Waiting for the Railroad

I went in for a group then very short individual interview for the railroad today. It started early with a personality profile 206 questions. The guy next to me, nice enough, took a very long while to finish his. I was one of the last people in the room and the second one to finish the test. Oi!
The speaker talked about the job -- the insane hours (12 hour shifts sometimes) and the flat rate pay of $100 daily, during training. He then mentioned that there was random drug testing and so, if you test positive, you're fired. After the first break, 1/3 left gracefully, not needing to explain themselves. They then administered a basic skills test -- 15 mintues. Not everyone finished this test. He then spoke again and gave everyone 90 minutes for lunch/brunch.

I walked around the hotel and found that it was simply huge! I returned at the right time, but the speakers / interviewers weren't ready on time. The group of us waited yet longer and got in around 12:40. At this time, they had selected a smaller number from those who remained. I expected to be cut, but was chosen in this second group. Sadly, the people cut had been there since 8:00 and spent half a day there for a quick dismissal with no explanations.

I waited yet longer and asked the quick, brief and typical interview questions. I don't think I made a great impression on them and won't be surprised if they don't call me. They did note that were they to offer the training to me, that they would call in 48 hours. Well, then that's something, isn't it.

I overheard a few of the people applying there, "worked at Allen County Jail for a year", "served in Marines" and other short stories. I'm not sure why the one guy wanted the job, for he got paid well at his present job and got 4 weeks vacation annually. I just don't get that.

In wandering, for there weren't enough seats in the lobby, where we waited, I saw a beer can on a table. "If you bring a beer to an interview, you might be ..." The guy closest to the beer can that, "might have been left there", left me the impression that he might have been drinking his lunch. Anyway ... long periods of waiting. Another labor job -- manufacturing at Zollners, had a more difficult washout testing program. I couldn't believe at the number of doofi applying. "Follow directions. Wait until the audio completes and then do as instructed." During the audio, many people, despite the stern warnings of the proctors, did every command of the audio, until the end. At the end of the audio, the insturctions were about three steps only, the other steps were to be summarily dismissed.

The reading "test" as it was called was odd. I mean odd in that it asked for a word, giving you a description. You were to mark the letter that started the word; you were given a selection of 6 or so letters. Its example question was "a time off of work for holidays" b, c, l, m, p, v
(v) was correct for vacation

The other element was, "what number comes next in the series". The simplistic math was elementary level and not worthy of discussing. The what number comes next is logic, not math or reading, but can be deceptive, depending on initial values.