Would you have the patience to apply for this job?
September 26, 2002 8:41 AM Subscribe
Would you have the patience to apply for this job? 142 occupational questions. Some are thought-provoking, others need to be unpacked like a philosophical argument (scroll about halfway down the page for the beginning of the occupational questions section). If you want to apply for the archivist position at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library, in Austin, Texas, help yourself.
I know a guy who went through a similar process for a government job.
To get his security clearance, he had to disclose his life for the previous 10 years. His neighbours his parents' neighbours were interviewed.
He had 3 security interviews, he was fingerprinted and photographed.
It took 9 months of "due process".
posted by titboy at 8:53 AM on September 26, 2002
To get his security clearance, he had to disclose his life for the previous 10 years. His neighbours his parents' neighbours were interviewed.
He had 3 security interviews, he was fingerprinted and photographed.
It took 9 months of "due process".
posted by titboy at 8:53 AM on September 26, 2002
No. No, I wouldn't. Not for that salary. Unless I was starving.
I was turned down for a job at Toys-R-Us based on a pschological evaluation test. True story. What was I going to do? Lie to get a job stocking shelves at Toys-R-Us?
My current employer didn't even check my references and I make like a million dollars more than a toy store stock guy.
posted by internook at 8:53 AM on September 26, 2002
I was turned down for a job at Toys-R-Us based on a pschological evaluation test. True story. What was I going to do? Lie to get a job stocking shelves at Toys-R-Us?
My current employer didn't even check my references and I make like a million dollars more than a toy store stock guy.
posted by internook at 8:53 AM on September 26, 2002
And we wonder why the civil service is full of grey people.
posted by hob at 8:57 AM on September 26, 2002
posted by hob at 8:57 AM on September 26, 2002
"Have you successfully done work of an emergency nature that required you to be flexible
about being on call, working for indefinite periods of time, etc. (for example, worked as a
criminal investigator, emergency medical technician, firefighter, etc.)?"
Just in case all of LBJ's archived memos jump off the shelves, run down the stairs, hop into the giant '64 cadillac limo in the lobby, and go screaming onto the UT campus? This library is perhaps the most staid public library experience I have ever had, and I've spent time at the Library of Congress. Austin is a great place to live, and UT is fun to work for if you like screwing around, but this job will a) pay nothing and b) take up to six months to find out if you've gotten it.
posted by pomegranate at 9:30 AM on September 26, 2002
about being on call, working for indefinite periods of time, etc. (for example, worked as a
criminal investigator, emergency medical technician, firefighter, etc.)?"
Just in case all of LBJ's archived memos jump off the shelves, run down the stairs, hop into the giant '64 cadillac limo in the lobby, and go screaming onto the UT campus? This library is perhaps the most staid public library experience I have ever had, and I've spent time at the Library of Congress. Austin is a great place to live, and UT is fun to work for if you like screwing around, but this job will a) pay nothing and b) take up to six months to find out if you've gotten it.
posted by pomegranate at 9:30 AM on September 26, 2002
The best question:
1. Please answer 'A' for this question.
A. A.
posted by rusty at 9:53 AM on September 26, 2002
1. Please answer 'A' for this question.
A. A.
posted by rusty at 9:53 AM on September 26, 2002
My wife had to fill out a 50 page application, plus undergo an RCMP background check as part of her application to become a cook at a casino restaurant. I can understand them taking their security seriously, at least.
A friend of mine applied for a post in the US diplomatic service. Now that was an interesting experience. The FBI did checks on all my friends. They were especially interested in any possible communist affiliations (and this was late 80s, early 90s).
(internook: I failed one of those psych tests at Radio Shack years ago - no respect for authority, apparently. They hired me anyway, and in two months I was a manager. They're complete bullshit if you ask me.)
posted by GhostintheMachine at 9:58 AM on September 26, 2002
A friend of mine applied for a post in the US diplomatic service. Now that was an interesting experience. The FBI did checks on all my friends. They were especially interested in any possible communist affiliations (and this was late 80s, early 90s).
(internook: I failed one of those psych tests at Radio Shack years ago - no respect for authority, apparently. They hired me anyway, and in two months I was a manager. They're complete bullshit if you ask me.)
posted by GhostintheMachine at 9:58 AM on September 26, 2002
I just took the Foreign Service Exam. My "job tract" is administrative. I'd like to get a job pushing papers in an embassy somewhere. Sample question from the exam:
Which of the following is generally considered the most critical drawback to submarine-launched ballistic missiles as a means of creating a stable system of nuclear deterrence?
A. They are particulary vulnerable to attack.
B. Their guidance systems require a continuous update of the missiles' positions.
C. There is a finite size limitation that limits range and payload capactity.
D. There is a possibility of interruption occurring in the communication chain that commands them.
posted by culberjo at 11:10 AM on September 26, 2002
Which of the following is generally considered the most critical drawback to submarine-launched ballistic missiles as a means of creating a stable system of nuclear deterrence?
A. They are particulary vulnerable to attack.
B. Their guidance systems require a continuous update of the missiles' positions.
C. There is a finite size limitation that limits range and payload capactity.
D. There is a possibility of interruption occurring in the communication chain that commands them.
posted by culberjo at 11:10 AM on September 26, 2002
My company was looking to hire some people to do mind-numbing html hand-coding - we came up with a simple test to weed out those people who've only used Frontpage et al. Most people couldn't even code a link.
posted by panopticon at 11:30 AM on September 26, 2002
posted by panopticon at 11:30 AM on September 26, 2002
Screw the archivist, who they should be hiring is a usability dude/tte and a developer to build them a sweet little on-line interface for this. We could whip up a proposal and send it over, real small-scale and affordable for them. What this is is a biz/dev crisertunity!
posted by DenOfSizer at 1:23 PM on September 26, 2002
posted by DenOfSizer at 1:23 PM on September 26, 2002
D. There is a possibility of interruption occurring in the communication chain that commands them.
The fact that it is easy to lose contact with the submarine platform means that the ability of the submarine to respond quickly to an enemy first strike is reduced.
Of course, I just made that up.
posted by djfiander at 1:50 PM on September 26, 2002
The fact that it is easy to lose contact with the submarine platform means that the ability of the submarine to respond quickly to an enemy first strike is reduced.
Of course, I just made that up.
posted by djfiander at 1:50 PM on September 26, 2002
This thing looks like it was written by a Discordian.
posted by Foosnark at 9:53 AM on September 27, 2002
posted by Foosnark at 9:53 AM on September 27, 2002
« Older Electraum | X-treme juggler! Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:48 AM on September 26, 2002