Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Do you have an interview from h$%L you'd like to share? I have one that sticks out in my mind - it's up there in the top 3 for me
In the summer of 2013, I interviewed for a well known, publicly held solar company here in the Bay Area. I arrived at the corporate office, early of course. When I checked in with the receptionist, he asked me if I was "Douglas" as he looked at me. Um, I am clearly a female.... K, strike one.
I was taken into a conference room to have a Skype meeting with the EVP. The EVP proceeded to yawn several times and wave and mouth words at others who walked past his conference room door. He acted like a smug, self absorbed dbag - who wants to work for an organization who has leadership like this?!!? Strike two.
Then I had to come back in a day later because the hiring manager was stuck in traffic. When I met with her, she was an equal smug, self absorbed dbaggete. She spent most of the meeting answering emails and IMs on her laptop while asking me questions. Strike three.
Who the heck wants to work for an organization with leadership so full of themselves and a bad case of ADHD? OMG, 3 years later and I still want my 5 hours back.
Oh and they never called me back or did a canned "we moved forward with candidates who were a better fit" email.
I've had so many. There are so many interviewers that think that tearing others apart and interrogating them like [pick your favorite tough TV police detective] is a good way to interview and just pat them self on the back with the delusion they are saving the company from a bad hire. A real bad one was with Eli Lilly. The direct manager and I hit it off we both enjoyed cycling and from there it went down hill. Another manager was so hostile and so obnoxious I was literally sweating and nervous as if he was really was going to roll up his sleeves and go at me if he didn't like my next answer. Didn't get that job and I was gunning it all the way home up I-65. Considering big pharma has become the graveyard for science careers I'm pretty happy I didn't end up there.
Then of course all the vacuous HR bimbos I've had hack psychologist sessions with. I am not sure which I prefer less the hostile jerk off interviewers or the psychobabblers. Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a coworker. I swore and threw an Erlenmeyer flask at him duh. What is your ideal manager like? The pope.
Just once I'd like to show up to an interview and talk about science and how I can add value to the team. I could talk for hours on interesting projects I've had and innovative methods I've designed.
Just once I'd like to show up to an interview and talk about science and how I can add value to the team. I could talk for hours on interesting projects I've had and innovative methods I've designed.
^^^ This is so true. There's not enough focus on the meat of what someone brings to the table these days. The last couple of years of interviewing has been a weird experience for me. Maybe it's because I'm older (and old school?) and I have a different perspective on things.
My worst one was with a company my friend and then roommate worked for. The woman spent the entirety of the time questioning me about our relationship (which there was none - we were just rooming for financial reasons) and asking what my parents thought of me living with a man that I wasn't married to.
I didn't get the job and to this day I wish I'd reported her for all that crap.
I don't like it when an interviewer berates and/or ridicules other staff members to you who aren't present in the same room. Very unprofessional IMO.
Also, in sharing same sentiments as MSChemist, I'm also frustrated by interviewers (mostly HR) who have no people-skills/aren't personable at all. Why in the world would you put someone who is as dull as doorknob in the front line of meeting and acquiring talent for your organization?
Also, in sharing same sentiments as MSChemist, I'm also frustrated by interviewers (mostly HR) who have no people-skills/aren't personable at all. Why in the world would you put someone who is as dull as doorknob in the front line of meeting and acquiring talent for your organization?
Unfortunately at many companies the hierarchy is those that can't do, manage and those that can't do either work in HR.
Just once I'd like to show up to an interview and talk about science and how I can add value to the team. I could talk for hours on interesting projects I've had and innovative methods I've designed.
I'm curious, what do you talk about? Since it seems I'm out of "the loop" in that nearly all my jobs I know someone there already and many times ask me to work there. So they know I would fit in, so at interview they ask my skills and what I bring.
Typically either canned behavioral interview questions, tell me about a time that..., I've had a bunch of the stupid classic questions like where do you see yourself in 5 years... I've had interviewers pick apart my resume and well why did you go there or lambaste me for not having experience in this, I had a really nasty HR bimbo grill me over a 6 month gap 6 or seven years ago immediately after I graduated college when the job market wasn't so good. I've had HR people give me ridiculous assignments, those god awful quack psychometric tests. I haven't even accepted an interview in 4-5 years since I got my last position since I find the whole process so utterly demeaning and unpleasant.
Not sure if it works for you, but I have a publication listed on my resume. It's odd enough since many aren't in published journals so they ask about it. Use it to lead into what you did and how you can bring those skills over?
I don't mind them picking apart resume, I only put things in there I want them to see. So if they pick at it, I know what they would be asking. Kind of like don't ask a question without knowing the answer beforehand when talking to a group. Lead hr to the conclusion you want them to reach based on what is provided on resume.
Trying to lead an HR person is like trying to herd a cat. They are going to go off whatever nonsense is vogue in HR which is currently behavioral interviewing and psycho-crap.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
He acted like a smug, self absorbed dbag - who wants to work for an organization who has leadership like this?!!? Strike two.
