[Histonet] RE: Histonet Digest, Vol 98, Issue 35

[Reynolds,Donna M]

I can definitely see some of the pitfallls to having someone cut. But it would certainly weed out anyone who didn't even know how to put a block in the microtome.  This is also what probation periods are for to see if this person fits with your lab.
But have you ever heard of a secretary hired without a typing test  or 9 key if that was a heavy part of their job. Even with computers today this is still done.
Donna
Houston, TX

 
Message: 3
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:59:49 +0000 (UTC)
From: koellingr <@t> comcast.net
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Interview Questions
To: joelle weaver <joelleweaver <@t> hotmail.com>
Cc: Histonet <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>
Message-ID:
	<1983057611.84976.1327546789860.JavaMail.root <@t> sz0001a.emeryville.ca.mail.comcast.net>
	
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

This is certainly an interesting thread and I generally hate to get into these ever but I still can't figure out one thing and never have over all these years in pathology. What other endeavor in life and job seeking is an on-the-spot demo that you can do something required at a job interview? Does a lawyer have to go into a courtroom for 5 minutes and show he/she can say "I object"? Does a sanitation worker have to go round the block once and show he/she can empty 9 cans in 5 minutes? Does a doctor need to show he/she can use a stethoscope? Does a bricklayer have to show he/she can lay 20 bricks in 2 minutes? Or fail the interview? Does a med tech have to show they can stain 6 tubes with CD4 and CD 8 and successfully put them on a flow cytometer? Does an actuary have to show they can really add 100 4-digit numbers on a calculator without a mistake? Does a grocery bagger boy /girl have to show they can put x number of items in 3 bags? Does a Pathologist have to show they know how to turn on a microscope and look through it? Does a peanut counter have to show they can count peanuts? I just can't get into my mind the necessity of someone having to cut to show they can cut? What other profession does this at an interview? Now certainly you can come up with scenarios where it might be important to find out. A brand new histotech whose only cut 3 blocks in their life. A tech from the deepest, darkest nether regions of the earth where you cannot check on their background. But a tech whose has been working cutting the last 3 or 7 or 15 years and you've verified with a previous company that is exactly what they did; how will them cutting for 10 minutes further stratify them into yes or no categories. If 2 potential techs cut and one finishes in 9 minutes and one in 10 minutes, is that a true qualifier or disqualifier of what they can do cutting? There are a myriad of things I'd love to know and always ask; personality, job knowledge, wants, desires, needs, ambitions, etc, etc, etc. My blood pressure skyrockets when I give blood because I HATE anyone sticking a needle in me. But I have a really needed blood type. Should nervousness each time disqualify me. This still boggles my mind about what is being accomplished with cutting during an interview? 


Ray 
Seattle, WA