BAD NEWS...
I went for the job interview, didn't like anything I heard... Even though the position read for a STORE MANAGER it's actually a "store manager protege" (fancy name for trainee...) and the guy... well he wasn't a jerk, but I just didn't agree with him, ya know? Tried using baseball metaphors to describe an auto service center... I know nothing about baseball (except that it bores the hell outta me.) So though I have already been offered the position, I'm going to decline it out of the best interests of myself AND their company.
GOOD NEWS
Just before heading out for the interview, I got another call from Monroe Muffler & Brake Service, called them as soon as I left the first interview, met the guy in Harrisburg for a GREAT interview - REAL nice guy, down to Earth, has an old '66 Chevelle (not a big Mopar fan, but I won't hold that against him) and
AM SLATED TO START WORK NEXT WEEK! The only reason he has an opening is because he caught a manager stealing money - everyone else has been with the company for years and years. He has 15 stores that he manages, not a single store manager makes LESS than 50 thousand annually. This is a store manager position (not a
trainee) and as long as I pass my background check (no jokes!) I'm IN!!
Funny addition: The Tires Plus manager called me back before noon to offer me the job - asked if I was interested in working for them. I told him I needed 24 hours to make a decision, that I had more interviews scheduled (a lie - I'm just waiting to hear back from Monroe.) He asked who I had interviewed with, and I told him, (I know - big no-no) and he asked if I interviewed with Andy - I did - apparently he knew the guy. He starts kinda him-hawing about how well they have small shops and are a small company (actually they're undergoing huge expansion according to Andy) but "ya know whatever..." He calls me back less than 15 minutes later and leaves me a voice mail (didn't hear the phone) that he was at the local store to me (Camp Hill) and wanted me to call him back - had something to run over with me... I'm thinking if he knows Monroe, and obviously does (they are working to be a retailer for Bridgestone/Firestone, which is who Tires Plus is already a retailer for) then he probably knows how much money they're offering me, and is trying to win me over beforehand. He might offer me more money - Tires Plus was only going to be about 30K annually - but it just reminds me too much of Goodyear, and I really didn't like Goodyear as a company. Their tires were great - 20 years ago - but today they honestly make an inferior product. And I'm telling you that with
EXPERIENCE. Anyways I haven't called him back yet - he played too many mind games with me during the interview and I'm really just not interested in playing more with him before I can comfortably tell him that I'm not taking the job.
Looks like I'm back on track, fellas - I'll keep you posted. Either way, it's nice to actually have OPTIONS...
Jeff
