about getting your lazy ass out of the car and ringing the doorbell like a normal person?

One day a parent with a sleeping child is going outside to murder him, proper order!

Lucena

eisenberg1 wrote: »

Did he ask if a company canoe was one of the perks?

No, he was probably too lazy to bother.

Mickey H

Piss on the toilet seat. :mad:

Lucena

People who post videos of lads making sh1te of themselves (falling headfirst into a wall, slipping off a skateboard and banging their nuts on the handrail etc). I don't see the attraction in watching people being hurt.

Mickey H

Lucena wrote: »

People who post videos of lads making sh1te of themselves (falling headfirst into a wall, slipping off a skateboard and banging their nuts on the handrail etc). I don't see the attraction in watching people being hurt.

Other people's misfortune is funny when skateboards and Youtube are involved.

Czarcasm

MurdyWurdy wrote: »

Also true - there is also a lot more contact with bodily fluids than a normal PA though.

Czarcasm - are you looking for a PA you can puke, wee and poo on?

You're not far off Murdy (as scary as that sounds :pac:), but what I want is someone I can completely hand over my life to almost, someone who actually IS there 24/7, doesn't turn off the phone at 5 o clock, follows me like my shadow and stops just shy of accompanying me to the toilet. That much I CAN manage myself... just about! :pac:

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Quandary

When opening a new carton of milk and the little white plastic piece breaks as you try to pull open the seal :mad:

Toasters that don't fit a standard slice of bread inserted on its longer edge. Seriously, what is that about? :mad:

And finally...

There is a local shop very close to me where I occasionally by a sandwich/roll/wrap from the deli. My order is always the same and not complicated.

Little bit of butter or mayo, chicken stuffing mix, little bit of onion and sweetcorn.

80% of the time I get served by decent friendly staff who manage to make a tidy, nicely cut sandwich/wrap/roll that doesn't spill or tear. They understand what the word little means.

However, the other 20% of the time this auld grumpy cow asks me for my order. She sprays mayo all over the shop. She mashes clumps of red onion into the sandwich despite me clearly saying just a tiny/little bit; and if its a wrap I order, she isn't arsed folding it properly, sometimes tears the tortilla, the fillings falls out and you have to eat it with a fcuking fork :mad:

To really rub salt into the wound, I always greet her with a friendly smile and hello and politely ask for my order, but in return I get a sour faced non acknowledgement along with an almost reluctance to make what I ask.

The first two times this happened I thought to myself, maybe she's having a bad day or has a lot on her mind. I've been going there for 3 years and she has always been the same so I can only assume one of two things must be the case.

1- she doesn't want to work there and is taking her gripes out on the customers
Or
2- she is grossly incompetent

It has gotten to the stage where if I see she will be serving me I just go elsewhere and the shop loses my business.

OldNotWIse

Quandary wrote: »

When opening a new carton of milk and the little white plastic piece breaks as you try to pull open the seal :mad:

Toasters that don't fit a standard slice of bread inserted on its longer edge. Seriously, what is that about? :mad:

And finally...

There is a local shop very close to me where I occasionally by a sandwich/roll/wrap from the deli. My order is always the same and not complicated.

Little bit of butter or mayo, chicken stuffing mix, little bit of onion and sweetcorn.

80% of the time I get served by decent friendly staff who manage to make a tidy, nicely cut sandwich/wrap/roll that doesn't spill or tear. They understand what the word little means.

However, the other 20% of the time this auld grumpy cow asks me for my order. She sprays mayo all over the shop. She mashes clumps of red onion into the sandwich despite me clearly saying just a tiny/little bit; and if its a wrap I order, she isn't arsed folding it properly, sometimes tears the tortilla, the fillings falls out and you have to eat it with a fcuking fork :mad:

To really rub salt into the wound, I always greet her with a friendly smile and hello and politely ask for my order, but in return I get a sour faced non acknowledgement along with an almost reluctance to make what I ask.

The first two times this happened I thought to myself, maybe she's having a bad day or has a lot on her mind. I've been going there for 3 years and she has always been the same so I can only assume one of two things must be the case.

1- she doesn't want to work there and is taking her gripes out on the customers
Or
2- she is grossly incompetent

It has gotten to the stage where if I see she will be serving me I just go elsewhere and the shop loses my business.

People who think a shop will collapse if they lose a customer's business :P Joking! I hear you on the wrap - I sometimes get one in a nearby deli and it drives me mad when the filling falls out the end! :mad:

OldNotWIse

Czarcasm wrote: »

You're not far off Murdy (as scary as that sounds :pac:), but what I want is someone I can completely hand over my life to almost, someone who actually IS there 24/7, doesn't turn off the phone at 5 o clock, follows me like my shadow and stops just shy of accompanying me to the toilet. That much I CAN manage myself... just about! :pac:

buyanirishmammy.com?

:P

OhHiMark

Czarcasm wrote: »

Sorry I'm only getting back to this now Lucena but to answer your question- I really, really don't know. It's absolutely inexcusable that a person with a third level education, an honors degree no less, would write so poorly. It's drilled into every student from secondary level up - make sure there are no careless spelling errors on your CV.

Speaking of young people on work experience, I'll give you an example of the kind of dedication and commitment that IS out there (I've been looking for a PA to work with me for two years now!) -


I was in the middle of reviewing those CVs I'd got in (Note to future applicants - If you send me a link to your CV online, lock down the rest of your shìt so I'm not subjected to what "mad weekends you get up to". I shouldn't even have to go chasing your CV in the first place!), when I got a call from my son's school that he'd taken a tumble in the yard.

Now I knew I'd a meeting in the college opposite his school so I was due out there anyway, just that I'd have picked him up from school after the meeting. So I met him at the school and was going to take him home but he insisted on coming to the meeting with me (He'd sat in on meetings during the Summer holidays and taken notes).

We met my wife after the meeting and she insisted on taking him out to the hospital to have his arm looked at. It turns out he's broken the two bones in his wrist! He sat in the meeting with me today taking notes with a broken wrist!

He's eight years of age, and has never brought home his spelling copy with a mistake in it yet. His homework is neat and legible (truth be told his handwriting is better than my own!), and he's able to get around Outlook and organise all my meeting schedules, appointments and agenda. He's having to stay overnight here in the hospital for surgery in the morning, and what was his biggest concern?

"Did you bring in my tablet so I could work on some ideas for your presentation next week?"


I only wish I could find a PA over the age of 18 with that sort of commitment and dedication (sans broken wrist obviously, my wife says she could never work with me as I'm an unconscionable bastard, but I'm not THAT bad :pac:).

He's 8 years old, that's not right. He should want to be out playing with friends.

runawaybishop

Off topic posts annoy me.

chopper6

I hate people who wear sunglasses when it's not sunny...they can usually also be seen holding a cup of coffee in one hand and thier phone in the other...rendering them deaf *and* blind with associated crashing into people.

NegativeCreep

chopper6 wrote: »

I hate people who wear sunglasses when it's not sunny...they can usually also be seen holding a cup of coffee in one hand and thier phone in the other...rendering them deaf *and* blind with associated crashing into people.

I do it when I'm hungover, especially if I'm heading into college. Helps deal with the headache

saltyjack silverblade

chopper6 wrote: »

I hate people who wear sunglasses when it's not sunny...they can usually also be seen holding a cup of coffee in one hand and thier phone in the other...rendering them deaf *and* blind with associated crashing into people.

Mine are prescription and I sometimes forget to take them off when I get out of the car.

As for the coffee, every person who walks around with a coffee in their hand is annoying. Or those travel mugs to show that they just drink so much coffee that they invested in a special container for it.

thecatspjs

NegativeCreep wrote: »

I do it when I'm hungover, especially if I'm heading into college. Helps deal with the headache

Well la dee dah. That is the middle aged house wife solution. If you want act like a man at night, be prepared to act like a man in the morning. The suffering makes you stronger, and you don't look ridiculous.

Back OT:
I'm back in college for my final year next week, so I dread the busy months of September and October before half the first years drop out. It reminds me of when I began and people gave out about the lecturers. They reckon they should be spoon fed any information they need.

It really gets me when people say they should be taught how to ''think independently'' or some such tripe in college, instead of learning material for exams. You have to help yourself you jackass.

Kenpo

The lad beside me in work who goes 'hmmmmmm' just before he asks me a question!