Be wary applicants: ask your questions before you go into the bakery.
Marilyn, the owner, reached out to me by phone first within the same day that I sent my resume and cover letter by email in response to her Craigslist ad. We spoke for approximately 30 minutes. It was very clear to me that she had looked at the images I sent, but it felt like she hadn't read much from my cover letter or resume. She invited me to stop by and visit the bakery the next day to discuss more. I assumed that we would be discussing the business end of things.
The bakery visit was not an interview. I arrived and another applicant was speaking to the owner. I was immediately told that I didn't need to dress up to be there, and to feel free to hang my jacket up. I expected to wait and have a conversation with Marilyn but she invited me to "look around" instead. I agreed to do that and quickly was offered an apron, asked to wash my hands and was told to "Watch -employee name- and then giving it a try and see if you like it!"
I was uncomfortable, as this wasn't what I expected and I hadn't been asked if I even had a food handler's card. Surely enough, the owner left me to shadow someone for an entire hour before I had to at least pause do to my parking space's time expiring since I had expected an interview not to do unpaid labor for an employer. The employees acted like this was typical, asking "Oh, did Marilyn miscommunicate again?"
That would be an understatement.
At this point I reached out to Marily and said that I really needed to speak with her. She said she would, but was delayed by various things. After a 20 minute conversation with her former employee, I told her I *had* to move my car which was over it's time limit.
I came back in and patiently waited to speak with the owner. In the meantime she took multiple calls, all the while telling me how overwhelmed she was, asking me for advice, and telling me how unfair she was being to me. No benefits. Pay starts at 14 an hour.
