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It annoys me a bit when I go to a job interview and when I get there, two of the three people who were supposed to interview me are not even there. No call. They had forgot about me coming in completely though the one person who was there did admit that yes, I had the right time and day and place, just they all weren't there for whatever reason. No apology for wasting my time and gas, then the form letter sent that I did not get the job with no mention at all of their mess up. I KNOW I dodged a bullet, so I'm not mad that I didn't get the job. I'm just not happy with their complete lack of professionalism.
I interviewed later in the week with another employer, but it doesn't seem like a good fit for me. I am particularly concerned with the turnover and the fact that she stressed multiple times that they needed someone long term. Sounded like there was a real problem that was not articulated. If it was such a great place to work, why were people not sticking around? Didn't really add up. I was offered a second interview...several times. I reluctantly accepted, but now think I am going to cancel because I just can't see working for her. Something about her personality rubbed me the wrong way plus the industry bothers me because of the continued economic downturn.
I had another interview with a company that asked straight out if I was married and had children. Though I generally loathe interviews with HR only types, that one could have used one to censor inappropriate/illegal questions. Apparently, many employers here have no idea what questions are inappropriate. One interviewer for another company would not stop asking about my husband. He asked me what he did, what his name was, etc, etc. Not cool at all. I can't remember any place I interviewed for before I moved out here that asked anything remotely close to this nonsense.
The hiring process at some places is amazingly slow. Two-three weeks without hearing from anyone after an interview and you just assume they are not interested and move on. But then the call or email comes that you are still being actively considered and the next step is X (which is by no means the last).
All my complaints aside, I have been obviously getting a lot of interviews. Lack of interest is not a problem and I don't think it will be too long before I fall into something. Interviewing sucks. I just hope that whatever job I am offered works out, because it is not something I am keen to run out and put myself through again any time soon.
If someone is getting that off track in an interview asking about marital status and what your husband does for a living you speak up and say "I don't see what this has to do with position I'm interviewing for".
Not just sit there and get subjected to inappropriate questions.
It is still a two way street even in this economy.
Just remember it is not illegal for them to ask these questions. It is only illegal for them to use the information in their decision-making process.
Good interviewers try to put the applicant at ease, and chatting about their life is one way to do that. While it's true that it's none of their business and that it has nothing to do with the job, saying so is confrontational And it is that confrontation that will sink your chances of getting the job. So if you don't want to talk about it, the best way to do it is to gracefully steer them back to you, without being adversarial about it.
For example if they ask what your husband does, you can say, 'oh he works in another field entirely. I try to tell him about my day and his eyes just glaze over! But I love what I do so it's hard for me to not talk about it, even when I know he isn't listening". It's idle banter that is meaningless, it doesn't even have to be true, but it keeps the conversation flowing, and steers them back to thinking about you. If you aren't good at that kind of thing, then practice with friends or just in your head, about deal with these questions.
Honestly, I much prefer the casual conversation-style interviews that may include some personal questions, over the formal interviews where they just stiffly read through a list of questions and barely even look at me.
It is illegal to ask in an interview your martial status. In addition to age, sexual orientation, religion, and race.
Sigh. We have been over this a bazillion times on this forum. It is NOT illegal to ask the question. It is merely illegal to use the answer in an adverse manner.
It's all right there on the EEOC website if you want to look it up yourself.
Sigh. We have been over this a bazillion times on this forum. It is NOT illegal to ask the question. It is merely illegal to use the answer in an adverse manner.
It's all right there on the EEOC website if you want to look it up yourself.
It may vary from state to state but as most of working life was in CA I just checked their website, and all of those are illegal questions to be asked in an interview.
So they cannot be asked legally. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but it is illegal.
BTW, it is also illegal in CA in addition to the other questions to ask if you rent or own a home.
I can't say how they handle it in Mississippi.
Personally I wouldn't want to work for anyone who would even think to conduct an interview that way.
Just to show how different things can be, I just got a resume from an internal candidate that works in the UK. On the very top the candidate listed marital status, birth date, sex and nationality.
Just to show how different things can be, I just got a resume from an internal candidate that works in the UK. On the very top the candidate listed marital status, birth date, sex and nationality.
Our french and European potential hires also include a photo.
when I go to a job interview and when I get there, two of the three people who were supposed to interview me are not even there. No call. They had forgot about me coming in completely
That's just not right. I wonder if they hired someone and that was their way of cancelling? How about the interview where the employer tests your patience by seeing how long you'll wait before someone comes out for the interview? What exactly does that tactic test? How much bad treatment an applicant is willing to accept?
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