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Looking for a job can be a very stressful situation. Possibly, the most difficult part of the job search is the dreaded interview. We have all heard the cliche, "You only have one chance to make a good first impression."
That is true. When going to a job interview, we all want to look our best.
The worst job interview I ever had, was when I was really young. I had only one previous employer; the newspaper, as a delivery boy. I was applying for a position to be an assistant manager of a boat dealership. I was 18 and very ambitious. Seemed like a good job and it paid very well. I thought anything was possible. The reason people did not make more money is that they simply did not apply for those jobs that did. Besides, I would work hard and learn the boat business inside and out.
I put on my best clothes I had at the time: White dress shirt, tie, blue sport coat, and some fancy off white dress slacks that I had received for Christmas. I had been taught never to be late for an interview, so I left early enough to get there on time, even if there was traffic or an accident, anything that could go wrong. I arrived at the boat dealership over an hour early. Since it was a hot day, I thought I would go next door to a fast-food place and have a snack and a soda. What a mistake that was.
So, I am eating lunch. Checking my watch often. While taking a bite of the hamburger, a large clump of ketchup and mustard fell right into the crotch of my pants. I was freaking out. I grabbed some napkins and went to the bathroom to try to clean up the spot. The napkins themselves were orange and yellow, and it seemed like the die of the napkins was conning off, to add to the ever-growing spot on my pants.
By the time I was done, the "spot" had become so large, that it covered half or the front of my pants. Orange, red, yellow and gold, all mixed together. I could not believe this was happening. It was time for my interview. I had gone out to my car and got a file folder and carried it in a way the covered the front of my pants. After we sat down for the interview, where the spot could not be seen, I felt like I had made it. This was going to be my job. At that point, I noticed that the interviewer seemed to be regarding me in a weird sort of way.
After returning to my car, I was pleased with myself, as I had pulled it off, even with my stained pants. Just then I looked in the review mirror and saw that I had overlooked the large, and by then, crusty, streak of ketchup and mustard that had ran down my face and dried. It looked gross. Needless to say, I did not get the job. The devil is not in the details, but in the condiments!
Last edited by Hollywood55; 07-17-2015 at 03:21 PM..
I once interviewed someone who finally admitted during the interview that he planned to start a business and would be making a lot of personal phone calls during the work day. At his desk; in a cubicle. He was genuinely surprised and annoyed when I told him that he would not be permitted to be on the phone all day.
Another applicant said that she only wanted to work part time. But with the full time pay. When asked who would do the other half of the job (which actually requires quite a bit of overtime), she said it really wasn't her problem.
I once went on an interview that was a part of a package deal. They planned to hire my boss and wanted to bring me on too. After sitting through a 2 hour interview where I talked quite a bit about how great my boss is, they admitted that they had decided not to hire her, asked me to tell her since they knew I'd call her after the interview, and then made me an offer that was a demotion from my current position.
It sounds like you and your boss had/have a good relationship. That is a lot of trust. For the prospective new employer, well, not what you would call a class act. "We will take you, but tell your boss to take a hike. Oh, and you will have to take a cut in pay." Pass.
Less surprising are potential employees that tell me in the interview, that they really don't want the job, they will take it, for now anyway, while they look for something better. This person should write a book on how not to get hired.
At least the one guy was upfront and told you he would be making nonstop phone calls. Makes you wonder. Do most people know how to interview. It is one of the most important skills you can ever have! Is this taught in school? It should be.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Great story, OP. I was interviewing about 15 people and one of the questions was "What makes you the best candidate for this position?" I actually had two different people respond something like "I'm probably not the best person." In another case I asked a guy about his apparent job hopping, and he answered that he gets tired of doing the same thing every day and likes to try something else.
1. HR bimbo assigns me an essay to do that had nothing to do with the job like this was third grade. I actually did it. It went nowhere. Had another HR bleeper try it later at a different company and I just walked away. I learned a valuable lesson though. When HR are off their leash time to walk away. //www.city-data.com/forum/work-...ychobable.html
2. Hostile interviewers. I had a series of interviews at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis. I hit it off with my would be boss, after that the interviewers got more and more hostile until one guy literally had me sweating. By the end of the interview I just got in my car and sped back for home (Chicago) and never looked back. I've had quite a few interview that seem to have the tone how dare you come here and interview for the position like I am a suspect and the interviewers are cops.
3. Psychobabble. I probably hate this kind of interview even worse than the police interrogations in 2. I get asked nothing but inane questions and other HR quackery interviewing gimicks like behavioral interviewing. I've had interviews that felt like I should lie down on the couch and start talking about my childhood. If I am interviewing for a Chemist position and I am barely asked and not hired on the basis of my qualifications I have serious reservations about the company. I've had to clean up after such hiring processes. //www.city-data.com/forum/work-...r-nit-wit.html
In conclusion, after I started interviewing for serious professional jobs after I graduated college I was just dumbstruck by how absolutely retarded and devoid of merit most company's hiring processes are. I have reached the point where I have no sympathy for companies having recruitment and hiring problems and no respect at all for HR people.
Last edited by MSchemist80; 07-22-2015 at 08:22 AM..
I read a story about a guy was looking for work and interviewed with someone who asked him, "Where would you like to be in this company five years from now?"
The guy who was being interviewed replied, "I'd like to be in a position important enough that I could tell you to take that pipe you're smoking and stick it up your ass."
Several years back, I drove two hours to an interview location. Starting pay was stated at $34k, which was low, but it seemed to have more upward mobility than the position I was in. I got down to the site and the interviewer was a total ass, and then he mentioned the compensation was actually $24k for Tennessee, and the $34k mentioned was for NJ. He wanted pretty in-depth SQL knowledge. I just walked out of the interview.
I interviewed for a retail position at a high end department store where I was questioned about my "stamina". The interviewer was an overweight, eastern european woman in her late 50's who was not pleasant.
Another interviewer asked how old I was and if I had any kids. He didn't want someone who had kids because women with kids have to leave work early too much.
I interviewed for a retail position at a high end department store where I was questioned about my "stamina". The interviewer was an overweight, eastern european woman in her late 50's who was not pleasant.
Another interviewer asked how old I was and if I had any kids. He didn't want someone who had kids because women with kids have to leave work early too much.
Anyone got one?
I've got 2.. and it all dealt with women being the interviewers LOL.
1. I interviewed with 2 women and right from the get-go, I knew they did not liked me or wanted me there. They were snooty and were straight up *******. They kept staring at me the whole time with stone cold faces and seemed uninterested.. needless to say I thanked them for their time and walked out lol.
2. This was a bit recent.. the interviewer was a girl that was the same age as me and is currently in the same kind of role I currently hold, leading a team of 3-4 in the dept. It started out as an interview but as we got into it, it felt like she was asking questions to take ideas off me. Idk, maybe I am overthinking, but she kept asking questions like.. "so if you were to run this program, what kind of suggestions would you have" or "so how did you run X at your current dept?" I also felt like she was on some kind of power trip.
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 11-15-2015 at 11:04 AM..
Reason: Inappropriate Language
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I'll take the job! Now where's my check!
I also felt like she was on some kind of power trip.
