[healingme4me]

Had a job interview for a promotion, yesterday. And, I seem to be the leading candidate, due to seniority and my educational background and previous management experience at another employer.

Met with the Director and other managers from the other sites. (this tale may go back and forth chronologically) I left the interview, not dismayed at the chance to work at a new location, nor at the positive responses from the other managers, whom one of which, blurted out, that I was her choice, already, out of the other two candidates. The Business Manager, was even there, and smiling a big smile at me, across the table the whole time.

Since my divorce, and my mom passed away(3 years ago, both within months of each other), I needed to find some sort of employment, and found a position in one of my town's school cafeterias. And, this is an opportunity to take on a management position at another school.

I currently work at the high school. And in February, the director decided to take on, get this, a popcorn machine, and placed it directly at my station. (this detail will lead up to what was said in the interview, that is troubling me). My station is the busiest. Literally, the busiest. I have 1 hour to come in and prep my station, before lunch. This popcorn machine is in addition to all that I have to do.
Working in a kitchen, the equipment and areas, need to be cleaned and sanitized, at the end of every shift, that goes without saying. To get the kettle of the popcorn machine cooled down by the time we stop serving lunch, requires me to stop popping before lunch begins. I have 1 hour to pop 11-12 batches of popcorn, which results in approximately 20 servings of popcorn per batch. Yes, we are talking about approximately 200+ bags of popcorn served daily. To prep the ingredients, takes approximately 1 minute, to three minutes to pop. There, is currently, a solution, in place, that involves two other employees, one to tray and open bags, the other to fill these bags and stick them into an industrial sized warmer. I pop, and place into these big three foot high bags by1.5 feet width, approximately. I get three bags filled daily.
When the director first brought this to my area, and expected that me, and the other woman who worked in my station, to individually bag these, at the request of the students. I wanted to cry the first day. Because, I still had to do all my other tasks, that take about 45 minutes to prep/they removed another project from me, to take this on. Still, I have 45 minutes of other tasks.
Day two, I had my first cutting thought in 23 years. Day three, I wanted to hurt others, but had decided that I really needed to figure out, why this machine, of all things triggered such a dark reaction from me. Someone who hasn't entertained thoughts like this in 23 years. Through my own work through, I was feeling unheard and as if I was being set up to fail, undermined. The popcorn, itself, triggered one painful memory of a date gone sour, I was 13 and the boy instead of sitting next to me at the movies, sat one seat removed from me with popcorn in between...around the same time I developed my first cutting episodes. The 2nd popcorn/movie related date poor memory was when I was 16, about 1 year from my suicide attempt and the boy worked at a movie theatre, my friend that I went to the movies with decided to give him my phone number, took me out for a date and while there, this future citadel boy looks at me and says, Oh so, what would you do, if I just left and left you here. So, with this popcorn machine, came these two memories, and these two bosses of mine, whom I never told this to, nor do I ever plan to tell this to, are telling me, that if I have a problem with this machine, they'll take me off my station and move me to a different location, when all I said was that there wasn't enough time in the day to do this, one person all by herself.

During the interview yesterday, one of the managers mentioned that sometimes, things don't go to plan, sometimes, as in, there will be adversity days, and how would I handle that? In a positive light, I started to bring up, that this machine was brought to my station, and before I could go on, the Director spoke up, and said, wait, about that, seems to me that I was trying to bring something in, to bring in money to the school and it seemed like this was inconveniencing you.

Used the EMDR skills I learned in college, deflected emotion, took a deep breathe and said, yes, I was overwhelmed when that was first brought in. But after 1 week, I incorporated it into my routine, reworked my time management skills and this is running smoothly, the way the system is in place.

She also, brought up, that you have three kids, all in school, right? yes. I expect my managers to show up everyday. ((I'm on track for an excellent in attendance this year))

Anyways, she seemed really negative to me. Why bring that up in front of the other bosses. Who won't be my supervisors, why bring this up there, and not in private? eek gawd.

Not nervous about getting or not getting the job over this. But I seriously wanted to smack her upside the head, and yell and say, don't you get why it seemed like an inconvenience?! Because when something like that brings out a suicidal/cutting thought, yeah, my life is important!!!

Anyways,

I may end up managing the woman that location forced out due to being bi-polar, probable BPD, whom I have no issues with, we've been professional and cordial towards one another, all these years. I just worry about how to keep her motivated to show up everyday, when she hits her own depressive episodes?

Long story, there's been about 50% turnover in that kitchen, and there was a superintendent investigation and subsequent town investigation surrounding this relocated woman. ((From one manager, to others...when turnover is that high....it starts at the top)) just sayin'

[Leed]

Good grief. Sounds like a lot of politics to me.

It sounds to me like you handled it perfectly! You were direct, yet not confrontational; you were respectful yet not "blue-nosing." You handled things just perfect!

They would be nuts if they didn't promote you! That's what I think, and I know I'm right! LOL

I hope you yourself feel good about the interview. You should ~ you really did handle things just great. So sit back and relax, and try not to obsess about it or worry. I think you should get it, but even if you don't I want you to know that you couldn't have done anything any better! If they choose someone else, it's either nepotism, or just plain politics.

God bless and keep us posted, will you? I'd really like to know what happens! Hugs, Lee

[healingme4me]

I should know by Tuesday, Wednesday, at the latest. It's also by seniority. I cannot figure out who the first interviewee was, different worksite, and the one they interview tomorrow, I have a couple years over her. Crossing my fingers, thanks for your words and response. And I will certainly, keep you posted

[healingme4me]

Update: I got the promotion. Cleaned out my area, today, relocating on Thursday, with a Staff Development Training Meeting, tomorrow

[H3rmit]

Originally Posted by healingme4me

Update: I got the promotion. Cleaned out my area, today, relocating on Thursday, with a Staff Development Training Meeting, tomorrow

Congrats!!

[healingme4me]

Before I arrive there, my bi-polar/borderline employee, has now taken a medical leave. She was asked to clean the tables in this kitchen/cafeteria that I am going to manage. The one, she and I worked at together, she would lift smoothie mixes into machines, and had dishes duties the past several school years. She was transferred there, after an investigation, that started as an attendance issue, and then some of the other workers lodged a complaint about her moods, so to speak.
So, I find this most interesting, as she was usually one who claimed no one could take her job away from her, claiming lawsuits against the town I live in.
Interesting turn of events, I went from wondering how to keep her motivated to show up, each shift, to now, realizing, she behaved insubordinate with the management, before I was offered this position. And, just went home, and had a doctor write her a note.
Interesting twist.
Wow, interesting to consider managing her. But, after this, I wonder, if she isn't burning her bridges? Medically unable to wipe down some tables, when for at least three+ years, she'd been doing a lot more manual labor than that.
Dang!!

Thanks for the congrats