Booker office represented as Unprofessional and Unorganized.....

The city of Newark has one of the highest unemployment rates in the State of New Jersey. So when we heard of the job fair held by Newark Youth One-Stop program we were impressed. To those who've been out of work for some time this job fair was a sign of Hope. The employees for the N.Y.O.S.P conducted a series of workshops and orientation like classes. This orientation gave candidates an opportunity to improve their conflict resolution skills, mission statement skills and basic communication skills.  Candidates participated in this four hour  process to prepare them for the interview process that would take place in later weeks. Candidates were informed that, although there were a little over one thousand candidates attending the workshop there was only room to fill twenty five open positions.  Candidates were informed that interviews would be performed on a later date. Who's idea was it to orientate people prior to interviewing?  If anything why not interview , pick who you want and then orientate them for the position. With the way they chose to do it you now have 1,000+ individuals walking around with information on a job they may never have. At the orientation candidates received folders containing policy and procedures and other information pertaining to the position. Very smart Guys! 

       On the second day in which the candidates would conduct their interviews , it was utter chaos. The employers were late and very unorganized. There was no evidence of who was running the show, just a bunch of city employees running around like chickens with their heads cut off. As with any employment opportunity , the candidates were rolling in promptly, some candidates making it in before their interviewers. You would think with a process as crucial as this the day would go smooth and everything would be organized, right? Not when your speaking of employees of Mayor Booker's office.  Candidates should have been met at the door by an employee equipped with sign in sheets and directions for the candidates. Instead they were simply told to have a seat, which was a cover up to have them wait for the rest of the city employees to arrive. If interviews were to be conducted as of 9 am the workers should have been there by 8 am ready to interview. After patiently waiting for their interviewers to arrive the candidates were then told to sign in; something that should have been handled once they walked in. 

         One of the earlier candidates who was experiencing a diabetic episode was told , since she was so early it would be OK for her to excuse herself and return when she was feeling better. The candidate left , but returned with a coffee, and was treated very poorly for returning with a coffee by an employee who was not there on time. The employee stated as she rubbed lotion on her hands and prepared her breakfast ," why would you come to an interview eating and drinking take that outside". The candidate simply explained to the employee her situation, instead of letting it go the employee insisted on verbally attacking the candidate even though said candidate arrived before the employee which turned out to be one of the interviewers. 

     After signing in candidates were asked to sit back down and wait. It wasn't until after the second round of late employees rolled that the candidates info was checked. Why not have this checked as the candidates signed in? It would be too much like right! Now you have some candidates who have sat for an hour be turned away for not completing their paper work.  After paper work was checked candidates were asked to sit again. The process quickly became a game of musical chairs for the candidates, stand up sit down etc. Another 30 minutes went by before the actual interviews start being conducted.
    Once the interviews started you would think things would smooth out a bit, they may have  gotten worse. Interviewers were holding conversations with other interviewers mid interviews, no one excused them selves. Some candidates were even given their actual interview sheet; yea the one with the interview questions and point assessment. One male candidate was turned away simply for not wearing a tie, although he was well dressed and well groomed.  One candidate openly complained about how unorganized the process was and her interviewer stopped mid interview to share her views with the director and other interviewers as well. Using no discretion at all, the poor girl sat there confused as she watched her interviewer walk off and whisper to his colleagues as he pointed back at her.  After her interview she was then sat in a room alone away from everyone else as if she was being punished.  Another candidate was handed their interview sheet and when asked if they should have the sheet they were told "just keep it for now". In what world do we show the interviewee what we rate them on and etc. Apparently this is how things are run over in Mayor Bookers office. To add insult to injury the director's assistant conducted final interviews alongside the director with crazy cleavage and a visible tongue piercing. This has to be thee worse display of professionalism we've ever witnessed.
    We're not sure if Mayor Booker is aware of how he is being represented, but someone needs to do some serious spring cleaning as far as employees in the One stop youth program department. After experiencing this debacle  why would any one want  to work for such a poorly represented program.