DR. WALLACE: Last month was a disaster at my family’s home! I’m talking about our family Thanksgiving dinner this year. My father and my oldest brother got into a big yelling and shouting match that resulted in the police being called to our home and my father and brother having to be physically separated for the rest of that day. My brother ended up spending the rest of that night with his close friend from the junior college they attend who lives down the street.
My mom says she is still following through with our usual large Christmas dinner because it is a tradition, and all of the same people are invited, so I’m worried it will be another powder keg ready to explode again with one spark.
Is there anything I can do to make sure our dinner over Christmas turns out more peacefully than our Thanksgiving dinner did? — Peace-loving Daughter and Sister, via email
PEACE-LOVING DAUGHTER AND SISTER: It’s true that for many families, holiday dinners with many guests can lead to disagreements or even mild arguments during this time of year. However, it’s quite unusual for them to escalate to the point that the police need to be called. Your parents are the heads of your family, so I think it is the responsibility of both your mother and father to keep peace and avoid disagreements spilling over into large confrontations that require authorities being called.
Although you didn’t mention it, it may be that alcohol could have been a factor here, and if so, it would be wise to cut back or eliminate its consumption for at least this one meal to help keep a better lid on the collective emotions.
If no alcohol or substances were involved over Thanksgiving, then I feel it is your parents’ responsibility to keep the discussions more lighthearted and request that everyone be respectful and do their best to avoid the inflammatory topics that caused the previous situation.
WHY ARE THERE NOW TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS?
DR. WALLACE: What is the purpose of a phone interview when applying for a job these days? In the past when I was looking for a job, I just walked into a business to pick up an application. I’d fill it out and maybe speak to somebody briefly at the business about what job openings might exist.
Nowadays it seems everyone wants me to call a specific telephone number and conduct a telephone interview before I can even fill out an application. Why is this, and do you think it’s fair? I’m 19 and want a part-time job as soon as possible. — Job Seeker, via email
JOB SEEKER: Human resources departments at many businesses have had to make a lot of adjustments during this pandemic, and phone interviews are one of the ways they have adjusted.
Also, to save time they often prefer to conduct these telephone interviews as a first step in an effort to confirm a match between employer and potential employee based upon background skills, personality and overall compatibility with the company and job in question.
Once this initial hurdle is overcome, the process often then moves to an in-person interview similar to the ones you’ve experienced in the past.
I do feel this is fair as employers are trying to save time for everyone involved. The good news for you is there are a lot of jobs openings available in America right now, and I trust you can find a suitable part-time job that will both challenge you and provide you an opportunity to earn some extra income doing a job that your skill set and temperament match up well with.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected] To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
