Another Interesting Applicant

This round of employee hiring is the most interesting one yet, as you can imagine based on the previous two blogs.

A little more background on how the hiring process goes down:

The girls up front pre-screen all the applicants, and the select few that know how to fill out an application, can spell their own name, and don't smell or look like a barnyard animal get called back for a brief interview. During that initial interview, I explain in detail what their job will entail... salary, hours, duties, benefits, etc.

Those that I interview that seem like they might be a good candidate for the job get called back for a working interview, where they come in and spend an hour or so with us, meet everyone, and see how things operate. More than a few back out at this point, once we put them to work during the working interview, and they realize they are not up to cleaning up dog feces on their hands and knees. Those that appear reliable, hard-working, motivated and friendly get a background check, a few calls to their references, and then they are hired.

Well, last week we had Pete in for a working interview. He had made it through the vigorous pre-screening process and seemed like a good guy during our initial interview. I had explained the position to him, and he mentioned that he was considering going to vet school some day. he said he loved animals, grew up with tons of dogs, cats, horses, etc and was really excited about this opportunity. He was friendly enough, and seemed unlikely to be a gang member, drug user, or thief...so he made the cut.

When he arrived, I immediately put him with Jennifer, our current kennel assistant. I told her to put him to work. Well, she tried to do just that...but he would not get within 5 feet of any of the dogs. He was obviously deathly afraid of every dog in the kennel, from the 5 lb Yorkie to the 50 lb pit bull. He would not even go near the cage until Jennifer had already walked the dog outside. Then he was eager to jump in and clean. She asked Pete if he was afraid of dogs. He went on to explain to her how his mother had been killed by a pack of stray dogs, right in front of him, when he was a child. That, he said, was why he was "a little apprehensive" about dogs he didn't know.

If that story is true, I can't say I blame him. But why on God's Green Earth would you apply for a job in a vet clinic, where your entire job description involves handling dogs, when you are deathly afraid of dogs?

After an hour or so, I told him he was free to go, and asked him what he thought. He went on and on about how excited he was about the job and how it seemed like the perfect job for him. He would be anxiously awaiting my call, he said.

After he left, I asked Jennifer how he did, and she recounted everything to me. He had not gotten near one dog, let alone taken any of them outside. But on the upside, he was a hell of a cage cleaner. Of course he never mentioned his mother's gruesome death or his "apprehensiveness" to me. I guess he thought I would never find out that he had a severe case of dog-phobia.

That is why I do working interviews before I hire anyone. So, I still haven't found anyone worthy of this esteemed position. I will keep you updated. I can't wait to see what insane job-seekers tomorrow brings.