Flowers
And Plants
Flowers and Plants
A couple of years ago I was out of work. I was at the point where I was
willing to take on pretty much any sort of job, provided it paid well
and had regular hours. One job posting that caught my eye was for the
city. They were seeking to hire Gardeners on a full-time basis. I
looked over the ad, mostly out of curiosity and I was surprised to find
that I had most of the qualifications they were looking for, without
even stretching it too much. So, I decided to apply.
As a kid, I spent countless hours helping my parents in their huge
gardens. I would help with weeding mostly, but also had the opportunity
to try my hand planting flowers and plants. I learned a little bit here
and a little bit there about annuals and perennials, types of soils and
proper irrigation. It's really quite amazing what you can pick up as a
kid, without even trying!
I sat down to fill out the job application. I was required to detail my
experience and to express a willingness to undergo some specialized
training upon employment. I was at the point that I was willing to
agree to pretty much anything that would pay the bills! I submitted my
application a couple of days before the deadline and continued on my
way.
I figured I had nothing to lose by applying. I felt relatively
confident in my expertise and experience, even if it was only working
for my parents in our garden at home as a kid. I did know quite a bit
about flowers and plants, when I really thought about it, so I decided
to just wait and see what would come of sending in my application.
A few weeks later I was pleasantly surprised by a phone call. The City
called me to arrange a time for me to write a knowledge test and for a
personal interview. Somehow, I wasn't stressed out at all. I didn't
even bother to brush up on my knowledge until the morning of the test
and interview. I just popped online and google searched for information
on flowers and plants. The first site I visited offered a wealth of
information, written in layman's terms. I have a relatively good memory
and made a few notes on types of perennials, soil types, shade plants
and other miscellaneous information that I felt might be helpful when
writing the test. Then I was on my way.
I arrived a few minutes early and was ushered in to a room with six
other people around a large desk. We were given a three page
examination and an hour and a half to complete it. I was delighted to
find that the very information I had studied, was the type of
information needed for this test. Although, I took the time to double
check all my answers resulting in my being the last person to finish, I
still felt pretty confident in the outcome of the exam.
Next, I was asked to meet with three individuals - one was a Foreman,
one an Administrator and the third a Manager. I was quite at ease
during the interview. I had little difficulty answering their questions
and was completely forthright when explaining that the bulk of my
experience was on my parent’s farm. The interview went very
well, and I went home with a feeling of confidence.
That very evening I was contacted with a job offer and I started my
Gardener position the very next week!
In truth, I have a slightly above average knowledge of flowers and
plants. However, having the presence of mind to think beyond my
traditional work experience really panned out in this situation.
I had an absolute blast that summer and will always remember my
Gardener stint with fondness.
|
|
