| THIS IS A READ-ONLY ARCHIVE FROM THE SORABJI.COM MESSAGE BOARDS (1995-2016). |
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I got there and filled out the paperwork, and they put me in an office with the lady who called me. She went over the next step of the hiring process. There is an orientation today, that is supposed to explain everything and answer all questions and then a private meeting with the "Hiring Manager". You need to become bonded. There is a drug screening. (These things sounded normal to me). They also require some genetic testing and DNA stuff (I am not clear on what that is because it doesn't sound like testing but rather they have your DNA samples on file) and they require all of your car and car insurance information (and this is not a service where you are driving them anywhere). I left with my high on working with seniors gone, not because I didn't get the job, because I did very well and it looks like that is in the bag, it should be offered to me this afternoon. I felt very uncomfortable. I don't really know how to describe the feeling to most of you, but maybe some parents would understand. It was like the feeling when you are at the pool and your gut tells you something is wrong and the next thing you know your baby jumped in the six foot section of the pool and went under and you know that child can't swim. That is the closest I can describe to the feeling I had. The building itself was old, but looked in very good repair, but the office was BEAT UP. It looked like no one had done anything to the place is 30 years. The people in the office were friendly but none of them looked even slightly professional. All of them were poorly dressed (not in quality of clothes but rather care of them). Nice clothes all wrinkled and just in poor condition. No cosmetics, or anything, poorly groomed all around. Their copy machine wasn't working and it was easy to fix but they didn't have the supplies to do it and no one was going to spend $3 of their own money at Wal-Mart to get what was needed. And what is this genetic testing and DNA stuff all about? This really made me nervous. I don't understand any of it. Our job duties would be things like helping an elderly person in a walker move about, maybe help them getting dressed, cook meals, housekeeping, things like that. Helping them do what they could and then doing what they are unable to for them. Just help them. I can understand being bonded, or checking backgrounds for police records (they even had a whole page of questions about past traffic tickets and shit like that) or drug screenings. But this genetic testing and DNA shit doesn't make any sense to me at all. I know there are some of you out there who work in the medical field or know something of elderly care. I would appreciate your thoughts on this. It just seems weird to me. |
but i do know the feeling. the feeling means stay away, $6 is not worth creepiness. trust your instincts starting with you 'got a call from THEM' |
I don't want you working for them, they already freak me out. Anyone who starts talking about dna samples/genetics testing etc on the very first interview scares me. We don't need the 6 dollars an hour that badly |
RUN AWAY from these people. Your gut is right. I used to be in the national security community and even when I applied to the CIA, they never took DNA samples, for fuck's sake. I wouldn't let anyone do these things to me for $60/hour, much less putting up with the stress of elder care for $6/hour. I don't know what things are like in your area, but here, McDonald's pays more than that to start, and raises come quickly if you stick around more than two weeks, speak reasonable English, and are more competent than your average lobotomized bear. |
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I left. WTF ever. The hiring manager was too damned stupid to comprehend what was in the applications she was giving out. Give me a fucking break. On top of that I would have to go through two more condescending training classes before I got into the real training. Most of the patients/clients are suffering from dimensia, and I am expected to feed the entire family and clean for the entire family and take them to the doctor's appointments and drive way out to fucking Buerne which is halfway to Austin on a daily basis. Fuck that for $6 an hour. |
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I hear airports are always looking for people to wave those light sticks around and guide planes. |
a shame too, they actually cut their own fries. I do believe that I have heard rumors going around about the dna testing thing. Employers will be handling it like a drug test. There are lobiests fighting it, because they feel the employer will use the tests to screen for health problems that could either cost the company's health insurance company or for the employer. I still say the thing sounds wrong |
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If you'ld like to do that sort of thing you can come to Maryland and take care of my wife. We can't pay you. But, she does not suffer from dimentia. Just MS. |
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yeah really. sounds more like you're about to get set up to take the fall for someone else's felony than get a job. do what daniel says: run. |
After talking to a friend of mine who did this for about 5 years I discovered that since it is a "non-medical" company the families of these elderly are paying for this out of their own pockets and are paying at least $12 per hour. I don't believe in ripping off the families and more than a 50% mark up is just that. I could just see it now. "Hi, I am Eri, your mothers new caregiver during the afternoon. Here is your jar of Vaseline because you are getting screwed." Working at an airport.....ha ha ha. But seriously, they wouldn't be able to give me the hours I need, since Hayley starts summer school on Wednesday. It fucks up my whole day. With her schedule I can only work from 2-6. We'll see what happens this fall. Maybe I will get a job as a Vegas showgirl........ |
This is not good at work. I'll have to check in later when I'm home. |
it's not that unusual. |
the actual cost of an employee is probably 1.5 to 2 times their salary/wage. when you factor in all the costs the profit margin is likely not 50%. |
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