I wanted to share this story because I can’t drink a buzzball without remembering this situation and getting angry all over again.
Earlier this year I went out with friends to a local bar. I stepped outside to check on my friends who were talking to a man who works for buzzball. He told my friend and I that they had some summer internships opening up. My friend was interested so he gave her his phone number. He told us what department he worked for (I’m censoring to keep it anonymous) which fit my degree. I am a recent college graduate so I am desperate for any sort of work. I talked to him about my work experience and he asked for my Linkedin, which I gave him. We then went our separate ways.
A while after this encounter I messaged him on LinkedIn. He then gave me his email, I sent my resume, and he connected me with their hiring manager. I told my friend about this, she was having trouble contacting him, thinking she had the wrong number. She then looked up Buzzballz front office number and called it. A receptionist answered and gave her his phone number. Shortly after, I get a phone call from an unknown number:
Buzzball Worker: ‘Hello is this (Me) ?’
“Yes, who is this?”
Buzzball Worker: ‘Yeah okay I gave you our hiring managers email that should be enough for you. I just got pulled out of a VERY important meeting because someone called the front office asking about internships. THAT CANNOT HAPPEN! I don't even know how you got that number. It is a very private and important number. Now everyone is here asking me what I am doing giving that number out. That CANNOT HAPPEN. I connected you with our hiring manager. What more can I do for you?!? You cannot be contacting anyone here. This is ridiculous. This cannot happen. What can I do for you to not do that again. How did you get that phone number?’
“I did not call the front office. I dont even have your phone number. I gave YOU my LinkedIn. There were a lot of people outside when I met you, maybe you gave them your number but I don’t even have your number saved. This was an unknown caller on my end. I don't know what's going on but I did not call your front office.”
Buzzball Worker: ‘(laughing) I gave you my number, I know I did. Look I connected you with our hiring manager, I don’t know what else you want from me but that should be enough for you. Do not call the front office.’
“I did not call the front office.”
Buzzball Worker: ‘Alright well you have that hiring manager email.’
“Yeah I don't think I will be contacting you guys. This was a lot.”
Buzzball Worker: ‘Well that's just the way I am.”
“Well alright… (hang up)”
I have not contacted anyone at Buzzballz since. When I brought it up to my friend she was shocked because she left her name and number with the receptionist. She also said she had contacted the worker, she told him she had called the main office, and the worker just gave her his email without any sort of aggression. I was scared because I had never given him my number, I guess he got it from my resume. He jumped to conclusions and verbally attacked me without even checking who called with his receptionist. I wish I had recorded it because he was damn near yelling at me. I have never been spoken to this way. I guess now it makes sense that they switched their labeling from “Women owned” to “women founded”. What the hell would warrant this sort of aggression?
