Guess what happened to me...
You know I went to that open day for the art teacher franchise thing I was interested in last Saturday? I'm not going to detail everything that happened there, because that would be pointless as you will see. Basically it was about an equal mix of sounding like something good that I might be interested in, and then it all getting a bit corporate-speak and making me feel slightly queasy ("brand values" ugh!). I came out of it thinking it could be something I could revisit and consider properly in a few months, when I know where I'll be living and have access to a car and a decent computer (both of which would obviously be essential to taking up the franchise). However I got an email from the CEO two days later saying that even though they all thought I was "very nice", they felt that the "opportunity wouldn't be suitable for me"! I feel so weird about it. I feel offended and like a bit of a useless bum. Mickey said it was because I was asking non-gogetter questions (haha) but I actually didn't, even though I was thinking them - for example when the various franchisees who were there were talking about flogging art stuff to the mothers at the end of classes I did wonder how important shilling was to their entire income, but I didn't say anything. I did of course ask one of the staff on the phone whether or not it was actually a job or just a little hobby for women with rich husbands a few weeks back. Maybe they held that against me. I suspect what it was though, was when the CEO met me intially, I didn't make good enough eye contact with her. I have the distinct impression of her staring intently at me when we first met, and feeling a bit uncomfortable. I will have made eye contact with her (I always do) but my eyes probaby slid away (furtively, I'm imaging) when she continued to stare intently. Oh well. I suppose I shouldn't feel bad about it. I DON'T want to espouse brand values, or hard sell stuff to people. But I feel like something that could possibly have been an option for a flexible, family friendly career for me has been snatched away unfairly.
It's an odd thing. I was totally not expecting it to be some sort of interview-type affair. I thought I was interviewing them!
Another thing was the place was miles away from the train station, so on top of my train ticket, I had to pay 15 quid for a cab both ways! Actually that may have counted against me as well, not arriving in my own car.
I suppose I could ask the CEO person for detailed feedback on what was wrong, but I don't really want to have her tell me things that will probably make me feel bad about myself so I probably won't bother.
The only good thing about it was that I was out of the house from 6.45 to 16.00, and the baby was fine. It's good to know I can do that.
Siiiigh.
It's an odd thing. I was totally not expecting it to be some sort of interview-type affair. I thought I was interviewing them!
Another thing was the place was miles away from the train station, so on top of my train ticket, I had to pay 15 quid for a cab both ways! Actually that may have counted against me as well, not arriving in my own car.
I suppose I could ask the CEO person for detailed feedback on what was wrong, but I don't really want to have her tell me things that will probably make me feel bad about myself so I probably won't bother.
The only good thing about it was that I was out of the house from 6.45 to 16.00, and the baby was fine. It's good to know I can do that.
Siiiigh.