This review isn't necessarily about this companies work ethic, but it is a remark nonetheless.
I recently interviewed for a Management position with Firestone. I would first like to thank the company for the opportunity to interview for the position. I made sure to wait to post this to make sure that I was definitely not in the running for this position. I am sure there are other more qualified candidates for the position than myself and I can accept that. However, this letter if to address my concern about how the was conducted.
My first interview with the company was on December 6th of this past year with a gentleman named TJ (I forget the last name). We discussed my qualifications and it was enough to garner me another interview. As he asked I visited a location near where I live in Rochester, NY (about an hour from the district headquarters). I discussed the job and its demands with the manager and still felt that I could do the tasks the position needed. Therefore when offered a second interview I accepted. I was also asked to take an on-line questionnaire (on a personal note, I think that these questionnaires do not do a person justice without the ability to explain some of the selections made.).
I drove all the way back to the district office the next week to interview again with the regional manager J.R. Kitchel. Upon showing up I was not greeted with any more gusto than sheer disdain. The interviewers (there was another man named Mike there as well) were completely unprepared for the interview. I am accustomed to an interviewer needing to do minor refreshing of my resume during the interview, not take minutes to stare at the one page not saying anything. After finally finishing my resume he began grilling me on about why I chose my field of study in college for which I have a Bachelors and Masters degree. I explained that it was something that interested me, but as I was unable to find work in that field I took to management, which I have been quite successful with in my current job. He kept asking why I decided on that field, not really accepting any answer I gave. Honestly it's paramount to asking why a mechanic decided to choose that job, or why someone wanted to be a musician or anything else for that matter. He then proceeded to tell me that"Teachers don't generally work out in this company," though he slightly retracted the statement by saying that my choice of degree didn't necessarily disqualify me. Though that does sound to me like discrimination.
After this he asked me how much a store manager makes at my current company. I told him what they make, which caused him to raise an eyebrow. He then asked me what one of his store managers make. I guessed $50,000 to which he hiked a thumb up in the air, "No, higher". SO I guessed $75,000, to which he did the same. So I guessed $100,000, he could have saved a lot of time and making himself look overly arrogant by saying $85,000. He then tasked why I thought there was such a disparity in salary. I replied that the overhead for my place of business is different. I work in rentals, where we have to clean and repair the rental items. No one rents a muffler or exhaust manifold from Firestone. Not only do they charge for the part, but a premium for putting them on or in a car, something no rental company can do. So yeah that would be why there is the difference. Not according to him though, he told me that wasn't the case and proceeded to put his hands far apart saying, "The skill set for your job is like this" he then made a small circle with one hand, "This is the skill set for one of my managers." Evidently according to this man, any idiot can do my job, which he has never even seen and knows nothing about it. I defy him to go to one of my companies locations on May 16th, and tell me any employee, part time or not is not as qualified as one of his managers.
It is disconcerting that a person with this demeanor is in charge of a district, because if he is in charge like minded people will work under him. I have been part of bad interviews before, and I have been part of why they were bad, but this is on another level. Even if I had been offered the job I would have turned it down because I know I would be looked down upon by your company. I can honestly say I will warn people about your company and tell people not to be your customers because if you have people in charge that are like that employees will follow suit and they might just treat customers poorly because of perceived issues they might have with them.
Again, I would like to thank your company for the opportunity and wish you the best of luck in your future. read more
