This written in 2018.
A young presentable lady walks into my Gallery, not browsing, but straight towards me. I stand up and ask “Hello, may I help you?”
Her: “I was wondering if you guys have any vacancies”
Me: “Unfortunately not” (with smile)
Her: “So you guys do not have any vacancies?”
Me: “There are no guys here, I am the owner and there are no vacancies” (with a smile)
Her: ”Oh” and leaves
I shook my head and carried on with my day, but after a few minutes I wished I had stopped her, I have time today……..
Clearly, she is looking for employment, or she is a stranger randomly asking me if there are any vacancies……. I think it is the former.
This is what I should have said:
I would have asked her to remove her earbud connected to some gadget from her ear.
I would have asked her to greet me, a simple Hello would have done.
I would have asked her for her name and introduced myself.
I still would have confirmed that there were no guys here!
I should have asked her why she wanted to know if there were vacancies and if it was because she was looking for a job, I might have engaged further asking if it was a career, a job or a temporary opportunity she was after. I would have asked her if she knew the nature of my business, what experience did she have with Gallery work and why did she feel she was qualified, what could she offer to enhance my business.
If she hopes someone may pay her hard-earned after-tax money, she should have something to offer in return, merely being alive, does not qualify.
If she takes the trouble to walk the streets of a large city, she should have practiced first. She should have connected her earbud to the Internet – Google or You Tube and searched for – “how to apply for employment”, “how to present oneself when applying for employment” “what do I need to know when looking for work/ job” – there must be a ‘million’ ways to learn.
But do not walk into my space, that has taken 40 years of my life (a life, which literally includes, blood, sweat and many tears), my savings, the sum of all my experiences, the near loss of my sanity, my near bankruptcy and my thousands of hours learning how to own, manage and run a small business and ask me if “you guys have any vacancies”
I should have helped her. I could have helped her. I wished I could have helped her.
Or maybe not.
© Chapter Six
Chapter Six 