| James was a recent computer science graduate who | | | | before Bob, and continually left after Bob had gone |
| was hired by a large, multi-national consulting firm. His | | | | home. One night, Bob had to go to the office late to |
| appearance at the interview was shocking to the | | | | pick up a document he had forgotten; James was still |
| hiring manager. James was tall and skinny. He wore | | | | there. |
| black casual attire while everyone else had suits. He | | | | The next day, Bob spoke with James. "James, you |
| had a top hat which made him look extremely tall. His | | | | can't work all the time," Bob said. "I like to work," |
| beard was long and scraggly. Bob, the hiring manager | | | | James replied. "Sure, James, but you need to go |
| had never interviewed a person who looked like this. | | | | home to rest and change your clothes." That's when |
| Bob conducted the interview; James was calm and | | | | James revealed that he didn't have a home. He had |
| composed the whole time. Being a new college | | | | been evicted from his apartment for forgetting to |
| graduate, James didn't have much experience. He did | | | | pay the rent. He had offered to settle the bill, as he |
| have technical ability. He referenced the project work | | | | had the money, but the landlord went ahead with the |
| that he had done in school. Most were his own | | | | eviction. For two months, he had been living in the |
| academic assignments but he had also assisted with | | | | office, which had everything he needed, even a |
| his classmates' projects when they needed help. | | | | kitchen and shower. "Regardless," Bob said, "you can't |
| James also volunteered for a computer games club | | | | live in the office." |
| and described a large number of tasks he performed | | | | For the rest of the week, Bob noticed an |
| for the group. | | | | improvement in James' work attendance. Bob now |
| Bob asked about standard business processes and | | | | arrived about 15 minutes ahead of James, and they |
| what experience James might have with them. Again, | | | | often left the office together. All seemed well now. |
| James didn't have much experience but he drew | | | | James didn't speak about his new living arrangements. |
| comparisons between the structure of his academic | | | | In the next week, Bob arrived early for work, as he |
| work and processes that he imagined companies | | | | had a big presentation that day. Near the office, he |
| would require. When asked to describe particular | | | | saw a large car in poor condition. James got out of |
| processes, such as risk management, James gave | | | | the car. Bob drew near and noticed that the car's |
| credible answers that seemed to indicate that he | | | | windows were fogged up, and the car was full of |
| could think quickly and develop workable plans. | | | | belongings. Bob realized that James had slept in the |
| At the end of the interview, Bob thanked James for | | | | car overnight. "I can't live at the office, and no one |
| his time. James indicated that he was ready to start | | | | will rent me an apartment," said James. James |
| right away. Bob said that more interviews were being | | | | revealed that he had been living in the car for a while, |
| conducted, but the hiring process would be as quick | | | | but that he now had a big problem. He had forgotten |
| as possible. James seemed irked as Bob spoke and | | | | to get gas so the car now wouldn't move. It was |
| he left without a further word. | | | | parked in a two hour zone so he would get a ticket |
| Bob did interview more college graduates. Most were | | | | in a couple of hours. Bob called his brother to handle |
| quite capable, and while all lacked experience, all but | | | | the car problem. |
| James wore regular business attire. Bob found himself | | | | Bob then helped James to get an apartment. Another |
| comparing all candidates to James. Apart from his | | | | young employee had posted a note asking for a |
| appearance, James had performed better than the | | | | roommate. Bob introduced them, and James moved |
| rest on the company's set of interview questions. | | | | in. Bob thought he had resolved the situation. |
| Bob was reluctant to hire James but he didn't know | | | | Sometime later, the computer system stalled for all |
| why. | | | | users. The computer operator frantically tried to |
| As the new position was in the technical division, Bob | | | | identify a cause. He noticed a very large number of |
| discussed the various candidates with Mary, the | | | | image files on a computer, which had used all of the |
| technical manager. Any of the candidates would | | | | spare capacity. The files were owned by James. The |
| make good employees and all but James looked like | | | | operator checked and found that it was pornography. |
| they would fit right in to the company. Mary was | | | | He explained that James could not fill the disks with |
| curious and suggested that she meet James herself. | | | | that kind of material. James said he would take care |
| Bob arranged an interview between James and Mary. | | | | of it. The operator reported to management that a |
| James arrived in the same black clothes, with the | | | | large number of files had been created by a rogue |
| same black top hat, and his beard seemed even | | | | process, and that it wouldn't happen again. More |
| scruffier. He calmly answered Mary's inquiries, even | | | | frequent monitoring of the computer was performed. |
| seeming bored with the technical questions. When | | | | In the following days, the operator checked the disks |
| asked about modern database technology, James | | | | and found the same pornography again. |
| perked up. He said that he had been researching the | | | | "James, you can't store that on the computer". "It's |
| topic and applying it where he could but he needed | | | | OK," said James, "I changed the program so it will |
| access to a large system. Mary had another technical | | | | only download up to 75% of the disk space. It won't |
| employee come in to test James on the subject. | | | | crash again." "That's not the point! You can't have |
| In the end, James accepted a position and arrived to | | | | any of it on this computer. Not on any of the |
| work. Bob couldn't believe it - James appeared | | | | company's computers." The operator deleted all of |
| wearing the same casual clothes. Bob tried to | | | | the material. |
| describe the company policies about dress but James | | | | One of the duties of every employee was to |
| didn't seem to understand. | | | | present monthly reports at a company meeting. |
| Over time, James proved to be an odd, but | | | | James never prepared anything in advance and often |
| effective employee whose technical ability was | | | | avoided reporting anything at all. He was also |
| unmatched. He worked long hours for the company, | | | | supposed to meet clients, which he refused to do. |
| but had made only one friend at the firm. While he | | | | His manager kept writing up "lack of reporting" |
| had begun wearing a black suit, he continued to sport | | | | performance issues. When the company had a |
| the peculiar top hat. | | | | downturn in business, James was the first employee |
| James began to be assigned technical tasks that | | | | to be released. James was never able to get another |
| couldn't be accomplished by others. Several times he | | | | technical job and became a restaurant employee. |
| astonished project managers with the speed of his | | | | Project managers should note that some technical |
| work. James was continually working on the systems | | | | employees will be difficult to manage. There could be |
| and craved difficult assignments. | | | | behavioral problems. Many technical employees are |
| One task had been in development for two months, | | | | extremely introverted and may not respond well to |
| but testing kept revealing problems with it. James | | | | criticism. Technical schools don't teach ethics or good |
| was asked to take a look on Friday. On Monday, he | | | | corporate behavior. If a company can recognize this |
| delivered a module which passed the set of tests. | | | | type of employee and work through the issues, both |
| When asked about it, James described what the | | | | the company and the employee will benefit. In James' |
| problems had been. He had to build a special test | | | | case, it would not have been hard to improve the |
| program to find the issue. The work had taken him | | | | situation, but no one but Bob tried. Bob later said that |
| 50 hours. He then returned to his work and | | | | he wished he had done more to help. In fact, Bob |
| completed a regular work day. | | | | attempted to convince his company to overlook the |
| Bob tried to be friendly to James, but it was difficult. | | | | past and give James another chance. He has |
| They had few common interests, and worked in | | | | introduced James to a manager at a rival company |
| different areas. They said "hello" to each other, but | | | | which may ask James for an interview. James still has |
| that was about it for contact. Bob did notice that | | | | his top hat and beard. |
| James worked a lot of hours. James always arrived | | | | |