Sorry, it’s a long one. Also throw away account to keep things anonymous.
I wanted to share my recent job interview experience with a jewelry store, and I'm feeling pissed off and confused. I'm a 27yo F with a degree in metalwork, and I've been unemployed since May. I reached out to a couple of jewelry stores in my area because I thought it could be a great fit for my skills.
One of the stores was hiring, and after an initial interview for a salesperson position, things took an unexpected turn. The woman interviewing me suggested I “audition” to be a bench jeweler, which meant physically crafting the jewelry they sell. I was excited about the opportunity, but some red flags started to pop up during the process.
I did the bench test (the “audition”) on June 16th. The first red flag was there was zero ventilation in any of the work rooms. This is a significant safety concern in jewelry making due to the fumes and particles produced during soldering and polishing. I was upset, but continued on. After I finished creating a ring for them, everyone was very enthusiastic and was excited about my potential to work with them. They then showed me the space I would be working in: a windowless basement, again, without any ventilation. I raised the issue with the manager, and they assured me that they were moving to a new, better-equipped facility mid September. But working for an extended period in an unsafe environment didn't sit well with me especially considering I said I could work starting mid July.
Another issue was the break policy. The resident jeweler there told me he takes a 15-minute break at his bench. When I asked if I could do something more like an hour I was told (by both the jeweler and the manager I believe) I’d have to stay longer, which felt bizarre and inflexible for a 9-5 job.
Despite these concerns, on June 21st, I received an offer of employment via email, with the statement, “We have an offer of employment ready for you when you are available.” It was at this point that I decided to seek clarification and address my reservations by sending a response. In my email, I asked about flexibility of hours, and what a break looks like. I also mentioned my safety concerns and offered a potential solution. Unfortunately, the response I received were rude, unprofessional, and unclear, leaving me with even more questions and reservations.
After continuing to receive what felt like non-answers to my questions, I suggested starting when the new facility was ready, feeling it would be a safer choice. In response, when I asked about the next steps, the person I was communicating with said, “___ and I are meeting today and will discuss what we want to do moving forward, given all of these complications, and get back to you by Friday.” It felt so degrading to hear that my legitimate questions and concerns were categorized as mere “complications.” Come Friday (July 10) he did not email me, so I did. He responded and said “we look forward to re-connecting with you Mid-September when we are close to moving. We will reach back out September 15th as we get closer to moving into the new store.” After the great feedback I received at the bench test and the offer of employment, this made me assume they wanted to still hire me. This left me hanging for two months, not applying for other jobs.
Finally, on September 15th, I reached out for an update, and their response shocked me. They had hired someone else and didn't even bother to let me know. He very well could have said either, “we need you to start sooner” or “we are hiring someone else, sorry”. Another instance of his blatant unprofessionalism.
I felt frustrated and disrespected throughout this entire experience. Considering the lack of communication and professionalism, I'm contemplating reaching out to their HR team or something to express my disappointment. But I’m honestly not sure if it’s worth my energy at this point, because really what am I going to gain from it? It doesn’t seem like he will learn anything from it. I’ve learned to take red flags as a sign to stay the fuck away though lol. What are y’alls thoughts on this?
TL;DR: Went through a confusing and frustrating interview process with a jewelry store, where safety concerns and unclear communication were prevalent. Was eventually told I'd hear back in September, but they hired someone else without informing me. Considering contacting HR to express my disappointment.