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The second interview with Parking Control
May. 6th, 2005 02:27 pmWent very well, I believe.
(As an aside, don't you hate it when you just finish writing a long entry, and the computer crashes? Arg.)
Got to the office a little early, which allowed me to listen to the conversations going on around me and read the various notices on the walls. One of the people who interviewed me last time passed by, and congratulated me on making it to round two. There was one other person waiting to be interviewed. Today, i decided to use a little psychological warfare. The (standard) PCO uniform is a light blue shirt with dark blue trousers. So for today's interview, I wore a blue denim dress shirt with blue-black slacks. I wanted them to look at me and think "he belongs here." We'll see if it works.
The actual interview was conversational, with no set script of questions or role-play situations. I sat down with two administrators, very nice ladies the both of them. One was in charge of enforcement in San Jose's sprawling downtown, the other responsible for the PCOs in all the outlying neighborhoods. We got along well, and the entire thing flowed easily. A big point was availability; part-time PCOs cover a variety of shifts and will work weekends and nights. I assured them that I had no problem with such a schedule, and enjoy working nights. We discussed the uniform, and I think I scored big when I told them that I saw the uniform as making me the face of San Jose when I deal with a person, and that I had a responsibility to wear the uniform well both in appearance and in conduct. That got them both scribbling.
What happens now, you ask? I'll hear in a weak or two if they wish to extend a conditional offer of employment. At that point, I'd go back to the PC office for fingerprinting and a background form (no worries at all there, I've got a clean background - I already passed the Foster City Police Department check a few years back) and for an exam by their doctor to see if I can physically do the job. Five years ago, the answer would be no, but today I'm feeling and doing better than I have in over a decade.
Assuming i pass everything, I'll be given a start date. The classroom portion of the training lasts about two weeks (full time), then I spend a few weeks as a supervised PCO, out on the streets doing everything from walking downtown writing citations to riding with Vehicle Abatement to check out and tow abandoned vehicles. After that, I get thrown out on my own. Hours start at 20/week guaranteed. When I asked about advancing to full time after a few years, they laughed and said "years? Try months." "Days." "Minutes!" There is evidently a constant turnover of people advancing, moving on, or retiring, and they fill full-time slots from within. So this could become very lucrative down the road.
I really want this job.
(As an aside, don't you hate it when you just finish writing a long entry, and the computer crashes? Arg.)
Got to the office a little early, which allowed me to listen to the conversations going on around me and read the various notices on the walls. One of the people who interviewed me last time passed by, and congratulated me on making it to round two. There was one other person waiting to be interviewed. Today, i decided to use a little psychological warfare. The (standard) PCO uniform is a light blue shirt with dark blue trousers. So for today's interview, I wore a blue denim dress shirt with blue-black slacks. I wanted them to look at me and think "he belongs here." We'll see if it works.
The actual interview was conversational, with no set script of questions or role-play situations. I sat down with two administrators, very nice ladies the both of them. One was in charge of enforcement in San Jose's sprawling downtown, the other responsible for the PCOs in all the outlying neighborhoods. We got along well, and the entire thing flowed easily. A big point was availability; part-time PCOs cover a variety of shifts and will work weekends and nights. I assured them that I had no problem with such a schedule, and enjoy working nights. We discussed the uniform, and I think I scored big when I told them that I saw the uniform as making me the face of San Jose when I deal with a person, and that I had a responsibility to wear the uniform well both in appearance and in conduct. That got them both scribbling.
What happens now, you ask? I'll hear in a weak or two if they wish to extend a conditional offer of employment. At that point, I'd go back to the PC office for fingerprinting and a background form (no worries at all there, I've got a clean background - I already passed the Foster City Police Department check a few years back) and for an exam by their doctor to see if I can physically do the job. Five years ago, the answer would be no, but today I'm feeling and doing better than I have in over a decade.
Assuming i pass everything, I'll be given a start date. The classroom portion of the training lasts about two weeks (full time), then I spend a few weeks as a supervised PCO, out on the streets doing everything from walking downtown writing citations to riding with Vehicle Abatement to check out and tow abandoned vehicles. After that, I get thrown out on my own. Hours start at 20/week guaranteed. When I asked about advancing to full time after a few years, they laughed and said "years? Try months." "Days." "Minutes!" There is evidently a constant turnover of people advancing, moving on, or retiring, and they fill full-time slots from within. So this could become very lucrative down the road.
I really want this job.
