Kacey Call 20

The 20th call between Kacey and Solid Chris. They talk about previous high school "friends", discuss about his target interview and ends with a roleplay of Kacey as a customer and Chris as a customer service representative.

Summary

 * Chris and Kacey talk about his friends in high school. He said his friends only would hang out with him at school, with the exception of his 18th birthday.
 * Chris has his interview at Target tomorrow.
 * Kacey talks about The Office (TV show), and Chris gets kind of pissy and says he's never seen it.
 * Kacey asks where Chris sees himself in five years. Chris says he will be married and have a daughter. Kacey says that she was talking about a career, not his personal life.
 * Chris says that he sees himself in a management position at Target in five years.
 * Chris says he will tell Target that he was laid off from his last job for "personal differences".
 * When asked about what his weakness in the workplace would be, Chris couldn't come up with an answer for three minutes. Eventually he said he needs to be told what to do.
 * Kacey spends a while coaching Chris on his interview.
 * Chris would be making $8.50 an hour.
 * Kacey does a roleplay with Chris to see if he would be good at his job. This involves Kacey just screaming at Chris saying "I WANT A REFUND! I WANT TO TALK TO YOUR MANAGER!" until Chris says that he will give her money.
 * Chris doesn't realize that Target and Walmart have different rules and regulations.

Video
  Chris: Hello?

Kacey: Hey Chris, it's Kacey, how are ya?

Chris: Hi Kacey, I'm OK, how are you? [long pause] I said I'm OK, how are you? [audio is garbled]

Kacey: I'm good, um, I didn't actually have work today, I just had school, so, you know, I just hung out with some friends because hanging out with friends is awesome.

Chris: Yeah, it is. Yeah, I hung out with my friends a lot back in high school as well, you know. I miss those days. Sometimes.

Kacey: What did you do with your friends back then?

Chris: Well, you know, we hung around, we hung around at school, we hung around during school time. I don't think we did much hanging outside of the school time, though, um… But, yeah, we enjoyed each others company, it was good. And then, and we all, and I also had my friend, I also had my, had all my friends over for my 18th birthday party, which was, which was, which is really nice.

Kacey: OK. I mean I miss high school, too, but um, you know, I grew up. I got better friends.

Chris: Yeah.

Kacey: So, tomorrow's the big day, I mean shouldn't uh, are you going to get lots of sleep?

Chris: Yeah, I'm gonna get, yeah, I'm gonna get plenty of sleep, that's no problem. That's no problem, I'm going to get plenty of sleep.

Kacey: OK. So what are you gonna wear?

Chris: Yeah, I got my clothes picked out, I got a nice uh, I got my nice dress shirt uh, gonna wear t-, a white t-shirt underneath it got my, got my black pants picked out and, uh, I got my blazer and I'm not wearing the medallion.

Kacey: OK, but you're gonna wear a tie, right?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, I don't know where my tie is.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Do you, uh, know how to tie a tie? I mean 'cause you should really go get one, I mean you should buy one if you can.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Hm. Well I'll think about that but anyway I do know how to tie a tie.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Well you should because studies show that, uh, having a tie gets you, um, points right off the bat.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: OK. Well if I can find my tie I will wear it.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK, well you should because they make you look professional and you wanna give, um, you know, the best impression that you can.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yep. Most certainly do, yep.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: I mean, I mean haven't you watched The Office? Everyone wears ties there.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Hm. Yeah, I think we've established that I haven't watched The Office.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: I thought you said you watched a couple episodes? Oh well! Must have misheard you! So… [<font color="#0033FF">Chris: "Yeah."] So, um, and remember breakfast is important, so what are you are you going to have before you go?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, I'm gonna, I'm gonna have a bowl of oatmeal. Some milk with that.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: You should, uh, definitely have some orange juice instead, you know, Vitamin C will perk you up.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Oh yeah, OK, I'll have some orange juice, we have some of that. OK, yeah, so I'll have some oatmeal with orange juice.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: So, are you fully prepared, um, for the interview? Like, you know, um, certain questions they're going to ask, have you Googled any of this? [<font color="#0033FF">Chris: "Yeah."] 'Cause you have to be prepared for any question.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah. I feel prepared.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: I mean, like… OK. Um, let's do a sample question. Where do you see yourself in five years?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Hm, well. I'd like to think that, that in five years I'll be uh… I'll be happily married and have my, and will have our, with my wife and, uh, we'll have our daughter.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Well, they're not gonna want to know about that, they're going to want to know about your professional life. I mean, that has nothing to do with the job, they don't care. Um, how do you see yourself in f-, where do you see yourself in five years professionally? I mean, like they're going to want you to talk about a career or something.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: I never know how to answer that question professionally. I mean, yeah, I mean my mind's blank.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Well you're going to have to, that's a common question they're going to ask that.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah. That is a common question. Um…

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: I mean, you could always go the, "I think I want to be in management," you know, tell them you want to climb up the corporate ladder. Um, you could tell them that you are working on a degree or something or you're going to go back to school… I mean, you gotta have something.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, uh… OK, well, yeah. Management, that sounds good. Yeah, I see myself in a management position.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Well, OK so how are you gonna phrase that to them? They're going to want you to elaborate on it. You can't be too wordy but you can't be too concise, either.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Uh, OK, well… Alright, well. I see myself in a management position and I'm doing, and I'm, and I'm doing a good job organizing it. Ugh…

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Well, just say that you want to see yourself progress in the company. I mean, you're going say something like, you know, I want to have more responsibility, I want to be able to do more, I feel that I can handle it.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, OK, I see myself, uh, handling the, uh, selfish responsibilities in a management job at this company.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Yeah, 'cause I mean you don't want to suck up to them too much, but you gotta know something about it, you gotta know how things work.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: You just say I would like to see myself progress at this company, um, I can see myself doing good things in the future. You don't want to be too, um… You want to keep it general.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: You want to take on responsibilities and see yourself progress.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah. Yeah. OK, well I s-

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: But you don't want to suck up and be like, "Oh I love Target and I've always wanted to work at Target," 'cause they're not going to believe you.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah. Yeah, that's uh, that's uh, that's a given, that, that's uh, that would be a bad thing to say, yeah… at the time. Hm, so, yeah, I ap-, I see myself, you know progressing, into like a management position.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: No, no, no. Don't, don't, don't, uh, be general. Be vague. Be like "I want to see myself progress inside this company, uh where I can take on more responsibilities."

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: I wanna see myself progress in this company where I can take on more responsibilities.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Yes. Um, OK, now they're going to ask you something like, "why'd you leave your last job?." What are you going to say for that?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah. I was laid off for personal differences.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK, that's right, Kim told you to say that, correct?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK. Um, and remember if they ask you if you want this job or need this job, you want the job. You don't want to seem desperate.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, I want this job.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Yes. Um, so they're going to ask you also, um, probably, "What are your best skills that are going to apply to this job?"

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Well, I feel like I have good social skills. I have, uh, good physical strength. I have, I can, I have, uh, experience in computer, in computer, in, uh, computer upgrading and maintenance.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: That's good, the computer would actually be good. You should definitely say that one.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, okay… I will say that one. The computer management, uh, the computer upgrade, yeah.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK, but they're ask, they're also gonna ask what your major weakness is. So what are you gonna say with that? Because you want to be honest but you don't want to be too honest.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, ask me what my weaknesses.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Yes, what your weaknesses are?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Hm. [long pause as Chris is dumbfounded at the question] Yeah, that's a good question, uh, let me think further abou-, let me think further about that. Um...

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Well, you're going to have to be quick on your feet in this interview, Chris, you don't want to act like everything's rehearsed.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah. Well I'm not even sure what- Hm. Um… Weaknesses, weaknesses… Um… OK, um… I guess thing like, you know… Hm. If th-there's a point in between the, there's a point where, I'm not where I'm not working I'm like static, um-

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: So, basically you're going to say sometimes you like routines?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Oh! OK, yeah, that's, yeah, oh I never thought about that, yeah, routines. Yeah, I'm a man of rou-, I'm a ma- [while stuttering, Kacey begins talking]

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK, then say something like you like to stick to one routine, um, but then say but you would like to be more flexible.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: OK, yeah, I would like to stick to a routine.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: You like to stick to routines, but you- no, no, no. You stick to routines too much, but you would like to learn to be flexible in the future.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, OK, that's my weakn-, that's my weakness [speaking quickly, sounds like he says "witness"]. I do tend to stick to routines.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Right, but you want to say you're willing to work on that. Um, let's see, another com-

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: But I, but I want, but I'm willing to be more flexible… In the future.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Yes, yes. You s-, you wanna say you want to learn to, you wanna let them know that, um, you're, you know that you, that you need to learn things. But um, anyway, another common question is uh, "Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others?"

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: I am willing- I… Sometimes, sometimes I like working by myself but, but I like working with others as well.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: A good thing to say is you generally do very well working in a group, however, uh, you are very capable of taking on tasks by yourself.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, OK, I prefer working- OK, well generally I like working in a group but I prefer taking on tasks by myself.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: No, say you can work in a group. Say that you are very adapt [sic, presumedly "adept?"] in working in a group, but can also take on tasks by yourself.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: I am adapt [again pronounced "adapt"] in working in a group, but I am capable of taking care of tasks by myself.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Yeah. OK and um, then they're going to ask you the most important thing, "What salary are you expecting?"

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: …Well, they've already gave me the uh, rate of 8.50 an hour.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Oh, OK then, you know that's already settled.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah. [chuckling softly] That's already settled. Yeah, she, ye-, they told me that, yeah, she told me that over the, uh, phone. You know, that uh, they're going to pay me 8.50 an hour.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK, well what hours are you gonna say that you're going to work, or did they already have that?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, they'd have been like six to eight hours in the day.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Yep, that's a standard, uh, shift. So are you going part time or full time?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, they said they're starting me off part time.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK, um, and so I guess you're going to definitely be doing some weekend work in there because normally they won't even hire people who won't work on the weekends or holidays.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah. I'm going t-, uh, yeah I will work on the weekends.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Good.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: OK then. Alright, lemme see, um… Alright, in reference to the "in where do I see myself in five years…" Well, yeah. I'd like to think that I like to uh, I'd like to think that I am, I'd like to see myself uh, building up uh more, building up in… building up s-… in strength? And also taking in more responsibilities. [long pause] Uh… Is that right? I'm not sure it's right, the first half of that.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Uh, say it again?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, I say, I, I see myself uh going, going up… in the company and taking in more responsibilities.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: If you say, uh, you're, you want to progress in the company, that's going to sound a lot more professional and it sounds like you know what you're talking about.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: I want to, yeah, yeah I see myself progressing in the company [<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: "Yes."] taking more responsibilities.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Yes. Yes, that's good. Um, let's see. The one thing they're gonna ask you is, "What have you learned from your past jobs?"

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: [long pause] Mm. Yeah, I have learned, uh… I have learned some ins and out I, I've learned some socialization...

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: ...skills… Mm. I have learned uh, how much, I have learned uh, how much heavy weight I can take. Mm...

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK. They're not gonna really care about, say OK, you learned how to be more sociable, and, you learned the ins and outs of a working environment.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: OK, yeah. I've learned the ins and outs of a working environment.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: [keyboard typing in background] Yes. OK um. Another question they're gonna ask you is. Um. uh. Also mention that, ah, you are good with dealing with c-, ah, customers as well as their pr-, fixing their problems efficiently. Um, and another question they're gonna ask is, usually, "How do you think you're education is prevail-, has prepared you for this position?" [pause]

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: My education has prepared me... with a techna- technological experiences.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK well if you're just stocking, how is that going to help you?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: If I'm s-, if I'm, yeah. Well… My education is uh. H-Has prepared me with org-, with good organization skills. And uh. I'm, and a general understanding on how things are supposed to be put in what order. And uh… to follow such order.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK yeah. That's good, that's actually good it keeps you organized, and um, that's actually pretty good.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: OK.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: So, um, hopefully you do really well.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: I'll do my best anyway.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Well, I think with all the prepping Kim and I gave you you're going to be really good. That's going to be goo. Just remember to, um, sound professional, but you don't want to be too personal.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah. Professional but not too, but not too personal.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Oh and smile. Smile a lot. But not a very big smile, you just want to seem friendly and approachable. Um...

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: That's not a problem, I, I, I intend to smile.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK, um well let's say [laughing] um, let's say they um… Some interviews they'll ask you to, uh, do a role-play to see how you handle problems within your um, your uh, fellow employees as well as a customer. Uh, did you want to try one, like with a, you can pretend to be a Target associate and I can pretend I'm a customer.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, OK, but just to let you know in the uh, in the thing, application I filled out online, they had the, it had the questions upon those situations, up on such situations.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: I know, but on paper's a lot different than it is when you're there.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Or, or rather would you say, on screen? 'Cause it was, it was, I di- [stutters beyond comprehension] 'cause I did the thing online. [slight chuckle]

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: I know but those are just to screen people. Um, but yeah, it's still written word.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, OK well, alright well, let's go though a couple.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Alright.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Let me… Uh, let's see here. You are in customer service and- OK, you're in customer service and I'm coming up to your line. OK, I just got to your line, what's the first thing you say? Then we'll go ahead and go.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: OK… [Chris's voice goes even higher for his "friendly voice"] Good afternoon, ma'am, may I help you?

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: [loudly and irritated] I want a refund, where's your manager?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Heh, OK… Well I, well let's see ma'am, uh OK uh, let's just say you bought a blender, OK? Alright, well yeah I see you're return-, you're retur-, I see you… Alright, uh, returning your blender ma'am, is there something wrong with the blender?

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Just get the manager! I want to speak to a manager. YOU are not important enough, I need a manager.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: [brief pause] Well, ma'am, I am uh, I am uh, I am uh, customer service rep here and I could certainly, uh, I could certainly- [is cut off by Kacey]

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Well, what can you do to help me with this?

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Uh…

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: I just want a refund, I want my cash back.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Alright, ma'am, do you have the receipt?

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: No, of course I don't! I just want this to be taken back.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Alright, ma'am, well we will certainly take it back, and I'll uh, scan this back in and give ya a refund. Yeah, so, yeah, so… I look at it and scan it in make sure- [is cut off by Kacey]

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Actually, Chris, you're not going to be able to do that, 'cause most associates aren't going to be able to. Um, you're going to have to be able to take care of these people right now, 'cause the correct thing to do is, um, to get them to explain the situation, try to calm them down, let them know they are important to you, but then you are going to have to get a manager because you're not going to have the access to refund it, and most places will only give store credit, um, if you don't have a receipt, and sometimes they won't even take it back at all. Though you did try to handle it very well.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: OK. Alright, well… I will. I mean it's like you know-

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: They'll go over policies for you.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: I'm sorry, what?

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: They'll go over policies with you so that you'll be able to better do these, I'm sure.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, they'll go over their policies with me, yeah. I was just thinking in like reference to, you know, I had to return a couple of things to Wal-Mart and that's pretty much what they did, uh, you know. They just took it and, uh, scanned it into the computer look and make sure they have it and the current price, the current price that comes up. And, uh, then they issued a refund.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Well you're not going to be able to issue the refund, they're going to be able to. Wal-Mart does that, not Target. Their policies are gonna be a little different.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Really? There are different polices between Wal-Mart and Target?

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Yes, every store has their own policy.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Hm.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: I mean they're different stores, they're not owned by the same company.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: …OK. [as if admitting defeat] Alright, uh...

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: I mean that should be common sense.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, OK.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Uh, maybe you should Google some more things about Target before you go to bed tonight, you know, so that uh-- 'Cause they actually have their policies on their website. You should read up on those so you look informed.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yeah, read up on their policies, yeah, OK.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: I mean it's always a good idea to know what, exactly what you're gonna be doing.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Yep. [about to continue before Kacey speaks]

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK, well let me let you go look those policies up and I will talk to you tomorrow. Uh, good luck!

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: OK, thank you, alright, I'll talk to you tomorrow. You take care and stay safe.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: OK, you too.

<font color="#0033FF">Chris: Alright, bye now.

<font color="#FF0066">Kacey: Bye.