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.
I just had round #2 today for a project management contract position in the I.T. dept of a research organization. Round one was a phone screen with 2 people. Today was 2.5 hours of in person interviews with a total of 8 people in 3 groups. And that's not even the end of it. If I make it through this round, a meeting with the department head would have to be scheduled.
I must have answered "tell me about a time when you had a project that...." half a dozen or more times. It went on and on and on.
All this caution for a position that they could eliminate at any time, for any reason, with a snap of their fingers?
Ridiculous, truly ridiculous.
I don't like the job description, nor the fact that they all seem to dress up everyday (some of them wear suits!). But I need a job and I'm coming up on 1 year without, so....
You applied for the job and they have have it, so its their choice how they are going through the hiring process. If you don;t like it, call them and say you are not interested because of the process, otherwise, stop being one of those unemployed complainers who want a job but whine like a 2-year old cause its not the way they want to be hired......
You applied for the job and they have have it, so its their choice how they are going through the hiring process. If you don;t like it, call them and say you are not interested because of the process, otherwise, stop being one of those unemployed complainers who want a job but whine like a 2-year old cause its not the way they want to be hired......
I wouldn't advise this but if it was me, I'd wait till I got to the real dude, the one who's paying all those idiots to interview you, and I'd lay it out straight. Dude, I've got this! I've got the skills to do this job and more. All these bozos are doing is making sure I'm not smarter than they are. If you hire me, I'll blow all there asses outta the water. Show some real balls and ask him, "what exactly is the budget for this project?" I'll get it done by X for Y and you can tell those idiots to get outta my way.
But then again, he could be just like those idiots and be afraid of you too. Then, he'll tell ya to hit the skids.
I've never sat there and tried to charm the team to get one spot of many. If I'm showing up for that job, they already know I'm coming and they want to hire me before I get away. I'm leading that damn team and their all glad I showed up.
Grab those jobs folks. Moxy, spunk, guts, whatever it takes to stand out and get that job. Too many are afraid that they won't get the job. Washing dishes, writing reports, designing a database. Jeeze, I'll learn that **** on the job if I have to, and still get it done. Right after they hire me.
OK, I'm done now. Thanks for the rant. I'll go back to bed now and leave you nice people alone.
Some places are like that, and some aren't. What I have found... The larger the company, the more hoops you gotta jump through. One can only imagine how much it costs a company to have all these people doing the interviews, but I imagine it saves them a bundle when they find exactly what they are looking for the 1st time round. Can't argue with that if it works, although in my experience, it doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes what you are really looking for does not fit in a cookie cutter shape the way you expect.
Some places are like that, and some aren't. What I have found... The larger the company, the more hoops you gotta jump through. One can only imagine how much it costs a company to have all these people doing the interviews, but I imagine it saves them a bundle when they find exactly what they are looking for the 1st time round. Can't argue with that if it works, although in my experience, it doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes what you are really looking for does not fit in a cookie cutter shape the way you expect.
It does not always work, but the goal is to do all in your power to increase the odds of success. A MLB pitcher does the same thing, no guarantee, but he tries to hit a particular spot, with a specific pitch and movement, to increase his odds of success.
I just had round #2 today for a project management contract position in the I.T. dept of a research organization. Round one was a phone screen with 2 people. Today was 2.5 hours of in person interviews with a total of 8 people in 3 groups. And that's not even the end of it. If I make it through this round, a meeting with the department head would have to be scheduled.
I must have answered "tell me about a time when you had a project that...." half a dozen or more times. It went on and on and on.
All this caution for a position that they could eliminate at any time, for any reason, with a snap of their fingers?
Ridiculous, truly ridiculous.
I don't like the job description, nor the fact that they all seem to dress up everyday (some of them wear suits!). But I need a job and I'm coming up on 1 year without, so....
I see your point. HOwever, the company has a culture that works for them, and the hiring process is part of it.
Also, in your post you comment that you do not really like the job description or the way the employees dress...could this possibly be coloring your perception of the process? Would you mind as much going through all these interviews if it was your dream job? It is someone's dream job, possibly not yours?
The hiring process is one to find the right candidate and of course I get that! This organization is not huge, it's about 1,000 people total. The whole point of hiring a contractor is the ability to get a resource and try them out without a long term commitment or cover a gap to get work done without actually hiring them and paying benefits. I've seen contractors get hired after a couple interviews with a few people...2, 3 folks meeting them in the organizations I've been with in the past (some very large companies). I've not personally seen this level of effort with everybody and their cousin weighing in...for what is a pretty standard contract job.
Of course it's *their* process--I'm not disputing that. It seems like a lot of effort and screening and hoops and uber-caution. But hey, that's just me.
No, this is not my perfect job. The company is about 23 miles away so there will be a commute in heavy traffic which will take 30 to 45 min each way. I'll have to pay for my own parking since the company is located in a metro downtown high rise (no reasonable public transportation available). Then again, I may not have made it through this round anyway.
They do this stuff because there is no real work to be done there. These people have to look busy so they can keep their precious jobs! Plus, some people love to dress up and feel important.
But you better listen to the corporate "experts" on this forum and start believing that it makes all the difference in the world! It's a matter of life and death that they hire just the right person. Don't you know, oh mighty contract worker, that you alone could bring down the whole company if you are not just the right fit?
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.