guru

This
week’s guru…

AOL’s
shooting stars have rights in sights

Sometimes
employers just can’t win. If you think applying an e-mail code is problematic,
read on…

Three
former America Online employees have filed a lawsuit against the company
following a violation of its "no weapons" policy. CCTV images showed
them transferring pistols and rifles between cars in AOL’s car park.

It
would seem to be an open and shut case, but the trio claim they planned to use
the weapons later at a private shooting range and that the dismissals breach
the rights of Americans to bear arms.

They’ve
hired Utah attorney Mitch Vilos, a guns advocate who likens himself to a
gunslinging cowboy. Firearm groups are even calling for a boycott of AOL.

Vilos
told one journalist, "It shouldn’t be tolerated by free people. Put that
in your paper… and tell them Pancho Villa sent you."

A
burning issue for the sexist brigade

Guru
likes to provide the "It’s political correctness gone mad" brigade
with material, so here is another one.

A
group set up to tackle sexism in the Scottish fire service is considering
ditching the title "firefighter" as it is deemed to be too
aggressive.

Next
it will be the siren.

E-kidnappers
hold trophy to ransom

Guru
is shocked to learn that while Stafford Long & Partners’ employees were
celebrating scooping four trophies at the recent Recruitment Advertising
Awards, someone snatched one.

It
was awarded for an advertisement designed to recruit the agency’s own web
developers. Stafford Long’s Gaby Hoad is pictured above at the RADs with client
Matt Anderson of Ernst & Young and sponsor Totaljobs.com’s Rob Perkins in
the few minutes she enjoyed with the trophy.

Appropriately
enough, those responsible for the theft have demanded communication by e-mail.
Initial contact was made, however, in the time-honoured fashion: a note made
from newspaper cuttings.

Like
all good organisations, Stafford Long & Partners is reluctant to negotiate,
and is steeling itself for the prospect of its precious award coming back bit
by bit.

When
you can be just too honest

An
interview can be a stressful experience. People do strange things. While some
are guilty of trying too hard, others don’t seem to care. 

One
of Guru’s HR peers was interviewing candidates for the position of cashier at a
local authority. One was clearly concerned that her criminal record might rule
her out of contention. What was the offence? Non-payment of council tax
arrears. Guess what? She was right.

Another
HR manager had to handle an amorous candidate. He was "very
attentive" during the interview, and at the end clasped her hand and asked
her out for a drink. He got neither the job nor the date.

Then
there was the shy interviewee who left blank a section on gender. Like a sketch
from Benny Hill, he explained that he was too embarrassed to fill in the box
about sex because he’d only had it once.

To
cap it all, there was the melodramatic candidate. During an interview for a
sales position, the panel put a glass of water in front of him and said,
"Sell it to me". He went to the bin, set it on fire and declared,
"Who wants to buy my glass of water?" Unfortunately, the sprinkler
system went off and they all got more water than they had bargained for.