new topic, similar to H4, bit of fun, career.

[jarv]

What are some amusing moments in your career?

Mine...IBM in Chiswick back in the early 70s, opposite Gunnersbury tube. A large pub (name escapes me), rubbish beer, smokey old dump. But......Friday lunch time the office cleared out to go the this pub...STRIPPERS were on every Friday. Happy days.

[Holders]

Ditto the Ten Bells(?), Whitechapel.

[dannyboi-ffc]

I pulled up in my bus outside Sainsbury's one afternoon to serve the bus stop. All the old biddies got on with their trolleys and like always I was very pleasant to them. "Good afternoon" and all that jazz. Finally an older gentlemen gets on the bus with a face like thunder. "Good afternoon sir", "NO IT ISN'T!" He replied abruptly. "Thanks to you being late, I'm going to miss countdown!"

I literally laughed in his face because I wasn't expecting him to say that. That was 4 years ago and I've never forgotten it.

[Holders]

I pulled up in my bus outside Sainsbury's one afternoon to serve the bus stop. All the old biddies got on with their trolleys and like always I was very pleasant to them. "Good afternoon" and all that jazz. Finally an older gentlemen gets on the bus with a face like thunder. "Good afternoon sir", "NO IT ISN'T!" He replied abruptly. "Thanks to you being late, I'm going to miss countdown!"

I literally laughed in his face because I wasn't expecting him to say that. That was 4 years ago and I've never forgotten it.

I was at a show recently and one of the performers asked the audience if they liked Countdown (god knows why). Being at the back, an old fart and a little hard of hearing, I thought she'd asked if anyone liked cow-dung. Now, when the brain doesn't quite get it, it makes it up and I must have thought that was the most likely thing for her to have said. After all, one talks of cow-dung far more often than Countdown, doesn't one? Or maybe it's just a Devon thing...

[Logicalman]

What are some amusing moments in your career?

Mine...IBM in Chiswick back in the early 70s, opposite Gunnersbury tube. A large pub (name escapes me), rubbish beer, smokey old dump. But......Friday lunch time the office cleared out to go the this pub...STRIPPERS were on every Friday. Happy days.

Same on Thursdays in the 70's at the Target Pub up by the Target Roundabout on the Western Avenue, when I was attending Southall tech as an apprentice with Evershed & Vignoles (Chiswick). This was the full monty as well - education was better in those days!  :005:

[snarks]

There are a couple:-

Bartering in India in a taxi for the fare, with a drunk colleague, who everytime the driver suggested a figure would go higher, until the driver refused to accept it.

In a drunk group where we sold a very junior work colleague to an Arab for an hour, for 10 dollars (US).

Doing a "raid" on a Royal Navy ship in Florida, and taking all their young single female guests away with us then going out for the night with them.

I have only one that I can relate from the current job, I was making an application for a licensing extension to allow a well known comedian to celebrate his girlfriends birthday. I was asked if it was a "special occasion" as they would only allow it if it was. I just looked at them and said given his marriage history and well publicised love life, anytime he was with a girlfriend long enough to celebrate their birthday made it a special occasion.

2 people had to leave the room because they were laughing and they gave me the extension for my cheek.

[Burt]

Back in the early 90s when I was responsible for HR across a large manufacturing unit in Salisbury, part of the recruitment process was always to walk candidates through the shop floor as being a relatively small town everyone knows everyone...

Anyhow, I had finished interviewing this person, thought she was a good fit, walked her around the shop floor etc. and then after she had left I got a deputation at my door saying that on no account could she be taken on. I asked why given her skills and experience were ideal, and the reason was that this person was a lesbian. I queried why that would be an issue and all sorts of stuff started coming out - she would try and "convert" the other women, look under cubicle doors, etc. etc. I thought this was quite ridiculous and said so, but in the end had to give way as the union convenor was prepared to take industrial action over the issue.

[Holders]

Back in the early 90s when I was responsible for HR across a large manufacturing unit in Salisbury, part of the recruitment process was always to walk candidates through the shop floor as being a relatively small town everyone knows everyone...

Anyhow, I had finished interviewing this person, thought she was a good fit, walked her around the shop floor etc. and then after she had left I got a deputation at my door saying that on no account could she be taken on. I asked why given her skills and experience were ideal, and the reason was that this person was a lesbian. I queried why that would be an issue and all sorts of stuff started coming out - she would try and "convert" the other women, look under cubicle doors, etc. etc. I thought this was quite ridiculous and said so, but in the end had to give way as the union convenor was prepared to take industrial action over the issue.

I went to college with the personnel manager of a well-known Brighton hotel, both doing our IPM. For bar staff he had a stock question: "are you homosexual?". If not, they wouldn't fit in and he didn't take them on. That was in the early 80s, even after the Sex Act 1975.  Wouldn't be allowed today of course.

[Burt]

Back in the early 90s when I was responsible for HR across a large manufacturing unit in Salisbury, part of the recruitment process was always to walk candidates through the shop floor as being a relatively small town everyone knows everyone...

Anyhow, I had finished interviewing this person, thought she was a good fit, walked her around the shop floor etc. and then after she had left I got a deputation at my door saying that on no account could she be taken on. I asked why given her skills and experience were ideal, and the reason was that this person was a lesbian. I queried why that would be an issue and all sorts of stuff started coming out - she would try and "convert" the other women, look under cubicle doors, etc. etc. I thought this was quite ridiculous and said so, but in the end had to give way as the union convenor was prepared to take industrial action over the issue.

I went to college with the personnel manager of a well-known Brighton hotel, both doing our IPM. For bar staff he had a stock question: "are you homosexual?". If not, they wouldn't fit in and he didn't take them on. That was in the early 80s, even after the Sex Act 1975.  Wouldn't be allowed today of course.

Ah yes... It was "personnel" in those days. And even now "HR" is giving way to "People Operations".

[Holders]

Back in the early 90s when I was responsible for HR across a large manufacturing unit in Salisbury, part of the recruitment process was always to walk candidates through the shop floor as being a relatively small town everyone knows everyone...

Anyhow, I had finished interviewing this person, thought she was a good fit, walked her around the shop floor etc. and then after she had left I got a deputation at my door saying that on no account could she be taken on. I asked why given her skills and experience were ideal, and the reason was that this person was a lesbian. I queried why that would be an issue and all sorts of stuff started coming out - she would try and "convert" the other women, look under cubicle doors, etc. etc. I thought this was quite ridiculous and said so, but in the end had to give way as the union convenor was prepared to take industrial action over the issue.

I went to college with the personnel manager of a well-known Brighton hotel, both doing our IPM. For bar staff he had a stock question: "are you homosexual?". If not, they wouldn't fit in and he didn't take them on. That was in the early 80s, even after the Sex Act 1975.  Wouldn't be allowed today of course.

Ah yes... It was "personnel" in those days. And even now "HR" is giving way to "People Operations".

That's a new one on me I never even took to HR, dinosaur that I am. 

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

SEveral, but one for now.

I went for a job interview in Connecticut.
I was getting on very well with the Operation Director and at the end of the interview
he said "OK, a few HR questions (I would be moving about 300 miles) compensation,
housing, salary, bonuses, insurance etc.
Finally he said, "You will have to take a drug test"
I don't know why (perhaps it's just me) but I said  "How does that work, do you give me a huge joint and see how I handle it" ?

He burst our laughing and said "I like your humour, when can you start"
It was a job in charge of about 40 international staff, very high pressure.
I left there 8 years ago but we remain good friends, the best and fairest boss
I've ever had.

[jarv]

My son had a good one...when he finished university in Boston he decided to come to London. He had an interview with a bank in the city. I spoke with him on the phone afterwards and it went like this.

Afetr a few business like questions, he was asked why he came to London. (dual citizenship and football). He had just joined a team in Ryman division 1. The interviewer then said he played Ryman premier and then said...you will like it here, we play 5 a side every friday lunch time. 

I said to him..you have got the job, you know that!!  How was it left?
He said decision next 2 days. Got the offer in 2 days and started the following Monday.

The power of football. !!!

[FFCAli]

SEveral, but one for now.

I went for a job interview in Connecticut.
I was getting on very well with the Operation Director and at the end of the interview
he said "OK, a few HR questions (I would be moving about 300 miles) compensation,
housing, salary, bonuses, insurance etc.
Finally he said, "You will have to take a drug test"
I don't know why (perhaps it's just me) but I said  "How does that work, do you give me a huge joint and see how I handle it" ?

He burst our laughing and said "I like your humour, when can you start"
It was a job in charge of about 40 international staff, very high pressure.
I left there 8 years ago but we remain good friends, the best and fairest boss
I've ever had.

:005:  I'd have given you the job too!

[Holders]

I once worked for a nasty bloke called Larry Bunt. He certainly wasn't happy but never was rhyming slang more accurate.

[bill taylors apprentice]

I have worked in various jobs within the cycle trade and in the early days, 1992 I was in the Republic of Ireland working at the late season Tour of Ireland.

One grey, drizzly morning before the stage started I spotted an English rider for the Motorola team who I knew and while chatting to him I noticed a miserable looking young team mate of his sitting with his bike waiting for the off.

I spotted this young man had an unusual choice of tyre on his bike and being interested in that kind of thing I asked him if it was his choice or had the sponsor insisted they be used.

He stood up and as he walked away he said F#@k off, who cares!

I looked at my friend and said "charming!"  To which he replied "don't take any notice, he's new and trying for a pro contract but he's struggling, he wont make it"

Next season Lance Armstrong won 10 races and the World championship and the rest is history!

[hovewhite]

I am a mobile DJ and every gig is a new chance to have a laugh and a good time,which I do
1000%

[OdecaMynoT]

Played at Glasto Festival in the late 90's on the World stage.

After finishing our set went back to our allotted changing area.

There was a guy prowling around looking somewhat suspicious.

I asked what he was doing there and he said,'My band's next on stage'........Courtney Pine that is

Doh!

I blubbered my way through an apology but we ended up having a laugh about it.