Better Living Through Chemistry

The telephone rang at about 5:45pm one Wednesday night.

"Is this Mr. Craig Davison?" inquired the caller.

Since this was the post-mid-term-election-era I didn't slam the receiver down, but instead confirmed that I was, indeed, Mr. Craig Davison.

"This call is to confirm that you have an appointment to take the DuPont pre-employment test this Friday at 3:00 at Bethany Community College."

"DuPont?" I wondered.

I had submitted an application there for... something. Must have been a Quality Control or technical position. The fact that I was once again in the middle of a one-week layoff from the dishrack factory made any such invitation only that much more welcome.

I confirmed that I would be there, with my picture ID.

A few days and 35 miles later I arrived at the testing facility. I was part of a group (thirty, or so, by my estimate) that was there to take this test. Another group was leaving as I got there. And another group would be taking the test after we were finished.

"Yeesh! Are they screening a hundred people for just one job?" I wondered as I handed over my ID and a copy of my college transcripts.



The first part of the test consisted of fifty math/physics/manufacturing questions. There were questions about weights, volumes, levers, etc.

That was followed by 100 "attitude" questions. We'd have to indicate whether we strongly agreed, agreed, disagreed, strongly disagreed or had no opinion with statements like, "It is acceptable to steal from the company as long as I don't get caught."

There was also a brief "computer skills" portion where we had to write a brief paragraph in Microsoft Word, save it, print it out and then delete it.

Well, I guess I must have done well enough with these daunting tasks, because I have a "four to five hour" interview at DuPont scheduled for Wednesday morning.

And guess what?

Yep. I've been laid off from the dishrack factory for another weeks, so my schedule s once again clear for my new best friends at DuPont.

Whoot!