Adventures in interview hell...

So come home from vacation find out my job has been eliminated, whatever I'll deal. The only true advantage to working in culinary is that people will always eat so you generally don't lack for work. So after my mom left, I started looking for a new job. I had 2 contacts from my prior job one of which I utilized and the other one actually had a ad up so I replied to that. I hate going to interviews overall they just suck in general. So I go on the first one in the plateau and the guy was a bit of a dick head and he kept staring at my chest the entire time. I don't care if that's what guys do, horribly unprofessional and a total turn off. He just kept saying mmmmmmm the kitchen is really small back there, while staring at my tits. Gee are you trying to tell me something here?

I have to pay rent but this place was a turn off from the get go. Onto job interview #2. Yeah that place was beneath my skill in too many ways. Yeah I know that sounds snotty but its true. I have skills dammit and I will not waste them on some hole in the wall place making clubs, screw that! Went to job interview 3 was nice, I liked it, had a good feeling about this place. Reminded me of my former job I liked that idea. Was told that he (the head Chef) wanted to talk to the owner and what not before committing to hiring me. However I was somewhat left with the impression that I wouldn't start until late August/beginning of September and that would have left me screwed for rent. Whatever I figured I would deal because I just had a good feeling about this place you know!

So onto job interview number 4, didn't feel right, I blew it off figured I was getting my panties in a knot over nothing. Nice place LOOKED classy in the dining room was a good position (executive Chef) money was decent and the like. Got hired on the spot but I still had this bad feeling that stayed with me. I had a few days to ponder this, still had a few interviews to go on. The others are uneventful and not worth mentioning really. I was getting burnt out and I thought screw it, I got hired anyway. I thought YAY I'm going to run a kitchen and it's going to be awesome, my opportunity to shine and be creative blah blah blah...

Yeah I was wrong... SO very WRONG!

This pretty much summed up my first day:

I come in, the owner didn't even remember my name for one thing. That was a little disturbing but I let it go. Then he became a a tad bit of a condescending bastard, again I let it go new jobs are generally like that in *some* kitchens, at least for me. Then he got a little up close and personal while I was trying to work DO NOT WANT! Yeah I know I'm not a size two, don't have a flat butt and yeah my chest enters the room before I do. I accept that for what it is. I get bumped and elbowed all the time, it happens, I'm used to it and doesn't bother me unless it's intentional. I have never had my ass accidentally on purpose fondled so many times during one shift, that's where I draw the line.

Don't get me wrong I'm not a prude but if I wanted to get groped by pervy old guys I would have become a prostitute, the money is better. I just don't feel that's appropriate for work. That's OK though because he was feeling up one of the servers and "SHE" turned out to be a "HE" with a boob job. This makes me laugh to no end. Wonder what he would say if he knew that he was feeling up some girl with a penis.

Thankfully I also got hired at the 3rd place I went to so I told the Chef there that *if* the position hadn't been filled within a few days and he still needed someone then I was all his. I was and am still OK with being a Sous Chef and I had a better feeling about this new place but I committed to starting a new job so I felt obligated to follow through. Thankfully the job was still mine so I gave it a go on Wed, MUCH better. There was several other things about that place that rubbed me the wrong way but I'm not even going to get into those. All I have to say is this: Just because it looks high end and classy in the dining room, doesn't mean that the kitchen where your expensive food comes from has the same appeal. Put it this way *I* didn't feel safe eating there. I'll just let you come to your own conclusions about that.

I will not lower my standards or sell myself short, because I'm good at what I do and I know it. I had one last shift on Tuesday, because I DO need to pay rent. If he touched me again, I would have broken his arm, then maybe he'll learn the meaning of DO NOT WANT! I am NOT going to be someone's squeeze toy. I'm not sorry I left, they didn't deserve any notice, and I had another job lined up so I wasn't worried. New place very much reminds me of my old job except here I have to work lol. I like it though, the staff is really cool. I'll likely never see my pay from that place, that's fine the labor board will love to hear about his escapades I'm sure. I'm thinking I should also get in touch with kitchen nightmares, Ramsey would have a field day in that place. The menu itself isn't bad but the environment it's made in is a whole other story!

Good lord!

The people who live above me are driving me nuts! They're either yelling and screaming until the wee hours of the morning, or stomping around like a herd of elephants because they're pissed at each other for something.

OR: people the know come by and instead of using the intercom like normal people would do, they stand in front of my bedroom window (I'm in the sub basement and their living room is above me) and scream until someone comes to the balcony door!

Do you really need to stand outside and have a conversation with them? Is there some reason why you'll be their friend but not go into their house?
I'm e-mailing my landlord and filing a complaint because this is getting ridiculous beyond all compare. Yet when my mom and aunt were here visiting, someone had the nerve to come to my living room window and tell us to shush! Can't come to my damn door though can you? WTF is wrong with you!

I start my new job today so at least I'll be out of the house and not having to listen to this shit. Work has me kind of freaked out since I haven't seen the menu or the kitchen yet and I'm supposed to be in charge. This is going to be interesting...