Job applicants

[Phishfan]

Are any of you in positions where you deal with job applicants? I deal with them almost daily whether I interview them myself or just get their paperwork started. I cannot believe how many come through the door with the fresh smell of weed filling our office. I know we have medical Marijuana and I think over the years my views are well documented but come on guys, don't come for an interview after just smoking one outside my gates. We have CDL drivers and dangerous equipment in our warehouse. If they can't show me they can be interested enough to come in straight I can't trust them to be straight on duty.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

What kinda of jobs?  If minimum wage, then you should not expect anything more than minimum effort.  If you offer a comprehensive benefits package and better wages than your competitors than that is truly odd. 

[Sibster]

What kinda of jobs?  If minimum wage, then you should not expect anything more than minimum effort.  If you offer a comprehensive benefits package and better wages than your competitors than that is truly odd. 

He just said that there are CDL drivers and dangerous equipment involved in his line of work.   That, to me, says the job pays way more than minimum wage.   And when you're driving big rigs or working around dangerous equipment, you can't be under the influence.   

[Spider-Dan]

Honest question: if someone came in absolutely reeking of tobacco smoke - like they just smoked a pack of Marlboro 100s in the car before the interview - would it impact their interview?  (I concede that tobacco and marijuana have different effects.)

[Phishfan]

What kinda of jobs?  If minimum wage, then you should not expect anything more than minimum effort.  If you offer a comprehensive benefits package and better wages than your competitors than that is truly odd. 

Garbage and recycling. Random drug tests are a DOT requirement.

[Phishfan]

Honest question: if someone came in absolutely reeking of tobacco smoke - like they just smoked a pack of Marlboro 100s in the car before the interview - would it impact their interview?  (I concede that tobacco and marijuana have different effects.)

It might somewhat. We have a non-smoking policy in our vehicles and on property. It wouldn't be a sole deciding factor for me but it would be in my head.

[Sibster]

Honest question: if someone came in absolutely reeking of tobacco smoke - like they just smoked a pack of Marlboro 100s in the car before the interview - would it impact their interview?  (I concede that tobacco and marijuana have different effects.)

If you come in reeking of something, you're making a bad impression.   Unless the standards of job interviewing have changed, that's always been the case.

[CF DolFan]

I'm not involved currently but when I was with Seminole County I continuously was hiring. The craziest time "for me" was after the 2008 crash. So many people lost jobs that I had Engineers applying to be Engineering Inspectors. It was so sad. I remember we had 132 applicants for one inspector job. This was before we had a computer program to sort the applications so we had to ourselves. It was nuts.

With that said if all things being equal, I would hire the non smoker over the one who smelled like smoke. If you smoke and I don't smell it, then I wouldn't see it as an issue. My opinion is the public doesn't want to deal with a person who stinks, whether it be smoke, pot, or just in general.

[Dave Gray]

I have interviewed many, many people and never had this happen.  I've had some weird occurrences, but never that.

[CF DolFan]

I have interviewed many, many people and never had this happen.  I've had some weird occurrences, but never that.

When I was younger, my company hired an Arab guy who never washed his clothes. We work in the sun, get dirty, and ride together between projects so he always smelled horrible. He also didn't wear any type of cologne or deodorant. We would constantly call him out but his defense was his clothes were going to get dirty the next day so why wash them or wear different clothes. Crazy. He could definitely afford it so money wasn't the issue ... just his culture from where he came. We finally went to our bosses and they had a sit down with him.

[Dave Gray]

I have worked with some weird people.  I always got along with them, personally, and it takes a lot for me to make someone else's quirks my business.  But I know that HR had to have talks with people for behavior that wasn't specifically problematic, it was just strange.

I worked with this one dude, who I think might have not had a permanent place to live.  I think he had been divorced and was couch surfing / living with parents again / maybe sleeping in his car on some days -- not sure.  And, he was an amateur chef and I think that was his calling.

Anyway, he would go shopping and then cook meals in our office kitchen.  One time he bought a raw steak and cooked it in the office toaster oven.  There's nothing "wrong" with that, per se, but it's just weird behavior and it took up the machine for like 2 hours and made the whole office smell like steak.  That stuff doesn't bother me, but I worked with a bunch of people who were always looking to make other people's business their own business so they complained about it.

[Dave Gray]

Honest question: if someone came in absolutely reeking of tobacco smoke - like they just smoked a pack of Marlboro 100s in the car before the interview - would it impact their interview?

Yes.  I'm not saying that I wouldn't hire that person, but I'm sure I'd make assumptions about their seriousness or presentation towards the position.