I heard this one recently and it is a reminder that this is not Sydney, Auckland, Dubbo, Bluff nor Beirut.
But an acquaintance related a neat true story about attempting to hire locals for manual labouring type jobs. The lads roll up with machetes in hand for the interview. When challenged that this might be a little on the intimidating side (at last the interviewer is intimidated !), the lads claim that this is the local way to assert oneself at the job interview.
Similarly, it is not uncommon for a group of the lads to hover about making it abundantly clear that if you don’t employ someone from “our” village, we will burn your building down.
I must try the machete tactic once before I retire. Could only be once !!
Job Interview Tips is a funny but true story, and don’t forget that the approach used by the locals are also critical peace making strategies.
I wonder if any of these guys are responsible for erecting the mirrors on the way to Cristo Rei. I couldn’t work out why there is no reflection of oncoming traffic until John pointed out that the mirrors are in upside down. Good for watching bandits on the cliffs above perhaps but pretty hopeless for anything below double decker bus size.
This is getting to be a bit of a problem actually. If we old hands find hiring and (heaven forbid) firing tricky, imagine how a new foreign investor, unaware of the violent potential of the situation, manages to handle it?
I think the constructive solution is to urge the current Labour and Solidarity (or whatever it’s called these days) department to work more closely with the private sector to add a layer of impartiality to the employment process, whilst vetting potential candidates to make sure they have the qualifications for the job. In this way, it might be possible to avoid the pressure from “our village” to hire a wrong ‘un. This may be one case where calling in a “consultant” really is needed. Fancy applying for the job, Squatter? Leave the machete at home, there’s a good chap.
Is there really a difference between a machete and a country pushing for a specific job candidate? The interviewer is equally intimidated. In the end the qualifications and experience of the candidates in both scenarios become the less important detail. At least with the machete all of the candidates know the rules of the game.