Cattle Call

National Grid held a Job Fair on Monday, 2-6pm. I worked for their predecessor years ago, when I was fresh out of secretarial school. It was a wonderful company then, and still is; it's one of the biggest employers in these parts.

I was undecided about this, as I knew it would be more of a Cattle Call than a Job Fair. Our region reeled from job eliminations well before the current recession, and there are at least 100 applicants for each job. I figured there would be 300 people, at least, hoping for a shot. However, I tarted-up my resume and cleaned my "nice shoes."

I became No. 60 in line at 1:30pm. The National Grid building is an outstanding example of Art Deco architecture, that I didn't really appreciate way back when, when I worked in the mailroom. We started into the building at 1:50pm -- by then the line stretched around the block.

Through security, register, obtain application, go through to the auditorium which wasn't there during my tenure. This was formerly the bill payment area, and they had left the Art Deco signage. Tiny auditorium swing-up writing platform and lots of paperwork. I juggled my papers and signed okay to everything -- background check, credit check, drug test, cavity search, what the heck? Waited in line to hand in everything, and sat down again until my name was called by HR.

I had an opportunity to see the grim statistics of the recession. There weren't 300 people total -- there were 300 in the auditorium and it was only 2:30pm. Applicants were all ages, but predominantly female. One young couple brought their six-month old baby with them. I had never had to block out the sound of a crying infant before while I filled out a job app. I was overwhelmed, and a bit discouraged -- why even try? But then, I decided that this was my surreal life and to just go with it and enjoy the ride.

An HR woman called my name and led me to a table and chairs set up in the lobby, where I could see the wall of people waiting to check through security. HR asked me about my prior experience with the firm. She asked if I knew the job was at the call center -- and did I care? (Heck no.) She selected me for testing, smiled, shook my hand, and told me to "try to stand out." So I made the first cut!

I exited the building two hours after I had entered, and the line stretched around the block.