Wearing a funky hair covering - not!
 | Rob Crowe
Columnist
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As you may know, I have an industrial engineering degree from the University of Minnesota - Duluth, garnered after four years of studying hard subjects like calculus, differential equations, statics, dynamics and the likes of those.
I left there thinking that someone in the area would like to have me work for them because I had the well-earned degree. One of my instructors told his students that if they sent out 100 resumes, they would get several solid job offers. I did that, but his prediction was false. The ones that bothered to reply sent back form letters saying, "If we have an opening for someone with your qualifications, we will let you know."
I soon concluded that this is double speak for, "When hell freezes over, you'll hear from us," or for those in Minnesota who don't use that vernacular, "When the Vikings win the Super Bowl, we'll consider you."
Since we had a family and Management had a good job with one of the premier companies in the area, I limited my search to northern Minnesota, though I did answer a couple of ads from near the Twin Cities from companies looking for industrial engineers. There weren't many.
One of the interviews I had was in a small Wisconsin town east of St. Paul where a fellow had bought an old creamery (those under 30 please ask your parents what that is) and set up a little food processing plant. His company made ready-to-eat salads for delis. I won't mention the name of his product. The interview was scheduled for 11 a.m. I was on time and met the owner. He told me about his company and gave me a tour and talked and talked; the interview lasted several hours with no lunch break. I soon concluded he was not the easiest to get along with since he seemed to have a running feud with every entity in the small town.
He told me that my first responsibility after being hired would be to fire one of the maintenance workers. I heard about his ongoing disputes with the power company and the village administration.
On the plant tour, we had to wear funky little hair coverings since it was a food processing plant, not what I had really envisioned doing during my four years of college. He also pointed out to me the guy who would have to be fired - he looked enough like me that he could have been my brother.
Later, as we sat in the office while he lectured me about his belief in the Peter Principle, the lights went out and he left the room like a shot. I guess he figured the workers couldn't handle a little power outage without him.
Since he was gone, I walked around the office and conversed a little with the women working there, and asked them how it was to work there. After a long silence, one of them said, "Well, it's better than driving to the cities to work ..."
Over the years, I've learned that the women in the office, who usually run the place, are impeccable sources of information. The owner eventually returned and soon the interview was finally over. I guess I did all right in the interview. He called me up a couple of days later and asked if I wanted to work for him.
Needless to say, I declined.
I wouldn't have minded working in a small town in Wisconsin. I could have handled the feud with the various entities, but having a job where the first act is to fire a co-worker would be pretty tough.
In the end, I think it was wearing the funky hair covering that pushed me over the edge.
I figured that as well as the owner seemed to get along with everyone, soon he would be interviewing someone whose first responsibility would be to fire me.
I proceeded with the best course of action that would ensure that didn't happen, and here I am today.
Rob Crowe chairs the Aitkin County Republicans and raises kids and cows on a farm near Hill City.
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