I worked at Taliesin West for a year and a half. I worked in the Tour Guides department. I was a docent (tour guide) I got compliments on my tours all the time.in fact, I was the only docent who received thank you emails and requests to take my tour. I was an exemplary employee. I got along with everyone and was well liked. Most of the tour guides are older retired people. I was the young guy and did all the stuff like heavy lifting and when it rains the buildings leak so I ran around with buckets and soaked up the water on the floors and carpets.
I was having some personal issues out side of work.in addition I have MS (multiple sclerosis) although you wouldn't notice and asked Stan Jones who is the manager for the tour guide department for some time off to take care of some personal business and rest up because of MS. Stan didn't know about my MS, nobody at Taliesin West was aware of my MS. He said no problem, just call us when I wanted to get back on the schedule.
I was off the schedule for a month when I called Stan and left him a voice mail to tell him to put me back on the schedule. One day goes by with out hearing from Stan, then two, three, four and a week goes by and I haven't heard from Stan. I called a few times and each time I got his voice mail.
I then decided to write an email to Stan. He emailed me back and told me that they had enough tour guides and didn't need me. I thought this was strange and knew it was a lie because the number one compliant amongst the tour guides is that there are not enough tour guides to handle all the tours. It's exhausting for an individual giving two or even three tours a day everyday.
Over the last three years I have tried and done everything I can to be rehired as a tour guide at Taliesin West. I once even posed online as a retired military person and they wanted to hired that me. I had to know for myself that is was me they didn't want to hire. I got my answer when they wanted to hire the fictitious person I created.
I absolutely loved that job. I miss the people and meeting people from all over the world. It was a wonderful job. The pay sucked but I guess the joy from the job made up for that. I was very good at the job too.
Marc
Glendale, Arizona
U.S.A.
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