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Someone just gave me a rep point on this thread. That means someone besides myself thinks I'm right.
You also need to remember, sorry for being arrogant, most people have no clue how they should work in a corporate environment.
Remember, most bosses are NOT there to get you. They are there to help the company to make money. So, if you can't get along with your boss, 9 out of 10, it is YOU.
What is your job really? I mean seriously, what is your job? Let me tell you: your job is to do exactly what your boss wants to do and in the way your boss wants you to do.
If you don't get this point, then I must say that you won't be very successful in the corporate world.
I agree and references are so dumb. Anyone can get or even pay someone to say nice things about them. Ever watch those TV pitches: they pay people off the street $70 or so to say that the junk they are selling is great. Past supervisors typically will say nothing other than title, salary, and dates of employment. What is the point anymore?
It depends. I guess if one is just looking for a character reference to work at Burger King, then sure, you can find someone to say something nice about you. But people who build good relationships with past supervisors will find that they have people who will give a lot more than title or salary and will give a solid, detailed reference. I know I get requests from former co-workers (usually people I have managed in the past) to serve as a reference in their job search. I make it a point to give a lot of detail and help sell that person (if I mean it of course; I have had a few requests from people over the years to serve as a reference that I was not very fond of (in terms of the quality of their work) - in those cases, I simply politely declined to be a reference for them).
A former manager at one of my previous companies is now a VP. Having someone in her position talk me up was a very nice thing to have in my pocket during my last job search.
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Originally Posted by MSchemist80
Qualifications, technical interview questions, just check that they are able to present themselves professionally at an interview because that is all you can reliably get from it.
Good interviewers can get quite a lot of information out of an interview.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MSchemist80
Interview questions are lame, trite, and generally useless as all they prove is how good of an interviewer a person is and that has little relation to how well they perform on the job.
Quite wrong. If I am interviewing someone for a position, it is fairly easy to get a better understanding of what skills / knowledge they do have, and what they may be trying to exaggerate. And the way people respond to certain behavioral / situational questions can also provide a lot of insight into how that person will function on the job - and its not just the content of those responses, but also in how they respond.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MSchemist80
I didn't ask the plumber or roofer that worked on my house where does he see himself in 5 years or what is his greatest weakness. I assessed whether he could do the job.
And for a short-time contract job, that is sufficient...but that example is in no way applicable to hiring someone in a corporate position that could potentially be working closely with you or for you for years. If I was going to hire a contractor to spend a considerable length of time rennovating my entire house...well, then, yes I would want to know if he's planning on retiring in the next few months.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rift
I believe the only thing that companies can ask or do ask when contacting your references are:
Dates of employment
Your title and/or possibly what you did there
maybe wage/salary
May ask if you would rehire the person. ( i doubt)
And that's it.
I don't think that they can ask about you as a person or how you got along with your boss. Maybe they can, but i don't think so.
When contacting references, it is just like a mini-interview about the person and they tend to ask a lot more questions than that. But when someone is providing references, they are providing contact info for peoplewho have agreed to be referencess for them and to provide this type of information.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MSchemist80
Seriously what if the candidate asked what is the worst aspect of the company? The interviewers would gasp in shock of the audacity.
Its a valid question...and a good one (although it could be worded better). Its even better if the candidate asks a more specific question about potential negatives. For example, I was working for a company that (at the time) had recently been purchased by a larger firm. I had a candidate ask if that was going to affect the types of benefits offered by my company (as a smaller entity). Great question...it indicated two things to me: that they did their homework and learned about the company, and that they were serious about figuring out if that was a place that they wanted to work as the next step in their career.
The next person that ask me the "how/where do you see yourself in five years?" question, here is the answer: "Well, I see myself in an operation table getting new boobs, new figure, and a new ass, or dead".
Look those interview questions are not lame. You may not understand the purpose of the questions and I am happy to explain to you. For example, the question "what your weakness?" You wouldn't believe how many people tell me that they'd be late often, they tend to run behind at their work etc. etc. etc.
Here's a "great" answer I got "I have no weakness." Yeah, right, if you don't even know yourself, how can you improve yourself? :-)
I always say, very dramatically, "I care too much." That always gets a laugh.
Personally, I find that sort of question super-irritating - do they expect you to have a crystal ball or something?? Heck, the country might not be here in five years, so why should I be concerned about what *I* may or may not be doing in the year 2017?
and why do hiring-managers, employers, why do they want to hire an applicant that has been doing something with his/her time while unemployed? where i'm getting at is thats why volunteer work looks good on a resume, application, is attractive to hiring-managers, employers, seriously, there is a difference between being lazy to look for a job than there is being lazy to work at a job you know.
What if you and your boss don't get along? What if you are a good employee who applies himself, gets to work on time, etc. but the boss is just a grade A douchebag?
Does that mean you are screwed careerwise because you had the misfortune of working for a bad boss who won't give you a good reference?
Something else I hate is relying on a piece of paper known as a resume to try and sell myself. A lot of people hate the boss and/or the work they are doing, but they stay in jobs they are miserable at because they don't want to look like a "job hopper." I've always thought that was stupid. If you hate going to work every day, you will probably bring it home with you and turn into a dark cloud. I never hesitate to quit jobs that I hate regardless of the time I've spent there.
Also, the resume doesn't say anything about what kind of employee you are. Interviews don't either, for that matter. All a resume (and an interview) does is let the employer know how good you are at fluffing up your experience and education. Most people pad their resumes anyway.
It just all seems like such a game to me, a stupid game where everyone is putting on a facade to get hired.
No.
You just don't use him/her as a reference.
YOU need to network yourself.
Get to know people in positions that can help you.
NEVER burn your bridges. You never know when it will come back to bite you in the ass.
I've stated many times, in 30 years in the workforce, I only applied for ONE job. That was my first one.
YOU are responsible for building a network of people who can recommend you to others.
and why do hiring-managers, employers, why do they want to hire an applicant that has been doing something with his/her time while unemployed? where i'm getting at is thats why volunteer work looks good on a resume, application, is attractive to hiring-managers, employers, seriously, there is a difference between being lazy to look for a job than there is being lazy to work at a job you know.
I personally feel that volunteering at a company that has nothing to do with your employment goals or past is called "Active". And volunteering at a company that is connected to your past and employment goals is called "productive".
Productive looks better IMO instead of active just to fill in a resume gap.
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Heck, the country might not be here in five years, so why should I be concerned about what *I* may or may not be doing in the year 2017?
