[deleted] ยท 465 points ยท Posted at 04:32:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
rugby_fc ยท 153 points ยท Posted at 10:57:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of idiot does that?
They decide it's a good idea to be rude to people who already work there, at worst you're not going to get the job because you were rude to a colleague and at best (if they didn't see you be rude) you might end up working there with people who probably aren't going to like you. And 9/10 its gonna be the worst case scenario.
It's simple just to be nice to everyone you encounter on an interview, someone who lets you into the building, the receptionist, someone who holds a door open etc etc. You're trying to get a job you should be doing everything possible to make a good impact.
What do you gain by being not nice to them? Do you think they're gonna be like "Oh? This guy was being an asshole to me, I should adjust my believes!"...don't think that's how it works
Well, if it doesn't seem to matter either way I'd rather not be nice to them, thank you.
mayjay15 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 18:02:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, you probably feel a little better. And it's possible to be informative and curt. While that one interaction probably won't change their minds, maybe if they notice a pattern of people not being nice to them, they'll be less vocal about their hate, or maybe even, eventually, start to reconsider their position.
A racist becoming less racist isn't unheard of, though it usually takes years or decades.
rugby_fc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:47:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh of course, just something you should be paying special attention to when there is the possibility of a job.
I think a lot of the time people assume anyone who isn't involved in the interview/hiring process aren't worth their time. They don't seem to realize people talk (which is where the idiot part comes into play).
I'm an admin and work the front desk. I may not have any authority on hiring, but I am the first face they meet. I absolutely get asked after the interview by my manager what I thought of them. If you can't even muster up a good morning or a hello or I get attitude/condescension, just assume I've told management what I think of your personable skills.
rugby_fc ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:10:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. First of all you should be able to engage in polite conversation with anyone, don't be a dick. Secondly, you're there trying to get a job, you should be doing everything possible to leave a positive impact.
I'll give a friendly greeting, and if I'm sat waiting and the admin isn't busy/asks me how I'm doing i'll have a small conversation with them. If they don't say anything to the interviewer fair enough, but I'd rather put in the 'effort' of trying to be nice then risk being just another interviewee.
bunnymeee ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:02:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My current company asks the front desk for feedback on all interview candidates. If they are rude or dismissive to our front office staff, receptionist or an exec assistant, they get de-prioritized.
grumpydan ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 18:21:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Receptionist/Office Manager/Security are very important to be nice to when arriving for an interview. I've been a front desk person for 5 years, so everyone knows me pretty well. If a hiring manager is 50/50 on a candidate and I tell him they were rude/short/condescending to me or the receptionist, that tips the scales.
Even if you're not an interviewee, a decent admin can wreck your shit and never get caught. It's better to stay on their good side- even if it weren't already the right thing to do.
People like that are probably used to people not liking them. They don't expect any different.
fuddydudd ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:58:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Currently an Admin/Receptionist. Our supervisors have asked us for our opinions and first impressions whenever people come in for interviews. It's crazy how many people we had be surly to us and then all smiles when the supervisor came out. As if they really thought we didn't talk or wouldn't relay that information. I was truly shocked.
Part two of this-don't drive like an asshole on your way to the job interview. Many of the people who work there will also commute on similar routes. I cannot count the number of times the dude who was constantly cutting off and flipping the bird at you, or did the asshole park across two spots was on his way to interview with someone they just offended in their road rage. It doesn't go over well.
rugby_fc ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:30:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha have heard stories about this happening.
Serves people right for driving like twats, but I can just imagine the dread on their face when they walk in to the interview room and see the person they just called a useless cunt sat at the other side of the table.
Usrname52 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:40:44 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But women don't count as people.
(I am a woman and totally don't believe this, but that's what this guy thought.)
I tell interviewers or their assistants if the candidate was rude to me or nice. They actually do take that into account, because if they are rude to the support staff, it's not going to work out.
cactuscat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:02:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not to mention that actual support staff like secretaries and receptionists are super important to have on side at work.
In college I was an editor for the newspaper and had free reign over hiring for my section. We were always desperate for writers so provided you could write 500+ words in column form you were damn near guaranteed a job.
One evening I had an interview with a guy who seemed really interested in the job, and was quite competant, but the second he sat in the chair he was nothing but condecending. He kept comparing everying about our paper with how Harvard does it (mind you, we were a tiny paper and not remotely Ivy League) and was rude to everyone. The second he walked out I turned to my head editor and told her "Never hire that guy." I often had to personally write multiple columns a week to fill space, but I refused to work with such a douche-canoe.
eratoast ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:47:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, yes. I'm the Office Manager and HR, though I more or less do the front desk shit from my office because they won't hire a front desk person yet. I don't have anything to do with the interview process at all (I deal with our benefits--I would have no idea what to look for for almost all of the departments we have), but I'm the one who greets people, takes them on tours, etc. If you're a dick to me, I immediately tell my boss (the director) about it.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:58:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The official food of CleganeBowlTM
Fakyall ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:53:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This somehow reminds me of the episode in Malcom in the middle where we're in the idiots head and see how he came to stupid answers, but his line of thought was actually logical.
What kind of question is that for an interview? Like, what was supposed to be the "correct" answer to that? I don't see how one's opinion on foul language would matter at all for anything so long as it's not used in the workplace if it's frowned upon to do so.
[deleted] ยท 434 points ยท Posted at 03:48:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I would never use it in any professional setting, but it's useful in private to get frustations out. Because working at this place is going to be fucking frustrating."
If you say you are deeply offended by foul language and the office is lax about it and like to throw around cusses as part of their day to day talking about stuff, then no job for you.
Also if it's a customer service job you may be expected to deal with an amount of swearing from pissed off people on the phone or whatever. Again if that bothers you, not getting hired.
Or it could be the complete opposite and the workplace has zero tolerance on foul language. Mouth like a sailor? You lose, good day.
Best possible reply would probably be "Foul language has no affect on me but I don't use it in inapropriate environments."
odnish ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:14:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hopefully that reply isn't in writing.
ReeuQ ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:01:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We swear so much at my office that I have to ask this question during the hiring process in case someone is unable to handle it.
mdk_777 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:42:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like this is kind of a trap question though, most people would say stuff along the lines of "I would never swear" or "Crude language has no place in the work place" even if they don't care just because they think saying anything else would harm their chances of getting the job.
ReeuQ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:07:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I set the tone in my interview. The interviewee should always be truthful, otherwise you end up in a job you're unqualified for and unhappy with. No one wants that, so just tell the truth.
People will always assume there is a "right" answer, probably best for the interviewer to be transparent about the reason for the question and just say "There is a fair amount of light-hearted use of foul language between employees here, is that something you would be able to handle?" Nobody wants to just offer up the fact that they cuss like a sailor in a job interview.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
the purpose of an interview is (supposed to be) to determine culture fit.
Theres no point in lying in order to get a job, both parties are just going to be unhappier
Jeremymia ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:05:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends how much they want you to drink the kool-aid.
BaBaFiCo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:15:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked in a tool and plant hire place last year. In the interview they asked me how I felt about banter in the workplace. The question felt a bit odd at the time, but I can understand it. I imagine this might have been at a place where colourful language was used often and if an applicant has a serious problem with it then perhaps it's not the right working environment for them.
Nickbou ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:17:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd say it's useful as one of several questions to gauge a person's personality and professionalism. Depending on the specific job environment some answers could be a ok, while others could throw a warning.
If the candidate answered with "I don't use foul language, and I don't work well with other people that do", then maybe that person isn't a good fit for working in the back kitchen.
If the candidate simply answered, "I don't swear much," that's a fine answer, but maybe I'm looking for the candidate to take the initiative to expand on this topic and how it is handled in the workplace.
Sometimes the question is about the answer, sometimes it's about HOW you answer.
I've been asked that a few times, at companies where a lot of cussing occurs.
Tonkarz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:11:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Like the Voight-Kompf test there is no correct answer. You fucking replicant.
Koras ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:05:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It could be that they're going to have to work closely with people that typically swear like sailors and they can't afford to hire someone who's going to get all huffy and offended every 5 seconds
greedcrow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:46:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The anwser is I believe it has a time and a place. While i dont think using it in a work enviroment often is good sometimes it can be justified and what people do in their time outside of work is none of my business.
I've been asked that. It was for a small office gig and the owners knew they both talked like sailors, and didn't want to hire someone who was uncomfortable with that.
In another interview for a bar management office, I was asked if I smoke. I do, on and off, so I just said casually yes but I've never gotten into the habit of taking smoke breaks. The girl interviewing me replied, "Okay, great, because we all smoke all the time, indoors, and didn't want to hire someone who was going to start coughing."
If a question throws you off in an interview, ask for clarification. The people doing the interviewing know you're nervous, and want you to do well.
augustuen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:42:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was asked about my stance on alcohol at an interview for an apprenticeship.
I think it depends on the job. Like I work for a construction contractor. Swearing is like a quarter hourly occurrence with almost every person there. I know for a fact my bosses warned our last new hire that language got occassionally "rough around the edges". If you only hire people who aren't reacting too bad when you warn them people use colorful language then you lessen the chance of hiring someone who doesn't fit in.
If you'll be working in an environment where everyone else are cursing like mad, it might be good for the employer to know if you'll take offence. I you say you don't tolerate foul language, he has to either fire everyone else after hiring you - or just go with someone who's a better match for the company.
It seems like an inane question at first glance. But my guess is that there is a lot of swearing going on in the workplace already, and that's just the culture of the place. They ask to figure out if they're about to hire someone who is going to be uncomfortable or uptight about it.
GoodRubik ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends. If it's a high school kid looking for his first job at a burger joint, it can be a valid like "you know you're not supposed to cuss in front of customers " type of thing.
zelf0gale ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:49:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There are 3 questions tied up in 1.
How much self control do you have over yourself?
I don't want you to embarrass me in front of customers or cause trouble with staff.
How much tolerance can you show to others?
We may curse like sailors here. I don't want you to quit or sue me.
How well do you fit with the team?
Maybe we're looking for a sailor or a saint because that's our public image or company culture. I don't want you to be a PR liability or an outcast among employees.
If you're interviewing as a CEO, self control would be the most important. If you're a line cook, tolerance is probably more important, etc.
I got asked that once in an interview by the head of the office I was applying at. He was known for being profane during times of stress, and had had issues with an assistant in the past because of it.
I was once showing my project manager some progress I'd made on a new feature in the software we develop. His response was a high-volume, "SHIT ON MY TITS!"
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:57:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[removed]
blaghart ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 13:20:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
They did, they were wondering why the hype, considering Leo's a better leader, Donny's smarter, and Raph's a better fighter...I mean mikey's just the jar jar binks of the group
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:01:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[removed]
blaghart ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 19:03:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Also you forgot to switch accounts before replying :) For a guy who goes through so much effort just to get one person on reddit to pay attention to him that's a noob mistake :)
My brother was just in hospital getting surgery and he sent me a message telling me that, and that he was just out of theatre. I was there thinking that it ended pretty well with him going to see a play
anderhole ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if joking... if not, why would anyone ask how you felt about foul language? Unless maybe you were going to be a teacher.
blaghart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:58:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Machine shop sort of job actually. The white collar right above the blue collar.
anderhole ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:57:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So were they anti- language? Cause send as though a machine shop shouldn't really matter.
If he was making a joke, I'd have hire him on the spot... However something leads me to believe he doesn't know punctuation from punctuality....
mr_jiffy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:24:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It seems more than half of America doesn't know the difference between their, they're and there so I would not be surprised if he didn't know the difference between those two words.
I saw a post where somebody used the word colloquial to describe a feeling/ in place of a feeling or something like that... I'm not sure what word he was going for, but I kept reading the title to myself wondering if I had been using colloquial wrong my entire life lol.
ds580 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 06:01:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The real question is if he's a regular Nazi. Because being German automatically qualifies you as punctual.
akaioi ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 02:33:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
if he considered himself a punctual person
So ... he's never been stabbed?
jrrrd92 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 04:17:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please tell me your hired this person.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:41:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a normal human conversation, I know job interviews are supposed to be professional but really? That's a big fuck up? Drop the serious face man.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:04:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not even sure why that's such a huge fuck up..
To be honest, despite knowing what punctual is, I would probably in my nervous state completely forget and think it related to punctuation. I wouldn't however drop the N-bomb.
Gibboni5 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 04:38:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm gonna go listen to ocean sounds and do chin-ups.
cambo666 ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 14:36:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have run 10 miles a day, every day, for 18 years. That's 65 thousand miles. A third of the way to the moon. My goal is to run to the moon.
akanefive ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 15:48:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Scientists say the first man to live to be 150 years old has already been born. I believe I am that man.
cambo666 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 15:56:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
lol YES. That is my 2nd favorite quote, I was between the moon run quote and that one. But the moon one cracks me the fuck up cause he darts off running right after saying it lmao
akanefive ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:57:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Scientists say the first man to live to be 150 years old has already been born. I believe I am that man.
Every once in a while, I manage to slip this into conversation and totally weird people out. It's pretty great.
Chris Trager is LITERALLY my favorite character on that show. Along with Ben Wyatt, who is, BY FAR, the greatest television character ever written.
cambo666 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 17:03:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I cannot bring myself to pick a favorite. I love every character to much. Best show to ever air.
Whenever I think of one character that would be my favorite I think about another and a moment and I am left without decision.
akanefive ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:14:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I actually think Ben is the best character on that show. Between his moments of drunkenness, unemployment, or freaking out about cops and pregnancies, he's got the best reactions to the craziness around him. My favorite is the time capsule episode:
Leslie: Some guy handcuffed himself to a pipe in my office because we wouldn't put a copy of Twilight in the time capsule.
Ben: Damnit! Again? (Brilliant look to camera.)
NicoWaves ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:35:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
UK here! On this side of the pond employers are only mandated to allow a 20 minute break on shifts over 6 hours, although most will give you more than that.
After the first few days I quickly realised that most people would also take an additional morning or afternoon break, and no-one really cared as long as you didn't take the piss. It was actually quite a nice, laid back company to work for.
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 11:25:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
UK here working for a major company with over 100,000 employees.
No one cares how long you take for lunch or how often you take a break. Just get your shit done.
Yep, same here. That said (in the UK) the only break they legally have to give you is a 20 minute lunch break, so by our standards OP's 3 breaks is pretty generous in my opinion!
Workers have the right to one uninterrupted 20 minute rest break during their working day (this could be a tea or lunch break), if they work more than 6 hours a day.
blamb211 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:09:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have to assume that here in the US, if you're salaried, that's the case. As long as you're getting your shit done, and getting it done well, nobody really cares about your break situation. If you're hourly, though, your lunches are off the clock, and you're gonna have to check with your boss before taking breaks. Which, I mean I get it, but it's a pain.
Echilon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:53:25 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's been like this everywhere I've worked. As long as you don't take the piss, no on counts the walks to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:56:39 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Same with me. 3 'real' jobs since leaving uni and they've all been the same.
Fikkia ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:07:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Same. UK. 30 min break at lunch. But if you're stressed or bored you can go have 15 mins in the coffee room a few times a day. No one really cares.
Yeah. My old job was a 10-15 minute break if you worked less than 6 hours or a 30 minute break as well as the 10-15 minute break if you were on a 6 hour shift or longer. That said, it was pretty common to just stand around and talk or relax every now and then and no-one cared as long as your job still got done on time.
Li0nhead ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:55:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We also have to working time directive that most US states don't have
(Non Europeans- That is a European law that protects us from being forced to work over a certain number of hours, but we the UK negotiated a deal where individuals can sign themselves out of these rules if they wish)
Yep, plenty of people at my old place signed themselves out of that so they could work a huge number of overtime hours. I'm happy with a 48 hour working week, thanks!
If I work half a day (6 hours), no break. If I work a full day (8-10 hours), I get a 2 hour break.
HellMuttz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:27:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Washington im pretty sure its a paid 10 minute every 3 hours and a least a 30 minute unpaid lunch after 6. Thats how it was working retail, i can only assume that's the minimum...
Hamju ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:08:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not in Ontario. A lot of retail jobs have the 3 break rule, but that's a union thing, not because of the law.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on your salary status in a lot of places.
suomime ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:36:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work at an airport and sometimes I get no breaks. Breaks are really depending on the flight schedules. Sometimes i sit on my ass for hours and some days i am on the move for 14h.
vonadler ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 06:49:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Over here (Sweden) lunch is not a break - you get 30 or 60 minutes, but are not on the clock while you have it. You get five minutes per hour of breaks, which is usually organised as one 15 minute break in the morning and one in the afternoon (the last 10 minutes are assumed as toilet, smoke, fetching coffee breaks etc).
Azuvector ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 06:52:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a legal requirement in many places, not generous.
Yep, all depends on the country in which you work. In the UK only one 20 minute break is legally required, so three would be pretty generous over here.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:14:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You really think 3 breaks is generous? What do you do, exactly?
Workers have the right to one uninterrupted 20 minute rest break during their working day (this could be a tea or lunch break), if they work more than 6 hours a day.
Admittedly whilst I only had one contracted break, no one cared if extra were taken. Just get the work done.
That said, I know many people (namely working in service industries) who's employer stuck to the letter of the law, meaning you may only receive one 20 minute break over an 8 hour shift. Compared to this, OP's 3 breaks are pretty generous.
fishpen0 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds horrible. I'm at an engineering place with no hard set hours. We can come and go as we please as long as we are available for meetings scheduled at least a day in advance and take place between 10am and 3pm and also not at noon. They call it core hours. We can also work from home and leave for appointments and stuff with only a couple hour notice.
It was actually a really nice place to work. We had the same core hours system, so I'd normally work a bit extra Monday through Thursday, then take a half day on Friday. They only had the one legally mandated break (by English law) written into the contract, but no one cared if you took a few extra breaks as long as your work was done.
When I worked as a tire fitter we got smoko, lunch then afternoon smoko. I'm working an office job now and we only get lunch.
Isord ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:17:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can't imagine working in a professional setting where breaks are regulated like that. It makes sense if what you are doing is time sensitive like working on an assembly line or in fast food or retail. I probably do in fact take an approximately 10 minute break every hour or two depending upon what my workload is like.
It was actually a really laid back place to work. Only the one legally mandated break was written into my contract, but as long as the work was done on time no one gave a shit whether you took a couple of extra breaks.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:58:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Two 15s and an hour lunch is pretty normal.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:11:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well to be fair, it's generally better for your digestion system to process smaller amounts of food more often than to be forced to process larger quantities with longer gaps between each meal. Source: Bear Grylls.
That said, it was pretty common to just stand around and talk or relax every now and then and no-one cared as long as your job still got done on time.
Yeah that's true, but I could eat a full plated meal in a 15 minute break. If I were just nibbling at a bit of food here and there throughout the day I'd be able to do that at my desk!
Yep, could and did. Would normally have a break in the morning for a cooked breakfast, lunch, and then some time to chat shit around the coffee machine in the evening.
That said, compared to the English laws regarding working time breaks, OP's 3 breaks seem pretty generous. I wouldn't want to be working for a company in the UK that stuck to the letter of the law regarding breaks.
Workers have the right to one uninterrupted 20 minute rest break during their working day (this could be a tea or lunch break), if they work more than 6 hours a day.
Yeah, it's a pretty reasonable number of breaks. Unfortunately many employers in the UK (mostly service industry) can be pretty unreasonable, and will stick to the letter of the law regarding breaks.
Over here that means a 20 minute break for any shift over 6 hours. No others are legally mandated.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My boss doesn't give a shit how many breaks I take as long as I get the work done.
I know this is the case in both Romania and France. Employers are flexible, so people usually end up taking 2 15-20 minute breaks in the morning and afternoon and a 30-60 minute lunch break.
Last time I was hourly (admittedly 10 years ago), my employer was required by law to give us 15 min every 4 hours, and a lunch break (30 min) for shifts over 6 hours. So on an eight-hour shift that worked out to three breaks.
Nothing like that in the UK, unfortunately. By law, an employer is only required to give you one 20 minute lunch break. Most in a professional setting will give you more, however. Whilst I only had a lunch break contracted, no one cared if you took a coffee break or grabbed breakfast etc as long as the work got done!
Workers have the right to one uninterrupted 20 minute rest break during their working day (this could be a tea or lunch break), if they work more than 6 hours a day.
I'm in Ontario Canada, and work for the government. My work day is 7.25 hours long, with an unpaid 45 minute lunch, and two paid 15 minute breaks. It's pretty sweet.
The UK. Legally companies have to give a 20 minute break for shifts over 6 hours, but that is all that is required by law. Thankfully at my place no one cared if you took a break, just gotta get your work done.
alblaster ยท 46 points ยท Posted at 05:02:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
who the fuck needs to eat for 15 min every hour?
Zykium ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 05:38:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Michael Phelps
alblaster ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 05:48:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
not even Michael Phelps needs to eat every 60 min. There's a difference between eating a lot and eating every hour.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:51:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I dunno, I'd probably have to divide this up into at least 6 meals.
alblaster ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 23:03:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you would sure. If you were a professional athlete, eating a whole pizza or something that seems like a lot of food to an average person would still leave you hungry. You would be able to eat a lot more food in each sitting, so you wouldn't need a ton of meals. Besides the guy was going to be given 3 breaks at work. That plus breakfast and dinner at home is 5 meals a day. Anything more than that means he doesn't understand how food or nutrition works even if he wants to get "swole"
Someone on a 4k diet eats (5) 800kcal meals per day. 800kcals is easy to reach when it's a burger and fries. Significantly more food when it's chicken, rice, and broccoli.
Pixelrag3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some people believe food timing will give you an edge over the competition.
coldjeanz ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 14:34:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Dumb kids who get into bodybuilding and believe every article they read on the internet
[deleted] ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 13:14:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
alblaster ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:32:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I understand needing to eat 5 times a day, but if you need more food breaks than the 3 they gave him at work you would have a problem.
The problem I see with this guy's requirement is that he needs 15 minutes of every hour in which to eat. That's the equivalent of saying that you're only going to work 6 hours of your 8 hour shift.
frymaster ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:41:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he was offering to extend his work day by 2.5 - 3 hours, maybe...
sjfnsbip ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 08:16:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he has a 8 hour work day and already 3 breaks he would just need 4 more breaks, so 1 hour extra would be enough.
frymaster ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 08:20:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I forgot about his pre existing breaks :D. But it'd be slightly longer than that because by working later he'll need another 15 minute break
Planning around his breaks for meetings would be harder. Especially meetings that take > 1h or don't start immediately after his
In many professions (software developement for example), a break reduces your efficiency immediately before and after.
Before, you don't really want to start something new because you know you'll be on a break in 5 minutes. Immediately afterwards, you'll have to get into the material again. Breaks every hour are essentially as bad as a meeting every hour. You can't get shit done.
frymaster ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:31:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
oh yeah, "maybe" probably still means "no"
But somehow I don't think he was actually offering to extend his working day
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:36:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Have you considered allowing his breaks on the condition that he still makes the same hours? Of course it's not ideal, but if he can work the same amount of hours by making longer days, wouldn't it be ok?
See, if he was like "well I have to eat once an hour, dr's orders", and could prove it? I probably wouldn't have had too much problem giving him 5 minutes an hour or something, if I was hiring
Hmm, I think this guy is employed by my company now.
He's bodybuilding and needs to eat pretty much constantly and seems to have a very short attention span; probably cause he's thinking about his next meal as he's finishing his current one.
I'm all for personal hobbies, but take a sabbatical to compete or something...
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Man 3 breaks, I remember working for a company like that, so nice.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing an older (probably in his early to mid 60s) grandfatherly man for a position as a caregiver to individuals with developmental disabilities, and the man was an absolute perfect fit according to his rรฉsumรฉ. The only problem was that every other word out of his mouth was either fuck or bitch. "So, my bitch and I went to the fucking Garden of the Gods last week and we had a great fucking time! Those rocks were fucking huge! ". I kind of have a feeling that he nuked the interview on purpose to keep on unemployment until retirement kicked in.
TheCloned ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:22:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Red Rocks Open Space, or any of the fourteeners, or hot springs, or any of the national forests.
dumb_ants ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 07:12:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pikes Peak is a twenty minute drive away from Garden of the Gods, so you can hit up GotG in the morning and have your afternoon donut in the gift shop at 14,100 feet.
cdc194 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 09:02:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Estes park, come for the scenery, stay because you can't leave because of the old people stopped in the middle of road to watch an Elk take a shit.
I've climbed like 4 of the fourteeners and while they are spectacular and absolutely worth it, there's hundreds of mountains. There's very few places as amazing as the Garden of the Gkds
TheCloned ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:12:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe it's because I grew up near the Sedona red rocks, but I wasn't blown away by it. Don't get me wrong, you definitely need to see it if you're in the area, but I wouldn't put it on my top 5 list. Top 10 maybe.
I'm more in the Garden of the Gods area, I just picked another beautiful place in Colorado to contribute :)
Frictus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:02:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Went there a month ago. So pretty!!
beesealio ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:49:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's so much, mountains, hot springs....I think I might have been a little jaded towadrds rock formations at GOTG because I had just come from canyonlands/arches, southern Utah etc.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:39:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's the thing, there isn't one. There are so many amazing places to choose from. Start with your closest one.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:39:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Which region? North/South? Born and raised here and I still haven't seen shit compared to what is here for us.
beesealio ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:46:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I passed through about a week ago, climbed a mountain called summit of the holy Cross. Great hike, great view, there are actually 50 some peaks over 14k feet any one of which would be awesome to hike, even if you don't reach the top. Rocky mtn. Ntl. Forest as well, can't go wrong there.
Ma2Zach ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:22:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just visited over the summer! It was awesome got baked off a trail somewhere.
My dad has a really impressive work history, but purposely (or so it seems) got himself fired right before serving my mom with divorce papers. The judge says he owes my mom spousal support, but there's nothing he can do until he gets a job. He has to turn in papers proving he's looking for jobs, applying, etc. and I can't believe he hasn't been hired yet unless he's doing something like this and purposely blowing every interview, since it really wouldn't be very hard to not get hired.
Geminii27 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 16:31:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think any legitimate company would pay someone at his level under the table. His fiancee is rich though, so he's been going on cruises and stuff while we're on welfare, which the judge didn't seem to find suspicious at all.
[deleted] ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 17:33:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well the judge can't take the fiance's money. What's he supposed to do, tell him he can only befriend poor people?
My dad used to be kinda rich too though, even if he didn't share his wealth with his family. The judge just confirmed that my dad's bank account was empty without checking if my dad transferred all his money to his fiancee's account or anything shady like that (which might be legal, but still). He also just took my dad's word for it that he didn't receive any inheritance when my grandma died last year, even though she told us she was leaving her sons most of her money.
My mom's lawyer also told us we might be able to go after his fiancee's money instead when they get married right after the divorce is finalized, but he also turned out to be a lying drunk when they finally met in person, so I doubt that's true.
Meh spousal support is bullocks. Child support is a positive and necessary thing, but (IMO) spouses need to be self-sustaining and realize that if things don't work out and they're not capable of bringing in the kind of money that would support their current lifestyle then...well...things will change if the relationship ends.
The problem is she hasn't worked in over 30 years though and never got a degree, since he didn't really allow her to. Her technical skills are so below someone my age that she can't even get an entry level job in her old field of work. That leaves either manual labor or spending all day on your feet (cashier, fast food worker, etc.), and her health doesn't allow her to do either. She's applied for disability but it takes a long time to get approved.
It just seems a little unfair that he could make all their bills in her name, purposely hide our growing debt and unpaid bills from us, and then abandon us to move in with a rich girlfriend while we're applying for food stamps and about to start paying back student loans.
I completely understand what you're saying, and I agree to a certain extent, but not all marriages are healthy enough for both spouses to be self-sustaining. Decades of emotional abuse can do some weird things to a relationship :(
It sounds like your case is one of the exceptions. I'm sorry that your mother endured such abuses for so long and hope that she's able to get back on her feet somehow sooner rather than later. Best wishes!
TruBlue ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:55:15 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Spouses are not looking for equality in this area.
True, however they are essentially looking for a handout from their ex because they can't afford to live a certain lifestyle. I'm sure there are exceptional cases where it's entirely warranted, but I have yet to come across one where it isn't more of a "Hey, the law says I can do this so why the hell not take advantage and make (him/her) pay!" kind of thing.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:06:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i would agree to some extent but if one spouse has given up their career to be a stay at home mom/dad for multiple years and have been out of the job market, it would be difficult to gain immediate reentry.
Sure it's difficult, no doubt. Ending a marriage is difficult for both parties, unless it's one of the few completely amicable divorces, and part of the end should be independence (or another relationship, whatever floats your boat). IMO it's a bit crummy to force an ex to be financially indebted to you unless it's for a child.
c0nduit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:56:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Skrp ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:09:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When the people he would be caring for believe in actual curses that can summon demons to tinker with their wheelchairs and things like that, yes. If they're rational, not really.
Brought his mom in with him - who answered the questions I was asking him until I asked her wait outside.
His only work experience was paper route he kept for less than two months and mowing his neighbor's lawn.
It was clearly an enormous effort for this poor guy to communicate in anything but one-word answers. He looked genuinely relieved when the interview was over.
I mean you gotta think about it like this, from the sound of it if you can't even speak to an interviewer you're so awkward and you've never had a real job and since his mom was with him I'm guessing he's just in her basement, that experience is honestly better than just sitting and playing on his computer all day.
Interestingly enough, those kind of parents are called lawnmower parents because they clear all of the obstacles for their kids. I see this a lot, and it does make me worry about when these kids graduate and have to go into the real world but need their parents to help out with things like job interviews.
Making air force one look like a daycare center when you running a maximum security prison
snorlz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
kid is probably autistic as fuck
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or the kid is autistic.
SarahC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:15:07 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would be so pissed with a major autist in work... can you imagine their regular melt-downs, thrashing around, likely smacking someone in the mouth? Running around throwing faeces at people, and making squeaking noises?
new term for what my boyfriend's mother does. as he's ex-army, he'll get a kick out of it. might like black hawk parenting more, as she does some extremely shady stuff (like stealing his car two months ago. still don't know where it is). or what were those super top secret helicopters from the Bin Laden raid called?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:37:24 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My mom was interviewing people for a hospital position and one candidate brought in their mom who wanted to sit in on the interview. My mom simply asked which one was applying for the job; the mom quietly left the office.
[deleted] ยท -21 points ยท Posted at 05:14:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got that reference!
scy1192 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 06:13:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what's the reference?
[deleted] ยท -9 points ยท Posted at 06:17:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's a character in the latest "girl with the dragon tattoo" book that is autistic and a savant when it comes to drawing and some other things that have not been fully revealed at the point that I am at in the audiobook.
But I mean, it's true. Example: I have bipolar and deal with pretty debilitating bouts of psychosis quite regularly. Very, very often it affects the way I act and interact with the world and other people. I am abnormal. It's not an insult, it's a fact.
Obviously the tone and context in which it's said makes a difference, but he/she was clearly using it in a sense that was meant to separate autistic/non-autistic. We abnormal people can't go around getting offended every time people use the "wrong" word.
My bad then I was under the impression since I got a few friends who got autism and 6 from The 7 are above average and 3 of them just borderline genius
I meant in relation to the total number of autistic people
[deleted] ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 10:08:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think people are down voting you because they can't appreciate humor that isn't either literal or spoon fed to them. I found your response very clever and humorous.
kp1877 ยท 75 points ยท Posted at 00:57:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But a child having autism (especially those registering quite high on the spectrum) can lead to helicopter parenting. In that case, I don't think it's necessarily "helicopter parenting", but more trying to limit the damage caused by society not understanding/appreciating the effect that autism can have.
As I commented further up, my brother's autistic and is utterly dependant on my mum. He's had interviews (with nobody with him) and hasn't been successful.
I am barely on the spectrum at all at this point, having gone to alot of classes, but I have been diagnosed with aspergers and people say I am not usually filtered in what I say
I struggle to see your point. It's not a rule that people follow, it's a pattern. I'll try to clarify where I'm coming from:
In a family with more than one child, where only one child has from autism of moderate severity, parents will often feel obligated to pander to more of the needs of the autistic child, as they will have greater developmental requirements. This is often applicable to single child families, but to a lesser extent, as the symptoms don't seem as apparent.
No, I just have been diagnosed with few things on the aspergers spectrum (grammar?), I am actually pretty chill, but I am not able to get a job due to being a year under the employment age,
AdilB101 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:07:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"It was an enormous amount of effort to communicate a word"
Yup. He's autistic.
EDIT: Not exact quote.
firala ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 07:51:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Then the Mom could've said something.
BerryGuns ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 02:21:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Anxiety
mootwo ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:36:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If that were the case, then I suppose it would have been a good idea for the mother to inform the interviewer that her son was autistic before the interview.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:57:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like that's something you tell the interviewer.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 03:03:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I legit have autism spectrum disorder but I would never tell anyone that in an interview
rp23 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:05:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have ASD and am the polar opposite. I am going to act in a way and give answers that will be perceived as strange due to the increased pressure and the over analytical nature of our condition. I want my interveiwer to know this so that in theory I will be held to a slightly different standard. (In the UK) There is also the issue that if you don't declare your impairments on your application you have no legal recorse if your employer decide to turn around one day and tell you that your condition keeps you from doing your job so you get fired. Also your employer has to legally adapt your work place to accommodate your needs, bit again only if you declare your disabilities. Lastly in the UK large companies and corporations want to hire a percentage of disabled people to seem ahead of the curve and progressive. Patronising? Yes. Is it how I got my last job? I think so.
The same thing apply here in Holland it's kinda sad
ryanx27 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:02:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Your employer has to make accommodations for your disability but they are not required to keep you on if your disability makes it impossible for you to perform the essential functions of your job.
rp23 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:18:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's true, but as long as I outline my disabilities and the ways in which they effects me (or at least the ways I believe to be relevant) and they later try to fire me because of something I declared on my application I will sue them.
I had a bit of a stand off a few years ago regarding my physical disability. All the chairs in the place were being replaced, and I was told that if I couldn't sit on the new chairs then my disability was keeping me from doing my job. I went and got my union copy of my application on which I had stated that my spinal problema make it difficult for me to sit in certain chairs. I took it to the manager, told him that if they fired me I would sue them under the disability discrimination act 2010 and that I already had the union on my side (I hadn't even called them by this point) and they let me keep the comfortable chair.
You see they had agreed to accommodate me and all my declared needs by hiring me in the first place. It's a wonderful system IMO, can't see it working in the US though.
There's the Two Ticks scheme (at least I think that's what it's called) with some employers that's supposed to let you disclose your disability at application and allow them to make accomodations; they say you should get an interview guaranteed if you fit all the particulars with the role. (Cynic in me is saying bollocks...) I've seen it for council jobs so it may be a public service thing; I have epilepsy so I'm eligible but I'm only vaguely looking for a new job atm...but my fiancรฉ is on the autism spectrum and while he's looking for a new job with some desperateness (current one is awful - works nights) I don't know if he's using it...
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:19:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you able to verbally communicate beyond one-word answers?
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 03:22:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Aha yes I am
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:25:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Then it wouldn't be relevant to the interview. If someone has autism and can't communicate in full sentences because of it, that would be relevant to the interview.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:09:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was once asked this in a teaching interview. I still got the job, but part of me wanted to nope out knowing how highly illegal it is to ask that at interview.
Poraro ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:19:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Of course. If you don't need to tell them then don't. But this dude had to bring his mum to the interview and could only give one-word answers. If you were wanting any hope at the job you tell the person you have autism. And if this job required any social skills then sadly it isn't a job for him since he was clearly on the non-social side of autism.
Not autistic but adhd one side your right as it can get you fired for holding information back
But I also noticed a lot of people are not open to it
Myself I am 22 and got my adhd under control trough training and medicine (concertante) and currently working as a sous chef at a 1 star restaurant after working there for 4 years
I asked the chef if he would gave me a chance to work their if I told him I have adhd and his clear answer was No cause it's a hectic and stressful job and he only knew stereo type adhd
Even when they claim they aren't biased about adhd and autisme they 9/10 are
Poraro ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:25:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're not holding back information unless you're asked for it. You don't have to share you have autism. If you pass an interview then the syndrome did not get in the way of your chances at the job. If you feel like you should mention it then you can do so.
I'm fairly certain companies cannot discriminate against you for issues you may have. They are not allowed to reject your application based on a condition you have.
Was about to comment this. My brother's autistic and having someone in an interview would greatly help him - my mother's scared of 'molly coddling' him too much though and he has been to a few interviews (without success).
I know the sort of things he comes out with and am accustomed to his 'quirks', but the interviewers won't be. They won't understand his struggles and strengths, and he doesn't know how or why they're his struggles/strengths. They may simply see him as rude and unwilling to be professional in the interview.
Probably was. I would never bring a parent into an interview, but if I did I would let them say everything. As it is I do struggle to give good answers, but practice does work.
cactuscat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:39:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's sad but for many jobs you need at least half decent communication skills.
[deleted] ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 05:21:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly it sounds like me (I'm 23 nearly 24). I only just recently managed to get a lab position at a university but before that I really didn't have much work experience other than working at a school as a maintenance casual. The truth is as an only child I was terrified of getting a job and had no pressure to do so.
Sometimes you need to push kid out of their comfort zone. My parents somewhat tried to but I was honestly way to scared and didn't even create a resume till I was 21.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:22:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What are you up to now
Gurip ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:31:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Brought his mom in with him
and yes people this happens a lot, dont do it, you wont get a job.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:20:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I would give him a job. He obviously needs one to help him gain some confidence and professional experience, or at the very least some independence away from his overreaching parents. Poor guy.
Edit: extra words
beev ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:20:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You would give him the job over someone who is just as qualified who doesn't need their mother to attend their job interviews?
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:30:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't say that. I would give him a job, if possible. Like writing up emails, or filing, coffee courier, or whatever. If my place of work had volunteer positions, I would offer him a position within that. I don't know, sometimes I feel like people, especially those with anxiety or confidence issues, just need their foot in the door to help change their lives for the better.
shellwe ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:21:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most people don't have disposable income to hire someone for misc things like that. Especially when those things wouldn't justify a part time week of 20 hours.
Also he would not write emails if he has bad communication.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:20:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, I know, that's why I said "if possible" or volunteer positions.
And just because someone is poor with oral communication doesn't mean they're bad at written communication. I have a stammer (so oftentimes I only say a few words in nerve-wracking situations), but my writing shows no signs of such.
You misunderstand. NZ has white kiwis and the native Maori population. It is Maori tradition to have a person not sell themselves, but instead have those who know them best speak for him. Because NZ wants to be inclusive of the Maori (they ware about 10% of the population after all), it is required by law that this tradition be honored if they so choose to. I was just living there for a yr so don't know how many take them up on it.
With that said, what NZ does for people with disabilities in itself should be an example for the rest of the world.
Well you said that I misunderstood for thinking it related to assisting people with disabilities. I clarified by saying that I was implying it could be applied to those with disabilities.
Maybe just crossed wires? Ah well, not the end of the world.
Well you said that I misunderstood for thinking it related to assisting people with disabilities. I clarified by saying that I was implying it could be applied to those with disabilities.
snorlz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:16:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
sounds dumb to me. Unless your parents are going to be on the job with you, you need to be able to speak for yourself and answer your own questions. I wouldnt hire somebody who cant even handle interviews by themselves. obv if this is an interview for a manual labor or service job you have much more relaxed standards, but this would never be acceptable for any skilled position
Like I said, I'm talking about people with learning disabilities. I can only speak from my experiences with my brother having Autism, but he gets very nervous in interview-like environments and panics. Having someone he trusts there, even if just to sit with him, would be a massive benefit.
I don't mean that the parent (or other 'guest') should take the interview entirely for them.
I wouldnt hire somebody
Are you a hiring manager? If you are, I feel terrible for your employees.
snorlz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:20:19 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thats a nation wide law. how many learning disabled people are there in New Zealand? I guarantee you the majority of people taking advantage of that law are not disabled.
Why would you feel bad for my employees? Im protecting them from having an incompetent coworker. Can you imagine being forced to do projects with someone who couldnt even interview by themselves? Being able to express your own ideas and handle pressure is not a high expectation for the workplace and if you cant even handle that during an interviews I cant expect you to handle any important or meaningful assignments
how many learning disabled people are there in New Zealand?
I have no idea, do you have accurate statistics?
incompetent coworker
You seem to be confusing "incompetent" and "disabled". I'd be interested to know if you'd say that a paraplegic is incompetent too.
Being able to express your own ideas and handle pressure is not a high expectation for the workplace
It depends entirely on the position and industry of the employer. I highly doubt McDonald's staff are required (or expected) to express their own ideas. Some jobs may also have very low stress levels, such as janitorial work - which you'd still have to complete an interview for.
snorlz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:41 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
in general learning disabled people are much smaller percentages of the population. this study says its about 12% of school kids, but most of those disabilities would not interfere with your ability to express yourself. Dyslexia, ADHD, many health impairments (like blindness) would have no impact on your interviewing abilities.
Additionally, they usually arent interviewing for more skilled jobs...because if they have serious learning disabilities theres a lower chance theyre qualified.
When did i ever confuse them? Arent we talking about people with mental disabilities, not physical? A paraplegic can interview fine without his mom. that is not the problem. the problem is someone who cannot handle speaking for themselves in an interview. That has nothing to do with physical ability and is a demonstration that he would be an incompetent employee.
I said in my original comment i wasnt talking about service or labor jobs that require no skills. No one cares if you can express ideas if you are stocking shelves.
I've had this happen....kid was only 15 or so. I went through the interview like normal, while his Dad just listened. Once done I had a one on one win the Dad and gave him some feedback on what we wanted and how best to handle himself in the future. I thought that was fair.
Mr_Wendal ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:19:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have a high functioning autistic cousin. He is 39 years old. His last job interview at subway was attended by my aunt as well to make sure the employer understood his capabilities properly. He got the job, nobody was laughed at, and I'm proud that he wants to earn his own money instead of sitting at home collecting disability.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:51:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
See this is the way to do it. Let them know ahead of time, it will be a better experience for everyone involved. That's awesome that he is hardworking, I'm glad things have gone well for him! :)
People probably think you're joking, but this is the right answer. It should be listed as a type of marketing consulting. Also, there are companies that want these shady skills, they just want to know that you're in the know enough to call it something else and play along.
jacobe35 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:56:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can see this happening to me at around 16 or 17. I had no idea how to talk to people. I just locked up and waited for any social contact to end. It sucks. I feel bad for the guy. His mom probably told him she was going in with him and he just didn't feel comfortable telling her no.
Sounds like a mental disability. That's definitely not an example of helicopter parenting, but it also sounds like that guy was not at all prepared for the job.
Doesn't sound like a bad parent really. Kinda sounds like the dude has uncontrolled anxiety. Was he pale? Did he have really cold hands when you shook his hand?
His mom really needs to change her approach. Instead of coming to an interview and answering his questions for him, maybe she can help more by trying to give him sample interviews, and making him feel miserable for not being able to produce a quality response.
Hopefully, he'll be preparing responses to common questions, and better learn how to talk over his existing answers.
Kyanpe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:03:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's really sad though. :(
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:21:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am 26 and never worked before. I earned my money on the stockmarket since I am 19. Went back to uni last year and I am pretty sure the only way I find a job will be through my parents or if I do an internship somewhere.
Everyone should get working experience as soon as possible, especially in a rough country like the US.
iJoshh ยท 2128 points ยท Posted at 00:10:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Had an applicant that was probably 17 show up with his girlfriend, they sat and held hands waiting for him to be called in. When I went out to meet him he asked if she could come in too.
No. No she can't.
To clarify, he wanted to bring her into the interview room. They were both already waiting together in the building.
Edit: I'm amazed by the amount of people who think that's completely normal and I'm a monster for not hiring him on the spot.
I'm amazed too. Absolutely unacceptable. Your SO is not going to be there to help you do your job, they do not get to come into the interview.
I had a girl (~23 years old) bring her dad with her to the interview. She said he was her ride (bad news: you need a car with our job) and asked if he could come in to the interview. They were so confused when the hiring manager explained "We are next door to a Starbucks. This is where your father should be waiting."
You probably did him a huge favor in the long run by pointing out that his mother wasn't helpful. I've never encountered having to deal with an applicant's parent in that way-- that's just crazy!
shellwe ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 19:37:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He tried to do him a favor... I doubt she was going to suddenly change her ways.
I don't know! I guess I never thought about it. You have to be able to get to/from work every day (naturally) and also have the means to occasionally go out to clients. Public transportation doesn't always work for the latter. It's frowned upon if you don't have vehicle autonomy since that might interfere with client scheduling. It won't look good if boss says "We need you at this client tomorrow." and the employee says "My dad can't drive me so I can't go, sorry." It does make me wonder whether or not the firm should've provided transportation... but they didn't. So it was already a strike against her.
It also didn't help that she kicked her legs up on the table and rolled up her pant legs to show the socks she was wearing that day either. :X
fgggr ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 06:56:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reminding an applicant they can bring a support person to an interview is required in New Zealand.
iJoshh ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 07:11:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's interesting. They can actually bring them in to the interview room?
fgggr ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 10:08:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, there's always an invitation to bring "whanau or other support person" to interviews. No one ever does, but it's considered highly culturally insensitive not to offer, even to White New Zealanders.
zuppaiaia ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:28:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It means extended family.
Aroha11 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:31:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In Maori.
[deleted] ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 13:13:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Yeti_Poet ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:34:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Illl take two
fgggr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:06:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It translates easily to 'family' but the concept incorporates more, traditionally. Whanau can be immediate family, extended family, close family friends, whangai'ed family members, respected elders within a community, etc.
k0rnflex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:08:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That just sounds like a career killer trap
fgggr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:09:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Different cultures have different values and traditions. ยฏ_(ใ)_/ยฏ
Admittedly, if a White New Zealander brought a support person it would seem a bit unorthodox, but if a Mฤori or Pasifika applicant brought a support person, no one would bat an eyelash, even if the interview panel is all White. Nor would it affect the panel's decision. Cultural sensitivity towards Mฤori and Pacific Islanders' traditions is a large part of the New Zealand mindset.
It would only be looked down upon if the applicant didn't display the courtesy to notify the interview panel beforehand that they were bringing a support person.
fgggr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:03:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Support.
And our indigenous population's social structure traditionally allows for support in negotiations.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:34:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. I've learned that lesson over and over again,,, should have learned that lesson anyway.
Dwight- ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:12:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I really don't see what the problem with this is. Sure, slightly unprofessional, but there could be a whole host of reasons as to why someone may want to bring a friend or whatever. I mean, they could have anxiety issues, they may be on their first steps out of depression, could be on the Autism spectrum, it could be their first interview, a family member might have recently died, they may have had to put their dog down that morning.
You don't know why until they open their mouth. In fact, I'd shoehorn that question in and ask them why they brought whoever and the likelihood would be nerves, which is a completely normal human reaction.
The thing is that interviews are the time when you showcase your confidence stuck on 11. If you need your Emotional Support Person (tm) with you to start with, god only knows what shit you're going to pull once you're actually hired.
"I can't make this phone call without my therapy kitten!"
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 17:41:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:39:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The entirety of your post is false. People normally behave in an overconfident manner in interviews, hiring managers typically do a few years in HR so they are certainly more than competent in interviewing candidates, and their job isn't to "bring out the best in the person sat in front of them" but rather determine if they are the right fit for the role they are interviewing for. Wake up.
[deleted] ยท 610 points ยท Posted at 01:20:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The waiting outside with her doesn't sound so bad. Asking to bring her in does.
My first interview out of college, my (now ex-)wife waited at a restaurant around the corner. That's about as close as I was comfortable, although she probably would've waited in the car if I'd wanted her to.
OMG. I used to interview people for Customer Service jobs. At ANY job interview it's a very bad idea to bring someone with you; even just to sit in the waiting room. We've had people bring the entire family and extended family...all kids included... There are places who now specify on the application that if you are called for an interview, you must come alone.
Yeah. Don't EVER go to an interview accompanied or escorted. It's career suicide.
There are places who now specify on the application that if you are called for an interview, you must come alone.
I would leave it off the application. They just removed level 1 of the screening process.
pikaras ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 06:23:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a General Manager for a Dominos and I would consider hiring this person but only for Back of House operations. It's clearly his first job and he is nervous so I wouldn't dock points for that and him and his GF clearly have a strong relationship so he probably has good people skills. However, he probably doesn't have high self confidence (yet) so I'm not going to put him in front of live humans who will try to kill you when their pizza comes 5 minutes late. So yea, it really depends on the situation.
Feeling the need to bring your SO to literally everything, including a job interview, doesn't exactly make you look like a strong independent individual.
I think his point was he's 17. For the most part, you are objectively not a strong independent individual at that age. It does suggest he was more nervous/less confident than the average guy though which doesn't scream "Hire me!" if it's a job in customer service of any sort.
Maybe it's not literally everything. Maybe it's just extremely stressful situations. He wanted the story and confidence boost only a lived one could give. Again, I don't condone it but I understand it
Harry Potter? Anyone? I would be the undead kid wrecking the undead king with my dead family cheering me on.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:53:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you say that, but undead don't have to take willpower saves, and their charisma score is massive because they get bonuses to intimidate.
kjata ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:17:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
None of that is how it works. Only mindless undead don't have to make Will saves--against mind-affecting effects only; everything else still affects them normally--, and that's more a consequence of having no will anyway. Bonuses to skills do nothing to ability scores, and even if it did, undead don't get racial skill bonuses to Intimidate. Might get a circumstance bonus, because a shambling corpse is friggin' terrifying on its own.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:34:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
bonuses to skills come from ability scores! Acrobatics and athletics come from strength, intimidate and bluff are charisma, and all the other stuff! Undead get racial bonuses to charisma, I'm like 112% sure. I'll eat my left tit if I'm wrong.
kjata ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:43:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
bonuses to skills come from ability scores!
Yep. You had the causal direction wrong. Anyway, undead don't get Charisma bonuses just for being undead. It depends on the individual flavor. Vampires, sure. Liches, maybe. Ghosts, wouldn't surprise me. Nightshades, absolutely. Zombies, hell no.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:56:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
aw yeah, wrote it backwards.
I just made a Rakshasa, and she starts with charisma 20 at level one!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:53:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Or they had other business to take care of aside from the interview. I mean, I'd bring my SO if we had errands to run or something that needed to be done right after the interview. Whether she came inside or waited in the car would be her decision, but she sure as hell wouldn't come back with me. I've actually gone with my SO to an interview before. I just sat on a couch and waited.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:41:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or maybe they drove together and she didn't want to have to wait in the car?
What? No it doesn't. Does everyone have to own their own car and pollute the fuck out of the place? Most progressive companies are big on reducing unnecessary driving.
If a company thinks that looks bad they suck and don't deserve you.
brufleth ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:44:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I want weak dependant individuals. I want them to desperately seek my approval!
I'm joking, but many employers wouldn't be.
achegarv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah if there's anything employers are looking for in candidates for jobs that you work at 18 years of age, it's strength of identity, independence, and individuality.
pete904ni ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 07:22:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He'll be someone who'll be glued to his phone all shift because she would be mad if he didn't answer every asinine text within 30 seconds.
I've worked with this type before, and thankfully, saw them sacked.
Depends on the job but I would not hire someone who brought their SO to an interview and certainly not one who wanted them in the interview room with them. If you can't manage an interview alone there's no way in hell you're going to be able to work on my team when things get stressful. Come back when you can put on your big boy pants all by yourself.
Zerotan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:00:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sure but he can't bring her to work every day either.
Yeah, it depends on the job, but I've done recruiting for retail before and a 17 year old kid wouldn't lose any "points" with me for being with their girlfriend / boyfriend while waiting for the interview. However, I can easily imagine the same kid interviewing for, say, a laboratory internship or work experience at a legal aid office - for these sorts of jobs, go alone and be 100% professional.
That_Matt ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:31:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've had my SO come for interviews but I'd usually leave her in a cafe downstairs while I went up to the interview.
"Bruh", the purpose of a job interview is to get a job, and in order to do so, you need to do everything possible to give yourself the best chance to get said job, So yes, there is something wrong with bringing your girlfriend to wait with you, since it makes you look unconfident and needy to the employer.
Yeah but he was 17 and it was probably his first job interview for like Applebee's. You can break a few interview rules in such an instance...
LevynX ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:01:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if he's in the middle of his job and his SO calls every hour to check up on him? As an interviewer, you're hiring the person that you think will be the best employee, pity shouldn't come in front of that. Sorry if that sucks, but that's just how it is.
I once got hired dressed like trash going to drop an application off while my friends were outside, Ive gone to 2 "interviews" where I ended up just being explained the job then handed paper work, I've gotten a phone call where all that was said was "hey looking for a job still? Okay cool when are you free to start?" You may be right about a most jobs, but if you're 17 chances are its KFC and chances are they're desperate for employees and they also realize you don't have to be the most competent in the world.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:35:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can't believe people are actually being a hard ass on a 17 year old. Jesus Christ he's only a kid.
LevynX ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:58:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't matter if he's 17. You're applying for a job which you're competing with others for that are not 17. Having someone wait outside is fine, but asking to do the interview with you is too much.
Yeah when I was 17 I looked about 12. Nobody took me seriously so I had to go to university instead of get a job (spent my childhood programming enthusiastically, nobody gave a flying fuck).
People are ridiculously ageist and they don't realize it.
Thuryn ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:35:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, they realize it, and it's not entirely inappropriate. There's no reason to waste your time interviewing a six-year-old. He doesn't have the training nor the life experience needed to help maintain a geographically dispersed network.
Nearly 100% of seventeen-year-olds don't have this experience either.
A very large percentage of twenty-five-year-olds don't either, though now you're talking about a group that have been adults long enough that maybe they have the maturity and life experience to rise to the challenge.
As the interviewer, I need to not waste my time on things that have very nearly zero chance of success. I do not have time to talk to everybody. I also don't have time to train, try, and fail at a Long Shot because then my company is further behind on projects, not making money, and in financial trouble. Keep going down that road and there won't be a job to interview for.
It's not "agist" until you get a person who won't drop the prejudice in the face of evidence to the contrary. If a seventeen-year-old blonde girl walks into my office and wants a job as a network admin... but has a resumรฉ that says she's an MIT graduate and some sort of child prodigy... well, she's still young, but probably worth the effort to build her up because she's clearly some sort of genius.
An "agist" (or sexist) won't be able to get past the first impression because "she can't possibly do the work," despite strong evidence to the contrary.
And before you even go there, I have a baby face as well. I'm well over 30, yet every time I shave my beard I still get treated like some sort of kid. I've learned to just power through it... to a limit. Getting stuck on my ego can get me in trouble too, you know.
I have to disagree with you on the point is a very large percentage of twenty five year old's don't have the experience. Usually that is one of the largest innovative age ranges out of the group.
You sound very biased. Heck, the average age of Mission control for NASA is around that range. You are sitting here saying you wouldn't hire pretty much all of NASA unless they all had degrees from MIT AND were prodigy's. Newsflash, most of em were just hardworking. Just like myself, I'm no prodigy but a few years younger than you. I interview differently, and have clenched a Ph.D because I am able to focus only on skill sets, I hardly even look at people above their shoes.
I think someone needs to go back to school and have a paradigm shift. :P
Thuryn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:14:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Innovation doesn't necessarily require experience. To an extent, experience in a field can be a hindrance to innovation because one gets stuck in a mental rut.
But my example wasn't about innovation. It was a maintenance job. Complex technical work, sure. But most places that have a complex working system aren't interested in replacing it. They want to get as much utility out of it as they can and then replace it. And that mindset is better served by experience rather than innovation.
Biased? Of course I'm biased. Everyone is biased. My whole point was that the bias exists for a reason, and that it's not always wrong.
You're also reading the wrong things into what I said. Here's a refresher:
It's not "agist" until you get a person who won't drop the prejudice in the face of evidence to the contrary.
The MIT degree was one example of what such evidence might be. I would say that a (successful) stint at NASA would also qualify as a reason to give a younger applicant further consideration. There are any number of things that might get my attention.
But if all else is equal, when hiring for an operations/support position, I'm going to lean toward the older candidate, because by definition, s/he has more experience.
"All else" is never equal, of course. If the younger candidate is a better fit with the rest of the team (based on their own reactions, mind you), that counts for a lot. There's employment history. The younger candidate may have more experience in this field. There are any number of ways that the younger candidate might get hired.
But it's not "agist" if a 25-year-old has five years of experience and a 40-year-old has fifteen years of experience. Given that set of starting criteria, the 25-year-old has an uphill battle to beat someone who looks like a more qualified candidate.
Ugh, university is much worse at teaching technology than working.
Much worse, this isn't even up for debate at all. And over here university just sucks in general for the vast majority of jobs which are hard to fill (charlatons galore). Trust me, I waste time interviewing about 3 morons a week.
Aaaand I don't have an ego, except on this reddit account because I couldn't give a flying fuck about people's shitty opinions on here. I have another account for treading on eggshells so I don't offend idiots.
I have a pretty solid career now, but I would be doing a lot better and so would other people, if I could have been given the chance (you're also projecting, I had created entire systems from the ground up at 17 and this was put forward in no uncertain terms in my CV and portfolio, do you even know what skills technology companies are looking for? Exactly the skills I have/had and they continually complain not enough people have).
dmac091 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:41:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Didn't realise this was a thing. It's likely that there's a place to shop or eat near by and they could have done that before/after the interview. Interviews are normally not too long so I don't see the issue in waiting.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:29:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whatever, I don't see the issue with this for a 17 year old.
It also really depends on the location - is this at an office with a small sitting room, or a large corporate lobby?
Working at hotels, it's common to have people in the lobby, so having kids show up with parents or whatever isn't overly awkward.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 02:11:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What's wrong with bringing along some support, especially for a big interview? As long as they stay in the lobby or whatever and you don't try to bring them in with you to the actual interview. For this case it was probably the kids first interview
AngrySoup ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 03:09:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's nice to have support, but I don't think they should wait somewhere where the employer is going to see them.
If they wait in the coffee shop next store, or in the lobby of the building while you're upstairs, that's fine. It's when they're actually right outside the interview itself, or somewhere else where they're actually going to meet/at least be seen by the employer that I think it's really questionable and probably a bad move.
It's unprofessional. Seriously, even when I was getting job/career advice in classes in high school, this was one of the few big pieces of advice they gave us. Like be five minutes early and dress professionally.
Alamo90 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:56:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This had actually never even crossed my mind, and I had never heard anything of the sort before. I guess I get it and in hindsight I might have torpedoed an Ex's interview by trying to be supportive.
I interview people his age and they frequently come in improperly dressed too.
Instill proper etiquette of professionalism early. It's unprofessional to show up with someone and whether you like it or not it is going to in some way hurt his chances.
When I was his age and interviewing for my first minimum-wage job I showed up in a Jacket and tie.
Kids should know what is proper interview etiquette. We teach them how to survive in the real world not that it's OK to half ass it because they're young.
At my old work there was a couple, a very young couple. The female half of this couple was struggling with some of the physical aspects the of job in addition to having trouble coping with some of the emotional stressors.
The company decides to keep her pay intact and move her over to a lower position and do some remediation with preceptors when there were opportunities to do so. So she is actually making more than the people who have done the job she is currently doing for years and overall doing a much less stressful and work intesive job.
She calls the COO to talk about how this wasn't going to work for her because she wanted to do the job she had been hired for. Which is fair enough. But it's a very sink or swim field. And she had already plummeted to the bottom of the ocean. If she had been hired a few years before when the company was doing better they would had just let her go because she wasn't going to make it.
Anywho during this phone call the COO hears someone in the background constantly weighing in on the conversation. Enter boyfriend who had been at the company maybe 2-3months longer than the girlfriend (He had probably been there around 6months). The COO informs them that this is not a group discussion and he doesn't feel right discussing employee employer issues in this way with other employees present. The couple then demands they re-instate her to the position she had (and was failing miserably at). They go as far as an ultimatum that he do it or they both leave.
Nobody knows for sure if they quit or were fired- but they didn't work there after that.
LOL. When I was 19, my 21 year old boyfriend was graduating college and interviewing for jobs. He brought me along to a job interview (I waited in the lobby, can't remember if he tried asking if I could come in). Reception saw me and knew he had brought me along. 11 years later, I can't believe he did that. And I can't believe I went. Always show up to interviews alone!
mickey72 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:02:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
One of my co-workers calls to inquire about jobs for his adult son. Then proceeds to tell them every negative thing about the kid. He tells them about his felony, that he's motivated because he has child support to pay, isn't a self starter, he just hasn't found a job that is a good fit so he's had several jobs, joined the army but washed out of basic, I could go on.
Good chance he was super nervous. That's almost the same as bringing your parent to a job interview and wanting them to come in with you. I can almost guarantee you did an "awesome" job making him feel relaxed and giving him an unbiased interview.
I held my boyfriends hand while he waited for his interviewer, not just to touch him, but because he wouldn't go in the building without me and as shivering in fear from all the anxiety, and I had to coax him from leaving several times. Why did I do it when he was so obviously shaken up about it? Because even if he didn't get the job, it would be good experience for him to see that the interviewer wasn't some evil monster waiting to rip him to shreds, but a normal person just trying to figure him out! What I'm trying to say, is that the guy was probably terrified of you, not because he thought he could use your office as a smooch room
iJoshh ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 07:17:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think they wanted to get it on in the interview room or anything, but if he can't meet with a potential employer without his girlfriend, I'm pretty concerned about his decision making capabilities as a whole.
Can you really say something so permanent about someone so young and inexperienced? Not all candidates are perfect, can you really blame him for being nervous and blurting out how he may need his girlfriends support to keep from freaking out? And again, he was 17, I'm guessing the job he applied for wasn't exactly anything above regular customer service with minimum wage! It's just sad to see employers at companies assuming that everyone they interview will have no problem being tested and analyzed, because to people like you, anxiety at that level doesn't exist, and you don't have to deal with being 17 and feeling nauseous at the thought of being judged and feeling dizzy and limp from all the stress they put on themselves to pass the interview! He could have been using that interview for experience and practice, but to you, he was just stupid for not being calmer
iJoshh ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 12:12:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he can't talk to me by himself why in God's name would I put him in front of customers?
[deleted] ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 10:04:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At 17 you're supposed to be able to function in society, e.g. to talk to other adults & such. Unless you have some really bad anxiety, which should be your priority before a job?
At 17 your still a kid who has every right to be nervous about your future and wanting support. As you SHOULD know, anxiety is natural and having it doesn't mean you have a problem! Did you have your life figured out at 17? Can you honestly say that you never had any anxiety in an interview? Stop painting yourself as a perfect superhuman and have some fucking respect for someone besides the ass your already kissing, people make mistakes and are nervous, if you can't accept that, then you must be a horrible manager
At 17 you should be able to handle stuff like an interview alone if you want the job. The employer is looking for the best person for the job and that includes you're abilities when it comes to human interaction. Not saying don't be nervous but grasp a basic understanding of the workplace and interviews before you go for one.
I respect that, but you aren't listening. Not all teenagers have something wrong with them if they aren't prepared for an interview or need extra support for what may be they're first few interviews, for you to not only suggest, but state that all healthy teenagers should be able to handle the social pressure is extremely ignorant and counterproductive to growth and experience. In short, you assuming that all teenagers should have the mindset of a mature adult is keeping you ignorant to the fact that not everyone is picture perfect and is probably affecting your attitude towards employees as a manager, making them less likely to come to you if problems occur, because ( in theory) they should be able to handle everything themselves, isn't that right?
I'm saying that all teenagers looking for work need an idea of what the interview requires, I'm in my late teens and have moderate anxiety but I was able to get through my job interview at 15 when my anxiety was at its worst. Not saying everyone should be perfect at all but the employer is looking for the best fit and asking for your girlfriend to come in too isn't matching their idea of the best fot under pretty much any circumstances. Life often doesn't really give a shit if your anxious though it should. Don't appreciate being slammed as ignorant when you don't know my circumstances.
You know what, your right, I apologize for my unwarranted rage
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:33:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Simmr down, you're giving me an aneurysm just from your way of talking.
Your first job isn't your future, usually, just a stepping stone so you can get some experience. At least at 17, when you're expected to do some more school.
Yes, I expect a 17yo to be slightly nervous, God knows I was anxious too at that age. Nevertheless, you're supposed to try and work through your anxieties. You know how I got through mine? By going out there and doing things myself, instead of having my hand held.
Stop painting yourself as a perfect superhuman
Did I actually talk about myself in the previous post? I didn't.
pepg ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:38:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
regular customer service
do you know how stressful this is for even the most social person? being able to walk in the interviewing room alone is a part of the interview. why not look at it that way?
its ok to acknowledge that maybe he's not made for that kind of work. walking in for an interview is less stressful than working an 8 hour shift with awful customers and coworkers/bosses you don't know yet. the girlfriend can't go with him for every aspect of the job... its fair to say he failed the interview because he has shown himself unable to handle even the most basic social stress. which is fine - just get a different minimum wage job that doesn't involve human contact.
AalewisX ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 13:58:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not a question of them smooching in the interview room. It's the fact that nobody would want to hire somebody that literally needs their hand held.
People are hired to relieve burden and complete a task, and if they are incapable of doing simple tasks by themselves, they would make bad employees.
22347234 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:40:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How foreign to the country was this couple?
iJoshh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:17:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I think you guys are in the wrong interview, I just hope you are not underage though".
Kyddeath ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:00:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have gone to the interview with my wife to give her support. Of course we had other things to do afterwards and she got hired in so not sure why this is a bad thing
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:52:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was with my girlfriend when she was applying for numerous jobs. We went to one and I said I'll wait outside and they insisted I come too, it was fucking weird as fuck
MrAxlee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:25:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most likely he was just a worried 17 year old going for what is quite likely his first interview, and wanted somebody he felt calmer around to support him. Agreed it's wrong to want to bring her into the actual interview, but there shouldn't be any problem with her waiting with him. I'd much rather interview somebody calm, who'll be more willing/able to tell me more about themselves and make it much easier for me to see what they are like, rather than interview a nervous wreck who'd completely undersell himself.
If that's the worst you have seen I am very jealous of you :).
If I would be interviewing someone that brought his gf I wouldn't care at all. It's more of a nice opportunity to be nice to the s.o. of someone you are interviewing, showing them that you give a stick about their familiy and are nice but professional.
Just imagine some poor guy bringing his gf because his car doesn't work, being nervous that everyone things it's unprofessional to bring your so. Then your future manager comes out, introduces himself to both of you, telling you off-handedly "cool to have someone for support, I'll promise to bring him back in one piece. Now let's move on to the interview, shall we?". You are happy and relieved that no one makes a fuss about this.
From a manager view: oh, yeah! I just got a freebie to get respect and have a happy employee that I can show we are a great place to work at! internal fistpump
The only red flag would be if they insist to bring the s.o. and have no valid reason for doing so.
Vlakon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:51:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have seen an example of this myself. But in that case she insisted on joining him for the interview.
Gurip ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:30:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
atleast it wasnt his mom.. and trust me people we get guys and girls commin with moms to the interview, dont do that, you wont get a job.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:36:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Before I retired from Seaworld I was in the admin building waiting to talk to someone about my insurance. The HR offices were in the same building and people coming in for interviews sometimes came in through the wrong door. Apparently this guy had just finished his interview and I could not believe my eyes when I saw how he was dressed. He was a young skinny white dude and he looked sort of like a really young Justin Beiber. His ball cap was on sideways, he was wearing a white 'wife beater' shirt, saggy baggy shorts that were too large for him and he was wearing Mardi Gra beads around his neck. It would have been interesting to know if he was hired. He was also covered in tattoos and he had a girl with him.
Screw that. The dude was 17, so I give him a pass on the GF being in the lobby, but coming into the interview? No way.
My then g/f (now wife) came along for my first "real" interview. We lived in different cities at the time, and I was interviewing for a job near her. She drove, since she knew the area better than me, and brought a book to read in the car while I was inside.
The interview went great, and turned to chit chat towards the end, during which they asked about my girlfriend. I happened to say something along the lines of "she's actually waiting in the car right now!" Next thing I know the owner of the company is in the parking lot, knocking on the car window to meet her.
OhGarraty ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Something like this happened to me, unintentionally. I had been on three interviews with this place, and they finally called asking me to come in and sign the new hire paperwork. Being unemployed for six months, I said I was available right away. My wife was home for lunch, so she overheard the good news. I asked her if she wanted to come along. Since there are fences, gates, visitor schedules, and lots of fun security stuff, this would be one of very few times she'd get to see where I work close up. And it was, according to the phone call, "just a few forms".
My ex went with her mom to hand in a resume to a grocery store. As in her mom went in with her and asked/answered questions for her. I'm still amazed to this day how it takes me months to find a job with me applying every week and she goes in with her mom for one day only and gets the job /:
I am amazed by the number of people in positions indicative of at least some education who are unable to properly use the words "amount" and "number." You got it wrong.
Edit: On further reflection, you probably don't have to be all that smart or educated to be conducting interviews for a job that a 17-year-old kid could get an interview for. You are forgiven.
I don't see anyone thinking it's completely normal. One person mentioned a law in New Zealand but I can't find a single person expressing that it's completely normal and that you're a monster for not hiring them. Rough morning?
I was in a program when I was 16-ish that helped minors look for entry level jobs (helps with applications, providing money for work attire and then prepping us for job interview/environment). The person assisting me was a lady in her late 20s and she showed up at the interview with me. She waited outside but the interviewer invited her in while she conducted the interview.
I got the job though! :)
nhremna ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:39:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If it is a position that a 17 year old can apply for, what is there to be so serious about..
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:45:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Him doing this is showing he's not an independent adult. I wouldn't have hired him either. Why? Because 1. It shows he's too dependent and immature and 2. Chances are you'd be seeing a LOT more of the girlfriend.
My sisters husband is like this. He's mad at my sister for not letting him come work with her. He can't grasp that she submitted her resume, went through 5 rounds of interviews, and passed an insurance test to get her job. He thinks he can just show up and work along side her.
I had a female Indian candidate for a programming position that spoke perfect English during the phone interview. Brought her in for the face-to-face interview the next week where she barely understood English, had a very different Hindi accent and really didn't meet the minimum job requirements. I decided she was a "no go" 5 minutes into a 30 minute interview. During our talk, I found out her husband paid someone else to do the phone part just so we would bring her in person.
I'm from India as well, and have seen this shit for far too long. This is unfortunately extremely common - Usually, these people approach small recruiting companies (owned by people from India primarily), and these companies get these people trained in a quick 4-week crash course on something like Java or Networking etc that would ensure that they know enough buzzwords etc to BS their way around non-IT people, and then make up fake resumes with fake experience etc.
After this, these 'recruitment' companies send these resumes to companies that need senior contract-workers. If they get selected for an interview, they usually get someone else to take a phone interview for them, and then use that to get the job (In many small to mid-level companies, a senior contract position apparently only needs one or two interviews).
After that, when they're on the field, these people usually finish tasks by either getting help from someone else in the recruiting companies that I mentioned.
Sadly, the USCIS (The US Immigration department) doesn't really seem to crack down on this practice as much as they should.
I had that with my first contracting job. They'd hired 3 Indian programmers and if they'd read the manuals on the plane over I'd be surprised. I came in for an interview on the Tuesday, he asked me to do a simple task (a multi-level report I think) and when I did I had to show the Indians how to do it - they'd said it couldn't be done. I was hired and by Friday I was working on my own.
Funny thing is that I've seen some better companies move past whiteboarding to just in-person pair programming for a few hours. Some people can be good at algorithm riddles, but then aren't great to work with, write really ugly code too quickly, or don't have good practices when they hit a wall.
I like the pair-programming approach better, because I've seen some developers who didn't have a whiz kid vibe or seem particularly brilliant become some of the most dependable work horses on the team since they're just slow and steady. On the other hand, you can get a genius who only wants to do things one way or works in spurts and just powers through deadlines with coke and adderall since they think they know more about hacking life than everyone else.
That's funny. I remember a cultural thing from Asia, but can't remember if it applies to India. Basically, in some places, the norm is to tell someone something is "impossible" when it's really just complicated or not gonna happen very easily. So, if you go to a fast food place where they only ever make burgers without ketchup and they don't know how to use the register to add ketchup to your order, they'll just say, "This is impossible."
Yep. But these guys would constantly reassure him they were on it, be beavering away, don't have anything ready just yet but soon, and only when they were pinned down would they change to "it can't be done".
cambo666 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:41:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
News to me. Holy shit.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:21:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The problem is at many levels - USCIS does not seem to crack down on H-1B visa fraud as much as they should, and the contracting companies and contractors tend to abuse the system because of that. I do blame the people from India who participate in this, and pretty much ruin it for everyone else (Almost 99% of the people who are involved in this seem to be from the Indian subcontinent).
Disclaimer: I'm a Mechanical Engineer whose H-1B application was not picked up in the lottery that took place in 2014, so I definitely have some personal gripes as well.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:53:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've dealt with this problem so often it's unbelievable. I've seen it sink a whole department when this hiring practiced managed to get through en masse.
We didn't even do this for diversity quotas; we already had a strong South Asian employee base. One guy got hired to replace a department manager and he started firing/hiring like mad until they whole division was Straight Outta India.
If I ever post my tales from this time period; some days it was pretty creepy, since they a good group of them had near 0 English they would walk away if you spoke to them. Imagine that, you're staring at someone saying "Excuse me" or "Hey, how are you?" and they look back and you and walk away.
And no, there was no justice porn here. That guy still runs that department even after it was basically dismantled down to a single digit number of people.
addywoot ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:29:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know what you mean - The problem is that because of the over-abundance of these people, Technical workers from South Asia in general tend to be not taken seriously when they start out(At least at the lower levels).
DhakaGuy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:50:48 on September 20, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe they don't want to crack down intentionally . Did you know that the median salary for IT related jobs didn't go up in the last ten years factoring the inflation ? What I am trying to say is without the influx of abandon Indian IT workers , salary would have doubled for all IT workers. Now if understand what I am trying to say here.
Interviewing for programming positions is shit. I thought all the "People don't answer FizzBuzz" was a joke, but I started interviewing people a few months ago. People do not answer FizzBuzz. It's frustrating as fuck.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 15:24:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
10 years ago, I applied for a job as a database developer. During the interview, they asked me what a JOIN was - not write one in particular, just define the concept. Thinking this was some weird trick question, I went on for 5 minutes discussing inner joins, left outer, right outer and even cross joins. I couldn't figure out what the trick was, so I just dumped everything I knew about joins.
I got the job, and found out later I had actually responded to the second posting they had placed. They had to repost the job because they discovered that none of the original round of candidates could actually tell them what a JOIN was. If you're not familiar with database programming, that's the equivalent of a "Java programmer" having no clue what a class is.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:50:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. I don't touch database usually and I know what a join is.
Relational databases without so much of the relational part :)
SarahC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:35:32 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
JOIN!?
You just put all the data you need together in the same table.
SELECT * FROM COMPANY_DATA
Then if some other table needs it, you just copy it across to that table.
Joins slow the whole thing down and make it overly complex. =)
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:22:23 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're making my eye twitch because that was me a few months ago. Wish I had a time machine so I could go back and bitchslap myself for saying that. JOIN is love. JOIN is life.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 10:02:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
FizzBuzz is an example of a programming problem that can be easily implemented in any reasonable programming language by someone who has minimal competence in the language in a short period of time, and with a handful of lines of code.
These problems can be used as a first pass filter to quickly fail any candidates who claim to be able to program, but cannot.
In this case the usual form of the FizzBuzz question specifically is along the lines of "Write a function that outputs all the numbers from 1 to 100, except where the current number is evenly divisible by 3, then output 'Fizz' instead of the number. If the current number is evenly divisible by 5, output 'Buzz' instead of the number. If evenly divisible by both, output 'FizzBuzz' instead of the number.
e.g.
1 2 Fizz 4 Buzz Fizz 7 ...
These little problems are surprisingly effective and quick, and if you know what you are doing, you are wondering why you were given such a simple problem -- but if you don't, you are sweating bullets. It's amazing how many people fail this test, even if given oodles of time and support in trying to finish it.
Ninbyo ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:08:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, that's stupidly easy. To the point I'd be worried it was a trick question.
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:37:54 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's a nack to getting the code very DRY. But a working program under interview pressure...... should be possible.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:33:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went to school for computer science. Even by the end of my senior year, a sizable minority of my classmates wouldnโt have been able to solve this: I love helping people learn, and I was always willing to help people with their code, but, too often, it was clear they were just shoving stuff togetherโthe profโs examples, their classmatesโ work, my helpโuntil it worked well enough to turn in, then patting themselves on the back for โfiguring it out.โ :(
If you don't mind me asking, where did you go? I'm studying CS right now and I can't imagine how someone couldn't do this.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:19:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Iโd rather not say beyond saying I went to a large, fairly-respectable Midwestern universityโmy Reddit history already has too many personal detailsโand I donโt think my schoolโs at fault: the classes were fairly comprehensive, and there were plenty of opportunities for getting help. Some students simply didnโt seem to have the logic to reason through a problem entirely on their own and instead got by on rote memorization and borrowing.
The only thing that didnโt work for was our senior design project, which was team-based. There was a guy on my team who couldnโt code himself out of a cardboard box with a case-specific cardboard box-escaping language and the manual but had incredible charisma: he did wonders for encouraging us, and I think we were even more thrilled to have him do our presentations than he was to have us do his coding. (Unlike some of the idiots I worked with, he was well aware of his strengths and limitations: he got hired out of school as an IT manager, and I have no doubt heโs quite successful.)
Iโm currently consulting on a PHP project that was written by a well-credentialed design firm. One of the first files I needed to modify was a static HTML page written as a series of echo statements:
To be fairl; what Audreyshake mentions is how I started to learn, my later semesters the switch had flipped.
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:38:42 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
my helpโuntil it worked well enough to turn in, then patting themselves on the back for โfiguring it out.โ :(
Oh yes - this happens a lot. Because they can keep up with your explanation, it somehow skips right through into their own "I worked it out" box.
SteevyT ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 19:07:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I could do that in pseudocode. Which might actually be C just formatting might be off.
I'm a mechanical engineer.
sikkkunt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:29:32 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
should i just lie on my resume and wait to get to this problem?
two semesters of c++ and this was like one of the first kinds of assignments we had.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:50:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is the first time I've ever heard of FizzBuzz and I've been programming since I as 16 (am 33 now and a software dev).
I feel like I'd fail this out of panic. I have a horrible time doing things if someone else is watching or puts me on the spot. I hate that about myself.
Turn your back though and I'll write you a video game in C++ and SDL/OpenGL or Objective-C and Sprite Kit.
Turn your back though and I'll write you a video game in C++ and SDL/OpenGL or Objective-C and Sprite Kit.
Tell me you'd prefer to work on it alone, and I will likely give you some time to do it by yourself, but you'd be doing it on a whiteboard without a computer or phone (no penalty for syntax errors). But I've also accepted examples of prior work, assuming you are capable of talking about the code in question.
It really is intended as a very coarse filter.
I feel like I'd fail this out of panic.
Usually you can tell when someone is seizing up with panic and you can help them along to the point where they are able to produce something, even if it's getting them to work through the problem steps aloud or to write it down. Interviews are pretty stressful things.
The other thing to remember in an interview -- you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. If I think you're a great candidate, I am going to want you to have a good feeling about working on my team or project. Being aware of that can help mitigate some of the anxiety in an interview situation.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:00:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for the tips!
I really wish I didn't get stage fright. Mentally I don't care but my body physically goes into a panic in these kinds of situations no matter how hard I practice to overcome them.
Heck just the other day I was screwing up typing an email because my boss was watching over my shoulder.
gered ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:16:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For what it's worth, I have the same problem as you. I have a decade of professional experience on my resume and have been coding since I was 10 years old, but ask me to write the simplest of code on a whiteboard and I seize up and can't figure out what I'm doing.
Programmer interviews are the worst. :'(
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:35:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly I feel the best way is how some companies do it where they give you a take home test to do over the weekend. This lets you work naturally, put in any research needed, and finish the project without the stress of someone looking over your shoulder.
I can't comment for everyone but my friends Dads company started hiring programmers by changing from the "on the spot" tests to the take home tests and they've gotten a lot better applicants.
I generally ask FizzBuzz on the phone and I tell the candidate they can mute or go away for a minute or two if they'd like to work out the problem. Silence on the phone is not a problem for me.
yarpen_z ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:44:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's an easy programming task, where you are expected to print out numbers and replace them with "fizz" or "buzz" when they are divisible by 3 or 5, respectively. It should not be a problem to anyone after one semester course of programming, you only have to know the modulo operation (usually % or mod).
yanomami ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:26:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've seen this, too. Most people are better than that, but still can't do nearly what they should be able to do, in my experience.
my interviewer responded to the staffing firm that they "liked that i used objects" in the OOD problem i had been given to complete before the interview. apparently they have tons of candidates who don't use OOD despite specifically being asked to. One of them was from Boeing. makes me a little more hesitant about air travel.
I'm Indian and I saw this sort of shit in the US a lot, sadly from my race. It is very important to trust your gut in an interview and also have a multiple set of questions of varying levels(knowledge, spontaneity, critical thinking, creativity) before making a hiring decision.
Also, when I was working part-time at a university, I was questioned by job-seeking students as to what kind of questions they ask to hire someone for our team. My answer to that depends on what mood I am in - because my manager, after interviewing an Indian usually asks me to ask if I knew that person in the student community. (If a worthy candidate were to ask me, I'd definitely ask them to apply).
The only instance I would exonerate him would be if this was in a small town, he'd just dropped in to the states and was taken aback that there were not a few thousand people on the road. Or else, that's not a thing.
[deleted] ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 07:49:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can't speak for op but from my personal observation, a lot of Asian education is rote learning, and that even gets applied at degree level. This leads to a lack of critical thinking and research skills in real life, with people expecting to receive everything they need to know in a pre-established format. I used to work for a tech security company and would regularly get unsolicited emails from Indian university students and grads saying "kindly send me everything there is to know about internet security in PDF format". Thus when interviewing people from such an educational environment one needs to check that they can think for themselves. Some of our best hires were Indian, but we really had to check that they had the ability to problem-solve in a spontaneous manner.
eythian ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 09:25:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh yes, I see a lot of mailing list queries from India that are "please send me a pdf with step by step installation instructions", when this is all in the project wiki and liberally linked to.
zerj ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 11:17:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds like any of the technical forums on LinkedIn (Embedded SW, ASIC Design) They ended up being overrun with extremely basic questions. (Think what is a pointer in C). These might be fine asked here on anonymously here on Reddit, but when the question is basically attached to your resume, I know who I'm not hiring.
"kindly send me everything there is to know about internet security in PDF format"
I fucking LOST it at that!
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 09:15:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know it sounds like an exaggeration or racial stereotype, but it genuinely was like that. It happened so frequently - at least once a week - that I eventually asked one of our Indian devs to explain what was going on and he told me that this was how they thought research was done.
kallas55 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:37:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This has been a constant road block lately with the culture clash. Whenever we go into hiring season I get an influx on e-mails saying "kindly send me everything related to X in PDF format".
I always found this weird because;
They don't always identify themselves as who they are in the company.
They often start CCing random people when I don't comply (I either don't have said information or it doesn't exist.)
They don't understand that they're being gauche in their actions.
Something similar happened when I was working at a large tech company. I had called this candidate like 3x to coordinate her interview and she was great on the phone. She shows up late, got lost, couldn't articulate anything to me, and bombed her interview. I guess her uncle was friends with a guy that worked there so thats why they interviewed her.
Pretty sure someone else pretending to be her spoke with me on the phone (and probably during the phone screen too), and then the real girl came and just bombed.
I used to do staffing before corporate recruiting and I saw this happen a lot with sub staffing companies. They will have someone different do the phone interview, and then the actual candidate shows up for the real interview. I also would do technical screens with them on the phone, ask them a question and they would go "um, uuuuum" while I could hear them typing looking up answers to the questions. I would always call them out on it and end the interview. Any staffing company who did this, I would personally call them, call them out on their BS, then let them know I will be letting everyone I know not to use them because of their "tactics". It is disgusting how many companies do this, particularly Indian run companies.
My dad is a senior director in his company so he does the hiring for his department.
He's told me that he's been seeing a lot of false resumes and phone interviews from Indian and Chinese applicants. He's encountered the bait and switch like you experienced a bunch of times within the last year alone.
He now includes a practical portion during the interview (SAS and SQL programming). If he finds out that the person lied on their resume or did a bait and switch, he does a little research with other companies to see if that applicant came through their doors and to give the company a heads up.
The applicant is usually black listed in the industry. He works in Pharma and it's a lot smaller than people think.
It was for a SAS programming position in pharma and you're dad is right, it's a small field. Almost all programmers are separated by three phone calls max.
Ucantalas ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:01:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...what did they expect was going to happen when she shows up in person and clearly isn't the same person?
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 03:13:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is wrong and yet part of me can help but not blame her.
mastapetz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:17:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had something similar here, just not indian, but turkish. The daughter caled spoke good german. Her mother couldn't even understand a single word and needed the daughter to translate.
Since the application was for place at one of our customers that need perfect German because of being at the front desk, this was a no go.
I wouldn't agree completely. The position went to a Indian that just finished grad school and needed something while she planned her wedding back home. She is a very talented and motivated programmer that has yet to disappoint us.
frankayub ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
by any chance do you live in Dubai...indians are fond of that..
Not if speaking English fluently was a job requirement, and especially not since she had hired someone else to do the phone interview. That alone is grounds to dismiss her.
It was obvious she was faking the interview and she admitted it during the interview. I had to fill the time regards of my impressions. Also, her skill set didn't meet the job requirements or her CV. She couldn't answer simple questions related to systems listed in her CV. I'm curious, what type of discrimination would have come up in the UK and why? This happened in the US and I'm very well aware of the protected classes here. It would not have been age, gender or race since it was never a question. At that time, I routinely hired based on mainly skills, honesty and how to person would fit the organization so there wouldn't have been a case against me personally.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:17:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It wouldn't. You're right - quality of spoken and written communication is an important factor in hiring, native speaker or otherwise. It's not like you were asking her to stack boxes in a factory.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 02:30:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh great thing I don't live there, faking an interview gets you hired?
We interviewed a girl for a job, and it really went well. We decided to call her previous employers and references to see about her past.
Her most recent employer in which she "resigned" from for "personal reasons", informed us that they fired her because she got busted for selling meth...at work.
We decided to file her application in the special file cabinet.
Hell I know a couple people who work HR for larger companies and the only thing that the companies allow them to say is start date, end date, starting salary and ending salary.
It's more of a complicated possibility for litigation, not a specific crime. Not disclosing why people are fired is more CYA.
Steavee ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:24:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's almost entirely untrue, but is a popular myth.
Think about it this way, talking about someone is speech, which is guaranteed by the very first amendment to our constitution.
As long as they aren't knowingly telling lies about a person in an attempt to harm or defame them a current or former employer can say almost anything about a person that they would like.
I will say that many HR departments do try to limit it to the absolute basics to reduce the chance of lawsuits, but explaining that they were fired for selling meth on the job (if true) is probably a safe thing to tell anyone.
Yeti_Poet ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:45:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There appear to be plenty of states that restrict that kind of information.
For example, in Delaware, it is only legal to disclose the reason for termination of an employee in the health and child care field. And in Texas, employers can disclose why an employee was terminated, but only in writing.
This website lists explicitly what can be disclosed accoording to state laws.
Solinuas ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 14:57:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would like to clarify that no, that kind of speech is not guaranteed by the constitution.
The constitutional right of free speech ONLY means you cannot be persecuted by the government for what you say. That is it, companies can do what they like with non disclosure, people can do what they want with non disclosure ETC.
Steavee ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:02:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Correct, which is why people saying that it is illegal to report why someone was fired are generally completely wrong.
I know Reddit loves the "the first amendment only protects you from the governmentโฆ" argument, but in this case that is exactly the point. It's not illegal, nor does it fit the description of slander or libel unless it is known to be false.
Which is exactly why he clarified and said companies are still targetable for lawsuits if they say anything that can be construed as untrue, as that becomes slander or libel. Simply stating facts may still open them up for civil suits, but I doubt anyone would have a case if they only said things that are absolutely true.
babylina ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:36:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
well, in Florida, where i live, recruiters are only allowed to ask if the person is rehireable or not.
Yeah, this is the right answer here. I work for a staffing firm and do reference checks daily. If the former employer has documented an incident (such as being fired over selling meth) it is most definitely fair game.
mcherm ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:33:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I don't know the law in other parts of the world but there is no where in the United States where the law prevents an employer from stating why an employee was fired. However many employers have a policy of not revealing why someone was fired because they are concerned that they might face lawsuits from their former employee. Even if the lawsuit were baseless there would still be risk and an expense of defending it.
MaoChan has corrected me -- apparently I was wrong about this and there ARE laws in several states restriction what employers can say about former employees, so the laws differ from state to state.
MaoChan ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:05:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So in other words you are wrong and have no evidence thats what Ithought
babylina ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:41:38 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
so in other words, you come off like a jerk. if you would go up and read the reply, you would see that i stated "FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD" and "IN FLORIDA." but i guess you missed that part. also, here, apparently i'm not the only one who's experienced this.
[deleted] ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 10:50:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is such an ugly word. We don't use that fucking shit.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:58:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought the law is that a potential employer can only ask if and when the employee was employed. I didn't think it was allowed to speak to a boss and get particulars.
That's what I asked. I asked if they would hire her again and the guy said no and then proceeded to tell me why.
I also think it depends on the business. Alot of places would tell us about former employees but some places would only say if they would hire them again.
Sapper42 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:14:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a girl on camera doing lines in the back office and when we fired her for it she claimed sexual harassment and upon looking up the incident we found absolutely no cases of such events taking place.
She then tried to reapply to another location, however she needed our referral and it obviously didn't go so well. She then tried to contact HR and complain about discrimination based on gender and we sent in all the proof we needed.
I believe she moved out of state.
matthieuC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:46:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have one of these. It's for the people with 10 pages resumes 9 of them being an explanation of the conspiracy that prevent them from finding a job. The resume have all the contact information for the police just in case.
It's these cases that I feel really sorry for. They're trying to better themselves but with no job they're stuck as a meth head.
My SO left his job after 8 years because the boss was becoming a huge dick. Now he can't get hired because his ex boss will say nothing but shit about him, even though he specified to call his supervisor.
Am a chef. Hiring a line cook. The interview is going fine (all I want is a hard worker who likes food. Drugs, booze? Don't give a shit. As long as you can work and love food). Get to the last question.
Me: "ok, so what's your favorite food?"
Her: "uh, i don't know, chicken."
Me: "I love chicken. Fried chicken, roast chicken. A seared chicken breast on the grill. Chicken is awesome. What's your favorite way to prepare it?"
Her: "oh I don't know how to cook chicken. I like chicken nuggets a lot though."
Noooooope.
While that of course raises the stakes it doesn't make the whole thing more complicated. Bowling a perfect game requires exactly the same level of skill whether the lives of your family depend on your success or not.
pjabrony ยท 53 points ยท Posted at 12:37:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The nugget is one of the tastiest parts of the chicken.
Omg. Some days I think I missed my calling. Never had BOH experience but I've talked at length about food in my interviews when they've been for white collar industry jobs (most recently, about the best way to eat eggs). And I feel like "I don't know how to cook chicken" is a bad answer for applying to be a line cook.
I have to say, line cook is not an easy job, but it's one of the easiest jobs to interview for and keep. I mean, every one of my friends who was ever a line cook drank like a horse and smoked like a chimney. Some had misdemeanors or even felony charges. None had degrees. A few even lacked their own car. But as long as they showed up, worked hard, and cooked the food well, nobody gave a shit about any of that other stuff.
Line cook with a felony here, and yep! It's where all us social outcasts go, and it makes for a beautiful place. Rampant sexism, racism, lewd behaviour, extra breaks, and drug use? I see it all and contribute to some.
But damn, when those orders hit and you look around to see a team of fuck-ups working as one cohesive unit? It's beautiful.
I have just applied to work in a kitchen and after reading this I feel better about my chances thanks!
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:05:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm all for hiring unqualified people if they've got a love for the work and the basic skillset required, but jesus christ to interview for a line cook job when you can't even prepare basic meals? Fucking hell.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 19:05:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you serious? Its waaaaaaaay more than that.
I've been a line cook at different restaurants for about 6 years, even made it to KM in one before leaving that shit hole. I've only probably put 100 burgers together.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:40:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I bullshitted my way into a line cook position once by saying I could train in one area first to know and learn the menu, get used to everything.
They started loosing cooks so fast that I started as cook in less than 2 weeks versus the 3-4 months they anticipated.
I did at one job. I gave them 45 minutes to make whatever they wanted to see what kind of skills they have. I had a grilled cheese once, I told him we'd give him a call. Never did. If you think making a grilled cheese and only that in 45 min is gonna get you a job in a kitchen, think again.
mrs-morris ยท 1226 points ยท Posted at 22:39:02 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Last week we were interviewing a potential new hire who clearly had absolutely no idea what our company/the job was about. Like, hadn't even googled us, had no idea what she wanted to do there, and told us that she wanted to go into our business because other things she looked at were "too hard to do, and too much energy" so this company seemed like a good fit. Uhh.. okay. I told her I didn't think she'd be a good fit for the position, and she tried to argue with me, saying that she didn't know what the job was about but she was sure she could do it and that it wasn't fair that we would turn her down when the position was open and we needed somebody, and she showed up for the interview, so she should have the job. Uh no. She was a disaster.
[deleted] ยท 334 points ยท Posted at 23:16:18 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a basket case. I hate when people feel like they're entitled to a job just cuz they showed up. My hotel is having interviews rn and I judge people hard core on how they're dressed. Some come in casual clothes. I went to all my interviews even if they were for bottom of the barrel jobs, in a blazer and skirt or a dress. Smh people don't have good interview etiquette.
Edit: all my clothes I brought from the thrift store for cheap too so no one can argue if they don't have money.
Yup. I don't care how overdressed I may be for the office, I always turn up to the interview and for my first day in a suit and tie. It doesn't take more than a day to figure out what the actual "dress code" is in the office, and it's easy enough to take off a tie to fit in better.
But no matter how good you may be at the actual job, formal business attire is the best way to give the first impression "I'm serious about this".
I did that during my interview- the HR/Recruiter neglected to tell me that it was a casual office- jeans, tee-shirts and such. So in waltz I with my suit looking very dapper...
... we made a joke about it, it helped break the ice.
I think it's better to be more dressed up than too dressed down in a job interview situation.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:24:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
except software startups or california software jobs, they actually view over-dressing pretty negatively. when i went out to irvine to interview at google they specifically told me not to dress up
[deleted] ยท 84 points ยท Posted at 02:46:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My dad interviewed for a position in a machine shop in a suit and tie. They still give him a hard time about it, but he got the job.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:49:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At that point you just pretend you're one of those people who wear suits all the time.
Aran206 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Barney Stimson is my spirit animal.
Mike81890 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:03:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've done the same thing. I think it shows that you are serious about the job, have the ability to look fancy, and thought highly enough of the company that a suit would be appropriate
feb914 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:01:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
that was my first internship. i came in with full suits, and everyone looked at me and asked "is this your first day?".
thorough the day i kept dressing down (took off blazer in the morning, get rid of the tie after lunch, roll up the sleeve at coffee break), and still being overdressed.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had a job at a call center and I wore a suit jacket, slacks and button up shirt with no tie. I was offered the job and the guy kinda joked about how I was dressed as anyone who has worked in a call center would guess, they don't care what you look like, only what you sound like. A snuggie was acceptical attire for that place. Oh the smells...
Ish. I do software. When a candidate shows up in a suit and tie, it usually indicates they're out of touch with the state of the industry. Standard interview attire for us is a nice shirt and khakis, but you can get away with jeans. If you're good enough you can get away with a t-shirt, but you had damn well better be able to back it up.
I totally agree, the industry standard matters. Obvious examples where a suit and tie are totally unsuitable would be oil rig mechanic or truck-driver. And if I was able to get a look at the office during or after the interview, I'd take a stab at matching their attire on my first day.
But generally, I think that for an office-type job dressing the part of "someone who takes themselves seriously" is helpful. If I showed up in my normal "uniform" and saw the dress code as you described, I'd probably take off my tie and jacket straight away to fit in a bit better. I guess my point is it's a lot easier to dress down from "formal business" to "business casual" than to dress up in the opposite direction. :)
GV18 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:41:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in software too, but if I turned up to an interview in anything short of a suit and tie, I would be politely shown the door. In the office, it's pretty casual, but for an interview, it's not.
Interesting. Suit and tie fell out of favor around here roughly 10 years ago. Genuinely qualified candidates are few and far between, so no one gets shown the door based on attire alone. NYC here, not finance (finance software is a whole separate culture from the rest of the software world). You?
GV18 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:00:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Northern Ireland. We have a shockingly good IT area, we've tend to be a fairly popular choice for American IT companies because we seem to churn out a high level of IT folk.
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:26:15 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
England - the same, business attire. =(
I guess writing business software is seen as accountancy, no creativity needed, and therefore no "creative quirks" (like t-shirts with pictures on them).
TunaBoo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:35:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
depends. rule is dress 1 level higher then the office. programmers in some finance jobs are business casual, so 1 step higher is suit.
Yeah, finance is a different animal altogether. Them bitches be crazy.
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:26:47 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can confirm!
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:24:36 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not in financial software - sigh - .......
Fucking office wear? REALLY?!
Yup.....
Koras ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:03:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah programming, the one job you can walk into wearing a stained ninja turtles t-shirt, so long as you have SKILLS.
I know someone who literally did that (to be fair it's a sick ninja turtles t-shirt), but it probably helped that the guy interviewing him had the same turtles shirt, was coming off 18 hours of crunch and just wanted to go home
This isn't very true. It really depends where you work for software. Where I work, it wouldn't be a good idea to wear jeans and a shirt, you better be wearing a suit. That's a step above of everyday work attire here which is business casual.
draynen ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:57:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The industry I work in is a little weird, but there are places that will straight up turn you away from your interview if you show up in a suit. I've interviewed in jeans and a T-shirt before. God bless the tech industry.
17Hongo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:36:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I either do a suit and tie, or a smart jacket, trousers, tie and nice shoes. Not exactly a set piece like a suit, but still smart.
cactuscat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:42:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a lot better to be a bit overdressed than underdressed for an interview and first day.
NAVD ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:07:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I turned up for my first day looking real nice. Then my manger told me to start wearing normal clothes from then on. Good thing too, my pants split open in the first half hour.
Had the same experience, although it was in an office it was very casual. It's easy enough to adjust :).
r4ptor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:15:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got a summer gig as a student working in a government warehouse. The interviewer told me to wear comfortable and not-so-nice clothes on the first day and, having worked in warehouses previously, I showed up in shorts and an UnderArmour shirt. The rest of the students were all wearing business casual that got covered in warehouse dust and sweat.
I got transferred to a different building a few days later and apparently that group was pretty terrible if left unsupervised.
All my interview clothes are from the thrift store, and I go the extra mile to iron them before I go too.
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 00:40:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Man, I'll have to step up my interview game if I'm competing with the likes of you!!
[deleted] ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 01:15:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Even just a blazer over a nice shirt and some slacks makes a difference. You just look nicer. I'd take it off right when I got back in my car lol. Horrible in the Texas heat though.
If it's any help. 100% of the interview clothes I ironed got me the job, and 50% of the ones I didn't iron got me hired. For bonus points: I got my iron at the thrift store too, for $2!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:43:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I'll wear your grandpa's clothes"
Got a hair drier for $3 and a straighter for $5. Thrift stores are a life saver :))
Overcautious and paranoid that every tiny little thing will make them decide against me, more like.
Amp3r ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:38:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Shit! I am literally waiting for my interview in an unironed shirt right now. I got a flat tyre on my bike on the way home and didn't have time to get ready.
Ninja edit: The interviewer came as I was about to post that. I think it went well. We laughed about Murphy's law striking so I hope first impressions weren't too bad.
yup, if not a skirt then non-denim pants and ALWAYS a blazer. If it's a company that I know would be fine with wearing denim to an interview you can bet as hell they're white or nicer jeans worn with a nice blazer and professional heels. There are ways to dress up even the most casual clothes if you're in a position where that's all you have or that's the best you can throw together that day - but the people I've interviewed (for Cutco, honestly the most lenient hiring if the manager wasn't me) would so often come in with beat up and stained jeans or shorts, oversized slouchy tshirts, and just collapse in their chair. I would never hire them - I don't care if it's the lowest of the low jobs you're applying for, if you can't dress or present yourself with SOME class it's going to reflect in your work ethic.
Honestly even if you think you'll never wear it, even just putting the money together to buy a well-fitted, nicer blazer on sale (J.Crew always has an extra 40% off sale I swear to god) will be all you need.
mickey72 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 04:27:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well that depends. Even when I'm in shape the smallest blazer that will fit me is a 48L (men's US size). I have a difficult time finding jackets at the thrift stores.
I was applying to a job at a big international engeneering/production company. It was for a low tier job in production but they payed reaally good, like up to 25usd/h if you worked nights. I had some contacts in the company and asked for tips for the interview. They all said that I should come in casual clothes. Not sweatpants and such but definitely not in formal clothes (suit and tie). So i guess it comes down to what company and the position that you are after.
For a hotel job where you interact with costumers on a daily basis i recon that it would be best to show that you can dress properly.
I feel that almost no one can actually tell a fitted $1000 suit jacket from a well-picked $15 suit jacket with some minor alterations.
This makes expensive jackets useless for anything other than wearing them next to people who can actually tell the difference (tailors I guess?), or personal satisfaction.
Are we talking about a $15 jacket that's priced there because it's used and when it was new was a few hundred dollars? Because with super cheap (to begin with) dresswear, it's generally not that hard to tell that it's cheap. Lower thread count, gives a different sheen and texture, stitching isn't as nice, etc....
I mean maybe in a profession where that's seen as important, like being a lawyer or something along those lines.
Why would you hope most people who interview can tell? If you think about it, it's actually a really stupid criteria to measure someone's competency with if that person isn't going to be interacting with clientele.
I'd hope they can tell simply because attention to detail like that is a trait that would make them better at their job. If I were interviewing somebody for a job that would never require that level of dress, and where professional interactions with those outside the office would be minimal, I might notice a cheap suit, but I wouldn't necessarily count it against them.
I'm definitely not saying anything like, "Job goes to the best dressed", but I do think that for a person who has a hiring job, it's a good skill to be able to notice it, and possibly an essential one for fields where professional dress is important.
Well at the career fair I was at last week, I'd say that at least 85% of the people I saw were wearing fairly nice tailored suits. This was in a computer science / informatics setting, the expectation for the event was that you wouldn't get in without a suit, it was basically just a professionalism thing, impress the businesses that came to it, nearly all of them would require a maximum of business casual for day to day work though, most probably as casual as t-shirt and jeans.
For the job I have right now, my sister asked me to drive her to an interview with the company. It was raining, so I went in a hoodie and jeans. While I was waiting for her to finish her interview, they asked to interview me too, and offered me a job.
I actually said to them, "If I knew there was an opening, I would have dressed for the occasion!"
Geminii27 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:28:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hate when people feel like they're entitled to a job just cuz they showed up.
I did some work for a retail conglomerate a while back and got to speak to the store-level managers there. Apparently 'showing up' was something they actually needed to emphasize to new shop-floor hires in the interview, due to the vast number who simply didn't.
I remember going to Manpower one summer during college and I had to watch a training video that had segments that spent literally 3 minutes on "Comb your hair" and "Don't wear sweatpants." The uncomfortable part is that it felt kinda racial as all the examples of what not to do was some minority woman and the right way to do things was always demonstrated by a white woman. Also, all the bosses were white women who were either down on the bad minority's faux pas or praising the white lady's professionalism. I guess they were at least all women though, so that bit was progressive? Damn, I wish I could get a copy of that video tape.
Ten years later, and I'm still getting teased about it.
This is a jeans and T-shirt kind of office...
Heathen92 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:04:10 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I show up to every interview involved a suit and when/if a casual office environment teased me about it I just straighten my tie and say "I'd wear this anyway. I look damn good."
I went to all my interviews even if they were for bottom of the barrel jobs, in a blazer and skirt or a dress. Smh people don't have good interview etiquette.
That has been my attitude too. Even when it was retail at a gift shop. Later, I had the opportunity to hire people and it was amazing how few bothers to even put on dress shoes. I get that it isn't an amazing job, but have some decency.
Uh. I was technically homeless when applying for jobs (UK just throw you out after Uni now, no social housing available anymore and if you aren't a student - i.e. you just graduated - you have basically no rights).
Gromann ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 09:58:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Not always true. Try finding clothes that fit you suitably when you're 6 and a half feet tall at a thrift store.
I just feel like if I went all out and wore a dress or even just a nice skirt and blazer when going in for a minimum wage job I might be judged badly. Primarily because I'm a guy.
Aren't you requesting for motivation letters? That's my first line of defense to know the applicant has a clue about job and company. It's all lies anyway, but at least they know the job description...
You should have given her a "you showed up" trophy.
acm2033 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:32:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't you like reviewing applications that have the wrong place on them? "I'd really like to work at XYZ"... Too bad you're applying at PDQ.
guitarjob ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:46:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She probably could do it. You are not special
tah4349 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:04:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
had absolutely no idea what our company/the job was about. Like, hadn't even googled us, had no idea what she wanted to do there
Why do people not realize this is an incredibly important thing to do before an interview?!?! I was interviewing a woman who stopped the interview to ask if our company had anything to do with religion or religious people, because she didn't want to have anything to do with organized religion. After an awkward pause, I explained that the company was secular, though it was founded by a Catholic priest and received funding from the USCCB (US Conference of Catholic Bishops), and the purpose of the company was to resettle refugees who were forced from their homes for a variety of reasons, but many, if not most, were fleeing religious persecution of some form. All information that was abundantly clear in words and pictures on nearly every page of the website. She seemed quite perturbed at this information.
I'm a recruiter and some times I get those people who say "I've been unemployed for this long" and sometimes, I'll be honest, I can see why they've been unemployed. Some people are just really really bad and don't realize why they're unemployed. Just because you have the skills, doesn't mean you have the personality. Skills can be taught, a shitty personality is something most people don't even want to try and work with.
Aroha11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But, to be fair. a long unemployment does horrible things to people, and can corrode their judgement, self-presentation skills and confidence.
No I know, but some people are just dicks anyways. I've seen this happen a lot. They get fired because of their attitude or personality, then they blame everyone around them except themselves, can't get hired or do get hired and get fired again and continue to blame everyone. In my line of work, I see all kinds of people. It's honestly sad to see some times because they really just have no idea that they're the problem and the world isn't out to get them.
Hey, I've showed up for interviews where I've only known the basics of the job, but that was because they made the listing super vague on purpose.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:53:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm guessing someone hooked her up with the interview
bn1979 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 05:33:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Always spend at least a few minutes reading about the company online - particularly on their own website.
I've had several interviewers ask, "what do you know about our company?" Just having an extremely basic knowledge of the company history and/or structure looks damn good and shows that you are truly interested in the job.
JoJack82 ยท 562 points ยท Posted at 02:26:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We once had an internal applicant lie about what he did at the company that we all work for.
What did he claim to do and what does he actually do?
JoJack82 ยท 137 points ยท Posted at 11:48:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He worked on the Helpdesk doing basic computer setups and first level troubleshooting. He claimed he designed, installed and managed the phone systems at our company. He didn't even have a login to them so he couldn't even do simple tasks like add a user. The closest thing he came to working on it was putting phones on desks and plugging them in.
The best part of his lie was he was applying into the infrastructure team that did design, install and manage the companies phone system. He didn't get to the interview stage but that would have been hilarious.
I'm willing to bet he put a bunch of lies on his resume when applying externally and either forgot to remove it or submitted the wrong resume. The resume also said he was a CCNP (Cisco certified network professional) but he didn't know what a subnet was. For those that don't know what that is that would be like being a car mechanic and not knowing what a car is.
JoJack82 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 15:06:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ya, that might be a better comparison.
Skrp ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:19:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm willing to bet he put a bunch of lies on his resume when applying externally and either forgot to remove it or submitted the wrong resume. The resume also said he was a CCNP (Cisco certified network professional) but he didn't know what a subnet was. For those that don't know what that is that would be like being a car mechanic and not knowing what a car is.
My fucking sides. I got the CCNA R&S and want to go for the CCNP in the future when I get some more work experience (though finding jobs to get that experience is proving hard) and this guy claimed to be a CCNP and didn't know what a subnet was? Pure gold.
cambo666 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:54:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey man.
It's rough out there. Gotta make drastic moves sometimes.
kickdrive ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:20:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of phone system?
JoJack82 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:34:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
CUCM and UCCE for the customer service management.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:51:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, CCNPs are probably going to use the term VLAN. I work with one of these dudes and he didn't know what I meant when I said subnet.
I think your car example would be more like American 'Trunk' vs British 'Boot'
JoJack82 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:06:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He had no access to any routers or switches. It was a discussion about the subnet mask setting on his workstation. He wanted to know what the subnet mask was for. So we had a long talk about networks and he basically had zero understanding of them. I'm 100% sure he didn't have a CCNP.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 07:53:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
CEO, janitor.
Thelemurr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:25:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a people person! I HAVE PEOPLE SKILLS GOD DAMNIT!
Maybe he was one of those guys that no one knows what he actually does. Like "Oh he's just the janitor" because people see him cleaning the coffee machine, but actually he's senior vice president of billings and out comings, who just has a thing about clean coffee machines.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:22:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am imagining Homer Simpson.
5quirrel ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:48:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This one is so simple but it's got to be the like the dumbest here
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:15:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I see this too. Applicant lied about how much they were paid at their current position in our company so they could "get more." Really no surprise that HR just looked it up and flat out told them no. I think they even got demoted because of that stunt.
onlynag ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:20:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's hilarious. May be he thought he worked undercover :)
Edit: Spelling
matthieuC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:48:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So Management material ?
JoJack82 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:06:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly
flotiste ยท 870 points ยท Posted at 23:31:49 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy showed up for a military aptitude test high on coke.
[deleted] ยท 1015 points ยท Posted at 00:35:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
WOOOO!!!!! LETS BLOW SOME FUCKING SHIT UP!!!?!!! WHERES MY GUN?!
flotiste ยท 342 points ยท Posted at 00:45:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I told you, you're not getting a gun until you give me your name!
DD225 ยท 281 points ยท Posted at 01:37:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've had it up to here with your rules!
_mihali_ ยท 171 points ยท Posted at 02:16:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I first heard that Marge was joining the police academy, I thought it would be fun and zany, like that movie "Spaceballs." But instead it was dark and disturbing, like that movie "Police Academy."
...."This is my rifle, this is my gun. This is for fighting, this is for fun".
We did have one guy who had to put his "gun" in the dirt for calling his rifle that.
[deleted] ยท 372 points ยท Posted at 01:32:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Kid came in wanting to be a SEAL, did low 20s for pushups on the spot in 2 minutes, 1 pull up, and around low 20s for sit ups. Fitness can be fixed with enough time, so I decided to put him on the practice ASVAB just to see if we can at least work with him; he scored a 12. I walked a couple doors down and asked the Army guys if they can do anything with that, they told me not to bring him in their office. I did anyway.
flotiste ยท 220 points ยท Posted at 01:38:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a dude ask if a 10-year weapons prohibition that was in force until 2022 would bar him from serving.
I don't think any convicted felons can join the military.
I couldn't join the army during the surge in 2009 because I had an expunged felony(it was one of those plea deals were you plead guilty to the felony, pay a 3000$ fine, and they convict you of a misdemeanor instead). I was never actually convicted for a felony, I had just plead guilty to one. The recruiter informed me that the guilty plea would disqualify me from serving in any branch regardless of the fact that a felony was never on my background check. This was at a time where I heard recruiters were doing some pretty shady stuff to boost their numbers. The felony which i plead guilty to was possession of a schedule one controlled substance.
I was pretty surprised because I thought in previous wars judges permitted people to join the military instead of serving out probation.
Edit: I actually remember the recruiter saying that at one point they could grant a waiver if I had plead guilty to possession of Marijuana and later had that expunged, but they were no longer permitted to do so.
Yup. Even if it was expunged or reduced due to a plea deal. The phrase the military uses is adverse adjudication.
For the curious:
In evaluating an arrest record, information indicating acquittal, dropped charges, expunged record, case dismissal, or that the individual was the subject of a "nolle prosequi," does not negate the significance of the underlying conduct. Therefore, to protect the interest of the Air Force, base eligibility determinations on available information concerning a person's conduct and actions rather than the legal outcome of a criminal proceeding.
A conviction is the act of finding a person guilty of a crime, offense, or other violation of the law by a court, judge, or other authorized adjudication authority and includes fines and forfeiture of bond in lieu of trial.
An adverse adjudication (adult or juvenile) is a finding, decision, sentence, or judgment, other than unconditionally dropped, dismissed, or acquitted. When the adjudicating authority places a condition or restraint that leads to dismissal, dropped charges, or acquittal, the adjudication is considered adverse.
Zardif ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:09:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm no recruiter but I've been in long enough to know how things go. Waivers are a lot harder to come by these days. I got a medical waiver when I enlisted in 2008. (steel plate in my leg) Now a days with the draw down recruiters don't want to be bothered with waivers. Also the Army can afford to be picky about who they let in.
flotiste ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:21:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the country. But a weapons prohibition means you're not only prohibited from owning them, but also from handling them. One would imagine that would be enough to tell someone they can't join the military, but apparently not!
I went to basic with a 13, or so he said. Even if he hadn't told me... you could tell. Have you ever met someone so stupid that they're actually physically stupid? It's incredible. Nice guy though.
cited ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:28:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
32 was the minimum in the Navy, and you can take the test as many times as you want. I got a 99, which meant I was in charge of teaching all of the stupid people.
There was another guy who couldn't count and do jumping jacks at the same time.
kerune ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:47:06 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I took the asvab for fun in high school and got a 98 or 99. What kind of role could that have gotten me in entry level army? Or any other branch.
cited ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:04:18 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A stupid one. Do something worthwhile with your life, not the military.
kerune ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:56:01 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean, this was many years ago. I'm not about to join the military now.
Kaijem ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:18:20 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Forrest gump had an iq of 75 I believe which means he would have scored about a 10. But yeah, not a lot of difference there.
Of course Forrest was also a physically talented athlete which is why he went to college to play football...
HellMuttz ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 08:46:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
American cheese maybe, but what about swiss cheese
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 10:35:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Swiss military cheese 5.56mm
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:48:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This makes me feel quite well about the 93 I scored on my ASVAB. Now if only my fucking ears hadn't ruined my chances of enlistment, I'd honestly probably be doing a lot better off for myself.
chui27 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:32:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What about your ears?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:26:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had my earlobes stretched during my teenage years. My liaison officer had insisted upon holding a flashlight up to my earlobes to see whether or not my ears had closed up far enough for the Air Force's standards. I even passed depth perception.
dsatrbs ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:05:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Couldn't you have negotiated an enlistment bonus that would be used to pay for surgery to close those bitches up?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:51:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nah, my heart really wasn't in it. My parents had given me the ultimatum of Enlistment or getting kicked out. I have too many qualms about the military. So I wasn't too quick to jump at negotiations for my service.
dsatrbs ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:53:53 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can respect that. I assumed you really wanted to be there, so I was a little surprised you got hung up on something so minor.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:59:19 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No sir. I respect our enlisted men and women. However, I do not respect the politicians that treat them as disposable pawns in some grand-scale game of Risk. Even at 18, I realized that my life had more value than that. But, with a 93 ASVAB and a strong sense of just and unjust, I could have easily been discharged and walked on to any Police force by now. Not serving at Applebee's because I was ill-prepared for the five hour move we madea month ago and had a hard time adjusting and finding a new job.
cited ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:34:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, we're dumb enough to enlist in the first place, so we have that going against us.
Forrest Gump was a prodigy at the military, remember?
cited ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 20:35:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Which is a joke that hardly anyone got. If they could have a million people just like him, they would. Do exactly what you're told, don't think too much.
swrdfish ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:17:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not accurate, do you think overweight people will be taking fitness tests
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:49:06 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's why I asked where his score was coming from
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:31:45 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not a fitness test. It's a knowledge test with basic math, science, english, and history questions, if I remember correctly. I took it like 4 years ago.
Majorpwn ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:17:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Think of it as the exercises you would do in school when leaning peoples names, you line up alphabetically, except the ASVAP is based on intelligence (obviously).. the 88% ahead of him scored higher and more fluently. Its system based on others performance in comparison to your own
The ASVAB gets broken down into individual line scores which will qualify a recruit for certain jobs in the military. A 12 is the percentile score. The test scores are sampled on a regular basis. It's computed off of the people who take the test. A 50 on the ASVAB is usually bare minimum to get a recruit in.
I had a student score a 9 on the ASVAB. I thought that was either a low score or a fairly high score for him, considering my experiences working with him in the past. I felt like such a failure when I saw it was a percentile test.
Thankfully, it was from this information that I was finally able to have some sort of a breakthrough with him. I knew he had low-self-esteem, but I didn't realize that it was so low he'd second guess himself out of the right answer. He was often selecting the correct answer and thinking "Nah, you're dumb, that can't be the right answer." It broke my heart. Thankfully he's seeing a counselor now for this and is seeing marked improvement.
Just to emphasize. When I took the ASVAB the test was so fucking easy I had to double check most of my answers to make sure they weren't trick questions. It was like 1+x = 2 what is x. And you are like uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh "FUCKING 1".... Like seriously?!?! Ok I'm exaggerating a bit but it was ridiculously easy.
The infantry has 3 tasks they need to be able to do: walk a long distance carrying heavy stuff, ride in a helicopter, and shoot stuff. Iirc you need to score a 32 to be be considered smart enough to do these 3 things.
Looking at the test now it's changed quiet a bit since I did it. There used to be a huge 100+ question timed section of 'one of these things does not belong'.
Aim for 60 push ups,80 sit ups and at least 8 pull ups. Never mind anyone else. Also bear in mind entry requirements are the minimum standards, if you can do better go for it.
Dotjr ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 04:11:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure what average is but when I took it I got a 94. My recruiter called me a nerd and said I could literally do anything.
Unfortunately high myopia disqualified me.
Velfarr3 ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 07:11:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
94 here as well. They said that same thing "You can do whatever you want".
I should have walked out and gotten a real job haha.
Dotjr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:30:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Explained above. But I forgot to add at the time I tried, as did my recruiter and even his commander. For about 6 months.
Salias ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:16:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As said above, that can definitely be waivered, you'll just have to go through MEPS again with the waiver.
Dotjr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:29:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nah, that was years ago and it was such a hassle. I was in a motorcycle accident that left me with multiple torn ligaments.
At the time I had less problems and I got all the paperwork together to get in. Now, I'm having more pain, along with some other symptoms on the side I landed on that weren't there before. I don't think I'd get through boot.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:47:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I considered going into the military after high school for the experience. I had a 90 when I took the ASVAB long long ago. Recruiter said my asthma disqualified me. Dammit :/
Motherfucker, same here. Stupidly, I was dead-set on tanks and said I wouldn't ship until they gave me an 1812 contract (they were fucking me around trying to make me a Field Radio Operator or something after they initially offered me a tank slot).
Ten years later, I wish I'd have gone with nukes in the Navy. Nobody needs a civilian tanker.
kyled85 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:01:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
FYI, 99 is far from perfect. Your AFQT (the 0-99 score) is just the combination of all your line scores (Mathematics, mechanics, electronics, reading comprehension, etc.) places you in relation to others that have taken the test. When I went DLI the vast majority of servicemembers had at least a 95, and every third or so had a 99. Intel is full of them, and we all learned it doesn't mean shit.
Thing is, you can have a 99 that's especially good at reading comprehension. Another might be great at math. If your line scores in one category are high enough and the rest are passable, it will drag your AFQT to 99.
Velfarr3 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:10:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I joined the Navy. hit a 94 on mine, but we had 1 dude in bootcamp who scored a 99. They didn't even make him workout with the rest of us, he was always in the office doing the paperwork for the drill instructors.
They said 66 and up was considered alpha, for what that's worth.
That's really depressing. I had a 98, army wanted me in mobile infantry. Glad I didn't join. To put this in perspective a friend is an army doctor (D.O.) and scored a 94. His eyes glazed when I told him mine.
That's really depressing. I had a 98, army wanted me in mobile infantry. Glad I didn't join. To put this in perspective a friend is an army doctor (D.O.) and scored a 94. His eyes glazed when I told him mine.
kjata ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:23:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep. That's how percentiles work.
alblaster ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:12:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean it makes sense. 50 is the baseline. You can go higher or lower.
Depends on the job you want, it is more so about your line scores that make up the AFQT. I got an 80 something on the AFQT in high school(humblebrag) and I was qualified for every job in the military technically because my line scores were good. E.g if you want a technical job like mechanic, there is a certain section or two you want to do well on. Want special forces? Get a high general technical score.
POGtastic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:24:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the job. Most jobs don't really care about the percentile; they instead care about the specific scores on the parts of the test. For example, a lot of "smart" jobs want a 110 on the GT part of the test.
In general, anything above 60 will get you whatever job you want.
I scored a 94 as well, and trust me, your buddy doesn't want to be a grunt. The stupid surrounding him will drive him crazy. I worked with a lot of combat medics (smart people) that had transferred over from the grunt side because they couldn't take the overwhelming stupid anymore. Hell, even in the so-called "smart" fields (medical, intel) you'll encounter plenty of stupid. So, I guess that's my 2 cents. Good luck to your buddy!
tkykid91 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:41:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A 12 out of what? Percentile or...? Just trying to get a sense of how bad that is in comparison to what an average ASVAB score would be
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:57:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
kjata ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:24:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The minimum only cuts out the bottom thirty percent of humans. That's worrisome.
HellMuttz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:51:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean, do we want all the really smart people getting shot at?
kjata ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:55:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If they were smart, they'd find a way to get not shot at. Or to get their soldiers not shot at.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:25:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My half sister got a 19 her first try. I got an 86. The half blood we share is not the side I got my brains from.
bryce1242 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:16:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
how do people get below a 50 jesus fuck. I scored a 92 and was strung out on a lack of sleep and sped through it because i only needed a 70 something for my job
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:08:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know the exact details of what was said in that office, the recruiter who dealt with him was apparently pretty busy catching up on paperwork when I brought him in though. All I know was that he recommended some college courses first before testing again. Those refresher courses I think it is, he needed them because the ASVAB is 10th grade level stuff.
rwat1 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:40:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't you get like 10 points for writing your name correctly?
Velfarr3 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:21:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
we had a few kids in boot that scored around 20-26 or something, and those kids were very much special needs. One of them could NOT march in step to save his fucking life. He was slightly taller than me so he marched in front of me and I eventually started stepping on his heels. After a while he just marched behind the company.
On inspection days, he would wear outfits with dirt and grass all over them.
In the shower, he would stick his ass into the water stream and rub his dirt button and walk out 'clean'.
During morning PT he would just sit out, because he couldn't do the excercises. If they made him, he would just fall on his face (literally) when he ran.
He would put his dirty underwear in other peoples folded clean white shirts (boot camp) and they would find them randomly.
On graduation weekend, he came back with pizza sauce smeared down his entire dress uniform like he tried to fuck a pizza.
He eventually did graduate boot camp and went on to become one of our cooks. I don't envy the people who ate his food.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:02:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was that asshole who would skip a couple times just to fuck up everybody behind me. That or I'd veer off to the side a little so they hit my heel. It was always fun until we punished for being out of step.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:59:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He basically took the attitude test and failed miserably. 12 out of 99 at 10th grade level stuff. He couldn't even met the Navy's minimum fitness standard, and thought he could be a Navy SEAL. Last I checked, which was a long time ago, 100 push ups and sit ups, and a 9:45 mile and a half run was what you needed to be taken seriously (kind of) if you were wanting to sign into the Naval Special Warfare program. Otherwise, you didn't even get to talk to the SEAL coordinator in some recruiting districts. Basically the guy was out of shape, not very smart, and wanted to be special operations. The Army didn't even want him, and sent him out the door.
Mnwhlp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:14:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a perfect candidate to sign up to run in front of bullets.
cited ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:58:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I knew a guy who literally could not do a left-face (like he was Zoolander or something) who managed a 30 on the ASVAB. I could get a pigeon pecking the keyboard to get a 40.
cdc194 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:44:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for sticking another waiverable into our Infantry units (US Army Infantry is the only MOS that can waiver a sub 30 ASVAB score, they just need a letter from a doctor saying they are not "technically" retarded.)
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:19:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're welcome I guess, but they sent him out the door and that was that. He never enlisted in any branch as far as I know.
cdc194 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:16:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a dude that scored a 7. We even got a guy with clubbed feet that required a special $20k combat boot, also another dude that was 7' 8" and required all of his gear to be custom made. None of them finished OSUT.
To be fair, that Practice ASVAB thing can be pretty wild. I don't know what happened with me, but when they had me take it, I did bad. I want to say it was seventies or so, but it might have been worse than that. When I went to MEPS and took the actual test though, I got a 96 percentile. And then they DQed me for hearing, or as I like to say, for 'hearing'.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:06:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
70s is good, it's when you're in the 40s you should start to worry. I got 68 with no sleep and blowing through it without a single fuck given.
That's the funny story of it all, actually. The guy giving the test said that I was the highest score he'd seen that day, and the second highest score of the people I talked to was the guy that came with me, who got an 80. Despite that, I'm pretty sure that both of us were DQed for one reason or another. I think he had bad knees or something, and I'm pretty sure they thought I was crazy.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is there a psychological test that is done to military recruits? I'm sure there has to be one in place. The reason why I asked is because back in the early 1990's my sister enlisted in the Army and she served her time and got out on a disability. Physical, not mental according to her. The thing is, she is a paranoid schizophrenic and she was diagnosed when she was a child. Wouldn't a test show if a person was unbalanced?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:10:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No psych test that I can recall, sounds like somebody somewhere didn't look into her medical background very well when she enlisted. A test could show things like that, but then again, the military tends to shape you into something most don't consider normal anyway.
achegarv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Okay.
I can bang out 35 pushups in 2 minutes. I can do three kipping pullups. I can do 25 situps in 2 minutes. I run a 7 minute mile. I have a belly.
What do I score on this 12 scale?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not shit, really. The ASVAB is to see if you can read and write on a 10th grade level, then it goes into other sections as well that are used for job placement. For physical, kipping pull ups don't count. Dead hang, chin over the bar, straight up and down is how it's done in military testing. Your run time is great, push ups are ok, and sit ups could use some improvement, Boot camp is meant to condition you physically anyway, so it wouldn't be anything to worry about. Just don't ask any former Special Operations guys to duke it out with you in the gym.
achegarv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:12:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I'm not looking to enlist or go through OCS or anything; I'm just trying to contextualize your story. It sounds like someone who's more out of shape than I am walked into some SpecOps situation and said "sign me up" which I find deeply, deeply hilarious.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Army guy here, his asvab score wouldn't have been a problem for the Marines
I have no idea why but when you said the kid wanted to be a SEAL I was thinking of that South Park episode where Kyle's dad has surgery to become a dolphin. Maybe you were assessing him to see if he was ready to become a seal.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought like 25 is the minimum to just be infantry?
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The ASVAB is multiple choice... You should get a 20 if you just randomly guess.
bariton ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:54:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Percentile, not percentage correct
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:01:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I was getting recruited, my recruiting officer also picked up these 3 redneck hooligans that always hung around the mall. He took them in for the ASVAB test one day. I asked how they did on the test, and if they were getting in. He told me that between the three of them they scored a 14.
So you are or were a recruiter?, I plan on joining the army sometime within the next year or two, and I'll admit I'm pretty skinny, I also hope to be a ranger, but I don't have to rush to join right away so I can take an extra year or so to improve myself whatever it takes. I've been working out more often lately, any advice you can give?
Velfarr3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:02:03 on December 5, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do something civilian. PTSD will ruin your life.
Source: Former Military (NAVY) with several RL friends who went army, 2 of them have committed suicide from PTSD.
Bleue22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:01:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure why I'm remembering this but: Armed forces guys are standing around in a park waiting for a bus to the airport. A plane flies overhead. Airforce guy says: "That is a Lockheed c-130 hercules!", Navy says : "Hey that's a plane!" Army says: "That bird is flying without flapping it's wings!" Marine says: "GRRRRRRRRR ARRRGGGHHHHH BWOPAHUAHUA!"
Guys it a joke, that's all, I don't even have an opinion on whether marines are in fact danger beasts from hell or learned wise men of the desert who dissert on the virtues of James Joyce, I just listed the services alphabetically... you know, if N were the second letter of the alphabet.
Joshu_88 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:33:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 05:11:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:16:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's idiots in every branch, we had a Forrest Gump in our division in boot camp. This guy had to be full on retarded, it's impossible that he wasn't. Couldn't lace his boots or roll his socks right, but could do sit ups all damn day. They made him a Boatswain's Mate... which is a deck hand.
Sapper42 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:17:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a guy show up to our recruiting office looking to get into an officer program, with a teardrop tattoo under his eye. This took place in a very gang heavy area so we were very familiar with what that meant.
flotiste ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:05:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Funny enough, we didn't get into a detailed conversation about the exact composition and delivery method.
shinra528 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:04:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The night before MEPS, when they had us all in the hotel, one guy got a hooker and coke. The MEPS people knew and let him go through the entire day at MEPS anyway only to tell him he's not going right at the end.
In all seriousness you could pass the ASVAB high on pretty much anything.
Justinwc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:39:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This. Didn't study or have prior knowledge of any of the material and got a 98. A lot of it is pretty common sense stuff or simple algebra.
shellwe ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:38:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got a 93 and the recruiters talked to me like I was some sort of prodigy. Considering it is all high school knowledge I was confused.
Justinwc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:00:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous hahaha. It seems like everyone I talk to had decent scores also. I'm not sure who out there is skewing the average so much lol.
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:00:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There are a lot of people who don't the army appeals both intelligent and unintelligent... Just not asthma so no Army for me...
POGtastic ยท 42 points ยท Posted at 08:44:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In all honesty, I feel horrible for guys who literally have nothing to put on their resume. If you're 16, and the sum of your working experience is "Helped haul mulch one summer for my neighbor," what the fuck are you supposed to put on there, anyway?
You pretty much just put volunteer experience or extra-curricular activities. If it's a tech job (or most likely internship) you can put relevant classes you took in high school.
And in something like computer science side projects are awesome.
And most hiring managers know that a 16 year old doesn't have 20 years of experience. As long as you have something, you should have a fighting chance at the job.
Here is a (translated) ad on the jobs page for students in my area:
Practical Experience in Online marketing
Good knowledge in CSS and HTML
Enough experience in Photoshop to alter existing Designs
Routine in Javascript Frameworks (jQuery, MooTools)
Interest in current web technologies (SASS, LESS, Angular JS, Bootstrap, WebSockets etc.)
And some bullshit about will to learn etc.
Here is what I would do as a 18 year old who has learned to make some websites and is searching for a student job:
For the practical experience in Online Marketing, I'd write about the propaganda posters I made for my group in Eve Online, and how I learned about [Marketing Terms 1, 2 and 3 which I find via google, like Target Groups and Bandwagon techniques]. Or write something about the marketing we did for a video game tournament in school. They don't expect you to be a marketing expert, just to have some experience.
Okay, you'll need to know how to use CSS/HTML/JS. Otherwise you really should not apply.
Enough experience to alter an existing design is also not hard. If you've used photoshop in the past and know about things like Layers and maybe smart filters, you should be fine.
Routine in Javascript Frameworks (although I'd call them Javascript utilities tbh...). If you've learned Javascript you should know how to use JQuery.
And If you take the time to look at least at the landing page for MooTools you should see how similar they are.
Spend 1-2 hours before the interview learning MooTools and you should be fine. They don't expect and expert in MooTools.
They require interest in current web technologies. So look up the stuff they listed and consider whether you want to learn them on the Job. Maybe research them enough to be excited for them and know what they do.
Things like Photoshop and the web technologies and MooTools are there to filter out people that a) can't be bothered to do some basic research b) Give up immediately or c) Don't want to learn anything new.
Just apply, be honest, be confident and the worst thing they can do is throw the application out. Writing good applications requires some experience, so you can gather them by applying to every company you want to work at. And sometimes the shotgun method works.
You must really be a screw up, they pretty much GIVE away Captain.
Koras ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:04:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
he was showed up to the office, handed out copies of his 'resume' to everyone
...
the 'resume' was 20+ pages, double sided, written like a romance novel, and covered in clip art that he'd colored in with markers.
If he hand coloured every single copy and then handed out that many, I'd almost be impressed with the amount of work that went into it!
stargaret ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:12:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know! There's something about it that's almost sad - he put so much effort into it, yet still managed to completely goof it all up.
fodes96 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:47:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:53:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Major potheads do make excellent shelf stackers though, used to work with a few, and because they finished it so quick they'd rush through their work then go out and have a smoke.
Then do loads more work really fast and go pig out in the canteen.
I got a 16 page resume full of clip art and poetry 10 years back. Didn't interview him.
My resume is one page. One side. That's all you need.
cambo666 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:34:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That novel-resume is fucking hilarious. He'll make it one day.
I have to wonder how many of these stories, if the applicants were trollin.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:31:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. I'm gonna just fuck around with writing "Major Pothead" on my resumes and score the interview to see where it gets me. not really but to goof around it'd be fun haha!
Isord ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:38:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm curious now about asking a potential employer to go to the bar. Maybe if you got along smashingly well? Otherwise seems like a bad idea regardless of age.
Frictus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:46:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It took me two months to get an interview at a part time job and people like these get interviews? What am I doing wrong? Being too normal?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:39:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would sooner hire a major pothead than an alcoholic.
snarfu ยท 2326 points ยท Posted at 22:52:30 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I had a guy turn in a fairly impressive resume, so I hauled him in to lay eyes on him and test his chops. It was an entry level engineering gig, which frankly he was overqualified for.
When he came in I started asking about his education-- how he decided on a concentration, which aspects he found the most connection with, etc. Turns out, he never went to college at all. He felt his resume should reflect his intended path in equal measure with his actual achievements.
Engineering is something I've always felt I had an aptitude for. And besides, how much can you learn from an actual book-- amirite?!?
GTFO, dick. I should've billed his ass for wasting my time.
EDIT- Obligatory holy fuck this blew up. Glad I've managed to entertain you all.
SteevyT ยท 1078 points ยท Posted at 00:20:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
People like that get interviews and I struggle to? The fuck?
On the bright side, I do have a few next week.
Edit: In case anyone is wondering. I have a job offer now.
snarfu ยท 699 points ยท Posted at 00:38:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
His resume was impressive! Had it been legitimate, he could've easily been hired for my position. It wasn't, of course.
I've found that many people don't ask any questions about relevant education. If I hadn't, I'm not sure that I would've caught on to this guy's scheme.
What's your field?
SteevyT ยท 276 points ยท Posted at 00:46:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mechanical Engineering.
I have two auto companies interested in me that I have interviews coming up.
It just took a lot of applications (and learning from one interview a few weeks ago) to get to the point where I knew exactly what to highlight in my experience.
blaghart ยท 196 points ยท Posted at 01:47:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mechanical Engineer here too. Interviews are a motherfucker since most positions that didn't get introduced to you by a real person telling you "hey you'd be great for this" use auto-sorters for their resumes that kick out anything without their "magic keywords", even if you have huge amounts of experience.
The two interviews I've got have been because a friend recommended me, only to find out that my resume didn't show up for even the smallest of considerations to an interviewer because they lacked the appropriate keywords.
Astrixtc ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 11:44:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pro tip: 99% of the time those key words are in the job description, so tweak your resume accordingly. I do digital marketing and recently had a great job search and found a great new job I started last week.
If the job description said SEO, then I used the term SEO, if it was spelled out as search engine optimization, I used that instead. If they mentioned conversion rates, I listed my past accomplishments that way. I applied for 8 jobs and got 6 interviews. Most of those went to 2nd round or farther.
or, cut/past a keywords text block (from alotta sources online) in the resume and set the ink color for that text to "white"
10thstep ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 06:00:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I read somewhere that using this strategy to give yourself a more even chance will often get you automatically disqualified. Apparently some of the auto sorting programs will essentially convert the file to a notepad document. Meaning that it loses the color formatting when it gets passed on to the hiring personnel. It's been a while since I saw that post, but I think that is how it worked. Maybe not, but I remember that it discouraged pasting in a block of keywords.
Pherbert ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:25:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're exactly right. Don't do that.
wertopucv ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:18:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
POGtastic ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:03:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The idea is that a person reading it won't be able to see the fact that you padded your resume with buzzwords, but the program that selects resumes for review will. Your goal is to get past the program and get it in front of a person.
The block of words will just be any and all keywords that these sorting programs might be looking for. The idea is that the sorting program will pick up on the words in the document but anyone reading the resume can't see them (since they're white like the background) and won't catch on that you've gamed the system.
You should consider following his example by finishing your mechanical engineering degree and using it to enter the world of art.
NanoSpore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. Never in my life did I imagine I'd see someone compare a shitty gundam render to Michaelangelo. That's simultaneously one of the best and worst things I've ever read in my life. Thank you.
Get RES and slap a tag on that sucker. He still stands by his comments 100% and flames anyone that brings it up, even in this very thread. It's wonderful.
Look at the job posting. Decide if you have the skills needed to do the job. If you do, outline any relevant experience that reinforces that assertion. Try to use the keywords that the company uses in their job description.
brwbck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:45:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Instead of blasting all the possible keywords into one resume, actually tailor your resume to the position you are applying for. As u/Astrixtc said below, most of the keywords you need are going to be listed somewhere in the job description.
By the time resumes hit my inbox, the people who are just scatter-shot applying everywhere are mostly weeded out.
If you don't actually have experience with any of the keywords, guess what? You can stick a section in there saying "While I am still inexperienced with Foo, Bar and Baz, as a professional I am able to quickly acquire any skill you would require of me." Now you've mentioned the keyword so the computer will see it, and you've stayed honest about your capabilities.
Then, go read about Foo Bar and Baz, so that when the interview rolls around, you can further impress by demonstrating how quick you learn something.
blaghart ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 07:00:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
psychically know what the non engineer data traulers have been told to look for by their also non engineer bosses because HR knows as much about engineering as engineers know about philosophy.
or, alternatively, depend on people to get you the interview by attending loccal on campus industry meet and greets and building a rapport with the corporate representatives there.
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 08:59:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
wertopucv ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:20:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This will get caught out and you will probably be disqualified for it. You're far better off tailoring your resume to the posting by taking the specific wording they use and filtering it into your resume where your experience matches it.
Night_Eye ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:42:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As a mechanical engineering student, I am now scared
blaghart ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:57:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
the trick is to have a good resume, but plan on people getting you the interview. there weren't many industry types at my school who were from a field I was interested in, so I never went to the triannual meet and greets. building a network is more important to getting you hired as an engineer, because (unless you're a 4.0 gpa graduating engineer) you're presumed to be "good" fresh off graduation...just like everyone else. which means getting unique positions will require something to put you ahead of the competition.
wertopucv ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 09:21:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
These people can be as simple as the people at career fairs. Don't just hand them a resume. Spend some time talking to them and asking questions. When they go back and report to HR or whoever, you want them to have your resume at the top of the pile because they remember you and liked you.
Yep. One particular piece of software scans resumes for "attntn to detail" by default. Not to mention that "attention to detail'" is the most naive/cliche thing you can write about yourself.
It's fine though, if people don't know how to hire they can just be shit for all I care.
Jah348 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:33:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm going to start having a keywords section of my resume like car ads have on Craigslist. "Welding auto cad thermodynamics physics steel fast super determined experience trusted...."
nat_r ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:22:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hmmm... now I wonder if the software is advanced enough to not be fooled by a text dump of key words/phrases at the bottom. Like doing janky SEO.
Jacen47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:42:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or even better, a layer of text behind the actual resume that is the same color as the background.
nat_r ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:53:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Eh, the only problem with that is that every electronic resume submission system I've had the displeasure of using asks you to upload your nicely formatted resume in one of several useful file formats.
It then completely disregards that and requests you fill in the same info into a bunch of plain text form fields. That's where I wonder if a keyword block would be advantageous or not in gaming the automated system.
Jacen47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Very true.
arlenroy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:26:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I need some education on this; I am a Maintenance Engineer. However I definitely got into the career field with a right place right time situation. I had already taken a multitude of college courses, I was an assistant to the Engineer at work. I had worked at a government owned water treatment plant as a maintenance worker, well the girl who was the engineer had just graduated, very smart but the position called for some hands on work. Minor but still nuts and bolts stuff, well of course she said fuck this and left. Leaving me the only one who knew how to do the job. So I was technically the head engineer, I then was offered another engineering gig on a independent contractor basis. So here I am again really learning the engineering world by occasionally fucking shit up. I need to know what the next step is?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have a phone interview this morning in about 15 minutes or so. I've had them before and think it's bullshit. Just cut to the department I applied for and set up a face-to-face interview.
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Unfortunately most large companies use the magic word sorters. My ex worked for a municipality and smuggled the list of good/bad words out when she left. I will look for it.
I work in IT and have experienced the same. I have a friend that mow works in HR and does recruiting. What you said is 100% accurate.
What I've had luck with is maintaining two resumes. One is a "long form" used for any electronic submissions. This one is filled with keywords and spells out even the basics. I shouldn't have to call out that I've used MS Word. Anyone with my experience assumes this.
My other is a short form. I bring copies of this one with me to interviews. It gives the highlights of my career with the assumption that the person reading it has at least a basic understanding of the field. (i.e. not an HR rep or an automated system)
blaghart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:01:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ยฏ_(ใ)_/ยฏ
They're totally arbitrary in my experience. Sometimes they want certain words spelled exactly the correct way from the ad/job listing, sometimes they want completely unrelated words that some HR head has decided you'd "obviously need for this position"
ahh fair enough! Seems like a good idea to cover all the bases that you can then, cheers!
GoodRubik ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Time to find a way to work those keywords into your resume.
Freekling ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:52:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So the job I currently have, I had to apply for 5 times before getting hired. The first time they threw mine, and a ton of other people's resumes out for the exact reason you said. Missing key words.
It was funny when they asked me why I didn't apply earlier and I told them I did. I just got an "oh" sort of response.
blaghart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:59:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yea often times the interviewers don't even know that resumes from the exact people they want are being ignored, simply because they have no oversight over the programs that decide whose resumes to look at.
klippel2 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 11:21:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pro-tip...go back and edit your resume with those words added in. But make the color of the words white, to blend in with the paper. The interviewer won't see them, but the program will!
Source: I saw this on reddit and it sounds pretty legit. And doesn't hurt to try!!
snarfu ยท 49 points ยท Posted at 00:48:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm an ME as well and I also had interviews with auto companies (major ones, too), but I didn't get the job. One of the interviews I know I messed up, but the other two seemed to go very well, I just never got a call back from them. I really wish they would tell me what I did wrong if they took the time to interview me in the first place. I've gotten those three interviews and nothing since. Been unemployed since graduating last December; trying to get as much experience as possible. What strategies did you learn, by the way, so maybe I can add them to my interviews? And good luck, too!
US recruiter here. Unfortunately, the combination of an out of control government and a litigious society has made it so we don't want to give any feedback to anyone anymore because it has become such a potential liability if you say the wrong thing. This especially hurts someone like yourself, who probably isn't in a protected class and isn't going to sue anyone for giving you the constructive criticism you want, but if just isn't worth the risk. Sorry.
SteevyT ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:06:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Be confident.
One big mistake I was making was I had my value estimated about 10k high for the area. I've fixed that pretty quickly. Also, I was also applying to positions that weren't actually entry level.
Know about the company before you show up, you don't have to know the entire history, but have an idea on the products or what you would be working on.
I like to scout the area some to, I'll ask a couple questions about the surrounding area when they ask if I have further questions.
Show a genuine interest in the company or their products (or both).
Like others were mentioning, be profeasional, but don't come across as a robot. The interview that got me my internships (unfortunately the company I interned for can't really take on new hires for a bit) ended up being the interviewer and I discussing what engineering teams we would have loved to be a part of rather than typical interview questions . (SR71 was one for both of us)
One thing I still struggle with is that I tend to ramble a bit if they ask me to tell them about myself. There is so much I want to get across, but I feel like I can't get it condensed down into something reasonable. I can answer just about anything else very consisely, but just the amount of information I keep trying to cram into that answer is too much.
Since you graduated December, hopefully you've been doing little personal projects to stay up on engjneering. Mention those if appropriate for the position.
I need to get ready for my interview now. Good luck in your search.
I studied up and passed the FE exam in July and became a certified EIT in August. Hopefully that will help. How'd the interview go?
SteevyT ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:31:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Really well despite showing up half an hour late. I guess when you are late because somebody causes an accident that shuts down a major bypass and you call ahead to let them know they appreciate it.
As long as my references are good (which they all said they would be) I should be in a good spot.
Haha that must've been frustrating and terrifying sitting in the car behind that before calling them. But that's good. Congratulations!
firala ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:53:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Be professional and be yourself. I know people messing up interviews because they acted like some super-serious uber-professional person only interested in the company's future.
Good clothes, firm handshake, smiles, a joke here and there if the atmosphere allows it. They want to hire a capable person, not a lying machine.
Best of luck to you!!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:05:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I realized I ended up doing this for one of my interviews. I've never felt like such a tool before lol.
I don't ask questions about relevant education. I really don't care honestly. I give them a few problems that someone with experience ought to be able to solve, and see how they do. If they've been faking it so far, it'll become obvious very quickly.
as an engineering technician with little formal education and no degree I can say that if he had good prior work history he was probably more qualified for the position than most new engineering grads
snarfu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:20:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He didn't.
Even if he did, he misrepresented his education and credentials. If you're going to fake that stuff, I wouldn't trust any work you'd produce.
Thats why people lie. They are trying to do whatever they can to get a job. If someone isnt usually going to test them, why not take a shot. Engineering though? Thats pretty ballsy. But there are plenty of jobs out there where a college education isnt really necessary to do the actual job, but they wont even look at the applicant if they dont see they graduated college on their resume. So why not try? Whats the worse that can happen? They dont get the job?
Dhalphir ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:04:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think people just assume nobody would be stupid enough to lie about a degree.
snarfu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:46:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This isn't the first time I've seen it, nor will it be the last.
Falkjaer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:56:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
don't hiring companies check that sort of thing? Like with the school or something? When people talk about lying on their resume, I've always assumed that there was some relatively simple way to check if someone actually has the degree they say they have.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:13:47 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In my experience, some companies check but most do not, especially if you've got experience beyond your education.
zahnno ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 00:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...tricked again.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what do you mean relevant education?
wouldnt you have caught on simply by asking about his experience and favourite projects/hardest to overcome engineering problem/etcetc? its usually easy to catch a bullshitter in an interview i would think, without asking about their degree.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:16:32 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked because we supposedly went through the same program, so I asked him about it.
HopeJ ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:32:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
scheme
What if that guy was legit good at programming and learned on his own time?
snarfu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:37:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What would that do for him exactly?
HopeJ ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:53:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You don't have to go to school to learn programming
snarfu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:48:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You realize that there are still people who create tangible objects that you can hold in your hands, yeah?
HopeJ ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 17:05:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
W-what does that have to do with the fact that you can be qualified for a position without having been to college.
For example, I'm sure if a person put in the time and effort they could learn the necessary [insert programming language and workflow here] to do [insert job that requires said programming language skills and knowledge of workflow here].
Now I'm not defending the guy as he was a bastard for lying, but to imply he isn't qualified for the job just because he didn't spend 30k at a state college to get a piece of paper that says that he spent 30k at a state college to get a piece of paper....
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:14:58 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not masquerading as a software engineer. There are other types, after all.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:44:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mechanical engineering degree, graduated in May. Had over 5 large job offers before I graduated, most people who graduate from the engineering program I was in do as well. Had my pick of going offshore, engineering firm, plants, pretty much the works. Salary and hourly offers alike, chose to go the project management route on salary with a rather handsome starting salary, benefits, and a bonus pool of 15% my annual salary. Engineering is a respected and giant field where I'm from.
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:12:04 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup, I moved across the country and was unemployed for less than 72 hours. There's plenty of work to be had.
SteevyT ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 01:06:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have 5 or 6 versions floating around right now.
But yes, they are all non-fiction.
Slumph ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:01:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's your problem. Your resumรฉ needs to be like that story that guy was telling at the bar, based on a truth but with enough excitement and bullshit sprinkled in that it completely changes the story.
mr_jiffy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:27:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I should title my resumes' My Nonfictional Autobiography
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:40:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most people undersell themselves on their resumes when they shouldn't. Describe your accomplishments in the best way possible. Imagine them all as grand victories and sell it. Just don't say you did something you haven't.
I find that close to 80% of all resumes are full of lies.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:53:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know right? I've been job searching for ages and come up with blanks. Either everyone wants an insane skill set that isn't realistic or the jobs are scam jobs :/
The wrong people always overpump the truth on their resumes. The right people always underpump it. If you are a basically good person and good worker, but aren't getting interivews, you should always look at ways to be a little more bold in your resume. Most people undersell themselves.
babylina ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:47:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
good luck!
im drunk, it took me 3 tries to get that right.
and 2 to spell "right" properly.
and 1 to spell "spell."
wish i was kidding.
As it turns out, when you make a fake resume full of amazing achievements you never actually did you can get interviews just about anywhere! Now actually getting hired at those interviews is a totally different story, but details.
17Hongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:30:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly mate, the number of idiots I meet who have better jobs than me...
I don't get it.
brufleth ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 10:41:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know it is cliche, but I'm always very skeptical of overqualified seeming people. Even if the resume is legit, I worry about things. I once told a hiring manager that we didn't need more PhDs. The manager kept trying to interview/hire people with PhDs from MIT for entry level work. The PhDs weren't interested in the positions once they learned about them, and if they had accepted the position they would have been desperate to get out after a short time.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:41:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup, the overqualified and unemployed will take any job over unemployment and then leave in 3 months after they've found something on their level.
brufleth ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:49:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
See I'm relatively okay with that if they were productive while they worked here. Even discounting getting them up to speed and on board. The work to get their feet wet is legitimately beneath them though. It will just drive them crazy or they'll be terrible at it and everyone will be unhappy.
I'd rather hire someone who will be more interested and productive at the job even if they aren't the very absolute best ever candidate on paper.
Like when nobody wanted to hire anyone without a masters degree in engineering to be a lab manager. We didn't need a person with a masters degree. If they have one I don't care. I wanted someone willing to do the work with good organization and such. Eventually we got that and it is fantastic. I don't know what his education level is. He's enthusiastic about the work and makes all our lives easier. Some people get too hung up on weird qualifications.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:51:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When you're involved in the design and production of things that are safety critical and could easily cause injury or death to either the end users or the employees in production, those qualifications absolutely matter. In fact, we'd be in violation of federal law for disregarding them.
There are simply some corners that should not be cut.
brufleth ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:05:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Our products are FAA certified Class A as per DO-178B/C and equivalent EASA. The process makes for approval at that level, not us goobers and whatever qualifications we have. We have to follow an approved process that meets the DO-178B/C standard and present all reports proving we did all the things and did them right.
I can have a PhD with 35 years experience work on those reports or a co-op with a year of undergrad. Sometimes I'll have both work on things. It all goes through a rigorous review process (not just the reports, the actual work). The experience matters most for productivity and capability to manage more complex changes.
Education obviously plays into things, my point is just that it isn't the only qualification that hiring managers should fixate on when deciding who to interview.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:19:27 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When the position requires a degree and a license, there is absolutely no point in interviewing someone without a degree who isn't at least in hot pursuit of said license.
Now, especially since this guy bullshitted his way through the door, there's absolutely no way I would have any faith in him. Starting off any relationship with deceit is never a good play.
That's why you do a phone screening before bringing them in for an interview
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:46:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We have an intermediary who prescreens for us. They were fooled by this guy, apparently.
accol33t ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:38:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I see a problem here . Those that are honest to their qualifications, but have a bit less experience than demanded won't even receive a call, while liars like this get to the interview and would likely pass, if they don't fuck up . How do you deal with both problems?
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:39:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you're a bit short on experience, apply. If it requires 10 years and you have six months, don't waste everyone's time.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:38:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Serious question. How do you verify an applicant's education? do you call the school to make sure he got his Bachelor's/ Master? If he has them listed on his resume.
You don't. You can ask them about it and see if they respond appropriately, but if someone wants to put MIT or Oxford or whatever and they seem like a smart enough individual, no one will ever know unless they also ask for a transcript.
However, if a company finds out (and you have an "at will" employment contract) you could very easily be fired over it.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:40:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, you can do it that way. I've been asked for both a copy of my diploma and an official transcript.
y2ketchup ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:20:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Should have hired him just so you can fire him for lying and maybe sue him.
snarfu ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:37:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Too much paperwork.
Freekling ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:49:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What were his achievements? Like has he actually accomplished anything in his life?
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:56:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This took place a couple years back. I don't remember what was actually legitimate and I'm not even sure I tried too hard to sift out the fact from the fabrication.
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:29:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you didn't ask those things and just assumed his education was legit you never would have known.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:47:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not necessarily. The guy had never worked in the field. I would assume his lack of basic knowledge would be obvious.
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:03:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When you said he felt his resume was paralleling his achievements I just assumed you meant he had enough on the job training it was like college.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:12:49 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, he'd never held an engineering position before as he's not an engineer.
snarfu ยท 36 points ยท Posted at 00:36:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked him again if he had completed an actual engineering degree. He said no and I cut off the interview. I also told him that while listing your goals and ambitions on a resume can be a good thing, misrepresenting them as actual achievements is not. Had he somehow managed to be hired for the position I interviewed him for- working on the design and production on safety critical components- dozens of people could have been killed as a result.
amheekin ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 01:09:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what??? That's infuriating.
snarfu ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 01:30:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup.
Protip-- If you're close to the required qualifications for a job, give it a shot. If you're nowhere near it, don't waste everyone's time.
Ah, I see - so everything he put on his resume was what he hoped to do, not what he'd actually done.
snarfu ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 00:49:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was about 70% hopes and dreams.
acm2033 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 01:25:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I somehow imagine HR would have checked his background and discovered the truth. Still, you know what people might say at an interview.
snarfu ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 01:33:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wish I could say that our HR department does a better job than they actually do. It's unfortunate how our company is structured- so called 'corporate' positions vs. local 'subsidiary' positions are vetted much differently. There is more than one coworker whose pedigrees I question.
blivet ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:08:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked at a company that was structured liked that. The management of the local subsidiary I worked for actually knew what they were doing, as far as I could tell, but the corporate headquarters kept overruling them. Hilarity ensued.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:11:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We function as the complete inverse. Unfortunately most of the employees there (~90%) are employed by the subsidiary. They don't even have a freaking employee handbook, yet they enforce 'regulations.' I... don't get it.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:37:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Your from socal aren't you?
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:47:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a huge risk. Hiring is extremely expensive, both in the interviewers time (several hours a week, sometimes for months), then the onboarding process, depending on how large the company is you have sign-on bonuses, etc, and then all the training the candidate would need.
An overqualified person usually means one of two things: they're switching fields/getting back to the basics (rare), or they're desperate for money/health insurance/whatever, and they're going to leave the minute they find something better, whether they're actively planning on continuing to look or not, and you have to go through the process all over again.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:38:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please read the post.
[deleted] ยท -19 points ยท Posted at 04:13:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
snarfu ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 04:24:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck me? For what?
The guy had NO DEGREE. The guy had NO EXPERIENCE. The guy had NO LICENSE. He simply fancied himself to be the equivalent of someone with experience, education and credentials... because of reasons, naturally.
And guess what? I'm not the one who has mandated that these things are required for the position. That'd be the someone higher up the food chain than me.
The fact that you're angry out of absolutely nowhere makes it abundantly clear that you've smacked face first into this brick wall before. Rather than have a dick waving contest and a bad attitude, either get your ass in a classroom or realize that the world under your feet has shifted.
[deleted] ยท -14 points ยท Posted at 04:36:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
snarfu ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 04:46:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
His resume made him appear qualified. Everything that pointed to his being qualified for his job was a fabrication; he'd blended his true resume with the things he hoped to one day achieve. This wasn't the objective section on his resume, this was listing specific degree programs and positions within companies he'd never attended or held.
How exactly one gets a job as a licensed engineer without a license, an education or experience is beyond me.
But please tell me again how you've worked at the same place forever. It's completely relevant.
There's a difference between having an employer willing to overlook a lack of formal education, and having an employer that you're straight up lying to on your resume.
It's like falling and sliding into the wall after fucking up a triple axle. Just grab your coat, say thank you, and try again somewhere else. Or you could go with a bold strategy. Act shocked. Look at the forklift. Point at one of the parts, and explain how the part is in violation of code 18-24.7. Be offended! Say things like, "I could have been killed!".
vikinick ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 18:00:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Especially considering that they weren't even in employment at the company.
Ragnrok ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:50:10 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah yes, the classic "When the sky is falling, seek refuge under bullshit" approach
bs1110101 ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 03:12:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, what are you supposed to do at that point?
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 11:01:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of my very first practical drivers exam.
I'm sitting behind the wheel in an unfamiliar car. In front of me is a series of signs indicating a narrow "tunnel" I have to pass through, then again backwards.
As soon as I want to rev up and get started, it starts to rain. No, not rain - cloudburst. Visibility drops to about a foot in front of my face. A curtain of water hides everything else from view.
I ask the examinator if I still have to do this. He solemnly informs me that if this was "real life", I'd have to find a way to brave the weather as well.
So I drive on, guessing as to where the nearest sign will be.
I guessed wrong and hit the very first of the signs.
I look the examinator in the eye and before I can utter a single word, he shakes his head and makes a grand mark on the paper on the clip in front of him.
Fuck that examiner, in real life, a tunnel would be big enough you'd see it regardless, not a fucking sign.
Zizhou ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 19:20:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And if not, the next safest thing to do would be to safely pull over and wait for conditions to improve.
SteevyT ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 22:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He solemnly informs me that if this was "real life", I'd have to find a way to brave the weather as well.
"I'll take the smart driver's route, pull to the side safely, turn on lights and hazards and wait for this to lighten up a bit then. I can't travel faster than 10mph without overdriving the current visibility."
At a place where they're driving forklifts, they're probably capable of patching some drywall themselves.
HellMuttz ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:30:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
God I hate forklifts. I no longer allow myself to use them at work because the last time i did, it took 3 people 40 minuets, a extra forklift and a Raymond to fix the mess I caused.
This is going to sound really ignorant, and I apologize, but I dunno how else to word it... how hard is driving a forklift? Other than the steering being in the back and not the front, I feel like any competent person could figure it out...
First off, yeah, you've got to get used to the fact that in most forklift types, you "steer with the rear". Unless you're driving a Cherry Picker Forklift, which is more similar to driving a car.
And while they're not always particularly fast, it's like /u/civ-is-my-homework said - they can be pretty sensitive. Sometimes, you give the steering handle a little tap, and woosh.
But if you're driving an electric/battery powered forklift, you can tinker with the settings to dial back the sensitivity.
You really shouldn't be driving one unless you've had training/certification done.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:16:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's definitely a machine you learn how to drive much like driving a car.
You can't just walk in it and go just like you couldn't when you first drove a car. It's not the same thing.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:58:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've used a forklift before and they can be a little sensitive at times. It's an honest goof up. Although I agree you shouldn't have hired him, it doesn't discount that he probably can do it. If I had a dollar for everytime I kissed the gas too hard I'd have an extra grand by now.
Mrquizmo ยท 833 points ยท Posted at 22:20:47 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy shows up to interview looking like he just rolled out of bed, then has a terrible attitude during the interview, blows off questions. Clearly thinks he's being clever by calling out questions that are more about how you answer than the actual answer. When the interview is over, he straight up asks when he starts. Apparently he thought he already had the job, thought he was here to fill out paperwork.
Which raises the question: Even if you thought you already had the job, why would you still put no effort into your appearance and act like a jackass?
ThyLurker ยท 290 points ยท Posted at 00:26:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
That question isn't very specific. How do you think I should answer this?
Interviewed this dude in flip flops and a baggy t shirt. He told me all I had to do was hire him and he would take my job. After talking about how he was fired from his last three jobs but it was all BS because the managers were mean to him.
Ended it pretty quickly and he asked when he starts. Dude honestly thought he already had the job.
To be fair, some of those awful "Five Things You Should Do In Every Interview!" articles tell you do that (ask when you start). They say it shows confidence and that you're not afraid to go after what you want or something like that. I think it's obnoxious, but that's just me.
blamb211 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:22:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're way better off asking when you can expect to hear back from them. Even if it is bad news, I'd greatly prefer to hear back, then just sitting around, not having a clue what's going on.
Yeah I just got a job, they need drivers bad and I know two people already working there. All I had to do was not burn the building down and I had a job, but I still bought new clothes and interviewed properly.
Isord ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:18:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This feels like someone who misread every AskReddit thread about best ways to answer questions in an interview.
Yeah, why would an interviewer want to test your ability to be calm and reasonable and diplomatic, even when faced with something you might find silly? That kind of thing never happens at a job! People skills and verbal communication totally don't matter.
rugtoad ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:25:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He's talking about questions like "what's your greatest weakness".
Some people are quick to say it's a bullshit question that only elicits canned responses.
That kinda misses the point, though. Yes, it gets canned responses, sometimes. But you are being given an opportunity to not do that here. The interviewer (if they are good at it) is trying see how self-aware you are, because they know that a person can't ever become better if they don't have any awareness over their faults.
If you say "Sometimes I work too hard", the interviewer knows you don't understand the point of the question.
If you say "What a bullshit question", the interviewer knows that you take things at face value and have a hard time evaluating deeper meaning and purpose.
If you say "Sometimes, I'm not very good at multitasking. I tend to get very focused on a task, which is of course a good thing, but it is unfortunately done so at the cost of not realizing that I'm missing something important. I've started to work on this by creating small interventions to allow me to better prioritize, be more responsive, and handle changing workflows with better ease", then the interviewer knows that you expected this question and put thought into an honest answer.
In the end, they probably don't care too much about the fact that you aren't the best multi-tasker (the vast majority of people suck at that anyhow). What they care about is that you're able to recognize your own shortcomings, and that you take proactive steps toward correcting them.
There are a bunch of questions like this. "Where do you see yourself in five years?" is another one. Protip: Don't ever say "Doing your job". Just like the other question wants to see how good you are at internalizing, this one wants to know how aware you are of the world around you, and how you plan for it.
Look at these questions as opportunities to demonstrate yourself as a well-rounded, interesting person that is enjoyable to be around. Calling them "bullshit questions" and the like does nothing but push your resume close to the trash bin.
Skrp ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:43:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I understand the underlying point of both "what is your greatest weakness" and "where do you see yourself in five years?" but even that taken into account, I cannot for the life of me take people who ask it seriously. Fortunately not every employer asks questions like that, because they have other ways of getting to the point without asking trite questions they heard others pose, or read on the internet, and uncritically decided to ask others in the interview process.
I think HR personnel who ask questions like that could very easily be replaced by for example a cheeseburger with googly eyes glued to it, as they essentially do nothing for a living, except copypasting questions off the net.
I know full and well that you and other people who do use this sort of interviewing tactic are numerous and would consider me unfit and crude, and that's fine, we weren't going to get along anyway, at least not for an interview setting.
Usually I've answered questions like that humoristically, and once or twice it even seemed to be well received, but mostly it's not, obviously.
And then there's the even more retarded pool of questions like "if you were an animal, which animal would it be?" again a question that could be phrased by a very stupid child, that is designed to reveal something about your character, but that I just can't find myself capable of respecting, because it really is bullshit. The core point about finding out what sort of person you are is fine, completely legitimate, but why wrap it up in nonsense?
rugtoad ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:48:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I personally don't use either of those questions, to be clear. But I know that anyone who is looking for a job needs to understand that people do use the questions and these people are the ones who will decide whether or not you get a job. You can either stomp around and say "what a load of bullshit! This interviewer sucks!", or you can face the reality of the situation and handle it like a professional.
Skrp ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:02:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
As I said, I've tried answering with humor, because I want to gauge the interviewer's personality a bit too. Maybe they think it's a super useful question to ask, or maybe they just hate it and don't even see the point of it themselves anymore, and will accept a more comic answer.
So for example "where do you see yourself in five years?" Well, I don't plan five years ahead when I don't have a job, so what sort of answer does he expect? Whether I get the job or not completely changes my future, as far as I'm concerned. It's when things are stable and have settled down that I start planning ahead, otherwise I'm just wasting my time on plans that are unlikely to come to fruition.
So I answer things like 'in the mirror' to that question to see how the interviewer reacts. Sometimes they like it, and sometimes they go even more stonefaced, either way I know more about them, and also gives me an indicator of the kind of place it is.
As for what my biggest weakness is, well.. I don't know what my biggest weakness is, but I assume it's being bound by time, like everyone else, and will eventually die and crumble to nothingness. That's a pretty big weakness, but I doubt that's the sort of answer they wanted to hear. A more serious answer would be that I feel anxietey in situations whenever I feel someone is focusing their attention on me - like an interview for example. That's a pretty big weakness too, to have the 'fight or flight' impulse kick in when someone asks you trite questions trying to find out if you're abnormally bad at introspection, and thus be a nightmare to employ. I have taken anxiety management classes, but again I don't think this is something that presents me in a good light in an interview situation because there's so much ignorance about conditions like anxiety that it might easily give the wrong idea. So what's a weakness that wouldn't make me less likely to be hired, but still counts as my biggest weakness? Well, I don't know.
So I guess it's not so much that the questions themselves are bullshit, although they are exceptionally poorly phrased, because they do get at a good point, but I think they do so in a bad way, but rather that they tend to elicit stupid answers, because the really big weaknesses tend to disqualify people from being hired, so you have to predict the question and cook up an answer specifically for this question in advance.
For example if I wanted to get a job more than I wanted to be an honest person, I would just copypaste your proposed answer to the question, even though I don't feel it really applies to me that much. I could just memorize that and say it, and it'd be fine, and the poor bastard interviewing me might even think I gave a good imrpession, when all I did was steal an answer off the net and lie to him, because that's how little I respect this person, and the job.
So yeah.. my patience for this sort of thing isn't great.
EDIT: Genuinely though, I think my greatest weakness that I would feel comfortable sharing with an interviewer is the classic 'too much of a perfectionist' but I would explain what I mean by that: I mean that I obsess about getting every detail right, so much so that I sometimes get stuck doing the same thing over and over, and sometimes I even give up on something because I know perfection can't be obtained, and I often can't bring myself to accept a mediocre 'good enough' instead, which has really hampered my productivity.
Unlikely to get me hired, but if I add that I'm working on lowering my standards to a point where I can accept 'good enough' as a result - which I am doing, that might be met with more understanding. I don't know. I feel it's probably too honest again, and shows that I lack the awareness of polite conversation and white lies to get results.
rugtoad ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:42:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You can play the whole "I'm too perfect" answer the right way, too, though. You have to avoid a few words (like "perfectionist"), because they set off the "canned bullshit" alarm, but if you phrase it right...you can show your ability to internalize without saying something like "My greatest weakness is my crippling addiction to gambling which got me fired at my last job when I 'borrowed' some money for the craps table".
I'd spin it like "Sometimes, I let 'perfect' become the enemy of 'good'. I've always had a lot of pride in the quality of my work, and as such it has led me to create very high standards for myself. I've found that sometimes I need to ensure that I'm focusing my attention on the standards most important to the task and letting up on the ones that don't really have a quantifiable impact on the project or task. I've evaluated some of my standards and organized them into a hierarchy of 'need' and 'want' as a first step toward making sure that I'm best able to produce high-quality work in a timely fashion".
The trick is to honestly identify why it's a weakness and hint at a problem you've encountered with it.
I get why people don't like these questions, like I said...I personally don't ask them for many of the same reasons you've stated. Most of the answers I've found were canned bullshit, and the folks who answered it well? I would have hired them with or without that answer. It didn't tell me anything I couldn't figure out otherwise.
Once you get past the entry-level rat race though...this question becomes much more rare. I'm in a senior position now and recently did a few rounds of interviews and didn't see this question come up even once. All of the interviews were much more like a conversation between two people than anything else. The process is treated like a business deal instead of one person dangling something desirable in front of the other and trying to get them to dance for it.
Ya gotta break through it to get there though.
Skrp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:24:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. My favorite company I interviewed for was a small, very informal NOC, where the company was founded by network geeks, and everyone who works there are kind of nerdy, which is my kind of habitat. They were very direct, no questions I would consider bullshit, they did very clear and concise communication, but seemed open and friendly and relaxed. They're doing really well, but by still being fairly small they're still an environment almost entirely made up of technically minded people, rather than business minded people. I asked them about dresscode and they said if I had showed up for my interview in a suit they wouldn't have taken me seriously. I liked that.
The way they organized their recruitment process was also really nice. They created a job posting, you sent them your CV and some other documentation like attestations, etc. If you seemed interesting they sent you a form to fill out with all the typical "interview round 1" questions, because they didn't want people to waste anyones time by going for an actual interview that early on. Those who seemed interesting there were called in for round two, and it was a really informal conversation, with a tour of the place, and mutual questions and answers. It was a very nice and tidy process. Unfortunately didn't get the job, but I made it to round two, and ended up as #4 on the list of potential candidates, out of about 90 applicants, and they encouraged me to reapply when something new opened up with them.
To contrast, I interviewed for a very large company and they were very dresscode oriented, and the person who interviewed me knew nothing about technology, and kept asking a bunch of ridiculous questions like we discussed earlier, and after putting me through all that, he said I seemed like an incredibly slow-witted individual, because I hadn't been super excited when he called me and wanted me to come for the interview. Apparently it was a great honor to come there and be grilled by him, and when I simply thanked him and showed up on time and answered his questions, it wasn't enough because my voice wasn't overwhelmed with joy on the phone.
Nevermind the fact that I wasn't feeling very well when he called me, and I was having dinner guests and was cooking when he called, and was distracted by trying to make sure the food wouldn't be burned, because I wasn't expecting the call. But he didn't have to know that, so I just agreed that yes I probably am borderline retarded, and went my own way, thinking the same about him.
blamb211 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:23:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Where do you see yourself in five years?" is another one. Protip: Don't ever say "Doing your job".
Also don't say "Doing your wife," and DEFINITELY don't say "Doing your son"
If people wanted to test you they could give you a test that involves doing the job. This is like a parole officer asking you the worst crime you committed since getting out of jail.
In the very least, you could rephrase this so that instead of being about 'self-awareness' it's about 'coming equipped with pre-canned bullshit'.
rugtoad ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:52:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Two things:
Interviewing isn't easy. Coming up with questions that are meaningful and likely to elicit useful answers isn't something many people are even remotely good at doing. On top of that, most people interviewing are not professional interviewers, they see the process of hiring as an inconvenience getting in the way of their real job. So they don't put any thought into it. You're right, it's not very creative, but it's what a lot of people do.
Big companies don't allow much freedom early on in the interviews. On top of finding the right candidate, a big company with deep pockets needs to protect themselves, legally speaking. They need to keep their interviewers on a short leash, so they give them specific questions they have to ask of every candidate. The interviewer cannot wander off the reservation, the interview is being heavily documented (even recorded) to make sure of this. So they don't get to reword it, they have to ask it specifically as it is written, or they get in trouble.
The point here is the same one I made elsewhere: Questions like this are a part of reality. You can see them as an opportunity, or you can bitch about them. Only one of those will help you get a job though.
Because, I'm not going to play your stupid image-conscious corporate-bullshit games when I get the job and I'd like to get that out of the way before wasting any more of the company's time. And snooping a bit on your post history, I'm especially not going to play your stupid image-conscious corporate-bullshit game for a job as a clerk at a thrift store for DVDs. Check your ego.
People don't want to work with someone with a shitty attitude.
At any job, you are going to have to deal with situations that aren't fun. You'll deal with stupid people. You'll deal with people who you'll knock heads with on the most basic concepts.
No one wants to work with that guy who rants about everything and whose idealism about how things "should" be supersedes his drive to resolve the situation, or who can't even begin to understand what compromise is.
People also like it when you can communicate in paragraphs.
DarwinYogi ยท 1054 points ยท Posted at 21:20:56 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Graduate student interviewing for a highly competitive part-time teaching position waltzes in wearing a dirty t-shirt. He informs us (the 5-person hiring committee, 2 faculty, 3 graduate students) that he would "probably not miss" too many scheduled class meetings and exhibited a terrible attitude toward teaching. I stopped the scheduled 30 minute interview after 15 minutes because we had better things to do with our time. He seemed genuinely surprised his interview was so brief.
I always have to wonder if this sort of person is aware that they are performing poorly and just expect you to remain professional, or if they think that they are nailing the interview, or just aren't interested in the position, but want to at least be able to say that they tried for it.
I had a similar wonder in this case (that he really wasn't interested) until I saw the surprised look on his face when I said, "Thanks for applying, we'll let you know," way earlier in the interview than he expected. I believe he was unaware of the effect of his behavior (I gave just a small sample of self-damaging things he said). Because he had prior teaching experience at the high school level, I think he believed he was entitled to special consideration for getting one of the 5 teaching slots (about 12 candidates applied). Other applicants did not interview well but this fellow took the cake, so to speak.
I'm one of those that don't interview well at all. I'm shit when it comes to interviewing. But I do have enough decency to show up wearing correct attire and at least act interested in what I'm being asked.
You are off to the right start - attire and interest.
I've been on both sides of this hiring event and at least on one occasion, I did a terrible job during my interview for a position I really wanted. I was not hired. I was so nervous during the day-long interview that when I was asked if my wife was also in psychology, I blurted out, "No, she's a lay person." Most embarrassed I've ever been in my life.
[deleted] ยท 57 points ยท Posted at 01:16:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't get why that was a bad answer. And isn't it an inappropriate question for an interview?
"lay" person = "someone I have sex with" could be an interpretation of my answer
The interview lasted 10 AM - 5 PM. This incident occurred near the end of the day when we (me + the 4 interviewers) were all just shooting the breeze (or so it seemed). It was a casual question like one friend might ask another. Nothing wrong with the question. My answer was not the only reason I was not offered the position. In hindsight I am glad things worked out the way they did.
Amp3r ยท 56 points ยท Posted at 02:08:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A lay person is a perfectly reasonable thing to say. Not the absolute smoothest reply but it definitely works. Sounds like they were just awkward and applied innuendo to it.
Nickbou ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:35:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not a terrible answer, it's just an awkward way of phrasing it. When you're interviewing every answer that isn't great seems terrible at the time.
As for appropriateness, I guess it depends on the context. This question seems rather innocuous and may have been an off-the-cuff follow up based on a previous response where the candidate mentioned his wife. Maybe he had just mentioned going with his wife to a Psychology seminar, where she was a traveling companion, but the interviewer could have thought she was there to attend the seminar as well. Or it could have been just a friendly question about his life. Sort of a softball question to help ease tension.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:59:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lay person sounds like he believes he's superior to her. It's literally a synonym for plebeian. A group that a normal run of the mill citizen who isnt a politician or part of some type of elite belongs to.
[deleted] ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 05:21:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
A member of the laity is literally a member of a church who is not a priest.
More generally, it means someone not initiated into some kind of order or specialized group.
Someone who is not a psychologist is a lay person, when compared to a group of trained psychologists.
But when you're talking about someone outside the field, you're using it like the people in the field are the specialists and they are not, which is exactly how classist language operates.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Education is associated with class.
But specialization also cuts across class. You can be a poor doctor. And many historians aren't very rich. And you can be a poorly educated owner of capital.
Using the term layperson can be classist. Others in this thread have made that argument, that it sounded condescending to his wife.
But that's not the argument you made. Your specific argument was
It's literally a synonym for plebeian
And it is not. Assuming, of course, that you meant the word "literally" literally. And your example of a politician isn't a good example of a specialist, as some politicians lack specialist knowledge (although many are lawyers, or experts in policy.)
Today it is. To a lay person, it is. This argument is stupid. Pidgeon holing the most common definition because you want it to mean it's more outdated denotation is counterproductive and the opposite of how language works and evolves.
And nothing youve said has made any decent case for the guy calling his wife a lay person in an interview.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:43:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The very last time I heard the word layperson used was Richard Feynman explaining why it is hard to explain electromagnetism.
He did not mean it in a classist way.
The time before that, it was on AskHistorians, talking about how historiography is sometimes misinterpreted as 'revisionism' by laypeople. Again, more about specialist knowledge than class.
The time before that, it was a doctor on AskReddit talking about how patients misinterpret medical information online. Again, not expressly classist. More about a lack of specialist knowledge.
Now, if you have examples where it is being used in an expressly classist way, I'd be happy to see them.
I never said it was always classist. You are misrepresenting what i stated quite plainly so i dont really feel like I'm going to get any sort of intellectually honest responses from you, so I'm going to stop now.
When it's about your wife and you're in no position of authority, it is going to look like you feel a step above your wife. However you are a step above is semantics. The message it clearly sends is you're a step above her because she isnt in your specific field. End of story. I'm using context. Try it sometime
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:16:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I acknowledge that it could be considered classist. I acknowledged that it could be considered condescending, depending on context.
You asserted
It's literally a synonym for plebeian .
You then backtracked, (without admitting your error) and said that the classist sense was the most common use, and that the specialist knowledge sense was archaic.
I responded with three current examples of it being used in the 'archaic' sense. You have failed to provide one where it is being used as a synonym for plebeian.
OP responded to my comment, and said that it was embarrassing not because it was condescending, but because 'lay' is a synonym for sex. As it, I got laid.
I was disputing your statement that it literally meant plebeian. You seem to think that the cloud of class association with that word is the same as the definition of that word.
You should stop using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Edit: I can think of at least two contexts where two specialists would be talking, and they would use the word layperson without being condescending. I can also think of one where it would be condescending.
Assuming it was in a condescending context isn't unreasonable; others in the thread did the same thing. Being unable to imagine other contexts shows a lack of imagination.
I never said the classist sense was the most common use. Thats an assumption you made. I dont need to be lectured on what i say by someone who doesnt even understand what I'm saying.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:50:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
It's possible I misunderstood you. In what sense did you mean
It's literally a synonym for plebeian
Or
Pidgeon holing the most common definition because you want it to mean it's more outdated denotation
These are the statements I'm disagreeing with. I acknowledge that in some contexts, referring to your wife as a layperson could be condescending.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:18:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Awww, I'm bored at work. Come out and play.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:29:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit! I did misunderstand you. When you said
Pidgeon holing the most common definition because you want it to mean it's more outdated denotation
You were referring to the word 'literally,' not 'layperson.'
So you think that the literal use of the word 'literal' is so outdated it is archaic. You think that 'literal' means 'figurative,' and that using it literally is outdated.
So what word do you use when you literally mean 'literally?'
As a student i was included on some hiring committees for new faculty. One guy was not a great interviewer but he was smart about how to handle it--he said something like "I know from what I've been told that I'm not always great at putting myself across in an interview. But I know I'm an excellent teacher and I'm really proud of that." And then he went on to prove that in a fantastic mock lecture that described his dissertation research.
He also told us he got so engrossed once he fell off the stage during a lecture. Walked right off the edge.
He pretty much came across as the charming, bumbling genius, which put a much better spin on the semi-awkward interview. Got hired, taught there for the next 20 years, students liked him a lot.
If that's the most embarrassed you've ever been, consider yourself fortunate.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A good interviewer can see past someone interviewing badly. I was taught to interview graduates by asking really open questions to try and get them to talk. I had one guy who I asked about his final university project and he was just giving one word answers. I asked what his project was about (all the other candidates talked really excitedly about what they'd done and brought demos to show off etc.) and he just said something like it was a sorting algorithm. After a few more questions and not getting any more information I asked if he had to do the project again now he's got more knowledge etc., what would he do differently. Nothing. There's got to be something, anything, time management, better books, things not even related to the project. I really tried to get information out of him.
Nervousness or messing up answers shouldn't matter because you can ask the question in a different way.
[deleted] ยท 53 points ยท Posted at 00:52:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm always amazed at how many graduate students lack self awareness when it comes to interviews, especially in STEM fields. There's so many intelligent people that just don't know how to interact with other people in a non-academic setting. If you are an engineering or science PhD student with people skills you are way ahead of your competition
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 01:40:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Agreed. I've never had trouble finding interest in my application/vitae, but I'm more social and better at communicating than the average chemist.
I think part of the difficulty is that (often, not always) students don't really have much access or practice when it comes to socialization in a professional environment. When you're doing a group project in a STEM field, you're used to working on things with people who already have the same goals. When you're applying for a job, the type of social skills you need shift because the goal of the interviewer and the goal of the interviewee are different.
While that shift may not be dramatic, it's enough to make a person sound awkward or use wording/intonation that's not entirely appropriate.
I agree that it boils down to a lack of self awareness (I personally try to talk to professors or instructors as if they are my boss, I often see other students who talk to them like they're friends or parents), but I also understand why that happens, to an extent... and personally, I'm glad it happens because I feel like it'll give me an edge in the future.
When you're applying for a job, the type of social skills you need shift because the goal of the interviewer and the goal of the interviewee are different.
How so? My goal is to have both parties come to the same conclusion, that I am either the best fit for the position they are offering or not. A job is not a thing that you get, it is a thing that you do for many hours every day. I was also evaluating the company to see if it was a place where I wanted to spend my time. I've turned down quite a few job offers in my career if I didn't think it was going to be good experience.
I personally try to talk to professors or instructors as if they are my boss, I often see other students who talk to them like they're friends or parents.
Professors are professors. They aren't your boss, either. In many ways, they are subordinate to you, because you are paying them for their instruction. It is more of a professional to a client relationship than the metaphors that you are working with.
I think the goals are different (slightly different, but different) because the company is looking to suss out the best person, while the candidate is looking to suss out the best company... or, if they're a little more desperate, they're looking to be the best candidate.
It's kind of like a standoff in an old spaghetti western. They're squinting at you, looking you up and down to look at all your weaknesses. You're squinting at them, looking them up and down to see their weaknesses. If you both find each other's weaknesses acceptable, the guns don't come out and y'all shake hands. If one of you spots something that ain't right (and the other doesn't), shots are fired and one man goes "whoo! Glad I didn't have to deal with that guy for much longer!" If both parties find problems, then both people get shot... but that's where the metaphor breaks down because both people probably walk away going "whew! Glad I dodged that bullet!" without realizing they got hit, themselves. Ooh! The metaphor works even if you're just trying to beat out the competition because then it becomes a Mexican stand off!
I talk to professors like they're a boss. I keep it professional until they give some sort of signal that it's unnecessary (which is what I do with bosses, too). They're professionals and they deserve the respect they've earned by getting to that position. I was in the army, and we always liked to say "if you don't respect the man, you still respect the rank"... it's like that. I'm respecting them for their position. I'm not the expert. If I need assistance that can't be offered through other students, I go to the instructor. If I have a question or concern about my work/the class, I go to them too... That sounds very much like an employer-employee relationship-- if I had a question that a coworker couldn't help me with, I would go to a boss. If I had a question or concern about my work/the company, I would also take it to a boss.
They also give me projects and assignments like a boss, they're in a leadership role like a boss, they delegate tasks or ask for volunteers like a boss, they give credit like a boss, they're the one's leading discussion like a boss, they decide who gets to pipe up like a boss, they decide weather your time off was excused or not like a boss, and they shit on Deborah's desk like a boss... That was just to see if you were still paying attention ;)
Also, like I said, it aids in my personal practice for the professional environment. I don't find that it creates an imbalance and while it may be very "teacher's pet" of me, I find that they appreciate it. I treat them with respect and that respect is returned.
How are they my subordinates? I am paying the school for the instruction, not the teacher. The school is paying the teacher to instruct me. There's no money changing hands when it comes to me personally or the instructor personally. Either one of us can be dismissed by the school for any number of reasons. Neither one of us can be dismissed by the other party. In that way, you're correct, it is much more of a professional to client relationship than a boss to subordinate relationship. But both are professional relationships, not personal ones... Unless it becomes a personal relationship, which I have no problem with either. I have a handfull of professors that I would say I'm close with, and who have become more of personal relationships than professional ones with time. That's totally fine by me and by them, but it shouldn't start that way, and we keep that personal relationship outside of the classroom (usually it can't even be in the classroom because the friendship side forms after the semester is over).
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:04:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Let's be honest, applying to grad school is easier than going out and getting a job, so you get those people. Then, you have to realize that anyone really weighing their options realizes there's way more money/job security in a Masters than in a PhD. So you get people who either aren't weighing their options (which is problematic) or people who want to do science for the sake of science (which can be a socially oblivious crowd).
r1t3 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:05:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know a guy who has his own engineering consultancy who said he'll typically hire less academically qualified graduates because they often have better social skills. His advice to me was to get a degree which proves you're not stupid, and learn to talk to people - and you'll get a job easily.
I had a young professor say: I am a professor at this age not because I am the smartest or most qualified, but because I can communicate with others what I do know.
LordCider ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:03:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Took linear algebra where the graduate student instructor wore the exact same outfit (wrinkled oversized white shirt, white cargo shorts, white long socks and sandals. Yes , socks and sandals) to class for 4 consecutive days. I dropped the class. Just couldn't pay attention when all I'm thinking to myself is "dude have your showered this past week?"
They're teachers. Some of them probably didnt get jobs that year.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:15:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some people also intend to fail the interview. My old co-worker attempted to bomb his interview, but ended up getting the job. Didn't keep it long as it didn't work out for him.
[deleted] ยท 123 points ยท Posted at 23:00:48 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Applicants were 2nd year graduate students who wanted to land a teaching gig at a community college after they obtained their M.A. Teaching an undergraduate course + letters of recommendation about their teaching aptitude would be a HUGE PLUS for them, as it had been for those who preceded them in the program.
What field/subject is this in? I was under the impression that part-time CC positions were pretty casual and easy to come by. I've already heard of a few last minute openings this semester that CCs are desperate to fill. (I'm hoping to start teaching part time in the next year or so.)
Psychology. Southern California. Extremely competitive for teaching positions b/c of all the PhD's who cannot obtain full-time tenure track positions. When I headed our department's part-time hiring committee, we would routinely get 90 to 100 applications for 20 or 25 courses. Only about 10% of all applicants were clearly under qualified. The selection ratio favored those doing the hiring. Having a PhD was required.
Some PhD's with excellent research resumes have decided to make a living as "Freeway Flyers" by teaching part-time at 4-5 different colleges each semester. Such individuals make it difficult for those with only MA degrees to teach at CCs in this area.
Your info about the ease of getting part-time work at a CC might be totally accurate for your field/area of the country. Contacting NOW the current department heads of those CCs you'd like to teach at in the near future is not a waste of your time. State your intentions and ask about teaching opportunities there. Ask what you can do to improve your chances of being hired (assuming it is competitive). If you can interview the department chair on campus, you'll also be able to assess whether you'd like to teach in that environment. Good luck.
thedeejus ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 00:45:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I quit my psych PhD program in part because the very real possibility of being a freeway flyer was my personal idea of hell!
This "dirty t-shirt" fellow was not competing for a permanent spot. Our department has a program for interested 2nd year graduate students called The Teacher Intern Program. Successful applicants teach one section of Intro Psych each semester under the guidance of a full-time faculty member. Even w/o his inappropriate attire, some of the things he said in the 15 minutes of his interview were so off-the-wall that I thought he might be there as some sort of weird joke. He seemed to think his prior experience as a high school teacher made him a peer of those interviewing him. He wanted to show us how "hip" he was (e.g., He said at one point, "We all know that lectures are 90% bullshit"). My attribution, based on this small sample, is that he goes through life with a huge sense of entitlement. I never saw him after this.
HUGE KUDOS to you for landing your appointment! It seems that the present academic hiring environment for some areas of study is as rough in the UK as it is here in the U.S. I wish you the best of luck to you in your new career!
acm2033 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 01:22:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the field. STEM fields, yeah, we're always trying to fill spots. English, humanities? Good luck, hope you have a Ph.D. and experience.
diazona ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:07:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think you're painting STEM with a pretty broad brush. In my corner of physics the research positions always get hundreds of applicants for each job. Teaching positions are a little better but still highly competitive I think.
acm2033 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:21:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because education is one of the fields where the pay and compensation is absolute shit, but every person in a position of authority thinks they're gods gift and protects every position in their fiefdom as if the security of the known universe depended on it.
Other than the "he seemed genuinely surprised" thing, could this maybe have been a guy gaming the welfare system cuz technically he's actively "searching for a job" and "going to interviews". I heard that some people do that kinda thing so they can stay on benefits while not actually searching for a job.
That sounds like a person getting unemployment checks and doesn't want to get a job, but needs to apply for x number of jobs to keep the unemployment checks coming in.
That reminds me of my physics lab last year. It was taught by a grad student who was more than a half hour late to at least two sessions. Normally for a class we would leave after 15 min of waiting but this class had mandatory attendance so we were stuck waiting for her to get there and then had to go well over the alloted time which made me late for my next class. She would also text during the lab when people were trying to get her attention because they had questions. So apparently people like that do get hired now and then.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Terrible attitude toward teaching?
Like "Yeah I just tell them to open the textbook and read, and if those kids step out of line I just smack them upside of the head and tell them I fucked their mother in the ass last night"
Bleue22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:46:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pro interviewing tip, take it from me, the pro, who is giving you this pro tip from a certified pro:
When you goes to a interview, make sure youz wearing crap clothing, preferable inappropriately casual and for sure unwashed. You can't appears too eager to gets the jobs.
Youz need to makes sure them interview guys get that youz doing them a favor by accept the interview, and makes sures youz tells them this youl maybe shows up for works late sometime.
youz must say how much youz hate the job theyz asking you to do.
if youz follow these rulez, youz sure to get any job.
Guy threw a beer can in the trash can before coming in to the interview. When asked about it he said, "It was just one drink. To take the edge off." did not get job.
Applicant said it was having sex with a hooker in the employee break room that got him fired from his last job. And he didn't see anything wrong with that.
skwert99 ยท 131 points ยท Posted at 01:21:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
troycheek ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 01:38:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked for a company that had "Employees are not allowed to have sex in company vehicles while on duty" in the employee handbook. I asked if that was a problem. Apparently, it was, and I "could thank [certain specific employee who was the company owner's son-in-law] for that rule." The way the interviewer said it, he was more upset that there was a rule against it than that it was happening. I took the job anyway because student loans.
What would you say is the best way to handle questions about your work history when you know it's not going to reflect well on you? Basically how should you answer "why did you leave your last job?" if you got fired for being a shit employee?
Applicant said it was having sex with a hooker in the employee break room that got him fired from his last job. And he didn't see anything wrong with that.
*It was on his break!
Edited. Ya happy now?
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:06:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
*it
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:25:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Underrated comment
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:03:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah you should fuck hookers on your own time.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:48:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My father was an alcoholic all of his adult life and never missed a day of work. He drank on the job but no one knew it.
I had an interview in a bar, once. I showed up early, as I had learned to do, and didn't see the person who was supposed to be interviewing me there yet. So I sat at the bar and had a beer. Stupid.
Almost half an hour later, the interviewer and other interviewees show up. Interviewer asks if everyone is present and when I call out "Yes!" he looks at me and my empty beer glass with disgust. I killed the interview, but I knew without a doubt I would not be getting that job.
All these years later, I still can't imagine what possessed me to think it would be OK to drink that beer.
Razor1834 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:06:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry, boss. I didn't know I couldn't do that.
Antofuzz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Come on, guy #1, that's why flasks exist. Show a little class.
we had 2 people get fired for having sex under a stairwell at a prior job. Both of them didn't see why it was an issue: no one could see them and it was in a camera blind spot.
[deleted] ยท 343 points ยท Posted at 23:37:51 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
came in smelling of old laundry. unshaven (not just beard, i mean unkempt and scraggly). Had no answer for why he wanted to work with us. In speaking, had a different degree than the one he had put down on his resume (had written a poli sci degree, in speaking, he had a criminology degree)
The sad part was, we were really excited about the candidate until then. Even on the phone. Never seen someone bomb an interview quite that badly.
To be fair my degree is in poli sci but criminal justice was one of my focus areas. Many who came into in my program later had to pick just one focus and criminal justice was one.
[deleted] ยท 83 points ยท Posted at 01:32:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, I get that. And its what we assumed he meant at first too. But no, it was a criminology degree. Despite both being forms of sociology, it's about like claiming a chemistry degree then having an electrical engineering degree instead.
Especially since the job was for a political campaign, as a poll analyst.
mishko27 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:52:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do you actually need poli sci degree for that? I essentially have a minor in poli sci (enough classes, but not the correct ones - wanted to double major but decided it was not worth the stress) and I don't thin absolutely anything in the curriculum would have helped me to be better at analysis of poll data.
[deleted] ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 05:22:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do you actually need poli sci degree for that?
No. What you need to not do is lie on your resume. We weren't only interviewing poli sci majors. But it was listed as the preferred major.
Though, I think if you spent 10 minutes reading reddit's version of "gerrymandering", you'd understand how even the small knowledge you gained in the minor might help you properly understand the context. Reddit makes a good place to look to understand the difference between common knowledge and actual knowledge about political science. So many half truths and misunderstandings get thrown around its fair to want to be sure someone understands the reality of how things work.
I'd also point out their is a wide gulf between a major and a minor. A minor requires about 6 classes. Majors usually require between 50-70 credits, which translates to 20 classes or so. Pretty massive difference. I have a russian and a history minor, and wouldn't pretend to hold either up to the equivalent knowledge of a major in either. So while we were willing to interview anyone who truly understood the process, we preferred the degree because that told us off the bat the person wasn't going to be typing up reports based on misunderstandings.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:37:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think if you spent 10 minutes reading reddit's version of [insert topic]
I hate that so much, but am guilty of doing so myself from time to time. The less you know, the less you understand how little you know.
As a person only superficially familiar with the american political process, where would be a good start to learn about gerrymandering? Maybe you could clear up some of the common misconceptions?
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 08:48:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I have long since given up trying to clear up gerrymandering, as i get attacked like crazy even when the person who asked is legitimately interested.
The best book i know of for the topic is "the realities of redistricting". It discusses the process in pretty good depth, of redistricting, and discusses how and where gerrymandering slips in.
I will say this- reddit misunderstands the point of districts, and so they call legitimate districts gerrymandered all the time. The point is to try and give people a voice, by putting them in a district that is similar to themselves. Not neccesarruly politically. For example, seperating cities from suburbs, because cities have different political issues than suburbs. suburbs from farms. People on one water district from people on another. business districts from residential. Because ideally a district should be able to elect someone to represent their district.
Since populations of political groups tend to congregate, this often looks like gerrymandering when it really isn't. Suburbs tend to be conservative, urban areas liberal. rural areas even more conservative. So people see a line that seperates akron ohio from its suburbs and scream gerrymandering, when its just good sense.
For actual gerrymandering, its better to look at places like austin texas, a funny shape emerges that allows the city to be split up into two halves, both overwhelmed by suburbs and rural areas sharing the district, instead of getting a seat to itself.
a 60/40 vote leading to 4/6 reps isn't always gerrymandering... it could just mean the side that got 60 and only 4 reps is more concentrated, while the 40/6 group is more spread out, for example.
The other major issue is when reddit blames extremism on gerrymandering... when the fact is true gerrymandering is a counter force to extremism.... it involves diluting votes... not concentrating them.
Hell I've seen redditors claim senators got THEIR seats thanks to gerrymandering...
edit apparently that book still costs 50+ dollars, so maybe not worth that kinda money for a casual read. honestly, any source that is a political scientist and not a journalist is probably a good start.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:00:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks a lot, I will look into that book.
a 60/40 vote leading to 4/6 reps isn't always gerrymandering... it could just mean the side that got 60 and only 4 reps is more concentrated, while the 40/6 group is more spread out, for example.
From a very general understanding of democracy, shouldn't every vote count the same? While this may not be a problem of gerrymandering, in this case, there seems to be a problem of districting nonetheless. The recent general election in the UK got me thinking: When under extreme circumstances, the system can produce an outcome in which 35% of the vote can lead to almost 100% of power, this system seems to lack democratic legitimacy.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:19:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
they do count the same. in their district. Why have local representatives at all if you are just going to make all elections at large?
We have state wide offices whose job is to represent the state as a whole. Why shouldn't a house member be elected to represent a specific part of a state just because that part of the state is different politically than the rest? Do those people not deserve representation?
The problem only starts when elected officials start representing their party rather than their people, and that is what extremism causes. And it is the real enemy. Gerrymandering affected between 5 and 8% of districts... enough to change the majority, yes, and therefor a serious problem, but certainly cannot be blamed for the hyperpolarization of the house and senate.
My main point isn't "ignore gerrymandering" its "realize this is a symptom, not a cause, of a hyper polarized political system". Polarized politicians gerrymander... but gerrymandering does not usually create polarized politicians (nor does it destroy them mind you, since its rarely useful to gerrymander such a district to begin with, but it generally does encourage some moderation in the affected districts)
mishko27 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 06:32:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Major was 10 classes, I have taken 6. This is a top30 liberal arts college mind you :) But yeah, that was a question out of genuine curiosity, rather than questioning your hiring process. I understand how little people know about things in general, let alone the political process.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:38:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
mishko27 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:41:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
All theory, literally no math and science. There you go.
I welcome any critique of that degree, I did not end up getting it. I did end up with a BA degree in some other crap, now getting MS in some more crap. Ultimately, I know how to write media advisories pretty damn well.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:50:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
that shows 18 "units" which, as it reads, are classes. 18x3 = 56. over the 50.
another one. 15 hours on a track plus 41-48 for all. over 50. as opposed to 21 hours for the minor (which is more than most schools for a minor, where 18 is normal) thats still a BA though, cause BS in poli sci are rarer.
ps- i deleted my original post because i felt it was overly hostile and not properly contributing. but you replied to it before i could apparently, i apologize for the tone in that one.
mishko27 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:06:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wait, where are you looking? Event the combined International Political Economy degree is only 16 courses, no way PS is 18 - it says 10 courses minimum on the page I linked. If you click on the minor requirements, it says "Completion of a minor in political science requires five courses"
Not that any of this matters :D
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:13:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
no i misread 1 and 2 as seperate requirements. Thats on me.
the major does require (well "advises") 2 history and an economics class though, which is 13 now. as well as intermediate level of a foreign language
it also requires a thesis (odd for undergrad) A thesis would usually be counted as an entire semester worth of classes... so 15 more hours.
A thesis alone makes a big difference. I'm not familiar with colorado college specifically, but it sounds like thats their thing, which leads to highly specialized students. which is AWESOME if the student specializes in an employable specialization!
mishko27 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:05:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, yeah, most kids do thesis. You usually take 2 classes to do so - it's all different though due to the block system. 2 classes would mean you having 2 whole months to do nothing else but your thesis as you're taking one class at a time and nothing else.
No methodology classes? I would be extremely surprised that it is not offered.
v1ct0r1us ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:52:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went to a top 100 (university of missouri) for political science and we had required courses in statistics and other methods. You may just have a poor department.
rae1988 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:21:56 on September 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds like a super fun job, are you still hiring??
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:17 on September 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, since the campaign was a senate campaign 2 years ago... and he lost. No :P
rae1988 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:18:01 on September 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh dang, yeah I have actuarial experience and even some campaign field organizing grunt work experience.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:57:02 on September 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you have a degree, I'd suggest checking job listings for your local representatives and senators. They may still be hiring paid positions. Even without a degree you could try, though usually without a degree of some sort (even if in the wrong field) you usually need a connection.
Working on a senate campaign was the most fun i ever had in a job. I was an analyst. we were organized in such a way that while no one reported directly to me, I did get input into hiring anyone who's data i depended on. The best part was the weekly staff meetings, where I got to sit in a conference room with a Senator.
I just wish his campaign advisors had listened to me more, because they were dead wrong on several things and I tried to tell them so. It cost us the election. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
rae1988 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:46:36 on September 19, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds pretty fun!
I do hav an Econ degree, but at least where I live (IL)- most of the political campaign jobs that didn't involve field organizing were gotten through connections, etc.
I guess I could always work for a tiny guy downstate and then from there move onto bigger campaigns- but honestly this stuff is more of a hobby for me so I wouldn't want to start all over again at the bottom somewhere with a huge pay cut
EDIT: which campaign or at least which party did you work for, if you don't mind me asking??
Bleue22 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:40:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You've never heard of the pol sci criminology degree? Where do you think congress finds all those special prosecutors? Pfft!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Toss him in a washing machine.
MobbTARD ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:42:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is beard really a problem while trying to get a job ?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:54:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
well depends on the job and the beard. but an unkempt scraggly one, yes. At the very least trim it and make it look groomed and nice. I mean i have a full beard myself, so not its not an inherent problem, but i keep mine looking nice.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:35:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Asking people why they want to work there is stupid anyway. Everybody needs money and you seem like a non shitty place where they can make it.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:23:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a normal question testing whether they even understand where they are applying. Especially when the job is working for a senator's re election campaign, its somewhat important to know the people are actually supportive of the candidate.
I get there are a lot of jobs where its a stupid question, but for some, its very relevant. We would much rather have had a passionate person who needed a little extra training then someone who despised the candidate but was an expert.
You don't find political campaign jobs on monster or craigs list. You have to seek them out pretty specifically.
----0---- ยท 1154 points ยท Posted at 21:54:02 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can tell you I fucked up an interview last week by suddenly getting a stutter and going blank on Every questions that was asked of me.
Just an FYI for your next interview: nervousness is normal in an interview and it does not reflect badly on yourself at all to pause to think over a question or reset if you find yourself stuttering or talking too fast.
What really helps this is if you realize that the interviewer is just another person and not an authority figure. As soon as you realize that the person interviewing you will just be a co-worker if you get hired it's easier to answer those questions like you would if you were talking to a co-worker around the water cooler.
Yeah me too. But as soon as you realize that a boss is just a better paid Co worker it takes the pressure off. A boss is just like any other employee you have to work with. If you put them on a pedastal you're doing it wrong.
[deleted] ยท 93 points ยท Posted at 01:49:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you put them on a pedestal, that job fucking sucks and has no upwards momentum.
Onitsue ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 08:25:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you put them on a pedestal, you're forcing them to look down on you.
Hehe, I worked in a summer camp kitchen last summer and during the interview I played tetris with the camp director who was conducting the interview.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not the same as a professional kitchen with 11 hour shifts, high standards, insane numbers of tickets coming in, and a crazy head chef who will literally scream at you like an army drill sergeant if you're slow or make a mistake.
Not to mention the rest of your team will likely be made up of addicts, alcoholics and other miscreants, since they're the only ones willing to put up with such insane working conditions.
A laid back summer camp job is not the same thing at all.
When I worked at the camp we had 14 hour work shifts, starting at 5 and ending whenever we finished dishes because the management was inept and we had all but 3 members on the team including me. The camp I was at hosted 350 campers per weeks so the day was filled with all hands frantically moving from cutting station to sink to the walk-in to the 20 gallon pot, back to the cutting station. The head chef was the only one truly qualified to make the meals so the first week was even more frantic with him having to alternate when he was chopping veggies to showing me how he wanted something cut because I didn't know the terminology at that point.
By the second week I had gotten used to the environment of the kitchen but the workload was still insane and I complained to my boss about the lack of staff, he brushed me off saying they would look into it.
By the fourth week it was clear that they didn't care at all for their employees as we had received no sign of help incoming. I was beginning to show signs of the stress that the constant work was putting on me, coupled with the fact that my wages were a meager 0.27 dollars an hour thanks to the way that summer camps can pay staff.
On the 4th day of the fifth week I put in a 3 day notice of quitting. My boss attempted to plead with me to stay, but I had none of it as I had no less than three panic attacks earlier that week due to an unfortunate forest fire at a nearby camp that caused us to have to host their campers as well as ours, their staff also came to our camp but we're unfortunately completely useless, using the week at our camp as a break rather than helping us.
All in all, I plan to go back and work there next year, because I know that the management will be different.
Also remember that you are "interviewing" the firm as much as they are interviewing you. What I mean is, you are assessing them as well: are the people nice? Do you like the job description? Would you want to work for them?
That actually helped me in my interviews.
We usually do a phone screen, followed by either 2 or 3 pairs doing face-to-face. The boss is pretty much always somewhere in the mix, but the rest are either the candidates future peers or a boss from a different team. For the technical stuff, we usually don't point out who is a boss or who isn't.
For candidates that did extremely well, we'll try to tack on an extra 15-30 minute session with the boss's boss, who will generally spend most of that session convincing the candidate that we are an awesome company to work for.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is why it takes so long to get a job. All the interviews.
We do the phone screen first to filter out the obvious duds. If you don't make it past that, you've usually only wasted about 15-30 minutes of your time (and ours). The rest of it we do in a single day 90% of the time. We're not going to bring somebody back to the office over and over again if we can avoid it.
rugtoad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's only because the alternative sucks balls.
You want to find out as much as you can about an employee before they are on your payroll...because once they are there, your only option is to fire them if they blow up.
Some people don't have the stomach for it. Also, it gets expensive. Training new people isn't cheap, it takes bandwidth from your established team in both terms of teaching and correcting mistakes.
utspg1980 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:57:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I remember going to an interview that wasn't the boss. It was just 2 guys that had been working in the dept for awhile. I found it so odd, but didn't really press for answers on Why?
Ultimately didn't take the job just because they weren't offering enough money.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just had an interview and didn't take the job because it's only part time and no benefits. However, I made a friend.
Allyanna ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:10:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, my current job's interview was with my manager and the president of the company.
You're going to have to work with people at all levels when you get the job. Some people will be ones you work with all day, every day and some will be ones you only have a chat to every couple of weeks. Either way, just treat them as equals. Show respect, be polite and be friendly. If any of that doesn't go down well you can take that as a factor in whether or not you accept their offer.
Crandom ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:26:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At least for software, this a red flag and you should run away.
For the job i'm in now, I interviewed with what would turn out to be a more senior coworker, my direct boss, his boss, his boss's boss, and his great grandboss
Until you're being interviewed by a police officer because you're interviewing to become a police officer. Talk about some fuckin nervousness.
fdsdfg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:41:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I tried this with an interviewee, he was super nervous and looked like he was going to throw up. I talked with him for a couple minutes about video games, turns out we share some interests, but he was still a quivering bag of garbage afterwards.
No way am I gonna send that guy out to customer sites. He'd probably hide under the bed in his hotel
Also, as someone who has hired many positions over the years, we WANT you do do well. We have a need and we're hoping you're the solution. Interviewing is a pain in the ass, so we'd just as much rather you be the one we hire if you can show you can do the job/get along with us in a work environment. We're rooting for you, so don't be nervous.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:25:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In interviews, I always pretend that I've know the interviewer for years and it always helps.
As an owner, and a stupidly sweet one at that... I would caution against this advise. Don't treat your future employer like a god; they are NOT peers nor equals. BUT... I do NOT hire peers. I work with them. They have other businesses. You are not a coworker nor a peer. You are an employee.
Trying not to to sounds like a dick but tough shit if I do (and owners don't care). You cost me money unless you earn me money. Until you prove you are an asset you ARE a liability.
On the other side, I'm SHOCKED at how many people don't give a shit about their own lives.
Well to be brutally honest if, as an owner, you are the one conducting interviews, than your business probably isn't big enough to warrant being nervous during an interview regardless. Your business would most likely just be a stepping stone to something better for nearly all of your employees.
Please do not heed this advise. Maybe on a corporate level. But at a small business level the BOSS will be speaking with you directly. His mortgage depends on him hiring people that will take home enough to house their loved ones allow him to spend time with her family
I have worked for both types of companies. I currently work for a company that has over 250,000 employees and I (voluntarily) left one that had under 30. Both companies were fine to work for but I can tell you first hand that it fucking sucks working for an owner who clearly thinks he's better than you. At least at the large corporate level I don't have to be reminded on a daily basis that my labor is what allows the owner of the company to have his over inflated ego. I'm sure the case is true with both companies but at least I don't have to see it with the big one. The worst fucking thing about small business owners is that "I worked hard for everything I have" attitude. Fuck you if you think I owe you something for you employing me. I work hard for every dime I make just like you did. The only thing any of your employees owe you is the work you pay them to do. When it comes down to it, even as an owner your employees are your co-workers. Even your lowest paid employees are coworkers because without any of them you would be the one doing the stuff you deem as "entry level work."
zurx ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 02:28:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As someone in management, I can tell you that in my field at least, we actually appreciate nervousness because it shows that you actually really care about getting the job.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:30:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
spoiler: I got the job.
And later, some escitalopram for my anxiety problems.
Vomath ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:06:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Coolest thing on my interview for my current job was that the first thing the interviewer said was exactly that. "Its okay to be nervous, we understand. Just take your time. We want to hear what you have to say." Turns out she's a great woman to work for, too.
Koras ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:05:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I took some advice a while back to simply say "Can I have a sec to think about that?" on the real bastard questions, and it's never backfired. Every bit of interview feedback since has said "I like the way you took the time to consider your reply", something along the lines of showing how you don't rush into important decisions. It's also meant I've given WAY better answers than I used to. Didn't get a single job via interview until I started doing it because I'm so bad with nerves and remembering examples on the spot.
Admittedly it'd probably work out a bit worse if I'd then given a shitty answer after taking the time to think.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:48:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Talking too fast. That's me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:23:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Also just say "I'm a little nervous," if you find this happening. For most jobs, it won't hurt your chances, and it will relieve the pressure for you to say it out loud.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:32:17 on January 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
Actually this depends on the position. When I hire IT positions in my company they need to be able to keep their cool under stress. If my interviewee is so nervous that they can't keep it at a conversational level I politely excuse them.
mfball ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 04:40:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is really disheartening to hear as someone who gets insanely nervous for interviews but is otherwise awesome under stress.
Think of your interviewer as someone you met at the bar. You'll most likely be hanging out with them there at some point in the future. You're also going to be part of a small team and could possibly be spending more time with that person on a daily basis that you would an SO (not counting sleep). The interview is all about finding out if you fit in with the corporate culture and how you deal with stress, so you won't be asked difficult questions related to the trade yet. This means you don't have to be worried about how much knowledge you have packed away to answer at the drop of the hat. All that IT knowledge comes later when you take around 3 hours of testing that we have set up including lab and question/answer in essay form. I have no idea how other people do it but that is what we do. If you seem intelligent, chill and I like you, you're in for the test.
yumcake ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Practice makes perfect, desensitize yourself to interviews by applying to a ton of open positions, including the ones you're not sure you'll want, and the ones you don't think you'd ever get. You go in, and just practice interviews in these low-pressure situations where you don't think you'll get the job and don't really care either way.
Eventually, the interview stops being a special or unusual situation to get worked up about. Plus, sometimes the job you weren't that interested in might turn out to be better than it sounded on paper or they might be willing to pay more to get you. Or perhaps the job you didn't think you could possibly get, decides that you are actually a good fit.
It's a lot like dating (for guys). You can't marry a girl in your head before you talk to them, you'll get too nervous. Instead you just relax, talk to lots of girls to build experience, with no expectations on where you want that conversation to go.
acm2033 ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 01:29:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So, you're interested in how they do in interviews, or in their job? Is their job going to be constant interviews?
An interview can give you an idea about someone, but one nervous interview shouldn't disqualify anyone. Perhaps a second interview can show more of what a person's capable of.
Hah yeah. In my first job as a software engineer I found myself trying to pitch a product to a salesperson who used to sell software to giant companies like Boeing, Raytheon, Morgan Stanley etc. Startups are stressful :(
He basically ended up helping us out and advising on our pitch! Amazing guy totally took over the proceedings :P
(For the record, we closed the doors recently. No regrets though - we still have a unique and very special product to work on in the future. It's just way too niche and expensive and we can'tleak details to secure investment).
I would say that the interview creates the same type of stress you would experience with the shit starts to hit the fan in an IT scenario(these scenarios are very rare but they do happen). This has nothing to do with how they do interviews, it has to do with how they react under stress. If they start to lose their cool and they are a shaky mess and can't communicate properly without stopping and collecting themselves then I can conclude that they would react the same way under emergency situations on the job. They might be the most capable person on the planet as far as a particular skill goes but when you lose your cool that skill is worthless.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 02:12:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Idk. I mean I interviewed for a part time job and I'm young, but still. I was really nervous and had a hard time answering questions. However, few weeks later shit hit the fan and we had a really irate customer. I handled it before the manager got there. The customer left happy. Interviewing is a different type of stress, because your whole life is on the line almost.
I dunno, I think dealing with an Irate customer is different than dealing with potential storage failure with a billion dollars worth of data on the line. It's not just your one job on the line, its all your future jobs as well. You don't want to be the guy the run a billion dollar company into the ground. Not to mention dealing with disaster recovery scenarios, or data breach scenarios like with the Ashley Madison fiasco. Dealing with customers is definitely a different type of stress though as you're trying to resist not speaking your mind or punching their lights out. Props for being a person that can deal with that :)
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:17:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Aaaah ok i see your point. I was thinking of the IT people who just google everything.
Edit: but then again how social do you really have to be for that job. As long as they know what they're doing it should work out. Like the really nervous person could be a complete badass. But the confident person could suck. Maybe instead of a talking interview you. You should give them a timed test scenario like the one you suggested but let them do it at home so they're comfortable. Because after working awhile they'll most likely be comfy with their coworkers when a stressful situation hits. Just my two cents. But they're just pennies.
Fun tip I learned in an interrogations class: pause and think before answering easy questions so it appears natural when you pause before hard questions
Pasted from another comment response for your benefit:
Most of it related to the body language and cues people give when being truthful or otherwise. You can find great youtube videos on that topic, we spent a lot of time watching and discussing interviews of politicians and murderers.
Besides that, we put a lot of practice into taking notes during interviews and looking for inconsistencies. It culminated in having us interview some of his DHS buddies who were playing roles, and being scored on what we were able to dissect and uncover.
Ucantalas ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:11:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nice guy, though.
So the substitute teacher was a real asshole, right?
Most of it related to the body language and cues people give when being truthful or otherwise. You can find great youtube videos on that topic, we spent a lot of time watching and discussing interviews of politicians and murderers.
Besides that, we put a lot of practice into taking notes during interviews and looking for inconsistencies. It culminated in having us interview some of his DHS buddies who were playing roles, and being scored on what we were able to dissect and uncover.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:32:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My namea Jeff
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:07:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if you're so nervous, when you pause you can't think? That's what happens to me. I've been told to pause and think, but when I pause to think my mind rushes and I can't think of anything to say.
Based on my own experiences, that is alleviated by practicing being present in conversations. You can start that the next time you're checking out at the grocery store, even. Part of it is practicing empathy by paying attention to the other person's body language and making the human connection; the other part is being mindful that you are actually there with another person who has an internal dialogue just as you do.
The more time you spend outside yourself, the less time you spend inside yourself.
With practice, you can use this to focus on just what is being asked, rather than going down a rabit hole of what the question means to you
I'll add to this to say, most employers won't mind if you say 'sorry, I just need a second to think about this.' It shows them that you're good at communicating and like to think before you speak.
Great tip. But I've also found being sincere is no bad thing, even if that means pausing to think about an answer. It shows that you think it's important and want to give a well thought-out response.
Of course if you pause for like two minutes that might be awkward.
don't know what it is, I can interact with customers just fine. but fuck all if I can prove that to the hiring manager.
Kirix_ ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:34:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
next interview you get treat the manager as the customer and your selling yourself. No, I don't mean prostitute just turn on the same sale charm as you would a customer.
Could you get a friend or family member run through a mock interview with you? Go through the type of questions and answers likely to be covered but bearing in mind you may still be asked something off the wall. Just the practice. Also maybe try to shift that nervous energy into appearing enthusiastic. Enthusiastic (not insane but enthusiastic) goes a long way.
acm2033 ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 01:26:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed someone who was extremely nervous. That didn't bother me at all. It's an interview, we all have done them, it can be trying.
And the more you practice, and the more you interview, the better you'll get at it.
I have a mild stutter normally, most people don't notice. But in interviews it gets 10000000x worse. I was so embarassed by it in my most recent interview that I started crying right in front of the interviewer (who is now my boss - got the job)
Protip- Tell them right at the beginning that you have a stutter. Any halfway decent person will understand and tell you they're cool with it. Then you can ride through the stuttering if it happens without freaking out about it.
brwbck ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:15:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you're on the inexperienced side, a good company/interviewer will not fault you for nervousness. You can stutter the answer as much as you want... as long as it's reasonably correct, I don't care that you are stuttering it. We've all been there.
I lost a management promotion due to going completely mute and blank in the mind when asked the fucking "What question do you have for me?" most important pretentious question bullshit. I've never been speechless before.
I interviewed someone like that on Friday. I promise you that doesn't count against you, everyone gets nervous. From my side I try to tell them to relax, engage them in a conversation, remind them there is no wrong answer, and occasionally say, 'wow great answer!' I would recommend saying 'can you repeat the question? I'm just a little nervous! I really want this job and I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself.'
If the panel are jerks about it, you don't want to work there.
----0---- ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:55:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good point. I did my best. And if they're jerky, don't want to work with them.
i'm relatively skilled in my trade, but don't interview well at all. ive been trying to take more interviews just for practice but...
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:56:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh this was my last interview. I didn't go blank but I stuttered a lot. I was incredibly nervous because I was coming from the worst job in my entire life and this was my first (and probably only) shot out of there.
I got the job though :D
Bombuss ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:41:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Look up Ted talk "fake it till you make it" (or was it fake it till you become it"). It's really good, I tried power posing for my last interview and somewhat discreetely in the interview room. I'll see this week how it really went.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:21:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once got so nervous I stopped talking for a solid 10 seconds then hung up. I shouldn't have done that but phone interviews scare the shit out of me. I've always been afraid of public speaking so I just completely froze up.
frizzykid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:56:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
for my most recent job my hiring manager told me the questions that would be asked during the interview so I could think about it, I felt like it helped a lot.
I did the same thing at my first interview for a student position in a software company + nervous eyelid fluttering.
Got the job!
You probably did great and will get the job.
If your answers were good, it won't matter whether you were stuttering like a 15 year old obese president of the computer club asking his crush out for the first time or as eloquent as Hitler ordering the purging of the jewish race. Just trust yourself.
tworkout ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:46:19 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I started stuttering during my interview I just went "I apologize for these stutters and other hiccups, i'm kind of nervous"
My now boss just laughed and said "We've all been there, take your time"
Vomath ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:05:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you're really nervous like that, sometimes it helps to tell the interviewer you're nervous. They will understand and in most cases human nature will kick in and they will try to help you feel more comfortable. Doubt you're going to get a back rub or anything, but they may go a little easier on you and will likely cut you a little slack for nerves when they assess your interview and compare you to the others.
I thought the same thing about my last interview but somehow I got the job anyway.
Frictus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My last important interview I blanked and could only talk about one subject
scyiia ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 02:58:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
dk is that you?
[deleted] ยท 677 points ยท Posted at 00:27:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A guy was about to get the job, then the receptionist came in with a story about how he was vaping in the reception area. When the receptionist stared at him and looked at the 'no smoking' sign, he gave her a big grin and blew a big vape.
The thing is, my boss hates vaping. He calls it 'tobacco juice' no matter how many times I explain it to him. The guy lost the job.
kingfez ยท 742 points ยท Posted at 01:13:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Forget hating vaping, that guy was being a douche.
Abstruse ยท 372 points ยท Posted at 02:42:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I vape, but it's because I was a pack and a half a day smoker for about 15 years. I treat vaping the same way I treated smoking. Don't do it in someone else's home/car unless they specifically say I can, make sure I'm downwind. I vape inside buildings I wouldn't smoke in, but I don't do it around people.
And here's the weird part...I don't constantly talk about it. I order my juice online, I have a couple of vape pens, and that's it. It's not a hobby for me, it's a way to not smoke. I'll talk to people who ask about it, but I don't bring it up first ever.
It's like the old joke, if a vegan vapes and does crossfit, which does he tell you about first?
Ya_Dingus ยท 137 points ยท Posted at 03:45:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The worse part about vaping is people coming up to you and talking about their vapes and I'm like I couldn't be less fucking interested.
"BRUH, YOU VAPE? CHECK OUT THESE SWEET MODS ON MY VAPE BRUH. GOT THIS SICK JUICE BRUH. CHILL OUT BRO ITS JUST A VAPE, I DONT SMOKE. DONT GET SO MAD"
I will say my class partner is pretty fucking awesome about it. He asked me on the first day if I vaped, I said no, and he hasn't brought that shit up since.
17Hongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:49:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There was a short piece on custom vapes on BBC Radio 4 a couple of months ago. Some guy had built his own, and it (somewhat predictably) exploded while it was in his mouth. After he got out of hospital, he continued to smoke with home-built vapes.
I don't know if he's just very trusting in his own ability to build a vape, or he's just spectacularly stupid.
Several people I knew at my last job vaped (including my boss, in the office we shared). None of them made a big deal about it, they just did it because in our small office (40 people over 2 buildings) no one minded, so you could vape instead of going out in the snow for a smoke break. productivity went up.
I quit smoking a little over a month ago (after 17 years a smoker) by vaping. The only people who know about it are my family and close friends. It's just something I use to quit the cancer sticks, like the patch or gum or whatever. It's not a lifestyle. I hope to someday stop vaping altogether once I wean myself off of nicotine for good.
There're juices without nicotine. I went straight from smoking half a pack a day to nicotine-free vaping and it worked out quite well. You should try it.
I am in the exact same boat; I vape but I never do it where smoking isn't allowed. Maybe those people don't want clouds around, or might get nauseous at the smell of a sweet juice, or maybe they like to keep their house clean of vapor and smoke. If at a friends I always go outside or ask. Besides it means I can keep the social aspects I would be missing by not smoking like stepping outside to have chit chat with someone and I can meet people this way.
I hate that those kinds of people give vapers a bad name because really most of us just want to better our lives and correct a mistake we made. My friends who vaoe are always respectful and treat it like smoking when others are concerned.
What I find a bit annoying is people who come up to me and say "you know that's worse for you than smoking right?" Why, because you read that one buzzfeed article with misinformation intended to fear monger you? I made sure to read plenty of lab reports before making the jump and I was convinced but no one ever cares to read the actual studies so I can't ever win.
Abstruse ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:40:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think that's an age thing. I was like that in my teens/early 20s, but now it almost never comes up. A guy I've set next to at work for almost two years found out I'm an atheist yesterday solely because he invited me to a church thing.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:43:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Agreed, I'm seeing this now with a teenager of my own. Her and her friends need to define and label everything and then announce themselves as such.
Abstruse ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:21:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's the joke.
A similar joke: How do you tell who at the party is vegan? Don't worry, they'll tell you.
Explain the Joke: Some people love to talk about themselves to the point where it's a joke. The most common are vegetarian, vegan, crossfit, paleo diet, vapers, atheism, and gluten-free. The joke is that these people will constantly bring it up unsolicited at any opportunity. So if someone has more than one of these as a lifestyle or interest, which would they force into a conversation first?
I use to work in the meat dept at a grocery store and fuuuuuuuck the gluten free crowd. I used to get people asking me if steaks and chicken were gluten free.
ebackhus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:44:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nope, they are actually 100% all gluten. It'll kill ya.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:49:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
unfortunately within the vaping community, thats a pretty general consensus for everyone, from what i've seen. its sad, im a fan of vaping, it got me off dip, but most people i know, dont know that i have, or use one, because the people that "are teh v4p3 g0dz" have given us a pretty ridiculous persona built up in peoples minds. most of the time at my local shop, we're talking about cars, and "that chicks boobs", rarely atleast in my circle, is it ever actually held on a pedestal or "sooo awesome", the length of our vaping conversations are like "yeah, i have some wire, top drawer... cottons there too" and then hours of gaming or watching tv.
babylina ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 02:51:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
my friend vapes on the bus. i told him how annoying it is to other people and he continued. then some old Cuban lady said something... and then he got mad at me for being right.
There was a teenager taking a 2 year old on the train the other day and while I don't know if she was the babysitter, older sister, whatever, the girl was blowing her vape smoke in the child's face the whole way. The kid was not pleased and would get fussy with each puff. It was the double whammy. Not only are you being an asshole vaping on the train, you're vaping into an upset child's face on the train?
Mostly just 'cos some people are arrogant pricks about it.
[deleted] ยท 84 points ยท Posted at 03:17:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can't stand the "culture" around it and how those who participate have to let everyone else know. Reminds me of when kids in highschool first discover weed.
Some do. I manage a vape shop and vape regularly, and I only bring it up to those I know who smoke, or those who are talking about quitting. I am 3 years off of cigarettes thanks to vaping and I felt better than I ever had after quitting, so I love to share it with people who were in my situation. But to a random person in public? No one cares. Vaping gives people this self-righteous air about them, and I hate it. You're not cool because you can blow fruit-scented water vapor out of your lungs. We started this as a way for people to stop killing themselves slowly, don't be a dick and ruin it for everyone.
The thing is it didn't used to be like this. I don't know when the change happened. But one day every high school kid suddenly has more vaping power than we ever dreamed of back in the day when everyone was chugging along with 510 cigalikes.
zeecok ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 08:25:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's kinda hard not to let the attention get to you. I try to keep it as discreet as possible. However, when I'm outside eating my lunch near my car and I will blow out a decent amount of vapor I will get looks from everyone. I don't like the attention. I just like my flavors man.
I vape, and even I hate most vapers. Somehow it gives people a "holier than thou" attitude. I did it to stop smoking; it worked, and I just moved my way up to a big, cloud-blowing device because I simply enjoy it. I'm not in it for showboating. You're not cool blowing your strawberries and cream-scented breath into people's faces and fogging up a public area, calm the fuck down. You're being a prick.
geronika ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:50:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"It's just harmless vapor!!!"
So is it ok if I spit in your face, it's harmless vapor in a little more dense form
Kursed88 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:16:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep! A rule for the masses. Never piss off the receptionist, they are the gatekeeper for EVERYTHING and you can bet your bottom dollar, if they don't like you, you won't get the job or your life will be hell if you do.
The receptionist for my office is awesome. We've had people tell us she's a bit mean, but it's just that she's straight and to the point and makes sure my colleagues and I don't have our time wasted. The receptionist to our building is so sweet it makes me sick, but she's great to have as a general greeter.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:00:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have no problem with vaping, but I have had people tell me it gives them headaches. Just because its technically allowed doesn't mean. You don't have to be considerate of others.
HellMuttz ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:06:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My dad is crazy allergic to artificial fragrances. He gets horrible coughing fits, his worst one caused him to black out and drive head on i to a telephone poll. Someone blowing vape shit in his face would probably kill him.
jakielim ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 03:24:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That had to do more with him being a dick than your boss hating vaping.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 07:53:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is true. But if you want to flaunt your right to vape, do it in a movie theater, not in the lobby of your job interview for god's sake.
JuicyFeet ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:09:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Forgive me, but what is "vaping"??
scy1192 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:22:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you might be familiar with the term e cigarette, but basically it's a heat element that evaporates a liquid that you breathe in
some people do it because they like the flavor, others do it to quit smoking because it doesn't cause lung problems like smoking a cigarette does
I switched from regular smoking to vaping, and treat it exactly as normal smoking; I never smoke indoors except for my own home, if I'm in a pub or shop, I'll excuse myself and go outside.
In work, if I can catch a small 10 minute break, I'll go out the back and smoke the e-cigarette...it's just common sense.
Whilst it doesn't smell or emit smoke...well, a lot of people still aren't comfortable with it. I don't want my addiction or habit to make others uncomfortable.
nmeofst8 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:01:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As a vaper nothing pisses me off more than this... If you wouldn't be allowed to smoke, don't vape..
Yes it's less harmful... Some people don't want to breathe in your cinnamon/menthol/tobacco vapor...
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:36:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree with your boss though. Vaping just looks so douchey.
Plus no smoking doesn't mean "if its not toxic, its okay" it means, no smoke period, regardless of the chemical compounds it's made of.
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 15:02:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In all fairness the receptionist could have said something, because vaping isn't smoking.
They really ought to have a no vaping sign. Like the ones that say "No smoking of any kind, including e-cigarettes"
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:44:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 17:08:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well legally you can vape anywhere. It's not like it's unhygenic or any inconvenience to other people.
But if they don't want people to vape they should really put up a sign. Same as what they did with smoking when smoking was legal and there were places you could and could not smoke.
"So, tell us about yourself a bit." I've always taken that question to mean "where did you go to college, what have you been doing since college, what are your general goals?"
Not this candidate. He proceeded to tell us his life story, taking 25-30min out of what was supposed to be a 40min interview, tops. Our team did not need to know anything about his childhood, much less 20 minutes' worth. He was not brought back for a second interview.
If I weren't the most junior member of the interviewing party, I would have politely asked him to expedite the story or wrap it up at the 5 minute mark.
Unless detecting context is a core part of the job and you intended to test it with that question, that was your fault much more than it was his.
If your list of questions have any that start with "Tell me/us about a time when..." cross them off. It's a terrible question no matter what follows.
Koras ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:29:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It drives me insane where I've worked for a while now, it's a big organisation so I've moved around departments, interviewing each time (because they're not allowed to just give people jobs...) but all the interviewing is incredibly standardised because they're obsessed with having 'fair' interviews. I guess it's 'fair' everyone being asked a selection of the same list of questions, but once you've had a couple of interviews for similar positions, you know typically what they're going to ask. That's not fair any more, because in my most recent interview I had a much better chance of getting the job than someone on their first interview at the company.
It's an ongoing joke that nobody ever leaves the organisation, because once you know the interview process, you can get any job here. There's whole families that have worked here for multiple generations, not because of the standard nepotism of just giving people jobs (although that does happen), but because people who have worked there can easily coach the next generation with exactly how the questions are supposed to be answered.
Why is this relevant? I've now seen the full list. Almost every question is "about a time when..." and the only freedom to ask what you really want to know is in the follow up questions, which have to be based on their response.
The interviewers have no option but to use the question, because each interview is a panel of 3 - HR rep, two senior people. If they deviate at all, the HR person gives them harsh looks and a nasty official email later.
Outside of a technical interview getting a conversation going is always going to be the best way to get to know somebody. Do they walk all over the conversation, or do they listen? Are they engaging or just responding? Are they appropriate, or would something need to be addressed? There isn't necessarily any right or wrong thing there either. You may be looking for somebody that doesn't engage if the job is for an actuary that does nothing but process. For a sales position you'd want something different.
When it comes right down to it, HR/Recruiters are just people too, and there are some shitty ones out there along with the fantastic ones.
My worst interview experience was when I was asked what type of breakfast cereal I was. Really? I get that team cohesion is important, but fucking really? I'm usually pretty good at saying something self-serving while just not answering bad questions, but I cut the interview short on that one.
My high school had a couple of programs that sent us into the city to visit with mentors who were generally coming from the business sector. We would go in once a month and a lot of it was coaching exactly this. I did two similar mentor programs(one in year 10 and the other in 11) and I did about 7 mock-interviews over 12 total sessions. I remember dedicating at least a full 2 hour session to just this alone too.
No, that guy was fuckin dumb, not the question. That's a basic interview question that any level headed human being should know how to answer. Nobody should go into any job interview ready to talk about their childhood, unless the job is being a Child Therapist or something. The context is: you are at a job interview, keep it relevent.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a pretty common interview question, and it's really not a terrible one as these things go. It's basically saying, give me an elevator pitch, which you should already have anyway.
I disagree with that. For every interviewee who nervously fails to grasp context and blathers on about their childhood for 25 minutes, there are many other interviewees who will concisely ace the question with confidence and be ready to move on as soon as they provide something interesting.
I don't think it's the interviewer's responsibility to stop the interviewee from digging themselves into a hole.
I've hade the complete opposite at an interview for an assignment (I'm a consultant). I got standard question "Tell me about yourself" to which I started as usual about me now, education and workwise.
Got a quick "No, that I can seen in your resume. From the beginning. Where are you born? What do your parents do? Do you have brothers or sisters?"
That kind of threw me off, luckily me and my boss turned down that one in the end.
That's a pretty common question which means exactly as you described, but it's easy to see how someone inexperienced with interviews wouldn't know that. You're saying one thing and meaning something else.
In there minds if you wanted to know about there college, goals and experience you would just ask:
"where did you go to college, what have you been doing since college, what are your general goals?
arch_nyc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:11:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've made a similar mistake before - interviewer asked about a time I was challenged (or something like that) and my story just kind of got away from me. Went into too much detail, etc. At the time, I thought it was what they were looking for, but a few hours later, I was thinking about it and realized just how long I had taken up. Probably cost me an internship.
I interviewed a dude once that was like this - not in the sense that he told us about his childhood but that he'd make EVERY question extremely personal. Like, technical questions with answers that were either right or wrong.
"Can you describe a TCP three-way handshake?"
"WELL ~ my favorite way to shake hands is with a really firm grasp, lasting between 3-5 seconds and you don't want to squeeze so tightly you hurt the person, but you can't be so limp they think you're weak. So the server I guess is like me...someone, a browser in this case, comes up and wants to shake my hand...I make sure they're legit, and if I think they are, I'll shake it back..."
He would continue on like this for minutes. Finally I started asking Yes/No questions just to speed things up and he STILL wound off into diatribes. Did not get the jerb.
cambo666 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:52:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ya know what though, I hate those questions. I lost a couple interviews by questions like that. A guy that was interviewing me once asked "Who are you?" I haven't been asked that before and was not sure how to approach it. I explained what I have been doing since college and what my skills relating to the job might be. He was kind of grinning the whole time and he just was like, "Okay, good... but who are you?" ... I thought I was on a TV show.
I am going to take this oppertunity to tell you about the rest of the interview, upon expanding on the who I was question, which I was taking stabs in the dark at, the guy interrupts me, and says, "Hold on, okay, I don't mean this in a mean way, (pauses for 2 seconds), but you're boring. Like, as if you have no personality. You're monotone, way too serious and and seem like you don't have a personality." (I was quite taken back, didn't know how to reply) ... and said "Well, I apologize, I am used to professional relationships having only worked for the Air Force for the passed 6 years. I am just trying to be respectful." And he again posed the "Who are you?" question.
Needless to say that went horribly, looking back on it I wish I would have responded differently instead of continuing to amuse his antics. I highly dislike those questions, and if you don't want a semi-open ended answer, don't ask wide open questions.
I still went home that day and did a lot of reviewing etc and created a great response for my next interview that may hold a similar question. I was asked a similar question and the response was executed great... I think.
Anyways, TLDR; I hate those types of questions. & I have no personality.
Thank goodness I have never been asked that in an interview and now I know!
Nickbou ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:56:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did this during a college internship interview. It was my first "professional" interview (i.e. not after school / summer job) in Georgia. The interviewer asked me to tell her about myself. Even though I had prepped for this question, I blanked. I told her I was born in <insert city name>, a very small town in western NY and then I just kinda paused trying to figure out where to go from there.
Turns out she was also born there, which is one helluva coincidence. I think she was kinda surprised and skipped to the next question without me really answering that one properly.
I got the internship, where I learned I did NOT want to work in that industry after graduation.
violbabe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I freeze up with that question. I hate talking about myself. Last time I was asked, I spent 3-5 min. talking about my education, goals, and skills. Ugh it felt horrible.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have a tendency to tell too much about myself. My son tells me this all the time and I've tried working on it but it's just my nature.
If you're looking for specific information, maybe you should tailor your questions to actually ask for that information, rather than a vague, coded question. If part of your technique is testing someone on whether they know your personal interview shorthand, you may not be a very good interviewer (or whoever asked him that question, and let him waste a half hour of everyone's time instead of clarifying the question).
"Tell me a bit about yourself" is a pretty standard interview question and doesn't need to be more specific. If you can't answer that relative to the job you're interviewing for, that's your problem and not theirs.
So you're saying that the interviewee is supposed to be able to read your mind, and if he can't, that's his problem? That's fucking stupid. Someone with such awful communication skills shouldn't be interviewing anyone. Why say "tell me about yourself" and laugh at the incorrect answer, when you can say "what did you get your degree in, and what have you done since?" and get the response you're looking for? Knowing what an interviewer means by that one question has nothing to do with how well the interviewee can do their job, so weeding them out on that basis is idiotic.
xRainie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:11:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
On one of my first interviews I did the same. But almost form the start, HR guy stopped me and said, 'No, that's not what we'd like to hear', and then just asked me some questions. It's just lack of experience.
Thanks for the reminder as to what this question actually means. I always bomb this one...!
Khalku ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh that's what people look for in that question? I just talk about myself a bit.
Just curious, what would you think is a good answer if I didn't go to college (well, did a year but hated the program and never ended going back), but now have been working in a good company at a good job building experience for the last 5 years or so?
Lately I feel like I've had issues explaining away the school thing, people seem prejudiced by it. It probably doesn't help that I am uncomfortable by it myself, and others are probably picking up on it...
jyssrocks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:06:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So, I'm a headhunter. I love to tell people how to answer this question! "Tell me about yourself" is so incredibly broad, and a lot of people think they really need to summarize their entire life from birth up until this moment. This is what I like to tell people:
You need 1 paragraph that is specifically structured to give max info in minimum time. Your answer to this question shouldn't be longer than about 1 minute at the most.
Sentence 1: Name and education.
Sentence 2: Current or most recent title, company, and 2-3 main responsibilities.
Sentence 3: Why you are looking for a new job.
Sentence 4: Why you are interested in THIS SPECIFIC company and position.
Example:
So, tell me about yourself, random interviewee. [let's pretend this is for a general office job]
"I'd love to! My name is Jane Smith, and I have a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of State. I'm currently the Office Manager at ABC Law Firm, where I maintain all office scheduling, do court filings, and general administrative work. I'm looking to make a move because there is no opportunities for growth in my current company. I believe that my experience at ABC and also before that at XYZ as an Office Assistant really make me the perfect fit for your Office Manager role, because I know you are looking for someone really organized and comfortable working in a fast paced environment, plus you specialize in Litigation, which I am most interested in."
See? Great, relevant information, packaged in an easy-to-explain way. Perfect answer for this.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:43:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tell me about yourself is my favorite question cause its the easiest one of them all.
Give a short paragraph of your experience, why you want to work for the company, and who you are as a person.
i hired him and sent him to the secretary to do all the paper work. on the way from my office to hers (separate buildings) he got high and stunk like weed when he walked in and then proceeded to sexually harass her. i was actually really afraid this would put my job in danger for hiring this guy. luckily the secretary wasn't too upset by it and now its just an ongoing joke whenever i hire someone. still pretty embarrassing for me
DD225 ยท 87 points ยท Posted at 01:19:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you now no longer allowed to do job interviews on April 20?
POGtastic ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:06:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My dad gave a glowing recommendation to a guy who ended up being a massive waste of oxygen. He still refers to the guy, 25 years later. That shit sticks with you.
expatato ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:05:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
42problems: So any questions?
Interviewee: Like, what's your sign?
Bleue22 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:32:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have worked with some seriously attractive HR reps and they do not have this problem. I wonder if there something about the way you conduct the interview.
To be clear, i'm not saying it's your fault nor that you should accept this behavior i'm just wondering if there's a root cause that can be addressed, not asking out the interviewer seems like it should be common knowledge.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:40:50 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Bleue22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:40 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in logistics and I see employees hiring each other constantly, but never interviewees asking out interviewers. Maybe because i'm in the room it doesn't happen when i'm not there but at least a few of my HR reps would report it to me, if only to laugh about it, if it happened to them.
I think I'm more surprised that it doesn't happen more than the reverse.
hdfreak ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:10:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like you've got 42 problems, but punk-ass bitches ain't one.
May I ask what the position and location of the job is?
eille_k ยท 170 points ยท Posted at 00:57:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy set up for an interview on a Wednesday. Five minutes after the interview should have started, he called tk reschedule. We rescheduled for Friday, at the time his interview should have started, he called for instructions to our office so I gave him the address and the nearest intersection. To no one's surprise he does not show up.
The next Friday he called to reschedule again, I politely declined.
TheCloned ยท 54 points ยท Posted at 06:40:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whenever I had an interview I would always drive to the place a few days before so I knew how to find it and where to park, and would time the drive to see how long it would take.
How can you not know how to get to your interview?
I usually freak out about either public transit being delayed, or not being able to find parking/the entrance and arrive an hour+ early to my interviews, then discreetly hang out in the closest coffee shop so I only seem show up 15 minutes early....because I am super paranoid about being late. This story is my nightmare.
Rexamicum ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:11:45 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Same.
Dubanx ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:54:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Glad to know I'm not the only person that does this.
Mussu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:06:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I do this too. Parking stresses me out a lot, and I like to know my options prior to an already stressful day.
awwi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:14:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sadly I know many people like this. They don't think ahead and are constantly scrambling to just deal with the task in front of them.
But that is a good strategy, the scope out. Also, I do a little research on the company so if they ask me "why this company" I have some corporate vision detail I can give them.
I had an interview in another city in a different country... I left at 6am for a 1pm interview. I got in the city at about 10am and then hung out in the toilet on the floor of the skyscraper the company was in from 12-1:45... I walked into the office at 12:46... I'm pretty certain they knew I was in there.
mbz321 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 04:58:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like this is done purposely sometimes. In some states when you are on Unemployment, you need to show proof of actively searching for a job.
eille_k ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:33:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That was our theory, either that or a refugee type problem that has similar rules.
This one guy showed nude up for an interview last week. He got fur all over the place and bit one of the other applicants. All of his answers to our questions were just growls and howling.
Here's some reassurance: My last interview went so terribly that I went home and cried. I didn't even send them a thank you message for the interview because I was so certain I'd botched it and I just wanted to forget the whole thing.
I work there now.
DeithWX ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:49:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've learned that I didn't fuckup my interview, I just didn't get the job, so I have that going for me which is nice.
I have an interview this afternoon. This thread is perfectly timed.
ahmed1030 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:00:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you a real wolf?
17Hongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:42:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly, this is like those "worst date" threads. I always figured I was pretty low on the ladder, but after reading threads like this, I feel I should have a higher opinion of myself.
[deleted] ยท 305 points ยท Posted at 23:53:14 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He offered to sell me drugs.
[deleted] ยท 329 points ยท Posted at 01:29:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a high-risk, high-reward play.
The day that works for him, he'll have both a job and a customer.
[deleted] ยท 121 points ยท Posted at 23:57:42 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Right! If you want to work for a drug lord, that's what you do!
17Hongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:03:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, that really depends on the drug. If Meth-Mouth Mike offers me a aspirin, I'm usually ok with it. But if the dude down at Cohen's offers me skag, I might have some questions.
Honestly thats one of the least ridiculous things I've read in this thread. Without drugs and alcohol the food service industry would collapse.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:35:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked as a delivery guy in highschool and college. Most of the employees would sell weed to the managers for super cheap... Certainly not an isolated incident
jdubs333 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:05:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So how did he work out as an employee?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:06:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That was an instant disqualification since that particular place drug tested.
I wouldn't have hired him anyway because he was dumb as a rock.
I was competing with this guy for the same job and when we were waiting alone together he offered me half of his oxy. I told management and got the job. Thug life.
onlynag ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:57:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
AdamOfOra ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 11:56:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As a man that thinks this is an incredible feat of stupidity, does this happen a lot? I really can't wrap my head around somebody doing something like that. I'm from Europe though.
isocline ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 19:43:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My brother is a software development manager at a mid-sized company, and he had a candidate who did the same. Someone's going to have to figure out how to handle situations where discrimination is part of someone's religious beliefs.
AdamOfOra ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:23:58 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't get why it should be 'handled'. I mean in a case like this it is obviously clear that said person will put his religion above all else. Who knows he will suddenly say 'oh I can't do x anymore because my priest told me that yada yada yada'.
By hiring and allowing shit like this you get situations like that american clerk that refused to marry gay people. Whatever happened to the separation between work life and private life.
Also in the stories it seems like the male colleagues did not intervene? Why not?
isocline ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:51:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Because it's a professional environment, which is not the place to go on a rant because someone wouldn't shake your hand. I'm a lady, and I wouldn't expect my male coworkers to "intervene." I'm sure if she found it insulting enough to comment on in that moment, she would have. Her coworkers were probably following her lead on how to react to the situation.
Also, it's tricky. Religious beliefs are protected. Gender is also a protected class. When these two things go head to head, it can get messy. Obviously, the company didn't want to hire a guy who isn't going to shake a woman's hand (and they didn't hire him), but giving the candidate any indication that his religious beliefs are why he isn't getting hired could lead to a very messy legal situation, which the company doesn't want to get into.
By "handled," I meant clearly establish what trumps what in which situations. Such as someone's religious beliefs clashing with individual rights of customers. I think companies should be allowed to let those employees go without legal repercussion, but the legal precedence is going to have to be established first.
[deleted] ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 11:59:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was incredibly condescending to me (and not my colleague) the entire time.
Considering I would have been the person he'd be communicating most with, I marked him down as an immediate no. I wasn't about to hire someone who looked down his nose at me the entire time we talked. Colleague backed me up 100%, too.
Sean1708 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:22:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
/u/smunchyblue is a guy, he just had really disgusting hands.
Well then he communicated that fact really poorly, apparently. I wouldn't write somebody off for having that restriction but I'd definitely be evaluating how they handled it.
why not? unless you're a priest your religion has no place at your job. you'd be incredibly stupid to think that such "restrictions" wouldn't negatively affect their performance.
spermface ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 18:19:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If his job requirements don't include touching women or shaking hands beyond the interview it might not matter. If I was hiring a call center representative and they told me they couldn't touch my hand for personal reasons, be it religion or OCD, I wouldn't give two shits.
SteevyT ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:03:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have warned that I'm feeling under the weather rather than shaking hands before. People seem to appreciate that.
Exactly. I am a muslim female and we are not supposed to shake hands with men, but I have a job to do. In professional America, we shake hands, it's business manners. Religion is personal, not professional.
One of my coworkers does this. He's a programmer, in front of the computer all the time type. I think he's just super super nervous about women, and not confident at all.
I'll shake a woman's hand but god damn I hate having to do it. Standard practice for a man to man hand shake is strong and firm. The kind that would crush a normal woman's hand. You never have to worry about hurting the other guy, some of the ones I've received from employers have made me wonder if hurting your "opponent" is the actual goal.
So the whole time I'm worried about finding a balance between not causing her pain and while still having it nor be too wishy washy of a shake.
Goombill ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:21:48 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Either you're shaking men's hands way too hard, or you're way underestimating how strong women's hands are. A properly firm handshake isn't going to hurt anybody. If you need to, practice shaking hands with a woman in your life beforehand.
[deleted] ยท -19 points ยท Posted at 11:09:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:28:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Probably just a muslim.
Beeb294 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 16:12:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know why you're being downvoted. My Muslim friend explains, very respectfully, that it's against his religion to shake women's hands, but has no problems with professional relationships with them.
seems pretty clear that the candidate in question simply refused to shake the woman's hand and offered no explanation (religious or otherwise) for doing so
Oh yeah I know he's a clusterfuck - not excusable.
mayjay15 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:09:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
that it's against his religion to shake women's hands, but has no problems with professional relationships with them.
That might be fine at some jobs, but if he works with any female clients or even with some female employees, refusing to participate in professional greetings with them and only them might come off negatively, even with the religious explanation.
He understands that. He greets them professionally, just doesn't shake their hands. he says hi and all that jazz. gets along fine with them. And he understands the risk of offending them, and does his best to explain the reasoning behind it. So far he seems to be doing pretty well lol
I've done literally hundreds of technical interviews. While most people fail due to the lack of knowledge, some fail in spectacular ways because of poor judgment, lack of self-control, bad personality, etc.
I remember a few cases...
I remember this guy who was very self-confident. I started asking easy questions and he would scoff at me but answer them. I almost immediately realized I was boring him and moved on to the intermediate questions. At that point, he'd scoff and roll his eyes (really!) at every question, as if it was miles beneath him. The problem is that he would bungle the answer horribly, and when questioned about it, he'd start arguing with me that his answer was right and I was wrong! This went on for a long time, and I was being very careful not to corner him with my counter-arguments, afraid a scene would ensue.
I later learned that on the second part of the interview, he lost it with the interviewer and said he truly didn't know why he was applying for the job, that all the questions were stupid and all people interviewing him were so bad they couldn't even fully understand his answers. Don't need to say he never got hired.
There was also this time I worked for an Israeli company and two of us (a jewish orthodox coworker and I) had this candidate to interview in the US. After the first five minutes of the interview, it was clear to us that the guy didn't know shit, but company rules said interviews had to last at least 30 minutes, so we pressed on. The guy, looking at my religious coworker, started to say "Hey, remember, my last name is ... <obviously jewish last name>" between every question in an attempt to grab the position by influence. My team mate and I would exchange looks every time it happened. At the end, we were disgusted with the whole experience. Guy never got hired.
And last but not least, there was this candidate who would stop talking every time a relatively good lucking girl walked around the office. He would stop talking for a few seconds (until they got out of sight) and then resume the answer as if nothing had happened. No job for you, mister...
No, it was worse than that. These were technical questions for which a range of possible solutions existed, but his solutions were just plain wrong and wouldn't work. When confronted, he'd get aggressive and "fight back" arguing that the question was not properly formulated, or implying that I didn't know what I was talking about.
I hate people that do that, or come back with "we'll agree to disagree". No we fucking won't. You're wrong. There's a new breed of idiot out there these days and any time they're told they're incorrect instead of going "oh, I see, teach me how to do it correctly!" they refuse to believe on any level it might be their fuck up. Infuriating at best, dangerous to others at worst.
Th e other one I like is when you've thoroughly gutted someone's point and they say "yeah? Well you're an asshole" my go to response is that may be but even my asshole knows about (insert topic here". Our society can be so stupid with whom it gives pedastals to
The last one about the guy looking a girls sounds like something out of a cheesy comedy.
Geminii27 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 16:56:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have, no shit, worked for places where they would stop meetings when a good-looking girl walked by so they could all gawk at her through the window for several minutes, then go back to the meeting when she was no longer in sight.
This happened at a fast food place I worked at. One of the bosses stopped everything and said "Be still my heart" while looking out the window. I turn around to look and it's just a fairly overweight, but young woman with long blonde hair and gigantic breasts. This experience was helpful to me as a gay guy as it helped me understand that normal guys' preferences can be far removed from magazine standards.
It was really creepy. He should start lowering his voice volume and slowing down until he stopped. He would track his "target" and then resume normally as if nothing had happened.
Haha. Just one embarrassing mistake. Not bad for auto completed text. :-)
the_boomr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:02:42 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There was also this time I worked for an Israeli company and two of us (a jewish orthodox coworker and I) had this candidate to interview in the US. After the first five minutes of the interview, it was clear to us that the guy didn't know shit, but company rules said interviews had to last at least 30 minutes, so we pressed on. The guy, looking at my religious coworker, started to say "Hey, remember, my last name is ... <obviously jewish last name>" between every question in an attempt to grab the position by influence. My team mate and I would exchange looks every time it happened. At the end, we were disgusted with the whole experience. Guy never got hired.
Have you posted this elsewhere on Reddit before? It reads very, very familiar for some reason.
besvr ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 12:12:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't remember if I tried making any of them. I think they were all clones of restaurant or fast food recipes, the one I remember is Panda Express orange chicken.
upon reading the resume i have decided to make this lasanga and hire it instead
Koras ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 09:36:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I accidentally attached a character sheet to an application email once. Character's name began with the same letter as mine (CV is saved as MyName-CV, sheet is saved as CharacterName, so they were right next to each other), clicked and sent and realised seconds after it was sent. Immediately followed it up with a second email with the actual resume, but I never did get a response :(
Guess my stats weren't impressive enough
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:30:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've had a ton of people send me selfies instead of their resume. One guy was cooking in a track suit..
Yep - also now when I start an email knowing there's going to be an attachment, I'll type in "attachment" before I start writing the email, just in case I don't use the phrase "see attached" in the body.
I've been involved with casting for theater etc, and the things some of these poor actors attach.... bless their hearts. My favorite was a headshot that was titled "headshot - sexxy ass headshot to get you cast" or something like that. (to be fair, it was a pretty bangin headshot) Terrible resume, but I kind of wanted to see them anyway.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:52:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not going to lie, I've come very close to doing that
besvr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:04:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well if you came close to doing it, but didn't, you've passed the first hurdle to getting the job. Congrats!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:29:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha thanks although these recipes are pretty nice
besvr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:30:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I believe it was a warehouse job. "Materials Handler"...the guy that physically gets the part from the warehouse. And regularly needs to compare the letters/numbers on the part to the order. So they definitely didn't get a call back.
Kyanpe ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:24:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy show up for his interview drunk, wearing a powder blue tuxedo jacket. The interview didn't last long, but before it was over he was crying about his uncle who had died. We asked him how long he had been gone: 6 years.
Had a woman show up with her six kids. They ran around the lobby screaming and yelling the entire time my boss interviewed her. Afterwards she demanded that we let her kids use the bathroom, which was for employees only, since she "obviously nailed that shit."
tana-ryu ยท 83 points ยท Posted at 04:26:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I accidentally brought my daughter to an interview. I went in just to get an application to take home. Manager told me that I could grab a high chair and fill it out at the restaurant. I filled it out, gave it back and she interviewed me with my little one there. I got the job.
It was a joke. I was pretending to be enraged about your daughter having the audacity to remove her shoes.
tana-ryu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:36:31 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol my bad.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:00:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
See I was picturing you as like a mom with a 12 year old daughter or something.
Depending on the company, I've known mangers who tend to be lenient on things like this because "Hey, thats life." Assuming you to be a single mother and possibly struggling financially and cant afford a sitter, they give you the benefit of the doubt. Children are pretty much an extra part time-full time management position.
tana-ryu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:09:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nope she was a little over a year when I went that happened. I needed a part time job to pay for daycare while I went to school for massage therapy.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:28:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean I wasn't being mean or anything if I came across that way. I just didn't know how to picture this.
tana-ryu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:39:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's different, you didn't plan on interviewing when ypu brought your daughter. This woman had a scheduled interview.
losian ยท 473 points ยท Posted at 22:19:20 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was once doing some semi-casual interviews and was speaking to a lady who was super suspicious of everything, and eventually said something to the effect of "you're reading from a script this is a scam" and then hung up. And I was like.. okay then, sure, guess you don't want a job. I mean, I get it, you can be skeptical and all. But if you're going to waste my time calling in and going through the motions at least don't be a stanoffish dingus about it the whole time.
shineq ยท 222 points ยท Posted at 00:14:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did once interview for a company that ended up being a massive scam. They hired me on the spot, I just had to pay for my training that would be paid back in my first month of work.
It did leave me very skeptical for any interview I had after that in that period, which was very annoying, so I can understand her viewpoint.
[deleted] ยท 305 points ยท Posted at 01:29:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
NEVER pay to work. When the job is real, training pays you.
Source: Myself, my sister, and our dad have had paid training sessions for our work.
That's true, but I worked at a legit insurance company, and made a good deal doing it, that paid for neither licensing, study course, or even training. Straight commission 1099. It set off all my trigger warnings for a scam and if I hadn't already known someone in that business, I'd have bailed.
frymaster ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:43:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The other option I've seen is "we pay for this training but if you leave within two years you have to pay us back". Whether that's OK depends on his transferable the training is I suppose
When I lifeguarded, I had to front the cost for all of my traibing and certs. Those costs (200 bucks) was paid back my first paycheck and my uniform (bathing suit, 20 bucks) was deducted from my first paychecj.
Actually another exception comes to mind. Often with very expensive courses or certifications there can be a contractual provision that the employee has to reimburse the employer pro rata for the costs of the course if voluntarily leaving the company before a certain time period has elapsed - seen it often with the big auditors.
Right that's third-party, or through a state board or what have you. I think /u/N8thanEL meant that you should never have to pay a "company" for training that it itself provides.
Rulnos ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:24:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's kind of a grey area. There's plenty of trades jobs that will require you to either buy certain tools before you can start, or will offer you a pre-assembled starter kit that they'll garnish off your first two cheques. The pre assembled one is like buying bottled water though. You pay a premium for the convenience.
Source : just started as an electrician and had to get a starter kit-esq thing because I'm lazy.
mikedude7 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:50:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if you're aware or not and it will depend on where you are but in some places you can claim the VAT back on those tools.
I mean, I always knew they were retards who could probably fail an IQ test to a fucking duck, but now I know it was a scam too.
At least they paid me.
expatato ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:03:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree. I go on training courses nearly weekly on my job (I say course, they're about 45min to 90min long) and I'm always paid for these.
Why wouldn't they pay you? They increase your ability to do the job they hired you for and make you feel valuable.
[deleted] ยท -9 points ยท Posted at 01:36:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had to pay for my clothes for multiple jobs (not uniforms) and they all turned out to be real jobs.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 02:22:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
thats not training though.
[deleted] ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 02:25:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He said never pay to work. I payed to work. I went to training and they told me i'd have to pay for my clothes. I could have gone with his philosophy right there and never paid to work, but i did and they were real jobs.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:51:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:10:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 03:20:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 03:24:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:06:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:53:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you have to be a dumb motherfucker to fall for "pay for training."
shineq ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:46:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't. They try to sell it to you right at the end. First they go through the regular interview things and describe the "job". Then they tell you they're happy to hire you and give you this great salary. Then after making you excited do they tell you "oh, you have to pay for training to show your commitment" and have paperwork ready to fill out your card details. Only then it did click that this was shifty and basically made my excuses and left.
They're clever though. They target people right out of university desperate for a job who don't have a lot experience.
There were a couple of red flags that I noticed as well. For example, the interview was conducted in an office you can rent hourly and the interview was set up late afternoon day before - as I was on my way back from another one, tired with barely any time to research them.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 18:54:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know you didn't I am just making a statement in general.
What gets me is this episode on Hells Kitchen with David Beckham, and the whole episode leads up to how disgusted Beckham would be with his food. It ended up being an out of context grunt repeated twice.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 01:13:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A harmontown episode recently had a reality TV contestant on, and in addition to editing the producers will ask extremely leading questions. They'll plant lines that way.
Or when reactions are obviously stitched in later. The worst ones will use canned sound effects like gasps or grunts.
Not exactly the same thing, but a few years back I sat in the audience for the 'reunion special' of a very popular reality tv show (it was a much smaller audience than you would guess). Before the cast came out, they spent a few minutes with all the cameras pointed at us in the audience, while one of the producers gave us all instructions like "Everyone pretend you just heard something SHOCKING...ok now everyone make a 'WTF' face...ok now pretend you just heard something really funny." So yeah basically any time they cut to a reaction from a cast member or someone from the audience it is probably either totally fake or at least taken out of context
Jon Taffer talked about it in one of his AMA's. He was asked about people acting stupid on camera and he described that the people act how they act and don't care that cameras are there.
Lemerney2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:42:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
yeah on the mole here in australia i thought one girl was the mole because she acted totally fucking stupid ALL the time and i was amazed when she wasn't the mole.
Watch an episode of Kitchen Nightmares UK, then follow up with an episode of Kitchen Nightmares USA. The USA version is so heavy on ridiculous edits (obvious cutting in conversation, fake weird grunts added in post, dramatic music etc).
So... she went and applied for the job, then when you call her back (presumably giving your name and reason for calling) she ... doesn't believe that she got a call back? For the thing that she applied for?
... lolwut
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:10:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did this. Right out of college, I applied to a bunch of jobs off Monster and websites like that. I had a bad experience with my first job interview (legit scam, work from home, deposit this bounced check, and send us money kind of stuff). So the next time I got a call from a "marketing" group, I turned it down on the spot. They didn't sound the way a legitimate company would sound on the phone, sounded scripted, and I was in full paranoia mode. I made a show of telling them to go f- themselves.
Before getting my first job through a trusted friend. I literally went to 3 scam interviews... it's tough out there.
Dammmmnn that sucks. Her reaction makes a bit more sense given that this sort of scam happens. Now I'm grateful that I've never been on the receiving end!
Hah, sometimes when you are looking for work, you upload your resume to some sites, you apply to a fuck ton of jobs and maybe get a call or two, and a lot times it's for some shady-ass sales job, and they got your number from your resume, you never even applied. A little suspicion is reasonable. Especially if you've been going through the process for months.
I remember feeling very suspicious of any phone call I got after being duped into shady interviews for scammy type jobs. I definitely wasn't like that lady, but learned you have to ask very direct questions sometimes. Usually when the vibe was off, and I started asking questions, I was right and it was just another commission based sales job (not what I was looking for, at all).
I think one time I was totally off base and it was just an admin job, like I was looking for. Oops! Better than wasting time at 15+ "job interviews" I guess.
emlosesit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:08:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My ad agency did a social media campaign for a well-known car company that ended with us giving away a brand new car. The first 3 people who were contacted as winners thought it was a scam, and refused to take it even though the taxes were paid and everything. Idiots.
I've done a lot of interviews for Quality Assurance and Software Development positions.
I had a guy come in with experience in garden automation as the last job on his resume. In his opening sentence he winked and said it could be used for "legitimate" crops too... Uhhh. You're opening by admitting to growing drugs illegally? Bold choice, my friend. Allow me to trust you with our intellectual property. Clearly you can keep a secret.
We had a phone interview with a guy whose first question was, "How tall is your building?" We told him it was 20 stories. He told us, "I can't work in anything over 7." Interview over. The other interviewer and I just sat there looking at each other like, "What just happened?"
Interviewed a guy with my boss. The candidate kept saying things like, "This seems like a 'house' job, not an 'apartment' job." Finally my boss asked me to leave so she could have a conversation with the poor guy about what sort of things were appropriate to say in interviews. I felt bad for him. He was really inexperienced.
I interviewed a guy who treated the whole interview like a massive inconvenience. He was very qualified but a total douche-nugget. My recommendation to the recruiter was to hire him for any position where he wouldn't need to interact with other humans. I think it was his favorite interview feedback ever.
I had a handful of candidates who would talk about why X language/OS is awesome and Y language/OS is total crap. "Java is awesome! JavaScript is a tinker toy!" "Linux is the p0wn and Windows blows goats." It was frustrating because EVERY language/OS has stuff it's great at and stuff it's poor at. It's all about picking an appropriate tool for the job.
I had a guy who went on and on about this new language he's learning and how it's awesome at recursion. Great! I have a simple recursion question for you. Factorials! Show me how you do it in this language. I watched for ten minutes as he slowly coded himself into recursion hell without a solution in sight. It was painful.
I used to ask all my candidates to write a program to reverse the order of words in a string. ex: "this is a test" becomes "test a is this". They could use any language and library they wanted, and I gave them my laptop so they could look stuff up on Google. This was not meant to be challenging in any way. I just wanted to see what tools they would use. (For reference, the solution in JavaScript is a one-liner: var outputString = inputString.split(" ").reverse().join(" ");) It was shocking watching college graduates poke at this problem helplessly. Over and over I would hear, "Well, I'm going to need a loop" and I would just think, "Buckle up, this is going to be a string-parsing train wreck." This became my filter question to get rid of time wasters. (Conversely, if the candidate looked at me like I was a moron and just banged out an answer, the interview usually went very well. This only happened a handful of times.)
I screwed up an interview once. The interviewer asked me, "What will you add to my team?" And I said, "I don't know what skills your team already has, so I'm not sure which of my skills will be an addition." He didn't like that. I was young and dumb.
I'll end with an interview WIN. I interviewed a very green developer. He was sharp, but didn't know any of the frameworks we used and couldn't answer questions about MVC frameworks in general. He emailed the following Monday with code samples showing that he had learned and practiced the framework we use. He had clearly spent the entire weekend on it. He is one of the best hires I've ever made. The guy is a freakin' rock star.
Interviewing is fun!
Prosaly ยท 250 points ยท Posted at 05:20:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is it just me that doesn't understand the house job versus apartment job thing? Was it a jab at the pay?
SpamBone ยท 49 points ยท Posted at 07:38:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ditto. Can we get an explanation on 'house' job vs 'apartment' job? Is that a payscale comment? I feel dumb because I don't get it but I've never heard that particular phrasing used before
yugtahtmi ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 11:15:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would imagine it was referencing the pay of the position vs the professional inexperience of the candidate.
His boss then probably tried to tell the guy that by making comments like that he essentially is undervaluing himself. The candidate would then be less likely to get the job.
tandsdown ยท 48 points ยท Posted at 11:46:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The interviewee was expressing that they see this job as a career job, a permanent home or house, rather than just a place to be till something better comes along.
It's a shitty metaphor, but I've heard it before.
Prosaly ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 14:33:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That would make sense, but to me that would be a good thing to say in an interview, not a bad thing? Like yeah I'm in this for the long haul pleasehireme.
Lemerney2 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 07:59:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Seems more like a lifestyle thing to me, ie "This seems like a job for an old person with crushing financial responsibilities and no life who will stay late, not a hip young dude like me whose life is basically a Coors Light commercial full of other young hip people doing attractive-person things until 2 am every night."
Prosaly ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:34:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That might make sense... But still, very baffling.
tuscabam ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:45:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm with you, I'm baffled by that statement.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:00:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds to me like exactly that. Or maybe the interviewee felt above the position he was being offered.
The candidate kept saying things like, "This seems like a 'house' job, not an 'apartment' job."
I don't understand what this means.
yugtahtmi ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 11:26:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interpret it as meaning the candidate was either was too oblivious to realize he was worth a salary equivilent to owning a home or he was inexperienced and didn't deserve a salary that high. The only other option is that the position was posted at a salary way higher then what the skills required for it would typically demand, and that seems highly unlikely.
Either way, both throw a red flag for an interviewer.
I interpret it as meaning the candidate was either was too oblivious to realize he was worth a salary equivilent to owning a home or he was inexperienced and didn't deserve a salary that high. The only other option is that the position was posted at a salary way higher then what the skills required for it would typically demand, and that seems highly unlikely.
Either way, both throw a red flag for an interviewer.
I took it to mean that the salary was the apartment kind while the job required the work for the house kind, in which case the guy probably shouldn't take the job.
It's a play on the television show "House", where Dr. House gets handed a task (cure the patient) with minimal and often incorrect/false/misleading information (the specification) and is then forced to develop his own plan to figure out what the real problem is in order to save the person's life and I have no idea where the apartment comes in because I'm just making all of this up.
LittleLui ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:47:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In "House", House often sends his team to break into the apartments of his patients to investigate e.g. possible toxins they might have ingested there. Obviously, what the candidate meant was that this was more of a "insanely clever weirdo loner" job than a "team of highly qualified medical professionals doing breaking and entering on behalf of obviously intoxicated screenplay writers" job.
Awesome boss that took aside the completely oblivious candidate to tell him what is appropriate for an interview. A lot of people would have just dismissed him.
Koras ยท 32 points ยท Posted at 09:13:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I'll end with an interview WIN. I interviewed a very green developer. He was sharp, but didn't know any of the frameworks we used and couldn't answer questions about MVC frameworks in general. He emailed the following Monday with code samples showing that he had learned and practiced the framework we use. He had clearly spent the entire weekend on it. He is one of the best hires I've ever made. The guy is a freakin' rock star.
Shoutouts to that guy, I'd take willingness to learn and the drive to learn something completely new to a high standard during a weekend over misinformed confidence any day of the week, regardless of field apartfrommaybesurgery
I screwed up an interview once. The interviewer asked me, "What will you add to my team?" And I said, "I don't know what skills your team already has, so I'm not sure which of my skills will be an addition." He didn't like that. I was young and dumb.
I used almost this exact answer once, fortunately one of my interviewers was pretty sympathetic because as he told me later "the other people we saw before you were fucking insane" and were probably similar to other weirdos in this thread, made shifty looks with his eyes until I ran it back and elaborated with the things I'm good at.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:04:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Any time I was asked if I knew how to do something unfamiliar, my response was always, "No, but I'll learn if you'll give me the time to do it."
kcoyote ยท 48 points ยท Posted at 07:54:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
re. the second one: fire truck ladders can't go higher than that. My father refuses to live in apartments or stay in hotel rooms higher than the eighth floor for that reason.
ecb29 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:15:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I get it. I understand how skyscrapers stand up, I just don't feel it.
POGtastic ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 10:16:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'll end with an interview WIN. I interviewed a very green developer. He was sharp, but didn't know any of the frameworks we used and couldn't answer questions about MVC frameworks in general. He emailed the following Monday with code samples showing that he had learned and practiced the framework we use. He had clearly spent the entire weekend on it. He is one of the best hires I've ever made. The guy is a freakin' rock star.
As someone who considers himself relatively strong with the basic stuff but knows very little about frameworks, is this attitude common? I'm a year into a CS program, (8 years of casual hobbyist stuff before that) and job listings saying "MUST know Hadoop / Rails / whatever" are scaring the crap out of me. I'm thinking that the ideal thing for me to do is to learn 2-3 well and at least get acquainted with a bunch of other ones, but the choices are bewildering, and they don't seem to apply to one another the way that the fundamentals do.
Want me to solve a problem? No worries. Want me to apply $framework to solving said problem? I'll... get back to you after I've done some reading.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:22:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Learn one language well. Usually they start you with Java or a C language. Then your second one is a bit easier. Then by the third, fourth and etc. it's mainly just Googling how to do string parsing in X. Frameworks are the same, or so I've found.
But the best thing for me coming out of a computer science degree was getting my internship. I messed up a graduate job interview on the test because, coincidently, I messed up a string parsing question, just by being very nervous, because it was in a language I wasn't used to and because I didn't really know what to search for on the internet to find out how to do it. My internship was amazing. They understood my level of skill and didn't expect me to know anything outside of my degree. Three years on and I'm writing complex systems in languages I hadn't used until a month ago and even creating my own framework to do the job.
Coming out of education into a computer science related job is scary, but don't worry, start with a graduate job or even better an internship and you will be absolutely fine.
POGtastic ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:16:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
but don't worry, start with a graduate job or even better an internship and you will be absolutely fine.
Unfortunately, I have bills to pay, so I'm operating an electron microscope during the night and going to class during the daytime. On the bright side, I'm working at Intel, but it's not CS-related at all. My goal is to get a bachelor's and then put in for a transfer. Hopefully, they'll have recent graduate jobs when I graduate. If not, then I'll have to look at all of the other tech companies in the area.
I'm decent at C++ (go-to language with anything complicated), Perl, and Python, but web programming has remained a mystery. I'm going to try to remedy that next semester by doing all of my assignments in Javascript along with whatever language (probably more C++) they assign. I need to learn more HTML anyway, and I haven't even looked at CSS yet.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:07:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wouldn't worry about web stuff yet, you've got the hardcore stuff down like C++. Java is always good to learn though as it covers so much that's done in the industry. You don't want to overstretch yourself as you're working as well as studying. But getting your foot in the door at Intel is a great start. I just worked in retail while I was at university. But it certainly helped with my communication skills.
That's a big "it depends." I like to think I'm less of a hard-ass than other interviewers. Some interviewers are inexperienced. Some look for reasons to disqualify people. I just want to find out if you're a person I'd like to work with.
When I hired my green developer, it was for a junior PHP front end position. We needed him to know PHP (he did), what an MVC framework is (he didn't), and we wanted him to know Zend 1.2. (I know that's a crappy framework. It was legacy code.) There were only a few decent candidates, and he set himself apart.
So some of it comes down to your competition. Some of it comes down to what kind of job you're applying for. (Data scientists are playing a different game than front end devs.) Some of it comes down to your attitude. And some of it comes down to your skill set.
I think you have the right idea. Get really good at one or two languages, frameworks and databases. Get a passing familiarity with some others. And show a huge willingness to learn. Remember that different regions use different languages. (Learning Groovy in L.A. isn't going to do much for you, but it's totally appropriate for Minneapolis.)
Also, once you have a job, find the smart people and try to learn from them.
Also, if you're going into the Software Dev industry, a degree is optional for a lot of jobs. Some companies like degrees. Some sub-fields, like data science, like degrees. But overall, the software industry is a meritocracy. If you can get the job done you'll get hired pretty quickly. (Source: I only attended a handful of college classes and have been very successful.)
Coding challenge was done really well during the interview but not in perl, our in-house preferred language. He didn't know perl but he came well recommended.
I got an email at 1am that night written in really elegant perl. And so incredibly well thought out and super efficient. Had already decided to hire him. But this was fantastic.
He kept up the fantastic performance right up until Google poached him :-(
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 15:59:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
elegant perl
That's a good one!
Jacen47 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:41:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I would have done the coding challenge in C due to having most of my experience in C with the perl script that night as that interviewee did.
We had a phone interview with a guy whose first question was, "How tall is your building?" We told him it was 20 stories. He told us, "I can't work in anything over 7." Interview over. The other interviewer and I just sat there looking at each other like, "What just happened?"
Pretty sure you interviewed Turk Wendell.
Rzezifok ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 05:44:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
love the last story :)
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:20:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I like how the guy specifically said 7 stories.
c_a_l_m ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:23:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, I was once asked how to reverse a string in an interview; my first answer ("Ruby has String.reverse, so...") seemed to mark me as a smartass, so I wouldn't have gone w/the split/reverse/join either.
Some interviewers are dicks. I would always be clear: Use libraries, use built-in language functionality, use Google. (Just don't look up the exact answer, please. Just lookup references.)
The surprising thing was how many would do it manually anyway and still couldn't do it. Like, 90% of them would get two loops deep and just fall apart.
I understand it's easy to get flustered in interviews. That's why I picked an easy problem. 'Cause I'm not a dick.
Also, the problem isn't reversing a string. Anyone can do that. The problem is reversing the order of words in a string.
Ex: reverse_words("this is a test") // Returns "test a is this"
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:01:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a handful of candidates who would talk about why X language/OS is awesome and Y language/OS is total crap. "Java is awesome! JavaScript is a tinker toy!" "Linux is the p0wn and Windows blows goats." It was frustrating because EVERY language/OS has stuff it's great at and stuff it's poor at. It's all about picking an appropriate tool for the job.
Please come to my office and tell my coworkers this. I'm an iOS developer so I obviously have a Mac on my desk for Xcode and multiple times throughout the day, almost every day I have people who have never used it walk by and make snide comments ranging from "That's a toy OS" to "You must suck Steve Job's dick".
I can't imagine being one of those people that limit myself to knowledge of one OS/Language. I'd hate to be a one trick pony.
I'm right there with you, Tiki_Torch. These people always come off as whiny noobs to me. Once you've used a bunch of OS's, Languages and dev tools, you tend to be more chill about it IMO.
If you're writing stuff that'll run on *nux, Linux or Mac is probably your best OS. If you're writing something that runs on Windows, use freakin' Windows. If you're writing something agnostic in a language like JavaScript, Java or Groovy, use whatever the hell you want. :P
Same with dev tools. You like JetBrains? Great. Eclipse? Great. Netbeans? Great. VIM? High five, you hard core code-slinger. EMACS? I don't understand you, but I still respect you. ;)
And then there's the whole "Ruby kicks PHP's ass" type of crap. My response is always "What kind of talent pool do you have in this area? If it's Java, use Java. If it's PHP, use PHP. Better to have good code in a language you don't like than bad code in a language you love."
Jacen47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:42:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I personally prefer to stick with Windows/*nix as there are enough Apple developers out there already.
Apple is *nix. OS X is based on BSD. It's *nix with a super user-friendly front end. I know so many Linux devs (myself included) who work on Macs because of this.
Frazz86 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:15:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Out of personal curiosity, I myself haven't actually ran into the ".reverse()" before and would have answered it like so:
var split = str.split(" ");
var final = "";
for( var i = split.length - 1; i >= 0; i-- ) {
final += split[i];
}
Same solution, just quite a lot larger, would it be completely rejected just because I happened to not know of one of the millions of methods that exist?
I think as long as you suggest to the interviewer that you would have the initiative to google for 'javascript reverse array' then you'd be fine. Not all languages have a specific built-in for reversing an array, and you'd really not be expected to know a languages standard library inside out unless the job is specifically for 'an expert in [language X]'.
Also your solution doesn't separate the new string's words with a space, but you'd notice that straight away if you ran the code, so whatever..
Totally rejected? Hell no. That solution works. Well. Kind of. Your output string doesn't have any spaces. EX: If the input string is "this is a test", your final output would be "testaisthis".
If this were a real interview, I'd point out the bug and ask you how you'd fix it. If you tried to manually insert spaces after each word, you'd end up with a trailing space. "test a is this " I'd point that out if you didn't catch it yourself. Then you might add an if to skip appending a space on the last word. Or you might trim the output string (which could also introduce a bug if the input string has leading/trailing spaces.)
At this point, your code might look something like:
var split = str.split(" ");
var final = "";
for( var i = split.length - 1; i >= 0; i-- ) {
final += split[i];
if (i > 0) {
final += " ";
}
}
I'd ask you if you could make it simpler (because simpler == less bugs, easier to maintain.) If you didn't know, I'd point you at the .reverse() method and ask you how you'd use it here. If you still used a loop I'd point you at the .join() method. Basically, we'd pair program on it. Then we'd talk about the pros and cons of manual string parsing. At this point, I'd have a little bit of a feel for what kind of programmer you are and how it'd be to work with you.
My goal with this question is to start to get a feel for how you code. I want to make sure that if we hire you you won't make a mess of our codebase.
This is just the first question, not the last. Based on how you fair here, I'd either pair program with you on a few more difficult problems, or we'd skip directly to talking about distributed architectures, security and that kind of stuff.
Frazz86 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:16:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Crazy how much things can be missed in 5 lines when using Reddit to code :p. Thanks for the response, definitely interesting, sounds like a fun interview :D.
cakez_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:11:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
After giggling at the first few examples, the last guy who was a good example really made me smile. I also started my first job as a software developer with basic knowledge and I'm doing my best to learn as much as I can, as fast as I can.
if (alpha != 0) factorial_recursion(alpha--, beta *= alpha)
else return beta;
}
EDIT: first time running use factorial_recursion(alpha, 1);
thabonch ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:45:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're not actually returning anything if alpha != 0. And alpha-- changes the value of alpha before beta *= alpha is evaluated, so at the final call you'll get beta *= 0. You don't need to keep track of beta independently, this way works:
int factorial(int n) {
/* Assumes n >= 0 */
if(n == 0)
return 1;
return n * factorial(n-1);
}
On line 2, your decrement operation alpha-- executes after the call to factorial_recursion(). You have a stack overflow there. (Assuming you're using C or some C derivative.) This would segue into a sidebar conversation about doing too many things on one line.
Why are you exposing two input parameters? If I want the factorial of 4, I should be able to call factorial_recursion(4); We'd talk about how to make that happen and the ills of exposing variables that should be private.
Are you missing a return before the factorial_recursion() call on line 2? (Some languages have implied returns, so it really is a question. Is this C? Java?)
Why do you have two operations happening inside the parens to a function call on line 2? Can you break that up and make it a little easier to follow with intuitive variable names? (Easy-to-read, self-documenting code is soooo nice.) Breaking it up would also fix your stack overflow bug. Easy-to-read code tends to be a bit less buggy.
This is a pretty good start. If this were a real interview we'd talk and pair program on it a bit.
" I screwed up an interview once. The interviewer asked me, "What will you add to my team?" And I said, "I don't know what skills your team already has, so I'm not sure which of my skills will be an addition." He didn't like that. I was young and dumb."
I don't get it. Why wouldn't he like that answer. It seems like a great response. You can't say what you would add until you know what they are missing. A very analytical and logical answer.
I would have hired you. (Note: I am a retired financial planner. Much of my work required analysis of existing portfolios, stock analysis, creation of new portfolios and other types of math crunching. Logical analysis of a situation and then apply it to the human aspect.)
RIGHT? That's what I thought too. (And thanks for the virtual hire!)
But the interview kept asking that question. I should have read his body language and adjusted my answer. All well. It was a crappy job anyway.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:40:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
We had a phone interview with a guy whose first question was, "How tall is your building?" We told him it was 20 stories. He told us, "I can't work in anything over 7." Interview over. The other interviewer and I just sat there looking at each other like, "What just happened?"
When buildings are made over 8 stories tall in my country, they must use a pump to get water to the upper floors. I'm guessing he had an issue with that.
I used to ask all my candidates to write a program to reverse the order of words in a string ... It was shocking watching college graduates poke at this problem helplessly ..."Buckle up, this is going to be a string-parsing train wreck"
I feel like university has heavily encouraged me to write my own things from scratch. if your assignment is "do X", obviously it isn't "use a single function from a library which does it", they want you to do some work. the opposite is true for work.
Maybe it was the pump thing. He wouldn't explain it, and we didn't want to pry.
I understand the university mindset of coding everything from scratch. I would always pose this question by encouraging the candidate to use libraries, Google, etc... I tried to be very clear that I did not want a from-scratch answer if there was a better way. Because honestly, if they couldn't use libraries for a simple problem like this, I didn't want to be the guy maintaining their crazy DIY code. :D
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:03:06 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
indeed. I was just mentioning how it made me realize that I have to make a huge transition when switching over to the "real world".
The__Imp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:33:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think the showing of extra enthusiasm/effort above and beyond what is called for is often a great sign.
I had an interview for a clerkship with a bankruptcy judge. I had my interview, and then asked if there were any hearings coming up that day. I was told that the judge's afternoon calendar was coming up in about 45 minutes. I got lunch, sat through the calendar and was invited back to chambers to discuss. I gave my thoughts about some of the arguments that had been made, and why counsel was making them. The judge was happy enough with my answers that he stopped interviews and offered me the job on the spot.
A "go get 'em" attitude does more to set you apart than anything else. I can train people if their skills are a bit lacking. But I can't train someone to have an attitude like this. Right on, The_Imp!
WNxJesus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:03:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was thinking how I'd solve your word reordering test.
And I would probably get an array of strings (which would probably be predefined size at something comfortable like 100), then go by character and split up the sentence into words and put them into the array. Then just write out the array backwards. I would definitely need a loop, probably even two, and variables and multiple lines of code.
First I'd ask why your array size is fixed? You're deliberately writing a bug into your code right there. (I come from a QA background.)
Next I would ask you why you're writing your own spit/explode function/method instead of using a pre-existing library that's already been tested.
Last, if you're using a loop to write out the array backwards, I would again ask why you're not using a function/method to reverse the array. Most languages have that build in.
I'm not looking to fail people. I just want to see what they can do and start a conversation. The only time I'll fail someone is if they can't come up with ANY solution.
Note: If you use a library, you probably won't need a loop. Any time you're coding something to do manual string parsing it's a code smell. There's usually a better way unless you're doing something totally custom.
I might have wasted your time, but because I would be thinking about the possible inputs to your string reversal question. In the case where the input string is null or empty, the one-liner will crash. In the case where you're passing in a novel, the container that split() creates might not be the best use of computing resources. It's the sort of thing where a simple loop, a couple of pointers and a new string, and some parameter validation will go a long way.
An empty string won't crash it. But yeah, any type that doesn't support the split() method (and return an array) would totally crash and burn. The moment you paused and said something about input sanitation I'd be like "Gold star for you! For this exercise, let's assume the input has been verified to be a valid string." OR "How would you sanitize your input?" (Check for split method, check data type, etc...)
I like this sort of conversation in an interview.
deeper182 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:47:59 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hah, I did something similar to get the job I work at the moment.
After the tech interview they called me, and said that they liked me, but they will listen to a few more candidates before giving a final answer. I felt that during the interview we didn't quite touch my strong points (which were also part of the job, not some random parallel skills). So I wrote them a mail expressing how I felt, and asked them to send me a "homework" coding task, where I can demonstrate all this stuff. They did, I solved it, sent it back, they sent some more (implement infinite scroll in angular, yummy), I solved that too and bang, I was hired. The HR lady told me explicitly that the homework got me hired.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Ah, but the problem isn't reversing a string. It's reversing the order of words in a string. This yields much more interesting conversations, and if someone tries to do it the hard way, they're much more likely to code themselves into a noob corner.
For reference, the solution in JavaScript is a one-liner: var outputString = inputString.split(" ").reverse().join(" ");
Just out of curiosity, what your reaction be if somebody answered one of these in assembly language? Because kinda I really want to do that in an interview someday.
Honestly, I'd say "Why did you use assembly? The next guy who has to maintain your code is going to hate you." :P But I'd also be impressed, so... It's a toss up.
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 10:46:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You sound a bit like a douche. Most of those things sounds like trivial jokes or common interview stress. Your question about word reverse is a straight trap, most people will assume you want to see the version of the program that demonstrates the algorithms and the trivial solution will be considered bad. Also "I don't know what skills your team already has, so I'm not sure which of my skills will be an addition." is a reasonable answer, sounds like you put it here just for humility of some sort, but not quite...
If I am a douche, I probably wouldn't be aware of it. So you might be right. I'd like to defend myself a little though.
I'm not looking to disqualify people. That's not the goal. I want to hire someone that I want to work with. I don't want to hire someone who will make a mess of my codebase. It really is as simple as that.
With the word reversal question, I say up front that I want them to use libraries, built-in language functionality, and Google any reference material they need. (Because when I'm under pressure, I forget how methods work. And in real life, I'll have Google.) I let them type out their solution (because coding on a whiteboard is sucky). I even let them use any language they want. I want to see them at their best. I try to be very clear that I'm not looking for a total DIY job.
If the candidate solves it using some nested loops, that's fine. My follow question is, "Why didn't you use a library or built-in language functionality?" And if they say, "I didn't think you'd want that." I'd be like, "I do. Can you show me?"
BUT - I have never had a candidate solve this with loops successfully. They code themselves into a corner every time. I usually have to help them out to get through it. Then I ask about libraries, etc... I try to give them as many chances as I can.
And if they can pass that question, I have other, more interesting coding and architecture conversations with them. "How would you setup a REST service to do X? How would you handle security?" We'd just shoot the bull and talk about geeky stuff like that.
As for the "I don't know what skills your team already has", that was just me being a totally clueless 20-year-old. I wasn't reading the interviewer at all and totally bombed it. It's funny to me now, 15 years later. But at them time I felt like the biggest idiot. I'm sure I screwed up other interviews, but was too clueless to even realize it.
As a self taught programmer, can you tell me if I'm wrong here?
The factorials seem stupidly easy? Couldn't you just do that with a for loop? Or if you want to use recursion you just pass on the current number and some sort of identifier for what number you're at, then once you reach 1 you return?
Edit: I was bored so I made it in Lua, took like a minute, lol.
fact = ""
function fact(n, x)
local x = x or 1
if n > 1 then
return fact(n - 1, x*n)
else
return x
end
end
print(fact(12))
And for the string thing, it's stupidly easy. I would probably use whatever languages string.split(" ") or whatever, then put the array or whatever you got back together into a string, if you don't have a function for that, it's an easy for loop. Even if you can't string.split the string parsing is really, really easy.
Edit2: I got really bored, and I haven't coded in so long, it was fun.
fact = ""
function fact(n, x)
local x = x or 1
if n > 1 then
return fact(n - 1, x*n)
else
return x
end
end
function fact2(n)
for i = 1, n-1 do
n = n * i
end
return n
end
function reverses(s)
r = ""
for w in string.gmatch(s, "%a+") do r = w .. " " .. r end
return r
end
function reverses2(s)
rt = {}
rt[1] = ""
for i = 1, string.len(s) do
if string.sub(s,i,i) ~= " " then
rt[#rt] = rt[#rt] .. string.sub(s,i,i)
else
rt[#rt+1] = ""
end
end
r = ""
for k,v in ipairs(rt) do r = v .. " " .. r end
return r
end
print(fact2(12))
print(fact(12))
print(reverses("this is a test sentence"))
print(reverses2("this is a test sentence"))
D:\Personal Backup\luaa>luajit.exe factorials.lua
479001600
479001600
sentence test a is this
sentence test a is this
Admittedly I don't know lua. I like that you actually have tests for your code right there at the bottom.
I really like that you opened with "I would probably use whatever languages string.split(" ") or whatever, then put the array or whatever you got back together into a string." In the real world, right after you said that, I'd be like, "Show me." About a minute later we'd move onto something much more interesting.
And I mean, You don't have to relearn everything you know for a new language, you just have to learn how to do the things you already know. I know C# has a function to let me split a string like that, if you ask me to make it in Java, I can look up what function that would be, or how I can do it myself.
Unfortunately all ( almost, I did go to school for it but I stopped cause I knew more than my teacher so it wasn't very interesting ) I know I taught myself, so there might be things that I simply don't know that I would have to, and I can't point to any actual degree :/
So while I might nail an interview like that, I don't really have the resume to back up what I might may or may not be able to do :/
My experience so far is that, if I don't know how to do something, I can google it and figure it out, and from then on, I know ( or I still have problems with it, I just look it up again until I got it down), but I don't think that would work so well in a professional job.
High five, dude. I don't have a college education either. In fact, some of the brightest people I've worked with are dropouts.
I Google tons of stuff. (Everyone does.) That totally flies in the Software Industry. It's a meritocracy. If you can do the work, you'll get a job. You just need to build up a little street cred.
Wow, you're making me feel really good about this. Maybe I'll try to get some more practice in and apply for some jobs.
I got the advice a while ago to just try to build a github that has stuff I can show, but I mean, nothing I've done are big complex projects, so I feel like it's not close to good enough. I just make little things for myself when I need them. "Tired of having to check reddit? code myself a little program that checks all my accounts and notifies me when I get a message" and things like that.
Do it, Nudes. For the record, the resume is mostly there to get you to the interview. Once you're in the interview it's only used to formulate some questions.
I would suggest finding an existing github project that you like and contributing. It looks good on a resume. And it demos your ability to code and work with a team. I also suggest changing jobs every year or two when you're first getting started. Disloyalty is highly rewarded. You'll get raises and more diverse experience.
Haha, made this account like 2 week ago cause I wanted to know if any people actually send any. One frontpage post later I'm very disappointed, didn't get anything.
That might be something that works. I also might turn one of my little projects in something polished enough so that I would release it, might also look good.
n0remack ยท 137 points ยท Posted at 00:25:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Dumbest thing I ever did was answer my phone at 7AM after working a night shift for a job I definitely would've taken.
I decided to go through with the phone interview.
Idiot...
Edit: Clarified it was a phone interview. My Tip for future reference
If you're expecting a phone call from an employer, and you get a call you don't recognize the number to - let it go to voicemail and let the employer leave you a voicemail. You can then just call them right back and be all "Sorry I missed your call, I was away from my phone".
DD225 ยท 52 points ยท Posted at 01:26:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I take it the interview was for that same day and you were exhausted?
You could actually spin that to your advantage. Tell them that you just worked a night shift but still want to interview. It makes you look like a very hard worker.
n0remack ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 14:19:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds like a great idea on paper...
however...let my example be living, breathing proof that, that may not always be the best idea.
I still laugh/cringe about it to this day.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:43:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Phone interview probably. Every time I've had one of those I've been completely blindsided by it.
n0remack ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:24:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Funny thing is, they offered to reschedule, but ol' dummy here was all DO OR DIE
I'm not a smart man.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:50:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I flew in from a 16 hour non stop flight and went straight to a client meeting once. Keep in mind I hadnt slept the night before either.
I dozed off in the meeting over lunch
Didnt get the contract (obviously)
mishko27 ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 04:56:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once finished 4th before the last round (after having passed few rounds already) of interviews for a job at Google where 3 people advanced. It was an aptitude / IQ / logic test that I did at 8am right after I woke up as I was super excited to see it in my email. I still hate myself for that.
You'd be screwed either way. I put in for an interview at a place I'd worked about eight years earlier, and the HR staffer didn't bother to let me know when the interview was. I'm moving and getting my house ready for sale, when I get a phone call at 3pm, as I'm about to go out the door on an urgent errand, after nine hours spent packing things up and cleaning, without having eaten anything. I think, oh, good, they're scheduling an interview. Nope, this was the interview call.
Ten minutes in, I realize it, and explain that I was never told, and that I can't stay on the phone because I have to be somewhere else. I get an email the following week saying they aren't going to consider me. :-/
n0remack ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 11:27:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thats pretty inconsiderate of them. I work in HR and if I call someone first, I'm calling to set a time to interview because of reasons like this. I hate how people just assume you'll be ready on their time. Not me. People have lives, so when I interview people, I'm on their time, they're not on mine.
I did that once. Woke up very hungover, it's 8am and my phone is ringing. A person calling to interview me. As the interview proceeds, I realize it's for a job I am not qualified for (accounting.) I had applied on monster.com for a wide plethora of office jobs and had somehow accidentally applied for an accounting job. I kept going with the interview as she is asking me about my bookkeeping skills, accounting skills, etc etc. it was awkward as hell.
ck_mooman ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:25:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My current boss called me 3 hours after working my graveyard shift. I was sound asleep and recovering after getting 3 hours of sleep in 36 hours. The topic was something simple like clarification on something. I had called and left a voicemail earlier when I was conscious. She called back when I wasn't. She said she was glad my sleepwalking/talking habits had come up before. She also said our conversation was funny and "informative". I shit bricks thinking I'd told her something she REALLY shouldn't know and turns out I couldn't decipher if I was still at work or at home.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:07:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of employer calls at 7 AM anyway.
n0remack ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:40:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was 8AM their time, to be fair...
But still...god damn thats early
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:18:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I do interviews, and I avoid calling before 11:00, but I'm a late sleeper, and I try to respect other people's morning time.
n0remack ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My rule of thumb is 10AM
vikinick ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:04:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You could also answer and then say that now isn't the best time to talk. It's not like they scheduled it with you or anything.
n0remack ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Of course, and that was totally good in hindsight.
Oh well, I still laugh about it.
atsinged ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:01:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There was a time I worked full time nights in manufacturing and was taking 16 credit hours at the local community college. Got tapped to interview for a promotion and training to work the help-desk. Basically I worked 7PM - 7AM Mon, Tues and Weds, school was like 8-11AM Mon-Fri. Come Wednesday afternoon I was a tired boy, usually I'd get home at noon Wednesday and crash.
Somehow passed the phone interview, which happened on a cell phone in a gas station parking lot because I was driving home from school.
The interview got scheduled for 1:00PM on a Wednesday.
Large panel interview, 100 candidates, 10 positions, we're all spread out in this big conference room and the interviewers would come to us. Loopy as hell but I did well enough. Finally one guy who talked to me twice already came back and said that the hiring manager would like to talk to me, could I stay a while longer?
Well of course!
I noticed a lot of people had left, there were maybe a dozen or so of us left, all spread way out. It's cool and pleasant inside, it had begun to rain outside, beautiful campus, very peaceful looking, the water was dripping down the windows.
Sloowwwlly dripping down the windows.
Anyway, the booming laughter of a very well dressed black man woke me up, I jumped a little and he laughed some more and said "you must be the one who left here this morning, went to school all day then came back to interview for this job, I'm Sam, you'll be working for me if you like the offer I told them to email to you".
Never give up hope.
Now for the next 5 years, the topic of "atsinged can sleep anywhere, even during a job interview" came up every time there was random shit talking, but he was a great boss.
Mia-kulpa ยท 786 points ยท Posted at 23:59:31 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I had a male candidate direct all his answers to my hr colleague (male, I'm female). I was not the hiring manager, but I would have been this guy's direct manager and that was outlined at the beginning of the interview. He even directed answers to questions I asked at the male hr dude.
Another story - not hiring, but firing. A few months ago, I had to let a person go after the mandatory 3 written warnings, performance management etc. etc. So it should have been NO surprise to him when the death knell came.
So we organise the meeting, and I have te same hr business partner there, and I'm outlining the reason for the meeting and took him through the reasoning and then explained that today would be his last day, and he looked at the hr dude and said, "Is she serious??"
Awful. I got a job at Home Depot. I had a female coworker in my department that I was shadowing. Awesome lady, very knowledgable, became a friend outside work.
The first day when I didn't know product or anything we had several guys come up with questions. They'd ask me, she'd answer, they'd ask me again, she'd answer. After awhile it was like "Fuck dude, ask her, I don't know shit yet!"
jujubee_1 ยท 61 points ยท Posted at 12:00:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had this Happen a lot when I worked in the electronic section. One day when I was training a new male coworker all the male customers only wanted to ask him questions. When it was clear they preferred a man answering his questions even though he had no idea I just walked away.
The worst was when a knowledgeable male customer would walk in and see me a female working in the electronic section and decide to ask super advanced computer questions. Trying to stump me.
When I worked at the Depot I was also younger than other people in the department. They'd dumb down the question because they'd been doing it a long time and I was just a kid. Usually this ended with them not knowing what they thought they did.
dmilin ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 20:59:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a shame and I know it sounds incredibly sexist, but I think I too would fall into the same situation. Speaking as a Computer Science student, you see very few women in the computing fields and I think the general assumption made subconsciously is that the ones who are there don't know what they are doing even if they have the same or more experience or schooling.
[deleted] ยท 34 points ยท Posted at 12:56:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sexism is fun! /s
I (am female) worked at circuit city and got the same shit. I would ask people if they needed help selecting a laptop, and would be told no I'm just browsing... Then people would go seek out a male associate, who would direct them back to me because it was my department. It was a small store song was usually the only one working computers.
Same thing would happen when I worked tech support over the phones. I was also a trainer. At one point I had a lady so against me helping her, that I let the male sitting next to me, who'd been working for the company 3 days, help her while I gave him the answers. I really wanted to say something at the end of the call because she was super rude about it, and kept saying how she knew a guy would be able to help her so much faster. Poor kid just looked shocked that people act that way.
Now I work as a massage therapist. Occasionally you chat with the people you're massaging. I deal with the other side of sexism now, a lot of people don't want a guy as their therapist. I had a lady look past me as I walked up and say to the woman at the counter. "Are there no women?".
Personally, for me it's whatever, but being on the other side is eye opening.
I don't care if people prefer one gender over another. I've had people actually address me and go, "Oh, I'm sorry, I prefer a female." And I go, "Oh, not a problem!"
It's not even addressing you that's annoying. Just looking past you like you're a robot or something.
It's not even addressing you that's annoying. Just looking past you like you're a robot or something.
I agree, that's really rude.
[deleted] ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 14:32:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
one time my dad was looking for something in the automotive section of a store and was looking for an employee to ask. I pointed out a girl working there and he's like, nahhh I don't think she would know, and finds a male employee instead. the guy doesn't know the answer, so he walks over and asks the female coworker, who knows the answer immediately.
I saw it all the time, really started to piss me off.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:18:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Happened to me all the time when I was a barback working with female bartenders.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:05:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've been in Home Depot and Lowes so often that I know where a great many things are located. I should apply.
t-poke ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:00:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
With my experiences with Home Depot and Lowes, that would make you overqualified.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 22:16:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol. You're right. As a matter of fact, there is a man who works in Lowes who has no clue where anything is in the store and he's been there for quite a while. I was there on two separate occasions where he tried to assist me. I got really frustrated with him so I began searching for the items myself. Both times when I found the items I took him to where they were and showed him. I said, "now you know where they are located if anyone should ask you."
Goombill ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:25:50 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I also work at Home Depot and I see this all the time. I work at the front desk and most of the people who work it with me are women. No matter how busy I am, or how not busy my female coworkers are, I will constantly get people asking me questions.
Oh man, the front desk. I pity you. The morons and scammers that go to the returns and special services make me cringe. I don't know how you handle it. When I worked there and got called up to returns a part of me always died a little.
Goombill ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:18:41 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You learn to stop giving a shit. It's a major corporation, I don't care anymore if I give some thief a handful of cash every now and then.
My manager is a woman, and both clearly older than me, and more managerial looking than me. The few times we've had old country dudes come in and very obviously direct their questions towards me, I've found it very satisfying to say "well, you'll have to ask her that, its her decision". Great fun.
I worked in a scotch and whiskey warehouse for a while as a cashier. I'm male and the other cashiers were all female. It was just a job to pay the bills I don't drink whiskey and know nothing about it. But SO MANY TIMES people, almost all men, would walk in and look directly at me and ask me a question like I look like I know what's happening. Even when the female cashiers answered, and I tell the customer that they know a helluva a lot more than me, they'd still direct their talking to me.
I'm aware. My coworkers would get upset/ angry and I totally understood why.
Xannin ยท 41 points ยท Posted at 04:46:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Haha that drives me nuts. I have been in a situation like that. i am male and was sitting in on an interview with the VP of Engineering (female). I was a corporate recruiter at the time and I wanted to see what kind of personalities they were looking for and the kinds of technical questions they ask etc. So I was just observing and wasn't even sitting at the table with the VP, but the applicant decided he should direct all of his answers to me. I wasn't even looking at the dude half the time since I was taking notes and nothing about the situation suggested he should direct his answers at me. The VP looked at me and smirked since we both knew she would be dismissing the jackass from the interview rather soon. It was a shame since he really knew his stuff according to her.
Man it's funny because I felt like a total moron the first time I had a dual interview (two people in the room at once), and I defaulted to "Eye contact with whoever asked the question while answering the question!"
I can't even imagine staring at the other person while responding to a question asked by the person I'm not looking at. How horrifyingly uncomfortable.
Thuryn ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:46:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It applies to meetings as well. You never know when a meeting that involves your director or VP can suddenly turn into an impromptu review of your skills and why you still work there.
Regardless of gender, race, age, etc. it makes a good impression if you start by directing your answer to the questioner, but also look around to make sure everyone in the room is on board. If people look like they're following, back to the questioner and finish. If not, find a place to stop and say something like, "Am I making sense? Some of you look like I'm way off." (Maybe direct this back to the questioner as well, depending upon the question and his/her relative authority.)
But yeah, answering only to the person who didn't speak is weird.
SuperJo ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:48:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've had strikingly similar experiences as a woman engineer.
For one interview, I went down to the lobby to escort the candidate to our offices. I quickly introduced myself as the lead engineer for the program. We got in the elevator and as soon as the door closed, he looked me up and down and said "YOU'RE an ENGINEER!?"
I should've let him off at the second floor.
Just a few weeks ago, a colleague of mine (also female lead engineer for her program) interviewed a candidate and at the end of the interview she asked if he had any questions and he said that he didn't because he only had technical questions and had assumed someone who could answer those would be at his interview. She assured him she could answer all of his questions and he declined.
Yeah. The male/female thing in business is real. I once got a job at a stock brokerage firm because I was honest.
When asked what would be my biggest challenge in the industry dealing with prospects....I answered...being a woman. Then elaborated that men tended to not take women investment brokers seriously and that some will just not work with me...... but that I would be killer with the women clients AND....in many marriages, it is really the woman who makes the decisions. I can deal with it.
Got the job.
bjeason ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:48:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a girl who works with video games and 10/10 can confirm. People ask my male coworkers questions, coworker asks me, I answer, customer asks male coworker different question.
I legit had this conversation one time
Guy:"Hey, you're pretty cute!"
Me:"thanks"
Guy:"So, do you even know anything about games, or do they just hire you girls to lure the guys in to buy games?"
Male coworker "Naw man, she knows more than me!"
Guy:"Shit, no! Really?!"
...
Mia-kulpa ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:48:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, Lois
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It has to be nerve wracking to fire people. I would be worried that someone would go off the deep end.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:49:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was the HR colleague have been asking all the questions? I was at an interview the other day with a partner and the head of the secretaries in that company. The H.O.S didn't do any of the questioning even though she would potentially be my boss. I tried to address them both but it is good manners to be looking at the person who is questioning you. Maybe male candidate was just trying that?
Blurr11 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 10:30:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he is just a really good looking HR guy
ablaaa ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 22:38:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
boohoo, how offending by the first guy to do that! /s
Nowin ยท -13 points ยท Posted at 06:15:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is it possible your male coworker told them you aren't really involved?
Mia-kulpa ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 06:56:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Naw, I work very closely with our HR business partners, and it's large enough company that there would be very very serious repercussions. Plus I was introduced as the reporting line to the position, and the hr person the hr person.
Nowin ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:55:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You seem a bit put off by the respect automatically granted to your male colleagues. I would be very wary of working for you as you seem to have a bit of a chip on your shoulder.
Mia-kulpa ยท 112 points ยท Posted at 01:03:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not the respect granted to my male colleagues at all, I promise. It was the instant dismissal of me that irked me. I'm asking a question - he's directing his answer to someone else. As a line manager, I had to let someone go, his reaction is disbelief until confirmed by my male colleague.
I try to foster a team (i lead a team of 30+ people) environment of tolerance and respect at all times. We are too deadline driven and pressured to be able to operate in any other kind of environment.
notalife ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 01:21:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What an ass. You have a right to be pissed off.
mrshulgin ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 02:33:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought he was trolling until I looked at his history. Luckily I've never met one like him in real life.
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 03:36:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what a sad existence that person must have. seriously.
Not that I've ever led a team of 30+ folks by any stretch, but I worked in an electronics store for three years, and I grew particularly fond of the camera department; I taught myself a lot of shit in said department. I came across several male customers that would straight up ask me if there was a male associate that they could speak to. I grew tired of it eventually and started handing them off and waiting for the male associate to come over to me with a question. It became a game eventually.
Not that I knew everything there was to know about the store. Just try asking me a tv question.
Same thing happened to me when I was working in a hardware store. A male customer was walking around looking confused. I asked him if he needed help, he kind of smirked and asked where something was. I told him the aisle it was on. He nodded and didn't go in the direction I pointed. Moments later a male associate walks by (who happened to be new and didn't know where anything was.) The customer proceeds to ask him about the same item. The new employee walks up to me asking if I knew were it was. I say it's still on the aisle that I told the guy it was on less than two minutes ago and walked off.
My sister used to get the same. It ended up as a game, and the other employees knew what was happening when she would ask for a man over the radio. She was one of the store supervisors.
Yeah, this kind of stuff happened to me at a toy store. Men would refuse help with choosing a bike for a child, and many would ask for a male associate for help with Star Wars stuff (I would always direct them to the stoner guy who had no interest in Star Wars because it was funny to get them angry).
Mia-kulpa ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 01:27:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually I was going to edit my previous post, but got pulled away to put out a fire. I will never ever confess to knowing everything. I don't. Not by a long shot. That's why I hire subject matter experts to get the best results for the company.
BUT skills can be taught. If they're proactive, I can put them on courses, offer the knowledge that I have, partner them with mentors if they lack the skills, it's the culture fit, and getalongability within a team environment that can't be taught. well not quickly.
misskass ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 04:02:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being asked once if 'any of the boys' knew the answer to a question a customer had about buying PSN credit in the department store I worked in. At the time I owned a PS2/3/Vita, I knew what I was doing.
mrshulgin ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 02:30:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So, in your world, when someone asks you a question you turn to the person next to them to answer it?
Xannin ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 04:48:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why shouldn't someone of a particular level expect the same level of respect as all of their peers? I would be wary of working under a woman who was OK with being disrespected like that.
I'm shy and socially anxious but I know how to behave professionally. Not answering someone's question, especially if it's because they're female is very un professional. You are expected to work with people of both sexes and that's it, the world isn't going to accomodate some men's shyness around female superiors.
Faeruun ยท 164 points ยท Posted at 04:28:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went to an interview,
funny thing is on my way, I got knocked by a big metal parking bar which I didnt see who struck me down on the ground, hit me right in the chest, could not breathe for 20 minutes,
I miserably crawled to the interview, panting and spoke with the guy feeling half dead,
then after the interview, went to the emergencies,
one week later, I was told I got the job
[deleted] ยท 238 points ยท Posted at 04:35:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
mighty1u2 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:19:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My sister is a nurse, and was interviewing for a job at a blood lab. One of the interview questions was, "are you OK with the sight of blood". Her answer was, "I gut my own deer". She got the job.
I used to work for a law firm and one day a girl came in for an interview wearing jeans, tank top, and thin sandals. She was slouched down in her seat the entire time during the interview.!She actually seemed really smart, just a little....out of touch with reality?
cakez_ ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 12:18:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
On an opposite note, I recently went to an interview for a Junior .NET Developer position for a huge corporation, looking all ready for business, decent make-up and trying to act super professional. My interviewers were wearing shorts and band t-shirts and so did the other people who were there for interviews. It's not bad, it just felt weird but in a good way.
Best part? I got the job and I get to wear my band tees at work. :)
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:10:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Positions like that are much more about how skilled you are, whereas a lot of business positions can really be filled by anyone, so they're more just looking to see how well you "play the game".
Developers are probably one of the only positions where even grunts are treated with some kind of dignity.
[deleted] ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 02:22:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if serious or Erin Brockavich reference...
.... you dress up for class? To be fair, I feel like people did that for the first day and then it all drops afterwards. I mean even on my first day I went in gym shorts and tank top because of the heat.
[deleted] ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 06:19:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:43:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He meant "She is known as 'Could, of Been-High.'" You know, Been-High, that town over by Schenectady? Or Really-Tired, close to Albany.
[deleted] ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 10:56:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
One of my younger coworkers came into work wearing flip flops last summer.
It's not like she's trashy or dumb - she's actually really pretty and has two master's degrees.
TryGo202 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:24:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you're smart and get the work done who gives a shit if you're wearing open toe shoes? Unless you're working in hazardous conditions or a customer facing job..
I really don't understand this about corporate culture
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:12:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because people don't like to question the status quo -- especially once they become part of it.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:00:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
cultural differences, maybe? flip flops are normal attire in many warm places.
Interviewing for a Director of Nursing position, the candidate absolutely knocked the phone interview out of the park; she was exactly what we were looking for. At the end of phone interviews, I always remind candidates about what to have prepared for their in-person interview (obvious stuff - have multiple copies of your resume, dress appropriately, no jewelry or perfume, the usual). She was friendly, and we joked a bit about how on earth some people show up to interviews looking inappropriate.
When she showed up for her in-person interview, she was drunk, her knee-high stockings were rolling down (her dress was above her knees anyway, she should have been wearing regular pantyhose), and reeked of cigarette smoke.
TL;DR- I will never again underestimate how completely oblivious people are to their own faults.
misskass ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 04:25:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No jewellery or perfume? I've never been advised to not wear jewellery, and I'm always wearing silver rings/bracelets/a necklace. I do try to avoid showing my ears though, since I have three piercings per ear, which isn't necessarily considered professional.
In Nursing you're supposed to wear absolutely minimal jewelry(wedding band) because it can become a danger to yourself(psych patient choking you out with your necklace or ripping your earrings out) or other patients(jewelry has tons of micro spaces that bacteria love to gather in). Perfume, cologne, or other scents are supposed to be absent or minimal as they can upset patients who are sensitive to odors due to sickness, medications, etc. This normally also applies for interviews and orientation and people in managing positions.
I just got a job on a med surg floor and as a guy my formal interview recommendation and orientation dress both listed no perfume/cologne, jewelry except watch with a second hand and wedding band, fake or painted nails, and a few other misc things.
kroxywuff ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 15:32:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's basically because in a hospital setting a patient can come in who is asthmatic and your perfume/cologne will set them off.
Even in biomed research, if you work with animals you don't wear cologne or perfume.
scm96 ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 05:15:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think simple stuff is usually fine, but you know some people take accessorizing to a whole new level. I've seen young girls show up at interviews with five bracelets on each arm.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 07:16:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think it's a nursing thing - jewelry is a minimum, see /u/scm96's comment. I just wanted to add that hospitals are usually scent-free zones, as well. Anyone in a position to become a Director of Nursing would likely know that these things are generally not accepted.
Former staffing recruiter from Idaho here... don't get me wrong, I love Idaho and have lived here most of my life but we have some serious rednecks here. I called and set up and interview with this guy a few days out and immediately regretted it. I had to explain to him exactly what a temp agency is and EXACTLY where we were located (he was living almost an hour away from our office). So about 15 minutes before his interview I get a phone call from his wife (who at the time I thought was his 9 year old son) and she's trying to figure out where to go. I'm on the phone with them trying to be polite and all of a sudden I hear her say "WHY ARE YOU TURNING INTO THE GAS STATION?!" which, he replies with "I HAVE TO TAKE A FUCKING LEAK!" Then she responds with "WE ARE ALREADY LATE!" then... without missing a beat he says "SO THAT MEANS I CAN'T TAKE A MOTHERFUCKING PISS? GOD FUCKING DAMN."
They finally arrive 10 minutes late and they are dressed like they just walked out of a trailer trash convention. I call him back to interview him and his wife comes with him and i have to politely say "this is a private interview, I'm sorry but you'll have to wait in the lobby" so she responds with "so... does that mean I can't be in here?" Long story short, he wasn't qualified for any of the jobs I had open and wouldn't stop calling me once a week for over 2 months.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 08:54:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
jkersey ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:46:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was scared one of my hopeless interviews was going to be on this post (I live in Boise). Thank god it wasn't. Being young and inexperienced caused me issues for a couple months.
A girl I was interviewing had her phone on the table. During the middle of the interview it rang and she answered it. She freaking answered the phone and looked me in the eyes to tell the other person they were in a job interview.
I just asked one more question which was,"do you have any further questions for me."
To which the reply was,"I didn't get the job did I?"
lime_boy6 ยท 88 points ยท Posted at 05:55:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of the time I called my mate.
Me: hey whats up
Mate: im in a job interview at the moment.
Me: You fucking idiot, you answered your phone in a job interview?
Mate: I got to go.
abedneg0 ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 08:22:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed a guy who got a phone call during the interview, answered it, then turned to me and said: "Sorry, I'm going through a messy divorce." Then he walked out of the room for 15 minutes. I was just sitting there, twiddling my thumbs and looking at him talking on the phone through the door. Good times...
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:26:51 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It sounds like you probably have a job. You bring just what you should bring. for the love of all that is holy people, please at least silence your phones before you come in for an interview. I silence mine while I have interviewees set time set aside to meet with me.
I once had an applicant show up half an hour late to a midday interview in a sweaty, smelly leather leotard, high heels, and visibly unwashed hair. She insisted that she wanted the job... but only for a few months because she liked to jump around from job to job so she wouldn't get bored. I was not impressed.
nellirn ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 18:15:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Where does one purchase a leather leotard? I am reeling here..
Interviewee: " I just got out of jail. It was nothing serious, I just beat my girlfriend. Sometimes you have to smack a bitch, you know what I mean."
Me: OK well have a good day.
butt_puke ยท 201 points ยท Posted at 22:51:30 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The application says "have you ever been convicted of a felony? (Answering yes will not automatically disqualify you)" and they wrote I WILL EXPLAIN IN MY INTERVIEW!! We arent allowed to ask about it at all. Thats all they wanted to talk about.
[deleted] ยท 30 points ยท Posted at 00:22:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well what was it?? Did it have a good explanation?
[deleted] ยท 44 points ยท Posted at 00:39:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This kind of sucks, I see why companies do it , but say it was something stupid like she sold weed when she was 19 and was charged. Now shes 30, has a college degree and is an upstanding member of society. Shes barred for life from making anything over minimum wage? Idk I understand it, but its just a shitty situation.
"She told me she was 19" the person being interviewed was saying they had relations with a minor who misled them as to their age, not that they themselves committed a mistake when they were younger.
I completely thought it was an applicant that was 19 wow "right over head". But the comment still stands about instantly getting rid of felons off the bat.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:03:16 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They don't, though. The problem is, in an economy where they get a lot of applicants, there's bound to be someone with similar or better qualifications and no felony record.
Steavee ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:11:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair this was a tip we gave a lot of ex-felons. A lot of employers will see X felony on an application and not call you in for an interview, at least this way you can put yourself in front of the interviewer, explain yourself rationally, and also take time to talk about what you can bring to the position. Getting TO the interview is a major goal in and of itself when you are a felon.
It only works if you can interview decently though.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:17:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a shit situation when you're branded for life and then people get on your case for not trying to better yourself.
Kind of hard when we set people up for failure right out of prison.
eratoast ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:52:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeeeep. My stepbrother was arrested for possession (literally half a joint) when he was 17 and received a felony for his troubles. Unfortunately, because of that, no one would hire him for the longest time. He finally got a construction job within the past couple of years.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:27:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's funny how people roll with these zero tolerance laws. If everyone followed through on those, Obama would've never gotten near any political office, let alone the presidency.
eratoast ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:20:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It really sucks now that pot is decriminalized where he lives.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:56:37 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Average just-say-no republican: "That would have been terrrrrrible!"
cdc194 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:07:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
beefwich ยท 535 points ยท Posted at 00:22:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As a senior in high school, I worked as an assistant manager of a pet store. The general manager left early one day and, about 45 minutes after his departure, a young woman came in claiming she was there for an interview.
I called my GM and asked him if he had forgotten about the interview-- to which he informed me that it had been scheduled for three hours prior. He thought she had blown the interview off. He told me to tell her to come back tomorrow at the same time and he'd give her another shot.
I relayed the message and she said okay, seemingly disaffected by the message. She sat there, in the front of the store on a stacked display of dog food, for 2 hours. Every time I asked her if she was alright, she told me she was waiting on her ride.
This girl was a mess. She looked like the offspring of a human and a Vietnamese potbelly pig. Her forehead was fat-- not big like Rihanna or Christina Ricci-- fat. It actually drooped over her eyebrow ridge and punctuated every expression she made with an air of sluggishness.
My manager called back and I let him know the girl was still sitting in the store. He told me to go into the office and grab the corporate binder that had contained the boilerplate interview questions. If she seemed like she wasn't an absolute mongoloid, he'd follow up the next day with a brief phone interview.
Long story short, here are some brief snippets of things she said and did in the interview:
Admitted she did not have a car and had no real plan for how she would be getting to work. When I suggested a bus, she reacted like she had not even considered it ("Oh, yeah! That would work!")
Admitted she didn't like animals and didn't really want to handle any-- but she would if "we forced her." We went around a couple times after I explained that no one would "force" her to do anything-- she wasn't indentured.
Answered her cell phone during the interview. Apparently her ride had finally showed up.
(And I don't know why this one sticks with me so much) Asked no fewer than a dozen questions about guinea pigs. "Are those dogs? Why do they call them pigs? So they aren't pigs? Are they like rabbits? So they're like really big hamsters? Why do they live in those little igloos? Why does that one have curly hair but the other one doesn't?"
Raschwolf ยท 228 points ยท Posted at 01:13:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is probably the saddest case of generic stupidity I've heard in a while....
Ehhh, I think this one might actually extend into the medical side of stupidity. I'm thinking she's either somewhere on the autism spectrum, or is a little light on the chromosome count.
Your timeline is backwards. This was actually the medical term for various forms of "intellectual infirmities."
Now it mostly just means "I like using anachronistic terms". And it's not just another word for "retard"; it's considered even more offensive (if you're into that kind of thing), due to having pejorative connotations against both a mental condition as well as a culture.
TL;DR -- This is a very old timey word that is really offensive. You're safer for using "retard" in terms of condemnation, though no more excused for it in general.
For a follow up, look up an old Disney short (based on a much older book by the same name) called "Pigs is Pigs".
Not only did the author tackle this issue, but he wrote a timeless tale of bureaucratic bungling that speaks to how corporations have always been the same... even in a hundred years ago.
Disney helped by putting the story to a catchy tune. Also by attaching their name to the story then, for added irony.
She looked like the offspring of a human and a Vietnamese potbelly pig. Her forehead was fat-- not big like Rihanna or Christina Ricci-- fat.
That combined with the behavior, this girl probably suffered from any number of mental disabilities.
Jesus, have some fucking heart.
beefwich ยท 50 points ยท Posted at 02:58:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There are countless people in the world who are both ugly and dumb and have nothing medically to blame. I'd counter by saying your automatic assumption that she was disabled because she falls below the midrange of the looks and intelligence curve is more offensive to people with actual disabilities than anything in my story.
No, if she was ugly and dumb, no big deal. But you specifically pointed out her forehead, which is a telltale indicator for several mental disabilities.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:43:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Okay, I asked Google and I can't find anything other than BDD. What mental disabilities is it a tell-tale indicator of?
Christ, the poor girl most likely had mental disabilities as evidenced from her large forehead. Show a bit of compassion rather than making fun of her.
[deleted] ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 14:46:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:18:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It does kind of sound like downs syndrome or something similar though.
I really liked your story. But I sincerely wonder just one thing: where did your choice for using "mongoloid" came from?
Was this a quote from your manager, per chance?
It's just that I've honestly never seen that term outside of the antique medical books I have. (Admittedly, you'll see anything sooner or later on the internet.)
beefwich ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:39:07 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a term that my mother used when she referred to mentally challenged people and it stuck with me throughout my life.
My Hungarian aunt referred to her Handicap Pass that hangs on the mirror as a "retard sticker." She was translating the Hungarian literally. "Handicap" exists too, but it implies a choice, while the word for cripple/retard (which is the same for both in Hungarian) indicates that you're disadvantaged without any such choice.
It made for many an awkward moment getting out of the car, parked in a blue spot, in the front of the grocery store, only for her to exclaim loudly in a thick, but always understandable accent, "OH NO! I forgot deh REE-TARRD STIHKERR!!" So many heads would whip around.
jrrrd92 ยท 354 points ยท Posted at 04:16:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm always amazed when I hire a kid (high school kids typically) after the interview goes average/fairly well, only to have the parent(s) call and ask me about stuff like scheduling and general questions that any kid should be able to call their employer about. The shit is ridiculous. PARENTS: stop doing this shit. It seriously makes me hate your kid.
edit: I can't believe my most upvoted comment yet is about high school kids with helicopter parents.
[deleted] ยท 114 points ยท Posted at 06:01:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My mum did that and my new boss told me that he nearly didn't hire me because of it
Koras ยท 113 points ยท Posted at 09:39:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a teenager I went for a job and I had to REPEATEDLY stop my mum from calling them to ask questions that I'd forgotten to ask but didn't really care about (things like breaks etc that I figured I'd find out when I got there, I just wanted the job). Was a constant battle to try and stop her from ruining my chances >.<
Good grief - the only time my parents ever got involved in my career aspirations (other than supporting my computing habit - Thanks Mom!) was a drive to an interview three towns over during a blizzard when I hadn't had more than a smattering of snow experience. They sat out in the car the entire time.
Actually, that's probably one of the ones I lost, but mostly for not being prepared. It was a CAD internship for a tradeshow booth manufacturer turning 2D hand drawings into 3D models. I wasn't told this by the co-op office at my school, so didn't print out any of my CAD portfolio. Fucking plotters took YEARS back then.
Was the Winter of '92/93 - I definitely had a lot of driving in snow experience by the end of THAT winter. :-/
Ah parents...when I got my first job out of college, my mother pestered me for the phone number to the office, "in case of emergencies." I had a feeling it would be a bad idea to give it to her, but I did anyway.
Well, the next day, my boss pokes her head into the reception area to let me know that my mom is on the phone. She was polite about it, but I could tell she was peeved. What was this emergency my mother called about? She wanted to know if I was going to be home for dinner. Luckily, I only had to give her a talking-to that one time to get her to knock that off.
No, she'd never worked in a professional environment. She'd been a SAHM all my life.
jrrrd92 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:08:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
haha that makes the original situation a little bit more understandable.
frizzykid ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:54:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Part of the thing about getting a job is so you make money so you can be more independent, why would a parent think its ok for them to call you like you're their 3rd grade teacher or something
jrrrd92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:50:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly my thoughts everytime I answer the phone and the conversation starts with "Hi, I'm incapable kid's parent..."
As someone who had helicopter parents, sometimes it's not the kids fault. My Dad would straight up pretend to be me on the phone. I'd show up to work and get told that I'd already been given information over the phone. Information that my Dad would then text to me to let him be the hero or just consider "not important."
It took years, and I mean YEARS to get him to stop.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:14:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You should probably have information going home to parents if you are hiring minors. I was given that at every job I was hired for as a minor and give it to people I hired as well.
This is bizarre to me as my parents even refused to speak to my teacher's for me. They always forced me to screw up some courage and talk to adults myself. Want to quit band? You have to go tell the band instructor yourself. You think the teacher gave you an unfair grade? Go make your own case to him.
jrrrd92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:45:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Based off the small amount of knowledge I have about your parents, they seem great. Please thank them for me
Not a chance. If you want to thank them, you gotta be a man and do it yourself.
jrrrd92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:54:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You passed the test.
blamb211 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:02:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The most my parents did in helping me get a job is take me to Target on my 16th birthday a week after I had applied, and stood there while I asked to speak to a manager, then asked for an interview. Why they were so insistent I got a job the day I turned 16, I have no clue, I got to keep all the money I made, family was doing just fine, they were just very insistent. Oh well, got some money to play with in high school, that was pretty sweet.
To be fair, the parents are probably making sure that you're not exploiting their kid. Not a lot of kids know their rights or would stand up for themselves.
Not sure if you are kidding, or a parent defending their practice of overbearing "protection".
Ninbyo ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:26:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They could just you know... teach them that stuff at home so they can stand up for themselves. It's a lot better than having them completely reliant on their parents, but then I guess some parents want them to be. Helicopter parents are just setting their kids up for failure, you're raising a future adult, not a permanent child. They need to learn to stand on their own and deal with their problems themselves eventually.
waggytalk ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:23:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
that's why you teach them that. You do not call the office.
There is NO good reason for a parent to be doing this for a kid. A parents job (well one of them) is to teach the child to be a productive and independent person.
jrrrd92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:03:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No. Unfortunately, that is definitely not the case. They are literally calling to see when the kid is starting or when they work next
Ah that would be frustrating. But having the parent discuss some employment terms at the start isn't necessarily a bad thing and I had a horribly overprotective parent. Not that many young teens would understand if they're being exploited.
I cant believe your highest voted comment is 200 points and you felt the need to edit and tell everyone.
jrrrd92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:54:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can't believe it's not butter_stuff_pirate
[deleted] ยท 162 points ยท Posted at 00:20:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work at petsmart, and one of the questions is if you could be any animal what would it be? He said he would be a turtle because he's always really slow and he's never in a rush.....
When I was 16 I had an interview at Chuck E Cheese. They asked that same question and I said "a cat. They spend a lot of time sleeping and generally doing nothing and I can relate to that."
meh2you2 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 04:53:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a candidate who brought his wife to the interview. We had no idea because he left her to hang out on the first floor of the building. This was a multi floor office building with shops and stuff on the first floor. About 1/2 hour into the interview she came up to our lobby, announced she was bored and asked us to cut the interview short so he could drive her home. This was for a pretty high level management-type position. We were appalled. He did not get the job.
Seems a shame to not hire a guy for a job he was qualified for because his wife is stupid and made a dumb mistake. He left her in the lobby and didn't bring her in with him. Like you said, you didn't even know she was there until she showed up. Her stupidity cost him the job, not his own. Wonder what that car ride home was like for them?
It certainly wasn't too clever of him to bring her in the first place. If he's married to this woman, he must know she's like that. I believe he was 100% at fault and it shows he doesn't have great judgement.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:01:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He just kind of acted like it was a normal thing and left. She treated the situation like he was a little kid playing at a friend's house and it was time to go home. That was the tone she took. It was obvious that she didn't respect what he was doing, and we felt that if he was going to let her dictate how the job interview went, then he was going to let her dictate how he did the job.
Oh yeah, for sure. I can imagine everyone at your office working late to meet a deadline, and he'd be like "well, wife says I have to go home now, good luck."
She probably wouldn't give him permission for that.
themcp ยท 86 points ยท Posted at 01:41:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiring for a database programmer who would work closely with other programmers and the business people to design and implement software. I selected one particular application for an interview because she seemed to have a lot of experience and had a good cover letter.
The applicant showed up and was able to speak only very rudimentary courtesy phrases in English, otherwise she spoke chinese. She brought us a letter from her translator explaining that he had done her resume and cover letter for her, and that she comes with superb references from china.
Nobody else in the organization spoke chinese. The job description required "excellent communication skills".
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 07:31:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The job description required "excellent communication skills".
You wrote that part in English, right? Common rookie mistake.
When one of our data analysts gave notice, the company asked me to pitch in part-time and do the more vital parts of her job for a while until they could replace her. So they send me over to learn the job before her 2 week notice was up.
This woman was Chinese and spoke very bad English. That was fine - she spoke well enough to make herself understood most of the time, but her work ethic sucked. For one thing, the databases she was in charge of were a mess. She had taken them over from whoever wrote them, and never fixed or improved anything, because "No one told me to." Unless her supervisor explicitly told her to do something, "That not my job."
Unfortunately during her 2 week notice, the supervisor was out of the office, so without anyone to tell Jin what to do, she was completely uncooperative with me. There was some written documentation created by her predecessor that needed a little more detail and some clarification which I asked her to please update so I could use it after she was gone.
"I not your secretary" was her answer. Finally she got so belligerent that they asked her to leave. I managed to figure out the job and spent a good year fixing up the process to make it simpler, faster, and more accurate (that's right, they never did replace her so I was doing her job and my original job, with no pay raise), and I updated that documentation.
But here's the kicker: her new job didn't work out, surprise surprise, and she contacted our company again to ask if there were any positions open. Not bloody likely!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:57:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Job descriptions "require" a lot of things.
themcp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:58:11 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. And sometimes they require them. An applicant should be able to infer from the tasks described that at least some of the skills are actually needed.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:50:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That would be a painful interview
themcp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:59:57 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Very. She seemed really sweet, and she had suffered severe facial scarring as a child, so we had a lot of sympathy for her as a person. Also, as she was both asian and female, HR was really pushing me hard to hire her once they saw I'd selected her to interview. I hated having to turn her down, but it was really clearly the only possible choice, and then HR made it much more painful by harassing me about it. It was awful.
Not for where I work. Ive been explicitly told by the store manager to ignore the customer and continue on with my work. We get drilled into our head to be insanely friendly when helping customers but then we get told to do the absolute bare minimum.
I worked in a bookstore where we were technically supposed to help the customers, but there wasn't much we could do. It was a big used book store, and we didn't have an inventory system. If you looked in Classics and didn't find the Great Gatsby, sorry. You can try looking everywhere else, but all I can do is point at classics.
The only time we were really any help was for recommendations, especially for children's books. Although half the time it was "your grandson's 7? Has he read Harry Potter? No? Get him Harry Potter."
I work at a supermarket chain in australia (if you guess. Youve got a 50/50 chance of getting it right!) Packing shelves on a casual basis.
Ive had elderly women ask me where something is. Our policy and our motto and shit is to give you insanely good service so we dont lose you as a customer to somewhere cheaper. So I do all the pleasentries. Take them to exactly where the product is. If its out of stock I go to the back and actually look for it. Dig through piles of backstock to try and find the product you would like (note this only happens maybe once a week and doesnt take me any more than 5 minutes) then if I cant find it and its on sale I write a raincheck for you and tell you to have a happy day / night w/e.
Except ill get bitched at by the person in charge every step of the way because they dont actually do any fucking work yet their hours are included on the required hours to fill the load so everyone has to work above the safety limit just to work around the asshat in charge doing nothing.
Woo tangents.
Raschwolf ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 01:07:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's got to suck. The sad thing is, in a properly functioning team, that's how things are supposed to work. But the interview has to be answered differently, for virtually no reason at all.
I've worked in retail for 10 years. Your first second and third priorities are customers. You are cleaning the store for the customers. You are doing inventory to make sure you have products for the customers. You are changing price tags to keep them coherent for customers.
If you are engaged with a customer you coworker shouldnt even be asking for help. Unless someone is actively shoplifting, committing some other crime, or some other emergency is happening, your coworker has no business interrupting your engagement, and it should be ignored. After you finish ignoring it, he needs to have it explained that it is not okay to interrupt someone helping a customer.
The trick with bullshit questions like this is that any answer is a bad answer. They're not asking for you to prioritize. The question is really just "can you politely not say anything is more important".
Good answers to this usually run along the lines of "making sure a customer gets the best service possible is always important, but I would never leave a coworker struggling with a task they couldn't complete alone."
NOTE - this is primarily for corporate bullshit interviews. If you're interviewing with a smaller retail business, odds are you're talking to a non-robot who has actual opinions on this topic, and unfortunately at that point you'll probably have to give a real answer.
In general, I like "I'd do whatever seemed most important, but I'd never leave a customer unassisted, even if I needed to ask someone else to help them". In my opinion, this is is accurate - there might be things more important than YOU helping that specific customer, but there's nothing more important than SOMEONE helping that customer.
Or until they bring you in to do another technical test in person. As most big tech companies do.
l_2_the_n ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:02:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's theoretically possible to have someone else interview for you in person too. You probably won't interact with your recruiter or interviewers again once you start the job. Not sure if anyone has ever been audacious enough to do it though.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:27:57 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's theoretically possible to have someone else interview for you in person too. You probably won't interact with your recruiter or interviewers again once you start the job.
I don't know if you've only worked for strange companies in the past or if you have no experience and are just making things up, but in 20+ years of working in tech I have literally never heard of someone being hired for a job where they didn't have an interview with the manager that they would be reporting to, and in most cases at least a quick interview with some subset of the team members that they would be working with.
l_2_the_n ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:29 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Last year I had 3 tech company offers. For 2 of them including Google, I met the managers over the phone, after I already had an offer. For the last one, I didn't meet the manager at all. So I could have gotten someone else to pass my interviews and get me an offer, then talk to the managers myself.
You have way more experience than me, but I still think that in some interview pipelines, it would be possible.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 01:23:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How would you interview someone for the job?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:26:05 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've heard that some candidates also pay someone to take their phone interview for them.
Yup. I've had this happen before. I've had people pass the phone interview who could speak in perfect English, and then when they come in for the office interview be practically unintelligible. Apparently some Indians assume that white people can't tell Indians apart.
I've also had the person on the phone obviously googling answers to questions. After the second or third question I would also google the question that I asked, and then as they were reading their answer I would start reading it out loud with them, matching them word for word. That made the point pretty quickly.
I've had phone interviewees for positions that were clearly posted as "H1-B not available for this position" where they would give me a phone number in the local area code that clearly was forwarding over Skype or some other VOIP service to (presumably) another country, judging by the poor call quality.
How is that cheating? Sounds like standard operating procedure for most technical jobs I've worked in.
I find the ability to find the answer is more important than simply knowing it, because nobody knows everything.
Most decent companies aren't looking for someone to fill the gap between Google and their codebase. They want someone who can break down an abstract problem, figure out what sort of solution best fits it, and then start the Googling for the bits they don't understand. If Google is necessary for an interview, either the question is too esoteric, or the candidate sucks.
[deleted] ยท 153 points ยท Posted at 00:33:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:48:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I really don't understand why people are peeved they can't use the internet during an interview. Sure, you can use it during a job, but an interview is more poking at your fundamentals, your communication skills (communicating your thought process), and your problem solving abilities. Googling things works for a decent number of things but for a lot of stuff no amount of googling is going to help you and you have to be able to not only solve it on your own (or attempt to solve it) but communicate the entire process to your co-workers/boss.
The point being made is that it shouldn't be weird to look up the answer to a question about your job because that's what you'll be spending a large portion of your working time doing. Why is it considered bad to look things up while you're being assessed on your ability to do a job in which you need to be good at looking things up?
Uhmm...I bring my laptop to every interview?! Go through some code together, explain why you did certain things in this particular way. Maybe even go for a little coding challenge (and for sure show off that I don't mind to use google and similar to get my solution...after all that's a huge part of your problem solving skill)...def better than just to talk through theoretically stuff IMO
blaghart ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 01:51:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But most engineering SOP involves knowing where to find the answer to your question, not knowing the answer intrinsically. Technical questions in interviews should be simple enough that looking them up online wouldn't be feasible because of the variety of answers, at least if your intention to test problem solving skills is accurate.
Doesn't matter, engineers will sometimes deal with problems that were never solved before, they need to know how to approach those kind of problems, and not only find a solution, but also be able to document and explain the solution and why it is correct.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:01:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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DFP_ ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 06:13:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There is a difference between looking up stuff to help you out and just plagiarizing a response. In this case it sounds like the guy just read an answer to the question. The point of interview questions is more to know the thought process than anything else.
Fine for tech support, not for programmer/developer/sysadmin
missblit ยท 58 points ยท Posted at 00:03:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Programmers/developers/sysadmins look stuff up all the time.
Just not usually in the middle of an interview!
[deleted] ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 00:27:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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frojoe27 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:42:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We were encourage to bring our own laptops so we would be familiar with the environment, use whatever language we were most comfortable with, and use whatever resources we needed to for the tech interview at my current job.
A much better approximation of how people actually work in my opinion.
t90fan ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 10:04:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You don't bring your computer to an interview.
I did at mine, we were asked to so we could do the programming bits in our own editors etc..
[deleted] ยท 73 points ยท Posted at 00:02:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can we not give the interviewer the benefit of the doubt and assume he wasn't asking questions that should be looked up, but instead was asking questions that should be general knowledge for the job?
A programmer who never looks stuff up on Google is a programmer who never learns that someone somewhere has run into the exact same problem they have, found a perfect answer and gleefully kept it to themselves.
The bastards.
KeyBenji ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 00:04:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If it was a question relating to a void method, it would've been pointless for the guy to Google it because the search would not return any results.
akaioi ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 00:09:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, but he'll always remember that a call can have side effects.
A lot of times the API documentation is not sufficient so I need to find someone online who's dealt with the same problem before.
Kaidaan ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 04:33:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Programing is a lot of people having the same problem over and over until someone puts the solution into a framework... Then people have problems with the framework
That's why for some programming, it just feels like frameworks all the way down.
sloansta ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:32:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly my point, we research a lot.
Koras ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:02:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I write awful code in my spare time (shoutouts to thousands of nested if statements) to make games, but I learned the hard way without the internet I have no idea what the correct syntax is for basically anything and everything falls apart >.> I am definitely not a programmer.
Did they also insist the code run perfectly first time when fed into a hand cranked Babbage Difference engine?
hugganao ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:23:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm pretty sure it wasn't some IT job but a programming job. software engineering interviews are pretty damn serious when it comes to knowing their shit.
brwbck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:17:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Last time I interviewed, I was given a question I didn't know the answer to, but knew it would be relatively easy to find the answer with Google.
Rather than Googling it then being deceptive by pretending I knew the answer, I said "I do not know the answer, but it's something I could find on Google in a few minutes."
My future boss's reply to that was "Good answer."
What I did was what a technical person should do. Pretending you just magic'd the answer when you didn't really know it it just flat out fucking lying.
Bodark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:33:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like I've interviewed that same guy. Just a couple of months ago.
In his case, it turns out that his tons of MPLS experience amounted to paying a carrier to install and manage an L3VPN service that linked their branch sites back to the mothership. "So, when might I be interested in RSVP for signaling instead of LDP?" (Clickety clackety for about 10 seconds) "I think it has something to do with LSPs."
I interviewed someone who got a lot of answers wrong or answered "I haven't worked with that before". I suggested hiring her because her reasoning skills up to the answer were very good. She's been a rockstar since we hired her. Tech interviews are like a math test, right answers with no explanation might still get you an 'F' while wrong answers with good work shown can get you a passing grade.
Actually it's the universal standard because somebody did it once, and interviewers are compelled by some kind of gypsy curse to repeat every bad interview question they've ever heard.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:18:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I was to hypothetically be in a technical phone interview, and you asked me a technical question, and I wasn't too sure of the answer, maybe knew a little bit of the material due to either the lack of knowledge or nervousness (or such), what would be the best way to answer it?
Would it be better to give a little warning like "Hmm, I'm not too sure, my best solution would most likely be to _____" to not look like stupid if my answer was completely off, or should I exhibit confidence and risk the chance that I'll look like stupid when my answer was completely off?
Think through it and give it your best shot. If it's an interview you studied for, you should have some idea. It may not be the most efficient or the best solution but it's something. You can optimize later
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 07:02:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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noman2561 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 03:40:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I were interviewing over the phone and the candidate didn't use the available resources, I'd be disappointed. You can't expect an engineer to memorize every equation. What a disaster if they just go off memory and build an infrastructure like that. I'd rather have the engineer that always second-guesses even the best solution. If you're putting them in a position that doesn't allow enough time for verification, you're not putting enough people on the job or giving them enough time. No job should be that time-sensitive if it has the proper backups. I've been across the table from interviewers like you and frankly I'm happy not to work for a company that would likely put me in too deep and then fire me because I couldn't keep up.
Ummm, im going to disagree I worked at Stratasys(MakerBot) as an engineering tech and know many managers who would have appreciated this.
hell, bill gates said it best
Unicrat ยท 272 points ยท Posted at 01:18:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've done some interesting interviews. Our positions are usually technical in nature, which means we do tend to get some candidates with unusual personalities. On paper the people we interview always look well qualified, but sometimes they get a little bit of help writing their resume, and sometimes the words on the paper just can't impart the full glory of their weirdness.
One guy turned up and was full on Rain Man autistic, but fat. As we call him to the interview room and he stands up, the bucket seat he's been sat in comes with him, firmly attached to his posterior which is wedged firmly into it. He won't take off his motorcycle anorak for the whole interview (he came on the train, not a motorcycle) and consequently he is sweating profusely throughout. Any time we ask him a question that he isn't expecting (i.e. most of them), he puts his head on the table, face down, and just sits in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time. Rephrasing the questions seems to draw a bit more out of him, but there's a lot of really awkward silences. At one point he gets particularly stressed and starts making a high-pitched buzzing noise.
Another guy
Q. How would your friends describe you?
A. I don't have any friends. (pause) I have a brother.
Q. OK, how would your brother describe you?
A. Weird.
Another guy answered the same question with the word "twisted"
Another guy told us he'd really rather be a builder, because he was a builder once, and he really enjoyed it and the money was better.
Another guy interviewed ok, we'd asked all our questions, given him an opportunity to ask any he had, and just wrapping up. Suddenly he interjects:
"No, no, no, no. We are not finished, yet." He launches into a monologue about how great he is and why we simply must employ him. As he draws to a close and we are breathing a sigh of relief, he then pulls out two sheets of paper, and starts reading the list of fifty or so questions he's written down, most of which we've already covered.
A question we sometimes use involves planning a response to an impending emergency. One recent female applicant decided that it was the morally correct thing to do to leave the most elderly, disabled and vulnerable people behind to die in the impending tidal wave because it would take additional effort and money to take them to safety and 'they don't contribute anything to society.'
Another girl spent five minutes telling us with an impressively oblivious level of pride about the illegal marketing activities she had been coordinating at her current place of work.
One recent female applicant decided that it was the morally correct thing to do to leave the most elderly, disabled and vulnerable people behind to die in the impending tidal wave
Is this a hyperbole or you really ask the question "If there was a tsunami headed towards our town, what would you do?" in job interviews? What field of work are you in?
He works at a factory that attaches aglets to the ends of shoe laces
17Hongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:05:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Their true purpose is sinister.
Koras ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 09:23:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They tried using this one a while back at a place I was working, they asked a bunch of people working there (who were the model of what they wanted to hire) and myself what they would do if they were the mayor in charge of a small coastal town that was due to be hit by a tidal wave.
Apparently we all gave fairly similar answers, so they basically graded it on similarity to the model answer. Purely some psychological bullshit designed to test how they think of solutions on the fly and whether they think the same way as people who already do the job. It was a pretty typical office, no disaster management involved.
they basically graded it on similarity to the model answer.
Oh okay, that reason gives me the creeps, because but how many realistic answers could there possibly be? If my answer was "I'd take out my magic wand and raise the level of the town 20 meters up so the wave can't reach us" I wouldn't get the job. It's like they're checking how robotic you are before they hire you.
Koras ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 09:43:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I thought it was pretty sketchy and profile-y...
To be fair though, the job was pretty much being an office robot (data entry, XML tagging etc), so probably not too far off.
mfigroid ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:13:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I live in a coastal city and my city has a plan for a tsunami strike. I would totally ace that question.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:57:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Yeah, if this is a emergency natural disaster situation..um run? Every man for himself. If its something else like plague outbreak or fire, then that's different...I guess. I suppose those things could be managed.
It could be a little hyperbolic, but questions of that kind are reasonable for people charged with disaster planning, e.g. senior IT staff, or really any kind of person who needs to deal with risk management.
Shikaka79 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:30:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We used to do this with the RAs at my college. Seeing the spectrum of answers was super entertaining, but we did it in a group setting and just paid attention to how they worked as a team and their methods at arriving at an answer. We didn't care who they killed, as long as they worked together. I can't imagine the reason for doing it in a one-on-one interview.
davvblack ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 04:53:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A question we sometimes use involves planning a response to an impending emergency. One recent female applicant decided that it was the morally correct thing to do to leave the most elderly, disabled and vulnerable people behind to die in the impending tidal wave because it would take additional effort and money to take them to safety and 'they don't contribute anything to society.'
What was the right answer? Such a weird question.
newamor ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 05:50:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I mean her answer is tasteless but I can't say her logic is COMPLETELY wrong. It at least shows she's pragmatic. :P
snorlz ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:15:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
its not really tasteless either. in any legitimate discussion for something like that this is a question you need to address. prioritization of resources is important
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:54:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Indeed, I definitely recall reading about how they did basically that for hospitals in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The reasoning behind it is they wanted to evacuate the maximum number people in as little time as possible.
They came back later to help the bedridden/etc people who couldn't walk themselves, and who needed more room on the rescue vehicles.
Unicrat ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:59:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There isn't a 'right' answer, the question is designed to find out a bit about how you think. So whether you're big picture, micromanager, whether you look to delegate effectively, how you break the problem down into smaller chunks. She is the only person we've met who decided right from the start to write off basically anyone who wasn't young and healthy with a driver's licence.
Aroha11 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In reality, whatever you say has virtually no relation to how you would really react in a case of disaster. People who never experienced this just don't know - and only find out when the disaster strikes.
realmei ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:18:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What was the actual question though? Maybe she understood it as a "all humanity is gonna die except for the few people you save" so she simply went for saving the healthiest people of reproductive age. It's actually very logical and pragmatic.
That's not true. "Elderly" tends to imply too old to work, "disabled" implies not able to do much, and "vulnerable" people may also be liabilities within workplaces.
The question is unnecessary and leaves room for inaccurate, biased judgment.
You could've put her on the spot to question her logic. The following answers would've been more telling.
Unicrat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:43:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We do follow up, there is always a discussion. As others have pointed out, the logic isn't necessarily wrong, but she was quite brutal, it was pretty much the first thing she decided.
6and7 ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 05:27:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, most emergency disasters you save people from most ambulatory (mobile) to least ambulatory. You can save more people that way, though it assumed you keep rescuing until everyone is saved or its too late.
A question we sometimes use involves planning a response to an impending emergency. One recent female applicant decided that it was the morally correct thing to do to leave the most elderly, disabled and vulnerable people behind to die in the impending tidal wave because it would take additional effort and money to take them to safety and 'they don't contribute anything to society.'
She's right, you know.
PTBRULES ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:04:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I believe sooo....
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:36:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A question we sometimes use involves planning a response to an impending emergency. One recent female applicant decided that it was the morally correct thing to do to leave the most elderly, disabled and vulnerable people behind to die in the impending tidal wave because it would take additional effort and money to take them to safety and 'they don't contribute anything to society.'
She sounds like she has the capitalist spirit, though.
If that's how you're doing your hiring, I can't say I'm that surprised you're coming back disappointed.
Other people have already pointed out the ridiculousness of asking about disaster planning for most jobs. But some of these other complaints seem even more unusual to me.
Like - the guy who'd really rather be a builder, who enjoyed it and liked the money - why's that a problem? Would you say the same if he would rather have been a professional football player? "The money's better and I really enjoyed the work!" And don't spout the nonsense about how he should have lied and said he'd much rather flip burgers for minimum wage (or whatever it is you happen to do) - employers getting whiny about perfectly reasonable people saying reasonable things like "I'd rather do this hard-working trade which I'm good at and get paid more" is why none of the people I'm currently interviewing are willing to tell me anything at all about themselves that isn't completely superficial. I just get lies all day about how people really, really want to work in our factory/office and find the idea of menial business admin work to be just delightful.
The same is true of the marketing girl. She doesn't know it's illegal, clearly! Her employers might be scumbags or just negligently allowing it to go ahead - who knows - but she's showing off her hard work and willingness to go the extra mile to get things done for the company. Can you really not relate to that? She needs a guiding hand, not a snarky forum post about her.
Unicrat ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:10:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for the reply, I will try and give my point of view as far as I can without divulging more than I should.
I'm by no means disappointed, we try and give people a chance even if they don't have the 'right' background or qualifications, and we have discovered some gems by doing this, but we do get some interesting candidates too.
The disaster planning question works really well for us, because it's hard for people to prepare for. I could ask you how you think, or how you tackled problems in the past relating to your job. Or I can watch how you tackle an entirely different problem than what you are used to and ask you why you're choosing one option over all the others. I'm not an HR person, so this may not be the right way to do things, but it has worked for us.
It's not a problem if the guy wants to be a builder, except that we have a massive shortage of builders here, and the pay would have been significantly more than that which the junior position he had applied for offered. I don't expect people to be in love with their jobs, but if you are telling me your dream job is one that you are qualified to do, pays more and there are ample vacancies around and there are no injuries or any other factors preventing you from doing that, I am doing you a disservice if I hire you. The type of dream does matter, we have a young man working for us at the moment who is a musician, signed to a label, very talented guy. If his career takes off, he will be gone, with my blessing, and this was apparent even before the interview stage, but right now he needs to earn a crust and he's good at what he does and we're happy to have him.
The marketing girl, realistically, if she doesn't know it's illegal, she doesn't know her field well enough for anything other than a very junior position. But even then, common sense would tell most people that the behaviour in question is unethical and not the sort of thing you should be boasting about.
Fair enough. Without any details I obviously can't say any of that doesn't make sense. Particularly the marketing one - it really does make a huge difference what she was doing and why! And of course, data protection - you probably can't tell us that.
I also guess you're in a very different part of the world to me - over here, construction work has been absolutely strangled to the point where there's not even any room for unpaid voluntary workers looking for works experience. We get people in all the time saying things like that - "I really wanted to be a builder", "I really wanted to be a plumber", and they make decent factory staff despite it not really being their goal.
Please tell more about "illegal marketing activities". Drug dealing or what?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depending on the job the girl that left the old people behind may be a good hire. Seems like she understands that sometimes you got to let a few smaller things go away to save the big thing.
People do not believe some of the personalities I work with. Highly specialized technical people are a strange bunch. Mostly good strange, but some just plain weird and a few that are actively terrible.
One recent female applicant decided that it was the morally correct thing to do to leave the most elderly, disabled and vulnerable people behind to die in the impending tidal wave because it would take additional effort and money to take them to safety and 'they don't contribute anything to society.'
You interviewed Ayn Rand?! Wow!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I read rain main autistic and was like wow this is gonna be bad.
Interviewing is the art of bullshitting and selling yourself. Don't lie on your resume or in the interview and as long as you just act normal your fine.
I can't tell you how many times asking them to rephrase the question has saved me from sitting there idly thinking. Gives you extra time to think and can help you answer it.
I've done so many interviews in my life that the hardest part for me now is actually training! Man thats when you really learn what you are getting into.
[deleted] ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 03:16:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He called me from a very noisy Starbucks, didn't have a pencil, paper, or computer on him, didn't want to reschedule, couldn't answer any technical question I asked him, and then asked to end the phone screen early so he could go see a movie. He still sends me updates to his resume from time to time.
LoIzords ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:50:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
2015-still looking for a job
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:50:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've done a few interviews like this and I can never figure out what people are thinking. I remember this one, a woman was sitting outside at a coffee shop next to a busy street. Between the traffic, the customers, and the occasional siren, it was next to impossible to hear her.
I once had a girl come into an interview entirely baked out of her skull. Being this was a low level tech support position and i was only running the technical interview, i really didnt care so long as her resume panned out and she seemed good fit.
I was generally excited as she knew linux and had a good grasp of networking and although very impared, she seemed like a greenlight. However, after about 20 minutesinto the interview, she pushed her chair back from the table and reclined to the full unlocked position and stared directly into the ceiling while still answered our questions quite accurately for another minute or two. I was generally impressed up until the point she just fell silent. I spoke up and repeated the question but only got a slight snore in response.
I asked the others to leave the room quitely and I pulled my chair out and sat outside waiting. It was an hour interview and didnt feel inclined to go back to work so i figured i would just sit in the hallway and respond to some email.
My patience paid off and after about 30 minutes she opened the door with a look on her face like she awoke in a zombie apocalypse. She apologized to me multiple times but to her credit didn't make any excuses and you could see the degection in her eyes as i walked her to the reception area.
It is really hard to find quality highers for a Tier 1 tech support position. Even with around 8 weeks of training and coaching we wash out 30% or so before 6 months and only about 50% last a year. I wish she wouldnt have fallen asleep as she seemed a really good candidate.
[deleted] ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 16:24:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tough job to fill, you are basically looking for skilled people who are too lazy to apply themselves
It isn't too far off of that. I look for people who are smart and skilled but haven't been given the opportunity to shine. I wouldn't say lazy but rather haven't had the ability to apply themselves.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:39:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe she had a legitimate condition?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:33:02 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It is really hard to find quality highers for a Tier 1 tech support position. Even with around 8 weeks of training and coaching we wash out 30% or so before 6 months and only about 50% last a year.
That's because it's an entry level job. People only take them to get their foot in the door or to get a little resume experience. They pay tends to be shit, and the working conditions usually aren't great. Anyone who shows any technical aptitude while doing the job very quickly moves up to tier 2 or takes a job with another company. That's the way entry level jobs work.
OTOH, if you find someone who is happy to do tier 1 tech support for several years then you know that there's probably something very wrong with them.
It isn't that fast of promotions at my company. You can expect to spend 2 years in tier 1 before getting promoted. Tier 1 pay is above entry level and bennifits are standard for high tech. We only speak to IT engineers so most customers are fairly knowledgeable and easy to work with. Some days are a beating but most days aren't.
However, there are a few guys that have been in Tier 1 for 10 years and you are spot on.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:32:17 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, but most people with aptitude wouldn't stay in tier 1 for two years. They'd get the experience and then jump ship to another form. If you spend more than a year in an entry level job you're screwing yourself and your earning potential, particularly in IT or tech sector jobs.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 20:06:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had an interview at a school about 75 min from my home. I decided to just do it as a practice interview. When I got the the principal took me for a tour, we saw nice classrooms and plenty of great resources. When she opened the door to the interview room, I was greeted with 12 more people sitting around several tables in a U shape. I though that was a bit ridiculous, so I had some fun with it. I made some jokes, kept people laughing. I think they thought I wasn't taking it seriously enough. But you put me in front of a 12 person commission? Yeah, I'm gonna be real serious...
snarfu ยท 193 points ยท Posted at 00:46:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Group interviews are the absolute WORST.
I've been interviewed by a panel of 4, but 12? Not necessary.
Jwpt ยท 43 points ยท Posted at 02:56:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like the standard school district bullshit I've heard of. Everybody and their mother is in on the hiring process.
snarfu ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 03:12:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Right? Let's let the whole department have a say!
Jwpt ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 03:29:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Plus two assistant principals, the principal, an assistant superintendent and for some reason a gym teacher!
newamor ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 06:04:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In my first and worst teaching position the principal agreed to let the overbearing parent volunteer who asked to sit in on interviews attend. I didn't even know he wasn't an employee until later - they mentioned he was a parent but I assumed they meant a faculty member who happened to have a kid who attended because he even had a badge. It was...one of many terrible administrative decisions over the (too many) years I spent at that school.
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 05:59:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:22:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But at the same time?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:19:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
wtf do you do and how much does this position get paid?!
If you gotta go through that much pre hiring you obviously are making 6 figures.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:37:05 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not really. Some companies are just really thorough. This is especially true at companies that have high brand value, like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, etc. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the pay is off the charts.
The biggest problem with panel interviews tends to be that there's really only a handful of people who need to interview you, but the rest of them are there in the name of inclusiveness. Often times, there's one or two technical people who think that they're the absolute best thing since sliced bread who try to monopolize the interview and ask you all sorts of esoteric or tricky questions in an effort to show you (and the rest of the team) how clever they are.
I've done one in front of 5, it was for an internship with a solid Prosecutors office that was medium sized and busy. I was expecting an interview with like 2 people, 3 tops. I physically stopped briefly when I saw it was 5 people in this tiny ass room. If it was 12 people I'd have freaked out.
Now if you apply for an actual job there, you have to give a mock opening in front of the entire office (can get like 40-60 people to show up out of the 80+ in the office)
snarfu ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 03:14:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I understand the mock opening as you'll clearly be expected to perform well in a courtroom. Five people still seems like too many for an interview of standard length.
My current job was seven or eight. To be fair, there was six of us so it was almost fairly matched
snarfu ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 03:15:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A group of interviewees is even worse! I was in one once that was like the Lord of the Flies-- each prospective employee trying to one up another and remain victorious as the last man standing! The pay was terrible and I'd imagine the "team" environment fostered by those tactics couldn't have been much better.
There were enough positions though, we all could've easily gotten offers. They told us this from the start but we didn't believe it and still did battle with each other
POGtastic ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:34:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Intel does this pretty well - have 5-6 candidates at a time, assign one candidate to each interviewer, and shuffle them around every 30 minutes. All of the benefits of a group interview without it feeling like a goddamn inquisition.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:41:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The most I've gotten was three & it was a very weird interview experience...the capstone of which was that they had three pages of questions to ask me & each of them asked me, in a monotone, the questions off one page. Then they mechanically thanked me for my time. I was neither surprised nor disappointed that I did not get that job.
I'd have walked in and told them - AND THIS IS WHY I TEACH MATH, DAMMIT.
There are 12 of you! The interview is supposed to last an hour...lets break it down on the board shall we?
60 Minutes, divided by 12 people, equals 5 minutes each. That means that each of you gets to ask ONE Question and I have anywhere from 1-4 minutes (if I'm lucky) to respond to you. If you take too long, or I take too long, someone is getting skipped! Also - NO follow up questions.
Now that I've gone on this rant, we've already skipped one of you. YOU - Yeah you there with the full suit and tie - you're obviously the one in charge of this shit show. You just lost your turn. Chick to his right, you're up. Ask your question. CHOP CHOP, we're on a clock here people.
The most I ever had for a teaching job was 9 people. And it was only for a maternity leave position. I would hate to know what an interview for a full time position would be like.
This was for a SCHOOL? As in a single school and not the district? That's a bit odd. If it were a district interview I could see that happening, but an every interview I had for a school had a maximum of 4 people
geronika ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 02:40:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy answer his biggest weakness question with "Waking up on time and coming to work." I just sat there in shocked silence and he followed up with, "I really like sleeping in." I just noted it, asked a few more questions and ended the interview shortly after. He didn't get the job.
POGtastic ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 11:25:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I always liked answering that question with "I'm bad at delegating. I get really nervous about attaching my name to someone else's work, and I have a really hard time just letting go and trusting them to do it well."
In a management position, that wouldn't do so well... but in any worker role, it sounds honest but has absolutely nothing to do with the position. It also shows a solid work ethic and attention to detail. I mean, I'd be a horrible manager, but you're not interviewing me to become a manager!
That question bugs the hell out of me, as it's a weird perverse game. Make an answer that sounds honest, but doesn't actively fuck up your chances at getting the job. I get that it's a way to get rid of the people too stupid to think up a decent answer, but it's just creepy to me.
AdamOfOra ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:00:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I actually have a good answer on it. I'm a shy introvert, so what I mostly say is among these lines:
You probably have noticed that I am more of a quiet and introverted type, I think that is probably my biggest weakness but I have learned to live with it and make sure it never gets in the way of me communicating with my team or asking help when I need it. I'm just a bit weaker at the small talks and such.
jyssrocks ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:42:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It is a tough question. I've found the best way to answer it is to say something that genuinely IS/WAS a weakness, and then finish the sentence by explaining how you did/are working on it. Mine is usually:
"I am a talker, and I tend to chat a bit too much when I get distracted, but I've learned that facing the wall/closing my office door/putting in headphones really allows me to block out distractions and focus on my work."
geronika ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:57:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It is a tough question, I've always answered "Getting to the point." And then I pause and smile. This usually draws a smile from the interviewer because by this point they know I like to over communicate.
If I were interviewing you and you gave me your answer then that would be a very good answer in my view and I would immediately ask you to give me an example of a time you worked as a member of a team and had to complete a complicated project on time.
Gilox ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 08:47:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I told the CEO of a company I was applying for that my biggest weakness was being a disorganized mess. The position was Associate Director of Marketing Programs. I continued on and said that I get a little frazzled when I have a lot on my plate and that I tend to lose focus. I concluded with the fact that I do my best to correct my weaknesses, while building on my strengths.
He hired me the next day because I was, in his words, "the most honest person" he's ever interviewed.
swrdfish ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 06:40:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiring someone for IT support they had to go on site at clients, and has to have a license and access to a car. All in the ad.
Dude showed up about 5 minutes late, just pouring sweat and out of breath.
I asked if he was ok. He said that he had problems with the bus and he was sorry for being late. No big deal for me.
We start the interview and I say something like "car is in the shop?" And he says, "no I don't drive". I reminded him of the job and he said he would take the bus to the clients.
I said "what if you have to deliver 12 computers?"
That's a fair point actually. It can probably test the ability to chit chat.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:22:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As someone who's worked in HR, it's usually just:
A) A test to see if people are willing to "play the game"
B) A question written by an HR person who has no real idea what the company needs for the position and is resorting to generic inquiries as a result
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:21:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly, these days, I use it as a filter for jobs I don't want.
If management is trying to get me to play stupid games with them during the interview, then that's a big red flag to me.
I've done my time in places like that, and I've had my fill I've had awesome experiences working for people who don't ask such inane questions during the interview and don't purposely make it as staid, stiff and unpleasant as possible.
Aroha11 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:01:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly, what should a person say, when they are interviewed for - say - McDonalds job - Nelson Mandela?
Sojoez ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:15:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, that's a meaningless question to ask an applicant. What are you expecting to learn? In what way would the answer directly reflect upon their ability to do the job?
Reijm ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 10:56:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interview questions are often not about the answer directly but about the way you answer it. When asked what inspires you, you should give an answer that conveys passion. There is no right or wrong answer to this question as long as you can explain why you give the answer you chose.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:15:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Except breakfast, that is apparently incorrect.
Vally1 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:12:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well you could go on a rant about how it gives you the strength/energy to go on throughout your day and a bunch of other bullshit.
M3rcaptan ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:52:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. Is there a standard answer to such a question?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:02:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't like those psychological questions on E-applications. After you answer them there's another section of the application that basically asks you the same things only in different ways. They try to mess with our heads.
That's a pretty hard question to answer. Maybe she was trying to say that she gets out of the bed in the morning, eats some breakfast, and feels inspired for the day?
This reminded me of how I got my first job, and it worked in my favor! 16 yr old me had never been through a job interview was asked "what is your greatest weakness" instead of being philosophical like they probably expected I answered "chocolate" the interviewer laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes. She stopped the interview right then and hired me on the spot! Worked there 6 years!
Not exactly a job application, but I'm on unemployment at the moment, and in spite of the fact that it's only until my boss remodels and reopens and I'm guaranteed my job back, I still have to do this "re-employment" program to keep getting money.
One of the questions on this form I had to fill out was "Short Term Goals: How do you want to improve your skills?"
I'm a line cook. Short of culinary school, which is a waste of money for a line cook, there's not really any way to improve culinary skills other than actually working in a kitchen.
So I put that I'd like to learn cake decorating.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:18:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Someone direct that girl to a Denny's.
M3rcaptan ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 08:50:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What the hell is a standard, good answer though. It's such a boring question with no definite answer.
Blurr11 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:37:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Answer makes as much sense as the question. If we are going to waste each others time we may as well do it quickly
Should have told her sum Ting was wong with that answer
firetroll ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:45:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hoping this wasnt mc donalds or other low wage job.
GuruPrimo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would have probably hired her. No joke
HUP ยท 181 points ยท Posted at 23:33:57 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We brought a guy in for an all day interview. Me and the director took him out to dinner the night before. When we picked him up at the hotel he was finishing a wine. At dinner he ordered at least 3 beers. That was a warning sign. The next day at lunch...part of the formal interview, with several stakeholders present...he ordered a beer...when no one else was drinking. He was obviously not hired.
cappy1223 ยท 64 points ยท Posted at 05:07:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in the beer and wine industry.
My boss asked in the interview, "if you were getting together with friends and we're supposed to bring beer, what would you bring?"
I answered Coors Light.
The guys eyes went wide and he asked me to explain. I simply stated that I saved MY money for good beer, and coors light is decent enough to bring a bunch to a get together.
He took a second to think and rephrase the question. "what 6 pack or bottle would you buy for yourself?"
Had to tell him that I honestly don't know, I have a few beers I like and love trying new things..
Got the job on a weds afternoon. He ended the interview by giving me his cell number and telling me that he'd text me to meet at one of the local bars that night if I wanted to start learning more about beer.
(he made sure I wasn't scheduled at my current job before the invite)
I know what you're saying, and I'm not critiquing it at all, this is just a random though. Somebody always drinks more than everybody else. So whoever that is would have to lower consumption, and somebody else becomes the heaviest drinking. This repeats until nobody drinks at all.
At a work meeting, you shouldn't be drinking to get tipsy. If you have a glass of (beer/wine/mixed drink) it should be to pair with the flavor of your meal, not for the alcohol.
Not everyone likes beer or wine so as soon as you have someone like that no one can drink at all? Not everyone drinks at the same pace, so we all have to conform to the slowest drinker?
well that's silly because the context is the opposite. I'm totally with you when hanging out with friends, but if you're with colleagues, especially new or important ones, at most you should match the highest level person if they can see you ordering.
Well, I suppose with enough work you could exactly distribute ethanol is drinks in such a way that nobody ever drinks more, but analytic techniques are imperfect, and somebody would end up getting more, even if it's only 100 or so molecules of ethanol.
108241 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:34:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The person that drinks the most should be the highest ranking or most secure in their job.
My company has a bar in the lobby. While I should probably drink less for my health, at least 25% of my connections at the company are a direct result of being drunk there and starting conversations with random people from other departments. However, this could be mostly the result of my company being almost exclusively < 35 year olds.
That being said you definitely shouldn't be the drunkest person at the table if you are in the process of interviewing.
Can confirm. Got flown out the night before, picked up from the airport by a manager, 6 applicants ate dinner with 2 managers, then the next day we interviewed starting at 6 am with 10 groups over 5-6 hours. Driven back to the airport by a manager, hopped on a plane and was back home by 5 pm.
HUP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Wow, unlimited mimosa lunch special! I'll take two!"
I've known a few guys like that. Better that they show it during the interview then having them on for a week before they come back from lunch sloshed.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:49:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At least you know that he might be a redneck, anyway.
tyleraven ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:39:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Australian here. Not seeing the issue.
samlir ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:39:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What do you drink at a fancy dinner like that if avoiding alcohol? I would feel weird having like a steak and water or a steak and pepsi
stargaret ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:46:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think it was the "at least three beers" that was more the problem (plus the wine when they picked him up). One glass of something at dinner probably would be fine in many professional settings.
HUP ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:56:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yea, my boss and I both ordered a beer. So I would've let that slide.
CuteShibe ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:40:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sparkling water, coffee, a non-alcoholic cocktail.
A glass of milk. I'm 99% serious. Its a straight up honest drink, and actually goes well with a lot of food.... unless you're kosher Jew, then I'm not sure.
L2attler ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:45:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of a job requires an all day interview?
HUP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:52:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What sort of professional job doesn't require an all day interview? If you're paying someone a decent salary for a job that works independently and that person is expected be a face of the organization, the least they need to do is be able to keep it together for an all-day interview.
L2attler ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:00:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was asking a legitimate question, thanks for answering like a pretentious douche.
HUP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:03:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wasn't trying to be a douche. Just stating my experience. Sorry if it rubbed you the wrong way.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 02:36:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
lammnub ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:00:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So they took it to mean whether they had any sensitivity to other cultures? As in, the same way that someone allergic to cats might muck up sensitivity to animals [in a totally deranged way]?
Maybe he wanted to look like his GTA 5 online character
17Hongo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:11:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A friend of mine actually works at Rockstar in Edinburgh.
I wish I could tell you more about him or his experiences, but whatever the hell he does is so important he's not allowed to say anything about his job. He wouldn't even say what colour his chair was.
I once forgot to shave half of my face, I tried sitting sideways so they wouldn't notice...
I'm pretty sure he noticed
Nurum ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 04:35:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For some reason that reminds me of a time I got asked to sub in at another branch because all their bankers were off. I drive like 40 minutes to this branch in a pretty small town, hop out of the car as I am putting my tie on, and go about my day. At about 11:30 I go to pee and realize that I had forgotten to put my tie under my collar. I walk out to the teller line (all women) and am like "WTF, why didn't you guys tell me"? They responded with "we just thought it was some new style in the big city". I'm pretty sure they were just fucking with me.
jeez, I consider myself fairly young and in with it but I've never heard of "top left"
pjabrony ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:42:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he was pitching you his line of male support undergarments.
yanomami ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he was talking about CSS positioning?
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:20:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
did not know where that link was going.
overall left satisfied.
TOP LEFT!
PotsyWife ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 13:11:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Went with husband to an employment agency a few years back (I was with him because we'd been out for lunch), and while he was speaking to someone, a guy who had been in the waiting room with me came over and asked for help. He'd got a questionnaire to fill out but he couldn't read or write, and would I mind giving him a hand? Being British and therefore unable to say no, I awkwardly sat there helping him. Name, address etc etc. then we reach education.
'What's the highest level of education you have received?'
'All of it.'
'Er, I think they are looking for something more specific. GCSEs, A-Levels, University Degrees etc?'
'Yes, I've got all of them'
Let's face it, you don't get through a single exam without being able to read and write, but I'm too polite to call bullshit. So I just write down 'degree level?'
Next up is some tick boxes.
'Driving license?'
'Yes'
'What type?'
'All types'
'So you have a class 1 license to drive arctics?'
'If that's one of the types of license then yes?
'Okay.....'
We go through a myriad of qualifications, including pilots license, certification to teach, trade stocks and to be an archeologist. This man is a fucking genius.
Then we get some maths questions. They start off very simply.
'7 x 7=?'
'Do you have one of those adding machines?'
'You mean a calculator? Well I have one on my phone, but I think they are asking you to do it in your head?'
At that point, husband comes back to the waiting room. I had never been so relieved to see him. I told the guy I had to leave, and best of luck. On the way out I stopped by the receptionist.
'Excuse me, there's a gentleman in the waiting room, and he asked me to fill out his forms. I did, but I'm a little dubious about whether he's as well qualified as he says he is?'
'Oh Alan, late 50s, beard, smells like a brewery?'
'Er yes...'
'Oh don't worry about him. He spends most of his days here. He likes talking to people, and it keeps him off the street so we let him in.'
Not a hiring manager, but it's an engineering company so the whole team interviews the prospective new hire. We had one guy come in for a group interview that was going all right until the manager asks:
"What do you see as the greatest challenge facing our company?"
Dude gets all chipper and answers: "Well, I think losing the [giant future-defining lucrative contract that we had just won] is probably a bit of a setback!"
We all stare at him in total confusion for a moment, which he must have taken to mean he'd hit a nerve regarding our "recent loss," so he quickly followed up with, "But I'm really excited to work on your other projects!"
We now switch to looking at each other in total confusion before somebody asks, "What do you mean, 'lost the contract'?"
Now it's his turn to look confused. After a moment, he apparently decides we're joking (using extremely dry sarcasm to cope with the loss, perhaps?) so he giggles. "No, really," my teammate repeats, now sounding a bit icy, "I don't understand what you mean."
All we receive in response is a goldfish face of utter incomprehension.
We did not hire him.
Always research the company you interview at before going, folks!
I was interviewing a teenage girl for a minimum wage job. In the middle of the interview she told me that she was frequently late for class. I kept the interview going but I decided immediately that I wasn't going to hire her.
jdubs333 ยท 195 points ยท Posted at 02:08:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
inexperienced interviewer just telling the truth. She'll get the hang of it. Q: Are you ever late for anything? A: Oh never! I'm normally 10 minutes early for everything so I can be ready for work.
you're hired, well done, you learned to lie during an interview!
[deleted] ยท 141 points ยท Posted at 02:53:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I like the band version more. If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late. If you're late, you're left.
jyssrocks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:23:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ahh. I'm extremely punctual and over the last few years, it has driven my SO insane a few times! Even just a casual family BBQ, I'm like "they said 1 pm! We have to go!" I've learned to relax for casual family stuff, but unfortunately for my SO, we travel a lot and I am super anal about leaving the apartment and getting to the airport on time. My nagging to leave stresses him out, and we sometimes argue on the way to the airport, just born out of frustration on both sides. :/
To be fair though, he tries really hard not to be running late on travel days. he knows I'm not doing it to be an asshole! I just hate being late!
smeuchel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:12:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My high school marching band director said this and it's stuck with me. I get panicky when I know if I don't leave this instant I'll be "on time"
Not a bad problem, i am similar. My so is almost always late though, not sure how we are still together
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:36:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm the same way, only more so. More like 25 - 30 mins early for everything (including work, every day).
Honestly, for me it's a lifestyle thing. I just enjoy life a lot more when I don't have to rush. I leave so early that the only way I could be late for work is if there was some kind of absolute disaster (personal or national).
fansworth ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:25:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
im the same, i take the earlier bus so i am 25 mins early, the next bus would get me to work 5 mins early, dont want to risk it.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:24:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You and me, buddy. We get it.
See you on the earlier bus, my friend.
mfigroid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:26:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
With the bus I take to work I arrive either 30 minutes early or 20 minutes late.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:29:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
While I understand this mentality. I really think it's unnecessary that we play these sorts of games with each other. I'd rather they just be clear about exactly when it is acceptable for you to be at the office. Don't say 8:30 if you really mean 8:15.
I value my sleep and my free time, and when I have a 1 hour commute (2 hours total) that extra 30 minutes means everything to me.
k_mermaid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:29:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My manager absolutely HATES when people show up that early. We're in a hiring season right now and when you have a full day of half-hour long interviews booked, it's really annoying to have your 2pm at the same time as your 1:30pm. What's worse is when you schedule a half-hour lunch and then your next interview shows up as you're heading to the lunch room. And to be hanging out in the make-shift waiting area of an office full of people that are trying to work for 25 mins is just distracting. If you're gonna be that early, wait in your car or outside and then come in 5 mins early instead.
jyssrocks ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:24:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a headhunter. Agreed. You should never be more than 10 minutes early to check in for an interview. Anything more than that makes me feel like I have to rush through or drop what I'm doing to go greet you.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:26:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I try to show up exactly on time. Especially punching in for work. It looks so nice and neat if every single punch on the time sheet is perfectly on time.
BritneeB ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:07:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's ok. My husband is 30 minutes to an hour early for work every day. He has to commute about 40 minutes away but if there is an accident it can and will easily eat up half an hour or more. His motto is "something something if you don't beat the boss to work you're late" but it sounds better than that.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:37:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I used to be late for everything, almost all the time, until I was about 30. Now, I'm more like you about time. I don't obsess over it, but I always prefer, and plan for, earliness rather than being on time. Nowadays, i feel "late" when right on time. I like the extra bit to look over where I am, what I'm doing, and what needs to be done. I feel much more confident about my surroundings in this manner.
I agree. 5 Years in the Marine Corps makes you super paranoid about being late. 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior. "its 6 am why are you here?" "work starts at 7:30 I have to be on time"
at least 20min. I don't even really plan it that way out of fear I'll be late. It just sort of happens. I like having time so I guess it kinda got automated.
oblisk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:00:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
5-minutes early is on time.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:36:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was five minutes early to work today and felt like I was late.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:59:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
First day at my current job, I ran 45 minutes behind schedule due to public transit information being inaccurate. Got there and apologized, explaining the situation. I was there 2 minutes early.
frizzykid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Im usually 5 mins or so early for my job, I dont want to risk being late even though my managers have expressed its not a big deal as long as its not extremely late
Lesp00n ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Much more than ten or fifteen can be awkward tho. I'm security and work the front desk, and I had an interviewee show up like 40 minutes early. The manager interviewing them was in a meeting, and theres no where for this person to wait excpet the small lobby I'm in. The guy wouldn't make small talk, and looked at me all annoyed when I kept answering the desk phone. Be early, thats great, but don't be that early and then have nothing to do when the person interviewing you is busy till the scheduled time.
oh definitely. Showing up an hour early to an interview is not great. My last interview I showed up 25 minutes early, and waited in my car for 10 before walking in so I was only like 10 minutes early.
This pisses me off because I am literally never late for work but I can't say that because employers will assume I'm lying if I check "never" on that box so I check "very rarely" instead. BUT IN TWO YEARS OF WORKING AT MY CURRENT JOB I HAVE LITERALLY NEVER BEEN LATE.
RSP16 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:07:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I still have nightmares from two occasions lateness could be pinned on me but it wasn't my fault: A cancelled college final I didn't hear was cancelled, and my first day at a soul-draining retail place where the guy with the key to open the building was late.
I consistently show up to work 15 minutes early because I think there will be traffic at 8 in the morning when I have to be there at 8:30; there is hardly any traffic.
My employer wants full interviews no matter how bad. Only if the applicant calls it off can we quit it. Has to do with defending against discrimination claims.
Plus, let's be honest, plenty of people would rather throw away the last 10-15 minutes instead of telling the person to their face they're not getting the job.
Yeah and you should, not just because of the mentioned discrimination claims but also because you just can't know what those nutjobs throw at you or whatever
Was doing a preliminary phone interview with an applicant, who was obviously driving somewhere with the window down. Not long into it, he paused mid-answer to order a burger and a peach tea from a drive-thru.
I really hope that burger tasted amazing.
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 03:54:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
reading through this thread made me realize how many stupid people are there. if i had an interview, especially from the phone i would find the quietest room ever. and i would be even more prepared than a 1 on 1 interview.
I had a phone interview that I had to take on my lunch at work. I worked at a hospital and there are almost zero quiet areas for interviews. I went to my car and had the windows cracked. Freaking Wasp flew in and landed on my hand. I don't know how I didn't get stung, managed to answer several questions, and maintain composure. I got the position, but I learned to always find a room, no matter how hard to find, to do phone interviews.
Usually (but not always) the phone interviews are precursors to in-person interviews. I'm not sure I would be MORE prepared for a phone screen than a face-to-face interview, but I certainly wouldn't take it for granted either.
I had something similar happen. I was interviewing someone for an internship, and it was 100% clear that the kid was driving somewhere. When I asked if it was still a good time to chat, he said something to the effect of, "Yeah, I've still got about 15 minutes before I arrive at my destination."
Next!
black107 ยท 42 points ยท Posted at 04:06:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A guy was interviewed by a female supervisor for a design position at a video game company. After the initial background questions, naturally the topic switched to the game series we were working on, which the candidate was very enthusiastic about and familiar with. We wanted the person to walk through things they would improve design wise. We had him log into his account so we could discuss some forthcoming features and interfaces in the context of his data/info.
Upon logging in, we immediately noticed his avatar was a (ms paint drawn) fist going up a bleeding ass, with a bloody handprint on one cheek with "FTW" on the other. He was immediately embarrassed and mumbled something about his brother or roommate or something.
The woman interviewing him can handle much worse shit than that, but she was teetering between busting up laughing and gasping in horror.
Is that normal in game dev jobs though? While I can appreciate that's not professional, it's not something I would have expected to come up. "sign in to your /personal/ account.... Oh..."
black107 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:25:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sure, it might have been unexpected, but it tipped his hand to how much (or little) tact he had.
So there's no safe place online to proclaim ones love of being fisted?
tardis42 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:11:46 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Presumably if you're being interviewed for a job with pornhub, having a pornhub account with a fisting-based avatar won't be a proplem :P
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 14:30:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That doesn't seem like it's his fault. He didn't know he was going to be asked to log in, right?
Geminii27 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 17:16:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or maybe he actually did have a douchey roommate/brother who would do something like that. Should he have changed the password on his personal account before a corporate interview, just in case they did something like that?
Should he have changed the password on his personal account before a corporate interview, just in case they did something like that?
I mean sure, but not everyone's batman and can think of every scenario and prepare perfectly for every eventuality, lol. I don't think most people would expect the sudden trolling avatar change by a roommate to coincide with your job interview or that it would be relevant to your job interview.
black107 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:57:46 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly, he probably was talking up his familiarity/enthusiasm with the series. If he had used it, he'd know as soon as he logged in he'd be greeted with his avatar. If he hadn't talked himself up so much, we probably would have just demoed with one of our test accounts and never been the wiser.
So while a brother/friend/unidentified douche could have done it to him, the odds are significantly higher that that's just how he rolled. He may very well could have ended up being a model employee, but seeing a potential red flag like that meant we had to pass on him.
He may very well could have ended up being a model employee, but seeing a potential red flag like that meant we had to pass on him.
100% agreed. A lot of people in this thread seem to be missing the concept that for each candidate with a red flag like this who shouldn't be disqualified for it or whatever, there is at least one other candidate with ltierally nothing wrong with them.
black107 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:53:54 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He didn't know, but we also didn't ask every candidate to use their own account. Designers come from far and wide, many have no interest in games, sports, etc but this particular one had a lot of knowledge with the specific game series. Since this familiarity allowed us to skip a lot of the "this is the project you'd be working on" conversation, we figured he'd have specific things in mind to improve.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:58:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It seems to me that he shouldn't have been disqualified then. He couldn't have known that he had to prepare his account for a professional interview, so how is it fair to expect it to look professional?
black107 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:24:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's about him accidentally tipping his hand to being potentially immature, sexist, or otherwise problematic in the workplace. As another redditor put it, why choose a potentially problematic candidate when you can choose one that is not.
It's no different than some of the other stories in this thread where folks volunteered damning info such as drug use, criminal activity, or other professional negligence.
Anyway, you better believe we Google the shit out of people anyway. If you don't think you need to prune your public social media profiles of anything questionable when job hunting, you've got another thing coming.
udonsoup ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 04:44:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a guy send in a 15 page resume for an English teaching job in Thailand. It was repetitive and written in a multitude of crazy fonts and colours with highlighted sections. He got an interview anyway because we had so few candidates but didnt get the job. 2 weeks ago he emailed me again citing the exact same job he had already applied to before and attaching the same horrid rรฉsumรฉ as though he'd never spoken to me before.
Afryst ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:32:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The CV is unforgivable, but I can almost excuse the multiple applications. TEFL jobs tend to get posted on multiple sites, forums, blogs etc (sometimes by the employer, but often by the TEFL community), so it's not unusual to run in to the same posting several times. The postings often have minimal information or are written in broken English.
I've never applied for the same job twice, but when making a list of open TEFL positions, I have sometimes realised that some are on my list more than once.
Rzezifok ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:14:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
huh, that's crazy!
Nikkushi ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 05:22:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed a girl once who just wouldn't speak.
Me: Give me an example at work or school when you had to lead a team.
....30 second pause...
Me: you know like in a class project or something
....silence....
Me: okay...well let's try a new one. What made you want to apply with the company.
.....silence
......awkward silence
......extreme awkward silence
She didn't get the job.
Twist: you're later hit with a discrimination lawsuit for not hiring a deaf girl.
Nikkushi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:57:51 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good thing I don't work there anymore. I hated that job.
dakeyjake ยท 83 points ยท Posted at 00:29:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy was over 2 hours late. His excuse was he had a meeting with his parole officer that took longer than he thought. Turns out he just got out of prison for aggravated robbery.
The parole officer really shouldn't job-block him like that, though. Not a good recipe for re-integration.
dakeyjake ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:08:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think he really wanted the job anyway.
dduct ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:36:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, once you have served your time you should have in theory replayed your debt to society and been rehabilitated. Of course we know that recidivism is high but we should give people a chance during the interview and if hired, initial probationary period.
I know people who have served their time and completely changed their lives however they still get pulled over by police and searched for over an hour on a regular basis simply because they are on probation. They can show up unannounced at your house and it can take a long time. I imagine it makes holding down a regular job to be a difficult task.
dakeyjake ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:48:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He blew his chance when he was late. I already hired one felon, and I had no problem hiring another, but the fact that he was late to the interview threw up red flags.
A bit late to the party, but this guy was pretty amazing. I was interviewing him for a software development position. Main focus of the job: being able to work with large datasets. So the first part of the interview was basically leaving him alone with a computer and asking him to display data from a certain source with > 5 million entries.
The guy just displayed the first 100 entries, then was explaining very confidently how he overcame the problem of having too much data to show by simply showing less data.
At the end of the interview he seemed extremely happy with his performance and said "now it's time to drink to celebrate!"
I know, right? I'm really glad this thread pips up like once a month. It makes finding a new job seem much less hopeless.
akanefive ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:52:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Seriously, I got turned down for a promotion about a week ago, and this thread has made me feel much better.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:51:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Made me think that I didn't bomb my interview with a charter school a couple weeks ago. Especially since they just emailed me to interview for a different position.
scottpot ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 04:12:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not in charge of hiring, but I used to work at a ritzy hotel that was looking for experienced candidates. A guy applying for a bellman position submitted a resume that consisted of two pages. The second page only had one sentence: "Extremely knowledgeable about marijuana and its effects :)"
Needless to say, he was not hired.
Sno_Wolf ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:55:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why... why the fuck... why the fuck would they...?
*brain simultaneously implodes and explodes at the same time from the stupidity that I've just read*
I'd just assume that was by accident...or a prank from some "friend". Like you did that as a joke and then forgot about it or something like that. Can't imagine anybody would think that would be a good idea :D
it was definitely a prank, I've recently heard of a girl who's boyfriend added "I GIVE A MEAN HEAD" to the very bottom of her resume, and she didn't catch it before sending it out. People can be douchebags.
Sounds like one of his qualifications was "having bad friends".
brwbck ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 06:10:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had flown an interviewee out from Montreal to Oregon for a full day interview. I was pulling the lunch interview shift, which is where a lot of interviewees tend to let their guard down and either say something really great or really fucking dumb. This guy was the latter...
We were asking him about his plane flight, usual chit chat, and he mentioned that he had been flown out once before to our area to interview at a much larger tech company. Then he said "But I didn't really want the job, it was just nice to get a free flight to the Northwest for some sightseeing."
My colleague and I looked at each other thinking "What the fuck???" The guy instantly backpedaled and said "Oh, but that's not what I'm doing this time, hahaha!"
He was screwed.
When we all got back to the office they terminated the interview process and sent him home, before even hearing our report. So he must have really blown it with one of the other bosses during the morning.
It was hilarious but sad, too. I mean, we all say stupid shit sometimes, but that was just monumentally stupid.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:12:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People like that infuriate me. They're so lucky to get an interview and do that crap.
Poila13 ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 06:37:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Me: Tell me a little about yourself.
Boyd: let me tell you a little something about Boyd, Boyd used to have a little bit of a drinking problem. But Boyd seems to have it under control now.
3rd person and everything, also smelled pretty heavily of booze. So I also thing Boyd had a bit of a lying problem.
I worked in an HR front office collecting applications. A woman and her boyfriend came in and said they had just moved to the area and were looking for employment. I had a jar of Hershey's kisses on my desk and not only did they help themselves to chocolates over and over again WITHOUT FIRST BEING OFFERED ANY but they left little foil papers scattered all over the place. No, they were not called back for interviews, as it was a resort hotel and we were hiring for housekeeping and I didn't these slobs made a good first impression.
[deleted] ยท 41 points ยท Posted at 01:59:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had someone stop at my desk and dump my entire jar of Hershey kisses in her purse. It took everything I had to not dive across my desk and snatch her purse from her.
Sort of depends where they are on the desk. Close to customers? Free reign. I would at least ask first, and not gorge on them.
[deleted] ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 02:17:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewed a guy for a "bag-checker" position at a retail store. After explaining the role to him and letting him know it was NOT a security officer role, merely someone to scare potential shoplifters away, he proceeded to tell me how he "really can't wait to be a security guard for <store>" and asked me if he'd ever get to be in a situation where he could tackle someone.
I worked with a guy who told me he had years of experience in the field but cant do the simple things we have teenagers do in the summer and then he tried to tell me he should be doing the job i was doing because he knew he had more experience then me.
lendergle ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 13:28:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lied about where he had worked last. I happened to have worked there myself a year or so before. Parking was horrible there, so to sort of commiserate and get some rapport going, I asked him "so which lot did you park in?"
He turned pink, and then red, and then purple, started hyperventilating, coughed a bit, and then admitted he had never worked at the place and that the headhunter he was working with had put that in his resume because she said it would look good and nobody would know. I said "well I guess you've learned an important life lesson, right?" He nodded, dashed off, and spent the next fifteen minutes heaving up his guts in the restroom. We made him stay in the break room, gave him a cup of tea to help calm his nerves, and our receptionist stayed with him until he was settled down enough to drive.
The coda to this story: He wrote a very heartfelt apology letter, thanked everyone for their compassion, and attached a resume' that did not include the false term of employment. He said he wasn't asking for a second chance, but just wanted to make sure that the last piece of paper we had about him told the truth. I called him up, offered him the job, and he was a super employee. Unfortunately so much so that he became highly marketable and got poached by another firm. I don't begrudge him his success, but it's often irked me that he didn't stick it out a few years seeing as how we really went out on a limb by hiring him.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:46:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean if the other job worked out more ...why wouldn't he??
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 20:13:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because when they asked what type of animal he'd be, he answered "a dog" because they're loyal.
[deleted] ยท 89 points ยท Posted at 23:14:11 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The one that drove me nuts is when people were so eager to sell themselves that took every question as an invitation to give a little speech. It was not a conversation at all--it was more like each question I asked was a button that activated some rehearsed performance.
Aside from creating this robotic persona, it meant people could not actually answer the questions asked because they had not memorized an answer for that one. Instead, they'd just answer whatever question they wished they'd been asked.
Were you hiring for the position of President of the United States?
asad137 ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 03:11:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Aside from creating this robotic persona, it meant people could not actually answer the questions asked because they had not memorized an answer for that one. Instead, they'd just answer whatever question they wished they'd been asked.
This could be due to a previous company they worked at or interviewed for that created this behavior.
I know for sure that my company, an extremely large one, specifically interviews looking for people to give speeches about specific topics. They literally have buzzword checklists and stuff. This person could have been exposed to that.
Actually that's how they're training people to respond to interview questions now. You're supposed to avoid one word, or even single sentence answers. The IDEA is that you'll start a conversation...but it can also turn into the longest dronefest you've ever heard.
minstrelj ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:45:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol. What questions did you ask? I imagine "what's your biggest weakness?". "...no". " um. Ok whats your biggest strength". "...no". That second no is with a different inflection in my mind
Obligatory "not an interviewing applicant" post, but I'm in charge of weeding through applications before they go onto my hiring manager, so I get to read through everything.
One time, under the job description/skills used portion for a previous job, one kid wrote "wearing different shirts" as his abilities. It wasn't even relevant to the job,he was just a cashier or something. Blew my mind.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:05:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like he was trying to explain his ability to fit many different roles.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:03:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm reading through these to see if the guy who interviewed me a few months ago will comment. I turned up to the interview, smartly dressed, on time, had all the correct documents I'd been asked to bring with me. I go to the room to be interviewed, I opened my mouth and autism came out. Every question I just froze for a painfully long time and stammered through a lot of them.
I didn't get the job, despite working within the company for most of my working life.
garfnodie ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 10:55:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's me. Doesn't matter how prepared or how knowledgeable I am, that interview starts and my mind goes full retard. You could ask me how I pee, and I couldn't tell you if I stand or sit.
TestZero ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 11:52:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not a manager. I'm a bartender. But I had a girl come into my bar, order a glass of sangria. Then sit in the waiting area with other people waiting to interview... When the manager called her name she stood up and brought her glass of sangia with her and sipped on it throughout the interview.
Whenever she left i went over to my manager to ask if he knew her or if shes really that ballsy...and he was already laughing his ass off before I said anything. He took her application and crumpled it into a ball.
valid question tho. Won't work for a company that invades privacy like this..even if I don't do drugs. Same goes for things in the contract like "Can search your bag at any given time" and similar. No, you can not.
A girl called once and asked if we were hiring. I told her I wasn't sure and she could look on the website to see if any positions were open and apply for them. She said, "Ok... Do you drug test?"
Maybe she meant will she have to take out an hour out of her day after the interview to go get tested.
DimitriV ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 06:56:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't do hiring but my desk is disturbingly close to where it is done, so I've seen a few things.
There was the lady that came in wearing about a gallon of perfume; I literally had to leave the office for the duration of her application because I couldn't breathe.
The young kid that got all offended when someone working told him to stop swearing in the building, then cussed the guy out. The guy was the manager. The kid didn't get the job.
Then there was the paranoid one. It was clear before she came in that she was not normal; as I heard it, her reply to the e-mail inviting her to come in for an application and a typing test included how many steps it would take her to get from the bus stop to the front door. When she took her typing test she got half of the required score but insisted she'd do better when she was actually hired. But the kicker was when, both verbally and written on her application she objected to the people who were distracting her with their loud talking and insisted they were talking about her. I was there: they were quietly talking about work on the other side of the room. She insisted that they had been too loud though, and she couldn't work with such distractions. And when she was shown the call center she was applying to work in, with a dozen people on phones sitting three feet apart, and asked how she expected to work there, she didn't have an answer. That didn't stop her from reapplying though.
I interviewed a HGV driver who had previously been sacked by our company for a number of driving offences, job he was applying for was HGV driver and all he could say was "come on man, you know me" which was exactly the problem
I called a candidate to do a phone screen and got her voice mail. I left her a message to call me at her convenience about her application - making it clear that this was like a pre-interview. So she calls me back a couple hours later and we start to chat - she clearly knows who I am and why I'm calling when she says, "Hey can you hold on a sec....(to a drive through speaker) CAN I GET A NUMBER 4 WITH A COKE...yeah I'm sorry what were you saying?"
TLDR: ordering your lunch in my ear is not going to get you a call-back.
yanomami ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:38:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She demonstrated multitasking and organizational skills.
17399371 ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 12:22:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why? You said it was informal and for her to call you back at her convenience.
Common sense and normal etiquette. Really basic stuff.
No need to be contrarian for the sake of being contrarian.
17399371 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:53:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not being contrarian for the sake of it. How is she supposed to block out an hour of time with no notice to call this guy back? Her options are squeeze in a pre-interview chat while she does other things (because it's not an interview) or let the potential employer's message go unanswered until the next day. I'd argue it's more unprofessional to not return a phone call than it is to take one while on the road.
No, it's definitely more professional to wait until you are in a quiet place and can dedicate all your attention to the call like a normal adult, even if that means 8+ hours until you return the call, than doing it while ordering at the drive-thru. Shit, it would be better to wait 5 minutes until you have at least ordered and received your food.
Obviously. Considering the hiring manager disqualified the person based on that. Which would be typical.
I would never consider doing this, it's so unprofessional. I would laugh in the face of a friend if they told me they did something like this. It's just childish behavior, showing signs of not knowing proper etiquette or having any respect for the job search process or interviewer.
ChagSC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:58:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Based on half the comments in this thread, I don't think availablilty of jobs out there is the #1 factor of why people can't find a job.
uh the fact she called him back while going through a drive through is pretty ridiculous. Its not like he called her and happen to catch her off guard.
[deleted] ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 02:34:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
raulcat ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 19:16:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As my boyfriend says, "Never miss a good opportunity to shut the fuck up."
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 04:50:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Talking shit about his current boss who also works within the same company, differnt department
Overbaron ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 11:34:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Talked very confidently with my coworker who was 15 years my senior and brushed off my questions with very short answers.
My coworker had been in the house for 6 months. I owned the company.
I think I actually got my current job because of swearing. I was given 6 reports to write the sql for (Oracle)
I got stuck on one of them, and just started muttering curse words to myself. I figured it out, moved on and got them all. And then we just sat around after laughing about how cursing helps write better code.
PMental ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:39:36 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Jeanfiske ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 02:00:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work at a restaurant and hire basically entry level, minimum wage positions. I don't have incredibly high expectations of my potential employees but I do expect respect and at least feigned interest.
That being said, the absolute worst way someone has fucked it up has been to tell me they were only there as a back up for the job they really wanted, and then to tell me how great the other job was.
I get that no one dreams of washing dishes or roasting chicken but you're here because you need a job and I need a worker. If not, don't waste my time.
My favorite was a young gentleman who showed up in workout clothes, drenched in sweat, and covered in grass stains. Straight out of PE or some sports practice. Sets his book-bag down, sits down, wipes sweat off his brow with his hand, then reaches out for a handshake.
All I could muster up was, "are you serious right now?"
yupynut ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 07:09:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
job requires to be fluent in both french and english, this is a high end restaurant in a very touristic area. that dude could not even understand me when i asked him to leave his resume. apparently, it wasn'T his fault if no one could understand hindi in Quebec city. guy threw a tantrum right there at the front desk calling us racists in a semi-understandable english. his father was waiting for him in the car outside and started screaming first at him, than at the general direction of the restaurant, probably all in hindi.
p.s. hindi is just my guess. i guess that could probably be any dialect from that region. thing is if you don'T understand french, (90% of the pop) you're out. if you don't understand english, (80% of the clientele) you're out. bonus points for spanish and mandarin. if you only speak hindi, aim for the dishwashing job, not a service one.
Had a guy who was doing great, my co-worker had to leave the meeting early so she excused herself and went off to another meeting. As soon as she left, I hear from him, "I'm glad she is gone."
"Excuse me?", I responded.
He blurted out, "I'm glad she's gone; I hate them."
"What do you mean?", seriously confused I asked.
"Asians, I hate them, can't stand working with them."
I looked at him and said, "Did you not notice that about 80% of this company happen to be Asians? And, it just so happens my wife is Asian."
I ended the interview at that point and had him escorted out.
A guy applied at my work who went by the name David Supernigger, I shit you not. A fucking judge approved it and everything. I told him he couldn't work there and he asked why. I said "Because your name is David Supernigger." It was a telemarketing job!
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 05:56:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Giving false names for telemarketing isn't exactly unheard of...
Friend of mine works at American Express doing collections, he wanted to use Godzilla but his manager wouldn't let him use it. Also one of his co-workers got Walter White as their alias.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:09:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I meant like, using an american sounding name to hide the very obvious fact that the job has been outsourced to a call center in india where they can both not understand what I'm saying nor do anything to actually solve my problem.
They do it here in the US as well because plenty of Americans have "UnAmerican" sounding names. My friend goes by Paul and does well, but starting out using his birth name got him a lot of racist and "LET ME SPEEK TO SUMONE IN AMURIKA" comments, even though he was born in California and working in a call center in Phoenix, Arizona.
This link won't work for me, but if he's from Pittsburgh PA that's the guy.
tkykid91 ยท 35 points ยท Posted at 02:50:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Heard this from a colleague who was part of the hiring committee.
The job was for a medical-related position where there is obviously the need/concern for patient privacy. The job was also for a high school setting, so there are minors typically involved in the job.
One hypothetical question was "A female student comes to you and you can tell that they aren't 100% themselves. Something seems off. When you ask what is wrong, she says 'If I tell you, you can't tell anyone else.' You agree. She then tells you that things are going poorly at home, and that she recently moved out of her home to stay with her uncle. While there, her uncle's friend rapes her. She hasn't told anyone but you. What do you do?"
The applicant's answer was that "Well, she told me not to say anything. I would probably try and get in contact with the mom/dad at home and figure out if we can get her back in her own home."
My colleague says "Yes but...you understand that she was raped, right?" And her answer didn't change.
Regardless of patient privacy, if there is a crime, you HAVE to report it. Not only does it seem like common sense, it's pretty clearly explained in our governing board's handbook. She did not get the job.
Do you legally have to report it? Because if not it seems like a great way to never have those kids trust you with stuff like that. Not all victims of sexual assault can handle reporting :(
The actual issue here is that the person in question is a minor, and basically every health care worker and educator is a mandated reporter when they are told about child abuse. If it were an adult saying this, then confidentiality applies.
tkykid91 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:55:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, legally we have to report all crimes.
Luckily this isn't overwhelmingly common. It's much more common for kids to share things they wouldn't want to tell their parents, like they're failing a class or something. Those kinds of things certainly wouldn't make us jump on the phone to tell someone.
[deleted] ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 15:30:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
That is the absolute shittiest justification for outing someone when you've trusted them with something like that. Telling a sexual assault victim if they don't report that they're essentially responsible if it happens to someone else is a really ugly thing to do.
My husband is a child Psychologist. When meeting a new client he explains in great detail that what they talk about it confidential UNLESS you say you have committed a crime, or you were witness to a crime. That's how the system works ethically.
Geminii27 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:18:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Hi, kid. Are you familiar with the entirety of the legal system and everything that's technically considered a crime this week?"
If I were asked that question, I likely would not promise to not tell anyone else in the first place.
I also probably wouldn't get the job.
talltad ยท 36 points ยท Posted at 00:41:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mostly external applicants come simply unprepared, it's amazing how many people don't put any preparation into it.
The worst however is internal applicants, I've had people simply arrive for the interview and somehow believe fully that "x" of time spent in another role automatically makes them the best candidate
lime_boy6 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:45:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What do you mean by unprepared? Should they bring in anything other than a good attitude and appearance?
talltad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:50:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Absolutely, if the candidate hasn't prepared by reading through the Corporate Culture, values and performance plus also industry trends I pretty much disqualify them within the first 5 mins and will work to end the interview early.
Aroha11 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:12:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At the same time, many companies expect the candidate to fill 12 pages of forms, write an essay, and sometimes even complete some specific task - all of which takes half a day of work or more - just at the first stage of the recruitment process. You spend 5 hours filling various forms and scanning documents, and that is before they even interview you, or talk to you.
Now, this is not a very symmetrical way of doing things, and these are not fair demands. Wouldn't it be more fair to ask someone for a cv, and only when they go through the first stage of the selection process commission them to do all the work with the forms? If someone is applying for jobs, they are applying for many positions - if they are sending 50 covering letters, you can't reasonably expect they would be 100% versed with the intricacies of your company politics and values. Of course it is important to come prepared, but too many companies demand a lot without giving anything in return, and with zero understanding of the process of applying for jobs. Who can afford spending three days applying for just one post?
Geminii27 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:11:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"As a candidate, are you prepared to have mountains of bullshit dumped on you at all times, devote yourself to this company 100% without ever considering working at any other employer, and do large amounts of overtime for free?"
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:32:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Yeah, I use long, crazily demanding interviews like that to tell me that I definitely don't want to work there. If that's what they expect in a first round interview, what do you think they'll expect from you once you're there?
I once took a job for a marketing/staffing role at a low wage that asked me to do a 3 hour exam before they would even do the face-to-face interview. Big mistake. All the usual shit like expected overtime, lousy supervisors, stifling office culture, etc.
All the workers there were like abused dogs. They all just did what they were told, and nobody dared to complain. All the people that stuck around were the ones with poor prospects elsewhere, or the ones with no self respect. The few smart people that were there, got fed up and left within 2-4 months.
I felt like I was getting dumber every month that I stayed there.
talltad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:58:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wouldn't it be more fair to ask someone for a cv
I probably did 100 interviews in the past 24 months and realized early in the process that you can put just about anything on your CV(Trust me people do).
only when they go through the first stage of the selection process commission them to do all the work with the forms
I work for a large oranization and can get up to 500 applicants for a role. Alot of the Forms, docs, info is needed to verify and sort out applicants that may be fits for the specific role. Also depending on the role I would assume perhaps some HR concerns may come into play so you want to ensure your company is aligned to standards setup by Employment Government agencies...ie Employment Canada
If someone is applying for jobs, they are applying for many positions
IMOP this is why there is quite a bit of upfront effort from the applicants. Hiring the right person is very difficult and is probably the most impactful decision I make in my role. It can make or break my team and I. Going back to my earlier comment if I post a role I can get about 500 applicants, I ultimately interview about 10 people for a 30 minute face to face. If I believe they are the candidate they assume to be, I move the top 3 to a more in depth process which ultimately can take 2-3 months to finally land a role. It's such a critical item to address(Headcount), that weeding out those that are applying to 50 roles is really necessary.
you can't reasonably expect they would be 100% versed with the intricacies of your company politics and values.
Of course not, but I do expect them to know what's happening in the news about my organization, the key information that is available on the website and also any other items that fit with the brand(social media, charitable support...). One of the biggest misses I see people make is not requesting a quick call or requesting some further info/context about the interview.
too many companies demand a lot without giving anything in return
I'm not really sure what you mean here.
Who can afford spending three days applying for just one post?
Do whatever it takes to achieve your goals in life. If you really think about it, you work more than you do anything in your life. So you should be really careful on where you chose to work, it took me 8 months to get into my current company and I took a massive pay cut and role responsibility to do so. That was 7 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made.
Geminii27 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:09:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Admittedly, after having worked for places where the corporate culture and values were pretty much only used as birdcage liner and sick jokes, some candidates might not be interested in being further disappointed.
talltad ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:11:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep I think that's a guideline in general though. If your looking to secure a job, you should research the company your interviewing with. I think of course it depends on the role and the company however.
jcooli09 ยท 89 points ยท Posted at 01:22:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy ask me to join him in prayer once. I kind of laughed it off at first, but he aggressively insisted. I told him I was an atheist, and he said he was sorry for me. Then he asked when he should expect to hear from me again.
Geminii27 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 17:00:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Some questions only the Lord can answer."
Belly318 ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 05:37:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'll keep him in my prayers too, our lord and savior Beyoncรฉ accepts all sacrifices. May she have mercy on your weak mortal soul. I'm Sasha Fierce's name we pray, Surfbort. ๐๐ป
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:42:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
and you should have answered : " next time jesus appears on your toasted bread"
[deleted] ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 14:16:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh, this topic reminds me of the time i was interviewed for a job. NAILED the interview, guy loved me, compared me to his nephew, was all pumped up about me. At the end when i shook his hand, i asked "So should i expect a call?"
What i mean was, either way, should i expect a call telling me i either got the job or not?
But he took it as arrogance, like knew i was hired, and his whole demeanor changed. Suddenly we weren't buddies anymore. He quietly showed me the door, and i was left with jut an awful vibe.
And no, i didn't get a call or email telling me i didn't get the job.
jyssrocks ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:28:41 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You can try a different closer. I like to close with something like "Thank you for your time, I'm very interested in this role, and I think it would be a great fit for me. What are the next steps?"
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:09:05 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Damn, that's good. Thanks I'm totally using that one.
I once showed up for a temp position for a week before heading to school - or so I thought. Walk in, the manager takes me into the office and asks "so why do you want to work here?" I said "I mean, I'm heading back to school next week and taking temp jobs just gets me a little extra, you know, money..." Apparently he had asked the agency for job candidates, and something went screwy.
I used to work for SAP, which is a software company, and my manager was holding interviews for a really junior position. She told me that one girl showed up in jeans and a hoodie, and started talking about how much she loved animals... She thought she was interviewing for a job at the SPCA.
Lesp00n ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:57:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What is SAP software for? I've been in a couple jobs where the SAP number seems like this holy grail of office management and you can't do anything without one, but I don't actually know what its for. Is it like personnel management or something?
It's for a lot of stuff. They are a leader in Cloud computing, Financial software, HR software, eCommerce, loyalty programs... everything. It's a massive company with a diverse portfolio.
I used to work at the front desk of a big toy store. I had the pad of applications behind my counter for people to fill out and the HR lady gave me some pre-interview forms so I could get a general feel for the applicant if I wasn't too busy.
So one fine weekday afternoon a very overweight black woman in clothing that was far too small came up to the counter and asked for an application. This lady smelled TERRIBLE. I was 3 feet away and felt like gagging. So I puttered around the far side of the counter while she filled out the form. When she finished I put on my best customer service smile and asked if she minded if I asked her a few questions. She looked me up in down and gave me a disgusted face and said "I ain't gots ta answer no muthafuckin questions from you. B'sides. I gots ta go." She then turned on her heel and walked out the door. I got out the red marker, wrote a big "NOPE" on the interview form and circled it before stapling it to the application.
troycheek ยท 84 points ยท Posted at 02:18:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
HR came to me with an application and said, "This was probably a joke, but I don't see how it's funny. When I asked him if he'd ever been convicted of a felony, he laughed and said, 'No, they never caught me.' I was too scared to ask for followup." I replied, "I think we just got a volunteer for the new criminal background check system."
When my boss discovered that the company we work for, which had claimed for years to run a criminal background check on all prospective employees, had never actually ran any such checks, he volunteered the security department to start conducting such checks. Arrest records, sexual offender registries, and the like were just starting to be available online. Between my boss and me and several veteran officers, we had contacts in law enforcement in several nearby counties. How hard could it be? The legal department thought it over for a while and finally decided that we could only do background checks on people that we'd actually offered a job to. By the time that decision came down, said applicant had already been hired and had been working for months. We decided to check him out anyway.
He had told the truth. No felony convictions. Numerous lesser convictions, an actual appearance on COPS, and an active warrant in a neighboring county for questioning about an attempted murder. Naturally, if we'd known the guy was wanted for (attempted) murder, we never would have hired him. But legal got involved and claimed that since we hired him knowing he was a suspected murderer, we couldn't fire him for it now. We didn't know, but since the legal position (bald faced lie) of the company was that we always did background checks before hiring, we should have known. Ultimately, we ratted him out to the county with the warrant, let him get arrested, and fired him after he missed three shifts in a row. (There was a policy that you got fired if it was found that you lied on your application, which technically he didn't because we never asked about lesser convictions or active warrants. There was a policy that you got fired if you got charged with a crime more serious than a minor traffic violation while working for the company, which technically he didn't because these crimes were from before he got hired. There was no policy about firing someone wanted by the police or having a criminal record such that we wouldn't have hired someone had we known about it.)
The whole experience "proved" to legal that conducting our own background check was too risky from a liability standpoint, so the process was outsourced to another company. At least, that's what they told us.
Had he not decided to be clever during the interview, we never would have checked his criminal history, and he never would have gotten caught. I lost track of him after that, so I don't know if he got convicted.
When I asked him if he'd ever been convicted of a felony, he laughed and said, 'No, they never caught me.'
Well uh, I mean technically he's not wrong...
Geminii27 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:03:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There was no policy about firing someone wanted by the police
Probably shouldn't have been, either. Being wanted by the police doesn't mean someone actually committed a crime. They might not even know they're wanted.
troycheek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:31 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The concern was that the company would be considered liable if he killed a coworker, since the company was aware of the possibility that he had attempted to kill someone else recently but decided to allow him to keep working.
Geminii27 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:17:59 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. It's only a possibility. Anyone can be charged with murder. I bet the company boss wouldn't step down permanently if they had been charged, regardless of whether they'd actually done it.
Woah some countries are crazy, most of what you said would be illegal here for a start, what you did that is. Background check without written consent is illegal, and they will only report convictions and not accusations or crimes that they were never found guilty of.
Background checks are normal though, I've had one for my past few jobs as par for the course, but the consent for that is requested when signing a contract and never before.
troycheek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:14 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he filled out the same papers I did during the application process, he did consent in writing to a criminal background check. Also a credit check, interviews with friends/family, and I forget what else. The WTF from my viewpoint was finding out that the company had been telling everyone for years that they were conducting such checks when in fact they weren't.
Credit check and interviews with friends and family? Unless you were going for a security clearance thats crazy talk here atleast.
troycheek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:55:17 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pretty much every job application I've filled out here in the US (rural Tennessee) has included a section for listing both personal and professional references. This company was unique in that I had to sign a piece of paper stating that I understood the company actually planned to contact my references, ask them questions about me, explain why they were asking questions about me, etc. Apparently, the perception is that nobody ever checks references, and people have gotten in trouble at home and at work when the company calls up and starts asking questions (wife finds out husband lost his last job, current employer finds out employee's "sick day" was him taking time off to job hunt, etc). I personally don't see the point of listing a reference you don't want them checking, but like I said, the perception around here is that nobody ever checks.
Edit: The credit check was for anybody who handled money as part of their job, the reasoning being that if you had bad credit you were more likely to steal from the company.
Professional references are standard here too but personal once you're not in your first job isn't. They always contact references here too, but I never give them till after an interview
What do you mean by "more serious than a minor traffic violation"?
When my dog gets out of the house and the police pick him up, it usually costs me twice as much as a speeding ticket.
troycheek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:49 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Crimes are divided into "classes" based on the severity of the punishment. The least severe crimes will get you a relatively small fine and no time in jail, like a speeding ticket or loose dog. The most severe crimes get you fined more than you can make in a lifetime or put in jail for that lifetime, like murder. In theory, the employee handbook should have specified exactly what level would result in termination. In practice, it was left vague and translated to "whatever crime that makes us not want to employ you anymore." HR liked vague because it let them fire whoever they wanted while at the same time being able to say "we didn't want to fire you, we had no choice, it's policy!"
Yivoe ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 04:21:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I'm a big fan of the holocaust". When asked to give some info about themselves.
No explanation. I'm gonna assume they meant the history related to WWII?
Yivoe ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:28:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like me and the other interviewer kinda paused after that statement (hard not to), but we kept the interview going. Don't think the interviewee really noticed.
It was a current employee looking to move to another position. She was a good employee, so we weren't gonna be dicks and say, "well we can just end the interview here then". Haha.
Guy came in, didn't make eye contact the entire time. Every time I asked him how he'd do something, he responded with, "oh, it's very easy, very easy," and then rambled off on some tangent without giving me any specifics. Then he told me he doesn't like spread sheets.
It was a digital marketing analyst job, so you have to actually have some skills. And yeah, spread sheets will be part of it.
Some people just don't have any interview skills, or people skills.
E_hV ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:15:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In his defense, I don't give detailed answers when a company ask me how I would design something. I'll give details about past products I've been involved on, but your current products, no way. I've gone on a few design engineer position interviews which seemed like they had no intention of hiring, and instead were using the interview applicants as a think tank. These were mostly for small MEP firms.
This wasn't an engineering job. I expect you to be able to tell me how you're going to actually do things. There's no way you could tell me something I don't know about my field. But you can easily display the fact that you've only read a few high level blog posts about it
Last interview, I spent an hour with a guy who described himself only in negative terms.
From his education to his previous jobs or personal life.. He didn't said one positive thing.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:29:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Meeh, depending on the job I wouldn't automatically put them out, it's better than someone trying to pump up every piddly thing they've done, but it is pretty off putting
PQ858 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:48:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a guy that we made an offer to ask us to push his start date off by a few days because he landed an interview with the company he "really wanted to work at"
Oznog99 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:02:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had one who counteroffered a particularly high salary requirement, because he had another offer out, which I respect and all. But I was told he said he PREFERRED the other company, but he would work for us if we paid him a lot more. Which... wow, no.
PQ858 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:52:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There is a point where you can share things. But when it comes to a job offer that is on the table and was accepted, don't make it known you would prefer another company at that juncture.
Oznog99 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:20:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't actually WANT to work here, but if you overpay me, I will.
Where I am from, people need to go interviews to continue their employment assistance benefit if they've been out of work for awhile.
So people will show to an interview for my company dressed poorly, dirty, and then tell me they have a habit of not making it to work very often but if someone from such and such department calls can I let them know this person showed up?
pzPat ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 12:25:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I used to be an Air Force recruiter in northern Minnesota.
Had a young man come into my office and wanted to join so bad. His dad was in the air force, and his grandpa was in the army air core years ago.
Unfortunately he was about 70lbs overweight and had gauged ears. Otherwise he was qualified.
I told him he could not join until until he got his weight down and got his ears fixed.
Normally when i see people like this they never come back after loosing weight. They just stay fat.
Nope, not this kid. He came back after loosing almost 90 lbs and he did it in like, a year. I was super impressed. Takes a lot of willpower and dedication. And he also had his ears surgically corrected.
After about 10 min of catching up with him i recheck his qualifications and he had gotten a DUI and was busted selling booze to minors. He was still going through court stuff for the DUI.
What a moron. He worked so hard to get where is is and now he can NEVER join the Air Force. Probably not any branch, i know at the time nobody was taking anyone with a selling to minors charge.
He was heart broken, but he understood that it was his fault. Pretty sad.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:13:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just don't understand the desire to get gauged ears. They don't look good when they are in and when they are out they look even worse. How not to get a job 101
JBean85 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 18:07:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewed waitresses at a brewpub for summer help. At the time I was like 24 and this one particular interviewee was 22. She proceeded to blatantly hit on me: touch my hand, bat her eyes, lean over provocatively. Not that I hated it.... But it was a group interview and the other person interviewing candidates with me was my mom.
I was interviewing this kid who must have been straight out of high school. During the middle of his interview, mid f****** sentence, I kid you not, he put one finger on one of his nostrils and blew a booger onto his pants. Then, while still talking, he picked the booger off of his pants, rolled it on his fingers, and then flicked it onto the ground. I ended the interview as soon as I could, and the kid went to shake my hand with the same hand he used to play with his own snot. I noped the f*** out of there and went back to my office.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:03:59 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My phone did that. I was using voice-to-text and didn't see it before I replied. Haha. Fuck is one of my favorite words. Damn program censored me I guess. Ah well. So it goes.
We had one of our new team leads sit in on a second round interview. Great guy but a bit of a stutter. So when he introduces himself it sounds like "Hi, I'm st- st- stev- steven. Our applicant responds with "What, did you forget your own name?" The interview only went downhill from there.
Probably the mom insisted...might even pressed him to pursue this career in the first place. Who in his right mind would choose to become an investment banker? :O
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:21:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:43:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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LukaCat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:35:51 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Husband is a junior in IB, can confirm that hours are that horrible.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:56:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hmmmm.... not sure which I'd rather not hire - the guy with the screwdriver-embossed business card who spends all day talking to a stuffed animal, or the guy who keeps getting deliveries of anvils, catapults and batman suits at work.
DC/Baltimore area. There seems to be lots of self proclaimed geniuses out there. I've hired lots of geniuses but they didn't know it. They have the modesty to go along with it. I still know some of them as friends. Some were arrested at a fairly young age for what i'll call juvenile hacking and have gone on to be extremely successful on the protection side of cyber security.
I spent a few painful months working as an IT Recruiter (please don't hate me) and found a guy who seemed perfect for a role that required a highly experienced Linux engineer.
Being non-technical myself I checked him out for general cultural fit and work ethic and he seemed fine so I sent him off for the technical interview with the client.
He was rejected for saying he would only work 35 hours a week because he considered any more than that was oppressive!
This is in Australia where a minimum 40 hour week is pretty much standard for any IT role I've ever seen.
Lesson learned. Check if potential candidates are idiots before sending them to clients.
semitones ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 03:23:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wish it were acceptable to work for fewer hours. It really is oppressive when you think about it. Especially since working more hours doesn't necessarily make you more productive.
Aroha11 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:52:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree, it only encourages empty presenteeism.
TheCloned ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 06:29:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Everyone does, but we also expect people to put in the same amount of work as the rest of us.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 10:20:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We need to stop measuring effort/amount of work in hours. What are the stats for amount of time spent gaming/watching porn at work? No one is putting out 40 hours worth of productivity
40 hours is 8 hours for 5 days, or 10 in 4? If you want more free time than this then you should find a different job that you enjoy more...
Tefmon ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 04:40:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, he wasn't wrong about modern working hours being bullshit. That's still not the kind of thing to say in an interview, though.
Nikerym ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 03:52:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
40 hours minimum is not 100% true, most QLD government jobs (i'm in an IT one currently) are only 36.5 hours a week. 9-5 with 45 mins for lunch.
That being said.... I know no one who works those hours in IT, most people put in 45+ even if not being paid for the extra, then most people will respond to emails at all hours of the night/morning, so if you take that into account they work even longer.
Sezhe ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:54:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
38 a week here, no after hours unless something is on fire.
Used to have a work phone and do the whole after hours email/call shit, then HQ decided I didn't need a phone. I didn't argue!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:41:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Having a view that opposes industry standards doesn't make you an idiot, and I would wager that a highly experienced Linux engineer is probably smarter than a recruiter.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:19:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fucking. Yes!
adanine ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 14:59:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He's still dumb for applying for the job in the first place. It would have been advertised as a full time gig, which means 40 hours. If he really expected to only work 35 hours a week while still being payed the 40 hours worth of work then that's just him being silly.
If full time employment isn't for you, then hey, more power to you. Just don't waste other peoples time.
If he's good enough he'll get a position somewhere else with less hours and a higher salary. You have no clue what's involved in the job. A good Linux sysadmin is absolutely essential for their skills, not their time. That said, everywhere I've worked has infinite to get done and everybody has been constantly productive because we were always growing the company. But if you're working on a system that's already out there and not creating new products, there is limited time you can possibly spend productively. I've suggested between 10 and 20 hours for sysadmins usually, but you gotta pretend it's 40 because the government are morons.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:13:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly tech jobs should be closer to 30 hours than 40. Many people have issues concentrating on brain intensive tasks for over 5-6 hours a day. Those last couple of hours are basically worthless. So while he was an idiot for the way he communicated it, he probably wasn't incorrect in his logic.
[deleted] ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 04:45:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Full time is 35-38 hours a week in Australia. You know that.
If I were him and had his qualifications, I'd tell you to go fuck yourself too. Glad he dodged a bullet by not working for you.
35 - 38 hours may be standard for full time permanent employment, but this was for an IT contractor role where the standard is very much 40 hours a week minimum - as anyone who's worked in the IT contracting field would know, even if they are a Linux expert.
glenm80 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:32:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I sign a contract for 38 hours I work 38 hours unless its an emergency then I'll work until its fixed, even then I'll take time off in lieu. I finished a contact early last year because they wanted to pay me for 8 hours work and actually get 9-10 hours work a day.
Most people in IT are brainwashed into this "have to work lots of unpaid hours". I've been a programmer for more than 35 years and worked for 40 plus organisations and only two of them have taken exception to my work ethic, needless to say I didn't work for those two for very long.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:12:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd really love to be able to work a 4 day week, as I have other responsibilities that a 5 day working week makes really difficult. Those being study and family.
It's more likely that his attitude of "that's oppressive" is what lost him the opportunity.
I'd really love to find a good IT recruiter in Melbourne. All the ones I've spoken to are quite lacklustre.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:15:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewers seem to forget often that interviewing is a two-way street.
Even if the standard was 40 hours a week, the guy has every right in the world to seek a job where he is only required to work 35. If he was desperate for a job, he wouldn't insist up front that he only work 35 hours.
"He was rejected". Sounds more like he rejected you. Not caving in to something he doesn't want or need doesn't make him an "idiot".
If he was interested in the job he could have just asked about the working hours and potential for non standard arrangements. The company was fairly desperate for staff at this point so he would have stood a pretty good chance of being able to negotiate something to his requirements instead of just throwing any chance away.
If he didn't want the job he could have just said "Thanks, but it's not quite the role I'm looking for."
I've done this myself on a number of occasions.
That is something you need to ask upfront. I totally do that too sometimes but it's the first thing I'd ask "Are you guys fine with part time roles?"...or in that case if they'd be happy with 35h....40h work week is kinda oppressive really :D
...and tbh if you pretend to work 5h per week more browsing reddit or actually not being in the office doesn't make a difference anyway ;P
Hey, a friend of mine is an IT recruiter, and she found me the job I have now, which I'm happy with. But I know that if it should ever go south, she's got my back & will help me find something equally as good. No hate for recruiters here. There are good and bad ones, just like any other profession.
dduct ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Applicant shows up late, smelling like beer and has on a t shirt with a giant pot leaf that says, "Will Work for Weed". I knew he didn't want an offer so he could continue to collect unemployment, so I refused to sign his unemployment card and and offered him a job. He never showed and i called the unemployment office to make sure they knew what he was up to.
I'm a bandleader, have hired and fired countless 'musicians'. A few months ago, a guy showed up for a guitar spot. He couldn't figure out how to turn on the supplied amp, he said he had a jazz background but played very standard rock licks, he constantly complained that we weren't 'playing the songs right' (we were a very well-rehearsed 6-piece band), complained one song 'wasn't funky', kept backing into my personal space (it's a huge room)...after four songs I said "you have to go". He looked shocked.."am I fired already?" Yes, you are. Auditions are for playing and keeping your mouth shut.
twlscil ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 05:24:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bullshitting during a technical interview. Say you don't know and move on, I know you don't know but evading and bullshitting are 100x worse than ignorance.
Bad grammar or spelling often causes your application/resume to go to the bottom of the pile. I've had some spectacularly bad resumes that I still have stuck to my filing cabinet, the applicants were never called.
Depends on the application volume. It is common when the resume lacks basic elements. One of my peers phrased it best in saying: "If they spent the time to accurately apply or include all requisite details in their resume, I will spend the time to reject them personally, and tell them why... If they didn't put forth the effort or time, I'm not wasting my time telling them that they're stupid."
that sounds kinda reasonable. i spent days working on my resume, made a professional looking cv, went to a professional photograph and paid quite a few bucks on material for each application. a few companies didn't write a rejection letter/email, one big company (popular car manufacturer) didn't bother contacting me after i called them a few months after sending my application to ask when to expect an answer (about 2-3 months after i have sent them an application for an apprenticeship, was qualified and met all their requirements). i understand if you don't want to send everyone a personal letter but is it too much to send a standardized rejection email so i know it's not gonna happen and continue writing more applications?
That amount of effort shows, I would likely call and tell you why you weren't being hired, if you were not being hired that is.
The applications that I'm talking about are more along the lines of: barely more than writing your name on a paper in crayon with a happy face, not conjugating verbs at all, not listing any job history, ignoring education information all together, etc.
Not that education is hugely important, I'd prefer experience to a college degree. But, leaving it out entirely is just a waste of both of our time. Oh, and diploma mills get nowhere with me. For example I get a ton of resumes listing the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. I am yet to have a decent intern, much less employee, with that place listed on their resume. I'm sure good people have gone through their program, but the program doesn't produce good people in my experience.
mattmu13 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 11:26:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a guy come in for a programming interview. He knew all the buzz words, answered all the questions really well and was listed as working in the field for several years.
Once the verbal part had finished I asked him to compete a simple javascript for loop to last a bunch of numbers without using Google to find the answer.
I left him for about 10 minutes expecting him to call me and say he'd done it (it should take no longer than 4 minutes for a basic coder).
I came back and he'd done nothing. I asked if everything was ok and he told me he'd forgotten how to write a for loop.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:26:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This happened to me once. I forget what it was (something basic, like a method for a C++ class) and my brain just up and froze. It was something I've written hundreds of times. Right after the interview I wrote the damn thing in a second. I was so mad at my brain.
mattmu13 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:48:36 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have it happen sometimes with odd functions, but for it to happen in a job interview is really bad
Sometimes that happens if youve been working on a lot of other languages and havent used one in a while. The syntax for a javascript for loop isn't as straightforward as some other languages. It'd be easy to forget if you had to put a semi colon or comma, or even that the parameters are all in one bracket.
mattmu13 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:53:52 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was applying for a web developer position and told me his main language was PHP during the interview, so it should have been fairly straightforward. I myself have gone blank sometimes and wondered why something didn't work only to find it was a semicolon or a comma.
The problem is he had written nothing, not even tried it, and I only told him not to Google because you could find the answer to the function I was asking him to write pretty easily. He could of looked at the page source as there were for loops in the back of it or even tried it and asked for help but he just sat there for 10 minutes and said he'd forgotten. I know we all forget sometimes but it's particularly bad when you're in a job interview and there are other candidates you're competing with.
Asl687 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:06:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Once got a cv from a programmer with a list of games he had written on it.. One of which was programmed by myself many years earlier.. The other directors of the company would let me bring in in for interview..
Little late to the show, but the absolute dumbest thing I ever saw an applicant do was to tell me that "I'll have your job in a year." I thought to myself "no you won't"
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:22:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The guy I replaced at my current job said that to my boss.
Not me but my boss. Young looking Mexican guy walks in for an interview for a sales position, the first thing I noticed was that he had a shirt with a bare breasted woman on it...not a good outfit to wear to an interview... The second thing that I noticed was that he could barely string together complete sentences without saying "uhhh...fuck man" in between words. Also, he didn't take any of the questions seriously and would chuckle before answering.
The interview lasted 10 minutes. He didn't get the job.
mbz321 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:06:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The guy who had all manner of Unix experience all over his resume. Taking a cue from that, I asked him what his preferred editor and shell were.
He informed me that he prefers Notepad, and would FTP files off and back,to the system, editing in Notepad. As for the shell question? I'll never forget how he put it (quite smugly even)... "I don't work in a shell, I prefer to work directly in the system."
Great, we've got a guy who can't use vi or emacs, and just pipes a series of 0's and 1's into /dev/kmem. We should totally get this guy. /s
There's also a series of guys who have put CCIE on their resume, but no number. When asked for their CCIE number so I can verify them in the tool on Cisco's site, it invariably comes out. They never took or failed the lab and have only passed the written exam.
Are you on Windows? Hit the Windows key and run "Command Prompt". That's a shell. It's basically just a command interpreter for a computer.
vi and emacs are text editors on UNIX systems. Saying that he likes to work directly with the system means that he would be literally typing binary into the computer.
More to that: the vi editor is different from Notepad, you basically use the H,L keys to go left-right, j-k keys to go down-up, dd to delete a line, yy to copy a line and so on. I lose my shit when I see Unix programmers not being fluent in vi and for good reason - when an urgent problem comes in at 5PM on a Fri, I want a keyboard wizard to handle it, not a hunt-and-peck typist.
Naive question. I mostly work in vim. That really is my go to editor. Most people I talk with either talk about vi or emacs. Would I be looked at oddly for using vim instead of vi? Or as long as I am confident and competent in vim it should be ok?
I don't know what sort of work these people are in, but every job I've worked at no one gave a shit what editor you used as long as you knew what you were doing and could do what was needed when it was needed.
Fuck, I know people who use log in with putty from Windows and then use gedit (with xming)... In the real world no one gives a shit as long as you get your shit done. Don't sweat it, no one will care. If they do, you probably should not work there.
Fear not, comdrade! For when the Vivians and the Emacolytes have mutually destroyed each other we shall crown Nano as the one true Editor! Those who remained faithful shall be rewarded! Sinners will face the ultimate punishment: writing PHP with Notepad! Repent, sinners! Repent!
Actually I'm putting time into learning vi, but I can use nano without a sheet of paper beside me.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:51:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm vim user that uses arrow keys. You couldn't do it in original vi because back then these keys do not exist but these times ended. Probably before I was born.
Can I hang out with you guys? I don't want to deal with hjkl-ers because they want to lynch me as well.
Anyone remotely serious about emacs eschews the arrow keys as well. C-n C-p C-b C-f, M-b M-f by word, C-M-a C-M-e beginning/end of defun etc, this isn't a bad intro.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:25:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Saint Stallman begs to differ.
Even then, emacs does everything vi does, but better, and it doesn't matter anymore that it's heavier since we have so much more overhead than before.
Ducab666 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:55:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You spelled "VI" wrong. Hahaha, emacs is pretty good too, though.
pbfy0 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 02:26:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A shell is a basically a command prompt in Linux. There are several different shells that exist and all do basically the same thing. In the second sentence, vi and emacs are command line linux text editors. /dev/kmem is the device for kernel memory. Theoretically, you could use a system by editing data in memory directly ("I prefer to work directly in the system"), although it would be extremely impractical.
I understood that it was sarcasm... I just didn't know why it was so retarded, but thank you.
semitones ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:38:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A shell is a command-line interface that lets you interact directly with the computer -- kind of like DOS. You tell the computer what to do with a written command, and it tells you the result of your command.
Vi and Emacs are powerful text editors you can run from a shell, often used for programming. Their learning curves are fairly steep, so programmers tend to specialize in and prefer one over the other.
If you don't use a text editor to program, maybe you're (unrealistically) programming in binary by writing your program as 0s and 1s directly into the system's memory, which has the location '/dev/kmem/' in unix.
cschlue ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:50:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
DOS is an example of a shell. It's pretty much the most direct access to most OSes, where you type in commands (that you have to learn about, there's no menu and the available help requires you to know what you're looking for).
It's the best way to interact with most operating systems when you need to work under the hood. Harder, but more freedom. You have to know this stuff to be efficient, especially with any Unix or Linux systems.
vi and emacs are text editors integrated in the shell (type in the command, they open up and you can create/edit files).
Piping is a way to chain commands (which are basically programs) in a shell. Basically you can pipe (pass around) data (a file, keyboard, network, etc.) between programs in sequence. So you can enter a command, then pass the output to another command. A good example in the shell is to type the command to list files in the directory (ls), then pipe/pass around the output (a list of the files as text data) into a command that orders them by file size (or whatever), which could then be sent into a file, or passed to a command that sends an email.
So, going by your definition of a shell, I was in fact using a shell a few days ago when I had to run a "chkdsk" command on my step-mother's laptop from the command prompt?
Not all shells are text-based. Windows explorer (explorer.exe) is also a shell, it's just a graphical one. It's not the only graphical shell available for Windows, either.
I only have basic knowledge in this area, but from what I know (and microseconds or anyone else, feel free to correct me):
I have absolutely no knowledge of this area... what is a shell?
A shell refers to the command prompt or the terminal window. If you use Windows, it's that black box that you open up that begins with: C:\
Also, can you explain this sentance?
Great, we've got a guy who can't use vi or emacs,
vi and emacs refer to a text editor (like Microsoft Notepad) that allows you to create, read, and edit files. These text editors are a bit different from text editors like Microsoft Notepad though, in that you can use them from within the shell.
and just pipes a series of 0's and 1's into /dev/kmem.
People give commands to the computer through written code (it looks like some sort of pseudo-english), that the computer then translates into binary code (it looks like 0's and 1's) for itself to understand and carry out. I haven't heard of anyone who codes directly in binary as it is quite difficult. The guy interviewing might have been bluffing, or if he wasn't, his inability to use text editors within the shell probably limits his capacity to do work.
Probably not true. You could scour the source for a few months, then you might be able to know vi and not be lying :D
cschlue ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:47:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just out of curiousity, what would your reaction have been if he used only nano and bash? I've used VI, and haven't really played with emacs too much but they've always felt a little overkill for what I've worked on. I haven't had a lot of exposure to other shells, should I be exploring other options? Bash seems pretty universal.
I'm fine and happy with bash. That's my shell too, and there's really nothing "pedestrian" about it. But if you claim to be a Unix guy and can only use nano, I'd question what you've been doing all this time. So many tasks you'd actually want to do are a 5-second effort on vi or emacs, but just can't be done in nano.
cschlue ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:03:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wouldn't claim to be a unix administrator outside of lamp stacks and simple scripts. If it's not to much to ask, could you give an example of something that would be more appropriate for VI or emacs? I usually only edit c++ or php scripts in nano and have had plenty of programming friends use vi or emacs but usually they're using them to do the same quick edits I am.
If you are doing hefty edits, use sublime or something ffs. There's no text editing that "just can't be done in nano" :/
But it might be a macro that's quick in the command line with Vim or Emacs. I'd probably make a python script for that. Maybe I'm just too lazy to spend a little bit learning Vim/Emacs but all the user's I've met IRL are charlatans - they put effort into Vim/Emacs specifically to lord it over other people but they don't have a clue what to do when something on a system starts bugging out etc. (and I have to go around fixing their vulns but that's another story).
There seems to be a huge rivalry between vim and emacs, but what about us pico users? For some reason I've always used pico.
And truth be told I do generally prefer Notepad or Notepad++ over most IDEs. Not only are they slow to load on my laptop, they try too damn hard to help. If I want a parenthesis, I'll type a parenthesis! And stop saying that perfectly fine line of code is an error! Fine I clicked on it, and oh suddenly it's not an error anymore?!
I'm a grumpy programmer. I like programming, but sometimes the tools we're given try too hard.
Pico, IMHO, is the DOS edit of the *nix world. There's a learning curve to vi or better, vim, but once you can do that, there's enormous power there. You can be productive at a basic level in vim in minutes.
For example, I don't know of a way to fix a text file that has DOS CR/LF line endings in there (endings that look like ^M).
In vim, that's a quick command. By the time you've done it 2 or 3 times, it's forever burned in your memory:
:%s/ctrl+v ctrl+m$//g
On screen it looks like :%s/^M$//g
That says, take the current text buffer, search for ^M, anchored at the end of line (the $), replace with nothing, and do it globally within the buffer. The only real mojo there is the regular expression, which isn't unique to vim. If you've got any programming history, you should already know and understand regex.
As for emacs, many love it, I hate it. I find it to be an exercise in finger-breaking keystrokes.
Pico and nano are like the DOS edit of the *nix world. Could be worse, you could be using a line editor like ed (think old DOS edlin). For anyone writing any volume code, I can't fathom how you would want to chuck your computer out the nearest window if you used pico or nano.
Which is absolutely fair, in your case. But, you get the idea. It would be like putting "surgeon" on your resume, while you have no idea how to hold a scalpel.
Nez_dev ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:46:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The only correct answer to that question is VIM and BASH. When getting my degree in Network Administration we specialized in Linux or Microsoft and I did Linux first (ended up doing both) and our entire class we were not allowed to use a GUI and our only editor was VIM. We had to learn how to script everything from kickstart files and user/group management to writing our own packet sniffers using top. This made going into the Microsoft classes super easy because I could just do everything in PowerShell.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:31:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Yep.
I had a guy straight up tell me that's what he was doing. In the interview he said "fuck" a lot, and when it was over he apologized and told me that he'd be a terrible employee and I should, by no means, hire him. Heh.
I had someone apply for a CDL driving position that came in smelling like booze wearing a tank top, shorts, and flip flops. He also wore the same clothes and still smelt like booze a couple day later when he came back to check on the status of his application.
Rescheduled five minutes after his interview should have started. Called fifteen minutes after his rescheduled interview should have started to ask where to park (office is in the city). We did him the courtesy of letting him into the building when he showed up half an hour late. Our manager let him know he could go home when he finally got in, sat down with him, didn't offer an apology for wasting our time, and immediately asked if he could work part time.
External applicant. Asked if he would be working directly with me, I told him no. Then he asked if he would be working with "any other women". (I'm a woman) When I asked him why, he said he was going through a divorce at the moment and didn't get on with women any more.
wrote in application she knew Java, PhotoShop, and some other programs. Asked her what she could do in PhotoShop. She couldn't really answer. Asked her what she meant by Java. She couldn't really answer. I asked: Do you mean you know how to use the Java updater? She then said yes... immediately told her interview was over and she wouldn't get the job.
catfroman ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:31:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What job would you be mentioning Java and PhotoShop for? I guess UI Design at a small company where there's overlap..? Seems like two separate skillsets.
management consultant. Those skills weren't important at all for the job. But people always fill out IT skills, and so I used it to test if she was honest in her CV - or had inflated it / straight up lied.
catfroman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:06:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Gotcha. Blows my mind that people put stuff on there that they can't back up.
I fucked up a job interview. I'm a tradesman, so we usually don't have those. I had 2 coffees on the drive over, because it was pretty early and I was tired. Had to wait 20 minutes after I arrived, and halfway through, the coffee kicked in, and I cut a fart that echoed.
Coworker and I were interviewing a candidate for a software developer position. My coworker asked the young man what he liked best about computer science.
His answer: "I hate computers". My coworker and I sat in stunned silence for a moment. My coworker asked him if we should even continue the interview. His response: " well, I can work with them, I just don't like them."
In Engineering the biggest thing is, don't put something on your resume that you know absolutely nothing about down as a skill set. Just because your old job had you install AutoCAD so you can look at drawings, but you never actually drafted any designs, corrections or processed redlines is a big flag. I had a guy come in like that.
His resume looked perfect for our position we were trying to fill out, he had a previous Co-op with AutoCAD experience, industrial controls experience, panel build experience, experience with the proper equipment and brand, plus had willing to travel. In fact before all the interviewers started coming in, I had reviewed all those resumes for a few hours before hand and he had a little start in the corner as a prefered.
He comes in, nice suit, decent handshake, eye contact, asked the right questions. It was great. So now we get down to him, and his skill sets. Just a small conversation about each skill set. "Oh yes I've got experience with CAD. I was the field Engineer when the panels were being designed so it was something I used near daily." So then we move on to the next skill set and he pretty much says the same rehearsed line about some equipment, and then other software packages and finally actual design questions which start to set off red flags. We go back and then start to ask specifics and he just completely starts to break down eventually telling us he didn't use nearly anything other than MS Office that he listed at any real level to be considered a skill. the vast majority of the exposure the guy had was that he had the stuff installed on the computer as part of his company supplied laptop kit. The guy didn't even really want to travel which is a huge nope since 25-50% of the time you'll be on the road at this position. Dude was completely full of shit and seemed to have custom tailored his resume to what we would have wanted rather than what he was actually capable and willing to do. He even went as far to admit that he wasted his Co-op, being regulated to nothing more than a guy who prints out drawings and watches electricians run wires... without actually learning what even the electricians were doing because "Well I was the Engineer, why would I need to learn that stuff?"
After the interview we do a walk through of the building to show off the lab and the gym and a few other things and I use the time normally to get a feel for the personality in a non-interview setting, as we are walking through the gym area he asked me what his shot was at the job and I told him It's probably not great, which he followed with a relieved sigh and said "Good, cause that bit about the drug policy earlier was making me nervous." "... Alright chef thanks for coming in, we can just take this door here to get to the parking lot..."
Yeah he was talked about for a few days.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 18:25:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 05:41:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A young woman stated on her CV that she is genderfluid. I had no idea what this even was at that point. When she came in for the interview I greeted her with Mrs. XY. I was scolded for not realizing she feels like a man today and addressing her with Mr. Instead.
Of course she didn't get the job. Trolled herself, I guess.
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 17:31:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man i bet some nasty stuff was said about you on her blog.
You should be careful with admitting that, you could technically be sued for discrimination in that case.
With that said, its never a good idea to put personal things like that on a CV/Resume...
[deleted] ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 09:06:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I dont think anyone could sue because of that. Genderfluid is like otherkin, if you show up to an interview claiming to be an alien you cant blame the company for discriminating against your stupid opinion. You just dont fit in there, especially when you are supposed to work with customers who are going to be berated because they used the wrong pronoun.
There is transgenderism but there is no feeling like a boy today and like a woman tomorrow genderfluid shit. Transgender is not a choice like gender studies or other shit science wants you to believe. These people suffer from being born into the wrong body. If some hipster shows up claiming that he chooses to be a girl today because genders are made up anyway, that is like a fundamental christian telling a homosexual that he can choose or pray away his sexuality.
These made up genders just exist so someone can feel extra oppressed and play the victim card.
That happened. It's much more likely that a reactionary redditor is making shit up. He talks about his hatred for those kinds of "tumblr" people in his other posts. There's very few people like that in real life, and very few people in that group who would push their views in an interview. Is it more likely that this happened, or is it just some weird comeuppance fantasy that only happened in this redditor's head?
What's weird is that this crazy person was married! Usually people who are overly into their Tumblr genders tend to also eschew traditional relationship stuff like that.
enigmo666 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 08:52:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'll give you two, from different sides of the coin:
I sit on a fair amount of interview panels. I work in tech, and as one of the dwindling minority of geeks without a major social problem, I get wheeled out to speak to these potential recruits. One that sticks in my mind was the humanoid object that somehow managed to get an interview having obviously copied and pasted everything on his CV, and I mean everything but his name. After the usual 5mins complaining between ourselves about HR being populated by idiots, my colleague and I then spent the next 25mins with what I can only describe as a grinning idiot. Never broke his smile, not for a second, but similarly couldn't put together a correct answer to save his life, and usually bordered on incoherent! No knowledge of support, or infrastructure. No experience of networking or security. Basically if he'd been some sort of savant I could have let things slide, but absolutely everything on his CV was not only stolen, but also a lie. He could also not produce the certs he claimed to have, or demonstrate knowledge of the course contents needed to get them. He left the room, still grinning, and I just laughed at my colleague when he said he liked him and wanted to offer him one of the positions. I pointed out that as one of the positions was in my team, not his, then he wouldn't have to work with him, but I might. HR needed numbers to fill, so he was offered the job, took it, and started in my team. I left shortly after. Not strictly because of that, but that's just one example of the idiocy where I used to work.
Second one was from the other side of the table. Technical interview being carried out by three people; one engineer, one manager, one senior manager. Basically, the engineer was OK, asking relevant questions and generally was pleasant and I liked him. The manager made it clear that he wasn't interested, not because I wasn't capable of the job, but because I wasn't his friend already in the company who was after the job as a promotion, and the senior manager spent half his time answering mails/texts, and then answered his phone! At that point I called a halt, stood up, and told them not to bother calling me back. That if I had behaved in an interview as they have, then I'd expect to not get the job, so by that standard they don't deserve me, or anyone else, as a candidate, let alone an employee. On the way out I spoke to another candidate I'd been talking to before hand and just told him to watch them carefully as they were generally not professional. I ran into him a few months later, and he said he lasted less than 5mins in the interview before deciding it was a waste of time and leaving.
vankirk ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 04:28:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy actually tell me in an interview that he was going to have to miss a lot of work because his wife was disabled. I felt bad for him, but dude, wait till after you get hired. I can't deny FMLA. Good candidate, too.
I wasn't responsible at the time, but I've seen a couple of candidates be unfriendly (normally not rude, but dismissive) to our receptionist. My manager always asked her for her opinion, and weighed it quite highly.
I judge people bigtime on how they treat other people, especially retail folks or people that would not be in a position of power over them.
My mom tossed more than one resume in the trash over the years because of how the interviewee treated her secretary while she was finishing setup for their interview.
My mum used to do this! She would meet with the candidates first, explain that the interviewing manager had been slightly delayed, get them a tea and have a little chat with them about their journey etc etc.
She would then go and report back to the interviewing manager about how they were. Some people failed there and then by being rude to my mum!
Tip: Assume the interview starts from the minute you step in through the door. Be your best for everyone you meet!
That is such good advice. I hitched it off with the secretary at my job interview today. Lovely gal who helped me feel at ease. Turns out she is the one who helps with training and orientation! Needless to say I now have a new job.
I never understand this. Receptionists are the best. From my experience, they are usually some of the nicest, most fun people in the company. Which isn't really surprising when they are the first person anyone is going to meet when they arrive at the office.
dc2224 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:31:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Know the company/person you're applying to work with. It amazes me how many people miss this
Kfloro ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:41:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mid-question, the applicant took his phone out of his pocket and started texting.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:16:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow! Who brings their phone to an interview!? Mine stays hidden and locked in my car and anything I need to remember gets written in my folio I bring with me.
I once had a person walk in and ask for a 18-wheeler truck driving position at my medical office. He just wanted me to sign what I presumed to be unemployment papers. I said I wouldn't since there was no ad or sign up saying we had positions to fill.
spdk187 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:48:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I had a guy finish what should have been a 30-45 minute interview in about 7 mins because he answered "yes" and "no" (or other far too brief responses) to almost every question. He was really talented, so it made me almost angry since I had to try to "help" with leading questions.
You seem to be doing the right thing. All I can say is that at least you are trying to make sure you have ideas on what not to say. Good luck and i hope you get the job!
Kilbim ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:52:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How do you build your resume and get invited to interviews if you want to switch field?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:13:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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Kilbim ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:25:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How much is learning on your own worth? I always assumed it's worth nothing, with most people bullshitting around.. Everybody has been ceo or some shit on their resume, if you want to stay true to yourself and not boost your CV to the point of bullshitting it's hard out there..
norf9 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:30:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, I think it depends on the field. For something like programming I would consider working on your own time on something like an open source project the same as job experience.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:32:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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Kilbim ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:33:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What about getting into management in general?
jmeaden ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:59:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy asks how long the interview will be because his friends are waiting in the car park and they're driving to the snow straight after the interview and they want to beat the traffic.
15 minutes later he answers his phone when it rings and says "I think it's wrapping soon - just wait for me".
Slomin ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:00:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've witnessed an applicant 'fuck up' before the interview had initiated. The man reversed his car into one of our director's motorbikes and spent the entirety of his time in the waiting room complaining about the width of the parking spaces and the quality of the coffee our receptionist had offered him. To add fuel to the fire, he was applying for quite an important and highly paid position (ยฃ67,500+ P/A) but arrived wearing a Doctor Who tie and matching belt.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:43:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Asked a canidate about hit employment gap, says he was in prison for stealing and selling drugs which he was "bullshit, cause if I was selling drugs than I wouldn't need to steal nothing."
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:23:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh I have an employment gap. I worked overseas then came home and lived off my savings while finishing college.
What do businesses see though? Employment gap.
1600lbs ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:12:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, I mean, he isn't necessarily wrong.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:14:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
True, but I wasn't sure if he was saying he was a thief or a drug dealer....
An applicant at a store I worked at applied for a position as "night stalker".
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:56:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing for a receptionist position and I had an applicant come in with a completed application from a local grocery store. I asked her to fill out ours and she declined. Her reasoning was that the Albertson's application was very thorough and contained all the information I would need. It never occurred to her that part of any job is your ability and willingness to take instruction. Just totally blew it. Gave her a 5 minute courtesy interview and moved on to the stripper.
I'm a white dude working in China for an international company. Since the work requires you to communicate with co-workers all over the world all employees are required to speak English.
When interviewing recent, Chinese college grads the company always includes at least one native English speaker to do a normal interview in English. Prior to the interviews, the company uses a written test to weed out people who can't speak English but amazingly a lot of poor speakers still make it through.
I've had so many interviews where the Chinese guy/gal starts sweating bullets when they realize they won't be able to fall back to Mandarin if they get stuck on the English. It can get pretty cringy when they clearly can't communicate in English, it means the interview is over because I'm not gonna waste half an hour bullshitting with somebody in broken English.
Anyway, the worst instance of this was a girl who visibly recoiled when I walked into the room and then spit out, "Oh my god! I was not aware I was going to be interviewed by a lao..." and then she stopped herself from saying the semi-offensive Mandarin word for "foreigner." Instead she saved it by saying, "...interviewed by a... foreign friend."
At this point the girl was visibly nervous, sweating, stuttering and totally uncomfortable with the idea of doing the whole interview in English. After stumbling through a few questions her eyes started welling up and she just said, "I'm sorry, I need to go." She walked right out of the building and we never heard from her again.
I felt bad because nobody should needs to get stressed to the point of tears during a job interview.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:25:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
gingaflo ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:49:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i find it amazing that people haven't yet figured out how important it is to stay humble, and how far an apology can go.
loomdog1 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:09:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had an interviewer fuck up on me. I was interviewing for an Architect position and he referred to my school (Cal Poly) and building niche (Hospitality) as crap. I was done once he said that.
Drakien1 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:21:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I remember one candidate who I will never forget. Showed up 20 minutes late, disheveled, carrying a bag of groceries and a starbucks. Every time he answered a question he would attempt to remove every atom from his almost empty Starbucks cup. Then turn 90 degrees and talk to the window. As he formulated every answer in the form of a story that had little to do with the question. After 45 minutes we had only gotten through 3 questions.
I used to work for a solicitors that used to prosecute people for owing money.
So naturally we for for a very specific type of person, very confidant, can argue and debate but also very polite.
I have had someone who's sister did all the telephone interviews for them and then when they actually came in they couldn't speak English.
On another occasion I had front desk call me and tell me the applicant was going to be 15 minutes late for the interview. It was with about an hour's notice so it didn't bother me.
When I met her I asked 'so I heard you had a little trouble getting here, where did you come from?', her response was that she had no trouble getting here there was just a really great sale on in the stores near the building. NOPE.
I will end it on a win though. This guy came referred to us as a friend of an employee so I had high hopes. When he arrived he was very smartly dressed, clean shaven etc. But he looked AWFUL. Like really sick, as in 'should be in a hospital' level of ill.
His interview went a little weirdly and he gave some bizarre answer to one question, but everything else about him was going really well. So he ended up getting the Job.
Turns out he had a full blown sinus infection, and both of his ear canals were swollen so badly that he was basically deaf, and he more of less guessed what the questions were out of what he could make out and winged his answers.
The Dude was a class A bullshitter, and was excellent a debt collector.
lynnyfer ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:37:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Woman was in our waiting room filling out our preliminary application. Pulled out her phone, looked at it, then handed me the application and said "I just got a job offer that I think I might take so I'm going to go" and walked out.
Three days later she e-mailed asking if I could reschedule the interview.
I am not in charge of hiring, but last week, I was doing some stocking in the same area while my boss was waiting for an interviewee to show up. This lady walks in, hair loose around her shoulders, wearing a t-shirt, leggings and ugg boots. Boss immediately asks her, "Are you sure you're here for the interview? Because I just filled the position." [A lie, we're still short handed as I type this.]
Obviously she was not dressed appropriately, but what is wrong with having her hair down? Was it messy and disheveled, or was it just hanging neatly? I ask because I always wear my hair down (neatly brushed and everything) and didn't realize that might be an issue for some people.
That makes sense then. I haven't had too many interviews at this point and none of them would have been in an industry that required my hair to be up all the time, and I would definitely make sure it looked nice! Especially paired with the rest of the outfit I can definitely see it being unprofessional
I'm starting to hate it though. I used to wear my hair up frequently, pony tail or bun was how I liked it. But now that I'm forced to? Ugh. First thing I do when I'm off the clock now: hair comes down.
Depends on the job. You wouldn't want to show up to a job working with heavy machinery/factory with your hair down because it might get caught on something, or in the food industry because of the issues that come with loose hair. Even if you're not working during the interview, showing up like you're ready to work and know general safety rules is good, I think. An office or other generic job wouldn't care as long as it looked clean and neat though.
That's what I was thinking. The whole look is definitely unprofessional and not something to wear to an interview.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:40:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wearing longer hair pinned back/put up makes for a tidier/more professional appearance in most cases.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:16:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The rule of thumb I've heard is to have it pulled back from your face. Tucked behind your ears is fine. Just don't "hide" behind it.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 01:51:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pigeon-holing themselves is a pretty common one.
Don't ever answer a question with just, "I don't know" or "It's not my job".
If you don't know, say, "I don't know, but I'd <talk to another department that should know, dig around on Google, search for an outside contractor that could help>".
If it's not your job, too frickin bad. It's impacting your work, so it is your job to deal with it, even if that just means going to whoevers job it should be and working with them to get what you need.
I think the worst was a mechanical engineer applying for an engineering position. We asked how he'd improve a process he was presenting on. The answer we were looking for was to update the software he was using or introduce some new programming to automatically post-process the data and present it in a more useful format.
His answer, after we handheld him towards our point, was, "Well, I'm not a programmer, so I don't really know what I'd do."
Bad answer. He was sitting in a room full of engineers that had no formal programming experience but all did their fair share of programming despite. We didn't even need him to say he was a programmer - just realize it was the software that needed improving. He actually would have gotten a lot of respect from interviewers if he had said, "Well, I'm a shit programmer, so it'd probably wouldn't be the best for me to do it, but I'd go find a software engineer and have them take a look at improving the output to look more like <how it should look>."
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:46:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewed someone for a marketing position with 50% writing / 50% graphic design capacities. When I asked him which program he prefers for the design part, he replied with "PowerPoint". Ended right there.
djhubcaps ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 04:49:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Saying you're fluent in Spanish and when prompted, completely unable to say anything in Spanish
Edit: grammar
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:18:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This happened to me, sort of. I'm fluent in R but the recruiter told me there would be no technical portion in this interview, so when I was surprised with a test I was so nervous I had a syntax error in defining a variable. Needless to say, I didn't get the position...
I had four positions open and was doing a large number of phone screens, about one every half hour from a bank of candidates our recruiter set up.
I get to one guy and right off the bat, his phone has a weird ringtone thing where you hear his ringtone when you call instead of the dialing sound. It's some rap song I didn't recognize, but it involved "bitches and hos" and started getting a bit sexual. Huge red flag #1. The guy answers, and even though he already scheduled this with the recruiter, he wasn't ready and wanted to know if I could call him back in about 15 minutes. Red flag #2.
I told him I have other interviews, but would call him back if time allowed. I finally got an open slot and called. He was very lackluster on the phone and didn't have any enthusiasm at all. He wasn't currently employed, but his last job was out of state within about a month, so I asked him about that.
He said his mom moved them out of state to live with their grandfather years ago, and his grandfather had recently died, so he decided to move back to our state where he was happy because he was going through a lot of depression and stuff. It wasn't helping though because he had been here about a month and no one would hire him.
doc-ant ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 09:34:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know a guy who went for an interview and apparently it all went well.... until he was asked "do you have any skills that you could bring to the team?" he said he was caught off guard so his reply was "well, i can run really really fast."
Stinking like cigarette smoke, like they had just put one out. They got the job by the way, they were best qualified and did a terrific job. But damn, was it was difficult to overcome the first impression of shaking hands with an ashtray.
A jacket you leave outside, for example. Make sure you're not in the wind. Wash your hands.
Gah, one downside to legalized pot is people need to rediscover the concept of a smoking jacket. The other day had a customer come to the counter that made me step back.
Even better, gloves (preferably leather or similar instead of a knit material) and a hat or hood to keep the smell from lingering on your hands and hair. And if possible, brush your teeth instead of just having a mint. If you smoke in your home, leave your interview clothes in the dry cleaning bag so they don't absorb the odor sitting in your closet.
I'm a massage therapist, my manager turned down a candidate once for coming in smelling like smoke. How do you expect to be so close to a client and smell like an ash tray?
Smoking would not preclude someone from working at my company, but it is contrary to the 'corporate culture'. None of the upper/middle management smoke.
I personally don't care if people smoke but given certain jobs you have to be considerate. Especially for massage when your interview involves you getting up close and personal with the interviewer.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:03:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not a reason to 'turn someone down for a job', the question was a out fucking up an inyerview. While this guy gave an okay interview and was eventually hired, he did give me a strong first impression of smelling like cigarette smoke, which turned out to be something I had to deal with everytime I spoke with him.
Nikerym ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 04:09:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
increased costs for health insurance would be a reason in the US i'd expect.
In Australia where I hire, I will refuse to hire a smoker as they feel they are entitled to 10min breaks once an hour whereas a non smoker will just sit there and work (generally). smokers also take more time off due to "sickness" (in my experience, this isn't scientifically proven that I know of). I really don't want to have to police my employees and I feel that it's unfair when one of my employees sits there from 8-10, has a 15minute then 10:15-1, has an hour, then 2-5 compared to a smoker who has 8 breaks throughout the day + an hour for lunch.
i agree that smokers should get no special treatment, or at least non-smokers should also benefit from more frequent breaks.
the kind of work we do at my office generally allows everyone to take it slow. no one ever has an 8 hour day. so it's not uncommon for smokers to get for a smoke whenever the hell they want, and others to just lounge around, chat, go for a break in the lunchroom, coffee run, or just some fresh air outside. perks of the job i guess.
But in every office I've worked in, the non-smokers do too. Instead of walking out to the smoking gulag, though, they usually walk to another worker's desk and bullshit about sports or some other nonsense.
In that way, a smoker may be away from their desk, but they're only taking themselves out of rotation.
Nikerym ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:06:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
fair enough, but the bullshit talk/socialising builds culture.
even as a smoker i can agree to that and understand it, but that is not a good enough reason to turn down potentially the best candidate for the job. plenty of people in my office smoke, including most of the higher ups.
The guy nailed the interview, had extensive experience, a solid resume, and was the most qualified for the position. I was going to hire him until he called back asking for the results of his drug test.
[deleted] ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 13:35:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
necrolust ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:01:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Here we can lose commercial insurance policy on everyone and the entire building if it turns out anyone was on drug and something had happen during business hours.
liability sure if a thing but i still don't understand why a positive drug test automatically leads to a rejection of an applicant. many drug test will be positive a few weeks after consumption because there are non-psychoactive metabolites in the consumers system. as an irregular cannabis user (1-2x maximum per month), i can't comprehend why i get denied based on my consumption (mostly saturdays, i never show up intoxicated at work, ever) while some people get employed without problems even though they drink tons of booze every weekend. both of us are consuming drugs but neither will show up intoxicated at work. sorry for the rant but i consider myself a reliable and responsible person and hope you understand why i feel discriminated against sometimes.
raulcat ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 19:37:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This gets me too. I had a 3.6 GPA in school for a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering. But god forbid I smoke on my own time.
yeah, it's ridiculous. i value my personal sparetime and privacy higher than large paycheck, so i would never accept any position that has some bullshit requirements and restricts what you are allowed to do after work. my current employer banned drugs from company area but doesn't care what we do in our free time. i'm really glad they accepted me because they care about their employees. free education, will help me with uni if i want to, voluntary seminars for health stuff, free gym membership, good salary, profitsharing, and some other benefits. it's one of a few companies that did not care for good grades but were actually interested in you as a person. shame, that many employers have bullshit criteria you have to meet to get a job
raulcat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:04:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
metal industry (recycling and producing steel). 37 companies and ~11000 employees, i think i work for one of the smallest companies in that group, we recycle metals and deliver them to our steel mill just a few kilometers away. the steel mill is the most important employer in my little town, without it many would be unemployed. they offer great apprenticeships (everyone gets equipment, we have different courses depending on our trade [eg welding, operating a crane, dozens of others] and the first year is in a special training workshop. they also make good money with training workers from other companies). we only work 6.75 hours/day (7-14:30 including 30+15min break) which i find very pleasant. your education is not as important, since they will teach you everything in a special training. it kinda feels like a family, mutual respect and friendliness are very important. i don't have any experience with other companies but everyone loves working here and is productive so i guess that the company is doing something the way it should be done. we currently have a guy from afghanistan who attended school for only 3 years in his entire life and still isn't fluent in german language. our supervisors don't mind explaining something again/slower and he takes part in a program to help him integrate (people help him doing paperwork, learning the language etc). i almost feel like double-crossing them because i want to move on after my apprenticeship + uni degree but they told me it's totally fine and assured they will support me. never expected that reaction since i'm only wasting their resources during that apprenticeship
raulcat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:19:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, it's a deal breaker. Personally if a candidate smokes a little pot or something on his/her own time, I couldn't care less. Unfortunately, our insurance company and leadership see it differently so I have to be very strict. Oddly enough, he passed the test -- he would've had a job had he just kept his mouth shut.
I don't think that should automatically be grounds for rejection. False positives aren't unheard of in drug tests. Unless he said something else that indicated he'd been on something recently?
We're pretty good at avoiding false positives. We're not looking for the presence of THC for example, we're looking for a large amount above threshold. We'll also ask a candidate to explain any false positives -- the most common issue I deal with is adderall coming up as methamphetamine.
I've got some advice for people in charge of doing the hiring:
When hiring a senior-level software engineer, let's skip the junior-level questions and get right to the higher level concepts. If I'm truly senior-level and have a good grasp of the junior-level stuff, I won't have any trouble answering questions at a higher level and expounding upon the basic stuff as needed.
Seriously, peppering a senior-level person with junior-level questions means you either don't understand the distinction between junior and senior level concepts or you don't trust the candidate you are interviewing. Either way, those are huge red flags and I will turn your offer down either way if I'm on the fence about your job offer.
Also, if I'm interviewing for your position, I'm okay with answering questions about why I'm leaving my current job and even the job before that. But don't take the 1.5 hour interview as an opportunity to grill me on why I haven't only had one job my whole adult life. This is the 21st century. People move jobs. You certainly did. Don't be a dick. If you've changed jobs at some point in your career, just give it the once over and move on to stuff that matters. If you haven't and you really have only worked in one place your whole adult life, firstly you're full of shit. Secondly, that's another huge red flag that means I don't want to work for you.
We're software engineers. Moving jobs every 12 to 18 months is not a red flag for candidates. Ever heard of consulting?
datmart ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:32:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As someone who is ~30 and has had more jobs than years of driving experience, this so much.
Granted, I've been at my current place for a bit over 2 years, but it's really frustrating being in the tech world and constantly asked "So why do you only last 1-2 years at an employer?"
The company I work for has interviewed several people for senior level back end positions who couldn't answer basic questions. We've even had a guy in who only knew nosql. We're a Microsoft company, and this guy didn't even grasp the very basics of a relational database. I was more equipped as an intern than he was with years of a experience. This is why I think the first handful of questions should be basic, just to determine whether or not this person is even worth the time. Of course if they never ask you the hard stuff, that's reason to be concerned
Candidate for a quality assurance position. Spelled the name of the main product they'd have been working on 3 different ways on their CV.
AB1186 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:45:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I work at Chipotle. As part of working there, Managers and Crew Members both take part in interviewing new clients. So me and my Manager went on to interview about three people. Its a simple interview that should take no more than 10 minutes and halfway through a guy comes up to the table with a drink in his hand, smelled like he hadn't showered, and wearing an Ed Hardy shirt that was buttoned incorrectly and interrupts the interviewee mid sentence and asks "Ummm is this for the interview?" We tell him yes and he stands back and takes a chug at his drink. Needless to say he wasn't interviewed when we were finished.
Had another guy apply and at his interview he was a really cool guy. Wasn't the full package but seemed like a fit but that all changed mid sentence when he said he was leaving out of state next week for school. SO WHY APPLY?????
One time I was working on the line and had the phone ring So I answered it. A young male answers and asked if we were hiring. Chipotle is always hiring but you must apply online to begin with. He asked if we do interviews and I told him yes. He then went on to introduce himself and talk about himself as if we started an over the phone interview lol. I stopped him mid sentence and told him we do don't phone interviews and to apply online. He again asked me if we do interviews so I just told him to apply online and have a good day.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:14:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
changed mid sentence when he said he was leaving out of state next week for school. SO WHY APPLY?????
I wonder if a parent or SO was nagging him to get a job. Maybe he came to the interview to shut them up.
Casual profanity. If you can't tamp it down in a interview, how can I trust you around customers or my own boss?
Hydrok ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:22:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just want to help everyone out so here is my one big piece of interview advice for everyone. Silence is ok. Interviewers will often pause in between questions to see if you will elaborate on something. This is kind of a trap because you stopped talking for a reason. Look the interviewer in the eye and wait for the next question or direction to elaborate. Also don't let your eyes wander while you are considering a question, bring a notebook with you and just glance at it while considering a response, looking all over the place makes it look like you are searching for an answer you don't have.
This brings me to the worst interview I've ever had. This kid who was 22 was applying as a mechanics apprentice position. I asked him to "tell me a little about your experience" and he talked for 15 minutes and some time after I stopped paying attention and started prepping for the next candidate I heard that he had work limitations because he had outside responsibilities. I didn't answer him right away and he plowed on telling me about his WoW stuff he had to do. He didn't get the job.
My dad's story about him being interviewed to work at Miniclip ( browser game company), he has a good resume as a programmer and was asked what he thought of videogames, his answer?" I don't like videogames." He's the kind of person who thinks of gamers as no-lifers and fat and didn't know Miniclip was a game company... He got the job.
37214 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:56:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Once interviewed a guy for an IT position with the self proclaimed title of "Code Poet". I mean, how could I pass that up?
I can answer for myself. Rocked a first interview, did great for half of the 2nd interview, then it came time to identify weaknesses and I just unloaded on myself. Honest and overly critical. I just lambasted myself and my lack of experience. I wanted the position but felt like I needed to let them know that I was a rookie for the position (or so my overly critical self thought).
Tell us about your management experience, they asked. Despite being in charge of the division when we had no manager, I told them none. Because officially, my job description didn't include it. Managing workloads? Interns? Making policy and independent decisions? NOPE NOPE, not on my job description even though I did this on a daily basis. I worked with these people on a daily basis and didn't want to be thought of as the guy who took credit where none was deserved or acted like he had more authority than he truly had. I was so worried about not overselling myself that I sold myself incredibly short. My director, who apparently wanted me to get the job had a post-interview meeting with me to work with me on not being so hard on myself. I'm still learning how to do that, but I have historically used beating myself up as motivation to do great work.
Zambini ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:25:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing this guy who looked great on paper for a game programming gig. Bring the only one in the company knowing anything about databases, and this project relied heavily on it (think online Magic) I tagged along in this interview after only being at the company a month or two.
This guy rolls in, cocky as all hell. "I could program the world" attitude.
Every question we ask him: "yes I know how to do this", " yes I do that ", " yes that's simple for me "
Finally I get sick of these bs answers and ask him to design a schema as a super basic proof of concept for some similar game db needs. After 20 minutes he comes up with something so asinine that even in my first ever database I would have gotten the job over him. We exchange our pleasantries and end the interview, and I could see that he was confident he'd get an offer later that day.
Another guy, for the same position: looked pretty great on paper, even had 10 years in database management. We bring him in and I ask him basically the same question. Literally says "if I'm the guy you have designing your database you're in trouble" jokingly. I had no more questions....
If an applicant came in and actually worked on Magic Online, would you hold it against that person?
Zambini ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:35:46 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That would probably be a plus, depending on his or her role and contributions to the project.
evoic ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:56:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed a guy along with my operations manager at the time. He was as perfect as perfect could be. I got buzzed through our office intercom that she was needed urgently. She excused herself and stepped outside. The door had barely closed and Mr. Perfect said, "Jesus Christ what a rack on her.....but that voice! How do you deal with that annoying terrible voice! ?"
I just sat there for a moment in stunned silence trying to decide if I could overlook some or all of that. Trying to decide if he really just said those words. Trying to decide if the LSD I took in my younger days had just came back in a very strange way to make me hallucinate what just happened. Dumbfounded. I remember VERY clearly what happened next. I told him, "We're going to have to go ahead and wrap things up right there....." He looks me straight in the eyes and says, with no sarcasm or personal awareness whatsoever, "So am I your guy?"
".......You are most certainly NOT our guy, but I thank you for your time and wish you luck in whatever you end up doing"
Not in charge of hiring, but I'm an engineer who acted as the final step of the interview process.
I had an applicant make it past resume review, and an initial phone screen, and get all the way to a meeting with me to test his technical skills. The position was for ruby on rails web developer and CSS expert.
Turns out the applicant's work experience was as an ice cream truck driver, he did not own a computer, and had just taken an "intro to web pages (html)" course at his local community college. And by "his local", I do not mean "my local"- he lived in another city, and would need to drive about 45 miles to get to the office. He said he couldn't afford to do that daily, and asked if he could stay at my apartment for a few nights a week.
I was polite to him and he understood when I explained that this job was not entry level, and we were only considering local candidates. He said "But why did you waste my time with this interview? All of that stuff was on my resume..."
I had a very, very tense conversation with HR, and requested our CEO sit in on the discussion. This problem did not occur again.
While first reading I thought you we're saying by he lied on his resume, but it sounds like your HR department just fucked up and let him through to you when his qualifications (or lack thereof) should have prevented that?
He was hilariously underqualified. And even if he HAD been qualified, the "can I live with you" part would have been a reddit-worthy disqualification by itself. But yes, 90% of the fuckup was in HR.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:31:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
During her interview, a woman was told that the company uniform was black pants, and she said "Oh, good! I've got black pants comin' out my butt!" She still got the job, but it was gloriously inappropriate.
I worked for a large parts distributor a few years ago and I had a strategic account that grew very fast and my regional manager decided with the profit we were making we could afford 2 part timers splitting the week to help me and my partner to do stock and essentially receive and warehouse parts until they were needed. So my partner and I didn't officially hire anyone but we conducted the interviews while our regional manager just hung in the back. (He was super weird and a really shitty napoleon complex). Anyways my partner and I knew that the interview needed to be super simple and we needed only short straight forward answers. I.E. short quiz to make sure they could remember numbers, if they have ever worked on their own and we're expected to accomplish tasks on their own, if they have issues with working in heat (our warehouse had no air conditioning it was miserable in the summer) and finally if they had ever driven a fork lift. Now mind you we didn't have alot of people jumping at our 21 hour a week 12$ position so even if a candidate had no experience in any of those questions we were still desperate. So we narrowed down a group of mouth breathers from 12 to 2. Mouth breather 1 never showed up for his final interview and mouth breather number 2 had no experience but had just finished 4 years in the Army. So we knew he could handle the job and we would essentially just train him but we still asked him the 4 questions I mentioned. Instead of just answering everything like he had in previous interviews....he launched into this weird, dead stare monolog which I can only imagine he memorized where he in no way answered the simple questions I asked. Instead he just spoke like a robot about how he was a team player and loved being a part of a team. He literally focused on the team idea for every question. I was all about hiring him up to this point. Both me and my partner were like yeah he really blew that one and it was super creepy like he was maybe on drugs???? So our regional manager said well....I respect your guys opinion, well just keep looking. A week later our regional got tired of having to sit in on our interviews (which he wasn't required to do but he was a shit stain) and he just went over our heads and hired mouth breather 1. Mouth breather was a horrible employee. He would straight up refuse to do take that were included in his job description, which were actually pretty cushy, and he used to raise his voice to me all the time but never my partner which essentially infuriated me. I was always professional and eventually had to follow our company policy for termination less than two weeks after he started. First a verbal (I actually gave him 3) then a written (that one was easy he showed up late every single day. Not once did he show up on time) and then for a third and termination I had to include my regional manager and hr. HR was all about getting rid of mouth breather because he really did suck and I had done a great job of documenting his absemtism. So I gave my side of the issue and left it at that. My regional said that I could leave because he had to follow up w HR. soooooo....he wasn't at work the next few weeks and I just assumed he had been let go for poor Performance. Then I found out no.... no....that hadn't happened. Instead our regional had this guy promoted to a 2 step up promotion with 0 experience and no college experience which the job required. Worst part was I had been told if I applied to the position, which I did, o would very likely be hired. Nope Mouth breather got promoted. So I'm sure this all sounds do negative it must sound like bullshit. Alas, friends it is not. Eventually after moth breather screwed up 2 times really huge and higher ups noticed they then started to look into why regional manager had hired an unqualified and person for the position. Turned out regional was related to mouth breather which mouth breather lied about on his application when asked if he had family employed by the company. Now any normal large publicly traded company would usually terminate both. Not so. Instead regional got transfered to a further away market and mouth breather was busted down again onto my team. Don't know who he knew but it was impossible to get rid of him. I eventually resigned because his incompetence started to reflect poorly on our whole team. I thought that would definetley get the hire ups attention. NOPE. he got moved into my spot and I was given a step down demotion. This all sounds so impossible but it happened. I left the company a few months later. My friends who stuck it out said regional was eventually fired and had been found to be holding back on workers bonuses to give to himself. Then everything became a cake walk and they are all making stacks. I wish I didn't have values.......
TL:DR- a regional director sneakily slipped in a relative into my work team who was terrible and I always tried to get rid of him and instead was demoted for trying to do so. So I left the company my friends roughed it out and eventually everything got straightened out and they are making lots of money. I luckily am unemployed and living w my parents now.
Me: So tell me about a time when you had to multitask?
Him: I'm a great multi tasker! sometimes when I play call of duty I'm also eating and drinking at the same time.
Me: So... How do you do when you're not drinking and eating at the same time?
Him: Oh way better.
javilez ยท 49 points ยท Posted at 01:22:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy was being interviewed for a teaching position. Got a boner when a 16-year old walked in. Interview was supposed to last 2 hours, only lasted 5 minutes. Stop being a perv Jared. (Seriously, his name was Jared.)
Poor guy. I dunno this one seems borderline to me. I know its a little taboo, but you can't really help what you find attractive, all you can help is your actions. For all you know he could have been a great candidate. Then again, I wasn't there.
javilez ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As u/Cormanxd pointed out, he was in dress slacks; and pretty tight ones too. Also, the desk we were sitting at was transparent so anything below the waist, we could see clearly.
Interviewer: "Well... I think that covers everything. I've got to admit, you're the most impressive interviewee we've ever had. I think I'd be a fool not to hire you."
Applicant: "I feel like we'd make a good fit."
Interviewer: "Tell me... what's your secret? With confidence like yours, there's gotta be a secret."
Applicant: "It's simple really. This morning, I got up early an extra couple hours. I double checked my clothes and paper work. Once I was sure that everything was in order, I gave my wife a real oppressive power-fucking. My wife asked me to slap her titties, but I punched her in the throat instead. Then, my wife opened her mouth right when I was about to release... but I pushed her head aside, and jizzed on her pillows. I managed to maintain an erection during my entire commute to this building... and I even stopped for McDonalds. 10 minutes before checking in with the receptionist, I went into the bathroom and soaked some paper towels in cold water. I wrapped the ice-cold paper towels around my shaft, and flicked the tip of my penis until it went back down. So yeah... that's my secret. I recommend trying it sometime. Super effective."
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:38:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That doesn't necessarily make him a nonse. It could've just been very unfortunate timing! Poor bastard.
javilez ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 01:34:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I actually wanted to pull the "it happens" but my boss was there. And if Jared would have done something, my boss would have said "you told me to keep him"
[deleted] ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 03:25:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I fuck up a job interview by being woefully under qualified for the job, despite there being no indication of this from the job posting, and from my resume it was clear what kind of experience I had. It was super awkward and embarrassing. It became clear about halfway through the phone interview we were wasting each other's time.
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 04:28:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
This interview was actually an awkward gong show the entire time, but the thing that really got me was at the beginning.
I asked the applicant in my initial email to please print out and fill in our application, which I attached. Standard stuff. The email is only about five lines long.
So she shows up, cute as a button and nervous as all hell. I greet her and ask for her finished application.
"Ohh... Was I supposed to do that before I came?"
"Well yes. I asked you to in the email." In fact, details about then app take up literally half the email. You can't miss it, unless you don't bother to read five lines of text.
"Oh...."
Undeterred (and, frankly, more than a little desperate - we really needed to fill the position) I gave her a printout of the app and sat her down at an empty table.
So she sat there for about an hour, scribbling away. I couldn't get any real work done in that time because I was waiting for her. At one point, my boss walked by and came back looking angry. I asked what was up and he said that she was wasting our time just sitting there and texting. I went over and asked about it. Apparently she hadn't thought to bring a copy of her CV and was now desperately searching for it in her email.
We ended up not hiring her because it was pretty clear that she was unfit, inexperienced, and had some issues with immaturity besides. This lady giggled nervously throughout the interview (which, thanks to her application-writing time, had stretched to about an hour and a half) and couldn't answer any of our questions without prodding from myself or the other interviewer.
She was visibly relieved when we said it wasn't going to work out and as I saw her to the door, I noticed she had decided to wear skinny jeans and Chucks to the interview.
I honestly wonder if she's managed to find work since then. She seemed nice enough, she just had no idea how to do a Grownup Job interview.
might have been the very first time. Can be very intimidating. Sure she did better on the next one
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:21:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Going by her CV and what she said in the interview, she'd been working in my field for about two or three years. She seemed to have stumbled into her previous positions, but I'd be shocked if she'd never had to do an interview before.
"I don't really have the right skills" and "I'm not sure why I'm applying" were my favourites. I've seen people shoot themselves in the foot during an interview but I've rarely seen someone empty the clip and then pause to reload.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:02:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I wonder if some of those people did not really want the job. Maybe a parent or spouse/partner nagged them to apply.
Well I'd if it's the "worst", but it was definitely the most surreal/bizarre. A few weeks ago I had a candidate "Tyler" who seemed very promising on a phone screen with our developers, and so I scheduled an in-person interview.
It was about 5 minutes past his interview time, and he wasn't there. The building can be confusing and there was construction on our floor, so I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I decided to call him at 10 minutes late, and unfortunately got pulled aside for a small issue right before I called him. By the time I get back to the phone, he is 20 minutes late and hasn't called me. I call him:
"Hi Tyler, this is redflipflop from business."
"Hi."
...
"I'm just calling to check on you in case you've gotten lost or something has come up. Will you be able to make your interview today?"
"Oh. I'm in (Name of Town 45 minutes away)."
...
"Well, we're not, we're in (City)."
...
"Okay."
... (the silence was really long and awkward. I was waiting for him to offer a lame excuse, or apologize, or ask to reschedule or anything) ...
"I don't think you'll be able to make it in for an interview today, so let's cancel."
"Where is your office again?"
"(Office Address)"
"Huh. Well, I'm in (Name of Town 45 minutes away)."
"Why don't email me when you get a chance. Have a nice day, Tyler!"
Two days later he sent an email saying he was available for an interview on the following Tuesday. He didn't mention the missed interview at all. I told him we had moved forward with other candidates, thank you.
[deleted] ยท 34 points ยท Posted at 23:02:11 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy coming in to apply for really nice slot, if I recall it was to be at 3pm. Customer did a surprise visit at 2pm though and when 3pm came I made sure my front desk let them know what was up and just hang on a second or two. At like 3:06ish I was finished and walked in ready to shake hands and do the happy greet and meet to be met with, "You are late. I don't accept late."
Interview was over, might shock you to learn I did not hire him.
babylina ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 03:16:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
to be fair, if it's not professional to show up late, it's not professional to start late. i am more understanding than that, but others might feel the same.
[deleted] ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 03:15:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He notified the candidate that he was running late. That I think is very courteous and the proper thing to do. It showed he had respect for the candidate and wanted to keep him informed. In fact, if I were the candidate I would have recognized that the employer did pass his side of the interview because he did not leave the candidate hanging wondering where he was. What more could he do under the circumstances? Would you want him to be rude to a customer who is part of the success of his business and kick him out? Or try to balance the transition from customer to applicant the best he could under the circumstances and likely apologise when he met the candidate. If you gave me a hard time because I was late, I wouldn't hire you either.
Kumacon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:40:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is why being punished for tardiness is fucking bullshit. If the interviewee were late, that would have fucked him out of a job. Yet, management can be late, and they can fuck him out of a job when he points it out. I understand the reason he didn't get the job is because he was a rude asshole about it, and not because he pointed out that you were late, but it's still a double standard, and it's still fucking absurd. Shit happens. People are late. Yes, even management and corporate fuckholes.
I'm just here to see if I was in any of these stories
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:36:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am just here to see what mistakes i should avoid when i apply for my first job in IT.
TIL
1) Dont get drunk
2) Own a car
3) Buy formal clothes from thrift shops
4) Dont say you are lazy.
tallornot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
me too, literally.
psychick ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 05:09:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She pulled out her phone, which was in her bra, and proceeded to answer it during the interview.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:53:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did she lick her tit sweat off of it?
I_Raptus ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 05:47:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I fucked up a particular job interview for a variety of reasons, especially because, at the end, when I was given my travel expenses, I sat in front of the interviewer and counted them. He just stared at me in disbelief.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:57:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The first interview i had my gran went with me and did all the talking i got the job as well i cringe at the thought of it now.
This wasn't me, but I've had this conversations with supervisors before and what you wear to the interview is a big indication of whether or not you are worth hiring.
First boss came out one day angry and sort of laughing and told me that one of his interviewees came in wearing flip flops, shorts, and a wife beater. To a food service job. Sadly, he didn't get it.
A year later I'm working front desk at a hotel and my new supervisor tells me about the time a girl came to her interview in a mini skirt, tube top, and uggs. When she was informed that the job included a uniform she looked visibly displeased. Apparently she thought she would be able to wear a tube top at the front desk of a hotel. In the rich, fancy, tourist part of the state.
So we were hiring for a junior developer position and this Indian woman applies, had a decent resume. We bring her in and get father comes to the interview and wants to sit in (we said no). She barely spoke English, couldn't answer the technical questions, it was bizarre. I think the resume was fake.
Late to the party but it's a pretty decent one. Not me, but a friend of mine fucked up his interview quite badly. He was interviewing with Microsoft when the topic of Internet Explorer came up, and he made a joke about how IE was terrible as a product and nobody actually used it.
As the interview was finishing up, they were making idle chit-chat, and the topic of what the interviewer did at Microsoft came up. It turned out he was the head of product development for IE. My friend did not get the job.
Probably going to get buried now, but I just had to share: happened a few years ago; he was a very smart guy and looked very good on paper. Aced all the interviews, and got a verbal offer.
Unfortunately, on the same day he got a verbal offer, he was invited to the company party and he promptly got wasted and puked all over the party floor. His offer got rescinded.
I know about all of these because our firm was the recruitment team that got him the interview in the first place. :(
When I was asked " describe a time you dealt with an irate customer, and describe how you handled it. I won't get into the whole answer but I actually used the phrase "I went against company policy" in my answer.
SalsaRice ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:09:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, I was the one being interviewed, but I fucked up one pretty good.
Stuck my right hand out on instinct to shake the head engineer's hand..... only to look down and see he didn't have any right arm below the elbow.
He looked cranky after that.
teeb46 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:38:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You can't blame yourself for that, most people have 2 hands!
Oh man. I used to hire for an on-demand temp agency, and a direct care company, and I saw some doozies.
Showed me exactly how he shoved his finger in his supervisor's face and how he yelled at his supervisor when he walked off the last job site.
So jacked up on heroin that he started rolling a cigarette during orientation. When I told him it wasn't appropriate, he decided to give in to The Nods and basically fall asleep until we kicked him out.
50+ year old man came in during our laborer-dispatch time (5 am) and asked to be sent on a job. Had never been in the office once before. I told him to come back at 9 am for an interview. He came in at 7:30. Without a shirt on.
So this bloke shows up for a marketing Manager position interview. He also happens to be a former employee who was let go after a temper tantrum, when he refused to clean up his desk since he was 'not a woman'.
He sits down for his presentation, opens a blank PowerPoint, and starts typing as he is talking. He writes "ships" as he mentions new builds this year, writes "money" as he mentions sales he will generate, writes "products" while he discusses our product range.
We may have still glossed over all this had he actually made any interesting or even factually correct statements. At one point he assured us two million in sales by selling a product we do not have, nor are able to manufacture, as he learned while working with us the first time around.
The entire interview was a mere formality in his head and he couldn't understand why we expected a serious presentation.
manager: so, given that you have no sales skills, no IT skills, and have never been in a customer-facing role before, how long do you feel it would be before you would start to be a productive member of the team?
me: [observing, expecting applicant to say something reasonable like '6 months', or 'a year']
applicant: [looking like he's really thinking about this] three weeks. you give me three weeks, I'll google it
This comment may be too far down to be seen, but I'll tell it anyway. I was interviewing for a labour position, the description was very entry level. Just be a regular person who can listen to instruction and you're hired. This guy comes in SUPER jumpy. He's talking a mile a minute, asking me a million questions, which usually isn't bad, but he wouldn't let me speak! He kept rubbing his nose and sniffing. He was clearly on coke. He then says that he suffers from allergies, so he sniffs very often. I raise an eyebrow and continue with the interview, then he says "okay, I'll take the job". I tell him that I have some other interviewers and that I'll be making the decision to hire. Don't go to interviews on coke and assume you're the one who decides if you're hired.
Rmanager ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:32:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She brought her last performance review to prove what a good worker she was. She barely met expectations and had serious attendance issues. Every evaluation bullet point mentioned how if she would simply show up for work more, she would score higher.
I gave a temp working for another department a shot at an open position in mine. I give him the chance to set his interview as far in advance as he wanted. "Nah. I'm good now." He is dressed like he's hanging out watching the game, flops down in a chair in my office, slouches down, has headphones on, plays with his phone, and answers most questions with "uh huh" or "uh uh."
The company she worked was closing the local office. She was pissed and actually told me the position I was trying to fill in my office was "beneath" her. She was, however, desperate so she would take it. I didn't offer it.
mrcleatus ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:45:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiring for a well paying software development position. The candidate was unable to interview on site so we asked to have a webcam chat. It was important to see the person for quality communication so we asked that they have that ready. They did not and so after several minutes of waiting we proceeded to ask our questions. Each and every question the candidate frantically typed on a keyboard. Would search the Internet for an answer and take 30 seconds to a minute to start answering the question. The answer was always very generic and in no way complete. After 10 minutes I informed the candidate that they were not prepared for the interview and that they were no longer a candidate.
Sad really.
dienah13 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:55:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a youngish teenage boy come in for an interview for Starbucks.
The interview went well, until he had asked me for my number. After telling him how inappropriate that was, he had continued. Even till the moment he walked out the door.
DarkMurk ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:06:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Candidate showed up for a programmer position.
Since it was his first interview of a series, I asked him a simple warmup whiteboard problem. The candidate got up, held the pen to the whiteboard, started shaking, excused himself and stormed out of the building.
imbogey ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 08:49:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I get that people ask whiteboard problems, but there should be some end to it... Once I was interviewed for a summer position in an international company. The interview took over an hour and half, there were two interviewers, half of the time I was explaining detailed problems on whiteboard. Three different language was spoken during the interview just to see how could I manage it.
Afterwards I had to choose between two positions and didn't take this one just because of the interview. Good luck grilling someone else.
Yup...I wonder if people understand that you have to impress the candidate as well. Give me a reason to spent most of my time for you! If you already treat me in the interview like shit I'm sure as hell not gonna work for you...
DarkMurk ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 14:47:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You guys have this all wrong. I've refused jobs because the grilling was insufficient. I will NOT work in an environment where employees are not vetted properly prior to hiring.
A strong grilling impresses me much more than anything else as it convinces me my coworker won't be idiots.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:39:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Being "grilled" on a whiteboard doesn't accurately assess a candidate's skill level. Some people handle pressure better than others, and this is independent of how well they would perform on the job. If you want a better representation, you should do your best to make them comfortable and try to understand their thought process while they are relaxed.
A guy came in to an interview a little early and asked to use the restroom. After he came back when I asked how has doing he responded, "I'm good, just had to drop the kids off at the pool"
...maybe he actually did just do that. I hope. Remembers me of a situation where we were in the kitchen cooking at school a few years back and someone asked the teacher whether she washed her hands and she just said "I was just to the bathroom" which makes sense but is still a weird answer in that situation
I had a candidate completely nail the interview. I was about ready to make the offer on the spot, but at the very end of the interview he says, "Bankonitwv, I really feel like I can trust you. Now don't worry about anything, because I know how to get around this, but I experiment heavily with marijuana."
I sat there for a minute in stunned silence and the only thing I could think to ask was, "What does experiment heavily mean?" And he answered, "I pretty much smoke everyday to ease my anxiety, but don't worry about the drug test. I can get around that very easily."
I thanked him for his time and ended the interview. Weirdest hiring experience ever.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:08:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
so weird. There are some truly stupid people being written about in this thread.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:40:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This happened back in June. A woman told me she didn't like customer service. Wrong thing to say after I'd emphasized how important customer service was to our role.
I was interviewing developers (programmers) and one guy brought his wife and two children to the interview. They just sat outside the room, but man it was odd.
The best though:
Why do you want to work for company
Er, I'm not sure that I do.
OK. Thanks for coming!
dkrainman ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:06:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know for a fact I lost a job because I was wearing sneakers and not dress shoes. At the time, my dress shoes were lost in a move, and I'm not a guy who can just drop into any shoe store and buy a pair. I have short super-wide feet - they just don't make shoes in my size except sneakers.
I had one pair I bought off the shelf at DSW (black Timberlands) and wore to Xerox HQ for a consulting gig - one day in them and I was on crutches for a pinched nerve in my ankle for a week.
The joke was on them, they ended up firing the guy they hired over me, and hired my coworker from the company I ended up joining, not six months later. :-)
I was on an interview panel for an IT technician job last week. One caditate from Poland got through to the interview stage based on his impressive CV. We had to abandon the interview after about 5 minutes as he literally couldn't speak enough English to respond to any of our questions. He couldn't understand us and we couldn't understand him. He'd traveled 200 miles for the interview, and I suppose you could say it was a balsey move, but I honestly would love to know what the hell he was thinking.
Knew someone applying for a government internship and when asked how his communication skills were he answered "sub par very sub par" with hand gestures for emphasis. Thinking it meant above average.
Very first day, during the interview this guy asks me. "So what happens if I get into a fight?"
I explained it would likely be immediate termination for both parties. Our insurance basically requires it unless self defense, and that's not the same as fighting. He couldn't believe he'd be let go for fighting.
He was gone it 2 weeks.
B0h1c4 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:37:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not super funny or outlandish, but the most common thing that I see are people that are just too talkative and over share.
Literally every time I hire for a position, at least one or two candidates get eliminated immediately for this. Maybe they are nervous or something, but they talk, and talk, and talk, and get off topic very easily. I always want someone that can stay on task and address the issue at hand. And I get these people that keep talking and end up saying "what was the question again"?
A lot of times, I think people go into an interview knowing where their red flags are and they are prepared to address them, so they start giving excuses unprompted. ... Maybe an employment gap, a lack of experience in a certain area, or they left a company on bad terms... And they just defensively steer whatever question into that direction.
Answer the questions asked and don't shoot yourself in the foot.
Fushiko ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:50:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not a manager but I can throw my two cents in for this one. I had an interview I was really nervous for, I hadn't taken the time to prepare for it ( it was one of the first interviews I've ever had). I had been expecting a 1 on 1. When I sat down there were 3 people across the table from me and I panicked. They asked the typical, what's your name yadda yadda, then they asked " what's your birthdate?" Being so terribly nervous, i froze... and for a good solid painstaking minute I struggled to remember my own damn birthdate! The main interviewer laughed it off but I've never felt so incredibly stupid in my life... not being able to recall my own birthday. Wow!
My brother in law runs a business. In his last batch of resumes he had one that half a page written mostly in text speech.
Example text: I m a hard worker. U shuld hire me! XD
TankVet ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:45:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a young woman come in for an interview as a veterinary technician.
I asked her how much she expected to be paid. She said "Whatever your going rate is plus $2 per hour. You need somebody like me."
So far we've been fine without her.
ramboacdc ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:48:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
in hindsight it wasn't my best idea to have a smoke with a guy who worked at the place before my interview. if i recall i didn't get asked a single question in that interview.
Zoso03 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:52:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
late to the show but this happened to my cousin.
She got a call for some job at a law office, she however got lost looking for the place and to make matters worse it was pouring out and her umbrella broke. So she's lost, walking around in the rain, late and calling the office trying to find out which one it is. By time she makes it they are already interviewing someone else so she sits down and waits. Surprisingly they still interview her and was in and out in 15 minutes.
By time she got home which was straight from the office, they had called her home and offered her the job. They liked that she didn't give up even under the bad circumstances and was able to recompose herself and gave a decent interview.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:02:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in a research lab at a university. My adviser has a grant that allows her to hire graduate students who then have to bring their research to high schools and teach the kids about it. During the interview (casual interview at the table - my lab is very open) my co-adviser starts asking her questions and she almost immediately starts a verbal spat with him. She knows no programming. No math.
She still got hired and they all get along fine now and are teaching her the basics. Sometimes I wonder how much of it is your knowledge/experience and how much of it is your ability to be charismatic.
your resume gets you the interview, your charisma gets you the job
Skyshrim ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:11:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
On an application for the gas station I work at, under Reason for Applying they put "My mom wanted me to"
needless to say, they didn't get the spot.
stephmveg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:12:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing for a position that entailed keeping volunteers motivated. Like highly motivated in a highly stressful and not always positive subject matter. This candidate was highly qualified but as soon as they come in this energy of gloom just overshadows them. This person was interviewing internally so they knew the position and what they were expected to do but every single question was like they had taken a xanax right before. This included long, i mean long awkward silences, non answers to questions they should have known, and to the questions they did answer it was a one sentence answer. At one point they were silent and still for so long I thought they were falling asleep. I seriously thought they threw the interview on purpose but then afterwards when they didn't get it they posted on social media how disappointing they were and how they really thought they had aced it. It made me wonder if they really did have a medication problem or maybe a severe panic reaction during the interview.
alynnvan ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:16:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The guy was 20 minutes late-then on his application he had put that he had great time management. uhh, really??
I work at a restaurant, in charge of the bussers. Our restaurant has the busser assist the waiter with running food, getting soups and salads, cleaning the floor etc. I train them for a night to see how they do and then they move to probationary training for three days.
One kid came in SO high I thought his pupils were naturally red. I went to shake his hand and he couldn't move his arm, just giggling and telling me "a new job is gonna be totes awesome."
I guided him to the back alley and told him never to come back. I watched him wander away like Mr. Burns in that episode of the Simpsons when Mulder and Scully came to town.
oogmcgoog ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:28:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Slightly different take here, but a few years ago I was interviewing a candidate with my manager. He spent most of the interview being curt and somewhat hostile to the candidate. At one point he pulled a sheet of paper out of his notebook and said "Now I'm going to ask you a series of behavior based questions. There's no right or wrong answer to any of these and the purpose of them is to see how you answer them." I looked over at him with what was probably a look of mild shock and saw that he had a printed list of about ten questions that he asked in turn. After the interview was over and we were back at our desks I saw that he had an at least 30 year old book on behavior based interviewing techniques next to his keyboard. I never did another interview with him and quit not long after.
honbadger ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:38:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work for a large animation studio. One day I got a phone call from some guy who'd found my name on IMDB. Apparently he'd called the front desk and just asked to be transferred. This has actually happened to me a few times. He was interested in an entry level technical job and sounded like a go-getter, so I just referred him to another department that I thought would be a good fit. Well the department supervisor brought him in to interview and as soon as she started speaking he cut her off and said, "Hold on. I'll be running this interview." She said, "Uh, okay... Go for it." and just let him go off about himself for the rest of the interview and show everyone what an arrogant douche he was. He didn't get the job.
Brico16 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:41:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was not the part of the interview but a friend I referred was. It was only for a movie theater gig that I had the first couple of years in college. My boss was prepared to hire him on the spot since I put a good word in for him and he prior movie theater experience in his hometown.
I see my friend a few hours after the interview and ask how it went. He said he thought it went well and that they'd get back to him.
The next shift I work I ask the manager about my friend's interview. It turns out my friend showed up in a dirty t-shirt, jeans and flip flops. He was also stoned off his ass and she could smell beer on his breathe.
Anyway he didn't get the job on that go around but a couple of months later the manager that had interviewed him quit and so he applied again and did the interview right and got the gig.
Interview for Network Technology Instructor, no computer experience, currently employed as Dishwasher for 3 summers because he "liked to take the winters off". Stated multiple times he was the most knowledgeable person in the city hands down when it comes to computers, but answered all the questions incorrectly. At the end of the interview he asked if he would be able to approach NASA for potential research projects using the campus computer hardware.
I interviewed a high schooler recently for an internship in our office. Really little was expected of him; I work for a local politician who likes to help HS students improve their resumes. Anyway, he was supposed to help work on something called "participatory budgeting" in which the district can vote on ways to spend our allotted budget money. So kid shows up, has no idea what PB is. No idea what my boss is or does. I explained both and, trying to give him a line, asked if PB sounded like a project he would be interested in. "Um, I don't know. Maybe." Answered like that for every question.
brison ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:56:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a candidate show up 10 minutes late, tell me he was going to fail a drug test, and then on the way out ask is he could have some of my book keeper's lunch which was on her desk.
I asked a candidate what particular area in our field he'd like to learn more about/improve on. "Nothing, I'm an expert."
Considering the errors in his previous answers this was the 'absolutely not' trigger, not knowing a few things in an interview isn't a big deal, but assuming you know everything, even if you ARE an expert is a deal breaker.
My friend had an interview for a residency spot of his choice in LA, where he's from. It was going so well and he was sure he'd end up there. Then, when the interviewer asked if he had any questions, my friend asked "so, why is your salary so low?" Not surprisingly, he didn't get the position and actually ended up on a program across the country. :(
Not a hirer, but in my previous job (at a high street chain of music/entertainment goods) we would have group interviews in the staff room as it was the biggest room in the building. During times of active recruitment, it was common to be sitting eating your lunch as an interview was happening around you. One of the questions that was often asked was "what was the last album you bought?" and one interviewee replied with "it was Rihannas most recent, but I didn't buy it, I illegally downloaded it!"
Probably not the best thing to say when being interviewed for a store that sells CDs...
deadeyeAZ ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:42:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have had the "opportunity" to do a few remarkable interviews with applicants...the best/worst one......guy from a different department is helping us out until we could hire someone was actually doing the job and was well qualified..during the interview the panel consisting of his future boss as well as a woman from HR and me, a future coworker.
This was behavioral interviewing so a question was presented about him telling us a stressful situation and how he handled it.
So he tells of the time his son was doing drugs and his wife (you know women) could not cope and he had to step in and take over, he went to his boss and told him he needed to take some time of to deal with it and if he didn't give him the time off "he would kick his ass". By the time he finished we were all just staring at him with our mouths gaping. It was amazing the shit people would say during a behavioral interview.
I had a girl come in and within 15 minutes, she had told me that (1) her father recently married a mail-order bride who hated her, (2) she then said the mail-order bride threw all of her belongings out on the front lawn to kick her out of the house - yes, at 37 she was still living at home (she told me her age) (3) she was currently looking for a job because she had just gotten out of rehab for a personality disorder, and (4) she said if she got the job, it'd finally be a good time for her to finally buy a car. With that amount of drama in the first interview, I can only imagine what level of drama she would have brought to the office. No Way. Thank you and get OUT.
thespank ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:23:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
On his list of hobbies, one of them was : "raping"
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:54:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
thespank ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:33:54 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah but that combined with the way he talked in the interview... it wasnt in the cards
I had a guy show up for an interview for a warehouse job wearing a hat from our biggest competitor in the marketplace.
Had another guy show up for a job that is very physically demanding who proceeded to tell me all about both of his heart attacks, his bouts with cellulitis and how he lost a prior job due to unsafe work habits. His major selling point on himself was that his wife was a well-known and attractive radio DJ.
gsavageme ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:02:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Okay, so I'll reverse this and tell you the worst experience of my life interviewing. A little background I had been a regional manager for a large corporation and was let go due to downsizing. One of my managers who had given me issues and was 3 steps down the path of documentation told several people at that place of business I had been fired for stealing. I only found out because one of them called and asked me about it. SO anyhow here I am 3 years later I have gone through 3 phone interviews and one in-person interview for a job well within my skill-set and experience. I am having a 2nd in person interview when I spot another manager that was friends with my manager from the other company so I know why he thinks I was let go. He makes a point of shaking my hand and asking me how things were going then tells my hiring manager he needs to speak with him once he finished the interview. I assume he's going to pull him aside and say that dude was fired for stealing at XYZ company. So I'm pretty sure I won't hear back from them. But I do and I get a 3rd in person interview for which I take off 4 hours from my current job. I sit for over an hour waiting because the person supposed to interview me showed up late. The interview went well and I was like maybe I was wrong. A week goes by and I haven't heard anything so I call my contact back and he tells me they decided to hire internally. So I'm pretty sure I didn't have the job after the manager talked to my hiring manager but they failed to stop the interviewing process and completely wasted 4 more hours of my time for a useless 3rd face to face interview.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:57:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed for a TA position at a charter school. I bombed it. I was off my depression meds so I was having bad anxiety and depression, so I have a bit of an excuse. I cut off the teacher I was interviewing with a couple times. I rambled a bit on answers sounding like a jackass. I didn't get it. I guess I wasn't the worst because I interviewed again for a slightly different TA position at the same school today a couple weeks later. (Back on meds) I listened, I answered the best I could. I didn't answer how the lady wanted me too. She was pretty nervous. I don't think I'm getting it a second time and I'm not sure I'd fit well in the ladies classroom.
I had an internal candidate take credit on his resume for work I performed before I was promoted in management. The interview was epic; I had a field day with it.
Hell yeah I did! I didn't roast him, but I did make sure he learned something from the experience. It's better he figured it out from me than to get caught lying on his resume somewhere later in life where the stakes could be higher.
One time I came into an interview smelling like cat piss because my cat pissed on one of my nice dress shirts. Stopped at the supermarket 10 minutes before the interview and sprayed myself with febreeze.
I'm writing this from my work computer at that job right now.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 08:15:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got promoted and had to interview for my replacement. I had two absolute freaks interview for the same job on the same day.
First guy had clearly taken the 'arrogance is confidence' route. He waltzed into the interview room, twirled his jacket onto the back of the chair, and slouched back in the seat with a 'manspread' so great that we could see the exact revolting profile of his meat-and-veg. It was an office-based position, and his opening gambit was "I hate working in an office - can't I do the job from home?" He slouched progressively more casually during the interview until he was so relaxed that I expected him to put his feet up on the desk at any minute. The job also involved giving presentations to high-profile members of the government. I asked him how he would approach this and his reply was "Presentations to the government? You must be kidding. I'd be off sick that day! AHAHAHAHAHA."
I swear he heard me and my coworker exploding with laughter the moment he left the room.
The second guy was very nervous and was clutching a blue-bound book which he laid on the desk very ostentatiously. When I asked him what his proudest achievement was he replied "I no longer have a colostomy bag". Then he flipped the book up on end and pointed to it, saying "no, seriously, my MBA THESIS". Every question he answered by including the thesis in his answer, and flipping the book up on its end again, like "ta-daaaa!" How do you deal with prioritising? "Well as I wrote in my MBA THESIS..." (flips book up and points to it) How would your former colleagues describe you? "There goes the guy with the MBA!" (flips book up and points to it).
When I asked "are there any questions" he said "Is it a junior or a senior role?" I was somewhat surprised that he didn't know so asked him where he saw himself in the organisation. "Oh either. Junior? Senior? I don't care. I'll do anything!" At the end of the interview I thanked him and he said "OK, thank you for your time. So show me to my desk. I'll start now!"
So during the interview it came out that the poor bastard had been struck by lightning. He was in hospital for two years and during that time he did an MBA. This is laudable in the extreme. But he was so freaking weird that there was no way I'd inflict him on my coworkers.
The second guy, wow. Hope he finds his place in the world, he sounds amazing.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 10:40:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, so do I. I had nothing personal against him. He used to be a cop, was standing outside doing duty at a county fair and got struck on the head by a literal bolt from the blue. Very nearly died. Incredible that he turned it around and achieved something despite his injuries. But he was just so freaky. I'm not sure if his weirdness came from the lightning strike, being bed-bound, being desparate, or if it was just his regular personality, but he absolutely was not a good fit for the role.
Man, that is sad and unfortunate. It's understandable though that his issues would put some limitations on what he can do for a job. But it sounds like he'd be great under the right set of circumstances.
Mr1988 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 03:43:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A guy interviewing for an assistant role for me showed up a day early without his resume. Suffice it to say, he didn't get the job.
Diabetesh ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 02:50:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not a job interview, but a tip for you people looking for jobs. Don't just call and ask if you are hiring. Either come inside with a resume and ask or send an email with your resume and ask. Ticks me off when people just call "sup bro you guys hiring any dudes?"
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:37:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh I used to hate this when I had to apply for part time jobs in high-school. People always seemed busy and you were such an inconvenience bothering them for an application when you weren't buying anything.
kkidfall ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:40:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, i was looking for a subreddit lol
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 08:33:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I don't like kids"
Interviewing for a job on a summer camp.
v1LLy ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:12:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nodd off while i was interviewing them.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:19:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
v1LLy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:30 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whut is that? ?
sworley77 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 19:00:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Heroin is a helluva drug.
v1LLy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:46:47 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's why I user morphine! !!:-)
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 11:13:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know how I've fucked up a few interviews: Telling them I was in the US Army. Seriously. Great interview, previous jobs come up "So you were...In the Army... Ok sir, we will contact you. Have a good day." They then immediately end the interview. I don't know why, I just know its happened several times.
Yeah I would have to agree with /wellknownfacts below me. USMC 5 years, Network Systems Specialist, in my interview for my current job they got to the military part asked me what my job title meant, so I explained to them what I did. Landed me the job over the only other candidate that just graduated with a degree in computer science. Simply because I had 5 years work experience and knew everything and more that the other guy did.
edit: I just started replying/posting after years of lurking, I dont know how to put the link to someones username lol, please dont hurt me to bad.
datmart ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:24:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No worries, you just missed the /u before the slash.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:02:37 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I did the same thing in the Army with 3 years of experience, with almost 1000 computers on our network. Almost every job wanted 4. I was kinda baffled. Before my only deployment I ran an entire network alone for a year of that frame of time. Just me, no support Lots of times I'm thinking "So you want a guy who has 4 years of any experience over a guy that ran a network who was constantly supervised...ok..." (Edit: Technically we had a help desk, but day one that I was there they elevated all of my privileges on the computer said 'your NCO will train you, don't call us.' That was the last I ever spoke to them.)
(As an aside the reason those people with degrees cant get a job: After a year of being alone I had a Captain come in straight out of college after me, who didn't have as much of a clue what was going on, and when I would try to explain things to him he would go on these huge rants about how I was wrong, and he was going to article 15 me. None of that ever happened. Oddly that guy broke serious regulations/SOP all the fucking time. I reported him consistently and nothing happened/was true. "They are security violations, your rank isn't above 0-7, so I don't care that you are over me..." If I could only count the number of times I had that conversation with him. Would you want that guy working at your company?)
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:25:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because sometimes... the title you have in the army and the work that you do there has no real world relevance.... and before you freak out-- hear me out.
We hired a guy who was SIGINT and came to find out that his particular SIGINT title meant he carried and replaced batteries in radios and sometimes encryption chips. That was his entire tour. But during the interview, he played it like he had super-secret work to do that he couldn't tell us about or he'd have to kill us.
I fucking hate it because we're a veteran-owned business and we like having veterans on staff. Tell me what you did so I can find a place for you. Don't lie to me or you end up fired, when you otherwise could have stayed with us for as long as you liked.
My only advice without knowing anything at all about you: Be sure your resume says what you did with the army and how it is applicable to the job you desire. Your goal is to make me seem like an idiot for passing over your resume.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:03:53 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But during the interview, he played it like he had super-secret work to do that he couldn't tell us about or he'd have to kill us.
Yeah this isn't me. I gained real world skills and that really didn't matter. Or I should say hasn't mattered yet. I gave up and went to school. Which I'm currently in now. I'm really happy with the decision for school though. (This sounds critical of what you're saying, but I don't mean it that way.)
Seemose ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:55:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Me: "Do you have any relatives that work here."
Response: "Yes, he works in (insert department here)."
Me: "What's his name?"
Response: "I don't know."
Me: "Ok, maybe you misunderstood the question. I was asking if you had any relatives who worked here. People in your family."
Response: "Yep."
Me: "How do you know he's your relative, but you don't know his name?"
Him: "To be honest, I'm much better with faces."
That was the second-worst part of that interview.
PRGuyHere ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:11:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She asked if we have a carpool program.
That by itself isn't a big deal. Hey, you're trying to save the environment. Good for you.
I told her there wasn't one to my knowledge...but there's thousands of employees here, so it's entirely possible that one DOES exist without my knowledge. And if there isn't, she could certainly start one herself.
But she just keeps pushing about this carpool thing. Finally, she shares that she's worried about the commute...she's never driven this far before.
So I ask her where she lives.
She's about 15 minutes away.
I tossed her resume in the trash in the middle of the (phone) interview.
Since I'm a recruiter I'll chime in some advice on this thread, since we're talking about applicants fucking up. I'm the recruiter, so naturally I'm the first person you go through to get a job with our company. I make the first judgement. If you have a shitty personality, are a dick to me or any of my coworkers in any way, or just act like you're doing me a favor by being there, you're out. And let me tell you why. You may be qualified for the job, yes, but if I let you through, it makes me look bad. A hiring manager will get to you and will question my interviewing skills. So yeah, if you're a shit head, expect to not get through most recruiters. I've had this happen a surprisingly number of times. Not only am I doing it to cover my ass, but I don't feel the need to help people who are complete fucking assholes.
VOZ1 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:08:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Posted this a while ago in another thread:
She brought her kid to the interview. Weird, but not a dealbreaker. Shit happens, I understand how it can be for parents. Then the kid, who was about 3 or 4, throws up while sitting on her lap. OK. Now things are starting to get pretty weird, but it's not her fault the kid is sick. Get some napkins, clean the kid up, OK, back to business....Aaaaaaaand she whips out her tit and is breastfeeding this 3-4 year old in the middle of the interview. And not even a peep to acknowledge that it's happening. My assistant couldn't pick her jaw up off the floor. I thanked the woman for her time, and she didn't get a call back. W. T. F.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:23:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
VOZ1 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:28:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Could be, but I got the sense that she was 100% serious about getting the job. I like to think my bullshit radar is pretty finely tuned, and no alarms went off with her. She was just crazy.
spermface ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 23:04:11 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing a candidate for a retail position that required basic computer skills. He couldn't even perform a simple subreddit search.
[deleted] ยท 115 points ยท Posted at 00:21:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't find a lack of redditing skills to be a deal-breaker. These are usually learned on the job itself.
There are companies that have applicants use Reddit during interviews?
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:48:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
my father was interviewing a guy in his mid 20's and he told my father that he was more productive when he smoked pot. it was a programming gig, so he was supposed to have his own office , and he didn't see any problem with hitting a bong inside his office.
The "fuck up" was the forceful and suspicious nature of his reply, though it also was odd that there wasn't more to the answer since it came after a long description and discussion of the importance of CRE practices in our school setting.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:59:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was just sitting in. The wording related directly to the thorough description of culturally responsive educational practices that the principal had just given. Basically the person just had to give an example of how they had incorporated cultural acceptance into their classroom. We have a very diverse population, and CRE is big with our admin. The forceful reply kind of took us all by surprise.
Kumacon ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 11:32:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, you and I both know that question is a trap
Does it really matter though? Most jobs require you to work with someone, customers or coworkers. Unless you're at home, but then you still have to deal with the mailman sometimes.
Raschwolf ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:08:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't like to work with others isn't the same as inability to work with others.
I don't like to work with other people. I'm a commercial diver. I suck it up, because if we don't work as a team someones going to end up dead.
There are businesses where a reclusive personality would be good; the candidate would still have to work with others or at least interact from time to time, but it wouldn't be the full description of their job.
squazify ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:28:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was an IT job. Maybe we should have viewed it that way...
SwankBank ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:14:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
1337? What does that mean? Why is is bad that he was 40?
squazify ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:27:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
1337 is for LEET. It was older slang for elite. You would see people put 1337 skills, haxor, etc... It normally went along the same lines as p'owned. The issue is that you don't put that in a professional resume. I understand that I work for a small company, but it seems very unprofessional. I could see it coming from a 17 year old kid, but when it's a 40 year old man you would expect them to know better. I mean the guy was qualified, and was persistent enough to consider him, but due to that my boss and I just laughed at it. Point is, 1337 shouldn't be put in a resume, it belongs on the 90's and 00's internet.
POGtastic ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:47:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A meme so dank that you can't even use it sarcastically anymore... Mother of God.
I own a restaurant. I was interviewing a potential front of house (cashier / server) and I asked her what she liked and disliked most about her last job. She responded with, "I like the customers most. And disliked the most? I disliked the customers most."
What's one common misconception people can have when first meeting you?
"Some people think I'm a cunt when they see my face. I don't know why but I don't fucking care as I'm a strong person."
And....Thank you for your time.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:51:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went into an interview a day after eating burritos and I was sitting there with the guy interviewing me, holding myself together. He went on to ask me about my past experiences and I couldn't speak. There was this huge fart waiting at the edge of my butt. I was trying so hard to squeeze my butt cheeks together to stop a fart from exploring the tight room. There was dead silence as he awaited my answer to one of his questions, but I was so focused on keeping my fart in. I was thinking about asking him to use it the bathroom, but thought I should look professional and finish the interview. At that moment it slipped out in a long squeak (because I was trying to keep it in). The interviewer gave me short pause with a stink-face and asked me if I needed to use the restroom. I said, "yes please." Instead of going to the bathroom I ran out and balled at home. One of the most embarrassing experiences ever.
I once had a candidate not show up for the interview. This wasn't terribly uncommon, but I was annoyed that he had not even bothered to call and cancel.
About 45 minutes later, I get a call from the receptionist for the company across the street. Apparently the candidate had showed up there and the receptionist had been calling all the HR and hiring managers to find out with whom he had an interview.
Eventually, they figured out he had shown up a the wrong company, in the wrong building. I told her to send him home. He had failed the interview based on a stupendous lack of attention to detail.
I interviewed hundreds of software developers over the last 3 decades. We had a moderate set of programming problems we would pose to candidates. We typically asked them to solve 4-8 in an interview. They were not trivial, but they all demonstrated knowledge of of some skill or problem-solving ability; and could be implemented in a dozen or fewer lines of code. If someone was having difficulty, I would ask questions or offer hints to see how they work their way to a solution.
Some people breeze through, revealing to me they have the (not too tough) material down pat and have likely done it in the past. Some struggle a bit, but it gives me valuable insight into their problem-solving abilities. Some do poorly, either from lack of experience or lack of education.
However, in 30 years, only one really stands out. A candidate was struggling with the very first problem. Even after about 10 minutes of hints and direction, she was only about half way through it. I am OK with a candidate blowing one problem, as long as they do reasonably well on others. However, she never got that chance. She started crying, then bawling. She grabbed her stuff and ran out of the building. It hasn't happened before or since.
TL;DR: There's no crying in baseball job interviews.
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 07:49:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hate it when recruiters ask you bullshit questions.
"We'll get back to you."-------No you wont.
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"-------In the fucking mirror, same as always, prick.
"Why do you want to work here?"------------To make money and pay bills, idiot.
"Have you ever shown up late for a job or lied to a employer."--------Certainly, but I ain't going to tell you the fucking truth so why ask?
lewko ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:59:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked a female candidate what she planned on doing for the next five years. She said "have lots of kids".
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:17:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Now keep in mind this was for Spencer Gifts so it's not like we were the most professional lot, but this guy came to his interview with a fake raccoon tail pinned to the ass of his pants. My store manager said to me "That could have been the best interview you've ever given and I'm still not hiring raccoon boy." Thankfully it hadn't gone well anyway.
ROBTOMIC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:13:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She called her husband a son of a bitch, wore fake lashes that were so long and disturbing, I thought she looked frightening annnnd she rudely answered calls multiple times without as little as an apology in front of myself and my manager.
She keeps calling my office asking why she doesn't have a job yet.
johnm4jc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:15:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm working for an automotive development service provider and usually applicants are misinformed about what the Job "technical productdesigner" is actually about. Most applicants think it means you get to design cars and other vehicles.
One day there was this girl whose answers to any questing made us kinda suspicious, so we asked her what she thought she would be working on later. She started to list some proper products, ruining everything by ending with Television sets. We were all quite shocked how someone could be so uninformed.
Another guy on the same day thought he could get the Job just because he knew some People at the Company, was very confident, and later very disenchanted.
brufleth ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:37:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I guess it was after he was already hired, but I was still trying to help figure out how to integrate him into the group.
He told me he was only joining the group to get a bullet point on his resume so he could get into a grad program he needed the experience for.
It was a huge red flag. I think he just assumed we were conspiratorial buddies or something because I was taking him out to lunch on his first day. As you'd expect, he did almost nothing during the time he worked in our group. He'd fall asleep (repeatedly) during demonstrations of how to use test equipment, he never delivered any assignments, he rarely seemed to show up, and he was generally just a big sink hole for the team's morale.
I was happy when he finally got into his grad program and left.
wickyewok ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:28:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was reviewing CV's once and some guy put "sleeping" as his main hobby. I was entertained, and his skill set was fine so he got through to the testing stage anyway.
Another guy I once interviewed was applying for a graduate software developer.
His CV wasn't great (but he passed the first stage of testing) so I gave him some advice during the interview which was about how he should put more emphasis on his technical skills. His response was "oh I never bothered as it wasn't a field I am interested in working in, I am only applying for this job because the agency said I should".
I noped out at that point.
(He had a science related degree and some coding ability which is how he got so far in our recruitment process)
I saw a coworker recommend his friend to our boss for a job at the supermarket. He interviewed well and had the right availability. The problem was his lack of understanding English which probably would have gone unnoticed had he not turned down the job offer on the phone because he thought HR was a telemarketer.
A candidate once called the CEO of the company (the woman who was interviewing him) 'she' in the interview and only talked to the male interviewer. After that they stopped taking notes
I bet it would be more entertaining if you actually told the story
mastapetz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:15:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am not in charge of hiring, but my direct boss is and another coworker too.
I once came to office, since we had an important customer coming, I was in Suit jacket, Suit shirt and everything. I come into the office and see a lady sitting in our Lobby, looking like she just came from woodstock. I say friendly greetings and she to greets me like I am the CEO or shit.
Since I was a bit in a hu8rry I just walked in not thinking of it.
So second coworker comes in (the one in charge of hiring) and goes. "That was a first, that woodstock lady? She was the one that applied for this managment post. She was complete out of it, lost touch with reality some time ago. Oh my"
If there is one thing, our company likes, people that apply for jobs, should come dressed like they would if they interact with our ILA customers. You dont go to a customer like Unilever, Nestle, name it, dressed like your would put daisies in their hair.
Guy brought his wife to interview so she could fill out the employment app for him. 50 years old, couldn't read.
Then there was the applicant that walked into a plate glass window instead of the open door.
My team does research and data analysis and reporting. Last time we had an opening, we created a small worksheet beforehand that we sent to our top candidates about 5 days before the interview. To complete it they'd have to go online to our website and other webpages within our larger organization. The answers were all findable; we just wanted them to go through the process so we could talk in the interview, about how they approached it. A few of them called us beforehand to ask for clarification on a few items, which showed an attention to detail we appreciated.
However, one person came in and wasn't done because she'd just started that morning 30 minutes before the interview and ran out of time. She didn't even seem that sheepish about it. I was sorry we wasted that interview slot on her.
pdaugh ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:47:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
An young lady showed up in a t-shirt with little skulls in the pattern. Her resume was very good.
holcomb_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:51:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most recently - a girl told me her whole life story. How she and her soon-to-be ex-husband owned a bar and he left her for a meth head skank with no teeth. Another girl had some less than professional photos on social media. And the last guy listed "box cutting" as one of his skills -_-
TTwTT ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:13:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't interview but have checked through resumes (retail store). Found some odd ones where people wrote as part of their skill lists: Watering plants for neighbours, buying lunch for co-workers and keeping their rooms tidy.
Greyzer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:23:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a candidate that fell asleep during his interview at my last job.
He got hired anyway...
poormilk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:33:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have a good one! Asked what his biggest accomplishment was "my comic book collection."
Also what was project you worked on in the last 6 months, "well I made a mixtape for my cousins wedding."
He had worked for the company in the past as well, Im pretty sure he wanted to stay on unemployment.
yaemes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:57:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
After a phone interview for a single cleaning position, a family of 10 showed up-- Kids, parents, and family friends. Only one of them, the one we had a phone call with, spoke English, a requirement for the position. Everybody else was there to just...watch.
A company I used to work for had this cleaning crew that started after our business hours. This one cleaning guy brought his kids, who were probably about 8-10 years old. My department had late hours one evening and we noticed that the guy was directing his kids to do all of the cleaning. The guy himself did none of the cleaning. We fired his services soon after.
C0USC0US ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:37:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This girl I was interviewing got lost taking public transit on her way to the interview, and admitted to me that instead of asking someone for directions she called her mom, who had to leave work, to come pick her up and drive her the rest of the way.
If she's too scared to ask someone for directions she definitely can't do the job she applied for.
I commonly ask about an applicants references and then ask pointed questions like: If I asked James about your time at XYZ shop you would he say you are an honest person? Would your last supervisor say you were a hard worker? One question I commonly ask is: Would your last employer consider you a punctual person? Most people respond; โYesโ of course. One young guy thinks about it for a moment and then says very straight forward; โnoโ My respose was โReally? Your last supervisor wouldnโt consider you punctual?โ and he says angrily; โNo one considers me a punk.โ
Interview over.
johnm188 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:48:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewing a younger dude. I asked what would your previous boss tell me about you. He said that his old boss was asian and that he had expected too much work. Always complained when he came in late. Then he said "You know how those people are." (referring to his asian boss). I thought I was being punked but he was serious.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:47:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was telling a woman we do drug testing if hired. She then told me she had something embarrassing to tell me. I thought what the heck could it be at this point. She explains she started her period and if that would affect the drug test. At this point I am holding back laughter as she continues on about her period. With a grin, I tell her "We just need urine, and that is IF you are hired"
nochilly ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:04:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i used to work as a receptionist at a staffing agency. i would always get calls from people asking if we had admin positions available. i had one lady call, i told her yes. she asked what experience was needed, i told her basic computer skills ets. she then responded back with "yeah, i do computers"
eratoast ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:07:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We didn't bring her in for an interview, but we had someone apply for a senior UX Designer position through LinkedIn. No information on her profile except her name. Her resume was FULL of spelling and grammar errors, would selectively capitalize things (not as a stylistic choice--her first name had a capital letter, but not her last, nothing in her address was capitalized except the first letter of the first word of her street and the first letter of the state abbreviation). She included what I think was supposed to be an objective statement, but read more like the answer to "Why do you want to work here?" and said she wanted to try something new. She had NO design experience at all, never used Photoshop, InDesign, nothing. I get applying for jobs that you're not perfectly qualified for, or you want to change fields, but she was in no way qualified, had no transferable skills, and didn't even try to tailor her resume to fit the posting.
When asked if he had any questions for us, a candidate pointed to my boss's hand and said "What's that band-aid for?"
Kilbim ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:29:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I see, that's good advice, even if I try and I am not give me much of a chance. And since its a very small team I can't look for opportunities for doing that elsewhere.. Are online courses, in addition to real degrees, worth anything in the eyes of a recruiter?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:32:59 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I sat in on an interview for another accountant whose hat said "Take this job and shove it."
Not really. It's the first time I post this here, but I'd think using your religion, race, club affiliation, etc to gain advantage is a pretty common thing.
Mandog222 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 00:56:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
When I was working at a shop a guy showed up for his interview an hour early for some reason. He was hired, but stopped snowing up after a week or two.
i had a candidate resume and was doing a phone screen and noted he had had several jobs in the past few years. I was doing a phone screen and started asking about why he left each of his last jobs. For the first one he said he was fired because he talked too much. As I went down the list, he had either been laid off or fired. He said he was just being honest and I responded that I was honest in saying I was not interested in hiring him. He was actually surprised. Sorry, click.
2 Ways To Ruin Your Chances During A Job Interview
*Someone might tell you to โBe yourselfโ in the interview. Donโt be yourself. Thatโs the worst advice ever. We donโt want people who are neurotic and quirky and whatever else. All we care about is your skill and experience.
*I know many of you met your former spouse at the company. But the thing is, for every one of you, there are five people it doesnโt work out as well for. And your office romance can and will be held against you.
Augrills ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 10:54:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Depends on the job.
I was kind of an asshole in my last interview, and I still got the job. When I try to play up the "perfect worker" bullshit, it doesn't mesh with my personality. I work hard, but I'm not going to break my back to be enthusiastic about work. I love people, I like my job, but I'm not going to be a ham. If I can't be myself at one place, I'm going to find a job where I can.
My problem with interviewing over the years is that so many people doing interviews seem to get off on putting people in uncomfortable situations that will never arise on the job. They abuse this modest authority they have over me for 30 minutes to a couple of hours. All of them ask questions that are completely fucking stupid and expect a straight answer. If you ask me what kind of animal I want to be, what kind technology I'd like to own or any of the other generic "silly" questions, I am going to fuck with you. It has turned on me in plenty of interviews to be an honest person, but it's also weeded out shitty employers who want a lapdog instead of an employee.
KMFDM781 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:11:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly...people get a modicum of power over someone and they lord it for all it's worth.
"Just drove my Lamborghini through the Hollywood Hills"
gallaaxy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:11:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe explain the interviewer that he is doing something like mowing the law and ask him if he could have 5 minutes to get inside so he can focus on the Interview in a quiet location.
benikens ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 05:23:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I conducted a programming test as part of the interview. The test was done on my laptop. While watching back the candidates code in real time I noticed one of them that just had the whole answer appear at once. Checked search history and he'd google the problem then pasted the answer. If your going to cheat at least cover your tracks.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:46:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He probably didn't realize that was considered cheating. Knowing what to search for is a huge part of software development.
We do the same, but project the laptop screen and watch it happen. If someone straight googles the answer, and is smart enough to do it fast, and recognize if it is what they want, that's a positive.
benikens ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:28:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
While I totally agree that knowing how to google your answer is a vital part of developing, this was just to see them attempt to code so we could be sure they had at least a vague idea where to start. This is web dev to and it was a very simple problem.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:15:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
My husband is in upper management for one of the large retail chains. He deals with multiple store locations, but one store is his "home" store.
If you ask for a job application for your son/daughter, he will tell you that they are not hiring. Your child (of any age) needs to care about working enough to come and apply on their own.
Do not bring babies, children, a parent, a boyfriend/girlfriend, or a spouse to the interview.
A retail job is still a job. Don't treat it like a joke. Dress professionally. Turn off your cell phone.
Also, when you want to inquire about whether a place is hiring, be polite and courteous to everyone you speak to - cashiers, the janitor, etc. If you are rude and snappy, management will hear about it.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:01:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed someone and before I got back to them they started texting me asking if I wanted to hang out, seemingly in a personal way. I hired her but have never responded to the texts. I will definitely sleep with her after she no longer works there.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:10:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This grad came in for an interview, his first job out of college. He was asked, "Where do you see yourself in two years."
His reply, "Director of supply chain organization."
We thanked him for coming in.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:45:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Were you pissed at the arrogance on his part? Or did his answer just imply he was ignorant of the nature of the company.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:21:31 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Neither. His expectation of unfettered rise from entry level to Division director is unrealistic. We felt, as a team, that these expectations were too lofty and development would be a risk. We needed a worker who would do work do work, not look for next giant step. Looking to move on.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:17:13 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ahh i see, i assumed he was somewhat near director level if that was his goal. Totally understandable on your part as those are ridiculous aspirations for 1 year.
Tell me about the Simpsons when the candidate was asked to teach me a skill they know from an engineering background.
mfranko88 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:12:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Me: So tell me about your self?
Person: (Paraphrased) Well...I dont really do much. I'm pretty boring. I just sit around most of the time because I'm so lazy.
Me: ...Bye
gallaaxy ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:18:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If i would have to answer honestly i would have said i go to school, get home, do my homework and chores for the day, then work out on a couple of days and then i like to relax by playing videogames.
Is it really that bad that you are not doing much in your freetime?
What answers would you like to hear on that question?
Your answer is clearly more intelligent and coherent, while still being honest.
My online applications have the question "what is your last favorite thing to do each day" and most people put "sleep in because there's so much to do all day" or "sit around and do nothing because there's so much to do all day."
Those apps very quickly go to the no pile because when I'm not at work, my favorite things to do are sleep in and sit around and do nothing.
gallaaxy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:10:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ok thank you for the information i will keep that in mind when i have to apply for a job. :)
mfranko88 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked for a charity and we're talking to a candidate about his suitability as the person organising all the fundraising etc... then he says "well it's not like I've got to raise a million dollars"... the CEO and I just looked at each other and he could tell he's put his foot in it; then he asks "what's the working budget" and I tell him it's 2m... he didn't get the job.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:25:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
His phone rang, he apologised.... then answered it. When he hung up I asked him politely to leave.
marunga ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:26:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lage to the show but I still think I've got a few good ones:
All stories are based in a health care setting...because,well, that's what I am, a a glorified nurse.
First: The resume
Another manager felt I'll with the flu and asked me to take over from her. The candidate was interviewed for a well-payed specialist-team leader position and rocked the phone interviewing. I must admit that I was kind of unprepared and only could read thru the resume during the interview. Interestingly enough he worked at the same hospital I worked before - but although I was the teamleader for the division he claims to have experience in I never heard his name.Initially I didn't think to much off is - maybe he just switched right after I left,who knows.
Naturally after the usual questions we switch to this topic.
Me: So who was your team leader at $genericbighospital?
Him: That was oll'George.
Me: Interesting. I've never heard of him.
Him: Oh he works there for twenty years, I was able to learn a lot of him.
Next one needs a bit of explaining. Said hospital has a big statue in the foyer called 'the Paul'. It's very well liked by most people but some do find it too modern.
Me: So do you know the Paul? Do you find him too modern?
Him: Oh I always enjoyed working with him, he introduced a lot of new knowledge into the team.
Me: Sure he does. Thank you for your time.
Story Nr.2: The bodybuilder.
Another interview for a nursing position. Guy had a good resume and was invited for a in-house interview. Came in a tank-top, showing his tattoos and muscles (he was ripped).
Interview went surprisingly well but one answer ended it:
Me: So what are your negative sides?
Him: Yeah, bro, I'd like to fuck people up when they disagree with me.
Me: Ehm,could you explain that?
Him: Fuck them up.Punch them in the face.
Wasn't hired either.
marunga ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:01:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually I did. The fact that I had Hulk holgans Russian twin brother as an personal assistant might have helped - together with the fact that I had suicidal tendencies all my life. The assistant wasn't called 'Igor the Destroyer' without reason, I've seen that guy lift Xerox machines like other people carry groceries. The ladies and I cried when he moved to become regular staff at another department.(Favorite quote that got him hired: "No problem Mr. Bossman, you have thing to do, I do thing, good, no problem.")
That's wonderful, I have had my fair share of colleagues who knew they were not the brightest of us ( I work in IT ) but they were big ass mofo's. and they understood this, they would try to learn where they could but if they ever saw someone struggling to carry a server to the other side of the building they be all like " hold on one second vaelstresz77," walk over grab server with one hand, and carry it for that guy all with a smile on his face. LOVE THOSE GUYS
marunga ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:58:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually he was way overqualified - he had a masters degree in maths from belarus,but had not enough knowledge of the local language (or English for that matter) to make any use of it at that point. He meanwhile is fluent in German and English (after three years,with a very mean dialect although) and is now a team leader within one of our consulting teams.
He still brings me a small keg of vodka every time he gets home. :D
TLDR when googling for code to submit to and interview, don't submit the first result from google unmodified.
We had a guy with a degree from Cambridge, a second one from Oxford with a follow on masters, all in subjects relevant to the position. Everything on his CV looked amazing apart from the fact he hasn't worked for the last 6 months.
So we send him out filter test which is a bunch of simple questions one of which is to write a function that implements ROT13 (shifting characters 13 places). I noticed that the java code he submitted started "ublic class" which smacked of a cut and paste mistake so I googled "rot13 function java" and boom first result was his code.
Aroha11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So what he did not work? My God, do people have no right to any LIFE anymore?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:50:20 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not working is a red flag, duh. if it's the only one, who cares. But why would I hire somone who is out of practice when I have other people who aren't?
c0nduit ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:52:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was on a phone interview with a guy for a programming job. Sort of doing like a "prescreening" to see whether it was worth flying the guy in for a bigger interview. Every time I'd ask him a question I'd hear furious typing, then a pause, then he'd answer me like the canned shit you'd get from a google search lol. I finally told him I could hear his typing and I asked him to answer a few without using Google and he fucked them all up. Jackass.
While I was working as a student IT "gopher" at a real small school, my boss told me about one of the stellar interviews he had to administer:
He was looking for someone to fill a systems administrator position, and he got a resume that looked spectacular. All the right buzz words, all the right certifications, MCSE, Cisco, the works. So my boss brought him in for an interview.
During the interview, my boss was noticing some trepidation in this guys voice, so my boss asks a fairly simple question, at least in his field: "tell me, what does MCSE stand for?"
This guy completely hesitated, and started shooting words at random "Microsoft service... Certified... " or something like that.
My boss ended the interview right there, that guy didn't get hired.
It wasn't a question my boss wanted to ask, he just noticed this guy was fumbling around all the other questions about his qualifications and such. The rรฉsumรฉ looked good, but turned out this guy actually fabricated everything.
datmart ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:32:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had to look it up myself, thinking it was microsoft certified systems engineer, surprised to see it's solutions expert.
I do hold an A+ and previously held a net+, though that expired a while ago.
If this guy had just said something confidently, my boss would have let him pass. It was just that look the interviewee had like a deer lost in headlights when asked that question that raised a ton of red flags.
Honestly, I would've thought it stood for the same thing you said, as well.
Hell to the no. If you don't know the name of your own certification we're done. It doesn't matter if it took you 3 months or 4 years, you paid for and earned that shit. Know it.
He does know the name of his certification, it's a MCSE. Nobody calls it a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert... everyone calls it a MCSE. You don't call yourself a Cisco Certified Network Associate, you call yourself a CCNA. You don't call it Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, you call it DHCP. You don't called it Internet Message Access Protocol, you call it IMAP. I don't know the spelled out name of dozens of acronyms I use every day in IT, but I know exactly what they are and what they do. Expecting people to remember acronym meanings is nonsensical and pointless. It's the sort of bullshit question I'd expect from a non-technical IT manager.
From what I can tell, you and I must be looking at this guy from two opposite angles. You see him as a poor guy who got tripped up on an unnecessary title question where I'm seeing it from the point of him lying and trying to pull one over on a potential employer.
I'm all for people reaching for the stars but an interviewer has to be able to call someone on bullshit too. I can't imagine that was the guy's first time interviewing someone either.
I also work IT as well and use acronyms all day long. However, I still think that if you have a degree or certification you should absolutely be able to tell a layman the full name if asked. Not knowing the proper name of your education is just lazy.
From what I can tell, you and I must be looking at this guy from two opposite angles. You see him as a poor guy who got tripped up on an unnecessary title question where I'm seeing it from the point of him lying and trying to pull one over on a potential employer.
Then test his actual technical knowledge. You haven't actually proved he doesn't have MCSE level knowledge by him not knowing an acronym.
Not knowing the proper name of your education is just lazy.
The question is lazy.
bobbo007 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:28:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Voluntarily tell me they were fired from their last job for fucking up appointment setting for u-haul.
I thought fucking up the appointments was a requirement to work at U-Haul. I've tried to rent stuff from there several times, and it's never gone quite right.
bobbo007 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:40:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe I should have hired them for doing a good job.
It was a laid back telephone interview. So laid back that I said "fuck". I did not get that job.
Fubardian ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:45:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Come in dirty as hell, saggy pants, a shirt 5 sizes to big, nasty tatoos, and gauged ears. "Yo dawg, can I get an application?"
Aroha11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Deepends what kind of job he wanted to apply for.
Fubardian ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:44:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Even if you want to be a tattoo artist you should dress and speak like you care about getting a job.
morganrum ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:37:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiring for a junior position for someone to assist me in my day to day.
I asked the guy what his greatest strength was, and he replied with "leadership".
Despite an otherwise good performance in his interview and a good CV, he didn't get the job. It was a perfect lesson in not understanding the role you're applying for.
applying not hiring but this ones pretty dumb from me - for my third year at uni (or college for all you americans here) we have an option to take a year out and do an internship (i do a design degree). After having not much luck I woke up one morning to find out I had been invited for a Skype interview with Lego (my dream job). In a fit of excitement I rushed downstairs to show my mum the email only to find out I had accidentally hit the delete button. went into my email bin to retrieve but accidentally permanently deleted it.
Luckily my uncle knew a person high up at Lego and managed to get the email resent but I didn't get the job...i wonder why...
Aroha11 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:26:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be honest, I wonder why too. This kind of mistake can happen to everyone.
By thinking she could get the job just because she was hot, she sent half naked pictures with her resume and she was really hot but I would have gotten in so much trouble if I had hired her after that.
No. And that's kind of my point. It's the most brainless the job you could ever hope for. If you're hoping to get a job in the kitchen and you can't even do that you probably should look for a different profession
Shpoogle ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:59:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy came in, had a fantastic interview. Afterwards i follow up with the other manager and we both came to the conclusion that he would be an outstanding addition to our team. As I always do, searched him on Facebook, found no issues. Had his twitter account in his bio, clicked on it, profile picture is him smoking a fat blunt. Needless to say, that was as far as that went...
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:07:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Im assuming your in a non legal state. Pretty sad when an applicant seems qualified and a great fit, yet they get instantly binned because they smoke weed in their free time. Shouldnt have posted it to twitter but still
Shpoogle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:16:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd definitely agree with you there, but as I don't live in a legal state, and my company doesn't allow it, it would be dishonest to overlook it :/
Not the worst one, but the one that sticks out to me the most was when a girl came to be interviewed in a VERY VERY lowcut dress. Besides that she was great, but the other people in charge of hiring thought she was a slut pretty much.
This lady came in 3 hours early for an interview with her husband and child. The boss wasn't even here yet so we told her she needed to come back at her specified interview time... Ok, two hours later she comes back, still an hour early... With husband and kid in tow. Ugh no. Just no.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 04:53:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
TIL I can't wait for all you boomers with childish hang ups to retire/die.
dachjaw ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:33:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
here is another guy that shows up to interviews drunk wearing cut off jean shorts, flip flops, and a wife beater lol. 99% of the reasons people have given in this thread are more than acceptable reasons for not hiring someone lol.
I've read through all of these and each one of the stories seems very reasonable.
You are going to represent myself and my company. I'm not gonna hire a turd.
Gnarseph ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:53:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
One time at a group interview they were asking what animal I was. This was during the Napoleon Dynomite times so it only seemed right to answer with, "a liger".. I didn't get the job.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:01:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What the fuck are these positions that ask shit like this?
KMFDM781 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:00:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well and do they expect a serious answer to such a ridiculous question?
Gnarseph ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:17:37 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed a woman about a month ago and was getting the feeling that she was a little green. Good professional experience for a 27-or-so year old, but just seemed a little immature and lacking in life experience. She confirmed my suspicious when she said her greatest life accomplishment outside of work was getting married and that her most difficult challenge she's overcome in life was "learning to live with a boy after getting married."
I want to hire strong independent people. Not some girl whose proudest accomplishment is tethering her horse to a man wagon.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:58:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So you want to hire people who are good at quickly coming up with answers to bullshit questions.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:42:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, being able to think quickly is important in most roles. I can't tell a client "I dont know". Thats bad.
Is that not the nature of the majority of interviews? Also, not my questions. I don't ask that ish.
trunxzzz ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:10:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hire positions for a restaurant. Guy walks in with no smile on his face, takes a piece of mint from the jar, pops the mint in his mouth. Then proceeds to ask my for an application for a job. I ask him what position he's interested in and be replies with anything. Before he leaves he grabs a bunch more of our mints. Give me my mints back
A guy came in and wrote his phone number on a napkin. I asked him to wait one minute so I could grab him an application and when I came out he was gone. That napkin went straight in the garbage.
Had a guy with " Fuck you " written on his eyelids no joke, and a picture of tits on his right forearm. Needless to say we did not hire him.
IAmBoyd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiring for a network admin. I asked him: "Give me a valid netmask for a 192.168.0.1 network to talk to a 192.168.1.1 network."
He couldn't answer it, for our network administration position.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:50:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
IAmBoyd ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:24:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I got the blank face I said "you don't have to give me a complicated one, I don't need to know if it's /24 just give me one that starts with 255.255. whatever"
Which was pretty much giving him one and a half valid answers.
Yeah, but do to the different networks you need a custom netmask. It seems 255.255.254.0 is correct.
datmart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:59:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Except for a class C address you wouldn't remove bits from the subnet, you'd add them, so 255.255.255.0 to 255.255.255.255 would be correct, 255.255.255.254 would put it as a class B address..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classful_network
datmart ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:24:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
An easy answer would just be 255.255.255.0, but they could say something like 255.255.255.192 and still be correct.
IAmBoyd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:34 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
yes that would have been fine.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not perfectly relevant, but my cousin said he saw himself as a physician instead of a physicist in 10 years on a college application and that is the reason he believes he didn't get into the majority of his target (not-reach or backup) schools.
"So what do you think of [candidate's current employer]?"
"I'd like it better if there weren't so many Mexicans"
gsavageme ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:39:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had one candidate that gave me three personal references all of whom said, "Oh her...I would never hire her again. She was always late if she came in at all and cause all sorts of drama in the workplace." All three of them would not recommend her. How do you pick three people as personal references that can't stand you.
I didn't think people were allowed to give a bad reference. They can refuse to give one though. Unless it's different to the UK.
gsavageme ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:04:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
These were personal references not business references. But they were people that worked with this person at previous workplaces so they knew what she was like.
One of my applicants showed up in flip flops. Because he forgot his shoes.
He forgot his shoes.
Drakonnen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:00:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A girl of about 19 or 20 listed on her resume for a file clerk position that she was currently in college. Naturally I ask what she is going to school for, she said she wasn't sure yet, which is fine, but then I asked her about her schedule to see if it would interfere with the job.
She then proceeds to tell me that she is only taking one class right now. I probe and ask why, because obviously it would take a long time to finish college that way. She said she tried to take more and it was too hard so she was failing, and that her family members had the same issues so that they decided the best course was to take one class at a time to "try to make sure she passed it."
So not only was she too dumb to handle more than one class, her whole family had the same issue.
I tried to dispense life advice about how long it was going to take to finish a degree that way and that she needed to focus more on her studies, maybe not mention that in future interviews, etc., but there was no way I was hiring little miss failure to work for me after that.
Just showing up not dressed well. I hire a lot of software engineers/developers and I've seen them show up in Abercrombie t-shirts and shorts/flip-flops, etc. Way to impress.
Also, not having a copy of their resume available for any latecomers to the interview meeting, not taking notes, and not having any questions/obviously having not researched my company ahead of time.
I was interviewing a guy a couple weeks ago for one of our seasonal positions, when I asked him what he felt was the best customer service he had received or given had been over the past couple of weeks, his response was that he smiled at customers and recommended their new sandwich on their menu.. He also straight out told me he sleeps at his other job. Cherry on the top was when he walked into our store, before we had met, I asked him how he was doing, and he put his hand in my face and just said "Here for an interview. " without even looking at me. I don't think he realized I was doing the interview. Mmm..hmm..
I have seen numerous IT and software development job's mentioned in this thread, I would say half are minimum wage though. but as for "modern day slavery of the workplace" your most likely one of the fuck up's mentioned in this thread.
datmart ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:00:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
*you're
"Your" is possessive, IE: your spelling is incorrect.
dont care this is reddit i dont need to use proper grammar or punctuation for my point to be valid
datmart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:50:07 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When you're sitting there calling someone else a fuck up in an IT related thread, the least you could do is ensure you're using proper grammar and spelling. We're in the IT world, and most IT folks should have a proper grasp of the English language.
This is in fact reddit. This is not work. I can do as I damn well please on the internet. Typing without grammar has no relation to what I said about someone showing up to an interview in above mentioned clothing. Also note that having a proper grasp on the English language has nothing to do with posting on reddit. You are just trying to be a self righteous prick and boost your ego by correcting someone on the internet.
When I ask someone why they chose our organization, and they answer "Well the commute is definitely a plus!" Poisons the rest of the interview with me.
Aroha11 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:27:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But why?
What is wrong in applying somewhere that is convenient to commute to? How would that reflect on someone's quality of work?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:05:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm with you on this-- except for the fact that I wouldn't CHOOSE a company based on its relative location to my home.
First question is why do you want to work here. First answer is commute. Nothing about the company's reputation or culture or mission? Nothing about advancing your career? Commute is your priority? NEXT.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:08:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A commute is a huge factor. You can pretend it's "bad" or whatever, but all of your candidates are taking it into account.
That's fine but first answer? That's the priority?
cschlue ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 03:18:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Quick question for some interviewers in this thread, I've worked with a friend for a few years on a startup company that develops iOS and android applications acting as the CTO. It's a registered LLC but has yet to turn a profit. Would this be worthwhile to include on my resume? I've managed all the IT resources, web presence and programmed the majority of our releases but it's been for little to no compensation. I'm not entirely sure how to represent it on my resume if I did.
I did some work on the side for a small biotech company, managing their social media pages, writing press releases, and photographing visits from business leaders and politicians. Like you, I made little compensation (about $200 over three years).
I included it on a resume when I applied to be a communications intern at a much larger biotech company.
I got asked "What department did you work in?", "How many hours did you work per week?", and "How did you get along with your co-workers?" Given that I wasn't an official employee, worked an average of zero hours per week at this company, and had no co-workers, I tried to downplay this job and tried to change the subject to real jobs I've had. The interviewer decided not to ask any questions about my legitimate 9:00-5:00 Monday-Friday jobs and passed on my candidacy.
So, from my experience, don't include this work on your resume.
gperlman ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Asked a candidate the standard, "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" question during an interview for a position as a software developer. He replied, "I really want to be working at a game company." We are not a game company.
gingaflo ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:57:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i always found that question hard. do i lie and say i want to be working with the current company even if it is blatantly untrue? or do i be honest and share my actual vision?
bachooka ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:15:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You just give an answer that they can take to be about themselves: "I see myself in a position that I have earned and working hard to prove my worth".
gperlman ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:00:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It depends on whether or not honesty is a principle that is of high value to you. It is for me and I live by the notion that principles only mean something if you stand by them when it's inconvenient.
In this particular case, the candidate was working for a software company that made security software which was not at all his passion. I told him that he really should go find a game company to work for since that was clearly his passion. I decided to check in with him 6 months later. He did indeed leave the company he was working for when he interviewed with me and went to.....another security software firm. Some people never find the intestinal fortitude to follow their passion.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:22:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
K? You expect him to sign a contract for over 5 years or something? Software developers tend to have plenty of flexibility to move around. He obviously knows more about the industry than you do.
gperlman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:07:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, I don't expect that and yes, I know the industry having worked in it for the last 30 years. However, generally speaking, it's not a good idea to send the message that you don't have a passion for what the company does where you are seeking employment. I think because we are so careful with our hiring, we have extremely low turnover for our industry.
JPohlman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:20:26 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Were you looking to hire someone that would be on board for the next 5+ years? Or was his employment just to fill a short to medium term need? Was his tenure for five years guaranteed on your end?
Did you have ideas on how this individual would grow within your company, such as projects for him to eventually direct? Or was he about to become a worker bee, for good?
Was it a "he" or a "she?" I forgot. The point is, five years is far from a long time. Unless you were very clear in making your needs known and he -still- said something contrary to it, you probably passed on an ambitious person who would've served you well for a reasonable time.
Good for him. Or her.
gperlman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:36:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We always hire for the long term. We have a huge codebase that takes 6 months before an engineer is really making a contribution.
Each engineer has a LOT of responsibility and there is plenty of opportunity to grow. In the case of this person, he wasn't talking about how much he liked what we do. It was clear to me that we would just be another stop along his way somewhere else. And sure, others that have worked for us have gone on to other things but it's never struck me as their plan from the beginning. In this particular case, he didn't even pursue his dream. He took a job just like the one he was leaving.
When I hire someone, I want to feel confident that they really want to work for us and really like what we do. Our process seems to work as most of our turnover rate is pretty low.
JPohlman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:58:20 on September 22, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Absolutely and totally reasonable. I'd feel the same way. :)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:05:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
luserina ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:36:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked the applicant about her previous job (as a secretary) and how she found it. It was important for me to know if she enjoyed her previous job since the job she applied for is kind of similar. She said, "I found it in the internet."
When I realized that she misunderstood (I was asking if she found the job fulfilling, etc.), I clarified and she said, "Oh, it was boring." I also asked her to write an essay about herself and she wrote that she was the "black sheep" of her family.
Augrills ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:50:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm having trouble understanding how either of those things are bad. She didn't misunderstand your first question as much as your first question could mean two different things. I don't see anything wrong with warning people that you have quirks and feel socially different either.
Aroha11 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:35:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Especially taking into account that people are usually very nervous and stressed during job interviews, and make lots of silly mistakes just because of that.
luserina ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:50:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's another one, although not in an interview. Since we're an educational company, we require anyone applying for a certain department (math, science, etc). to take a qualifying exam. There's a guy (graduate of a math teacher's course) who submitted a very impressive resume and transcript but when he was made to take the qualifying test for math, he answered two items and asked if he can skip the rest because he doesn't remember the lessons anymore (he graduated 6 months before this event). IDK how you can apply for a position involving solving math problems/reading math text if you "can't remember" your lessons...
[deleted] ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 09:45:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. Recruiting and HR sucks. Y'all are disqualifying applicants over little things. What proof or research that those facets would make a crappy worker for your company? To me, you all look like a bunch douchebags writing people off.
I have to hire people as part of my job and I very rarely dismiss people based on the answers they give to questions we've seen in the comments to this post. What is most import is the attitude you bring with you. (I hire for customer service) I look for things like whether or not the applicant is making conversation as opposed to just answering questions, do they seem like a generally happy or pleasant person, did they dress like they were preparing for the interview, and can they hold a conversation even under the pressure of an interview.
I was applying for marianos online and I sent in my application and everything. A week later they call me up in the morning for a phone interview i was half asleep. She asked in what way or what characteristics describe me. I said in one word 6 times in a row, Big. They never called me again.
dagobaw ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:26:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Complained that he hated dealing with large corporation policies. We are a large corporation.
I fucked up in an interview accidentally once. Was for a basic data entry and gate guard job but by nature I am a person who doesnt see a problem as an issue, I see ways to fix, adapt or improve just by the way I thing and see the world.
The depot manager and the guy who would be my boss are interviewing.
The boss needed a data inputter to enter the correct stock level which had gone tottaly wrong over time to the point they were stuggling to function properly. That sets me of and I ask all the wright questions for the wrong job role as is my fix it nature. The depot manager was happily chatting back n forth but the would be boss eventually pipes looking very upset and tries to bring us back on topic and eventual get so annoyed he snaps and points out its his job to resolve the issue and that this job role is for a guard and a data entry clerk to follow what he has decided is the correct way to solve the issue.
It amusing looking back but at the time I really needed the job.
Worked for A Movie Chain. Not gonna say which one, but I was interviewing the friend of another manager in our market. This dumbass says, mid interview, that he "wasn't trying to be a dick" when telling a story about something. He also said "shit" during the interview. Also brought a book bag in with him. Didn't really have an issue with the bag, but thought it was a little odd. However the other 2 things were deal breakers. Can't have a crew member cursing at or in front of the guests.
Yes. And it's not a weak reason. It wasn't an office job. It was a job in guest services for a pretty big company. Can't have the crew cursing at guests and stuff. Normally I wouldn't care. I curse all the time, but cursing in an interview is unprofessional, and told me we couldn't trust him to not do it in front of the guests.
I got the usual complain e mail at work. Telling us how shitty our service had become, it used to be better and everyone working with us is a retard. It was at least a page long. Only in the last sentence he made it clear that this was actually an application. That he used to work in customer service for us and would like to get back into his old job. I didn't even forward it to HR.
At the end of the interview I allow time for the applicant to ask me any questions. They chose to ask immediately what the discounts were at my store because himself and all his family shop there all the time. DO NOT ask about discounts during the job interview.
mbz321 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 05:08:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean, that seems like a valid question, but the applicant probably should have asked about 'Benefits' or something instead which discounts would fall under.
Guy was interviewing for a manufacturing job. The question was about a time he has experienced an inappropriate behavior at his last job. Apparently someone had called someone else the N word at his old job, came at us with the "well, I'm just going to say it" when explaining. We were all screaming "nooooooo" in our heads when the dropped it. We really, really, needed to fill that position.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 02:09:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
Raschwolf ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 02:46:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It is flat out unprofessional. Don't use a slur in a job interview regardless of context. Even just being so comfortable saying things like that is a red flag and could be an issue down the road.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:21:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked for an Architects firm and was interviewing a new IT engineer. He was ok in the interview but proceeded to tell us (including one of the directors) that he didn't like the building and thought it was badly designed. We had designed and built the building. He didn't get the job.
choder ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 02:26:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
When asked "How long do you see yourself being with us?" His response? "Oh, at LEAST a year."
I guess that makes sense when you are 22 and only on your second job. From my perspective, I don't want to invest a year in someone who is just going to take off.
majinspy ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:14:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hate this question. It just punishes honest people. I'm not going to pass up a doubled salary because of company loyalty.
choder ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:38:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Saying you want to be at a place is one thing. Leaving because you have a chance at a 100% raise? That is too good of an opportunity to pass up. It sucks for the employer, but that's how it goes. A good boss would be happy for you. They might even fight to keep you..
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:53:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ok so lie in the interview. Got it.
choder ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:30:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe? Or maybe be straight with the interviewer. Say something like "I'm looking to start a career." or "This looks like a great place to work. I hope I can stay here a long time". These are positive, non-committal responses that make you stand out in an interview. The interview process is about determining the type of personality as much as it is a measure of skills. Skills can be taught. Attitude, not so much.
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 02:40:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
mighty1u2 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:20:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hah, I have a similar story. My father was a taxidermist (I'm sorry if that offends you, as a vegan), and when i was in high school i would help him out at his shop sometimes. Mostly i hung out in the reception area and talked to prospective customers. A woman came in and was complaining about how cruel it was to the animals to hunt them and stuff them. I laid into her hypocrisy. She was literally eating a hamburger, wearing a leather purse, and her husband had a snakeskin belt on.
udonsoup ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 04:44:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a guy send in a 15 page resume for an English teaching job in Thailand. It was repetitive and written in a multitude of crazy fonts and colours with highlighted sections. He got an interview anyway because we had so few candidates but didnt get the job. 2 weeks ago he emailed me again citing the exact same job he had already applied to before and attaching the same horrid rรฉsumรฉ as though he'd never spoken to me before.
Rzezifok ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 06:14:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The one that stands out most to me is an interviewee that was asked a fairly simple question. Now, most questions pertain to the work environment, and how you have handled situations in past jobs, but occasionally it is okay to answer a question with non-job experience.
So a guy comes in, and the question is basically "What is the hardest challenge that you conquered?" and the guy proceeds to answer that moving to the area we were was the hardest challenge, and that he conquered it by looking for a job and getting a place to live. Later on in the interview, we discover that he is living with his mom.
Sorry buddy, you didn't conquer anything, and you're still trying to get that job. We wanted to see the solution as it pertained to the problem, not the in-status of it.
Also, just remember in a job interview to come in with a series of stories lightly pertaining to what you're applying for. Most questions are started, "Tell me about a time..." and we want a very specific story about exactly what happened, not a generalization of how you would(or have) handled something along the lines of the question.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 23:31:04 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if you genuinely don't have a specific answer to those questions? This has always stumped me when someone asks "tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult customer" for example. I've never really had that type of experience and feel like an idiot.
In this specific case one way would be to explain why you've never had a difficult customer.
E.G. "I've never had a customer I consider to be difficult because I believe I always take care to listen to their problems and provide them with the most effective solution for them and the company. I believe customers recognize when someone is genuinely listening to them and appreciate it."
Total wank. But the sort of total wank that management tend to like.
Mandog222 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 01:02:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To me that sounds similar to answering "What's your greatest weakness?" Is that you are too hard working or something along those lines, although I guess it is better than no answer.
To tell the truth, make one up, but reasonably. A lot of stories can be tweaked just slightly to become one that matches the fairly vague question. I was told by my higher ups when I first started doing practice interviews that a believable fake story was better than "uh..." answer. I've spent a lot of time in operations, so I don't have very many good stories pertaining to merchandising questions, so usually I come up with a similar situation, and go about how I would handle it as if I already had done that exact same scenario.
For example, I have to deal with customer issues a lot. A customer came into the store and was distressed at our "open for dogs" policy. He was incredibly concerned that an owner let their dog sniff him. What if the dog had bit? I assured him that our "open dog" policy was here to stay and was a decision based on the fact that the majority of pet owners are responsible and keep their dog on a six foot leash, as is our store requirement. He was not reassured, so I calmly told him that he could walk through our store as he would a park, and there aren't many dogs in at a time. Midday is our busiest time, so the most dogs will be in. He could also order online and we would be more than happy to have his order ready for pickup at the desk, which would minimize his interaction with the dogs, etc. Essentially, I brought up every solution he could have to his dog issue. Although I didn't give the customer what he wanted (he went on for several more minutes about how dogs shouldn't be in stores), I handled the situation eloquently and provided solutions. I like this story for interviews because it is unique and shows that I am capable of coming up with solutions and speaking with customers about their concerns. That story actually happened, and it's boring, but not every story needs to be action-packed with venom-spitting customers.
The story also can go with questions along the lines of "How did you handle a difficult situation?", "What about when you were unable to give the customer what they wanted?", all the way down to "How did you follow the company SOP when disagreed with?"
You could then tweak the story slightly to fit other questions. Perhaps you're going for a management position, and the scared-of-dogs-guy talked to an associate who called you into the issue because he didn't know how to handle it. Suddenly it's a teamwork or teaching moment. Perhaps you came up with the solution to add solid bottoms to the shopping carts so smaller dogs could be "contained" while their owners shopped, thus making customers and their pets feel safer and more comfortable. Now you're looking at a nice HR question or bonding with the community. The stories can be tweaked ever so slightly to match your question.
TL;DR: Make the story work to your advantage, or just make a believable one up.
Most of the interviewees are entry level, so it's more based on how you have handled situations in the past and kept your composure, or came up with a tricky solution. Since it's entry level, we expect you to move forward into a different job, and we're not really looking for experience so much as someone who can learn quickly from mistakes, has pride in the job they perform as well as developing professional relationships with customers and other employees.
kemzo ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 01:31:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some buddies from my university and I began a sports marketing company in Philadelphia. Keep in mind I was working at a failing paper company at the time. So I invited my friend who managed our warehouse onboard for an interview. He drove all the way out and he started off nervous during the interview, thinking he wasn't good enough but we confessed that we weren't experts ourselves. After loosening up he did great, we all loved him. Get this though he ended the interview off by grabbing our basketball and shooting it into the basket we kept in our office, it bounced off hit a light and landed in our fish tank killing all of our fish. He still got the job though.
While I haven't done any interviews, at the restaurant I work at one of the local convenience store owners (a married couple) will interview at our store.
If you showed up on time, they wouldn't speak to you. Had to show up 5-15 minutes early.
Once had a woman show up 10 minutes late and I almost laughed when I lied said "nope, haven't seen them". I can only recall them meeting with someone who was late once, and they called about 10 minutes prior to the meeting to explain an emergency.
Am I too late? I've been interviewing candidates for a cashier position and had these two nutcases today...
Me: So, why do you think I should hire you over my other applicants?
Nut1: Pity, because you know I need a job, or else I wouldn't be here.
...
Me: Why do you want to work here?
Nut2: Well, I've been a hermit the last few years. My spouse killed himself and after that I didn't come out of my house for about two years. I figured this job would be a good start in being a part of society again.
No, but this is a company where if you can get into a store at ANY position it's very likely that you'll have the opportunity to progress quickly. We invest a lot in all of our employees and they've got to be worth what we're going to pay them.
majinspy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:16:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
.....hiring?
DrRo ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:18:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Gotta give nut1 props. Dudes got balls to say that in a interview and still expect to get hired
He'd been coming by every few weeks and when we finally had an opening I had high hopes. He was a cool guy and put together. But when it came to the interview he didn't know ANYTHING about the field. Not even the common sense stuff.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:57:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Nut1" gave the correct answer. All your other candidates are liars. Luckily you don't hire for anything important.
Wibbles20 ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 03:09:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't do the interviews this time around, but the other manager at the fast food store I work at told me about this one person he interviewed last week.
When he asked the interviewee "why do you want this job" his answer was "it will look good on my resume"
Lord_Ka1n ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 05:53:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly though. Its a fast food job. What is he supposed to say? "well, I've always had a deep passion for McDonald's as a kid"
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:47:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah seriously. Any logical answer should work here its a fucking min wage deadend fast food job. Op be taking that fast food game way too seriously.
MTPoll ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 16:57:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We were getting toward the end of interviews, and there was this one guy whose phone interview had gone really well. Thing is, our small company doesn't pay much, and I don't like to waste people's time or have my time wasted, so I often broach the topic of pay a little earlier than might be considered usual.
When I met the interviewee, I immediately felt this vague recognition, like he might have been a local celebrity or something. But I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
Interview goes well, he answers all the questions pretty effortlessly and it seems like he'll get along well with the team. He has a very laid back personality.
I again reiterate that this is an entry level position, and I ask what are his expectations of salary?
He says, "I need about tree fiddy."
That's when I suddenly placed where I'd seen this guy before! Needless to say, he didn't get the job.
[deleted] ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 18:49:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Alpha17x ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 19:15:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know a woman who works on imprinting the ROMS that go into missile guidance systems. (and that's all I know about what she does and ever will) She interviewed internally for a move to a leadership promotion. She got it by referencing leadership of the WoW guild we were both in, and was able to cite examples of how it was applicable to 'real life'
Management is management. If everything he ever did someone related back to WoW as it seems to in the case you mentioned, then yeah, probably not going to be a fit. But quite often that MMO guild leader is going to end up in an 'IRL' management role of some sort whether you put them there or someone else does. It's pretty much inevitable.
[deleted] ยท -9 points ยท Posted at 03:39:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Late.....because he ran over at the prior interview. Next.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:56:58 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was to meet me at 10am for an interview. He shows up at 10:30am and says "sorry, I was over at XYZ other company and I'm running late."
That is bad, bad, bad. Should have told XYZ company that you had a commitment that you needed to meet. Showing up late for an interview - absent some act outside of your control - is the exact wrong way to start an interview because now I think you (1) don't care about my company, (2) aren't punctual, (3) will likely make excuses for issues in the future. When I've got a stack of 10 people I'm interviewing for that 1 position, the answer is going to be No.
[deleted] ยท -65 points ยท Posted at 00:29:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did you ever stop to think that perhaps OP didn't mind some joking in the comments but still wanted serious answers, or were you too busy thinking about how the serious tag wouldn't be necessary without people like you?
[deleted] ยท -12 points ยท Posted at 07:15:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's stupid. I graduated college in 2007, but I had "real" jobs before and after. Hell, I don't even remember what my GPA was. So if you reject applicants with real experience and skills because of a number that doesn't really tell you shit about a person or how they function as an employee, then you'll get exactly what you deserve. Bless your heart, honey.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:09:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If hes discarding resumes over GPA, its probably not a very important job. Finding the best isn't always a priority to some hiring managers, they just want someone who won't be terrible.
datmart ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:21:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went to a university that didn't give GPA's, it was either pass or fail, and while I failed a course, I passed it the next time I took it. No reason to automatically assume every college uses GPA scores.
ForkUK ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:35:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Grade point average. Basically, the numerical representation of how well you did in school, overall.
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 02:05:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Augrills ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 11:01:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like she had to deal with really difficult customers and dealing with regular problems would have been a breeze for her. Sorry she gave you an honest answer instead of bullshit.
To be fair, brand loyalty prior to joining up to a seller isn't always a necessary trait. Some of the best salesmen will sell shit to you rather effectively and never once touch it in their life.
True. You make a good point. Sadly, all of the people that showed up like that were under the age of 22. They didn't care where they worked. Just wanted a job.
Saved comment
[deleted] ยท 465 points ยท Posted at 04:32:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
rugby_fc ยท 153 points ยท Posted at 10:57:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of idiot does that?
They decide it's a good idea to be rude to people who already work there, at worst you're not going to get the job because you were rude to a colleague and at best (if they didn't see you be rude) you might end up working there with people who probably aren't going to like you. And 9/10 its gonna be the worst case scenario.
It's simple just to be nice to everyone you encounter on an interview, someone who lets you into the building, the receptionist, someone who holds a door open etc etc. You're trying to get a job you should be doing everything possible to make a good impact.
ThinkingCrap ยท 80 points ยท Posted at 11:41:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
FTFY It's simple just to be nice to everyone you encounter
edit: Thanks for the gold!
leckertuetensuppe ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:08:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Even on a nazi rally?
ADreamByAnyOtherName ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:11:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Especially at a nazi rally.
ThinkingCrap ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 17:08:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What do you gain by being not nice to them? Do you think they're gonna be like "Oh? This guy was being an asshole to me, I should adjust my believes!"...don't think that's how it works
leckertuetensuppe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:38:11 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, if it doesn't seem to matter either way I'd rather not be nice to them, thank you.
mayjay15 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 18:02:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, you probably feel a little better. And it's possible to be informative and curt. While that one interaction probably won't change their minds, maybe if they notice a pattern of people not being nice to them, they'll be less vocal about their hate, or maybe even, eventually, start to reconsider their position.
A racist becoming less racist isn't unheard of, though it usually takes years or decades.
rugby_fc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:47:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh of course, just something you should be paying special attention to when there is the possibility of a job.
androgynous_potato ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:49:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think a lot of the time people assume anyone who isn't involved in the interview/hiring process aren't worth their time. They don't seem to realize people talk (which is where the idiot part comes into play).
I'm an admin and work the front desk. I may not have any authority on hiring, but I am the first face they meet. I absolutely get asked after the interview by my manager what I thought of them. If you can't even muster up a good morning or a hello or I get attitude/condescension, just assume I've told management what I think of your personable skills.
rugby_fc ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:10:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. First of all you should be able to engage in polite conversation with anyone, don't be a dick. Secondly, you're there trying to get a job, you should be doing everything possible to leave a positive impact.
I'll give a friendly greeting, and if I'm sat waiting and the admin isn't busy/asks me how I'm doing i'll have a small conversation with them. If they don't say anything to the interviewer fair enough, but I'd rather put in the 'effort' of trying to be nice then risk being just another interviewee.
bunnymeee ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:02:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My current company asks the front desk for feedback on all interview candidates. If they are rude or dismissive to our front office staff, receptionist or an exec assistant, they get de-prioritized.
grumpydan ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 18:21:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Receptionist/Office Manager/Security are very important to be nice to when arriving for an interview. I've been a front desk person for 5 years, so everyone knows me pretty well. If a hiring manager is 50/50 on a candidate and I tell him they were rude/short/condescending to me or the receptionist, that tips the scales.
vengeance_pigeon ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:48:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Even if you're not an interviewee, a decent admin can wreck your shit and never get caught. It's better to stay on their good side- even if it weren't already the right thing to do.
rachawakka ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:30:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People like that are probably used to people not liking them. They don't expect any different.
fuddydudd ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:58:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Currently an Admin/Receptionist. Our supervisors have asked us for our opinions and first impressions whenever people come in for interviews. It's crazy how many people we had be surly to us and then all smiles when the supervisor came out. As if they really thought we didn't talk or wouldn't relay that information. I was truly shocked.
accentmarkd ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:19:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Part two of this-don't drive like an asshole on your way to the job interview. Many of the people who work there will also commute on similar routes. I cannot count the number of times the dude who was constantly cutting off and flipping the bird at you, or did the asshole park across two spots was on his way to interview with someone they just offended in their road rage. It doesn't go over well.
rugby_fc ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:30:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha have heard stories about this happening.
Serves people right for driving like twats, but I can just imagine the dread on their face when they walk in to the interview room and see the person they just called a useless cunt sat at the other side of the table.
Usrname52 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:40:44 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But women don't count as people.
(I am a woman and totally don't believe this, but that's what this guy thought.)
ButtsexEurope ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 20:19:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sexism is ingrained in some older men. They seem to be unable to fathom that women can be in positions of authority.
TrappedAtReception ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:38:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I tell interviewers or their assistants if the candidate was rude to me or nice. They actually do take that into account, because if they are rude to the support staff, it's not going to work out.
cactuscat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:02:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not to mention that actual support staff like secretaries and receptionists are super important to have on side at work.
aveganliterary ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:22:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In college I was an editor for the newspaper and had free reign over hiring for my section. We were always desperate for writers so provided you could write 500+ words in column form you were damn near guaranteed a job.
One evening I had an interview with a guy who seemed really interested in the job, and was quite competant, but the second he sat in the chair he was nothing but condecending. He kept comparing everying about our paper with how Harvard does it (mind you, we were a tiny paper and not remotely Ivy League) and was rude to everyone. The second he walked out I turned to my head editor and told her "Never hire that guy." I often had to personally write multiple columns a week to fill space, but I refused to work with such a douche-canoe.
eratoast ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:47:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, yes. I'm the Office Manager and HR, though I more or less do the front desk shit from my office because they won't hire a front desk person yet. I don't have anything to do with the interview process at all (I deal with our benefits--I would have no idea what to look for for almost all of the departments we have), but I'm the one who greets people, takes them on tours, etc. If you're a dick to me, I immediately tell my boss (the director) about it.
sheilahulud ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:12:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't you love when they wave that red flag nice and high. Loved how you dealt with him.
ShockRampage ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 15:14:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Since when does a supervisor take over an interview from the office manager?
[deleted] ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 15:27:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
ShockRampage ยท -10 points ยท Posted at 15:34:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Speaking of condescending...
I was going to say how I miss-read and thought you interrupted the interview with the office manager....but I think we're all set....
MinouMeew ยท 3885 points ยท Posted at 00:27:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked the candidate if he considered himself a punctual person. He responded with, "well I'm not a grammar nazi or anything."
EpicGuard ยท 2019 points ยท Posted at 01:24:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's fucking hilarious.
A_favorite_rug ยท 40 points ยท Posted at 10:55:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd hire him on the spot even if he was Hilter.
grumpydan ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 17:10:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The robot in charge of adding handles to swords?
rex2oo9 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:48:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know right?! What the fuck?
ablaaa ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:32:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I really don't understand why what he said is so damning.. Can someone explain?
EpicGuard ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:00:38 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
punctual...like being on time...punctuation...like grammar
theultimatemadness ยท 314 points ยท Posted at 01:21:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did you laugh?
Gestalternative ยท 98 points ยท Posted at 03:00:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you fucking sorry?
theultimatemadness ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 03:59:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No.
Fadman_Loki ยท -16 points ยท Posted at 06:01:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So edgy.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 10:32:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
Calijor ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:44:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Am I out of the loop on this one, why is that a whoosh?
Fadman_Loki ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:47:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly? I have no idea. This is normally the kinda stuff reddit likes.
MyLifeIsMyOwn ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 06:59:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
2edgy4me
That_Connor_Guy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:07:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Asking the real questions!
blaghart ยท 956 points ยท Posted at 01:54:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey I've been there...someone asked me in an interview what my opinion on foul language was and I was wondering how chicken got into the conversation.
Another_artist ยท 807 points ยท Posted at 02:26:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I fucking LOVE chickens!!"
youssarian ยท 157 points ยท Posted at 03:25:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
"I'm gonna have to eat every fucking chicken in this room."
EDIT: /r/Cleganebowl for the un
informedhyped.Stendecca ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:52:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
GET HYPE
Butt_Stuff_Pirate ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:23:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
THAT WHICH IS HYPE CAN NEVER DIE!
vitorfportugal ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:24:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
CLEGANEBOWL CONFIRMED GET HYPE
NicoWaves ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:22:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
BUT RISES AGAIN
Dr_Teacup ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:18:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"What the fuck's a Lommy?"
SomeNiceButtfucking ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:26:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Fuck the
kingboss."BowtieMaster ยท 200 points ยท Posted at 02:56:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
HighPing_ ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 04:21:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Something something fuckswithducks
TheChildishBambino ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:19:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
gabrys666 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:35:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I HATE fucking syntax!
CharlieOscar ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:26:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
License and registration, CHICKEN FUCKER!
AreMYparentsRllyMine ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:02:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
SHIT, I accidentally saved that.
JustDaniel96 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:44:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Chicken get the Fak out!
I-rape-chickens ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:40:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My people are here!
chunkerpig ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why did the pervert cross the road? He couldn't get his cock out of the chicken.
SaneAids ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:33:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's why master Yoda couldn't get a job after the Jedi order terminated everyone.
currentlydownvoted ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:27:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's no such thing as chicken facials
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:58:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The official food of CleganeBowlTM
Fakyall ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:53:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This somehow reminds me of the episode in Malcom in the middle where we're in the idiots head and see how he came to stupid answers, but his line of thought was actually logical.
SwagWaggon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:05:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I like turtles
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:32:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've been accused of having ADD but I don't believe it. Oh look! A chicken!
Barry_Scotts_Cat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I love fucking chickens
Snaketicus93 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 05:02:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bring me all the fucking chickens
abloopdadooda ยท 194 points ยท Posted at 02:44:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of question is that for an interview? Like, what was supposed to be the "correct" answer to that? I don't see how one's opinion on foul language would matter at all for anything so long as it's not used in the workplace if it's frowned upon to do so.
[deleted] ยท 434 points ยท Posted at 03:48:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I would never use it in any professional setting, but it's useful in private to get frustations out. Because working at this place is going to be fucking frustrating."
wmurray003 ยท 40 points ยท Posted at 04:55:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"::LooksUpClosesFolder:: ...Thanks for coming by, I'll call you."
StrugLord ยท 67 points ยท Posted at 07:28:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN?"
LimesToLimes ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:23:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"::LooksUpClosesFolder::"
ANUSTART942 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:46:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"YOU ALREADY CLOSED THAT FUCKING FOLDER"
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:30:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"What's the big deal? It doesn't hurt anybody. Fuck fuckity fuck fuck fuck."
Cerpin-Taxt ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 05:23:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the type of workplace.
If you say you are deeply offended by foul language and the office is lax about it and like to throw around cusses as part of their day to day talking about stuff, then no job for you.
Also if it's a customer service job you may be expected to deal with an amount of swearing from pissed off people on the phone or whatever. Again if that bothers you, not getting hired.
Or it could be the complete opposite and the workplace has zero tolerance on foul language. Mouth like a sailor? You lose, good day.
Best possible reply would probably be "Foul language has no affect on me but I don't use it in inapropriate environments."
odnish ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:14:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hopefully that reply isn't in writing.
ReeuQ ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:01:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We swear so much at my office that I have to ask this question during the hiring process in case someone is unable to handle it.
mdk_777 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:42:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like this is kind of a trap question though, most people would say stuff along the lines of "I would never swear" or "Crude language has no place in the work place" even if they don't care just because they think saying anything else would harm their chances of getting the job.
ReeuQ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:07:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I set the tone in my interview. The interviewee should always be truthful, otherwise you end up in a job you're unqualified for and unhappy with. No one wants that, so just tell the truth.
speedwayryan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:27:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People will always assume there is a "right" answer, probably best for the interviewer to be transparent about the reason for the question and just say "There is a fair amount of light-hearted use of foul language between employees here, is that something you would be able to handle?" Nobody wants to just offer up the fact that they cuss like a sailor in a job interview.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:11:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
the purpose of an interview is (supposed to be) to determine culture fit.
Theres no point in lying in order to get a job, both parties are just going to be unhappier
Jeremymia ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:05:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends how much they want you to drink the kool-aid.
BaBaFiCo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:15:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked in a tool and plant hire place last year. In the interview they asked me how I felt about banter in the workplace. The question felt a bit odd at the time, but I can understand it. I imagine this might have been at a place where colourful language was used often and if an applicant has a serious problem with it then perhaps it's not the right working environment for them.
Nickbou ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:17:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd say it's useful as one of several questions to gauge a person's personality and professionalism. Depending on the specific job environment some answers could be a ok, while others could throw a warning. If the candidate answered with "I don't use foul language, and I don't work well with other people that do", then maybe that person isn't a good fit for working in the back kitchen. If the candidate simply answered, "I don't swear much," that's a fine answer, but maybe I'm looking for the candidate to take the initiative to expand on this topic and how it is handled in the workplace.
Sometimes the question is about the answer, sometimes it's about HOW you answer.
openupmyheartagain ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:59:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've been asked that a few times, at companies where a lot of cussing occurs.
Tonkarz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:11:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Like the Voight-Kompf test there is no correct answer. You fucking replicant.
Koras ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:05:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It could be that they're going to have to work closely with people that typically swear like sailors and they can't afford to hire someone who's going to get all huffy and offended every 5 seconds
greedcrow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:46:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The anwser is I believe it has a time and a place. While i dont think using it in a work enviroment often is good sometimes it can be justified and what people do in their time outside of work is none of my business.
plantbabe666 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:09:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've been asked that. It was for a small office gig and the owners knew they both talked like sailors, and didn't want to hire someone who was uncomfortable with that.
In another interview for a bar management office, I was asked if I smoke. I do, on and off, so I just said casually yes but I've never gotten into the habit of taking smoke breaks. The girl interviewing me replied, "Okay, great, because we all smoke all the time, indoors, and didn't want to hire someone who was going to start coughing."
If a question throws you off in an interview, ask for clarification. The people doing the interviewing know you're nervous, and want you to do well.
augustuen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:42:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was asked about my stance on alcohol at an interview for an apprenticeship.
Dubbedbass ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:44:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think it depends on the job. Like I work for a construction contractor. Swearing is like a quarter hourly occurrence with almost every person there. I know for a fact my bosses warned our last new hire that language got occassionally "rough around the edges". If you only hire people who aren't reacting too bad when you warn them people use colorful language then you lessen the chance of hiring someone who doesn't fit in.
Whywouldanyonedothat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:52:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you'll be working in an environment where everyone else are cursing like mad, it might be good for the employer to know if you'll take offence. I you say you don't tolerate foul language, he has to either fire everyone else after hiring you - or just go with someone who's a better match for the company.
KFCConspiracy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:18:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Although I don't use it, I have no problem with it." That satisfies everyone.
Pablo_Hassan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you a vegantarian? You got a fucking problem with ducks?
FeatofClay ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:35:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It seems like an inane question at first glance. But my guess is that there is a lot of swearing going on in the workplace already, and that's just the culture of the place. They ask to figure out if they're about to hire someone who is going to be uncomfortable or uptight about it.
GoodRubik ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:43:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends. If it's a high school kid looking for his first job at a burger joint, it can be a valid like "you know you're not supposed to cuss in front of customers " type of thing.
zelf0gale ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:49:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There are 3 questions tied up in 1.
I don't want you to embarrass me in front of customers or cause trouble with staff.
We may curse like sailors here. I don't want you to quit or sue me.
Maybe we're looking for a sailor or a saint because that's our public image or company culture. I don't want you to be a PR liability or an outcast among employees.
If you're interviewing as a CEO, self control would be the most important. If you're a line cook, tolerance is probably more important, etc.
Scholaprophetarum ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got asked that once in an interview by the head of the office I was applying at. He was known for being profane during times of stress, and had had issues with an assistant in the past because of it.
IrideTheDirt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:55:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Blue collar setting... Lots of cursing. Depending on the applicant might be a relevant cya question.
blaghart ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 06:54:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
the context was "are you ok with people using it because we fucking better hope you are"
so Im apparently being downvoted for answering the question?
aneasymistake ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:08:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was once showing my project manager some progress I'd made on a new feature in the software we develop. His response was a high-volume, "SHIT ON MY TITS!"
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:57:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[removed]
blaghart ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 13:20:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
They did, they were wondering why the hype, considering Leo's a better leader, Donny's smarter, and Raph's a better fighter...I mean mikey's just the jar jar binks of the group
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:01:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[removed]
blaghart ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 19:03:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Way, way more difficult and complicated shit
Also you forgot to switch accounts before replying :) For a guy who goes through so much effort just to get one person on reddit to pay attention to him that's a noob mistake :)
AreMYparentsRllyMine ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:11:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm actually mad at myself because I don't fucking get it.
blaghart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:58:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Foul and Fowl are homonymns. I thought he said Fowl, as in birds, not Foul, as in ENGLISH, MOTHRERFUCKER. DO YOU SPEAK IT?
TarAldarion ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My brother was just in hospital getting surgery and he sent me a message telling me that, and that he was just out of theatre. I was there thinking that it ended pretty well with him going to see a play
anderhole ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if joking... if not, why would anyone ask how you felt about foul language? Unless maybe you were going to be a teacher.
blaghart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:58:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Machine shop sort of job actually. The white collar right above the blue collar.
anderhole ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:57:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So were they anti- language? Cause send as though a machine shop shouldn't really matter.
NoShoeNation ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:01:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just laughed out loud in class to this. Thank you for the awkward stares.
Ixistant ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 08:21:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Miss Fame?
KP-BullshitMan ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:04:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bullshit.
blaghart ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:18:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
engineering shop job. we were the layer between "we designed this thing" and "those idiots designed this thing wrong". everyone spoke like sailors.
taekwonjo ยท 140 points ยท Posted at 02:01:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I might hire him just for the entertainment value
PlasticGirl ยท 73 points ยท Posted at 01:18:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wouldn't even know what to say after that.
Rachelle1016 ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 03:06:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Thanks, we'll call you."
Reefermadness142 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:41:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ice cold.
FlamingSwaggot ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 03:33:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"No, clearly not."
DumpyMcRumperson ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:11:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Fucking A!" And then you both high five.
Bricka_Bracka ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:56:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
nothing. just scribble "NO" on your notepad and then wrap up the interview.
Empire_Of_The_Mug ยท 121 points ยท Posted at 01:21:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He's not wrong
mr_jiffy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:22:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why isn't he? Punctual means being on time. It has nothing to do with punctuation.
_TheGreatDekuTree_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:01:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sure it was a well timed joke
mr_jiffy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ha
johnnybiggles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:08:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He's not hired, either.
HateMyJobHateMyJob ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 05:02:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he was making a joke, I'd have hire him on the spot... However something leads me to believe he doesn't know punctuation from punctuality....
mr_jiffy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:24:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It seems more than half of America doesn't know the difference between their, they're and there so I would not be surprised if he didn't know the difference between those two words.
HateMyJobHateMyJob ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I saw a post where somebody used the word colloquial to describe a feeling/ in place of a feeling or something like that... I'm not sure what word he was going for, but I kept reading the title to myself wondering if I had been using colloquial wrong my entire life lol.
ds580 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 06:01:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The real question is if he's a regular Nazi. Because being German automatically qualifies you as punctual.
RiggRMortis ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:55:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'll punctual in the face!
akaioi ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 02:33:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So ... he's never been stabbed?
jrrrd92 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 04:17:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please tell me your hired this person.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:41:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a normal human conversation, I know job interviews are supposed to be professional but really? That's a big fuck up? Drop the serious face man.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:04:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not even sure why that's such a huge fuck up..
spaznmidget ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:16:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's brilliant.
johnnynutman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:23:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
should've also asked them their favourite dish.
because_monstah ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:07:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I'm promoting you!"
CeterumCenseo85 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:27:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a great answer, assuming that he was aware of the pun.
souurdiesel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:32:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of this guy
thebush007 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:44:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
SAVAGE
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:21:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You gotta keep 'em punctuated!
cladindryice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
someone please explain to me how this is a fuck up.. I don't get it..
jaydoubleyoutee ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:30:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Punctual means on time. The interviewee confused this with punctuation and grammar.
BatXDude ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a pretty good answer.
If I was hiring and he said that but had all decent answers I would have hired him
BobSacramanto ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I use punctuation when necessary."
Zombie_Whisperer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:46:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
this. this is fucking gold.
have your upvote
blinkfan305 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:52:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wait a few months and put this in r/Jokes
jabbathederp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:24:35 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
hacked by infektion 99318)
CaptainDickfingers ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 10:11:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be honest, despite knowing what punctual is, I would probably in my nervous state completely forget and think it related to punctuation. I wouldn't however drop the N-bomb.
Gibboni5 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 04:38:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
loooool hehehehehehe!!! wow just wow
wildeep_MacSound ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 10:43:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Odds are you didn't hire him because you thought, "Man, what a moron".
Odds are he went home and told everyone, "Fuck no, they have ZERO sense of humor or didn't even get the joke. What a moron."
boioing ยท -16 points ยท Posted at 01:46:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If it were a "she", you could ask her if she's punctual on her periods.
boioing ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:43:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Come on people - periods, punctuation, nope? nothing? eh? eh?
celticeejit ยท 1572 points ยท Posted at 00:51:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was on a panel where the applicant was clear favorite for the spot, answered every question excellently, until this:
"How many breaks do I get?"
Me: "1 in the morning, one in the afternoon and your lunch"
"Well that needs to change, I'm on a strict diet and exercise regimen and need a 15 minute break every hour so that I can eat"
Me: "on doctors orders?"
"No, I want to compete in bodybuildin next summer"
me: "thanks for your time, we'll be in touch"
anonytrees ยท 686 points ยท Posted at 03:40:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pretty sure that was Chris Traeger you didn't hire.
racer_24_4evr ยท 258 points ยท Posted at 06:36:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I lit-rally need to consume vitamin enriched food every hour on the hour.
anonytrees ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 10:47:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm gonna go listen to ocean sounds and do chin-ups.
cambo666 ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 14:36:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have run 10 miles a day, every day, for 18 years. That's 65 thousand miles. A third of the way to the moon. My goal is to run to the moon.
akanefive ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 15:48:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Scientists say the first man to live to be 150 years old has already been born. I believe I am that man.
cambo666 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 15:56:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
lol YES. That is my 2nd favorite quote, I was between the moon run quote and that one. But the moon one cracks me the fuck up cause he darts off running right after saying it lmao
akanefive ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:57:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Every once in a while, I manage to slip this into conversation and totally weird people out. It's pretty great.
Chris Trager is LITERALLY my favorite character on that show. Along with Ben Wyatt, who is, BY FAR, the greatest television character ever written.
cambo666 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 17:03:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I cannot bring myself to pick a favorite. I love every character to much. Best show to ever air.
Whenever I think of one character that would be my favorite I think about another and a moment and I am left without decision.
akanefive ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:14:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I actually think Ben is the best character on that show. Between his moments of drunkenness, unemployment, or freaking out about cops and pregnancies, he's got the best reactions to the craziness around him. My favorite is the time capsule episode:
Leslie: Some guy handcuffed himself to a pipe in my office because we wouldn't put a copy of Twilight in the time capsule.
Ben: Damnit! Again? (Brilliant look to camera.)
NicoWaves ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:35:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I died from his impression of the robot guy
itswhywegame ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:29:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The fact that I did not get this job is LITERALLY the worst thing that has ever happened to me.
Nickbou ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 06:44:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Litrilly, the best applicant.
IXenomorph9605 ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 10:30:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ann Perkins, that was literally the best interview of my life
intensethrowaway ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:02:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Aannnnnnnnn Perkins!
Triton95 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:18:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Chip Traeger, you old son of a gun!
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 406 points ยท Posted at 05:11:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
15 minutes every hour? How much was he eating?! Besides, 3 breaks really is pretty generous.
The last place I worked (engineering firm), I only had one official break written into my contract (lunch).
TheCloned ยท 222 points ยท Posted at 06:15:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
3 breaks is law for a few states.
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 38 points ยท Posted at 06:30:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
UK here! On this side of the pond employers are only mandated to allow a 20 minute break on shifts over 6 hours, although most will give you more than that.
After the first few days I quickly realised that most people would also take an additional morning or afternoon break, and no-one really cared as long as you didn't take the piss. It was actually quite a nice, laid back company to work for.
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 11:25:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
UK here working for a major company with over 100,000 employees.
No one cares how long you take for lunch or how often you take a break. Just get your shit done.
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:36:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, same here. That said (in the UK) the only break they legally have to give you is a 20 minute lunch break, so by our standards OP's 3 breaks is pretty generous in my opinion!
Source
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:30:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought that you were allowed 30 minutes for every 4 hours worked. Obviously not!
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:08:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, that would be nice!
blamb211 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:09:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have to assume that here in the US, if you're salaried, that's the case. As long as you're getting your shit done, and getting it done well, nobody really cares about your break situation. If you're hourly, though, your lunches are off the clock, and you're gonna have to check with your boss before taking breaks. Which, I mean I get it, but it's a pain.
Echilon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:53:25 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's been like this everywhere I've worked. As long as you don't take the piss, no on counts the walks to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:56:39 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Same with me. 3 'real' jobs since leaving uni and they've all been the same.
Fikkia ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:07:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Same. UK. 30 min break at lunch. But if you're stressed or bored you can go have 15 mins in the coffee room a few times a day. No one really cares.
(Sent from the toilet at work)
NoodleNonger ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:17:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. My old job was a 10-15 minute break if you worked less than 6 hours or a 30 minute break as well as the 10-15 minute break if you were on a 6 hour shift or longer. That said, it was pretty common to just stand around and talk or relax every now and then and no-one cared as long as your job still got done on time.
Li0nhead ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:55:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We also have to working time directive that most US states don't have (Non Europeans- That is a European law that protects us from being forced to work over a certain number of hours, but we the UK negotiated a deal where individuals can sign themselves out of these rules if they wish)
MushroomMan89 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:37:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or, you know, are coerced into waiving that right by having it as a standard part of contract language.
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:16:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, plenty of people at my old place signed themselves out of that so they could work a huge number of overtime hours. I'm happy with a 48 hour working week, thanks!
morgazmo99 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:44:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lucky. Break in my contract every 4 hours, but I can work 26-36 hrs without one. No too often luckily, but it wrecks me when it happens.
EonLover380 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:51:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I work half a day (6 hours), no break. If I work a full day (8-10 hours), I get a 2 hour break.
HellMuttz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:27:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Washington im pretty sure its a paid 10 minute every 3 hours and a least a 30 minute unpaid lunch after 6. Thats how it was working retail, i can only assume that's the minimum...
Nano163LoL ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:53:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Really!? Shit I need to move there. I get one on lunch (30 minutes)
TheHighTech2013 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:51:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And Canada.
Hamju ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:08:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not in Ontario. A lot of retail jobs have the 3 break rule, but that's a union thing, not because of the law.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on your salary status in a lot of places.
suomime ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:36:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work at an airport and sometimes I get no breaks. Breaks are really depending on the flight schedules. Sometimes i sit on my ass for hours and some days i am on the move for 14h.
vonadler ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 06:49:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Over here (Sweden) lunch is not a break - you get 30 or 60 minutes, but are not on the clock while you have it. You get five minutes per hour of breaks, which is usually organised as one 15 minute break in the morning and one in the afternoon (the last 10 minutes are assumed as toilet, smoke, fetching coffee breaks etc).
Azuvector ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 06:52:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a legal requirement in many places, not generous.
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:08:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, all depends on the country in which you work. In the UK only one 20 minute break is legally required, so three would be pretty generous over here.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:14:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You really think 3 breaks is generous? What do you do, exactly?
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:42:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Compared to English law? Yeah.
Source
Admittedly whilst I only had one contracted break, no one cared if extra were taken. Just get the work done.
That said, I know many people (namely working in service industries) who's employer stuck to the letter of the law, meaning you may only receive one 20 minute break over an 8 hour shift. Compared to this, OP's 3 breaks are pretty generous.
fishpen0 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds horrible. I'm at an engineering place with no hard set hours. We can come and go as we please as long as we are available for meetings scheduled at least a day in advance and take place between 10am and 3pm and also not at noon. They call it core hours. We can also work from home and leave for appointments and stuff with only a couple hour notice.
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:34:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was actually a really nice place to work. We had the same core hours system, so I'd normally work a bit extra Monday through Thursday, then take a half day on Friday. They only had the one legally mandated break (by English law) written into the contract, but no one cared if you took a few extra breaks as long as your work was done.
Strangeclouds420 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:03:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds beautiful
Death_proofer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:23:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I worked as a tire fitter we got smoko, lunch then afternoon smoko. I'm working an office job now and we only get lunch.
Isord ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:17:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can't imagine working in a professional setting where breaks are regulated like that. It makes sense if what you are doing is time sensitive like working on an assembly line or in fast food or retail. I probably do in fact take an approximately 10 minute break every hour or two depending upon what my workload is like.
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:29:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was actually a really laid back place to work. Only the one legally mandated break was written into my contract, but as long as the work was done on time no one gave a shit whether you took a couple of extra breaks.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:58:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Two 15s and an hour lunch is pretty normal.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:11:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well to be fair, it's generally better for your digestion system to process smaller amounts of food more often than to be forced to process larger quantities with longer gaps between each meal. Source: Bear Grylls.
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:47:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah that's true, but I could eat a full plated meal in a 15 minute break. If I were just nibbling at a bit of food here and there throughout the day I'd be able to do that at my desk!
PowerTakeOff ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:15:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
im sure you could just take one whenever you needed though
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:39:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, could and did. Would normally have a break in the morning for a cooked breakfast, lunch, and then some time to chat shit around the coffee machine in the evening.
That said, compared to the English laws regarding working time breaks, OP's 3 breaks seem pretty generous. I wouldn't want to be working for a company in the UK that stuck to the letter of the law regarding breaks.
Source
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:29:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wouldn't call it generous perse...
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:11:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
damn i need a better job
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:51:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, it's a pretty reasonable number of breaks. Unfortunately many employers in the UK (mostly service industry) can be pretty unreasonable, and will stick to the letter of the law regarding breaks.
Over here that means a 20 minute break for any shift over 6 hours. No others are legally mandated.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:08:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My boss doesn't give a shit how many breaks I take as long as I get the work done.
DocGerbill ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In Europe if you have an office job, 5 minutes every hour and 30 minute lunch break is the legal minimum.
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:14:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I like this method, seems like a good way of organising break time. Unfortunately I haven't heard of anything like that in the UK!
DocGerbill ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:06:10 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know this is the case in both Romania and France. Employers are flexible, so people usually end up taking 2 15-20 minute breaks in the morning and afternoon and a 30-60 minute lunch break.
vengeance_pigeon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Last time I was hourly (admittedly 10 years ago), my employer was required by law to give us 15 min every 4 hours, and a lunch break (30 min) for shifts over 6 hours. So on an eight-hour shift that worked out to three breaks.
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:12:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nothing like that in the UK, unfortunately. By law, an employer is only required to give you one 20 minute lunch break. Most in a professional setting will give you more, however. Whilst I only had a lunch break contracted, no one cared if you took a coffee break or grabbed breakfast etc as long as the work got done!
walkingcarpet23 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:39:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't have any breaks. I take off an hour for lunch but that comes out of my pay (so if I work 9-5 it's only 7 hours if I take a lunch break).
BitchinTechnology ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:02:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't hire Hobbits
EYNLLIB ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:17:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
pretty sure it's law that you get two 15 minute breaks per 8 hour shift, not including lunch (paid or unpaid)
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:26:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not in the UK!
Source
Brains4Beauty ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:23:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm in Ontario Canada, and work for the government. My work day is 7.25 hours long, with an unpaid 45 minute lunch, and two paid 15 minute breaks. It's pretty sweet.
blackmetalsucks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:11:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I get no breaks at my job, but usually early in my shift its not busy for the first few hours.
totoarsehole ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:13:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I get 20 minutes for a 7 hour shift. 30 for 8. Where do you live?!
ElitistSlutPirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:22:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The UK. Legally companies have to give a 20 minute break for shifts over 6 hours, but that is all that is required by law. Thankfully at my place no one cared if you took a break, just gotta get your work done.
alblaster ยท 46 points ยท Posted at 05:02:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
who the fuck needs to eat for 15 min every hour?
Zykium ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 05:38:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Michael Phelps
alblaster ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 05:48:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
not even Michael Phelps needs to eat every 60 min. There's a difference between eating a lot and eating every hour.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:51:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I dunno, I'd probably have to divide this up into at least 6 meals.
alblaster ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 23:03:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you would sure. If you were a professional athlete, eating a whole pizza or something that seems like a lot of food to an average person would still leave you hungry. You would be able to eat a lot more food in each sitting, so you wouldn't need a ton of meals. Besides the guy was going to be given 3 breaks at work. That plus breakfast and dinner at home is 5 meals a day. Anything more than that means he doesn't understand how food or nutrition works even if he wants to get "swole"
aneasymistake ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 08:13:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When could he ever go swimmin'?!
shannibearstar ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:16:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's probably the elite athlete Ragen Chantain
Li0nhead ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:57:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Were they employing a Cow?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:01:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Every hour seems like a bit much, but bodybuilders who don't juice typically eat 5-6 small meals a day.
Marlow5150 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:18:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Small."
Someone on a 4k diet eats (5) 800kcal meals per day. 800kcals is easy to reach when it's a burger and fries. Significantly more food when it's chicken, rice, and broccoli.
Pixelrag3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some people believe food timing will give you an edge over the competition.
coldjeanz ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 14:34:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Dumb kids who get into bodybuilding and believe every article they read on the internet
[deleted] ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 13:14:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
alblaster ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:32:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I understand needing to eat 5 times a day, but if you need more food breaks than the 3 they gave him at work you would have a problem.
Finnegansadog ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:02:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The problem I see with this guy's requirement is that he needs 15 minutes of every hour in which to eat. That's the equivalent of saying that you're only going to work 6 hours of your 8 hour shift.
frymaster ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:41:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he was offering to extend his work day by 2.5 - 3 hours, maybe...
sjfnsbip ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 08:16:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he has a 8 hour work day and already 3 breaks he would just need 4 more breaks, so 1 hour extra would be enough.
frymaster ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 08:20:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I forgot about his pre existing breaks :D. But it'd be slightly longer than that because by working later he'll need another 15 minute break
Calamity701 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:30:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Planning around his breaks for meetings would be harder. Especially meetings that take > 1h or don't start immediately after his
In many professions (software developement for example), a break reduces your efficiency immediately before and after.
Before, you don't really want to start something new because you know you'll be on a break in 5 minutes. Immediately afterwards, you'll have to get into the material again. Breaks every hour are essentially as bad as a meeting every hour. You can't get shit done.
frymaster ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:31:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
oh yeah, "maybe" probably still means "no"
But somehow I don't think he was actually offering to extend his working day
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:36:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Have you considered allowing his breaks on the condition that he still makes the same hours? Of course it's not ideal, but if he can work the same amount of hours by making longer days, wouldn't it be ok?
celticeejit ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:30:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wouldn't work. I'd have to entertain 15 others - it's bad enough corralling the smokers.
shellwe ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:53:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most jobs out there will have meetings that last 45 minutes and it is annoying for someone to have to monitor that.
tyreck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:56:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What was the position?
celticeejit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:31:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Personal assistant ( Not for me - I was on the panel to assess I.T. Proficiency )
honeyheart16 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:31:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
See, if he was like "well I have to eat once an hour, dr's orders", and could prove it? I probably wouldn't have had too much problem giving him 5 minutes an hour or something, if I was hiring
celticeejit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:29:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's what my initial impression was. Maybe some form of diabetic management.
Nope. Fella was on a fitness kick
N3CR0M0RPH1C ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:39:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hmm, I think this guy is employed by my company now.
He's bodybuilding and needs to eat pretty much constantly and seems to have a very short attention span; probably cause he's thinking about his next meal as he's finishing his current one.
I'm all for personal hobbies, but take a sabbatical to compete or something...
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Man 3 breaks, I remember working for a company like that, so nice.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
celticeejit ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:09:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Probably starved to death through lack of employment
your_pet_is_average ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:25:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can't you just eat a banana or something on the go?
celticeejit ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:09:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Would be 8 of them.
your_pet_is_average ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:37:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm the opposite, I like to make eye contact while I eat as much of the banana as I can in one bite.
Letsplaywithfire ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:00:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey I do this too, except it's like ten minutes every three hours.
ForeverIndex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:28:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pretty sure this guy was joking to show more personality in the interview. People get cocky when they feel the interview is going well.
ablaaa ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 22:33:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The guy clearly wanted to make a joke in order to end the interview on a humorous note. If you didn't get that, then you shouldn't be an interviewer.
chancesarent ยท 1140 points ยท Posted at 01:25:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing an older (probably in his early to mid 60s) grandfatherly man for a position as a caregiver to individuals with developmental disabilities, and the man was an absolute perfect fit according to his rรฉsumรฉ. The only problem was that every other word out of his mouth was either fuck or bitch. "So, my bitch and I went to the fucking Garden of the Gods last week and we had a great fucking time! Those rocks were fucking huge! ". I kind of have a feeling that he nuked the interview on purpose to keep on unemployment until retirement kicked in.
larenardemaigre ยท 451 points ยท Posted at 04:53:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Garden of the Gods is pretty fucking awesome though.
beesealio ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 05:02:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Of everything there is to see in Colorado though, I don't think that would be my top pick.
eugenesbluegenes ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 15:25:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's also a Garden of the Gods in Illinois. I might consider that my top pick to visit in the state of Illinois.
But Illinois sure ain't Colorado!
Fadman_Loki ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 06:15:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What would? And no, I don't count pot shops.
TheCloned ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:22:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Red Rocks Open Space, or any of the fourteeners, or hot springs, or any of the national forests.
dumb_ants ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 07:12:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pikes Peak is a twenty minute drive away from Garden of the Gods, so you can hit up GotG in the morning and have your afternoon donut in the gift shop at 14,100 feet.
cdc194 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 09:02:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Estes park, come for the scenery, stay because you can't leave because of the old people stopped in the middle of road to watch an Elk take a shit.
TheSkyCrusader ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:46:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haven't been to Estes park yet. Is it nice
trevdordurden ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:09:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The shitting elk are amazing
cdc194 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:47:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. Its worth the trip if you were in the area.
HandicapperGeneral ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:55:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bah, only if you're some kind of pussy who drives up the mountain
MyNameIsMasonAtwood ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:38:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've climbed like 4 of the fourteeners and while they are spectacular and absolutely worth it, there's hundreds of mountains. There's very few places as amazing as the Garden of the Gkds
TheCloned ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:12:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe it's because I grew up near the Sedona red rocks, but I wasn't blown away by it. Don't get me wrong, you definitely need to see it if you're in the area, but I wouldn't put it on my top 5 list. Top 10 maybe.
TheNameIsWiggles ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:10:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sand dunes, zapata falls
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:36:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You must be very close to me!
TheNameIsWiggles ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:18:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm more in the Garden of the Gods area, I just picked another beautiful place in Colorado to contribute :)
Frictus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:02:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Went there a month ago. So pretty!!
beesealio ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:49:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's so much, mountains, hot springs....I think I might have been a little jaded towadrds rock formations at GOTG because I had just come from canyonlands/arches, southern Utah etc.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:39:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
trevdordurden ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:10:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's the thing, there isn't one. There are so many amazing places to choose from. Start with your closest one.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:39:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Which region? North/South? Born and raised here and I still haven't seen shit compared to what is here for us.
beesealio ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:46:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I passed through about a week ago, climbed a mountain called summit of the holy Cross. Great hike, great view, there are actually 50 some peaks over 14k feet any one of which would be awesome to hike, even if you don't reach the top. Rocky mtn. Ntl. Forest as well, can't go wrong there.
Ma2Zach ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:22:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just visited over the summer! It was awesome got baked off a trail somewhere.
HandicapperGeneral ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:54:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just went bike riding there yesterday and I have to say that it was indeed pretty fucking awesome
mwhyes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:43:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Need to scoot up to manitou springs for the "incline" if you want a decent hike, though.
larenardemaigre ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:16:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup! (I used to live in Colorado Springs, btw).
frenchmeister ยท 175 points ยท Posted at 07:48:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My dad has a really impressive work history, but purposely (or so it seems) got himself fired right before serving my mom with divorce papers. The judge says he owes my mom spousal support, but there's nothing he can do until he gets a job. He has to turn in papers proving he's looking for jobs, applying, etc. and I can't believe he hasn't been hired yet unless he's doing something like this and purposely blowing every interview, since it really wouldn't be very hard to not get hired.
Geminii27 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 16:31:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or he's working for cash under the table.
frenchmeister ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:16:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think any legitimate company would pay someone at his level under the table. His fiancee is rich though, so he's been going on cruises and stuff while we're on welfare, which the judge didn't seem to find suspicious at all.
[deleted] ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 17:33:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well the judge can't take the fiance's money. What's he supposed to do, tell him he can only befriend poor people?
frenchmeister ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:55:02 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My dad used to be kinda rich too though, even if he didn't share his wealth with his family. The judge just confirmed that my dad's bank account was empty without checking if my dad transferred all his money to his fiancee's account or anything shady like that (which might be legal, but still). He also just took my dad's word for it that he didn't receive any inheritance when my grandma died last year, even though she told us she was leaving her sons most of her money.
My mom's lawyer also told us we might be able to go after his fiancee's money instead when they get married right after the divorce is finalized, but he also turned out to be a lying drunk when they finally met in person, so I doubt that's true.
inconceivable_orchid ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:18:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Meh spousal support is bullocks. Child support is a positive and necessary thing, but (IMO) spouses need to be self-sustaining and realize that if things don't work out and they're not capable of bringing in the kind of money that would support their current lifestyle then...well...things will change if the relationship ends.
frenchmeister ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:50:44 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The problem is she hasn't worked in over 30 years though and never got a degree, since he didn't really allow her to. Her technical skills are so below someone my age that she can't even get an entry level job in her old field of work. That leaves either manual labor or spending all day on your feet (cashier, fast food worker, etc.), and her health doesn't allow her to do either. She's applied for disability but it takes a long time to get approved.
It just seems a little unfair that he could make all their bills in her name, purposely hide our growing debt and unpaid bills from us, and then abandon us to move in with a rich girlfriend while we're applying for food stamps and about to start paying back student loans.
I completely understand what you're saying, and I agree to a certain extent, but not all marriages are healthy enough for both spouses to be self-sustaining. Decades of emotional abuse can do some weird things to a relationship :(
inconceivable_orchid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:08:07 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It sounds like your case is one of the exceptions. I'm sorry that your mother endured such abuses for so long and hope that she's able to get back on her feet somehow sooner rather than later. Best wishes!
TruBlue ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:55:15 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Spouses are not looking for equality in this area.
inconceivable_orchid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:42:34 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
True, however they are essentially looking for a handout from their ex because they can't afford to live a certain lifestyle. I'm sure there are exceptional cases where it's entirely warranted, but I have yet to come across one where it isn't more of a "Hey, the law says I can do this so why the hell not take advantage and make (him/her) pay!" kind of thing.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:06:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i would agree to some extent but if one spouse has given up their career to be a stay at home mom/dad for multiple years and have been out of the job market, it would be difficult to gain immediate reentry.
inconceivable_orchid ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 01:21:18 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sure it's difficult, no doubt. Ending a marriage is difficult for both parties, unless it's one of the few completely amicable divorces, and part of the end should be independence (or another relationship, whatever floats your boat). IMO it's a bit crummy to force an ex to be financially indebted to you unless it's for a child.
c0nduit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:56:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Stay classy /u/frenchmeister 's dad.
mishko27 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 04:53:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
CO Springs? CO Springs.
chancesarent ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:12:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nearby, yeah
ch1cgeek ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 08:11:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am now imagining my grandpa referring to my grandma as his bitch and it is hysterical. Thank you.
funbaggy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:37:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did this occur somewhere near Colorado Springs?
chancesarent ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:41:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How did you know??????
letsrapehitler ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:41:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would also like to know how he knew that. Haha
HiMyNamesServiceDesk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:16:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, /u/funbaggy. Tell us what's up.
letsrapehitler ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:25:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My guess is the "Garden of the Gods" was a giveaway.
funbaggy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:41:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Garden of the Gods mentioned.
happINESs251 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:12:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
read that in an aussie accent... works perfectly :D
watermasta ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:29:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was probably a Marine. It's really hard to break that habit...especially if he was a lifer...
Sno_Wolf ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:19:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, kids! Let's play "Spot the Coloradan"!
Cheeky_Monkey_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:30:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in a similar field and see this all the time.
nellirn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Welcome to COS.
batmansavestheday ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:49:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Would his language be a problem?
Skrp ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:09:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When the people he would be caring for believe in actual curses that can summon demons to tinker with their wheelchairs and things like that, yes. If they're rational, not really.
Rosenkrantz_ ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:30:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or perhaps he had Tourette's?
Pizzabagelpizza ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:49:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's not how Tourette's works.
Rosenkrantz_ ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:41:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not a specialist, hence "Perhaps".
pissbum-emeritus ยท 1961 points ยท Posted at 23:34:48 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Brought his mom in with him - who answered the questions I was asking him until I asked her wait outside.
His only work experience was paper route he kept for less than two months and mowing his neighbor's lawn.
It was clearly an enormous effort for this poor guy to communicate in anything but one-word answers. He looked genuinely relieved when the interview was over.
Dude was 22 years old.
The_Iron_Kraken ยท 1770 points ยท Posted at 00:48:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Forget helicopter parenting. That's airforce parenting.
Fake-Professional ยท 257 points ยท Posted at 02:27:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was the dude's name Kevin? Maybe he just wanted to grow up to be just like his mom.
jaybyrd570 ยท 117 points ยท Posted at 03:15:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wait, Kevin? Ooh, I've been meaning to bring this up. We need to talk about Kevin.
MooingAssassin ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 05:51:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Dude has a kid. He needs to make money some how.
CasualSien ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:38:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I take it Kevin is not your slave?
Bloody_Spork ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:32:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why? It's pretty straightforward. I thought we've been over this?
Fuck Kevin.
KazoSakamari ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 08:56:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Niiice movie reference.
Kraymur ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:17:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think you mean grow up to BE a mom, that's how Kevin works.
metans ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:37:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, Kevin wanted to be the air force remember?
VaatiXIII ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:01:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Kevin probably doesn't remember.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:20:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You know the teacher that did the Kevin story did an update.
joker_number_11 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:15:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Waaat? Can I have a link to it?
TehMe ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:45:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Update on Kevin
ADreamByAnyOtherName ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:07:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Op pls
VaatiXIII ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Seriously. You're sick for keeping us hanging, OP.
BaldwithaCrown ยท 49 points ยท Posted at 03:46:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean you gotta think about it like this, from the sound of it if you can't even speak to an interviewer you're so awkward and you've never had a real job and since his mom was with him I'm guessing he's just in her basement, that experience is honestly better than just sitting and playing on his computer all day.
Cthulu2013 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:32:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Dude he probably had a combination of agoraphobia or just social anxiety.
If anything, that kid was pushing his boundaries and getting closer to being a healthy person.
psychogasm ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 06:20:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interestingly enough, those kind of parents are called lawnmower parents because they clear all of the obstacles for their kids. I see this a lot, and it does make me worry about when these kids graduate and have to go into the real world but need their parents to help out with things like job interviews.
wildeep_MacSound ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:32:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Be all that they can be
burnt-waffles ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:13:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"until you can't...then I'll do it for you" - kid's mom
RQK1996 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:37:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
or he is just socially awkward.
pikaras ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:24:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would call him back and just to say "dude you need to move out"
(obviously kidding)
eatmyflakes ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:39:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We call that velcro parenting. It's a huge problem in schools these days.
TheManWithMilk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:36:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
shudders
PsychoAgent ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:23:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Airforce? So they go to the interview while the kid stays at home?
eletricmojo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:24:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tactical SWAT team more like.
dabluebunny ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:01:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Making air force one look like a daycare center when you running a maximum security prison
snorlz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:12:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
kid is probably autistic as fuck
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or the kid is autistic.
SarahC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:15:07 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would be so pissed with a major autist in work... can you imagine their regular melt-downs, thrashing around, likely smacking someone in the mouth? Running around throwing faeces at people, and making squeaking noises?
I suppose Apple CEO is a fine career opportunity.
throwaway4567891263 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:13:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
new term for what my boyfriend's mother does. as he's ex-army, he'll get a kick out of it. might like black hawk parenting more, as she does some extremely shady stuff (like stealing his car two months ago. still don't know where it is). or what were those super top secret helicopters from the Bin Laden raid called?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:37:24 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nah, spaceship parenting.
Not_A_Greenhouse ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 07:40:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Air force here.. Can confirm.
jdinger29 ยท 153 points ยท Posted at 00:52:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a very similar experience. The kid was still a kid (16) but the mom was so offended when I asked her to leave.
calmlunatic ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 12:00:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My mom was interviewing people for a hospital position and one candidate brought in their mom who wanted to sit in on the interview. My mom simply asked which one was applying for the job; the mom quietly left the office.
foreverinLOL ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:27:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a good way to handle the situation.
SarahC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:17:57 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Heh, I'd like to play a game...
"You can sit in, but if you answer any question on his behalf, the interview is over."
Oh delicious - that would be awesome on a TV show!
hurleyburleyundone ยท 167 points ยท Posted at 00:19:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good god.
tommystjohnny ยท 335 points ยท Posted at 00:41:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lemon
turnermate ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 03:01:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
โYou have the boldness of a much younger woman.โ
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 01:27:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What the what?!
ooh_a_pineapple ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:01:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
30 rock reference?
Skaughty23 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:49:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bam!! What
MusaTheRedGuard ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:50:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've missed this show
PurplePeaker ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:28:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good lemon.
bceagle411 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:37:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
party
Eddie_Hitler ยท 312 points ยท Posted at 00:48:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He could have been autistic.
tenclubber ยท 554 points ยท Posted at 01:44:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We'll never know since the interviewer did not ask him to draw anything but I suspect you are right.
beaverteeth92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:52:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, I have Asperger's and can't draw worth shit!
superx76 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:33:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can confirm, I make horrible stick figures
Undecided_Username_ ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:37:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hehehe. Hehe. Eh.
ferlessleedr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:59:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Take your upvote and go.
[deleted] ยท -21 points ยท Posted at 05:14:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got that reference!
scy1192 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 06:13:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what's the reference?
[deleted] ยท -9 points ยท Posted at 06:17:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's a character in the latest "girl with the dragon tattoo" book that is autistic and a savant when it comes to drawing and some other things that have not been fully revealed at the point that I am at in the audiobook.
mooimafish3 ยท 65 points ยท Posted at 06:31:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think the joke is just that autistic and artistic sound very similar.
Taeyyy ยท 44 points ยท Posted at 07:38:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I love how convoluted /u/pbj192's explanation is
Ieuan1996 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 10:32:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, he thought he was bang on the money with his answer! Has he not seen Rainman? Oh well, at least he has confidence.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:40:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of when Pheobe sees hamburgers "you know, McDonald's, old McDonald had a farm, my dad was a PHARMACIST"
kingcanibal ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 08:43:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think it's more the stereotype of a certain category of autisme at wich this person although not socially skilled is above average in a certain task
A prime example is that a lot of autistic. Children got above average or even higher iq like Albert Einstein
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 10:07:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
Ieuan1996 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:33:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Approximately 1 in 10 autistics are savants. Sure that's more than *normal people, but yeah still pretty rare.
EDIT: accidentally a word.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:43:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Ieuan1996 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:52:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oops. Forgot to put in a word. Edited it now.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:54:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
istigkeit-isness ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh come on, "normal" is perfectly correct. An autistic person is abnormal. And keep in mind "abnormal" doesn't immediately mean something negative.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:42:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
istigkeit-isness ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:02:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But I mean, it's true. Example: I have bipolar and deal with pretty debilitating bouts of psychosis quite regularly. Very, very often it affects the way I act and interact with the world and other people. I am abnormal. It's not an insult, it's a fact.
Obviously the tone and context in which it's said makes a difference, but he/she was clearly using it in a sense that was meant to separate autistic/non-autistic. We abnormal people can't go around getting offended every time people use the "wrong" word.
kingcanibal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:49:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My bad then I was under the impression since I got a few friends who got autism and 6 from The 7 are above average and 3 of them just borderline genius
whitepokefrost ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:52:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's like calling left-handed people rare
Ieuan1996 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:57:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not exactly. 1 in 10 autistics are savants, but only 1 in every 100 people are autistic. So 1 in every 10000 people are savants... around about.
whitepokefrost ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:47:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I meant in relation to the total number of autistic people
[deleted] ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 10:08:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think people are down voting you because they can't appreciate humor that isn't either literal or spoon fed to them. I found your response very clever and humorous.
kp1877 ยท 75 points ยท Posted at 00:57:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is what I was thinking.
abruce123412 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 07:11:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Autism doesn't have anything to do with helicopter parenting, but they go shitty together,
Source: Am both
megacookie ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:53:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're an autistic helicopter?
abruce123412 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:08:52 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, I actually identify as a military attack helicopter
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But a child having autism (especially those registering quite high on the spectrum) can lead to helicopter parenting. In that case, I don't think it's necessarily "helicopter parenting", but more trying to limit the damage caused by society not understanding/appreciating the effect that autism can have.
As I commented further up, my brother's autistic and is utterly dependant on my mum. He's had interviews (with nobody with him) and hasn't been successful.
abruce123412 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:08:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am barely on the spectrum at all at this point, having gone to alot of classes, but I have been diagnosed with aspergers and people say I am not usually filtered in what I say
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:38:57 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well maybe, just out of respect to those that register severely, don't speak for all people with Autism?
It does, but not necessarily in your experience.
That said, I wish you all the best.
abruce123412 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:41:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It isn't directly associated I meant
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:53:05 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I struggle to see your point. It's not a rule that people follow, it's a pattern. I'll try to clarify where I'm coming from:
In a family with more than one child, where only one child has from autism of moderate severity, parents will often feel obligated to pander to more of the needs of the autistic child, as they will have greater developmental requirements. This is often applicable to single child families, but to a lesser extent, as the symptoms don't seem as apparent.
abruce123412 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:01:36 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Eh, I just wanted to be a part of the conversation, even if I didn't have any good information to the topic
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:52:36 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fair enough!
SarahC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:16:12 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do you melt down and go crazy in work often?
abruce123412 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:05:56 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, I just have been diagnosed with few things on the aspergers spectrum (grammar?), I am actually pretty chill, but I am not able to get a job due to being a year under the employment age,
AdilB101 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:07:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"It was an enormous amount of effort to communicate a word"
Yup. He's autistic.
EDIT: Not exact quote.
firala ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 07:51:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Then the Mom could've said something.
BerryGuns ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 02:21:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Anxiety
mootwo ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:36:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If that were the case, then I suppose it would have been a good idea for the mother to inform the interviewer that her son was autistic before the interview.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:57:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like that's something you tell the interviewer.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 03:03:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I legit have autism spectrum disorder but I would never tell anyone that in an interview
rp23 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:05:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have ASD and am the polar opposite. I am going to act in a way and give answers that will be perceived as strange due to the increased pressure and the over analytical nature of our condition. I want my interveiwer to know this so that in theory I will be held to a slightly different standard. (In the UK) There is also the issue that if you don't declare your impairments on your application you have no legal recorse if your employer decide to turn around one day and tell you that your condition keeps you from doing your job so you get fired. Also your employer has to legally adapt your work place to accommodate your needs, bit again only if you declare your disabilities. Lastly in the UK large companies and corporations want to hire a percentage of disabled people to seem ahead of the curve and progressive. Patronising? Yes. Is it how I got my last job? I think so.
kingcanibal ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:51:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The same thing apply here in Holland it's kinda sad
ryanx27 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:02:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Your employer has to make accommodations for your disability but they are not required to keep you on if your disability makes it impossible for you to perform the essential functions of your job.
rp23 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:18:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's true, but as long as I outline my disabilities and the ways in which they effects me (or at least the ways I believe to be relevant) and they later try to fire me because of something I declared on my application I will sue them.
I had a bit of a stand off a few years ago regarding my physical disability. All the chairs in the place were being replaced, and I was told that if I couldn't sit on the new chairs then my disability was keeping me from doing my job. I went and got my union copy of my application on which I had stated that my spinal problema make it difficult for me to sit in certain chairs. I took it to the manager, told him that if they fired me I would sue them under the disability discrimination act 2010 and that I already had the union on my side (I hadn't even called them by this point) and they let me keep the comfortable chair.
You see they had agreed to accommodate me and all my declared needs by hiring me in the first place. It's a wonderful system IMO, can't see it working in the US though.
SongsOfDragons ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:26:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's the Two Ticks scheme (at least I think that's what it's called) with some employers that's supposed to let you disclose your disability at application and allow them to make accomodations; they say you should get an interview guaranteed if you fit all the particulars with the role. (Cynic in me is saying bollocks...) I've seen it for council jobs so it may be a public service thing; I have epilepsy so I'm eligible but I'm only vaguely looking for a new job atm...but my fiancรฉ is on the autism spectrum and while he's looking for a new job with some desperateness (current one is awful - works nights) I don't know if he's using it...
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:19:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you able to verbally communicate beyond one-word answers?
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 03:22:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Aha yes I am
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:25:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Then it wouldn't be relevant to the interview. If someone has autism and can't communicate in full sentences because of it, that would be relevant to the interview.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:09:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was once asked this in a teaching interview. I still got the job, but part of me wanted to nope out knowing how highly illegal it is to ask that at interview.
Poraro ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:19:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Of course. If you don't need to tell them then don't. But this dude had to bring his mum to the interview and could only give one-word answers. If you were wanting any hope at the job you tell the person you have autism. And if this job required any social skills then sadly it isn't a job for him since he was clearly on the non-social side of autism.
kingcanibal ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:49:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not autistic but adhd one side your right as it can get you fired for holding information back
But I also noticed a lot of people are not open to it
Myself I am 22 and got my adhd under control trough training and medicine (concertante) and currently working as a sous chef at a 1 star restaurant after working there for 4 years
I asked the chef if he would gave me a chance to work their if I told him I have adhd and his clear answer was No cause it's a hectic and stressful job and he only knew stereo type adhd
Even when they claim they aren't biased about adhd and autisme they 9/10 are
Poraro ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:25:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're not holding back information unless you're asked for it. You don't have to share you have autism. If you pass an interview then the syndrome did not get in the way of your chances at the job. If you feel like you should mention it then you can do so.
I'm fairly certain companies cannot discriminate against you for issues you may have. They are not allowed to reject your application based on a condition you have.
kingcanibal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
they arent alowed but good luck trying to proove it
WinterHill ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So? Was his mom gonna come into work with him everyday?
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:22:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was about to comment this. My brother's autistic and having someone in an interview would greatly help him - my mother's scared of 'molly coddling' him too much though and he has been to a few interviews (without success).
I know the sort of things he comes out with and am accustomed to his 'quirks', but the interviewers won't be. They won't understand his struggles and strengths, and he doesn't know how or why they're his struggles/strengths. They may simply see him as rude and unwilling to be professional in the interview.
HALL9000ish ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:34:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Probably was. I would never bring a parent into an interview, but if I did I would let them say everything. As it is I do struggle to give good answers, but practice does work.
cactuscat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:39:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's sad but for many jobs you need at least half decent communication skills.
Promasterchief ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:23:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or a 4Chan NEET
[deleted] ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 05:21:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly it sounds like me (I'm 23 nearly 24). I only just recently managed to get a lab position at a university but before that I really didn't have much work experience other than working at a school as a maintenance casual. The truth is as an only child I was terrified of getting a job and had no pressure to do so.
Sometimes you need to push kid out of their comfort zone. My parents somewhat tried to but I was honestly way to scared and didn't even create a resume till I was 21.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:22:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What are you up to now
Gurip ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:31:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
and yes people this happens a lot, dont do it, you wont get a job.
Lets_Talk_About_This ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:14:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
All of this sadly seemed pretty reasonable, until I read THAT BIT. I was taken aback.
RobinBankss ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:40:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
anxiety
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:20:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I would give him a job. He obviously needs one to help him gain some confidence and professional experience, or at the very least some independence away from his overreaching parents. Poor guy.
Edit: extra words
beev ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:20:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You would give him the job over someone who is just as qualified who doesn't need their mother to attend their job interviews?
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:30:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't say that. I would give him a job, if possible. Like writing up emails, or filing, coffee courier, or whatever. If my place of work had volunteer positions, I would offer him a position within that. I don't know, sometimes I feel like people, especially those with anxiety or confidence issues, just need their foot in the door to help change their lives for the better.
shellwe ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:21:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most people don't have disposable income to hire someone for misc things like that. Especially when those things wouldn't justify a part time week of 20 hours.
Also he would not write emails if he has bad communication.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:20:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, I know, that's why I said "if possible" or volunteer positions.
And just because someone is poor with oral communication doesn't mean they're bad at written communication. I have a stammer (so oftentimes I only say a few words in nerve-wracking situations), but my writing shows no signs of such.
uReallyShouldTrustMe ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:00:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In New Zealand, not only is this legal, but it is your right to have your family speak on your behalf.
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:27:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm loving the sound of New Zealand more by the minute. This sounds like a brilliant way to give people with learning disabilities a decent chance.
uReallyShouldTrustMe ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:44:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You misunderstand. NZ has white kiwis and the native Maori population. It is Maori tradition to have a person not sell themselves, but instead have those who know them best speak for him. Because NZ wants to be inclusive of the Maori (they ware about 10% of the population after all), it is required by law that this tradition be honored if they so choose to. I was just living there for a yr so don't know how many take them up on it.
With that said, what NZ does for people with disabilities in itself should be an example for the rest of the world.
tomalexdark ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:10:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You misunderstand. I wasn't trying to say that was the reason for it, but that it can very easily be applied to help others.
uReallyShouldTrustMe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:15:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thats what I thought I said :(.
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:37:27 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well you said that I misunderstood for thinking it related to assisting people with disabilities. I clarified by saying that I was implying it could be applied to those with disabilities.
Maybe just crossed wires? Ah well, not the end of the world.
uReallyShouldTrustMe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:53:11 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
and I agreed :). It definitely can
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:57:53 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Great :)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:42:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not my comment thread, I don't know.
snorlz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:16:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
sounds dumb to me. Unless your parents are going to be on the job with you, you need to be able to speak for yourself and answer your own questions. I wouldnt hire somebody who cant even handle interviews by themselves. obv if this is an interview for a manual labor or service job you have much more relaxed standards, but this would never be acceptable for any skilled position
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:35:02 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Like I said, I'm talking about people with learning disabilities. I can only speak from my experiences with my brother having Autism, but he gets very nervous in interview-like environments and panics. Having someone he trusts there, even if just to sit with him, would be a massive benefit.
I don't mean that the parent (or other 'guest') should take the interview entirely for them.
Are you a hiring manager? If you are, I feel terrible for your employees.
snorlz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:20:19 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thats a nation wide law. how many learning disabled people are there in New Zealand? I guarantee you the majority of people taking advantage of that law are not disabled.
Why would you feel bad for my employees? Im protecting them from having an incompetent coworker. Can you imagine being forced to do projects with someone who couldnt even interview by themselves? Being able to express your own ideas and handle pressure is not a high expectation for the workplace and if you cant even handle that during an interviews I cant expect you to handle any important or meaningful assignments
tomalexdark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:12:10 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have no idea, do you have accurate statistics?
You seem to be confusing "incompetent" and "disabled". I'd be interested to know if you'd say that a paraplegic is incompetent too.
It depends entirely on the position and industry of the employer. I highly doubt McDonald's staff are required (or expected) to express their own ideas. Some jobs may also have very low stress levels, such as janitorial work - which you'd still have to complete an interview for.
snorlz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:41 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
in general learning disabled people are much smaller percentages of the population. this study says its about 12% of school kids, but most of those disabilities would not interfere with your ability to express yourself. Dyslexia, ADHD, many health impairments (like blindness) would have no impact on your interviewing abilities.
Additionally, they usually arent interviewing for more skilled jobs...because if they have serious learning disabilities theres a lower chance theyre qualified.
When did i ever confuse them? Arent we talking about people with mental disabilities, not physical? A paraplegic can interview fine without his mom. that is not the problem. the problem is someone who cannot handle speaking for themselves in an interview. That has nothing to do with physical ability and is a demonstration that he would be an incompetent employee.
I said in my original comment i wasnt talking about service or labor jobs that require no skills. No one cares if you can express ideas if you are stocking shelves.
Macehammer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:45:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did you happen to be recruiting for XFM? Also was his head round?
chanceux23 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:21:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've had this happen....kid was only 15 or so. I went through the interview like normal, while his Dad just listened. Once done I had a one on one win the Dad and gave him some feedback on what we wanted and how best to handle himself in the future. I thought that was fair.
Mr_Wendal ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:19:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have a high functioning autistic cousin. He is 39 years old. His last job interview at subway was attended by my aunt as well to make sure the employer understood his capabilities properly. He got the job, nobody was laughed at, and I'm proud that he wants to earn his own money instead of sitting at home collecting disability.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:51:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
See this is the way to do it. Let them know ahead of time, it will be a better experience for everyone involved. That's awesome that he is hardworking, I'm glad things have gone well for him! :)
Mnstrzero00 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:51:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's basically my resume. I've mostly done shady stuff (astroturfing) that you can't put on a resume.
ComebackShane ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 08:01:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sure you can! You were a 'Marketing Associate' who "focused on grassroots brand building" and "reputation management" in online outlets.
BrobearBerbil ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:46:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People probably think you're joking, but this is the right answer. It should be listed as a type of marketing consulting. Also, there are companies that want these shady skills, they just want to know that you're in the know enough to call it something else and play along.
JET_BOMBS_DANK_MEMES ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:25:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No GBP's for you, young man.
jacobe35 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:56:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can see this happening to me at around 16 or 17. I had no idea how to talk to people. I just locked up and waited for any social contact to end. It sucks. I feel bad for the guy. His mom probably told him she was going in with him and he just didn't feel comfortable telling her no.
comrade_leviathan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:45:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a mental disability. That's definitely not an example of helicopter parenting, but it also sounds like that guy was not at all prepared for the job.
jaggoffsmirnoff ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:24:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
HE'S A CLEAN BOY, LET HIM MOW YOUR DAMN LAWN!
phyzishy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:12:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...i think you interviewed my brother. ):
Cthulu2013 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't sound like a bad parent really. Kinda sounds like the dude has uncontrolled anxiety. Was he pale? Did he have really cold hands when you shook his hand?
Buddy just needs some klonopin
DunkenDoritos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is exactly what my ex did...except she got the job...
Nithryok ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
were his arms broken?
hecknotechno1 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:49:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
as a 22 year old guy out of college and working in my field, thats a nice confidence boost haha
SamJSchoenberg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:53:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
His mom really needs to change her approach. Instead of coming to an interview and answering his questions for him, maybe she can help more by trying to give him sample interviews, and making him feel miserable for not being able to produce a quality response.
Hopefully, he'll be preparing responses to common questions, and better learn how to talk over his existing answers.
toastfacegrilla ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:36:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
sounds like alogia
Kyanpe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:03:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's really sad though. :(
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:21:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am 26 and never worked before. I earned my money on the stockmarket since I am 19. Went back to uni last year and I am pretty sure the only way I find a job will be through my parents or if I do an internship somewhere.
Everyone should get working experience as soon as possible, especially in a rough country like the US.
iJoshh ยท 2128 points ยท Posted at 00:10:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Had an applicant that was probably 17 show up with his girlfriend, they sat and held hands waiting for him to be called in. When I went out to meet him he asked if she could come in too.
No. No she can't.
To clarify, he wanted to bring her into the interview room. They were both already waiting together in the building.
Edit: I'm amazed by the amount of people who think that's completely normal and I'm a monster for not hiring him on the spot.
Chuck_Lotus ยท 256 points ยท Posted at 12:40:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm amazed too. Absolutely unacceptable. Your SO is not going to be there to help you do your job, they do not get to come into the interview.
I had a girl (~23 years old) bring her dad with her to the interview. She said he was her ride (bad news: you need a car with our job) and asked if he could come in to the interview. They were so confused when the hiring manager explained "We are next door to a Starbucks. This is where your father should be waiting."
DigitalHubris ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 18:28:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a guy apply for a job. His mom would call once every two days to see if we were going to hire him.
I told her that we still had a few weeks of interviewing and that I would call to let him know if he had the job or not. She still kept calling.
I eventually told her to inform her son that he would not be getting the job on account of her.
He probably wouldn't have gotten the job otherwise, but hoped she wouldn't ruin other interviews for jobs he was qualified for.
Chuck_Lotus ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 19:23:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You probably did him a huge favor in the long run by pointing out that his mother wasn't helpful. I've never encountered having to deal with an applicant's parent in that way-- that's just crazy!
shellwe ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 19:37:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He tried to do him a favor... I doubt she was going to suddenly change her ways.
DigitalHubris ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:43:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yea, that is my concern. I doubt she had an epiphany and was like "Well, maybe that young man was right. I am a bit too overbearing."
Hopefully the kid just got fed up with her and gtfo'd the house.
shellwe ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:52:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yea you should have told the kid she blew his chances
DigitalHubris ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:56:43 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have no doubt he knows.
SarahC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:11:39 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I really doubt she told him the reason he didn't get the job.
SarahC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:11:52 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You think she'd tell him the truth?!
Springheeljac ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 16:15:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
FTFY
absolutgonzo ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 18:52:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, if a car is necessary your company would provide a company car, wouldn't they?
Chuck_Lotus ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 19:20:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know! I guess I never thought about it. You have to be able to get to/from work every day (naturally) and also have the means to occasionally go out to clients. Public transportation doesn't always work for the latter. It's frowned upon if you don't have vehicle autonomy since that might interfere with client scheduling. It won't look good if boss says "We need you at this client tomorrow." and the employee says "My dad can't drive me so I can't go, sorry." It does make me wonder whether or not the firm should've provided transportation... but they didn't. So it was already a strike against her.
It also didn't help that she kicked her legs up on the table and rolled up her pant legs to show the socks she was wearing that day either. :X
huggiesdsc ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 20:00:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Were they cool socks?
Chuck_Lotus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:29:21 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They had penguins on them. She was really really into penguins.
Stealthy_Wolf ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:40:48 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So not a Linux User ?
fgggr ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 06:56:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reminding an applicant they can bring a support person to an interview is required in New Zealand.
iJoshh ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 07:11:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's interesting. They can actually bring them in to the interview room?
fgggr ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 10:08:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, there's always an invitation to bring "whanau or other support person" to interviews. No one ever does, but it's considered highly culturally insensitive not to offer, even to White New Zealanders.
beccaonice ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:00:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What is whanau?
zuppaiaia ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:28:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It means extended family.
Aroha11 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:31:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In Maori.
[deleted] ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 13:13:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Yeti_Poet ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:34:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Illl take two
fgggr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:06:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It translates easily to 'family' but the concept incorporates more, traditionally. Whanau can be immediate family, extended family, close family friends, whangai'ed family members, respected elders within a community, etc.
k0rnflex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:08:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That just sounds like a career killer trap
fgggr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:09:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Different cultures have different values and traditions. ยฏ_(ใ)_/ยฏ
Admittedly, if a White New Zealander brought a support person it would seem a bit unorthodox, but if a Mฤori or Pasifika applicant brought a support person, no one would bat an eyelash, even if the interview panel is all White. Nor would it affect the panel's decision. Cultural sensitivity towards Mฤori and Pacific Islanders' traditions is a large part of the New Zealand mindset.
It would only be looked down upon if the applicant didn't display the courtesy to notify the interview panel beforehand that they were bringing a support person.
DerangedDesperado ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 21:41:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What is the purpose?
fgggr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:03:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Support.
And our indigenous population's social structure traditionally allows for support in negotiations.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:34:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. I've learned that lesson over and over again,,, should have learned that lesson anyway.
Dwight- ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:12:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I really don't see what the problem with this is. Sure, slightly unprofessional, but there could be a whole host of reasons as to why someone may want to bring a friend or whatever. I mean, they could have anxiety issues, they may be on their first steps out of depression, could be on the Autism spectrum, it could be their first interview, a family member might have recently died, they may have had to put their dog down that morning.
You don't know why until they open their mouth. In fact, I'd shoehorn that question in and ask them why they brought whoever and the likelihood would be nerves, which is a completely normal human reaction.
pranksterturtle ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:33:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The thing is that interviews are the time when you showcase your confidence stuck on 11. If you need your Emotional Support Person (tm) with you to start with, god only knows what shit you're going to pull once you're actually hired.
"I can't make this phone call without my therapy kitten!"
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 17:41:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:39:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The entirety of your post is false. People normally behave in an overconfident manner in interviews, hiring managers typically do a few years in HR so they are certainly more than competent in interviewing candidates, and their job isn't to "bring out the best in the person sat in front of them" but rather determine if they are the right fit for the role they are interviewing for. Wake up.
[deleted] ยท 610 points ยท Posted at 01:20:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The waiting outside with her doesn't sound so bad. Asking to bring her in does.
joannagoanna ยท 1339 points ยท Posted at 01:50:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, no. Go to interviews alone!
ErraticDragon ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 03:02:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My first interview out of college, my (now ex-)wife waited at a restaurant around the corner. That's about as close as I was comfortable, although she probably would've waited in the car if I'd wanted her to.
Steffisews ยท 46 points ยท Posted at 06:08:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
OMG. I used to interview people for Customer Service jobs. At ANY job interview it's a very bad idea to bring someone with you; even just to sit in the waiting room. We've had people bring the entire family and extended family...all kids included... There are places who now specify on the application that if you are called for an interview, you must come alone.
Yeah. Don't EVER go to an interview accompanied or escorted. It's career suicide.
didistutter ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 14:37:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would leave it off the application. They just removed level 1 of the screening process.
pikaras ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 06:23:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a General Manager for a Dominos and I would consider hiring this person but only for Back of House operations. It's clearly his first job and he is nervous so I wouldn't dock points for that and him and his GF clearly have a strong relationship so he probably has good people skills. However, he probably doesn't have high self confidence (yet) so I'm not going to put him in front of live humans who will try to kill you when their pizza comes 5 minutes late. So yea, it really depends on the situation.
babystripper ยท 327 points ยท Posted at 02:16:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean is a little unprofessional but I get it. Dude was stressed and scared
combatwombat8D ยท 746 points ยท Posted at 02:38:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Feeling the need to bring your SO to literally everything, including a job interview, doesn't exactly make you look like a strong independent individual.
FirstNameHere ยท 99 points ยท Posted at 05:30:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was 17 bro
Vsx ยท 53 points ยท Posted at 12:09:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You want a job you should at least try to appear to be a functional person. That's the point of the interview.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:17:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Judging by some of my coworkers, pretending to be functional for a short time isn't too hard.
I wonder if that says more about them, or more about me...
theonlymillsy ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 09:22:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It still doesn't make him look like a strong, independent individual though...
NoodleNonger ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 10:19:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think his point was he's 17. For the most part, you are objectively not a strong independent individual at that age. It does suggest he was more nervous/less confident than the average guy though which doesn't scream "Hire me!" if it's a job in customer service of any sort.
RichardRogers ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:03:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Then don't hold it against him forever...? Still doesn't make it acceptable now.
ghostnappalives ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:30:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Funny coming from the guy who can't let go of the idea that 22 year olds nowdays are expected to be great at what they do.
Zoidbergluver ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:13:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, I still would never do that. It's barely one step above bringing your mom with you.
sourpuss_ashkenazi ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 15:00:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
70 upvotes for this? I was walking to dodgy parts of town for heroin and lsd at 17.
FirstNameHere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Cool, I did the same shit at 17 but do you really think we're the norm? Fuck no, this kid was innocent and didn't know better
babystripper ยท 115 points ยท Posted at 02:40:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe it's not literally everything. Maybe it's just extremely stressful situations. He wanted the story and confidence boost only a lived one could give. Again, I don't condone it but I understand it
mysixthredditaccount ยท 225 points ยท Posted at 03:22:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, I agree. An undead can never give you a confidence boost like a lived one.
babystripper ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 05:47:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What....DAMMIT
thirdegree ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:18:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Unless you are the one that unlived him.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:15:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They really give you a boost in cardio though.
Duhcaveman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:58:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Harry Potter? Anyone? I would be the undead kid wrecking the undead king with my dead family cheering me on.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:53:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you say that, but undead don't have to take willpower saves, and their charisma score is massive because they get bonuses to intimidate.
kjata ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:17:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
None of that is how it works. Only mindless undead don't have to make Will saves--against mind-affecting effects only; everything else still affects them normally--, and that's more a consequence of having no will anyway. Bonuses to skills do nothing to ability scores, and even if it did, undead don't get racial skill bonuses to Intimidate. Might get a circumstance bonus, because a shambling corpse is friggin' terrifying on its own.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:34:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
bonuses to skills come from ability scores! Acrobatics and athletics come from strength, intimidate and bluff are charisma, and all the other stuff! Undead get racial bonuses to charisma, I'm like 112% sure. I'll eat my left tit if I'm wrong.
kjata ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:43:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep. You had the causal direction wrong. Anyway, undead don't get Charisma bonuses just for being undead. It depends on the individual flavor. Vampires, sure. Liches, maybe. Ghosts, wouldn't surprise me. Nightshades, absolutely. Zombies, hell no.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:56:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
aw yeah, wrote it backwards.
I just made a Rakshasa, and she starts with charisma 20 at level one!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:53:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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babystripper ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:07:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if it's at a coffee lounge?
kroka4loka ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:49:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or they had other business to take care of aside from the interview. I mean, I'd bring my SO if we had errands to run or something that needed to be done right after the interview. Whether she came inside or waited in the car would be her decision, but she sure as hell wouldn't come back with me. I've actually gone with my SO to an interview before. I just sat on a couch and waited.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:41:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or maybe they drove together and she didn't want to have to wait in the car?
hardonchairs ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:12:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Also makes it look like you might depend on someone else to get around and stuff which looks bad.
cuntRatDickTree ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 10:01:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What? No it doesn't. Does everyone have to own their own car and pollute the fuck out of the place? Most progressive companies are big on reducing unnecessary driving.
If a company thinks that looks bad they suck and don't deserve you.
mashington14 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 04:24:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if she was his ride?
LevynX ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 06:37:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Rides don't go into job interviews with you
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:06:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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LevynX ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:55:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She can wait in the office's waiting room or the car.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:48:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if she was smoking hot?
mikdavi84 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:06:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
cars usually have air conditioning and a radio.
MrBubles01 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:08:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Still dont know how the interview went...
brufleth ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:44:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I want weak dependant individuals. I want them to desperately seek my approval!
I'm joking, but many employers wouldn't be.
achegarv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah if there's anything employers are looking for in candidates for jobs that you work at 18 years of age, it's strength of identity, independence, and individuality.
pete904ni ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 07:22:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He'll be someone who'll be glued to his phone all shift because she would be mad if he didn't answer every asinine text within 30 seconds.
I've worked with this type before, and thankfully, saw them sacked.
therealgillbates ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:30:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Never show weakness to strangers. Especially at a work place.
mikdavi84 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:07:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pop a valium or drink a shot beforehand like a goddamn adult.
ShutUpHeExplained ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:48:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the job but I would not hire someone who brought their SO to an interview and certainly not one who wanted them in the interview room with them. If you can't manage an interview alone there's no way in hell you're going to be able to work on my team when things get stressful. Come back when you can put on your big boy pants all by yourself.
Zerotan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:00:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sure but he can't bring her to work every day either.
babystripper ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:07:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wait....you mean she can't walk me to work
b0ogi3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:22:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Having been on both sides, I never got why people get scared. It's a free market. You fuck one up, you go to the next one.
CoalGravel ยท 212 points ยท Posted at 02:51:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bruh, he was 17 and probably very nervous, and she probably just wanted to wish him luck. Nothing wrong with having someone to wait with.
DubDubDubAtDubDotCom ยท 169 points ยท Posted at 03:26:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, it depends on the job, but I've done recruiting for retail before and a 17 year old kid wouldn't lose any "points" with me for being with their girlfriend / boyfriend while waiting for the interview. However, I can easily imagine the same kid interviewing for, say, a laboratory internship or work experience at a legal aid office - for these sorts of jobs, go alone and be 100% professional.
That_Matt ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:31:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've had my SO come for interviews but I'd usually leave her in a cafe downstairs while I went up to the interview.
jordansideas ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 04:20:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Bruh", the purpose of a job interview is to get a job, and in order to do so, you need to do everything possible to give yourself the best chance to get said job, So yes, there is something wrong with bringing your girlfriend to wait with you, since it makes you look unconfident and needy to the employer.
FirstNameHere ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:32:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah but he was 17 and it was probably his first job interview for like Applebee's. You can break a few interview rules in such an instance...
LevynX ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:01:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if he's in the middle of his job and his SO calls every hour to check up on him? As an interviewer, you're hiring the person that you think will be the best employee, pity shouldn't come in front of that. Sorry if that sucks, but that's just how it is.
FirstNameHere ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:44:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once got hired dressed like trash going to drop an application off while my friends were outside, Ive gone to 2 "interviews" where I ended up just being explained the job then handed paper work, I've gotten a phone call where all that was said was "hey looking for a job still? Okay cool when are you free to start?" You may be right about a most jobs, but if you're 17 chances are its KFC and chances are they're desperate for employees and they also realize you don't have to be the most competent in the world.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:35:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can't believe people are actually being a hard ass on a 17 year old. Jesus Christ he's only a kid.
LevynX ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:58:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't matter if he's 17. You're applying for a job which you're competing with others for that are not 17. Having someone wait outside is fine, but asking to do the interview with you is too much.
BrobearBerbil ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:38:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He's one year from being able to go to war and vote. A person should be able to do basic things without hand-holding by 17.
cuntRatDickTree ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 10:04:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah when I was 17 I looked about 12. Nobody took me seriously so I had to go to university instead of get a job (spent my childhood programming enthusiastically, nobody gave a flying fuck).
People are ridiculously ageist and they don't realize it.
Thuryn ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:35:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, they realize it, and it's not entirely inappropriate. There's no reason to waste your time interviewing a six-year-old. He doesn't have the training nor the life experience needed to help maintain a geographically dispersed network.
Nearly 100% of seventeen-year-olds don't have this experience either.
A very large percentage of twenty-five-year-olds don't either, though now you're talking about a group that have been adults long enough that maybe they have the maturity and life experience to rise to the challenge.
As the interviewer, I need to not waste my time on things that have very nearly zero chance of success. I do not have time to talk to everybody. I also don't have time to train, try, and fail at a Long Shot because then my company is further behind on projects, not making money, and in financial trouble. Keep going down that road and there won't be a job to interview for.
It's not "agist" until you get a person who won't drop the prejudice in the face of evidence to the contrary. If a seventeen-year-old blonde girl walks into my office and wants a job as a network admin... but has a resumรฉ that says she's an MIT graduate and some sort of child prodigy... well, she's still young, but probably worth the effort to build her up because she's clearly some sort of genius.
An "agist" (or sexist) won't be able to get past the first impression because "she can't possibly do the work," despite strong evidence to the contrary.
And before you even go there, I have a baby face as well. I'm well over 30, yet every time I shave my beard I still get treated like some sort of kid. I've learned to just power through it... to a limit. Getting stuck on my ego can get me in trouble too, you know.
Business_Or_Pleasure ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:35:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have to disagree with you on the point is a very large percentage of twenty five year old's don't have the experience. Usually that is one of the largest innovative age ranges out of the group.
You sound very biased. Heck, the average age of Mission control for NASA is around that range. You are sitting here saying you wouldn't hire pretty much all of NASA unless they all had degrees from MIT AND were prodigy's. Newsflash, most of em were just hardworking. Just like myself, I'm no prodigy but a few years younger than you. I interview differently, and have clenched a Ph.D because I am able to focus only on skill sets, I hardly even look at people above their shoes.
I think someone needs to go back to school and have a paradigm shift. :P
Thuryn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:14:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Innovation doesn't necessarily require experience. To an extent, experience in a field can be a hindrance to innovation because one gets stuck in a mental rut.
But my example wasn't about innovation. It was a maintenance job. Complex technical work, sure. But most places that have a complex working system aren't interested in replacing it. They want to get as much utility out of it as they can and then replace it. And that mindset is better served by experience rather than innovation.
Biased? Of course I'm biased. Everyone is biased. My whole point was that the bias exists for a reason, and that it's not always wrong.
You're also reading the wrong things into what I said. Here's a refresher:
The MIT degree was one example of what such evidence might be. I would say that a (successful) stint at NASA would also qualify as a reason to give a younger applicant further consideration. There are any number of things that might get my attention.
But if all else is equal, when hiring for an operations/support position, I'm going to lean toward the older candidate, because by definition, s/he has more experience.
"All else" is never equal, of course. If the younger candidate is a better fit with the rest of the team (based on their own reactions, mind you), that counts for a lot. There's employment history. The younger candidate may have more experience in this field. There are any number of ways that the younger candidate might get hired.
But it's not "agist" if a 25-year-old has five years of experience and a 40-year-old has fifteen years of experience. Given that set of starting criteria, the 25-year-old has an uphill battle to beat someone who looks like a more qualified candidate.
cuntRatDickTree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:39:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Ugh, university is much worse at teaching technology than working.
Much worse, this isn't even up for debate at all. And over here university just sucks in general for the vast majority of jobs which are hard to fill (charlatons galore). Trust me, I waste time interviewing about 3 morons a week.
Aaaand I don't have an ego, except on this reddit account because I couldn't give a flying fuck about people's shitty opinions on here. I have another account for treading on eggshells so I don't offend idiots.
I have a pretty solid career now, but I would be doing a lot better and so would other people, if I could have been given the chance (you're also projecting, I had created entire systems from the ground up at 17 and this was put forward in no uncertain terms in my CV and portfolio, do you even know what skills technology companies are looking for? Exactly the skills I have/had and they continually complain not enough people have).
random_guy12 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:51:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you kidding me? That's when you give college interviews.
You're gonna bring your gf with you to your interview with your dream school?
SarahC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:09:49 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
While IN the interview?
CoalGravel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:47:46 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Before.
dmac091 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:41:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Didn't realise this was a thing. It's likely that there's a place to shop or eat near by and they could have done that before/after the interview. Interviews are normally not too long so I don't see the issue in waiting.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:29:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
..you mean no interviewing as a team? https://youtu.be/bbV_Q2sfIpg
iwonderhowlonguserna ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:17:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, if you're gonna bring a +1 to your interview at least make sure it's your mom.
VoilaVoilaWashington ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:10:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whatever, I don't see the issue with this for a 17 year old.
It also really depends on the location - is this at an office with a small sitting room, or a large corporate lobby?
Working at hotels, it's common to have people in the lobby, so having kids show up with parents or whatever isn't overly awkward.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 02:11:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What's wrong with bringing along some support, especially for a big interview? As long as they stay in the lobby or whatever and you don't try to bring them in with you to the actual interview. For this case it was probably the kids first interview
AngrySoup ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 03:09:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's nice to have support, but I don't think they should wait somewhere where the employer is going to see them.
If they wait in the coffee shop next store, or in the lobby of the building while you're upstairs, that's fine. It's when they're actually right outside the interview itself, or somewhere else where they're actually going to meet/at least be seen by the employer that I think it's really questionable and probably a bad move.
joannagoanna ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 02:15:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's unprofessional. Seriously, even when I was getting job/career advice in classes in high school, this was one of the few big pieces of advice they gave us. Like be five minutes early and dress professionally.
Alamo90 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:56:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This had actually never even crossed my mind, and I had never heard anything of the sort before. I guess I get it and in hindsight I might have torpedoed an Ex's interview by trying to be supportive.
Oops.
Infallible_Fallacy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:42:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The kid was 17. I can promise you it wasn't a very professional job.
424f42_424f42 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:46:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is this support person going to go to work with them everyday?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:47:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:08:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:36:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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mustnotthrowaway ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 17:14:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can't believe people are defending this practice. Ok he's 17 -- time for the real world. Sorry you're nervous but make your SO wait outside.
Captainobvvious ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 10:07:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Go to interviews alone. It's unprofessional to bring someone else even if they're waiting in the waiting room. It just doesn't look good.
psycho-logical ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 15:52:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was SEVENTEEN!
Captainobvvious ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:06:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That doesn't matter at all.
I interview people his age and they frequently come in improperly dressed too.
Instill proper etiquette of professionalism early. It's unprofessional to show up with someone and whether you like it or not it is going to in some way hurt his chances.
psycho-logical ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 17:15:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sure you had a full grasp of professionalism at that age. Especially when applying for, what is very likely, a minimum wage job.
Lot of people in this thread must have a great view from up on their high horses.
Captainobvvious ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:13:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I was his age and interviewing for my first minimum-wage job I showed up in a Jacket and tie.
Kids should know what is proper interview etiquette. We teach them how to survive in the real world not that it's OK to half ass it because they're young.
Five_bucks ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:10:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit! I drove myself to my job interview when I was barely 16. At 18 you can be deployed overseas!
I know this reeks of "back in my day" but Jesus Christ, I'm not even old.
JHMRS ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:38:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's essentially the same as bringing his mother with him to the interview...
ShutUpHeExplained ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:47:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In the car? Sure. Beyond that, no.
eugenesbluegenes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:27:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah it does. I mean sure, asking to bring her in was next level, but bringing the gf to wait outside was definitely a first strike.
getdivorced ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:57:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At my old work there was a couple, a very young couple. The female half of this couple was struggling with some of the physical aspects the of job in addition to having trouble coping with some of the emotional stressors.
The company decides to keep her pay intact and move her over to a lower position and do some remediation with preceptors when there were opportunities to do so. So she is actually making more than the people who have done the job she is currently doing for years and overall doing a much less stressful and work intesive job.
She calls the COO to talk about how this wasn't going to work for her because she wanted to do the job she had been hired for. Which is fair enough. But it's a very sink or swim field. And she had already plummeted to the bottom of the ocean. If she had been hired a few years before when the company was doing better they would had just let her go because she wasn't going to make it.
Anywho during this phone call the COO hears someone in the background constantly weighing in on the conversation. Enter boyfriend who had been at the company maybe 2-3months longer than the girlfriend (He had probably been there around 6months). The COO informs them that this is not a group discussion and he doesn't feel right discussing employee employer issues in this way with other employees present. The couple then demands they re-instate her to the position she had (and was failing miserably at). They go as far as an ultimatum that he do it or they both leave.
Nobody knows for sure if they quit or were fired- but they didn't work there after that.
spaznmidget ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:15:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
LOL. When I was 19, my 21 year old boyfriend was graduating college and interviewing for jobs. He brought me along to a job interview (I waited in the lobby, can't remember if he tried asking if I could come in). Reception saw me and knew he had brought me along. 11 years later, I can't believe he did that. And I can't believe I went. Always show up to interviews alone!
mickey72 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:02:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
One of my co-workers calls to inquire about jobs for his adult son. Then proceeds to tell them every negative thing about the kid. He tells them about his felony, that he's motivated because he has child support to pay, isn't a self starter, he just hasn't found a job that is a good fit so he's had several jobs, joined the army but washed out of basic, I could go on.
iamalittleteapot ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:18:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good chance he was super nervous. That's almost the same as bringing your parent to a job interview and wanting them to come in with you. I can almost guarantee you did an "awesome" job making him feel relaxed and giving him an unbiased interview.
McClucker_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:14:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm assuming she was there to make sure he got the job, right?
rco8786 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:27:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not reading all the comments, but all of those people are wrong.
ShadowShine57 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 02:18:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Man, I wish my girlfriend would hold my hand while I waited to get a job interview.
Onimarr ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:42:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
probably wanted to offer his gf to you to make sure he "nailed" the job.
Squeakachu_15 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 03:57:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I held my boyfriends hand while he waited for his interviewer, not just to touch him, but because he wouldn't go in the building without me and as shivering in fear from all the anxiety, and I had to coax him from leaving several times. Why did I do it when he was so obviously shaken up about it? Because even if he didn't get the job, it would be good experience for him to see that the interviewer wasn't some evil monster waiting to rip him to shreds, but a normal person just trying to figure him out! What I'm trying to say, is that the guy was probably terrified of you, not because he thought he could use your office as a smooch room
iJoshh ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 07:17:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think they wanted to get it on in the interview room or anything, but if he can't meet with a potential employer without his girlfriend, I'm pretty concerned about his decision making capabilities as a whole.
Squeakachu_15 ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 07:47:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can you really say something so permanent about someone so young and inexperienced? Not all candidates are perfect, can you really blame him for being nervous and blurting out how he may need his girlfriends support to keep from freaking out? And again, he was 17, I'm guessing the job he applied for wasn't exactly anything above regular customer service with minimum wage! It's just sad to see employers at companies assuming that everyone they interview will have no problem being tested and analyzed, because to people like you, anxiety at that level doesn't exist, and you don't have to deal with being 17 and feeling nauseous at the thought of being judged and feeling dizzy and limp from all the stress they put on themselves to pass the interview! He could have been using that interview for experience and practice, but to you, he was just stupid for not being calmer
iJoshh ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 12:12:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he can't talk to me by himself why in God's name would I put him in front of customers?
[deleted] ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 10:04:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At 17 you're supposed to be able to function in society, e.g. to talk to other adults & such. Unless you have some really bad anxiety, which should be your priority before a job?
Squeakachu_15 ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 10:25:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At 17 your still a kid who has every right to be nervous about your future and wanting support. As you SHOULD know, anxiety is natural and having it doesn't mean you have a problem! Did you have your life figured out at 17? Can you honestly say that you never had any anxiety in an interview? Stop painting yourself as a perfect superhuman and have some fucking respect for someone besides the ass your already kissing, people make mistakes and are nervous, if you can't accept that, then you must be a horrible manager
Gingerslayr7 ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 10:30:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At 17 you should be able to handle stuff like an interview alone if you want the job. The employer is looking for the best person for the job and that includes you're abilities when it comes to human interaction. Not saying don't be nervous but grasp a basic understanding of the workplace and interviews before you go for one.
Squeakachu_15 ยท -11 points ยท Posted at 10:39:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I respect that, but you aren't listening. Not all teenagers have something wrong with them if they aren't prepared for an interview or need extra support for what may be they're first few interviews, for you to not only suggest, but state that all healthy teenagers should be able to handle the social pressure is extremely ignorant and counterproductive to growth and experience. In short, you assuming that all teenagers should have the mindset of a mature adult is keeping you ignorant to the fact that not everyone is picture perfect and is probably affecting your attitude towards employees as a manager, making them less likely to come to you if problems occur, because ( in theory) they should be able to handle everything themselves, isn't that right?
Gingerslayr7 ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 11:04:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm saying that all teenagers looking for work need an idea of what the interview requires, I'm in my late teens and have moderate anxiety but I was able to get through my job interview at 15 when my anxiety was at its worst. Not saying everyone should be perfect at all but the employer is looking for the best fit and asking for your girlfriend to come in too isn't matching their idea of the best fot under pretty much any circumstances. Life often doesn't really give a shit if your anxious though it should. Don't appreciate being slammed as ignorant when you don't know my circumstances.
Squeakachu_15 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:15:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You know what, your right, I apologize for my unwarranted rage
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:33:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Simmr down, you're giving me an aneurysm just from your way of talking.
Your first job isn't your future, usually, just a stepping stone so you can get some experience. At least at 17, when you're expected to do some more school.
Yes, I expect a 17yo to be slightly nervous, God knows I was anxious too at that age. Nevertheless, you're supposed to try and work through your anxieties. You know how I got through mine? By going out there and doing things myself, instead of having my hand held.
Did I actually talk about myself in the previous post? I didn't.
pepg ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:38:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
do you know how stressful this is for even the most social person? being able to walk in the interviewing room alone is a part of the interview. why not look at it that way?
its ok to acknowledge that maybe he's not made for that kind of work. walking in for an interview is less stressful than working an 8 hour shift with awful customers and coworkers/bosses you don't know yet. the girlfriend can't go with him for every aspect of the job... its fair to say he failed the interview because he has shown himself unable to handle even the most basic social stress. which is fine - just get a different minimum wage job that doesn't involve human contact.
AalewisX ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 13:58:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
CobraCabana ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:48:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not a question of them smooching in the interview room. It's the fact that nobody would want to hire somebody that literally needs their hand held.
People are hired to relieve burden and complete a task, and if they are incapable of doing simple tasks by themselves, they would make bad employees.
22347234 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:40:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How foreign to the country was this couple?
iJoshh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:17:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They were local.
LaughingJackass ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:52:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I think you guys are in the wrong interview, I just hope you are not underage though".
Kyddeath ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:00:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have gone to the interview with my wife to give her support. Of course we had other things to do afterwards and she got hired in so not sure why this is a bad thing
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:52:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was with my girlfriend when she was applying for numerous jobs. We went to one and I said I'll wait outside and they insisted I come too, it was fucking weird as fuck
MrAxlee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:25:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most likely he was just a worried 17 year old going for what is quite likely his first interview, and wanted somebody he felt calmer around to support him. Agreed it's wrong to want to bring her into the actual interview, but there shouldn't be any problem with her waiting with him. I'd much rather interview somebody calm, who'll be more willing/able to tell me more about themselves and make it much easier for me to see what they are like, rather than interview a nervous wreck who'd completely undersell himself.
batmuffino ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:00:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If that's the worst you have seen I am very jealous of you :).
If I would be interviewing someone that brought his gf I wouldn't care at all. It's more of a nice opportunity to be nice to the s.o. of someone you are interviewing, showing them that you give a stick about their familiy and are nice but professional.
Just imagine some poor guy bringing his gf because his car doesn't work, being nervous that everyone things it's unprofessional to bring your so. Then your future manager comes out, introduces himself to both of you, telling you off-handedly "cool to have someone for support, I'll promise to bring him back in one piece. Now let's move on to the interview, shall we?". You are happy and relieved that no one makes a fuss about this.
From a manager view: oh, yeah! I just got a freebie to get respect and have a happy employee that I can show we are a great place to work at! internal fistpump
The only red flag would be if they insist to bring the s.o. and have no valid reason for doing so.
Vlakon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:51:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have seen an example of this myself. But in that case she insisted on joining him for the interview.
Gurip ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:30:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
atleast it wasnt his mom.. and trust me people we get guys and girls commin with moms to the interview, dont do that, you wont get a job.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:36:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Before I retired from Seaworld I was in the admin building waiting to talk to someone about my insurance. The HR offices were in the same building and people coming in for interviews sometimes came in through the wrong door. Apparently this guy had just finished his interview and I could not believe my eyes when I saw how he was dressed. He was a young skinny white dude and he looked sort of like a really young Justin Beiber. His ball cap was on sideways, he was wearing a white 'wife beater' shirt, saggy baggy shorts that were too large for him and he was wearing Mardi Gra beads around his neck. It would have been interesting to know if he was hired. He was also covered in tattoos and he had a girl with him.
GenericReditAccount ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Screw that. The dude was 17, so I give him a pass on the GF being in the lobby, but coming into the interview? No way.
My then g/f (now wife) came along for my first "real" interview. We lived in different cities at the time, and I was interviewing for a job near her. She drove, since she knew the area better than me, and brought a book to read in the car while I was inside. The interview went great, and turned to chit chat towards the end, during which they asked about my girlfriend. I happened to say something along the lines of "she's actually waiting in the car right now!" Next thing I know the owner of the company is in the parking lot, knocking on the car window to meet her.
OhGarraty ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Something like this happened to me, unintentionally. I had been on three interviews with this place, and they finally called asking me to come in and sign the new hire paperwork. Being unemployed for six months, I said I was available right away. My wife was home for lunch, so she overheard the good news. I asked her if she wanted to come along. Since there are fences, gates, visitor schedules, and lots of fun security stuff, this would be one of very few times she'd get to see where I work close up. And it was, according to the phone call, "just a few forms".
We were there for three hours.
DunkenDoritos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:24:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My ex went with her mom to hand in a resume to a grocery store. As in her mom went in with her and asked/answered questions for her. I'm still amazed to this day how it takes me months to find a job with me applying every week and she goes in with her mom for one day only and gets the job /:
BitchinTechnology ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:56:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Who is saying that
Gasonfires ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:06:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I am amazed by the number of people in positions indicative of at least some education who are unable to properly use the words "amount" and "number." You got it wrong.
Edit: On further reflection, you probably don't have to be all that smart or educated to be conducting interviews for a job that a 17-year-old kid could get an interview for. You are forgiven.
killermojo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:31:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't see anyone thinking it's completely normal. One person mentioned a law in New Zealand but I can't find a single person expressing that it's completely normal and that you're a monster for not hiring them. Rough morning?
catgoesmooo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:33:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whoa, I guess I was really lucky then.
I was in a program when I was 16-ish that helped minors look for entry level jobs (helps with applications, providing money for work attire and then prepping us for job interview/environment). The person assisting me was a lady in her late 20s and she showed up at the interview with me. She waited outside but the interviewer invited her in while she conducted the interview.
I got the job though! :)
nhremna ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:39:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If it is a position that a 17 year old can apply for, what is there to be so serious about..
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:45:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Him doing this is showing he's not an independent adult. I wouldn't have hired him either. Why? Because 1. It shows he's too dependent and immature and 2. Chances are you'd be seeing a LOT more of the girlfriend.
My sisters husband is like this. He's mad at my sister for not letting him come work with her. He can't grasp that she submitted her resume, went through 5 rounds of interviews, and passed an insurance test to get her job. He thinks he can just show up and work along side her.
NotHereToday ยท 909 points ยท Posted at 00:40:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a female Indian candidate for a programming position that spoke perfect English during the phone interview. Brought her in for the face-to-face interview the next week where she barely understood English, had a very different Hindi accent and really didn't meet the minimum job requirements. I decided she was a "no go" 5 minutes into a 30 minute interview. During our talk, I found out her husband paid someone else to do the phone part just so we would bring her in person.
universaladaptoid ยท 263 points ยท Posted at 07:20:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm from India as well, and have seen this shit for far too long. This is unfortunately extremely common - Usually, these people approach small recruiting companies (owned by people from India primarily), and these companies get these people trained in a quick 4-week crash course on something like Java or Networking etc that would ensure that they know enough buzzwords etc to BS their way around non-IT people, and then make up fake resumes with fake experience etc.
After this, these 'recruitment' companies send these resumes to companies that need senior contract-workers. If they get selected for an interview, they usually get someone else to take a phone interview for them, and then use that to get the job (In many small to mid-level companies, a senior contract position apparently only needs one or two interviews).
After that, when they're on the field, these people usually finish tasks by either getting help from someone else in the recruiting companies that I mentioned.
Sadly, the USCIS (The US Immigration department) doesn't really seem to crack down on this practice as much as they should.
TheLightInChains ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 10:15:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had that with my first contracting job. They'd hired 3 Indian programmers and if they'd read the manuals on the plane over I'd be surprised. I came in for an interview on the Tuesday, he asked me to do a simple task (a multi-level report I think) and when I did I had to show the Indians how to do it - they'd said it couldn't be done. I was hired and by Friday I was working on my own.
permalink_save ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 13:24:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't whiteboard coding (as shitty as it is to do) filter this out?
BrobearBerbil ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 16:55:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Funny thing is that I've seen some better companies move past whiteboarding to just in-person pair programming for a few hours. Some people can be good at algorithm riddles, but then aren't great to work with, write really ugly code too quickly, or don't have good practices when they hit a wall.
I like the pair-programming approach better, because I've seen some developers who didn't have a whiz kid vibe or seem particularly brilliant become some of the most dependable work horses on the team since they're just slow and steady. On the other hand, you can get a genius who only wants to do things one way or works in spurts and just powers through deadlines with coke and adderall since they think they know more about hacking life than everyone else.
cocoa_coffee_beans ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:36:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, that last one sounds like me. I need to reevaluate my life...
BrobearBerbil ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:53:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or just save your money and retire before you burn through your body.
simpleglitch ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 13:38:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not if non-IT people are doing the interview, which is also common.
TheLightInChains ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:21:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, in this case it was Oracle work in a VB software house*, so they hadn't been able to tech vet the contractors with any confidence.
*tl;dr salesman promised customer an Oracle system for some reason, got fired, they still had to honour the contract so brought in contractors.
Wibbles ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:08:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That reason being he works in Sales and didn't bother to consult the dev team because He Knows Best.
TheLightInChains ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:18:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Same price too, almost took the company down until I swooped in.
BrobearBerbil ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:51:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's funny. I remember a cultural thing from Asia, but can't remember if it applies to India. Basically, in some places, the norm is to tell someone something is "impossible" when it's really just complicated or not gonna happen very easily. So, if you go to a fast food place where they only ever make burgers without ketchup and they don't know how to use the register to add ketchup to your order, they'll just say, "This is impossible."
TheLightInChains ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:22:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep. But these guys would constantly reassure him they were on it, be beavering away, don't have anything ready just yet but soon, and only when they were pinned down would they change to "it can't be done".
cambo666 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:41:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
News to me. Holy shit.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:21:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
universaladaptoid ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 13:46:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The problem is at many levels - USCIS does not seem to crack down on H-1B visa fraud as much as they should, and the contracting companies and contractors tend to abuse the system because of that. I do blame the people from India who participate in this, and pretty much ruin it for everyone else (Almost 99% of the people who are involved in this seem to be from the Indian subcontinent).
Disclaimer: I'm a Mechanical Engineer whose H-1B application was not picked up in the lottery that took place in 2014, so I definitely have some personal gripes as well.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:53:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
universaladaptoid ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:56:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hope things work out for you.
sooper-dooper-pooper ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:11:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And this is why we can't have nice things.
TheQuickAndTheRed ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:17:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've dealt with this problem so often it's unbelievable. I've seen it sink a whole department when this hiring practiced managed to get through en masse. We didn't even do this for diversity quotas; we already had a strong South Asian employee base. One guy got hired to replace a department manager and he started firing/hiring like mad until they whole division was Straight Outta India. If I ever post my tales from this time period; some days it was pretty creepy, since they a good group of them had near 0 English they would walk away if you spoke to them. Imagine that, you're staring at someone saying "Excuse me" or "Hey, how are you?" and they look back and you and walk away.
And no, there was no justice porn here. That guy still runs that department even after it was basically dismantled down to a single digit number of people.
addywoot ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:29:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You have some interesting stories to tell.
TheQuickAndTheRed ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 18:50:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As the wisest man I know (Kanye West) once said; My life is dope and I do dope shit.
universaladaptoid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:53:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know what you mean - The problem is that because of the over-abundance of these people, Technical workers from South Asia in general tend to be not taken seriously when they start out(At least at the lower levels).
TheQuickAndTheRed ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:07:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My South Asian friends refer to it as being "how Knife and Fork they are."
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:38:42 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm
adding you as a friendsubscribing to you, and totally keeping an eye out for those stories.TheQuickAndTheRed ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:41 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
<3
DhakaGuy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:50:48 on September 20, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe they don't want to crack down intentionally . Did you know that the median salary for IT related jobs didn't go up in the last ten years factoring the inflation ? What I am trying to say is without the influx of abandon Indian IT workers , salary would have doubled for all IT workers. Now if understand what I am trying to say here.
asduoipyuh ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 07:05:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewing for programming positions is shit. I thought all the "People don't answer FizzBuzz" was a joke, but I started interviewing people a few months ago. People do not answer FizzBuzz. It's frustrating as fuck.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 15:24:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
10 years ago, I applied for a job as a database developer. During the interview, they asked me what a JOIN was - not write one in particular, just define the concept. Thinking this was some weird trick question, I went on for 5 minutes discussing inner joins, left outer, right outer and even cross joins. I couldn't figure out what the trick was, so I just dumped everything I knew about joins.
I got the job, and found out later I had actually responded to the second posting they had placed. They had to repost the job because they discovered that none of the original round of candidates could actually tell them what a JOIN was. If you're not familiar with database programming, that's the equivalent of a "Java programmer" having no clue what a class is.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:50:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. I don't touch database usually and I know what a join is.
Various_Pickles ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:16:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Relational databases without so much of the relational part :)
SarahC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:35:32 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
JOIN!?
You just put all the data you need together in the same table.
SELECT * FROM COMPANY_DATA
Then if some other table needs it, you just copy it across to that table.
Joins slow the whole thing down and make it overly complex. =)
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:22:23 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're making my eye twitch because that was me a few months ago. Wish I had a time machine so I could go back and bitchslap myself for saying that. JOIN is love. JOIN is life.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 10:02:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
asduoipyuh ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 11:00:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They struggle with the solution. I have to prompt them to use % operator and some people just say "hmmmm I can't think of a solution right now".
I just say "Thank you for your time" and end soon after.
darthcoder ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 10:09:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They don't know how to solve it.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 10:55:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:36:32 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A kid who was learning programming between support calls figured it out after I asked him. =)
I was proud. (wasn't an interview situation though)
blackbirdsongs ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:14:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What's fizzbuzz?
KidUncertainty ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 12:39:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
FizzBuzz is an example of a programming problem that can be easily implemented in any reasonable programming language by someone who has minimal competence in the language in a short period of time, and with a handful of lines of code.
These problems can be used as a first pass filter to quickly fail any candidates who claim to be able to program, but cannot.
In this case the usual form of the FizzBuzz question specifically is along the lines of "Write a function that outputs all the numbers from 1 to 100, except where the current number is evenly divisible by 3, then output 'Fizz' instead of the number. If the current number is evenly divisible by 5, output 'Buzz' instead of the number. If evenly divisible by both, output 'FizzBuzz' instead of the number.
e.g. 1 2 Fizz 4 Buzz Fizz 7 ...
These little problems are surprisingly effective and quick, and if you know what you are doing, you are wondering why you were given such a simple problem -- but if you don't, you are sweating bullets. It's amazing how many people fail this test, even if given oodles of time and support in trying to finish it.
Ninbyo ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:08:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, that's stupidly easy. To the point I'd be worried it was a trick question.
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:37:54 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's a nack to getting the code very DRY. But a working program under interview pressure...... should be possible.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:33:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went to school for computer science. Even by the end of my senior year, a sizable minority of my classmates wouldnโt have been able to solve this: I love helping people learn, and I was always willing to help people with their code, but, too often, it was clear they were just shoving stuff togetherโthe profโs examples, their classmatesโ work, my helpโuntil it worked well enough to turn in, then patting themselves on the back for โfiguring it out.โ :(
JoseElEntrenador ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:24:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you don't mind me asking, where did you go? I'm studying CS right now and I can't imagine how someone couldn't do this.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:19:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Iโd rather not say beyond saying I went to a large, fairly-respectable Midwestern universityโmy Reddit history already has too many personal detailsโand I donโt think my schoolโs at fault: the classes were fairly comprehensive, and there were plenty of opportunities for getting help. Some students simply didnโt seem to have the logic to reason through a problem entirely on their own and instead got by on rote memorization and borrowing.
The only thing that didnโt work for was our senior design project, which was team-based. There was a guy on my team who couldnโt code himself out of a cardboard box with a case-specific cardboard box-escaping language and the manual but had incredible charisma: he did wonders for encouraging us, and I think we were even more thrilled to have him do our presentations than he was to have us do his coding. (Unlike some of the idiots I worked with, he was well aware of his strengths and limitations: he got hired out of school as an IT manager, and I have no doubt heโs quite successful.)
Iโm currently consulting on a PHP project that was written by a well-credentialed design firm. One of the first files I needed to modify was a static HTML page written as a series of
echostatements:That wouldnโt have been so bad if the same shitheel hadnโt also done the database design. :'(
TheQuickAndTheRed ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:47:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fairl; what Audreyshake mentions is how I started to learn, my later semesters the switch had flipped.
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:38:42 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh yes - this happens a lot. Because they can keep up with your explanation, it somehow skips right through into their own "I worked it out" box.
SteevyT ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 19:07:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I could do that in pseudocode. Which might actually be C just formatting might be off.
I'm a mechanical engineer.
sikkkunt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:29:32 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
should i just lie on my resume and wait to get to this problem?
two semesters of c++ and this was like one of the first kinds of assignments we had.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:50:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is the first time I've ever heard of FizzBuzz and I've been programming since I as 16 (am 33 now and a software dev).
I feel like I'd fail this out of panic. I have a horrible time doing things if someone else is watching or puts me on the spot. I hate that about myself.
Turn your back though and I'll write you a video game in C++ and SDL/OpenGL or Objective-C and Sprite Kit.
KidUncertainty ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:39:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tell me you'd prefer to work on it alone, and I will likely give you some time to do it by yourself, but you'd be doing it on a whiteboard without a computer or phone (no penalty for syntax errors). But I've also accepted examples of prior work, assuming you are capable of talking about the code in question.
It really is intended as a very coarse filter.
Usually you can tell when someone is seizing up with panic and you can help them along to the point where they are able to produce something, even if it's getting them to work through the problem steps aloud or to write it down. Interviews are pretty stressful things.
The other thing to remember in an interview -- you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. If I think you're a great candidate, I am going to want you to have a good feeling about working on my team or project. Being aware of that can help mitigate some of the anxiety in an interview situation.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:00:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for the tips!
I really wish I didn't get stage fright. Mentally I don't care but my body physically goes into a panic in these kinds of situations no matter how hard I practice to overcome them.
Heck just the other day I was screwing up typing an email because my boss was watching over my shoulder.
gered ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:16:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For what it's worth, I have the same problem as you. I have a decade of professional experience on my resume and have been coding since I was 10 years old, but ask me to write the simplest of code on a whiteboard and I seize up and can't figure out what I'm doing.
Programmer interviews are the worst. :'(
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:35:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly I feel the best way is how some companies do it where they give you a take home test to do over the weekend. This lets you work naturally, put in any research needed, and finish the project without the stress of someone looking over your shoulder.
I can't comment for everyone but my friends Dads company started hiring programmers by changing from the "on the spot" tests to the take home tests and they've gotten a lot better applicants.
asduoipyuh ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:50:48 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I generally ask FizzBuzz on the phone and I tell the candidate they can mute or go away for a minute or two if they'd like to work out the problem. Silence on the phone is not a problem for me.
yarpen_z ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:44:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's an easy programming task, where you are expected to print out numbers and replace them with "fizz" or "buzz" when they are divisible by 3 or 5, respectively. It should not be a problem to anyone after one semester course of programming, you only have to know the modulo operation (usually % or mod).
yanomami ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:26:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've seen this, too. Most people are better than that, but still can't do nearly what they should be able to do, in my experience.
TheQuickAndTheRed ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:34:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can confirm.
Bombed interview, Nailed Fizzbuzz.
Got hired.
throwaway4567891263 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:10:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
my interviewer responded to the staffing firm that they "liked that i used objects" in the OOD problem i had been given to complete before the interview. apparently they have tons of candidates who don't use OOD despite specifically being asked to. One of them was from Boeing. makes me a little more hesitant about air travel.
asduoipyuh ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:37:18 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked someone to describe how he would define classes if he were designing a Zoo application.
The answer I got was....wait for it....
Animal extends Zoo
Birds extends Zoo
And I asked, if I want to create an Eagle class, which class will that extend.
Eagle extends Zoo (WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK MATE?)
Programming interviews give me a lot of self confidence about my job security.
throwaway4567891263 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:30:20 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
all birds are zoos but not all zoos are birds? am i doin it rite?
throwaway4567891263 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:05:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what do you mean don't answer? like they don't know how to solve it? they refuse to answer?
asduoipyuh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:34:42 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, they don't know how to solve it.
LaughingJackass ยท 104 points ยท Posted at 04:02:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm Indian and I saw this sort of shit in the US a lot, sadly from my race. It is very important to trust your gut in an interview and also have a multiple set of questions of varying levels(knowledge, spontaneity, critical thinking, creativity) before making a hiring decision.
Also, when I was working part-time at a university, I was questioned by job-seeking students as to what kind of questions they ask to hire someone for our team. My answer to that depends on what mood I am in - because my manager, after interviewing an Indian usually asks me to ask if I knew that person in the student community. (If a worthy candidate were to ask me, I'd definitely ask them to apply).
KFCConspiracy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:25:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had an Indian woman show up with her father who wanted to sit in, is that actually a thing or was she fucking weird?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:51:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe she was normal and he was weird.
LaughingJackass ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:45:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The only instance I would exonerate him would be if this was in a small town, he'd just dropped in to the states and was taken aback that there were not a few thousand people on the road. Or else, that's not a thing.
KFCConspiracy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:37:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a big city and she didn't speak good English, so she may have been a recent immigrant
Aroha11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:15:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It happens often with Indian female students - they come for a supervision with a father and/or brother.
NotHereToday ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:38:58 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If she was single then he was most likely acting as her chaperon. This is still a thing with some groups from India.
anonworkacct ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:27:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why spontaneity?
[deleted] ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 07:49:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can't speak for op but from my personal observation, a lot of Asian education is rote learning, and that even gets applied at degree level. This leads to a lack of critical thinking and research skills in real life, with people expecting to receive everything they need to know in a pre-established format. I used to work for a tech security company and would regularly get unsolicited emails from Indian university students and grads saying "kindly send me everything there is to know about internet security in PDF format". Thus when interviewing people from such an educational environment one needs to check that they can think for themselves. Some of our best hires were Indian, but we really had to check that they had the ability to problem-solve in a spontaneous manner.
eythian ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 09:25:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh yes, I see a lot of mailing list queries from India that are "please send me a pdf with step by step installation instructions", when this is all in the project wiki and liberally linked to.
zerj ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 11:17:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds like any of the technical forums on LinkedIn (Embedded SW, ASIC Design) They ended up being overrun with extremely basic questions. (Think what is a pointer in C). These might be fine asked here on anonymously here on Reddit, but when the question is basically attached to your resume, I know who I'm not hiring.
SpoopsThePalindrome ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 08:54:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I fucking LOST it at that!
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 09:15:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know it sounds like an exaggeration or racial stereotype, but it genuinely was like that. It happened so frequently - at least once a week - that I eventually asked one of our Indian devs to explain what was going on and he told me that this was how they thought research was done.
kallas55 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:37:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
true.. Look at the stackoverflow questions
HobbitFoot ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:31:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I'm running into this problem right now. If I don't speak everything out to him, he can't figure it out on his own.
TheQuickAndTheRed ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:31:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup.
This has been a constant road block lately with the culture clash. Whenever we go into hiring season I get an influx on e-mails saying "kindly send me everything related to X in PDF format".
I always found this weird because;
They don't always identify themselves as who they are in the company.
They often start CCing random people when I don't comply (I either don't have said information or it doesn't exist.)
They don't understand that they're being gauche in their actions.
Edit: Formatting
LaughingJackass ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 07:38:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Perhaps I used the wrong word - spontaneity as in "thinking out valid solutions", not canned answers from an interview preparation book.
sweetlax30007 ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 10:10:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Something similar happened when I was working at a large tech company. I had called this candidate like 3x to coordinate her interview and she was great on the phone. She shows up late, got lost, couldn't articulate anything to me, and bombed her interview. I guess her uncle was friends with a guy that worked there so thats why they interviewed her.
Pretty sure someone else pretending to be her spoke with me on the phone (and probably during the phone screen too), and then the real girl came and just bombed.
theinfinitejess ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:07:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Her husband basically set her up to fail. What a waste of your and her time.
Callmebobbyorbooby ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:36:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I used to do staffing before corporate recruiting and I saw this happen a lot with sub staffing companies. They will have someone different do the phone interview, and then the actual candidate shows up for the real interview. I also would do technical screens with them on the phone, ask them a question and they would go "um, uuuuum" while I could hear them typing looking up answers to the questions. I would always call them out on it and end the interview. Any staffing company who did this, I would personally call them, call them out on their BS, then let them know I will be letting everyone I know not to use them because of their "tactics". It is disgusting how many companies do this, particularly Indian run companies.
blazinazn007 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:26:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My dad is a senior director in his company so he does the hiring for his department.
He's told me that he's been seeing a lot of false resumes and phone interviews from Indian and Chinese applicants. He's encountered the bait and switch like you experienced a bunch of times within the last year alone.
He now includes a practical portion during the interview (SAS and SQL programming). If he finds out that the person lied on their resume or did a bait and switch, he does a little research with other companies to see if that applicant came through their doors and to give the company a heads up.
The applicant is usually black listed in the industry. He works in Pharma and it's a lot smaller than people think.
NotHereToday ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:29:24 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was for a SAS programming position in pharma and you're dad is right, it's a small field. Almost all programmers are separated by three phone calls max.
Ucantalas ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:01:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...what did they expect was going to happen when she shows up in person and clearly isn't the same person?
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 03:13:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is wrong and yet part of me can help but not blame her.
mastapetz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:17:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had something similar here, just not indian, but turkish. The daughter caled spoke good german. Her mother couldn't even understand a single word and needed the daughter to translate.
Since the application was for place at one of our customers that need perfect German because of being at the front desk, this was a no go.
namitsinha09 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:29:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People like me from India have to suffer because of "Indian candidate" like her.
NotHereToday ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:34:10 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wouldn't agree completely. The position went to a Indian that just finished grad school and needed something while she planned her wedding back home. She is a very talented and motivated programmer that has yet to disappoint us.
frankayub ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
by any chance do you live in Dubai...indians are fond of that..
massdebate159 ยท -67 points ยท Posted at 01:13:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In the UK, you'd be sued for discrimination.
Pun-Master-General ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 02:18:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not if speaking English fluently was a job requirement, and especially not since she had hired someone else to do the phone interview. That alone is grounds to dismiss her.
NotHereToday ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 03:20:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
It was obvious she was faking the interview and she admitted it during the interview. I had to fill the time regards of my impressions. Also, her skill set didn't meet the job requirements or her CV. She couldn't answer simple questions related to systems listed in her CV. I'm curious, what type of discrimination would have come up in the UK and why? This happened in the US and I'm very well aware of the protected classes here. It would not have been age, gender or race since it was never a question. At that time, I routinely hired based on mainly skills, honesty and how to person would fit the organization so there wouldn't have been a case against me personally.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:17:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It wouldn't. You're right - quality of spoken and written communication is an important factor in hiring, native speaker or otherwise. It's not like you were asking her to stack boxes in a factory.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 02:30:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh great thing I don't live there, faking an interview gets you hired?
massdebate159 ยท -31 points ยท Posted at 02:37:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, but everyone is scared of being accused of racism.
Weeberface22 ยท 391 points ยท Posted at 02:30:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We interviewed a girl for a job, and it really went well. We decided to call her previous employers and references to see about her past.
Her most recent employer in which she "resigned" from for "personal reasons", informed us that they fired her because she got busted for selling meth...at work.
We decided to file her application in the special file cabinet.
TigerlillyGastro ยท 77 points ยท Posted at 11:22:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is that the cabinet that goes "bbbbrrrrrrrrrr"?
nirkbirk ยท 63 points ยท Posted at 12:12:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The refrigerator?
Tharage53 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:55:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I too like to store my resumes in the fridge
igame2much ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:55:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No it was obviously an A-10. That was the glorious sounds is a freedom fart.
that_looks_nifty ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:36:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Shredded like a wicked guitar solo.
SteevyT ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:25:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You have an A-10 filing cabinet?
Ptolemy48 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 22:25:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, that's BRRRRRRRRRRRT.
babylina ยท 49 points ยท Posted at 03:09:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
depending on the state, jobs aren't allowed to disclose why a person was fired, only if they are considered rehireable or not.
superkp ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 13:53:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Selling meth is a crime. Crimes are usually available for public inquiry. If she got fired for it, then she was probably prosecuted for it.
I'm pretty sure that it's always legal to tell people about things that are part of public record.
SchlapHappy ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:29:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hell I know a couple people who work HR for larger companies and the only thing that the companies allow them to say is start date, end date, starting salary and ending salary.
BrobearBerbil ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:04:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's more of a complicated possibility for litigation, not a specific crime. Not disclosing why people are fired is more CYA.
Steavee ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:24:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's almost entirely untrue, but is a popular myth.
Think about it this way, talking about someone is speech, which is guaranteed by the very first amendment to our constitution.
As long as they aren't knowingly telling lies about a person in an attempt to harm or defame them a current or former employer can say almost anything about a person that they would like.
I will say that many HR departments do try to limit it to the absolute basics to reduce the chance of lawsuits, but explaining that they were fired for selling meth on the job (if true) is probably a safe thing to tell anyone.
Yeti_Poet ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:45:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There appear to be plenty of states that restrict that kind of information.
For example, in Delaware, it is only legal to disclose the reason for termination of an employee in the health and child care field. And in Texas, employers can disclose why an employee was terminated, but only in writing.
This website lists explicitly what can be disclosed accoording to state laws.
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/employee-rights-book/chapter9-6.html
Solinuas ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 14:57:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would like to clarify that no, that kind of speech is not guaranteed by the constitution.
The constitutional right of free speech ONLY means you cannot be persecuted by the government for what you say. That is it, companies can do what they like with non disclosure, people can do what they want with non disclosure ETC.
Steavee ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:02:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Correct, which is why people saying that it is illegal to report why someone was fired are generally completely wrong.
I know Reddit loves the "the first amendment only protects you from the governmentโฆ" argument, but in this case that is exactly the point. It's not illegal, nor does it fit the description of slander or libel unless it is known to be false.
ERRORMONSTER ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:00:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Which is exactly why he clarified and said companies are still targetable for lawsuits if they say anything that can be construed as untrue, as that becomes slander or libel. Simply stating facts may still open them up for civil suits, but I doubt anyone would have a case if they only said things that are absolutely true.
babylina ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:36:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
well, in Florida, where i live, recruiters are only allowed to ask if the person is rehireable or not.
edit: so I've been told
snowshoeBBQ ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:48:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, this is the right answer here. I work for a staffing firm and do reference checks daily. If the former employer has documented an incident (such as being fired over selling meth) it is most definitely fair game.
mcherm ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:33:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I don't know the law in other parts of the world but there is no where in the United States where the law prevents an employer from stating why an employee was fired. However many employers have a policy of not revealing why someone was fired because they are concerned that they might face lawsuits from their former employee. Even if the lawsuit were baseless there would still be risk and an expense of defending it.MaoChan has corrected me -- apparently I was wrong about this and there ARE laws in several states restriction what employers can say about former employees, so the laws differ from state to state.
MaoChan ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:05:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In the US there are a lot of laws that protect employees from their previous employer. http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/employee-rights-book/chapter9-6.html
And yes you can get sued and lose easily.
mcherm ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:08:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thank you very much. Apparently I was incorrect.
Rachelle1016 ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 03:40:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Usually they aren't allowed to ask, but a company is free to tell.
BitchinTechnology ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:37:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Quit spreading lies that's not true
babylina ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:21:05 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i wish you knew how to read
BitchinTechnology ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:26:52 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Show me.
babylina ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:29:00 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i charge for private lessons :]
BitchinTechnology ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:36:14 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So in other words you are wrong and have no evidence thats what Ithought
babylina ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:41:38 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
so in other words, you come off like a jerk. if you would go up and read the reply, you would see that i stated "FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD" and "IN FLORIDA." but i guess you missed that part. also, here, apparently i'm not the only one who's experienced this.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/3ktu5q/people_in_charge_of_hiring_whats_the_worst_way/cv1cag2
BitchinTechnology ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 03:42:25 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thats not what was said. I hope you have a better day
Wizard-King ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:44:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
special file cabinet. do you mean the shredder?
littlewoolie ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 11:33:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The circular filing cabinet
[deleted] ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 10:50:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is such an ugly word. We don't use that fucking shit.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:58:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought the law is that a potential employer can only ask if and when the employee was employed. I didn't think it was allowed to speak to a boss and get particulars.
Weeberface22 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:06:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's what I asked. I asked if they would hire her again and the guy said no and then proceeded to tell me why.
I also think it depends on the business. Alot of places would tell us about former employees but some places would only say if they would hire them again.
AntiGravityBacon ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:36:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't believe it's a law what they can say, just any extra information could open up the company to a slander suit.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:56:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The file cabinet that shreds things?
shellwe ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:18:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought previous employers can't say too much except that you did work with them.
d4ni3lg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:50:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The special cabinet that stores it in hundreds of tiny little pieces, right?
Wild_Marker ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:55:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In case you ever need meth?
Scarletfapper ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:39:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Special"
Sapper42 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:14:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a girl on camera doing lines in the back office and when we fired her for it she claimed sexual harassment and upon looking up the incident we found absolutely no cases of such events taking place.
She then tried to reapply to another location, however she needed our referral and it obviously didn't go so well. She then tried to contact HR and complain about discrimination based on gender and we sent in all the proof we needed.
I believe she moved out of state.
matthieuC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:46:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have one of these. It's for the people with 10 pages resumes 9 of them being an explanation of the conspiracy that prevent them from finding a job. The resume have all the contact information for the police just in case.
jaxmagicman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:06:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm pretty sure what her reference told you is illegal.
Weeberface22 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:15:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It may or may not be. But it was years ago so who knows what the laws were then.
Weeberface22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It may or may not be. But it was years ago so who knows what the laws were then.
Mr_Kool ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:16:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not as bad as meth, but I had a coworker who was selling weed at work. He was only with us for about 3 weeks.
ButtsexEurope ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:24:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's these cases that I feel really sorry for. They're trying to better themselves but with no job they're stuck as a meth head.
My SO left his job after 8 years because the boss was becoming a huge dick. Now he can't get hired because his ex boss will say nothing but shit about him, even though he specified to call his supervisor.
IrenaeusGSaintonge ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:39:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At one of my jobs those rรฉsumรฉs get a code "110" right on the top. 110 implying 1\1 0.
Moore1994 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:41:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The Office reference
Akdavis1989 ยท 371 points ยท Posted at 04:48:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Am a chef. Hiring a line cook. The interview is going fine (all I want is a hard worker who likes food. Drugs, booze? Don't give a shit. As long as you can work and love food). Get to the last question. Me: "ok, so what's your favorite food?" Her: "uh, i don't know, chicken." Me: "I love chicken. Fried chicken, roast chicken. A seared chicken breast on the grill. Chicken is awesome. What's your favorite way to prepare it?" Her: "oh I don't know how to cook chicken. I like chicken nuggets a lot though." Noooooope.
cheeseburgerwaffles ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 14:13:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
clearly qualified to work as a cook
UpHandsome ยท -10 points ยท Posted at 15:57:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Chicken is actually not the easiest thing to cook.
GodfreyLongbeard ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:31:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean, more complicated then toast. But then again, is baked chicken more complicated then toast?
UpHandsome ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:34:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It does take a slightly longer attention span to set a timer for the oven to turn off than it does to push down the lever on the toaster. So yes.
Zizhou ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 19:09:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Plus, I don't know of anyone who's ever gotten ill from eating underdone toast.
UpHandsome ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 20:33:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
While that of course raises the stakes it doesn't make the whole thing more complicated. Bowling a perfect game requires exactly the same level of skill whether the lives of your family depend on your success or not.
pjabrony ยท 53 points ยท Posted at 12:37:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The nugget is one of the tastiest parts of the chicken.
ShockRampage ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 15:16:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
FTFY
tomalexdark ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:17:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
FTFY
Porrick ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:19:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought it was all of the parts of the chicken, tasty or not.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:40:39 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
FTFY
Chuck_Lotus ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 14:51:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Omg. Some days I think I missed my calling. Never had BOH experience but I've talked at length about food in my interviews when they've been for white collar industry jobs (most recently, about the best way to eat eggs). And I feel like "I don't know how to cook chicken" is a bad answer for applying to be a line cook.
rustyisme123 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:31:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have to say, line cook is not an easy job, but it's one of the easiest jobs to interview for and keep. I mean, every one of my friends who was ever a line cook drank like a horse and smoked like a chimney. Some had misdemeanors or even felony charges. None had degrees. A few even lacked their own car. But as long as they showed up, worked hard, and cooked the food well, nobody gave a shit about any of that other stuff.
Tobacconist ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 19:48:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Line cook with a felony here, and yep! It's where all us social outcasts go, and it makes for a beautiful place. Rampant sexism, racism, lewd behaviour, extra breaks, and drug use? I see it all and contribute to some.
But damn, when those orders hit and you look around to see a team of fuck-ups working as one cohesive unit? It's beautiful.
rustyisme123 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:59:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup. You pretty much nailed the description of my most of my friends right there.
grifficusprime ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:22:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can you hire me? I love food...
xXSHAD0WQUEENXx ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:28:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have just applied to work in a kitchen and after reading this I feel better about my chances thanks!
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:05:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm all for hiring unqualified people if they've got a love for the work and the basic skillset required, but jesus christ to interview for a line cook job when you can't even prepare basic meals? Fucking hell.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 19:05:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...can you hire me? I'm an unemployed cook! :D
ERRORMONSTER ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:25:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
BBC chicken in a crock pot is pretty great. Chicken tacos are a close second.
itswhywegame ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:59:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is the line cook who tries to microwave everything and doesn't know why you get angry when she does it.
haloelites7 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:47:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hire meeee
AalewisX ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:04:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do you need to know how to cook to be a line chef? I thought that was like putting burgers together
halfeclipsed ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:55:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you serious? Its waaaaaaaay more than that. I've been a line cook at different restaurants for about 6 years, even made it to KM in one before leaving that shit hole. I've only probably put 100 burgers together.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:40:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I bullshitted my way into a line cook position once by saying I could train in one area first to know and learn the menu, get used to everything.
They started loosing cooks so fast that I started as cook in less than 2 weeks versus the 3-4 months they anticipated.
anormalgeek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:41:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If that was the last question...what the hell were the preceding questions that didn't give any indication that this person was an idiot?
SMTTT84 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:00:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do you have candidates actually cook a meal for you first?
halfeclipsed ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:58:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did at one job. I gave them 45 minutes to make whatever they wanted to see what kind of skills they have. I had a grilled cheese once, I told him we'd give him a call. Never did. If you think making a grilled cheese and only that in 45 min is gonna get you a job in a kitchen, think again.
mrs-morris ยท 1226 points ยท Posted at 22:39:02 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Last week we were interviewing a potential new hire who clearly had absolutely no idea what our company/the job was about. Like, hadn't even googled us, had no idea what she wanted to do there, and told us that she wanted to go into our business because other things she looked at were "too hard to do, and too much energy" so this company seemed like a good fit. Uhh.. okay. I told her I didn't think she'd be a good fit for the position, and she tried to argue with me, saying that she didn't know what the job was about but she was sure she could do it and that it wasn't fair that we would turn her down when the position was open and we needed somebody, and she showed up for the interview, so she should have the job. Uh no. She was a disaster.
[deleted] ยท 334 points ยท Posted at 23:16:18 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a basket case. I hate when people feel like they're entitled to a job just cuz they showed up. My hotel is having interviews rn and I judge people hard core on how they're dressed. Some come in casual clothes. I went to all my interviews even if they were for bottom of the barrel jobs, in a blazer and skirt or a dress. Smh people don't have good interview etiquette.
Edit: all my clothes I brought from the thrift store for cheap too so no one can argue if they don't have money.
thesorehead ยท 182 points ยท Posted at 00:18:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup. I don't care how overdressed I may be for the office, I always turn up to the interview and for my first day in a suit and tie. It doesn't take more than a day to figure out what the actual "dress code" is in the office, and it's easy enough to take off a tie to fit in better.
But no matter how good you may be at the actual job, formal business attire is the best way to give the first impression "I'm serious about this".
swims_with_spacemen ยท 167 points ยท Posted at 01:18:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did that during my interview- the HR/Recruiter neglected to tell me that it was a casual office- jeans, tee-shirts and such. So in waltz I with my suit looking very dapper...
... we made a joke about it, it helped break the ice.
BlackHoleFun ยท 51 points ยท Posted at 03:23:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think it's better to be more dressed up than too dressed down in a job interview situation.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:24:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
except software startups or california software jobs, they actually view over-dressing pretty negatively. when i went out to irvine to interview at google they specifically told me not to dress up
[deleted] ยท 84 points ยท Posted at 02:46:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
futurespice ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 07:02:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
where's the problem? if it's business casual just remove jacket and tie.
icedroadhome ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 09:34:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He had to wear the same things over and over again.
nanogoose ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 16:52:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mix and match with different dress shirts. Men's office wear is easy compared to womens.
anymooseposter ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:49:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just tell them you're taking NASA back to its classic mid-century roots.
shakeszilla ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 17:42:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Why didn't you go with a short sleeve button up, pocket protector and black tie?
deathlokke ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 03:01:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My dad interviewed for a position in a machine shop in a suit and tie. They still give him a hard time about it, but he got the job.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:49:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At that point you just pretend you're one of those people who wear suits all the time.
Aran206 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Barney Stimson is my spirit animal.
Mike81890 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:03:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've done the same thing. I think it shows that you are serious about the job, have the ability to look fancy, and thought highly enough of the company that a suit would be appropriate
feb914 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:01:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
that was my first internship. i came in with full suits, and everyone looked at me and asked "is this your first day?".
thorough the day i kept dressing down (took off blazer in the morning, get rid of the tie after lunch, roll up the sleeve at coffee break), and still being overdressed.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had a job at a call center and I wore a suit jacket, slacks and button up shirt with no tie. I was offered the job and the guy kinda joked about how I was dressed as anyone who has worked in a call center would guess, they don't care what you look like, only what you sound like. A snuggie was acceptical attire for that place. Oh the smells...
TheyMakeMeWearPants ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 04:16:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ish. I do software. When a candidate shows up in a suit and tie, it usually indicates they're out of touch with the state of the industry. Standard interview attire for us is a nice shirt and khakis, but you can get away with jeans. If you're good enough you can get away with a t-shirt, but you had damn well better be able to back it up.
thesorehead ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 04:37:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I totally agree, the industry standard matters. Obvious examples where a suit and tie are totally unsuitable would be oil rig mechanic or truck-driver. And if I was able to get a look at the office during or after the interview, I'd take a stab at matching their attire on my first day.
But generally, I think that for an office-type job dressing the part of "someone who takes themselves seriously" is helpful. If I showed up in my normal "uniform" and saw the dress code as you described, I'd probably take off my tie and jacket straight away to fit in a bit better. I guess my point is it's a lot easier to dress down from "formal business" to "business casual" than to dress up in the opposite direction. :)
GV18 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:41:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in software too, but if I turned up to an interview in anything short of a suit and tie, I would be politely shown the door. In the office, it's pretty casual, but for an interview, it's not.
TheyMakeMeWearPants ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:01:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interesting. Suit and tie fell out of favor around here roughly 10 years ago. Genuinely qualified candidates are few and far between, so no one gets shown the door based on attire alone. NYC here, not finance (finance software is a whole separate culture from the rest of the software world). You?
GV18 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:00:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Northern Ireland. We have a shockingly good IT area, we've tend to be a fairly popular choice for American IT companies because we seem to churn out a high level of IT folk.
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:26:15 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
England - the same, business attire. =(
I guess writing business software is seen as accountancy, no creativity needed, and therefore no "creative quirks" (like t-shirts with pictures on them).
TunaBoo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:35:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
depends. rule is dress 1 level higher then the office. programmers in some finance jobs are business casual, so 1 step higher is suit.
TheyMakeMeWearPants ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, finance is a different animal altogether. Them bitches be crazy.
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:26:47 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can confirm!
SarahC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:24:36 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not in financial software - sigh - .......
Fucking office wear? REALLY?!
Yup.....
Koras ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:03:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah programming, the one job you can walk into wearing a stained ninja turtles t-shirt, so long as you have SKILLS.
I know someone who literally did that (to be fair it's a sick ninja turtles t-shirt), but it probably helped that the guy interviewing him had the same turtles shirt, was coming off 18 hours of crunch and just wanted to go home
thesorehead ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:25:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Friend of mine (awesome hardworking-genius type guy) literally rolled out of bed, grabbed his bag and went to work. Didn't matter, got results.
I do envy him that!
commyforce ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:05:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This isn't very true. It really depends where you work for software. Where I work, it wouldn't be a good idea to wear jeans and a shirt, you better be wearing a suit. That's a step above of everyday work attire here which is business casual.
draynen ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:57:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The industry I work in is a little weird, but there are places that will straight up turn you away from your interview if you show up in a suit. I've interviewed in jeans and a T-shirt before. God bless the tech industry.
17Hongo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:36:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I either do a suit and tie, or a smart jacket, trousers, tie and nice shoes. Not exactly a set piece like a suit, but still smart.
cactuscat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:42:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a lot better to be a bit overdressed than underdressed for an interview and first day.
TheDutchNorwegian ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:15:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
hey man, good luck with your dress and ties working with pigs/cows/sheep : D
thesorehead ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:23:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
haha thanks! :D
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/3ktu5q/people_in_charge_of_hiring_whats_the_worst_way/cv0uewo
NAVD ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:07:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I turned up for my first day looking real nice. Then my manger told me to start wearing normal clothes from then on. Good thing too, my pants split open in the first half hour.
thesorehead ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:30:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had the same experience, although it was in an office it was very casual. It's easy enough to adjust :).
r4ptor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:15:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got a summer gig as a student working in a government warehouse. The interviewer told me to wear comfortable and not-so-nice clothes on the first day and, having worked in warehouses previously, I showed up in shorts and an UnderArmour shirt. The rest of the students were all wearing business casual that got covered in warehouse dust and sweat.
I got transferred to a different building a few days later and apparently that group was pretty terrible if left unsupervised.
thesorehead ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
LOL not surprised, sounds like they weren't great at following instructions! :D
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:16:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went to my interview at the central bank in a tshirt and lazy pants. And I got the job.
thesorehead ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:31:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well done! :)
baconraygun ยท 49 points ยท Posted at 00:06:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
All my interview clothes are from the thrift store, and I go the extra mile to iron them before I go too.
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 00:40:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Man, I'll have to step up my interview game if I'm competing with the likes of you!!
[deleted] ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 01:15:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Even just a blazer over a nice shirt and some slacks makes a difference. You just look nicer. I'd take it off right when I got back in my car lol. Horrible in the Texas heat though.
baconraygun ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 04:20:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If it's any help. 100% of the interview clothes I ironed got me the job, and 50% of the ones I didn't iron got me hired. For bonus points: I got my iron at the thrift store too, for $2!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:43:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I'll wear your grandpa's clothes" Got a hair drier for $3 and a straighter for $5. Thrift stores are a life saver :))
Nyan_Cat_Chick ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 01:54:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Damn we got a bad ass over here
baconraygun ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:19:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Overcautious and paranoid that every tiny little thing will make them decide against me, more like.
Amp3r ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:38:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Shit! I am literally waiting for my interview in an unironed shirt right now. I got a flat tyre on my bike on the way home and didn't have time to get ready.
Ninja edit: The interviewer came as I was about to post that. I think it went well. We laughed about Murphy's law striking so I hope first impressions weren't too bad.
the_cucumber ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:09:37 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hope you get it!
Amp3r ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:27:08 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks dude. I'll have to cut my hair and shave every day if I get the job though. We will see.
MemeInBlack ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:14:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Careful now, from there it's a short step to washing them too!
Daniellemillerart ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:27:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
yup, if not a skirt then non-denim pants and ALWAYS a blazer. If it's a company that I know would be fine with wearing denim to an interview you can bet as hell they're white or nicer jeans worn with a nice blazer and professional heels. There are ways to dress up even the most casual clothes if you're in a position where that's all you have or that's the best you can throw together that day - but the people I've interviewed (for Cutco, honestly the most lenient hiring if the manager wasn't me) would so often come in with beat up and stained jeans or shorts, oversized slouchy tshirts, and just collapse in their chair. I would never hire them - I don't care if it's the lowest of the low jobs you're applying for, if you can't dress or present yourself with SOME class it's going to reflect in your work ethic. Honestly even if you think you'll never wear it, even just putting the money together to buy a well-fitted, nicer blazer on sale (J.Crew always has an extra 40% off sale I swear to god) will be all you need.
mickey72 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 04:27:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well that depends. Even when I'm in shape the smallest blazer that will fit me is a 48L (men's US size). I have a difficult time finding jackets at the thrift stores.
NoIamNotUnidan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:08:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was applying to a job at a big international engeneering/production company. It was for a low tier job in production but they payed reaally good, like up to 25usd/h if you worked nights. I had some contacts in the company and asked for tips for the interview. They all said that I should come in casual clothes. Not sweatpants and such but definitely not in formal clothes (suit and tie). So i guess it comes down to what company and the position that you are after.
For a hotel job where you interact with costumers on a daily basis i recon that it would be best to show that you can dress properly.
fissionman1 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:46:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what do you do with all the time you save using all those typing shortcuts?
Fagsquamntch ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:40:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel that almost no one can actually tell a fitted $1000 suit jacket from a well-picked $15 suit jacket with some minor alterations.
This makes expensive jackets useless for anything other than wearing them next to people who can actually tell the difference (tailors I guess?), or personal satisfaction.
Lord_Cronos ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:39:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are we talking about a $15 jacket that's priced there because it's used and when it was new was a few hundred dollars? Because with super cheap (to begin with) dresswear, it's generally not that hard to tell that it's cheap. Lower thread count, gives a different sheen and texture, stitching isn't as nice, etc....
Fagsquamntch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:50:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're one of the people who can tell.
Lord_Cronos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:12:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's fair. The point though is that I'd hope most people who do interviews are also people who can tell.
Fagsquamntch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:15:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They're not.
Lord_Cronos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:17:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm glad you're so sure.
Fagsquamntch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:20:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean maybe in a profession where that's seen as important, like being a lawyer or something along those lines.
Why would you hope most people who interview can tell? If you think about it, it's actually a really stupid criteria to measure someone's competency with if that person isn't going to be interacting with clientele.
Lord_Cronos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:43:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd hope they can tell simply because attention to detail like that is a trait that would make them better at their job. If I were interviewing somebody for a job that would never require that level of dress, and where professional interactions with those outside the office would be minimal, I might notice a cheap suit, but I wouldn't necessarily count it against them.
I'm definitely not saying anything like, "Job goes to the best dressed", but I do think that for a person who has a hiring job, it's a good skill to be able to notice it, and possibly an essential one for fields where professional dress is important.
Fagsquamntch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:32:04 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interesting. What's the approximate rate of people who wear nicer, tailored suits vs. not when you have conducted interviews?
Lord_Cronos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:27:54 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well at the career fair I was at last week, I'd say that at least 85% of the people I saw were wearing fairly nice tailored suits. This was in a computer science / informatics setting, the expectation for the event was that you wouldn't get in without a suit, it was basically just a professionalism thing, impress the businesses that came to it, nearly all of them would require a maximum of business casual for day to day work though, most probably as casual as t-shirt and jeans.
AtlantaRN50 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:03:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thrift stores are great for clothes.
realusername42 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:51:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And also, I would advise people to get an haircut, it's really cheap and you look 10 times better.
thatJainaGirl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:22:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For the job I have right now, my sister asked me to drive her to an interview with the company. It was raining, so I went in a hoodie and jeans. While I was waiting for her to finish her interview, they asked to interview me too, and offered me a job.
I actually said to them, "If I knew there was an opening, I would have dressed for the occasion!"
Geminii27 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:28:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did some work for a retail conglomerate a while back and got to speak to the store-level managers there. Apparently 'showing up' was something they actually needed to emphasize to new shop-floor hires in the interview, due to the vast number who simply didn't.
AnotherStupidName ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For one interview I had, when they called to schedule it, they told me on the phone "don't wear a suit, or we'll make fun of you."
Wrote business casual for the interview, and still felt over dressed.
Worked there for 5 years.
BrobearBerbil ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I remember going to Manpower one summer during college and I had to watch a training video that had segments that spent literally 3 minutes on "Comb your hair" and "Don't wear sweatpants." The uncomfortable part is that it felt kinda racial as all the examples of what not to do was some minority woman and the right way to do things was always demonstrated by a white woman. Also, all the bosses were white women who were either down on the bad minority's faux pas or praising the white lady's professionalism. I guess they were at least all women though, so that bit was progressive? Damn, I wish I could get a copy of that video tape.
TheBananaKing ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:38:51 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I showed up for my job interview in a suit.
Ten years later, and I'm still getting teased about it.
This is a jeans and T-shirt kind of office...
Heathen92 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:04:10 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I show up to every interview involved a suit and when/if a casual office environment teased me about it I just straighten my tie and say "I'd wear this anyway. I look damn good."
Southparkfan1993 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:08:27 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As my father said dress for the job you want not the job you have
tworkout ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:27:44 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I always wore slacks, button-up long sleeve shirt, and a tie. It got me a pretty nice job.
WarmDuvet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:19:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Went to my last interview in a dress. It wasn't very flattering considering my penis.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:43:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thats why you have to tuck it :) r/Amateur
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:44:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
EDIT: just writed it randomly, didnt know it was a amateur p*rn subreddit...
uReallyShouldTrustMe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:06:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That has been my attitude too. Even when it was retail at a gift shop. Later, I had the opportunity to hire people and it was amazing how few bothers to even put on dress shoes. I get that it isn't an amazing job, but have some decency.
cuntRatDickTree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:18:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Uh. I was technically homeless when applying for jobs (UK just throw you out after Uni now, no social housing available anymore and if you aren't a student - i.e. you just graduated - you have basically no rights).
Gromann ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 09:58:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Not always true. Try finding clothes that fit you suitably when you're 6 and a half feet tall at a thrift store.
Downvoted because experience. Makes sense.
FirstNameHere ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 05:38:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was always told its 100% possible to overdress for an interview though...
iamthelefthandofgod ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 09:35:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just feel like if I went all out and wore a dress or even just a nice skirt and blazer when going in for a minimum wage job I might be judged badly. Primarily because I'm a guy.
ApathyZombie ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:49:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I started off going to every interview in a skirt and blazer, or in a dress. Never helped me at all.
In fact, sometimes people looked at me like, "Dude, WTF?"
anglerfishtacos ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 01:02:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm guessing she was that student in college who argued that she shouldn't be given a failing grade in the class because she showed up for class
Raschwolf ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:02:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Now I'm curious to know what the job was......
godless-life ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:51:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Aren't you requesting for motivation letters? That's my first line of defense to know the applicant has a clue about job and company. It's all lies anyway, but at least they know the job description...
TheSortOfGrimReaper ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:21:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You should have given her a "you showed up" trophy.
acm2033 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:32:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't you like reviewing applications that have the wrong place on them? "I'd really like to work at XYZ"... Too bad you're applying at PDQ.
guitarjob ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:46:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She probably could do it. You are not special
tah4349 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:04:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why do people not realize this is an incredibly important thing to do before an interview?!?! I was interviewing a woman who stopped the interview to ask if our company had anything to do with religion or religious people, because she didn't want to have anything to do with organized religion. After an awkward pause, I explained that the company was secular, though it was founded by a Catholic priest and received funding from the USCCB (US Conference of Catholic Bishops), and the purpose of the company was to resettle refugees who were forced from their homes for a variety of reasons, but many, if not most, were fleeing religious persecution of some form. All information that was abundantly clear in words and pictures on nearly every page of the website. She seemed quite perturbed at this information.
Callmebobbyorbooby ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:38:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a recruiter and some times I get those people who say "I've been unemployed for this long" and sometimes, I'll be honest, I can see why they've been unemployed. Some people are just really really bad and don't realize why they're unemployed. Just because you have the skills, doesn't mean you have the personality. Skills can be taught, a shitty personality is something most people don't even want to try and work with.
Aroha11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:19:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But, to be fair. a long unemployment does horrible things to people, and can corrode their judgement, self-presentation skills and confidence.
Callmebobbyorbooby ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:25:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No I know, but some people are just dicks anyways. I've seen this happen a lot. They get fired because of their attitude or personality, then they blame everyone around them except themselves, can't get hired or do get hired and get fired again and continue to blame everyone. In my line of work, I see all kinds of people. It's honestly sad to see some times because they really just have no idea that they're the problem and the world isn't out to get them.
TrappedAtReception ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:44:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, I've showed up for interviews where I've only known the basics of the job, but that was because they made the listing super vague on purpose.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:53:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm guessing someone hooked her up with the interview
bn1979 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 05:33:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Always spend at least a few minutes reading about the company online - particularly on their own website.
I've had several interviewers ask, "what do you know about our company?" Just having an extremely basic knowledge of the company history and/or structure looks damn good and shows that you are truly interested in the job.
JoJack82 ยท 562 points ยท Posted at 02:26:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We once had an internal applicant lie about what he did at the company that we all work for.
kroka4loka ยท 63 points ยท Posted at 06:16:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What did he claim to do and what does he actually do?
JoJack82 ยท 137 points ยท Posted at 11:48:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He worked on the Helpdesk doing basic computer setups and first level troubleshooting. He claimed he designed, installed and managed the phone systems at our company. He didn't even have a login to them so he couldn't even do simple tasks like add a user. The closest thing he came to working on it was putting phones on desks and plugging them in.
The best part of his lie was he was applying into the infrastructure team that did design, install and manage the companies phone system. He didn't get to the interview stage but that would have been hilarious.
I'm willing to bet he put a bunch of lies on his resume when applying externally and either forgot to remove it or submitted the wrong resume. The resume also said he was a CCNP (Cisco certified network professional) but he didn't know what a subnet was. For those that don't know what that is that would be like being a car mechanic and not knowing what a car is.
Sir_Speshkitty ยท 68 points ยท Posted at 12:39:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's more like not knowing what an engine is.
JoJack82 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 15:06:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ya, that might be a better comparison.
Skrp ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:19:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My fucking sides. I got the CCNA R&S and want to go for the CCNP in the future when I get some more work experience (though finding jobs to get that experience is proving hard) and this guy claimed to be a CCNP and didn't know what a subnet was? Pure gold.
cambo666 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:54:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey man.
It's rough out there. Gotta make drastic moves sometimes.
kickdrive ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:20:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of phone system?
JoJack82 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:34:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
CUCM and UCCE for the customer service management.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:51:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, CCNPs are probably going to use the term VLAN. I work with one of these dudes and he didn't know what I meant when I said subnet.
I think your car example would be more like American 'Trunk' vs British 'Boot'
JoJack82 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:06:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He had no access to any routers or switches. It was a discussion about the subnet mask setting on his workstation. He wanted to know what the subnet mask was for. So we had a long talk about networks and he basically had zero understanding of them. I'm 100% sure he didn't have a CCNP.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 07:53:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
CEO, janitor.
Thelemurr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:25:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a people person! I HAVE PEOPLE SKILLS GOD DAMNIT!
TigerlillyGastro ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 09:02:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he was one of those guys that no one knows what he actually does. Like "Oh he's just the janitor" because people see him cleaning the coffee machine, but actually he's senior vice president of billings and out comings, who just has a thing about clean coffee machines.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:22:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am imagining Homer Simpson.
5quirrel ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:48:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This one is so simple but it's got to be the like the dumbest here
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:15:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah my name is Rod, and I like to party!
DoNotUpvoteTooMuch ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:40:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I see this too. Applicant lied about how much they were paid at their current position in our company so they could "get more." Really no surprise that HR just looked it up and flat out told them no. I think they even got demoted because of that stunt.
onlynag ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:20:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's hilarious. May be he thought he worked undercover :) Edit: Spelling
matthieuC ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:48:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So Management material ?
JoJack82 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:06:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly
flotiste ยท 870 points ยท Posted at 23:31:49 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy showed up for a military aptitude test high on coke.
[deleted] ยท 1015 points ยท Posted at 00:35:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
WOOOO!!!!! LETS BLOW SOME FUCKING SHIT UP!!!?!!! WHERES MY GUN?!
flotiste ยท 342 points ยท Posted at 00:45:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I told you, you're not getting a gun until you give me your name!
DD225 ยท 281 points ยท Posted at 01:37:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've had it up to here with your rules!
_mihali_ ยท 171 points ยท Posted at 02:16:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I first heard that Marge was joining the police academy, I thought it would be fun and zany, like that movie "Spaceballs." But instead it was dark and disturbing, like that movie "Police Academy."
GimpedNinja ยท 51 points ยท Posted at 04:56:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"You missed the baby, you missed the blind man . . . "
calmlunatic ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:38:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I guess I am putting up the Halloween-y decorations a little early. Criticism accepted!
ramboacdc ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:57:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
this whole thread had me in tears!
Skaughty23 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 01:51:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well I'm not giving a name until I get my gun
GoodLordBelow ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 05:33:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whoooosh
BlueFalconPunch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:53:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...."This is my rifle, this is my gun. This is for fighting, this is for fun". We did have one guy who had to put his "gun" in the dirt for calling his rifle that.
mermaidleesi ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 04:57:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Howdy! Where do I get my grenades at? They don't have them group terlets here no more now, do they?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:53:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Marines are next door.
Imperito ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:02:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Merica! Fuck Yeah!
loonsun ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:03:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'M DOCTOR ROXO AND I DO COCAINE!!!!
17Hongo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:40:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can only assume that he passed with flying colours.
Eddie_Hitler ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:48:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like most of the US Army to be fair.
JeffTheFrosty ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 01:13:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't know if it's changed, but it's a weapon, not a gun.
Skaughty23 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 01:50:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is my rifle this is my gun this is for fighting this is for fun
blaghart ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:52:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Does the army even get guns? For some reason artillery in my brain is in a separate category than "army".
baconlover2 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 01:33:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like most of *Army Reserves
[deleted] ยท 372 points ยท Posted at 01:32:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Kid came in wanting to be a SEAL, did low 20s for pushups on the spot in 2 minutes, 1 pull up, and around low 20s for sit ups. Fitness can be fixed with enough time, so I decided to put him on the practice ASVAB just to see if we can at least work with him; he scored a 12. I walked a couple doors down and asked the Army guys if they can do anything with that, they told me not to bring him in their office. I did anyway.
flotiste ยท 220 points ยท Posted at 01:38:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a dude ask if a 10-year weapons prohibition that was in force until 2022 would bar him from serving.
WaGgoggles ยท 114 points ยท Posted at 05:47:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He can just run up to the enemy and punch them
SoSeriousAndDeep ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:54:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, he's doomed.
gloomyroomy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:05:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Then they have to cut his hands off.
MadamStrangelove ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:44:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nothing is sharper than knife hands... they couldn't be cut off if he was trained properly... FEAR THE KNIFE HANDS
nellirn ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:16:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And bark like a seal and clap his fins together.
mrshulgin ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:22:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What exactly is a weapons prohibition? Certain convicted felons, who can't own firearms, can join the military right?
WhynotstartnoW ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 02:46:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I don't think any convicted felons can join the military.
I couldn't join the army during the surge in 2009 because I had an expunged felony(it was one of those plea deals were you plead guilty to the felony, pay a 3000$ fine, and they convict you of a misdemeanor instead). I was never actually convicted for a felony, I had just plead guilty to one. The recruiter informed me that the guilty plea would disqualify me from serving in any branch regardless of the fact that a felony was never on my background check. This was at a time where I heard recruiters were doing some pretty shady stuff to boost their numbers. The felony which i plead guilty to was possession of a schedule one controlled substance.
I was pretty surprised because I thought in previous wars judges permitted people to join the military instead of serving out probation.
Edit: I actually remember the recruiter saying that at one point they could grant a waiver if I had plead guilty to possession of Marijuana and later had that expunged, but they were no longer permitted to do so.
improbable_humanoid ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 08:02:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
plead guilty = convicted
noslipcondition ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 08:54:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Yup. Even if it was expunged or reduced due to a plea deal. The phrase the military uses is adverse adjudication.
For the curious:
Zardif ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:09:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You can get waivers for felonies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felony_waiver
dave200204 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:02:42 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm no recruiter but I've been in long enough to know how things go. Waivers are a lot harder to come by these days. I got a medical waiver when I enlisted in 2008. (steel plate in my leg) Now a days with the draw down recruiters don't want to be bothered with waivers. Also the Army can afford to be picky about who they let in.
darthcoder ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:57:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Someday, I hope y'all get pardons for that bullshit. :-/
Unless you were selling to kids or hooking people for their grocery money, no harm, no foul, IMHO.
JadMaister ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:37:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
worst part is that weed is also schedule one
flotiste ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:21:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the country. But a weapons prohibition means you're not only prohibited from owning them, but also from handling them. One would imagine that would be enough to tell someone they can't join the military, but apparently not!
ShadowShine57 ยท 130 points ยท Posted at 02:19:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How bad is a 12 on whatever that is? Is that like a 12/100 or 12/20 or what
cited ยท 382 points ยท Posted at 06:59:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Forrest Gump would have gotten a 40. A 12 is about what an especially stupid grilled cheese could get on the test.
dacooljamaican ยท 38 points ยท Posted at 10:48:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went to basic with a 13, or so he said. Even if he hadn't told me... you could tell. Have you ever met someone so stupid that they're actually physically stupid? It's incredible. Nice guy though.
bobthedonkeylurker ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:47:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Could he even spell his name?
dacooljamaican ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 13:59:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You know how teenage girls can't even? He really couldn't even. Insert anything after that and you're right.
jayseesee85 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:00:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh god, I love that.
cited ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:28:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
32 was the minimum in the Navy, and you can take the test as many times as you want. I got a 99, which meant I was in charge of teaching all of the stupid people.
There was another guy who couldn't count and do jumping jacks at the same time.
kerune ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:47:06 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I took the asvab for fun in high school and got a 98 or 99. What kind of role could that have gotten me in entry level army? Or any other branch.
cited ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:04:18 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A stupid one. Do something worthwhile with your life, not the military.
kerune ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:56:01 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean, this was many years ago. I'm not about to join the military now.
Kaijem ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:18:20 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please don't tell me his name is Kevin.
slapdashbr ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:11:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Forrest gump had an iq of 75 I believe which means he would have scored about a 10. But yeah, not a lot of difference there.
Of course Forrest was also a physically talented athlete which is why he went to college to play football...
HellMuttz ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 08:46:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
American cheese maybe, but what about swiss cheese
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 10:35:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Swiss military cheese 5.56mm
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:48:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This makes me feel quite well about the 93 I scored on my ASVAB. Now if only my fucking ears hadn't ruined my chances of enlistment, I'd honestly probably be doing a lot better off for myself.
chui27 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:32:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What about your ears?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:26:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had my earlobes stretched during my teenage years. My liaison officer had insisted upon holding a flashlight up to my earlobes to see whether or not my ears had closed up far enough for the Air Force's standards. I even passed depth perception.
dsatrbs ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:05:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Couldn't you have negotiated an enlistment bonus that would be used to pay for surgery to close those bitches up?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:51:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nah, my heart really wasn't in it. My parents had given me the ultimatum of Enlistment or getting kicked out. I have too many qualms about the military. So I wasn't too quick to jump at negotiations for my service.
dsatrbs ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:53:53 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can respect that. I assumed you really wanted to be there, so I was a little surprised you got hung up on something so minor.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:59:19 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No sir. I respect our enlisted men and women. However, I do not respect the politicians that treat them as disposable pawns in some grand-scale game of Risk. Even at 18, I realized that my life had more value than that. But, with a 93 ASVAB and a strong sense of just and unjust, I could have easily been discharged and walked on to any Police force by now. Not serving at Applebee's because I was ill-prepared for the five hour move we madea month ago and had a hard time adjusting and finding a new job.
cited ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:34:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, we're dumb enough to enlist in the first place, so we have that going against us.
hometown_holly ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:26:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
An "especially stupid grilled cheese sandwich" omg i died
ThePandaChoke ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup, i serve with a few of those.
ButtsexEurope ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:02:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Forrest Gump was a prodigy at the military, remember?
cited ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 20:35:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Which is a joke that hardly anyone got. If they could have a million people just like him, they would. Do exactly what you're told, don't think too much.
swrdfish ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:17:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
LMFAO
willtheyeverlearn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:33:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Forrest Gump had crazy endurance though, the guy could run across the country non-stop.
deathlokke ยท 198 points ยท Posted at 02:52:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
12th percentile. Meaning 88% did better.
nellirn ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:17:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He just filled out the form in ABACADABA style.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 12:33:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
12th% of people who take that test, or of people in general?
MrPigeon ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 12:46:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well I mean...it might be tough to score the people who haven't taken the test.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah but there are general/national fitness tests and stuff
theredvip3r ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:23:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That are most likely optional unless you live in north Korea
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:31:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So because 100% of people didn't take it, the data is invalid?
theredvip3r ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:44:08 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not accurate, do you think overweight people will be taking fitness tests
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:49:06 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's why I asked where his score was coming from
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:31:45 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not a fitness test. It's a knowledge test with basic math, science, english, and history questions, if I remember correctly. I took it like 4 years ago.
Majorpwn ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:17:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Think of it as the exercises you would do in school when leaning peoples names, you line up alphabetically, except the ASVAP is based on intelligence (obviously).. the 88% ahead of him scored higher and more fluently. Its system based on others performance in comparison to your own
dave200204 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:14:43 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The ASVAB gets broken down into individual line scores which will qualify a recruit for certain jobs in the military. A 12 is the percentile score. The test scores are sampled on a regular basis. It's computed off of the people who take the test. A 50 on the ASVAB is usually bare minimum to get a recruit in.
proROKexpat ยท 35 points ยท Posted at 06:40:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
One of the dumbest people I ever met scored a 29 on it. He was a fucking moron and defied all logic
12 is so bad its impressive.
Hitchhiker3000 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:26:58 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know a jack ass who scored an 8... he like decided to bomb it.
proROKexpat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:29:20 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm impressed
ethphonehome ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 09:49:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a student score a 9 on the ASVAB. I thought that was either a low score or a fairly high score for him, considering my experiences working with him in the past. I felt like such a failure when I saw it was a percentile test.
Thankfully, it was from this information that I was finally able to have some sort of a breakthrough with him. I knew he had low-self-esteem, but I didn't realize that it was so low he'd second guess himself out of the right answer. He was often selecting the correct answer and thinking "Nah, you're dumb, that can't be the right answer." It broke my heart. Thankfully he's seeing a counselor now for this and is seeing marked improvement.
Count2Infinity ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 03:29:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's based on percentile so the highest score possible on each section is 99.
kernozlov ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:21:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The army requires a 25 to enlist. So a 12 is fucking terrible.
fire_king ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:07:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You need a 30 to be infantry that's how bad it is
iTroLowElo ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:29:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The real test is 200 questions I believe. So 12 pretty much mean he is close to retardation.
Severedprodigy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:04:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
12/99
slimjim9059 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:07:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
12/100
barbodelli ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:22:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just to emphasize. When I took the ASVAB the test was so fucking easy I had to double check most of my answers to make sure they weren't trick questions. It was like 1+x = 2 what is x. And you are like uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh "FUCKING 1".... Like seriously?!?! Ok I'm exaggerating a bit but it was ridiculously easy.
B1g-Boss45 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:39:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got a 77 and that's kind of high. I believe they want you to get at least a 31.
Butt_Stuff_Pirate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:38:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The infantry has 3 tasks they need to be able to do: walk a long distance carrying heavy stuff, ride in a helicopter, and shoot stuff. Iirc you need to score a 32 to be be considered smart enough to do these 3 things.
Militant_Monk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:21:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
1 to 99 so that was a 12/99.
Source
Looking at the test now it's changed quiet a bit since I did it. There used to be a huge 100+ question timed section of 'one of these things does not belong'.
Tayloropolis ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:45:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No kidding, we're talking about a noticeable mental handicap for a score like that.
gsavageme ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:48:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
a 30 is the minimum score for a marine. Its the lowest acceptable score for any armed service position.
Nithryok ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
it's more like a 12 out of 1500, i scored a 1300 when I went in.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:02:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
On the ASVAB? 99 is the highest score
Ofactorial ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:51:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The ASVAB is basically a "are you clinically retarded?" test. This guy's score could be more accurately represented as potato/100.
noteverrelevant ยท 96 points ยท Posted at 01:53:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
12? Ouch. I guess some people have to score that low for a percentile-based test to be effective, though.
alx3m ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 06:35:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I'd say, oh, about 12 percent.
nut0003 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:50:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How bad would it be to get a 1 though?
wertopucv ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:25:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd prefer that to a 2. I'd at least get to say I was part of the 1%.
nut0003 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:52:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not the 1% you would be hoping for though.
wertopucv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:16:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ssshhhhh
caspy7 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:27:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you got a 1, you wouldn't be witty enough to use that line.
zw1ck ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:06:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We took it in high school and one guy tried to fail and he got a 2. Points for filling out his name right I guess.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 02:17:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What's a good asvab score?
nragano ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 03:32:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
and is there anywhere online i can take one just to see how i stack up?
Ucantalas ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:56:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, there's this one at 4Tests.com.
(I tried it out, this is the dumbest I've felt in a long time...)
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:43:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I scored slightly better in high school when I used more of that knowledge more recently.
marinewannabee97 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:16:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Aim for 60 push ups,80 sit ups and at least 8 pull ups. Never mind anyone else. Also bear in mind entry requirements are the minimum standards, if you can do better go for it.
Dotjr ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 04:11:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure what average is but when I took it I got a 94. My recruiter called me a nerd and said I could literally do anything.
Unfortunately high myopia disqualified me.
Velfarr3 ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 07:11:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
94 here as well. They said that same thing "You can do whatever you want".
I should have walked out and gotten a real job haha.
notimeforniceties ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:19:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That can be waivered...
Dotjr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:30:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Explained above. But I forgot to add at the time I tried, as did my recruiter and even his commander. For about 6 months.
Salias ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:16:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As said above, that can definitely be waivered, you'll just have to go through MEPS again with the waiver.
Dotjr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:29:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nah, that was years ago and it was such a hassle. I was in a motorcycle accident that left me with multiple torn ligaments.
At the time I had less problems and I got all the paperwork together to get in. Now, I'm having more pain, along with some other symptoms on the side I landed on that weren't there before. I don't think I'd get through boot.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:47:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I considered going into the military after high school for the experience. I had a 90 when I took the ASVAB long long ago. Recruiter said my asthma disqualified me. Dammit :/
The_Brain_Fuckler ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:10:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Motherfucker, same here. Stupidly, I was dead-set on tanks and said I wouldn't ship until they gave me an 1812 contract (they were fucking me around trying to make me a Field Radio Operator or something after they initially offered me a tank slot).
Ten years later, I wish I'd have gone with nukes in the Navy. Nobody needs a civilian tanker.
kyled85 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:01:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
99 is perfect, I think the average is around 50
FrightHorse ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:20:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
FYI, 99 is far from perfect. Your AFQT (the 0-99 score) is just the combination of all your line scores (Mathematics, mechanics, electronics, reading comprehension, etc.) places you in relation to others that have taken the test. When I went DLI the vast majority of servicemembers had at least a 95, and every third or so had a 99. Intel is full of them, and we all learned it doesn't mean shit.
Thing is, you can have a 99 that's especially good at reading comprehension. Another might be great at math. If your line scores in one category are high enough and the rest are passable, it will drag your AFQT to 99.
beelzeflub ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:27:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
50 is the average?
Fuck. เฒ _เฒ
Velfarr3 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:10:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I joined the Navy. hit a 94 on mine, but we had 1 dude in bootcamp who scored a 99. They didn't even make him workout with the rest of us, he was always in the office doing the paperwork for the drill instructors.
They said 66 and up was considered alpha, for what that's worth.
HappyHound ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:28:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's really depressing. I had a 98, army wanted me in mobile infantry. Glad I didn't join. To put this in perspective a friend is an army doctor (D.O.) and scored a 94. His eyes glazed when I told him mine.
HappyHound ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:28:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's really depressing. I had a 98, army wanted me in mobile infantry. Glad I didn't join. To put this in perspective a friend is an army doctor (D.O.) and scored a 94. His eyes glazed when I told him mine.
kjata ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:23:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep. That's how percentiles work.
alblaster ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:12:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean it makes sense. 50 is the baseline. You can go higher or lower.
Master-Potato ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 04:30:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
12 means 88% of the population will do better then you. Most potatoes can do better.
Source: am potato
john_dune ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:52:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
but are you fries?
Master-Potato ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:03:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No but I am Baked
jsau0125 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:16:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a percentile ranking so 12 means that 88% of the people taking the test scored higher.
90% or above would be "good" I think.
nextxoxexit ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:53:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
High 90s
Judge_Judy_or_Bust ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:04:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the job you want, it is more so about your line scores that make up the AFQT. I got an 80 something on the AFQT in high school(humblebrag) and I was qualified for every job in the military technically because my line scores were good. E.g if you want a technical job like mechanic, there is a certain section or two you want to do well on. Want special forces? Get a high general technical score.
POGtastic ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:24:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the job. Most jobs don't really care about the percentile; they instead care about the specific scores on the parts of the test. For example, a lot of "smart" jobs want a 110 on the GT part of the test.
In general, anything above 60 will get you whatever job you want.
deathlokke ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:51:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I believe the minimum for the Air Force is 70 or so. I'd say higher than that is doing pretty well.
I-rape-chickens ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:54:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Minimum for af is like 34.
The_Brain_Fuckler ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:12:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're pretty wrong.
deathlokke ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:13:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I guess so.
Shadow4x4 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:56:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Buddy of mine recently scored a 94 on the ASVAB. He wants to be a grunt. Something tells me that probably won't happen.
I-rape-chickens ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:55:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He can be a grunt as a 94, recruiters don't give a shit as long as they fill their quota.
The_Brain_Fuckler ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:15:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got a 94 and wouldn't ship until I got a guaranteed tank contract. I had a lot of fun with tanks, but I wish I went Navy nuke.
potatohats ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:17:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I scored a 94 as well, and trust me, your buddy doesn't want to be a grunt. The stupid surrounding him will drive him crazy. I worked with a lot of combat medics (smart people) that had transferred over from the grunt side because they couldn't take the overwhelming stupid anymore. Hell, even in the so-called "smart" fields (medical, intel) you'll encounter plenty of stupid. So, I guess that's my 2 cents. Good luck to your buddy!
tkykid91 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:41:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A 12 out of what? Percentile or...? Just trying to get a sense of how bad that is in comparison to what an average ASVAB score would be
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:57:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
kjata ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:24:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The minimum only cuts out the bottom thirty percent of humans. That's worrisome.
HellMuttz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:51:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean, do we want all the really smart people getting shot at?
kjata ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:55:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If they were smart, they'd find a way to get not shot at. Or to get their soldiers not shot at.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:25:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He can be a cook in the corps.
Chestah_Cheater ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:09:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The MREs have instructions on the side. You think he could full the water to the line?
beelzeflub ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:28:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Cooks gotta use fractions, mate
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:17:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol not in the corps. They're not bakers. They get a tray of prepared food and add heat. Source: was a marine
NachoNasty ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:15:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For those wondering, the ASVAB is essentially a military aptitude test that is out of 100. A score of 12 is...not very impressive
CovertPanda512 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:54:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Highest possible score is 99.
bryce1242 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:52:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
lowest i saw was like a 3 or some shit, guy was legit retarded but the next lowest was a 13 which is not much better
mhb20002000 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:08:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My half sister got a 19 her first try. I got an 86. The half blood we share is not the side I got my brains from.
bryce1242 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:16:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
how do people get below a 50 jesus fuck. I scored a 92 and was strung out on a lack of sleep and sped through it because i only needed a 70 something for my job
kilroyishere89 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:27:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Methinks he watched Act of Valor too many times.
Any idea what the Army guys said to him?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:08:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know the exact details of what was said in that office, the recruiter who dealt with him was apparently pretty busy catching up on paperwork when I brought him in though. All I know was that he recommended some college courses first before testing again. Those refresher courses I think it is, he needed them because the ASVAB is 10th grade level stuff.
rwat1 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:40:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What does a 12 mean?
proROKexpat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:39:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't you get like 10 points for writing your name correctly?
Velfarr3 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:21:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
we had a few kids in boot that scored around 20-26 or something, and those kids were very much special needs. One of them could NOT march in step to save his fucking life. He was slightly taller than me so he marched in front of me and I eventually started stepping on his heels. After a while he just marched behind the company.
He eventually did graduate boot camp and went on to become one of our cooks. I don't envy the people who ate his food.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:02:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was that asshole who would skip a couple times just to fuck up everybody behind me. That or I'd veer off to the side a little so they hit my heel. It was always fun until we punished for being out of step.
BloodlustHamster ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:37:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And once more in regular English please.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:59:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He basically took the attitude test and failed miserably. 12 out of 99 at 10th grade level stuff. He couldn't even met the Navy's minimum fitness standard, and thought he could be a Navy SEAL. Last I checked, which was a long time ago, 100 push ups and sit ups, and a 9:45 mile and a half run was what you needed to be taken seriously (kind of) if you were wanting to sign into the Naval Special Warfare program. Otherwise, you didn't even get to talk to the SEAL coordinator in some recruiting districts. Basically the guy was out of shape, not very smart, and wanted to be special operations. The Army didn't even want him, and sent him out the door.
Mnwhlp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:14:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a perfect candidate to sign up to run in front of bullets.
cited ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:58:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I knew a guy who literally could not do a left-face (like he was Zoolander or something) who managed a 30 on the ASVAB. I could get a pigeon pecking the keyboard to get a 40.
cdc194 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:44:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for sticking another waiverable into our Infantry units (US Army Infantry is the only MOS that can waiver a sub 30 ASVAB score, they just need a letter from a doctor saying they are not "technically" retarded.)
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:19:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're welcome I guess, but they sent him out the door and that was that. He never enlisted in any branch as far as I know.
cdc194 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:16:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a dude that scored a 7. We even got a guy with clubbed feet that required a special $20k combat boot, also another dude that was 7' 8" and required all of his gear to be custom made. None of them finished OSUT.
TL:DR- From 2001-2005 the Army took EVERYONE.
wolfman1911 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:38:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, that Practice ASVAB thing can be pretty wild. I don't know what happened with me, but when they had me take it, I did bad. I want to say it was seventies or so, but it might have been worse than that. When I went to MEPS and took the actual test though, I got a 96 percentile. And then they DQed me for hearing, or as I like to say, for 'hearing'.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:06:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
70s is good, it's when you're in the 40s you should start to worry. I got 68 with no sleep and blowing through it without a single fuck given.
wolfman1911 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:22:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's the funny story of it all, actually. The guy giving the test said that I was the highest score he'd seen that day, and the second highest score of the people I talked to was the guy that came with me, who got an 80. Despite that, I'm pretty sure that both of us were DQed for one reason or another. I think he had bad knees or something, and I'm pretty sure they thought I was crazy.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is there a psychological test that is done to military recruits? I'm sure there has to be one in place. The reason why I asked is because back in the early 1990's my sister enlisted in the Army and she served her time and got out on a disability. Physical, not mental according to her. The thing is, she is a paranoid schizophrenic and she was diagnosed when she was a child. Wouldn't a test show if a person was unbalanced?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:10:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No psych test that I can recall, sounds like somebody somewhere didn't look into her medical background very well when she enlisted. A test could show things like that, but then again, the military tends to shape you into something most don't consider normal anyway.
achegarv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:13:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Okay.
I can bang out 35 pushups in 2 minutes. I can do three kipping pullups. I can do 25 situps in 2 minutes. I run a 7 minute mile. I have a belly.
What do I score on this 12 scale?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not shit, really. The ASVAB is to see if you can read and write on a 10th grade level, then it goes into other sections as well that are used for job placement. For physical, kipping pull ups don't count. Dead hang, chin over the bar, straight up and down is how it's done in military testing. Your run time is great, push ups are ok, and sit ups could use some improvement, Boot camp is meant to condition you physically anyway, so it wouldn't be anything to worry about. Just don't ask any former Special Operations guys to duke it out with you in the gym.
achegarv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:12:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I'm not looking to enlist or go through OCS or anything; I'm just trying to contextualize your story. It sounds like someone who's more out of shape than I am walked into some SpecOps situation and said "sign me up" which I find deeply, deeply hilarious.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Army guy here, his asvab score wouldn't have been a problem for the Marines
celticeejit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:29:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Isn't spelling your name correctly 15 ASVAB points ?
eletricmojo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:45:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have no idea why but when you said the kid wanted to be a SEAL I was thinking of that South Park episode where Kyle's dad has surgery to become a dolphin. Maybe you were assessing him to see if he was ready to become a seal.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought like 25 is the minimum to just be infantry?
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:34:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The ASVAB is multiple choice... You should get a 20 if you just randomly guess.
bariton ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:54:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Percentile, not percentage correct
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:01:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah! That is clearer.
IcePrincessBarbie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I was getting recruited, my recruiting officer also picked up these 3 redneck hooligans that always hung around the mall. He took them in for the ASVAB test one day. I asked how they did on the test, and if they were getting in. He told me that between the three of them they scored a 14.
SilentStriker84 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:03:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
So you are or were a recruiter?, I plan on joining the army sometime within the next year or two, and I'll admit I'm pretty skinny, I also hope to be a ranger, but I don't have to rush to join right away so I can take an extra year or so to improve myself whatever it takes. I've been working out more often lately, any advice you can give?
Velfarr3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:02:03 on December 5, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do something civilian. PTSD will ruin your life.
Source: Former Military (NAVY) with several RL friends who went army, 2 of them have committed suicide from PTSD.
Butt_Stuff_Pirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Jesus a 12? I can not fathom someone being that dumb, its not a hard test.
shakeszilla ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:48:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why not give him BM?
Bleue22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:01:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure why I'm remembering this but: Armed forces guys are standing around in a park waiting for a bus to the airport. A plane flies overhead. Airforce guy says: "That is a Lockheed c-130 hercules!", Navy says : "Hey that's a plane!" Army says: "That bird is flying without flapping it's wings!" Marine says: "GRRRRRRRRR ARRRGGGHHHHH BWOPAHUAHUA!"
Guys it a joke, that's all, I don't even have an opinion on whether marines are in fact danger beasts from hell or learned wise men of the desert who dissert on the virtues of James Joyce, I just listed the services alphabetically... you know, if N were the second letter of the alphabet.
Joshu_88 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:33:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got a 92 on my ASVAB
Chestah_Cheater ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:05:25 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How do you get a 12 on the ASVAB? Jesus Christ
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:51 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The trick is to not pay attention at all in school... I think.
uReallyShouldTrustMe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:12:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you retelling the story on how you got fired?
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 05:11:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:16:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's idiots in every branch, we had a Forrest Gump in our division in boot camp. This guy had to be full on retarded, it's impossible that he wasn't. Couldn't lace his boots or roll his socks right, but could do sit ups all damn day. They made him a Boatswain's Mate... which is a deck hand.
monteqzuma ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:40:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For the speed math portion.
NigerianPutzScam ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:02:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good old George W.
Sapper42 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:17:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a guy show up to our recruiting office looking to get into an officer program, with a teardrop tattoo under his eye. This took place in a very gang heavy area so we were very familiar with what that meant.
Instant DQ
ButtsexEurope ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:00:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People still do just plain coke?
flotiste ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:05:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Funny enough, we didn't get into a detailed conversation about the exact composition and delivery method.
shinra528 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:04:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The night before MEPS, when they had us all in the hotel, one guy got a hooker and coke. The MEPS people knew and let him go through the entire day at MEPS anyway only to tell him he's not going right at the end.
improbable_humanoid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:00:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In all seriousness you could pass the ASVAB high on pretty much anything.
Justinwc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:39:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This. Didn't study or have prior knowledge of any of the material and got a 98. A lot of it is pretty common sense stuff or simple algebra.
shellwe ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:38:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got a 93 and the recruiters talked to me like I was some sort of prodigy. Considering it is all high school knowledge I was confused.
Justinwc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:00:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, it's pretty ridiculous hahaha. It seems like everyone I talk to had decent scores also. I'm not sure who out there is skewing the average so much lol.
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:00:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There are a lot of people who don't the army appeals both intelligent and unintelligent... Just not asthma so no Army for me...
improbable_humanoid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:47:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was actually kind of disappointed I didn't get a 99.
flotiste ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:38:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wasn't the ASVAB.
improbable_humanoid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:38:40 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What was it? Please don't say AFOQT or the Navy equivalent (I took both and did well enough that the recruiters told me not to take it again).
flotiste ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:13:14 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was in Canada.
Isord ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:22:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He probably thought it was the CIA.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's scary.
Mr_Skeleton ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:52:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
at first i read that as 'cake'. which was odd cause i took an officers aptitude test after having a piece of cake once.
slapdashbr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
is that a bad thing?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:33:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
WOOHOO ASVAB!
flotiste ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:39:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wasn't the ASVAB.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 20:06:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
is it that "pre-asvab" screening?
flotiste ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:08:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not American.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 20:10:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ah. see I forget that sometimes. everyone speaks english so I just assume that. my bad.
gruber76 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:49:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Decided to give him a baseball team to manage instead?
alexw570 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:14:53 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was it Christian Bale?
rae1988 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:03:59 on September 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mhmm I little bit of adderall can go a long way in standardized tests
MisterBadIdea2 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 08:55:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That guy has a serious problem.
[deleted] ยท 897 points ยท Posted at 02:47:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
oracle_dex ยท 146 points ยท Posted at 04:07:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
how on god's earth do you even write a resume like a romance novel
[deleted] ยท 418 points ยท Posted at 06:14:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
oracle_dex ยท 36 points ยท Posted at 06:25:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
wow ok holy cow
POGtastic ยท 42 points ยท Posted at 08:44:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In all honesty, I feel horrible for guys who literally have nothing to put on their resume. If you're 16, and the sum of your working experience is "Helped haul mulch one summer for my neighbor," what the fuck are you supposed to put on there, anyway?
General_Josh ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 09:57:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You pretty much just put volunteer experience or extra-curricular activities. If it's a tech job (or most likely internship) you can put relevant classes you took in high school.
Calamity701 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:44:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And in something like computer science side projects are awesome.
And most hiring managers know that a 16 year old doesn't have 20 years of experience. As long as you have something, you should have a fighting chance at the job.
Wild_Marker ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 18:05:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The job ads sure as hell don't reflect it.
Calamity701 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:31:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Here is a (translated) ad on the jobs page for students in my area:
Practical Experience in Online marketing
Good knowledge in CSS and HTML
Enough experience in Photoshop to alter existing Designs
Routine in Javascript Frameworks (jQuery, MooTools)
Interest in current web technologies (SASS, LESS, Angular JS, Bootstrap, WebSockets etc.)
And some bullshit about will to learn etc.
Here is what I would do as a 18 year old who has learned to make some websites and is searching for a student job:
For the practical experience in Online Marketing, I'd write about the propaganda posters I made for my group in Eve Online, and how I learned about [Marketing Terms 1, 2 and 3 which I find via google, like Target Groups and Bandwagon techniques]. Or write something about the marketing we did for a video game tournament in school. They don't expect you to be a marketing expert, just to have some experience.
Okay, you'll need to know how to use CSS/HTML/JS. Otherwise you really should not apply.
Enough experience to alter an existing design is also not hard. If you've used photoshop in the past and know about things like Layers and maybe smart filters, you should be fine.
Routine in Javascript Frameworks (although I'd call them Javascript utilities tbh...). If you've learned Javascript you should know how to use JQuery.
And If you take the time to look at least at the landing page for MooTools you should see how similar they are.
Spend 1-2 hours before the interview learning MooTools and you should be fine. They don't expect and expert in MooTools.
They require interest in current web technologies. So look up the stuff they listed and consider whether you want to learn them on the Job. Maybe research them enough to be excited for them and know what they do.
Things like Photoshop and the web technologies and MooTools are there to filter out people that a) can't be bothered to do some basic research b) Give up immediately or c) Don't want to learn anything new.
Just apply, be honest, be confident and the worst thing they can do is throw the application out. Writing good applications requires some experience, so you can gather them by applying to every company you want to work at. And sometimes the shotgun method works.
Darth-Pimpin ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:02:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"TIME magazine person of the year, 2006"
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:54:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whoa, you know how to write Navy evals?
Kaoryn ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:25:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So he wrote Air Force EPRs?
5474nsays ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:23:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hahaha, my exact thought.
Jeremymia ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:08:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can't stop laughing. You should make a novelty account where you romance-book people's posts.
hashb ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:08:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
teach me how to do that master!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:11:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That read exactly like the erotica this creepy old dude was reading on my flight last Tuesday... And again Friday...
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:15:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was you reading the erotica, wasn't it?
hornmcgee ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:35:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like he was just misapplying the use of CAR statements on his resume
Ronny070 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:33:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You should write half-decent books that will get turned into shitty movies.
keep_it_kayfabe ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:09:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interesting. I was on the honor roll at Kennedy Middle School a year eariler.
cactuscat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:49:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hope that guy gets help for whatever the fuck was wrong with him.
12Valv ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:35:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think they call this sort of writing a vignette.
DaimyoNoNeko ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:08:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was a dark and stormy employment...
Duman_ ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:20:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know, but I'm tempted to try
KyreLegan ยท 448 points ยท Posted at 05:02:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Must be one helluva pothead if he made it to Major. I'm stuck at Lieutenant..
[deleted] ยท 126 points ยท Posted at 08:21:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
flipzmode ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:55:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At first I couldn't tell if you got /r/KyreLegan's joke, but I was lol'ing by the end. Good job.
abedneg0 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:26:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm more of a Private Pothead.
marinewannabee97 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:37:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Noob. I'm at E-4
POGtastic ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 08:41:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Shit, NCO Mentorship with Corporal Pothead must be a blast. Ass-chewings would probably be less than severe, too.
"Hey... um... Marine... um... could you, like, not do that? Thanks."
marinewannabee97 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:57:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey dude, um could you like not get messily drunk and turn up in russian uniform... Uh but thats just, like my opinion man.
We_Are_The_Romans ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:03:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
E-[4]
marinewannabee97 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:56:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes sir. I'm sorry sir. Is this to your satisfaction? E-[4]
We_Are_The_Romans ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:11:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well I was making an /r/trees joke, but that'll do nicely private. You'll make great cannon fodder someday
MadamStrangelove ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:41:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
4th batallion, 20th regiment... life is hard on my OFP, I am a terminal lance pothead and signed my DD 214 a week ago... such... is life
CovertPanda512 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:52:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You'll learn soon enough, Padawan Butterbar.
tronpalmer ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:09:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You must really be a screw up, they pretty much GIVE away Captain.
Koras ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:04:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he hand coloured every single copy and then handed out that many, I'd almost be impressed with the amount of work that went into it!
stargaret ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:12:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know! There's something about it that's almost sad - he put so much effort into it, yet still managed to completely goof it all up.
fodes96 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:47:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why is age in the interview? ...
thisnamedefinesme ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 20:39:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was likely listed on the application.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:53:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Major potheads do make excellent shelf stackers though, used to work with a few, and because they finished it so quick they'd rush through their work then go out and have a smoke.
Then do loads more work really fast and go pig out in the canteen.
Custom fucking design for stocking shelves.
lessnonymous ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:07:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got a 16 page resume full of clip art and poetry 10 years back. Didn't interview him.
My resume is one page. One side. That's all you need.
cambo666 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:34:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That novel-resume is fucking hilarious. He'll make it one day.
I have to wonder how many of these stories, if the applicants were trollin.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:31:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. I'm gonna just fuck around with writing "Major Pothead" on my resumes and score the interview to see where it gets me. not really but to goof around it'd be fun haha!
Isord ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:38:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm curious now about asking a potential employer to go to the bar. Maybe if you got along smashingly well? Otherwise seems like a bad idea regardless of age.
Frictus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:46:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It took me two months to get an interview at a part time job and people like these get interviews? What am I doing wrong? Being too normal?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:39:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would sooner hire a major pothead than an alcoholic.
snarfu ยท 2326 points ยท Posted at 22:52:30 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I had a guy turn in a fairly impressive resume, so I hauled him in to lay eyes on him and test his chops. It was an entry level engineering gig, which frankly he was overqualified for.
When he came in I started asking about his education-- how he decided on a concentration, which aspects he found the most connection with, etc. Turns out, he never went to college at all. He felt his resume should reflect his intended path in equal measure with his actual achievements.
Engineering is something I've always felt I had an aptitude for. And besides, how much can you learn from an actual book-- amirite?!?
GTFO, dick. I should've billed his ass for wasting my time.
EDIT- Obligatory holy fuck this blew up. Glad I've managed to entertain you all.
SteevyT ยท 1078 points ยท Posted at 00:20:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
People like that get interviews and I struggle to? The fuck?
On the bright side, I do have a few next week.
Edit: In case anyone is wondering. I have a job offer now.
snarfu ยท 699 points ยท Posted at 00:38:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
His resume was impressive! Had it been legitimate, he could've easily been hired for my position. It wasn't, of course.
I've found that many people don't ask any questions about relevant education. If I hadn't, I'm not sure that I would've caught on to this guy's scheme.
What's your field?
SteevyT ยท 276 points ยท Posted at 00:46:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mechanical Engineering.
I have two auto companies interested in me that I have interviews coming up.
It just took a lot of applications (and learning from one interview a few weeks ago) to get to the point where I knew exactly what to highlight in my experience.
blaghart ยท 196 points ยท Posted at 01:47:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mechanical Engineer here too. Interviews are a motherfucker since most positions that didn't get introduced to you by a real person telling you "hey you'd be great for this" use auto-sorters for their resumes that kick out anything without their "magic keywords", even if you have huge amounts of experience.
The two interviews I've got have been because a friend recommended me, only to find out that my resume didn't show up for even the smallest of considerations to an interviewer because they lacked the appropriate keywords.
Astrixtc ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 11:44:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pro tip: 99% of the time those key words are in the job description, so tweak your resume accordingly. I do digital marketing and recently had a great job search and found a great new job I started last week.
If the job description said SEO, then I used the term SEO, if it was spelled out as search engine optimization, I used that instead. If they mentioned conversion rates, I listed my past accomplishments that way. I applied for 8 jobs and got 6 interviews. Most of those went to 2nd round or farther.
LordTengil ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 17:13:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Your farther worked there?
itssheramie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:07:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Swing and a miss
SilverbulletJT ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 03:35:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mechanical engineering student here. Please enlighten me on how I should fluff up my resume for when my time comes...
[deleted] ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 04:23:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
put keywords from the job description into your resume. ideally in multiple places. google ATS resume optimization for more info
cuntRatDickTree ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 09:57:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah but then when a human sees it they go "what an arsehole" and chuck your CV.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
cuntRatDickTree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:37:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You risk them finding out and burning bridges with the whole industry.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 20:46:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
cuntRatDickTree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:02:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're also stupid if you don't realise they convert them into different formats.
RobinBankss ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:39:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
or, cut/past a keywords text block (from alotta sources online) in the resume and set the ink color for that text to "white"
10thstep ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 06:00:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I read somewhere that using this strategy to give yourself a more even chance will often get you automatically disqualified. Apparently some of the auto sorting programs will essentially convert the file to a notepad document. Meaning that it loses the color formatting when it gets passed on to the hiring personnel. It's been a while since I saw that post, but I think that is how it worked. Maybe not, but I remember that it discouraged pasting in a block of keywords.
Pherbert ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:25:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're exactly right. Don't do that.
wertopucv ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:18:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do not do this. It will backfire.
RobinBankss ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:42:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, I'm not advocating it. I'm more of a straight shooter when it comes to my CV.
AreMYparentsRllyMine ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:43:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't get it, How is that beneficial?
POGtastic ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:03:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The idea is that a person reading it won't be able to see the fact that you padded your resume with buzzwords, but the program that selects resumes for review will. Your goal is to get past the program and get it in front of a person.
Young_Man_Jenkins ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:05:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The block of words will just be any and all keywords that these sorting programs might be looking for. The idea is that the sorting program will pick up on the words in the document but anyone reading the resume can't see them (since they're white like the background) and won't catch on that you've gamed the system.
RobinBankss ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:43:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was first made aware of this practice on Craigslist.
RichardRogers ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:11:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You should consider following his example by finishing your mechanical engineering degree and using it to enter the world of art.
NanoSpore ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. Never in my life did I imagine I'd see someone compare a shitty gundam render to Michaelangelo. That's simultaneously one of the best and worst things I've ever read in my life. Thank you.
RichardRogers ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Get RES and slap a tag on that sucker. He still stands by his comments 100% and flames anyone that brings it up, even in this very thread. It's wonderful.
CaptainFairchild ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:51:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Look at the job posting. Decide if you have the skills needed to do the job. If you do, outline any relevant experience that reinforces that assertion. Try to use the keywords that the company uses in their job description.
brwbck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:45:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Instead of blasting all the possible keywords into one resume, actually tailor your resume to the position you are applying for. As u/Astrixtc said below, most of the keywords you need are going to be listed somewhere in the job description.
By the time resumes hit my inbox, the people who are just scatter-shot applying everywhere are mostly weeded out.
If you don't actually have experience with any of the keywords, guess what? You can stick a section in there saying "While I am still inexperienced with Foo, Bar and Baz, as a professional I am able to quickly acquire any skill you would require of me." Now you've mentioned the keyword so the computer will see it, and you've stayed honest about your capabilities.
Then, go read about Foo Bar and Baz, so that when the interview rolls around, you can further impress by demonstrating how quick you learn something.
blaghart ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 07:00:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
psychically know what the non engineer data traulers have been told to look for by their also non engineer bosses because HR knows as much about engineering as engineers know about philosophy.
or, alternatively, depend on people to get you the interview by attending loccal on campus industry meet and greets and building a rapport with the corporate representatives there.
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 08:59:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
wertopucv ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:20:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This will get caught out and you will probably be disqualified for it. You're far better off tailoring your resume to the posting by taking the specific wording they use and filtering it into your resume where your experience matches it.
Night_Eye ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:42:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As a mechanical engineering student, I am now scared
blaghart ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:57:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
the trick is to have a good resume, but plan on people getting you the interview. there weren't many industry types at my school who were from a field I was interested in, so I never went to the triannual meet and greets. building a network is more important to getting you hired as an engineer, because (unless you're a 4.0 gpa graduating engineer) you're presumed to be "good" fresh off graduation...just like everyone else. which means getting unique positions will require something to put you ahead of the competition.
wertopucv ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 09:21:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
These people can be as simple as the people at career fairs. Don't just hand them a resume. Spend some time talking to them and asking questions. When they go back and report to HR or whoever, you want them to have your resume at the top of the pile because they remember you and liked you.
cuntRatDickTree ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:55:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep. One particular piece of software scans resumes for "attntn to detail" by default. Not to mention that "attention to detail'" is the most naive/cliche thing you can write about yourself.
It's fine though, if people don't know how to hire they can just be shit for all I care.
Jah348 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:33:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm going to start having a keywords section of my resume like car ads have on Craigslist. "Welding auto cad thermodynamics physics steel fast super determined experience trusted...."
nat_r ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:22:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hmmm... now I wonder if the software is advanced enough to not be fooled by a text dump of key words/phrases at the bottom. Like doing janky SEO.
Jacen47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:42:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or even better, a layer of text behind the actual resume that is the same color as the background.
nat_r ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:53:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Eh, the only problem with that is that every electronic resume submission system I've had the displeasure of using asks you to upload your nicely formatted resume in one of several useful file formats.
It then completely disregards that and requests you fill in the same info into a bunch of plain text form fields. That's where I wonder if a keyword block would be advantageous or not in gaming the automated system.
Jacen47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Very true.
arlenroy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:26:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I need some education on this; I am a Maintenance Engineer. However I definitely got into the career field with a right place right time situation. I had already taken a multitude of college courses, I was an assistant to the Engineer at work. I had worked at a government owned water treatment plant as a maintenance worker, well the girl who was the engineer had just graduated, very smart but the position called for some hands on work. Minor but still nuts and bolts stuff, well of course she said fuck this and left. Leaving me the only one who knew how to do the job. So I was technically the head engineer, I then was offered another engineering gig on a independent contractor basis. So here I am again really learning the engineering world by occasionally fucking shit up. I need to know what the next step is?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:43:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have a phone interview this morning in about 15 minutes or so. I've had them before and think it's bullshit. Just cut to the department I applied for and set up a face-to-face interview.
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:44:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Unfortunately most large companies use the magic word sorters. My ex worked for a municipality and smuggled the list of good/bad words out when she left. I will look for it.
anormalgeek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:35:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in IT and have experienced the same. I have a friend that mow works in HR and does recruiting. What you said is 100% accurate.
What I've had luck with is maintaining two resumes. One is a "long form" used for any electronic submissions. This one is filled with keywords and spells out even the basics. I shouldn't have to call out that I've used MS Word. Anyone with my experience assumes this.
My other is a short form. I bring copies of this one with me to interviews. It gives the highlights of my career with the assumption that the person reading it has at least a basic understanding of the field. (i.e. not an HR rep or an automated system)
cyclingwarrior ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:40:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So what keywords would give us the best chance?
blaghart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:01:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ยฏ_(ใ)_/ยฏ
They're totally arbitrary in my experience. Sometimes they want certain words spelled exactly the correct way from the ad/job listing, sometimes they want completely unrelated words that some HR head has decided you'd "obviously need for this position"
cyclingwarrior ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:31:25 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ahh fair enough! Seems like a good idea to cover all the bases that you can then, cheers!
GoodRubik ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:44:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Time to find a way to work those keywords into your resume.
Freekling ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:52:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So the job I currently have, I had to apply for 5 times before getting hired. The first time they threw mine, and a ton of other people's resumes out for the exact reason you said. Missing key words.
It was funny when they asked me why I didn't apply earlier and I told them I did. I just got an "oh" sort of response.
blaghart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:59:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yea often times the interviewers don't even know that resumes from the exact people they want are being ignored, simply because they have no oversight over the programs that decide whose resumes to look at.
klippel2 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 11:21:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pro-tip...go back and edit your resume with those words added in. But make the color of the words white, to blend in with the paper. The interviewer won't see them, but the program will! Source: I saw this on reddit and it sounds pretty legit. And doesn't hurt to try!!
snarfu ยท 49 points ยท Posted at 00:48:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, damn. Why didn't you say so?
steveryans2 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 07:05:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Get a room you two!
Goose511th ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:36:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
An interview room, preferably!
Zerotan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:59:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Casting couch?
steveryans2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:45:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"So I'm going to try and get you work, but I can't give a good reference unless I have first hand knowledge of your skill set"
OPsMomsVagina ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:48:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...and penetrate each other in the anus.
steveryans2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:36:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Fuck him right in the pussy!"
imgoinfast ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:01:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm an ME as well and I also had interviews with auto companies (major ones, too), but I didn't get the job. One of the interviews I know I messed up, but the other two seemed to go very well, I just never got a call back from them. I really wish they would tell me what I did wrong if they took the time to interview me in the first place. I've gotten those three interviews and nothing since. Been unemployed since graduating last December; trying to get as much experience as possible. What strategies did you learn, by the way, so maybe I can add them to my interviews? And good luck, too!
mozfustril ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:39:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
US recruiter here. Unfortunately, the combination of an out of control government and a litigious society has made it so we don't want to give any feedback to anyone anymore because it has become such a potential liability if you say the wrong thing. This especially hurts someone like yourself, who probably isn't in a protected class and isn't going to sue anyone for giving you the constructive criticism you want, but if just isn't worth the risk. Sorry.
SteevyT ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:06:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Be confident.
One big mistake I was making was I had my value estimated about 10k high for the area. I've fixed that pretty quickly. Also, I was also applying to positions that weren't actually entry level.
Know about the company before you show up, you don't have to know the entire history, but have an idea on the products or what you would be working on.
I like to scout the area some to, I'll ask a couple questions about the surrounding area when they ask if I have further questions.
Show a genuine interest in the company or their products (or both).
Like others were mentioning, be profeasional, but don't come across as a robot. The interview that got me my internships (unfortunately the company I interned for can't really take on new hires for a bit) ended up being the interviewer and I discussing what engineering teams we would have loved to be a part of rather than typical interview questions . (SR71 was one for both of us)
One thing I still struggle with is that I tend to ramble a bit if they ask me to tell them about myself. There is so much I want to get across, but I feel like I can't get it condensed down into something reasonable. I can answer just about anything else very consisely, but just the amount of information I keep trying to cram into that answer is too much.
Since you graduated December, hopefully you've been doing little personal projects to stay up on engjneering. Mention those if appropriate for the position.
I need to get ready for my interview now. Good luck in your search.
imgoinfast ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:26:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I studied up and passed the FE exam in July and became a certified EIT in August. Hopefully that will help. How'd the interview go?
SteevyT ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:31:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Really well despite showing up half an hour late. I guess when you are late because somebody causes an accident that shuts down a major bypass and you call ahead to let them know they appreciate it.
As long as my references are good (which they all said they would be) I should be in a good spot.
imgoinfast ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:42:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha that must've been frustrating and terrifying sitting in the car behind that before calling them. But that's good. Congratulations!
firala ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:53:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Be professional and be yourself. I know people messing up interviews because they acted like some super-serious uber-professional person only interested in the company's future.
Good clothes, firm handshake, smiles, a joke here and there if the atmosphere allows it. They want to hire a capable person, not a lying machine.
Best of luck to you!!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:05:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I realized I ended up doing this for one of my interviews. I've never felt like such a tool before lol.
ANUSTART942 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:48:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, why is a mechanical engineer a terrible boyfriend?
He just nuts and bolts.
Thank you for your time.
Nightdocks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:56:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good luck man
GoP-Demon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:23:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
any tips? I always wanted to break into auto.
SteevyT ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:30:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For specifically getting into auto? I have no idea. I just applied with my resume and they called back.
In general though, there is a long comment somewhere in here where I went through what I've been doing that seemed to work.
TheyMakeMeWearPants ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 04:05:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't ask questions about relevant education. I really don't care honestly. I give them a few problems that someone with experience ought to be able to solve, and see how they do. If they've been faking it so far, it'll become obvious very quickly.
Prints-Charming ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:18:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
as an engineering technician with little formal education and no degree I can say that if he had good prior work history he was probably more qualified for the position than most new engineering grads
snarfu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:20:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He didn't.
Even if he did, he misrepresented his education and credentials. If you're going to fake that stuff, I wouldn't trust any work you'd produce.
Prints-Charming ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:29:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Your right, my comment should have been more specific. I was only referencing the act of finding answers.
TripleSkeet ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:21:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thats why people lie. They are trying to do whatever they can to get a job. If someone isnt usually going to test them, why not take a shot. Engineering though? Thats pretty ballsy. But there are plenty of jobs out there where a college education isnt really necessary to do the actual job, but they wont even look at the applicant if they dont see they graduated college on their resume. So why not try? Whats the worse that can happen? They dont get the job?
Dhalphir ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:04:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think people just assume nobody would be stupid enough to lie about a degree.
snarfu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:46:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This isn't the first time I've seen it, nor will it be the last.
Falkjaer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:56:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
don't hiring companies check that sort of thing? Like with the school or something? When people talk about lying on their resume, I've always assumed that there was some relatively simple way to check if someone actually has the degree they say they have.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:13:47 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In my experience, some companies check but most do not, especially if you've got experience beyond your education.
zahnno ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 00:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...tricked again.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what do you mean relevant education?
wouldnt you have caught on simply by asking about his experience and favourite projects/hardest to overcome engineering problem/etcetc? its usually easy to catch a bullshitter in an interview i would think, without asking about their degree.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:16:32 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked because we supposedly went through the same program, so I asked him about it.
HopeJ ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:32:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if that guy was legit good at programming and learned on his own time?
snarfu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:37:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What would that do for him exactly?
HopeJ ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:53:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You don't have to go to school to learn programming
snarfu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:48:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You realize that there are still people who create tangible objects that you can hold in your hands, yeah?
HopeJ ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 17:05:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
W-what does that have to do with the fact that you can be qualified for a position without having been to college.
For example, I'm sure if a person put in the time and effort they could learn the necessary [insert programming language and workflow here] to do [insert job that requires said programming language skills and knowledge of workflow here].
Now I'm not defending the guy as he was a bastard for lying, but to imply he isn't qualified for the job just because he didn't spend 30k at a state college to get a piece of paper that says that he spent 30k at a state college to get a piece of paper....
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:14:58 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not masquerading as a software engineer. There are other types, after all.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:44:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mechanical engineering degree, graduated in May. Had over 5 large job offers before I graduated, most people who graduate from the engineering program I was in do as well. Had my pick of going offshore, engineering firm, plants, pretty much the works. Salary and hourly offers alike, chose to go the project management route on salary with a rather handsome starting salary, benefits, and a bonus pool of 15% my annual salary. Engineering is a respected and giant field where I'm from.
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:12:04 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup, I moved across the country and was unemployed for less than 72 hours. There's plenty of work to be had.
StabbyPants ยท 136 points ยท Posted at 00:47:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you probably write nonfiction resumes.
SteevyT ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 01:06:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have 5 or 6 versions floating around right now.
But yes, they are all non-fiction.
Slumph ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:01:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's your problem. Your resumรฉ needs to be like that story that guy was telling at the bar, based on a truth but with enough excitement and bullshit sprinkled in that it completely changes the story.
mr_jiffy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:27:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I should title my resumes' My Nonfictional Autobiography
tits-mchenry ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:56:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lie on your resume and you can probably get interviews, too!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:18:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good luck friend, I'm sure you'll kill it.
CaptainUnusual ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:31:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Over a year of near-suicidally depressing unemployment has taught me that there's nothing wrong with lying to get a job
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:59:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you lie like a motherfucker you'll get loads of interviews but you won't get any jobs. This guy got the interview by a totally fictional CV.
It sucks but keep plugging away and at least you know that any interviews you do get will be on the level and you'll have a legit shot.
Yoko9021Ono ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:11:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good luck, dude!
GetOutOfBox ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:15:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well yeah, they're lying on their resume :/
RickRussellTX ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:26:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, you're not a lying liar. Probably.
Foxy_Red ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:30:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good luck! Just before the interview, go to the bathroom and do the Superman pose. It's supposed to boost confidence.
honeyheart16 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:33:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good luck! I hope they go well for you!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:40:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most people undersell themselves on their resumes when they shouldn't. Describe your accomplishments in the best way possible. Imagine them all as grand victories and sell it. Just don't say you did something you haven't.
CylonGlitch ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:10:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I find that close to 80% of all resumes are full of lies.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:53:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know right? I've been job searching for ages and come up with blanks. Either everyone wants an insane skill set that isn't realistic or the jobs are scam jobs :/
BrobearBerbil ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:08:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The wrong people always overpump the truth on their resumes. The right people always underpump it. If you are a basically good person and good worker, but aren't getting interivews, you should always look at ways to be a little more bold in your resume. Most people undersell themselves.
babylina ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:47:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
good luck!
im drunk, it took me 3 tries to get that right. and 2 to spell "right" properly. and 1 to spell "spell." wish i was kidding.
garbage_bag_trees ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:03:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good thing you're not in an interview now, then!
brighterside ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:08:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Confirmed.
Good luck!
can_has_science ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:59:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good luck!
Ofactorial ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:47:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As it turns out, when you make a fake resume full of amazing achievements you never actually did you can get interviews just about anywhere! Now actually getting hired at those interviews is a totally different story, but details.
17Hongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:30:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly mate, the number of idiots I meet who have better jobs than me...
I don't get it.
brufleth ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 10:41:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know it is cliche, but I'm always very skeptical of overqualified seeming people. Even if the resume is legit, I worry about things. I once told a hiring manager that we didn't need more PhDs. The manager kept trying to interview/hire people with PhDs from MIT for entry level work. The PhDs weren't interested in the positions once they learned about them, and if they had accepted the position they would have been desperate to get out after a short time.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:41:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup, the overqualified and unemployed will take any job over unemployment and then leave in 3 months after they've found something on their level.
brufleth ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:49:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
See I'm relatively okay with that if they were productive while they worked here. Even discounting getting them up to speed and on board. The work to get their feet wet is legitimately beneath them though. It will just drive them crazy or they'll be terrible at it and everyone will be unhappy.
I'd rather hire someone who will be more interested and productive at the job even if they aren't the very absolute best ever candidate on paper.
Like when nobody wanted to hire anyone without a masters degree in engineering to be a lab manager. We didn't need a person with a masters degree. If they have one I don't care. I wanted someone willing to do the work with good organization and such. Eventually we got that and it is fantastic. I don't know what his education level is. He's enthusiastic about the work and makes all our lives easier. Some people get too hung up on weird qualifications.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:51:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When you're involved in the design and production of things that are safety critical and could easily cause injury or death to either the end users or the employees in production, those qualifications absolutely matter. In fact, we'd be in violation of federal law for disregarding them.
There are simply some corners that should not be cut.
brufleth ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:05:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Our products are FAA certified Class A as per DO-178B/C and equivalent EASA. The process makes for approval at that level, not us goobers and whatever qualifications we have. We have to follow an approved process that meets the DO-178B/C standard and present all reports proving we did all the things and did them right.
I can have a PhD with 35 years experience work on those reports or a co-op with a year of undergrad. Sometimes I'll have both work on things. It all goes through a rigorous review process (not just the reports, the actual work). The experience matters most for productivity and capability to manage more complex changes.
Education obviously plays into things, my point is just that it isn't the only qualification that hiring managers should fixate on when deciding who to interview.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:19:27 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When the position requires a degree and a license, there is absolutely no point in interviewing someone without a degree who isn't at least in hot pursuit of said license.
Now, especially since this guy bullshitted his way through the door, there's absolutely no way I would have any faith in him. Starting off any relationship with deceit is never a good play.
CeterumCenseo85 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:28:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
In Germany, you actually pay him for just showing up. When you invite someone to an interview, you have to cover their travel expenses.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:24:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whelp, time to brush up on my german.
CeterumCenseo85 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:05:08 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some people actually make money by scheduling several appointments on the same day, then collecting the travel money from all the company's.
Diplomatic_Barbarian ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:33:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's why you do a phone screening before bringing them in for an interview
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:46:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We have an intermediary who prescreens for us. They were fooled by this guy, apparently.
accol33t ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:38:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I see a problem here . Those that are honest to their qualifications, but have a bit less experience than demanded won't even receive a call, while liars like this get to the interview and would likely pass, if they don't fuck up . How do you deal with both problems?
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:39:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you're a bit short on experience, apply. If it requires 10 years and you have six months, don't waste everyone's time.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:38:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Serious question. How do you verify an applicant's education? do you call the school to make sure he got his Bachelor's/ Master? If he has them listed on his resume.
blood_bender ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:29:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You don't. You can ask them about it and see if they respond appropriately, but if someone wants to put MIT or Oxford or whatever and they seem like a smart enough individual, no one will ever know unless they also ask for a transcript.
However, if a company finds out (and you have an "at will" employment contract) you could very easily be fired over it.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:40:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, you can do it that way. I've been asked for both a copy of my diploma and an official transcript.
y2ketchup ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:20:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Should have hired him just so you can fire him for lying and maybe sue him.
snarfu ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:37:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Too much paperwork.
Freekling ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:49:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What were his achievements? Like has he actually accomplished anything in his life?
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:56:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This took place a couple years back. I don't remember what was actually legitimate and I'm not even sure I tried too hard to sift out the fact from the fabrication.
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:29:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you didn't ask those things and just assumed his education was legit you never would have known.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:47:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not necessarily. The guy had never worked in the field. I would assume his lack of basic knowledge would be obvious.
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:03:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When you said he felt his resume was paralleling his achievements I just assumed you meant he had enough on the job training it was like college.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:12:49 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, he'd never held an engineering position before as he's not an engineer.
SamJSchoenberg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:59:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did you ask him any actual engineering questions? or did you just assume he couldn't answer them due to not having a formal education?
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:15:25 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Didn't get that far.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:51:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
so you're saying my grandfather's advice of "fake it till you make it" is not actually good advice?
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:10:50 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think gramps meant well and all, but in some situations... no
DealerCamel ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 00:26:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So did you throw him out based on his never going to college, or his attitude?
deathkraiser ยท 51 points ยท Posted at 00:32:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Probably the blatant lying in his resume...
snarfu ยท 36 points ยท Posted at 00:36:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked him again if he had completed an actual engineering degree. He said no and I cut off the interview. I also told him that while listing your goals and ambitions on a resume can be a good thing, misrepresenting them as actual achievements is not. Had he somehow managed to be hired for the position I interviewed him for- working on the design and production on safety critical components- dozens of people could have been killed as a result.
amheekin ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 01:09:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what??? That's infuriating.
snarfu ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 01:30:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup.
Protip-- If you're close to the required qualifications for a job, give it a shot. If you're nowhere near it, don't waste everyone's time.
DealerCamel ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 00:43:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, I see - so everything he put on his resume was what he hoped to do, not what he'd actually done.
snarfu ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 00:49:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was about 70% hopes and dreams.
acm2033 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 01:25:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I somehow imagine HR would have checked his background and discovered the truth. Still, you know what people might say at an interview.
snarfu ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 01:33:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wish I could say that our HR department does a better job than they actually do. It's unfortunate how our company is structured- so called 'corporate' positions vs. local 'subsidiary' positions are vetted much differently. There is more than one coworker whose pedigrees I question.
blivet ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:08:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked at a company that was structured liked that. The management of the local subsidiary I worked for actually knew what they were doing, as far as I could tell, but the corporate headquarters kept overruling them. Hilarity ensued.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:11:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We function as the complete inverse. Unfortunately most of the employees there (~90%) are employed by the subsidiary. They don't even have a freaking employee handbook, yet they enforce 'regulations.' I... don't get it.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:37:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Your from socal aren't you?
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:47:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nope.
Wizard-King ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:16:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you probably could have called the police considering lying on a CV is illegal.
snarfu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:44:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sure they'd get right on that
sinestrostaint ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:52:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not everywhere.
Racheal1444 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 11:53:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
May I ask, what makes you not want to hire an overqualified person?
blood_bender ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:34:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a huge risk. Hiring is extremely expensive, both in the interviewers time (several hours a week, sometimes for months), then the onboarding process, depending on how large the company is you have sign-on bonuses, etc, and then all the training the candidate would need.
An overqualified person usually means one of two things: they're switching fields/getting back to the basics (rare), or they're desperate for money/health insurance/whatever, and they're going to leave the minute they find something better, whether they're actively planning on continuing to look or not, and you have to go through the process all over again.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:38:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please read the post.
[deleted] ยท -19 points ยท Posted at 04:13:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
snarfu ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 04:24:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck me? For what?
The guy had NO DEGREE. The guy had NO EXPERIENCE. The guy had NO LICENSE. He simply fancied himself to be the equivalent of someone with experience, education and credentials... because of reasons, naturally.
And guess what? I'm not the one who has mandated that these things are required for the position. That'd be the someone higher up the food chain than me.
The fact that you're angry out of absolutely nowhere makes it abundantly clear that you've smacked face first into this brick wall before. Rather than have a dick waving contest and a bad attitude, either get your ass in a classroom or realize that the world under your feet has shifted.
[deleted] ยท -14 points ยท Posted at 04:36:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
snarfu ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 04:46:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
His resume made him appear qualified. Everything that pointed to his being qualified for his job was a fabrication; he'd blended his true resume with the things he hoped to one day achieve. This wasn't the objective section on his resume, this was listing specific degree programs and positions within companies he'd never attended or held.
How exactly one gets a job as a licensed engineer without a license, an education or experience is beyond me.
But please tell me again how you've worked at the same place forever. It's completely relevant.
braunshaver ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:04:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reading comprehension fail
Beegrene ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 06:01:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think you missed the point. The guy lied on his resume about his qualifications.
garbage_bag_trees ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:06:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's a difference between having an employer willing to overlook a lack of formal education, and having an employer that you're straight up lying to on your resume.
Sanjispride ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:33:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What is your field?
frachris87 ยท 208 points ยท Posted at 02:42:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Once saw a guy doing a quick forklift driving test as part of an interview.
He gets on, hits the acceleration a tad too hard, and tears a chunk out of the wall near the boss's office.
Guy gets off, sighs, looks at the interviewer, and says, "... no chance, right?"
JoeyTwoTones ยท 117 points ยท Posted at 04:22:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's like falling and sliding into the wall after fucking up a triple axle. Just grab your coat, say thank you, and try again somewhere else. Or you could go with a bold strategy. Act shocked. Look at the forklift. Point at one of the parts, and explain how the part is in violation of code 18-24.7. Be offended! Say things like, "I could have been killed!".
vikinick ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 18:00:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Especially considering that they weren't even in employment at the company.
Ragnrok ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:50:10 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah yes, the classic "When the sky is falling, seek refuge under bullshit" approach
Jumponright ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 11:13:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Klaus?
awwi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:16:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We were shown that video in safety training and we don't even have forklifts here.
PMental ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:54:36 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For those that don't get the reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z77oztO6UQ
bs1110101 ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 03:12:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, what are you supposed to do at that point?
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 11:01:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of my very first practical drivers exam.
I'm sitting behind the wheel in an unfamiliar car. In front of me is a series of signs indicating a narrow "tunnel" I have to pass through, then again backwards.
As soon as I want to rev up and get started, it starts to rain. No, not rain - cloudburst. Visibility drops to about a foot in front of my face. A curtain of water hides everything else from view.
I ask the examinator if I still have to do this. He solemnly informs me that if this was "real life", I'd have to find a way to brave the weather as well.
So I drive on, guessing as to where the nearest sign will be.
I guessed wrong and hit the very first of the signs.
I look the examinator in the eye and before I can utter a single word, he shakes his head and makes a grand mark on the paper on the clip in front of him.
Had to do that one again a few weeks later.
Drowned_In_Spaghetti ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 15:18:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck that examiner, in real life, a tunnel would be big enough you'd see it regardless, not a fucking sign.
Zizhou ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 19:20:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And if not, the next safest thing to do would be to safely pull over and wait for conditions to improve.
SteevyT ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 22:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I'll take the smart driver's route, pull to the side safely, turn on lights and hazards and wait for this to lighten up a bit then. I can't travel faster than 10mph without overdriving the current visibility."
jimmy_talent ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:48:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would have given that guy a second chance, accidents happen and at least he's self aware.
dexterpine ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:14:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did insurance cover that?
Finnegansadog ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:47:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At a place where they're driving forklifts, they're probably capable of patching some drywall themselves.
HellMuttz ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:30:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
God I hate forklifts. I no longer allow myself to use them at work because the last time i did, it took 3 people 40 minuets, a extra forklift and a Raymond to fix the mess I caused.
JackIsColors ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:46:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Raymond always knows what to do.
HellMuttz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:40:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Everybody loves Raymond
ERRORMONSTER ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:39:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is going to sound really ignorant, and I apologize, but I dunno how else to word it... how hard is driving a forklift? Other than the steering being in the back and not the front, I feel like any competent person could figure it out...
frachris87 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:04:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
First off, yeah, you've got to get used to the fact that in most forklift types, you "steer with the rear". Unless you're driving a Cherry Picker Forklift, which is more similar to driving a car.
And while they're not always particularly fast, it's like /u/civ-is-my-homework said - they can be pretty sensitive. Sometimes, you give the steering handle a little tap, and woosh. But if you're driving an electric/battery powered forklift, you can tinker with the settings to dial back the sensitivity.
You really shouldn't be driving one unless you've had training/certification done.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:16:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's definitely a machine you learn how to drive much like driving a car.
You can't just walk in it and go just like you couldn't when you first drove a car. It's not the same thing.
diabeetussin ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:32:14 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I honestly did. Hopped on, played with a few things, then ran it. Still do 10 years later. Also run bigger things ;)
DutchLucario ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:17:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At least he knew he fucked up.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:58:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've used a forklift before and they can be a little sensitive at times. It's an honest goof up. Although I agree you shouldn't have hired him, it doesn't discount that he probably can do it. If I had a dollar for everytime I kissed the gas too hard I'd have an extra grand by now.
Mrquizmo ยท 833 points ยท Posted at 22:20:47 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy shows up to interview looking like he just rolled out of bed, then has a terrible attitude during the interview, blows off questions. Clearly thinks he's being clever by calling out questions that are more about how you answer than the actual answer. When the interview is over, he straight up asks when he starts. Apparently he thought he already had the job, thought he was here to fill out paperwork.
Which raises the question: Even if you thought you already had the job, why would you still put no effort into your appearance and act like a jackass?
ThyLurker ยท 290 points ยท Posted at 00:26:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
That question isn't very specific. How do you think I should answer this?
StabbyPants ยท 73 points ยท Posted at 00:46:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't Fuck Up.
thatwasnotkawaii ยท 115 points ยท Posted at 03:26:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't. Fuck up.
Got it, thanks!
debausch ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:26:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Gonna tattoo this on my forehead this evening.
concealed_cat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:46:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Sorry, but you are too punctual for this position."
Apellosine ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:32:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But i like my wife on top...
StabbyPants ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:07:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
found dan quayle!
Meh_Turkey_Sandwich ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 06:13:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I bet in part this guy wanted to have one of those "I showed up to my interview and was an asshole and got the job!" stories.
DontNeedNoBadges ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 06:42:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewed this dude in flip flops and a baggy t shirt. He told me all I had to do was hire him and he would take my job. After talking about how he was fired from his last three jobs but it was all BS because the managers were mean to him.
Ended it pretty quickly and he asked when he starts. Dude honestly thought he already had the job.
HardenedHearts ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:06:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, some of those awful "Five Things You Should Do In Every Interview!" articles tell you do that (ask when you start). They say it shows confidence and that you're not afraid to go after what you want or something like that. I think it's obnoxious, but that's just me.
blamb211 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:22:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're way better off asking when you can expect to hear back from them. Even if it is bad news, I'd greatly prefer to hear back, then just sitting around, not having a clue what's going on.
Flaghammer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:06:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I just got a job, they need drivers bad and I know two people already working there. All I had to do was not burn the building down and I had a job, but I still bought new clothes and interviewed properly.
Isord ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:18:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This feels like someone who misread every AskReddit thread about best ways to answer questions in an interview.
The_Iron_Kraken ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 00:46:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The answer is simple. Narcissist
[deleted] ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 01:35:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reddit's approach to psychology: Good people = depressed, bad people = narcissists. There are no other traits/disorders.
_roshi ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 02:31:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
hah get a load of this guy
classic narcissist post am i right
beccaonice ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:17:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Any story where a parent acted in an imperfect manner must have at least one comment linking to /r/raisedbynarcissists
rugtoad ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:26:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's only on days Reddit considers the social sciences to be even remotely legitimate.
The_Iron_Kraken ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 01:43:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I guess he could be ugly too. Can't rule out the possibilities.
jordansideas ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:22:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
step 1: be attractive hurr durr I'm so witty and creative
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 11:38:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And yet you generalized far more than the post you're criticizing for generalizing.
wolfman1911 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:39:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did you ask him that?
BooBailey808 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:29:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds like my coworker......
JoePants ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:50:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey man, it's not about me, it's about what you're going to do for me.
puff29929 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:55:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
fuck that
beccaonice ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:12:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, why would an interviewer want to test your ability to be calm and reasonable and diplomatic, even when faced with something you might find silly? That kind of thing never happens at a job! People skills and verbal communication totally don't matter.
rugtoad ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:25:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He's talking about questions like "what's your greatest weakness".
Some people are quick to say it's a bullshit question that only elicits canned responses.
That kinda misses the point, though. Yes, it gets canned responses, sometimes. But you are being given an opportunity to not do that here. The interviewer (if they are good at it) is trying see how self-aware you are, because they know that a person can't ever become better if they don't have any awareness over their faults.
If you say "Sometimes I work too hard", the interviewer knows you don't understand the point of the question.
If you say "What a bullshit question", the interviewer knows that you take things at face value and have a hard time evaluating deeper meaning and purpose.
If you say "Sometimes, I'm not very good at multitasking. I tend to get very focused on a task, which is of course a good thing, but it is unfortunately done so at the cost of not realizing that I'm missing something important. I've started to work on this by creating small interventions to allow me to better prioritize, be more responsive, and handle changing workflows with better ease", then the interviewer knows that you expected this question and put thought into an honest answer.
In the end, they probably don't care too much about the fact that you aren't the best multi-tasker (the vast majority of people suck at that anyhow). What they care about is that you're able to recognize your own shortcomings, and that you take proactive steps toward correcting them.
There are a bunch of questions like this. "Where do you see yourself in five years?" is another one. Protip: Don't ever say "Doing your job". Just like the other question wants to see how good you are at internalizing, this one wants to know how aware you are of the world around you, and how you plan for it.
Look at these questions as opportunities to demonstrate yourself as a well-rounded, interesting person that is enjoyable to be around. Calling them "bullshit questions" and the like does nothing but push your resume close to the trash bin.
Skrp ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:43:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I understand the underlying point of both "what is your greatest weakness" and "where do you see yourself in five years?" but even that taken into account, I cannot for the life of me take people who ask it seriously. Fortunately not every employer asks questions like that, because they have other ways of getting to the point without asking trite questions they heard others pose, or read on the internet, and uncritically decided to ask others in the interview process.
I think HR personnel who ask questions like that could very easily be replaced by for example a cheeseburger with googly eyes glued to it, as they essentially do nothing for a living, except copypasting questions off the net.
I know full and well that you and other people who do use this sort of interviewing tactic are numerous and would consider me unfit and crude, and that's fine, we weren't going to get along anyway, at least not for an interview setting.
Usually I've answered questions like that humoristically, and once or twice it even seemed to be well received, but mostly it's not, obviously.
And then there's the even more retarded pool of questions like "if you were an animal, which animal would it be?" again a question that could be phrased by a very stupid child, that is designed to reveal something about your character, but that I just can't find myself capable of respecting, because it really is bullshit. The core point about finding out what sort of person you are is fine, completely legitimate, but why wrap it up in nonsense?
rugtoad ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:48:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I personally don't use either of those questions, to be clear. But I know that anyone who is looking for a job needs to understand that people do use the questions and these people are the ones who will decide whether or not you get a job. You can either stomp around and say "what a load of bullshit! This interviewer sucks!", or you can face the reality of the situation and handle it like a professional.
Skrp ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:02:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
As I said, I've tried answering with humor, because I want to gauge the interviewer's personality a bit too. Maybe they think it's a super useful question to ask, or maybe they just hate it and don't even see the point of it themselves anymore, and will accept a more comic answer.
So for example "where do you see yourself in five years?" Well, I don't plan five years ahead when I don't have a job, so what sort of answer does he expect? Whether I get the job or not completely changes my future, as far as I'm concerned. It's when things are stable and have settled down that I start planning ahead, otherwise I'm just wasting my time on plans that are unlikely to come to fruition.
So I answer things like 'in the mirror' to that question to see how the interviewer reacts. Sometimes they like it, and sometimes they go even more stonefaced, either way I know more about them, and also gives me an indicator of the kind of place it is.
As for what my biggest weakness is, well.. I don't know what my biggest weakness is, but I assume it's being bound by time, like everyone else, and will eventually die and crumble to nothingness. That's a pretty big weakness, but I doubt that's the sort of answer they wanted to hear. A more serious answer would be that I feel anxietey in situations whenever I feel someone is focusing their attention on me - like an interview for example. That's a pretty big weakness too, to have the 'fight or flight' impulse kick in when someone asks you trite questions trying to find out if you're abnormally bad at introspection, and thus be a nightmare to employ. I have taken anxiety management classes, but again I don't think this is something that presents me in a good light in an interview situation because there's so much ignorance about conditions like anxiety that it might easily give the wrong idea. So what's a weakness that wouldn't make me less likely to be hired, but still counts as my biggest weakness? Well, I don't know.
So I guess it's not so much that the questions themselves are bullshit, although they are exceptionally poorly phrased, because they do get at a good point, but I think they do so in a bad way, but rather that they tend to elicit stupid answers, because the really big weaknesses tend to disqualify people from being hired, so you have to predict the question and cook up an answer specifically for this question in advance.
For example if I wanted to get a job more than I wanted to be an honest person, I would just copypaste your proposed answer to the question, even though I don't feel it really applies to me that much. I could just memorize that and say it, and it'd be fine, and the poor bastard interviewing me might even think I gave a good imrpession, when all I did was steal an answer off the net and lie to him, because that's how little I respect this person, and the job.
So yeah.. my patience for this sort of thing isn't great.
EDIT: Genuinely though, I think my greatest weakness that I would feel comfortable sharing with an interviewer is the classic 'too much of a perfectionist' but I would explain what I mean by that: I mean that I obsess about getting every detail right, so much so that I sometimes get stuck doing the same thing over and over, and sometimes I even give up on something because I know perfection can't be obtained, and I often can't bring myself to accept a mediocre 'good enough' instead, which has really hampered my productivity.
Unlikely to get me hired, but if I add that I'm working on lowering my standards to a point where I can accept 'good enough' as a result - which I am doing, that might be met with more understanding. I don't know. I feel it's probably too honest again, and shows that I lack the awareness of polite conversation and white lies to get results.
rugtoad ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:42:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You can play the whole "I'm too perfect" answer the right way, too, though. You have to avoid a few words (like "perfectionist"), because they set off the "canned bullshit" alarm, but if you phrase it right...you can show your ability to internalize without saying something like "My greatest weakness is my crippling addiction to gambling which got me fired at my last job when I 'borrowed' some money for the craps table".
I'd spin it like "Sometimes, I let 'perfect' become the enemy of 'good'. I've always had a lot of pride in the quality of my work, and as such it has led me to create very high standards for myself. I've found that sometimes I need to ensure that I'm focusing my attention on the standards most important to the task and letting up on the ones that don't really have a quantifiable impact on the project or task. I've evaluated some of my standards and organized them into a hierarchy of 'need' and 'want' as a first step toward making sure that I'm best able to produce high-quality work in a timely fashion".
The trick is to honestly identify why it's a weakness and hint at a problem you've encountered with it.
I get why people don't like these questions, like I said...I personally don't ask them for many of the same reasons you've stated. Most of the answers I've found were canned bullshit, and the folks who answered it well? I would have hired them with or without that answer. It didn't tell me anything I couldn't figure out otherwise.
Once you get past the entry-level rat race though...this question becomes much more rare. I'm in a senior position now and recently did a few rounds of interviews and didn't see this question come up even once. All of the interviews were much more like a conversation between two people than anything else. The process is treated like a business deal instead of one person dangling something desirable in front of the other and trying to get them to dance for it.
Ya gotta break through it to get there though.
Skrp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:24:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. My favorite company I interviewed for was a small, very informal NOC, where the company was founded by network geeks, and everyone who works there are kind of nerdy, which is my kind of habitat. They were very direct, no questions I would consider bullshit, they did very clear and concise communication, but seemed open and friendly and relaxed. They're doing really well, but by still being fairly small they're still an environment almost entirely made up of technically minded people, rather than business minded people. I asked them about dresscode and they said if I had showed up for my interview in a suit they wouldn't have taken me seriously. I liked that.
The way they organized their recruitment process was also really nice. They created a job posting, you sent them your CV and some other documentation like attestations, etc. If you seemed interesting they sent you a form to fill out with all the typical "interview round 1" questions, because they didn't want people to waste anyones time by going for an actual interview that early on. Those who seemed interesting there were called in for round two, and it was a really informal conversation, with a tour of the place, and mutual questions and answers. It was a very nice and tidy process. Unfortunately didn't get the job, but I made it to round two, and ended up as #4 on the list of potential candidates, out of about 90 applicants, and they encouraged me to reapply when something new opened up with them.
To contrast, I interviewed for a very large company and they were very dresscode oriented, and the person who interviewed me knew nothing about technology, and kept asking a bunch of ridiculous questions like we discussed earlier, and after putting me through all that, he said I seemed like an incredibly slow-witted individual, because I hadn't been super excited when he called me and wanted me to come for the interview. Apparently it was a great honor to come there and be grilled by him, and when I simply thanked him and showed up on time and answered his questions, it wasn't enough because my voice wasn't overwhelmed with joy on the phone.
Nevermind the fact that I wasn't feeling very well when he called me, and I was having dinner guests and was cooking when he called, and was distracted by trying to make sure the food wouldn't be burned, because I wasn't expecting the call. But he didn't have to know that, so I just agreed that yes I probably am borderline retarded, and went my own way, thinking the same about him.
blamb211 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:23:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Also don't say "Doing your wife," and DEFINITELY don't say "Doing your son"
philcollins123 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:40:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If people wanted to test you they could give you a test that involves doing the job. This is like a parole officer asking you the worst crime you committed since getting out of jail.
In the very least, you could rephrase this so that instead of being about 'self-awareness' it's about 'coming equipped with pre-canned bullshit'.
rugtoad ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:52:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Two things:
The point here is the same one I made elsewhere: Questions like this are a part of reality. You can see them as an opportunity, or you can bitch about them. Only one of those will help you get a job though.
gghhgghhgghhgg ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 11:57:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because, I'm not going to play your stupid image-conscious corporate-bullshit games when I get the job and I'd like to get that out of the way before wasting any more of the company's time. And snooping a bit on your post history, I'm especially not going to play your stupid image-conscious corporate-bullshit game for a job as a clerk at a thrift store for DVDs. Check your ego.
beccaonice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:21:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People don't want to work with someone with a shitty attitude.
At any job, you are going to have to deal with situations that aren't fun. You'll deal with stupid people. You'll deal with people who you'll knock heads with on the most basic concepts.
No one wants to work with that guy who rants about everything and whose idealism about how things "should" be supersedes his drive to resolve the situation, or who can't even begin to understand what compromise is.
So yeah, good luck with that.
gghhgghhgghhgg ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 14:47:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People also like it when you can communicate in paragraphs.
DarwinYogi ยท 1054 points ยท Posted at 21:20:56 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Graduate student interviewing for a highly competitive part-time teaching position waltzes in wearing a dirty t-shirt. He informs us (the 5-person hiring committee, 2 faculty, 3 graduate students) that he would "probably not miss" too many scheduled class meetings and exhibited a terrible attitude toward teaching. I stopped the scheduled 30 minute interview after 15 minutes because we had better things to do with our time. He seemed genuinely surprised his interview was so brief.
FetchFrosh ยท 513 points ยท Posted at 22:06:24 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I always have to wonder if this sort of person is aware that they are performing poorly and just expect you to remain professional, or if they think that they are nailing the interview, or just aren't interested in the position, but want to at least be able to say that they tried for it.
DarwinYogi ยท 282 points ยท Posted at 22:24:13 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a similar wonder in this case (that he really wasn't interested) until I saw the surprised look on his face when I said, "Thanks for applying, we'll let you know," way earlier in the interview than he expected. I believe he was unaware of the effect of his behavior (I gave just a small sample of self-damaging things he said). Because he had prior teaching experience at the high school level, I think he believed he was entitled to special consideration for getting one of the 5 teaching slots (about 12 candidates applied). Other applicants did not interview well but this fellow took the cake, so to speak.
BluemoononaSunday ยท 185 points ยท Posted at 00:34:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm one of those that don't interview well at all. I'm shit when it comes to interviewing. But I do have enough decency to show up wearing correct attire and at least act interested in what I'm being asked.
DarwinYogi ยท 111 points ยท Posted at 00:44:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You are off to the right start - attire and interest.
I've been on both sides of this hiring event and at least on one occasion, I did a terrible job during my interview for a position I really wanted. I was not hired. I was so nervous during the day-long interview that when I was asked if my wife was also in psychology, I blurted out, "No, she's a lay person." Most embarrassed I've ever been in my life.
[deleted] ยท 57 points ยท Posted at 01:16:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't get why that was a bad answer. And isn't it an inappropriate question for an interview?
DarwinYogi ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 01:25:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"lay" person = "someone I have sex with" could be an interpretation of my answer
The interview lasted 10 AM - 5 PM. This incident occurred near the end of the day when we (me + the 4 interviewers) were all just shooting the breeze (or so it seemed). It was a casual question like one friend might ask another. Nothing wrong with the question. My answer was not the only reason I was not offered the position. In hindsight I am glad things worked out the way they did.
Amp3r ยท 56 points ยท Posted at 02:08:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A lay person is a perfectly reasonable thing to say. Not the absolute smoothest reply but it definitely works. Sounds like they were just awkward and applied innuendo to it.
superiority ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 05:16:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That would be a stretch. It's hard for me to imagine that anyone would actually interpret it that way.
[deleted] ยท 30 points ยท Posted at 06:03:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, that is why I don't hang out with psychologists.
You say "Mums are my favorite flower" and all of a sudden they're whipping out their notepads and raising their eyebrows.
ampriskitsune ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 08:20:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And when did you first realise you harbored attraction for your "Mum"?
tomalexdark ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:44:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The quotation marks worry me.
gghhgghhgghhgg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:04:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You need to get off of the Freud, bro.
Do you see what I did there?
Nickbou ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:35:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not a terrible answer, it's just an awkward way of phrasing it. When you're interviewing every answer that isn't great seems terrible at the time.
As for appropriateness, I guess it depends on the context. This question seems rather innocuous and may have been an off-the-cuff follow up based on a previous response where the candidate mentioned his wife. Maybe he had just mentioned going with his wife to a Psychology seminar, where she was a traveling companion, but the interviewer could have thought she was there to attend the seminar as well. Or it could have been just a friendly question about his life. Sort of a softball question to help ease tension.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:59:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It also comes off as kind of condescending
brashdecisions ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:17:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lay person sounds like he believes he's superior to her. It's literally a synonym for plebeian. A group that a normal run of the mill citizen who isnt a politician or part of some type of elite belongs to.
[deleted] ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 05:21:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
A member of the laity is literally a member of a church who is not a priest.
More generally, it means someone not initiated into some kind of order or specialized group.
Someone who is not a psychologist is a lay person, when compared to a group of trained psychologists.
Edit: from the Greek laikos "of the people."
brashdecisions ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 16:51:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
These days it doesnt actually mean that though.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:02:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
These days it means a non-specialist. Not a class.
When a doctor refers to a layperson, they mean someone outside of the medical field. Including the President, or the CEO of Apple.
When physicist refers to a layperson, they mean a non-scientist, including the President, or the CEO of Apple.
When a historian refers to a layperson, they mean a non-historian, including the President, or a doctor, or a physicist.
It's not about class, it's about membership in a group with specialist knowledge.
brashdecisions ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 17:06:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But when you're talking about someone outside the field, you're using it like the people in the field are the specialists and they are not, which is exactly how classist language operates.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Education is associated with class.
But specialization also cuts across class. You can be a poor doctor. And many historians aren't very rich. And you can be a poorly educated owner of capital.
Using the term layperson can be classist. Others in this thread have made that argument, that it sounded condescending to his wife.
But that's not the argument you made. Your specific argument was
And it is not. Assuming, of course, that you meant the word "literally" literally. And your example of a politician isn't a good example of a specialist, as some politicians lack specialist knowledge (although many are lawyers, or experts in policy.)
brashdecisions ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 17:23:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Today it is. To a lay person, it is. This argument is stupid. Pidgeon holing the most common definition because you want it to mean it's more outdated denotation is counterproductive and the opposite of how language works and evolves.
And nothing youve said has made any decent case for the guy calling his wife a lay person in an interview.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:43:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The very last time I heard the word layperson used was Richard Feynman explaining why it is hard to explain electromagnetism.
He did not mean it in a classist way.
The time before that, it was on AskHistorians, talking about how historiography is sometimes misinterpreted as 'revisionism' by laypeople. Again, more about specialist knowledge than class.
The time before that, it was a doctor on AskReddit talking about how patients misinterpret medical information online. Again, not expressly classist. More about a lack of specialist knowledge.
Now, if you have examples where it is being used in an expressly classist way, I'd be happy to see them.
brashdecisions ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 17:54:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I never said it was always classist. You are misrepresenting what i stated quite plainly so i dont really feel like I'm going to get any sort of intellectually honest responses from you, so I'm going to stop now.
When it's about your wife and you're in no position of authority, it is going to look like you feel a step above your wife. However you are a step above is semantics. The message it clearly sends is you're a step above her because she isnt in your specific field. End of story. I'm using context. Try it sometime
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:16:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I acknowledge that it could be considered classist. I acknowledged that it could be considered condescending, depending on context.
You asserted
You then backtracked, (without admitting your error) and said that the classist sense was the most common use, and that the specialist knowledge sense was archaic.
I responded with three current examples of it being used in the 'archaic' sense. You have failed to provide one where it is being used as a synonym for plebeian.
OP responded to my comment, and said that it was embarrassing not because it was condescending, but because 'lay' is a synonym for sex. As it, I got laid.
I was disputing your statement that it literally meant plebeian. You seem to think that the cloud of class association with that word is the same as the definition of that word.
You should stop using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Edit: I can think of at least two contexts where two specialists would be talking, and they would use the word layperson without being condescending. I can also think of one where it would be condescending.
Assuming it was in a condescending context isn't unreasonable; others in the thread did the same thing. Being unable to imagine other contexts shows a lack of imagination.
brashdecisions ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 18:43:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I never said the classist sense was the most common use. Thats an assumption you made. I dont need to be lectured on what i say by someone who doesnt even understand what I'm saying.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:50:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
It's possible I misunderstood you. In what sense did you mean
Or
These are the statements I'm disagreeing with. I acknowledge that in some contexts, referring to your wife as a layperson could be condescending.
brashdecisions ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 18:52:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When someone says they're done talking to you, that means they're done talking to you.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:57:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When did you say that?
brashdecisions ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 18:59:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol you have a listening problem
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:04:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was the last thing you said. Is that synonymous as "end of conversation" to you?
You don't write as clearly as you think you do. You've said many contradictory things in this conversation. It's actually confusing.
I am still not sure if you think
is true or not.
brashdecisions ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 19:06:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
K
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:18:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Awww, I'm bored at work. Come out and play.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:29:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Holy shit! I did misunderstand you. When you said
You were referring to the word 'literally,' not 'layperson.'
So you think that the literal use of the word 'literal' is so outdated it is archaic. You think that 'literal' means 'figurative,' and that using it literally is outdated.
So what word do you use when you literally mean 'literally?'
brashdecisions ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 19:35:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
K
andreyevich ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:27:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's actually Chris Cunningham who plays rubber johnny.
Gymnogyps87 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:48:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What up, my glip glop?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:15:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wubalubadubdub!
FeatofClay ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:53:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As a student i was included on some hiring committees for new faculty. One guy was not a great interviewer but he was smart about how to handle it--he said something like "I know from what I've been told that I'm not always great at putting myself across in an interview. But I know I'm an excellent teacher and I'm really proud of that." And then he went on to prove that in a fantastic mock lecture that described his dissertation research.
He also told us he got so engrossed once he fell off the stage during a lecture. Walked right off the edge.
He pretty much came across as the charming, bumbling genius, which put a much better spin on the semi-awkward interview. Got hired, taught there for the next 20 years, students liked him a lot.
joezeitgeist ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:55:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Sorry, Freudian slip! Lay... Person... Oh god what have I done. Well, good luck with the other candidates, I'll see myself out."
IgnoranceReductase ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:54:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If that's the most embarrassed you've ever been, consider yourself fortunate.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A good interviewer can see past someone interviewing badly. I was taught to interview graduates by asking really open questions to try and get them to talk. I had one guy who I asked about his final university project and he was just giving one word answers. I asked what his project was about (all the other candidates talked really excitedly about what they'd done and brought demos to show off etc.) and he just said something like it was a sorting algorithm. After a few more questions and not getting any more information I asked if he had to do the project again now he's got more knowledge etc., what would he do differently. Nothing. There's got to be something, anything, time management, better books, things not even related to the project. I really tried to get information out of him.
Nervousness or messing up answers shouldn't matter because you can ask the question in a different way.
[deleted] ยท 53 points ยท Posted at 00:52:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm always amazed at how many graduate students lack self awareness when it comes to interviews, especially in STEM fields. There's so many intelligent people that just don't know how to interact with other people in a non-academic setting. If you are an engineering or science PhD student with people skills you are way ahead of your competition
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 01:40:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Agreed. I've never had trouble finding interest in my application/vitae, but I'm more social and better at communicating than the average chemist.
SomeBroadYouDontKnow ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:51:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think part of the difficulty is that (often, not always) students don't really have much access or practice when it comes to socialization in a professional environment. When you're doing a group project in a STEM field, you're used to working on things with people who already have the same goals. When you're applying for a job, the type of social skills you need shift because the goal of the interviewer and the goal of the interviewee are different.
While that shift may not be dramatic, it's enough to make a person sound awkward or use wording/intonation that's not entirely appropriate.
I agree that it boils down to a lack of self awareness (I personally try to talk to professors or instructors as if they are my boss, I often see other students who talk to them like they're friends or parents), but I also understand why that happens, to an extent... and personally, I'm glad it happens because I feel like it'll give me an edge in the future.
gghhgghhgghhgg ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:14:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
How so? My goal is to have both parties come to the same conclusion, that I am either the best fit for the position they are offering or not. A job is not a thing that you get, it is a thing that you do for many hours every day. I was also evaluating the company to see if it was a place where I wanted to spend my time. I've turned down quite a few job offers in my career if I didn't think it was going to be good experience.
Professors are professors. They aren't your boss, either. In many ways, they are subordinate to you, because you are paying them for their instruction. It is more of a professional to a client relationship than the metaphors that you are working with.
SomeBroadYouDontKnow ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:43:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think the goals are different (slightly different, but different) because the company is looking to suss out the best person, while the candidate is looking to suss out the best company... or, if they're a little more desperate, they're looking to be the best candidate.
It's kind of like a standoff in an old spaghetti western. They're squinting at you, looking you up and down to look at all your weaknesses. You're squinting at them, looking them up and down to see their weaknesses. If you both find each other's weaknesses acceptable, the guns don't come out and y'all shake hands. If one of you spots something that ain't right (and the other doesn't), shots are fired and one man goes "whoo! Glad I didn't have to deal with that guy for much longer!" If both parties find problems, then both people get shot... but that's where the metaphor breaks down because both people probably walk away going "whew! Glad I dodged that bullet!" without realizing they got hit, themselves. Ooh! The metaphor works even if you're just trying to beat out the competition because then it becomes a Mexican stand off!
I talk to professors like they're a boss. I keep it professional until they give some sort of signal that it's unnecessary (which is what I do with bosses, too). They're professionals and they deserve the respect they've earned by getting to that position. I was in the army, and we always liked to say "if you don't respect the man, you still respect the rank"... it's like that. I'm respecting them for their position. I'm not the expert. If I need assistance that can't be offered through other students, I go to the instructor. If I have a question or concern about my work/the class, I go to them too... That sounds very much like an employer-employee relationship-- if I had a question that a coworker couldn't help me with, I would go to a boss. If I had a question or concern about my work/the company, I would also take it to a boss.
They also give me projects and assignments like a boss, they're in a leadership role like a boss, they delegate tasks or ask for volunteers like a boss, they give credit like a boss, they're the one's leading discussion like a boss, they decide who gets to pipe up like a boss, they decide weather your time off was excused or not like a boss, and they shit on Deborah's desk like a boss... That was just to see if you were still paying attention ;)
Also, like I said, it aids in my personal practice for the professional environment. I don't find that it creates an imbalance and while it may be very "teacher's pet" of me, I find that they appreciate it. I treat them with respect and that respect is returned.
How are they my subordinates? I am paying the school for the instruction, not the teacher. The school is paying the teacher to instruct me. There's no money changing hands when it comes to me personally or the instructor personally. Either one of us can be dismissed by the school for any number of reasons. Neither one of us can be dismissed by the other party. In that way, you're correct, it is much more of a professional to client relationship than a boss to subordinate relationship. But both are professional relationships, not personal ones... Unless it becomes a personal relationship, which I have no problem with either. I have a handfull of professors that I would say I'm close with, and who have become more of personal relationships than professional ones with time. That's totally fine by me and by them, but it shouldn't start that way, and we keep that personal relationship outside of the classroom (usually it can't even be in the classroom because the friendship side forms after the semester is over).
gghhgghhgghhgg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:58:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bosses fucking pay me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:04:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Let's be honest, applying to grad school is easier than going out and getting a job, so you get those people. Then, you have to realize that anyone really weighing their options realizes there's way more money/job security in a Masters than in a PhD. So you get people who either aren't weighing their options (which is problematic) or people who want to do science for the sake of science (which can be a socially oblivious crowd).
r1t3 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:05:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know a guy who has his own engineering consultancy who said he'll typically hire less academically qualified graduates because they often have better social skills. His advice to me was to get a degree which proves you're not stupid, and learn to talk to people - and you'll get a job easily.
uReallyShouldTrustMe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:03:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a young professor say: I am a professor at this age not because I am the smartest or most qualified, but because I can communicate with others what I do know.
LordCider ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:03:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Took linear algebra where the graduate student instructor wore the exact same outfit (wrinkled oversized white shirt, white cargo shorts, white long socks and sandals. Yes , socks and sandals) to class for 4 consecutive days. I dropped the class. Just couldn't pay attention when all I'm thinking to myself is "dude have your showered this past week?"
rowawaymythrowaway ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:38:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or he had like 4 of the same outfits like I do?
Aroha11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:02:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have 6 identical pair of jeans :-)
rowawaymythrowaway ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:11:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I will one up you by saying I have like 5 shirts that are the same too. Lol.
tquiz ยท 60 points ยท Posted at 00:17:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
5/12 isn't exactly highly competitive.
Stinduh ยท 90 points ยท Posted at 01:21:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Highly competitive might also imply the standards for applying were already pretty high.
whoopipoof ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:25:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
my thoughts exactly. when i was in grad school my university opened one position and apparently received over a thousand applications.
brashdecisions ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:19:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They're teachers. Some of them probably didnt get jobs that year.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:15:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some people also intend to fail the interview. My old co-worker attempted to bomb his interview, but ended up getting the job. Didn't keep it long as it didn't work out for him.
[deleted] ยท 123 points ยท Posted at 23:00:48 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
|highly competitive
|part-time teaching
why is a part time teaching job so competitive.
DarwinYogi ยท 132 points ยท Posted at 23:06:46 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Applicants were 2nd year graduate students who wanted to land a teaching gig at a community college after they obtained their M.A. Teaching an undergraduate course + letters of recommendation about their teaching aptitude would be a HUGE PLUS for them, as it had been for those who preceded them in the program.
neurobeans ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 23:24:02 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What field/subject is this in? I was under the impression that part-time CC positions were pretty casual and easy to come by. I've already heard of a few last minute openings this semester that CCs are desperate to fill. (I'm hoping to start teaching part time in the next year or so.)
DarwinYogi ยท 34 points ยท Posted at 23:44:25 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Psychology. Southern California. Extremely competitive for teaching positions b/c of all the PhD's who cannot obtain full-time tenure track positions. When I headed our department's part-time hiring committee, we would routinely get 90 to 100 applications for 20 or 25 courses. Only about 10% of all applicants were clearly under qualified. The selection ratio favored those doing the hiring. Having a PhD was required.
Some PhD's with excellent research resumes have decided to make a living as "Freeway Flyers" by teaching part-time at 4-5 different colleges each semester. Such individuals make it difficult for those with only MA degrees to teach at CCs in this area.
Your info about the ease of getting part-time work at a CC might be totally accurate for your field/area of the country. Contacting NOW the current department heads of those CCs you'd like to teach at in the near future is not a waste of your time. State your intentions and ask about teaching opportunities there. Ask what you can do to improve your chances of being hired (assuming it is competitive). If you can interview the department chair on campus, you'll also be able to assess whether you'd like to teach in that environment. Good luck.
thedeejus ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 00:45:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I quit my psych PhD program in part because the very real possibility of being a freeway flyer was my personal idea of hell!
DarwinYogi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 00:54:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm glad it didn't affect your interest in baseball :-)
I know what you mean. It has been brutal for new PhDs because of the unfavorable age demographics in academia.
thedeejus ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 00:56:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh dont worry, my wife is now working on her dissertation in a humanity so I get to go through the whole rigamarole anyway!
punkrockscience ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 04:24:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most "freeway flyers" have not exactly chosen that life, by the way. Many would LOVE to be tenure track.
I mean, sure, they've chosen adjuncting over flipping burgers with a PhD, but it's not the same.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:10:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
DarwinYogi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:27:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This "dirty t-shirt" fellow was not competing for a permanent spot. Our department has a program for interested 2nd year graduate students called The Teacher Intern Program. Successful applicants teach one section of Intro Psych each semester under the guidance of a full-time faculty member. Even w/o his inappropriate attire, some of the things he said in the 15 minutes of his interview were so off-the-wall that I thought he might be there as some sort of weird joke. He seemed to think his prior experience as a high school teacher made him a peer of those interviewing him. He wanted to show us how "hip" he was (e.g., He said at one point, "We all know that lectures are 90% bullshit"). My attribution, based on this small sample, is that he goes through life with a huge sense of entitlement. I never saw him after this.
HUGE KUDOS to you for landing your appointment! It seems that the present academic hiring environment for some areas of study is as rough in the UK as it is here in the U.S. I wish you the best of luck to you in your new career!
acm2033 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 01:22:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the field. STEM fields, yeah, we're always trying to fill spots. English, humanities? Good luck, hope you have a Ph.D. and experience.
diazona ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:07:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think you're painting STEM with a pretty broad brush. In my corner of physics the research positions always get hundreds of applicants for each job. Teaching positions are a little better but still highly competitive I think.
acm2033 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:21:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Welcome to higher education.
wildeep_MacSound ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:46:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because education is one of the fields where the pay and compensation is absolute shit, but every person in a position of authority thinks they're gods gift and protects every position in their fiefdom as if the security of the known universe depended on it.
abloopdadooda ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:50:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Other than the "he seemed genuinely surprised" thing, could this maybe have been a guy gaming the welfare system cuz technically he's actively "searching for a job" and "going to interviews". I heard that some people do that kinda thing so they can stay on benefits while not actually searching for a job.
ooh_a_pineapple ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:58:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he was doing a poor interview to help out his mate and make him seem an even better candidate when he was interviewed next
NeverEndingRadDude ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:05:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds like a person getting unemployment checks and doesn't want to get a job, but needs to apply for x number of jobs to keep the unemployment checks coming in.
no_this_is_God ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:28:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That reminds me of my physics lab last year. It was taught by a grad student who was more than a half hour late to at least two sessions. Normally for a class we would leave after 15 min of waiting but this class had mandatory attendance so we were stuck waiting for her to get there and then had to go well over the alloted time which made me late for my next class. She would also text during the lab when people were trying to get her attention because they had questions. So apparently people like that do get hired now and then.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:01:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Terrible attitude toward teaching?
Like "Yeah I just tell them to open the textbook and read, and if those kids step out of line I just smack them upside of the head and tell them I fucked their mother in the ass last night"
Bleue22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:46:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pro interviewing tip, take it from me, the pro, who is giving you this pro tip from a certified pro:
if youz follow these rulez, youz sure to get any job.
VincentVeritas ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 08:21:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And so the cycle continues. I'm glad he wasted your time instead of you his life.
yanomami ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 12:31:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This sounds like a lot of college students. :|
DarwinYogi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:37:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Graduate students are older than college students and usually have a more professional attitude.
yanomami ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:10:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But the terrible attitude towards teaching makes him sound ready to be a professor at a University.
BluemoononaSunday ยท 536 points ยท Posted at 00:44:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy threw a beer can in the trash can before coming in to the interview. When asked about it he said, "It was just one drink. To take the edge off." did not get job.
Applicant said it was having sex with a hooker in the employee break room that got him fired from his last job. And he didn't see anything wrong with that.
skwert99 ยท 131 points ยท Posted at 01:21:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was that wrong?
Art_Van_Delay ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:33:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What about the whole Christmas spirit thing? Any flexibility there?
[deleted] ยท 89 points ยท Posted at 00:47:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
jonhydude ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 05:44:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But in the employee break room? Come on, that's just taking it too far.
the_incredible_hawk ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 06:52:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. I mean, the prostitutes eat lunch in there. Have some courtesy.
jonhydude ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:00:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Have you ever tried eating while having sex, Jerry? IT'S AMAZING!
ThatHowYouGetAnts ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:50:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami
batmansavestheday ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:35:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Who pays who?
troycheek ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 01:38:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked for a company that had "Employees are not allowed to have sex in company vehicles while on duty" in the employee handbook. I asked if that was a problem. Apparently, it was, and I "could thank [certain specific employee who was the company owner's son-in-law] for that rule." The way the interviewer said it, he was more upset that there was a rule against it than that it was happening. I took the job anyway because student loans.
VeryDerrisDerrison ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:04:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He's just bummed out he no longer has an outlet for his sex-on-the-job fetish
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 05:35:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The first bit isn't all that uncommon, not the beer can in the interview, but the one drink to help calm the nerves.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:55:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When you're spotted doing it just make up some bullshit excuse. "I hate the trash on the streets, figured I would pick the rubbish up"
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:30:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
BluemoononaSunday ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:24:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
not sure, he didn't say and wasn't about to ask.
nachtegaal930 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:02:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What would you say is the best way to handle questions about your work history when you know it's not going to reflect well on you? Basically how should you answer "why did you leave your last job?" if you got fired for being a shit employee?
Death_and_Gravity ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:40:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
*It was on his break!
Edited. Ya happy now?
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:06:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
*it
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:25:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Underrated comment
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:03:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah you should fuck hookers on your own time.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:48:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My father was an alcoholic all of his adult life and never missed a day of work. He drank on the job but no one knew it.
superflippy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:54:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had an interview in a bar, once. I showed up early, as I had learned to do, and didn't see the person who was supposed to be interviewing me there yet. So I sat at the bar and had a beer. Stupid.
Almost half an hour later, the interviewer and other interviewees show up. Interviewer asks if everyone is present and when I call out "Yes!" he looks at me and my empty beer glass with disgust. I killed the interview, but I knew without a doubt I would not be getting that job.
All these years later, I still can't imagine what possessed me to think it would be OK to drink that beer.
Razor1834 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:06:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry, boss. I didn't know I couldn't do that.
Antofuzz ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:34:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Come on, guy #1, that's why flasks exist. Show a little class.
excusemefucker ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:58:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
we had 2 people get fired for having sex under a stairwell at a prior job. Both of them didn't see why it was an issue: no one could see them and it was in a camera blind spot.
Calaban007 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:57:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was on break wasn't he?
[deleted] ยท 343 points ยท Posted at 23:37:51 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
came in smelling of old laundry. unshaven (not just beard, i mean unkempt and scraggly). Had no answer for why he wanted to work with us. In speaking, had a different degree than the one he had put down on his resume (had written a poli sci degree, in speaking, he had a criminology degree)
The sad part was, we were really excited about the candidate until then. Even on the phone. Never seen someone bomb an interview quite that badly.
foodporncess ยท 84 points ยท Posted at 01:05:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair my degree is in poli sci but criminal justice was one of my focus areas. Many who came into in my program later had to pick just one focus and criminal justice was one.
[deleted] ยท 83 points ยท Posted at 01:32:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, I get that. And its what we assumed he meant at first too. But no, it was a criminology degree. Despite both being forms of sociology, it's about like claiming a chemistry degree then having an electrical engineering degree instead.
Especially since the job was for a political campaign, as a poll analyst.
mishko27 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:52:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do you actually need poli sci degree for that? I essentially have a minor in poli sci (enough classes, but not the correct ones - wanted to double major but decided it was not worth the stress) and I don't thin absolutely anything in the curriculum would have helped me to be better at analysis of poll data.
[deleted] ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 05:22:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No. What you need to not do is lie on your resume. We weren't only interviewing poli sci majors. But it was listed as the preferred major.
Though, I think if you spent 10 minutes reading reddit's version of "gerrymandering", you'd understand how even the small knowledge you gained in the minor might help you properly understand the context. Reddit makes a good place to look to understand the difference between common knowledge and actual knowledge about political science. So many half truths and misunderstandings get thrown around its fair to want to be sure someone understands the reality of how things work.
I'd also point out their is a wide gulf between a major and a minor. A minor requires about 6 classes. Majors usually require between 50-70 credits, which translates to 20 classes or so. Pretty massive difference. I have a russian and a history minor, and wouldn't pretend to hold either up to the equivalent knowledge of a major in either. So while we were willing to interview anyone who truly understood the process, we preferred the degree because that told us off the bat the person wasn't going to be typing up reports based on misunderstandings.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:37:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hate that so much, but am guilty of doing so myself from time to time. The less you know, the less you understand how little you know.
As a person only superficially familiar with the american political process, where would be a good start to learn about gerrymandering? Maybe you could clear up some of the common misconceptions?
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 08:48:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I have long since given up trying to clear up gerrymandering, as i get attacked like crazy even when the person who asked is legitimately interested.
The best book i know of for the topic is "the realities of redistricting". It discusses the process in pretty good depth, of redistricting, and discusses how and where gerrymandering slips in.
I will say this- reddit misunderstands the point of districts, and so they call legitimate districts gerrymandered all the time. The point is to try and give people a voice, by putting them in a district that is similar to themselves. Not neccesarruly politically. For example, seperating cities from suburbs, because cities have different political issues than suburbs. suburbs from farms. People on one water district from people on another. business districts from residential. Because ideally a district should be able to elect someone to represent their district.
Since populations of political groups tend to congregate, this often looks like gerrymandering when it really isn't. Suburbs tend to be conservative, urban areas liberal. rural areas even more conservative. So people see a line that seperates akron ohio from its suburbs and scream gerrymandering, when its just good sense.
For actual gerrymandering, its better to look at places like austin texas, a funny shape emerges that allows the city to be split up into two halves, both overwhelmed by suburbs and rural areas sharing the district, instead of getting a seat to itself.
a 60/40 vote leading to 4/6 reps isn't always gerrymandering... it could just mean the side that got 60 and only 4 reps is more concentrated, while the 40/6 group is more spread out, for example.
The other major issue is when reddit blames extremism on gerrymandering... when the fact is true gerrymandering is a counter force to extremism.... it involves diluting votes... not concentrating them.
Hell I've seen redditors claim senators got THEIR seats thanks to gerrymandering...
edit apparently that book still costs 50+ dollars, so maybe not worth that kinda money for a casual read. honestly, any source that is a political scientist and not a journalist is probably a good start.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:00:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks a lot, I will look into that book.
From a very general understanding of democracy, shouldn't every vote count the same? While this may not be a problem of gerrymandering, in this case, there seems to be a problem of districting nonetheless. The recent general election in the UK got me thinking: When under extreme circumstances, the system can produce an outcome in which 35% of the vote can lead to almost 100% of power, this system seems to lack democratic legitimacy.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:19:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
they do count the same. in their district. Why have local representatives at all if you are just going to make all elections at large?
We have state wide offices whose job is to represent the state as a whole. Why shouldn't a house member be elected to represent a specific part of a state just because that part of the state is different politically than the rest? Do those people not deserve representation?
The problem only starts when elected officials start representing their party rather than their people, and that is what extremism causes. And it is the real enemy. Gerrymandering affected between 5 and 8% of districts... enough to change the majority, yes, and therefor a serious problem, but certainly cannot be blamed for the hyperpolarization of the house and senate.
My main point isn't "ignore gerrymandering" its "realize this is a symptom, not a cause, of a hyper polarized political system". Polarized politicians gerrymander... but gerrymandering does not usually create polarized politicians (nor does it destroy them mind you, since its rarely useful to gerrymander such a district to begin with, but it generally does encourage some moderation in the affected districts)
mishko27 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 06:32:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Major was 10 classes, I have taken 6. This is a top30 liberal arts college mind you :) But yeah, that was a question out of genuine curiosity, rather than questioning your hiring process. I understand how little people know about things in general, let alone the political process.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:38:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
mishko27 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:41:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
All theory, literally no math and science. There you go.
I welcome any critique of that degree, I did not end up getting it. I did end up with a BA degree in some other crap, now getting MS in some more crap. Ultimately, I know how to write media advisories pretty damn well.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:50:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
that shows 18 "units" which, as it reads, are classes. 18x3 = 56. over the 50.
8 basic and 10 in subfields.
my point made, thanks.
https://politicalscience.byu.edu/Curriculum/2015-16MajorChecklist.pdf
another one. 15 hours on a track plus 41-48 for all. over 50. as opposed to 21 hours for the minor (which is more than most schools for a minor, where 18 is normal) thats still a BA though, cause BS in poli sci are rarer.
ps- i deleted my original post because i felt it was overly hostile and not properly contributing. but you replied to it before i could apparently, i apologize for the tone in that one.
mishko27 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:06:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wait, where are you looking? Event the combined International Political Economy degree is only 16 courses, no way PS is 18 - it says 10 courses minimum on the page I linked. If you click on the minor requirements, it says "Completion of a minor in political science requires five courses"
Not that any of this matters :D
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:13:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
no i misread 1 and 2 as seperate requirements. Thats on me.
the major does require (well "advises") 2 history and an economics class though, which is 13 now. as well as intermediate level of a foreign language
it also requires a thesis (odd for undergrad) A thesis would usually be counted as an entire semester worth of classes... so 15 more hours.
A thesis alone makes a big difference. I'm not familiar with colorado college specifically, but it sounds like thats their thing, which leads to highly specialized students. which is AWESOME if the student specializes in an employable specialization!
mishko27 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:05:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, yeah, most kids do thesis. You usually take 2 classes to do so - it's all different though due to the block system. 2 classes would mean you having 2 whole months to do nothing else but your thesis as you're taking one class at a time and nothing else.
winnilourson ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:17:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A solid understanding of regression modeling is essential, which is taught in any good political science program.
mishko27 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 06:28:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
TOP30 liberal art college - the whole major requirements curriculum:
1) In the American politics subfield:
PS 200 - American Politics and Government
2) In the international relations subfield:
PS 209 - Introduction to International Relations or
PS 225 - Conduct of American Foreign Policy
3) In the comparative subfield:
PS 236 - Introduction to Comparative Politics
4) In the political theory subfield:
PS 205 - Foundations of Political Economy or
PS 270 - Liberty and Equality or
PS 292 - American Political Thought or
PS 298 โ What is Political Philosophy?
+electives
+thesis
So, yeah :D I guess it's a meh program...
winnilourson ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:40:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No methodology classes? I would be extremely surprised that it is not offered.
v1ct0r1us ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:52:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went to a top 100 (university of missouri) for political science and we had required courses in statistics and other methods. You may just have a poor department.
rae1988 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:21:56 on September 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds like a super fun job, are you still hiring??
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:19:17 on September 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, since the campaign was a senate campaign 2 years ago... and he lost. No :P
rae1988 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:18:01 on September 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh dang, yeah I have actuarial experience and even some campaign field organizing grunt work experience.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:57:02 on September 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you have a degree, I'd suggest checking job listings for your local representatives and senators. They may still be hiring paid positions. Even without a degree you could try, though usually without a degree of some sort (even if in the wrong field) you usually need a connection.
Working on a senate campaign was the most fun i ever had in a job. I was an analyst. we were organized in such a way that while no one reported directly to me, I did get input into hiring anyone who's data i depended on. The best part was the weekly staff meetings, where I got to sit in a conference room with a Senator.
I just wish his campaign advisors had listened to me more, because they were dead wrong on several things and I tried to tell them so. It cost us the election. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
rae1988 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:46:36 on September 19, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds pretty fun!
I do hav an Econ degree, but at least where I live (IL)- most of the political campaign jobs that didn't involve field organizing were gotten through connections, etc.
I guess I could always work for a tiny guy downstate and then from there move onto bigger campaigns- but honestly this stuff is more of a hobby for me so I wouldn't want to start all over again at the bottom somewhere with a huge pay cut
EDIT: which campaign or at least which party did you work for, if you don't mind me asking??
Bleue22 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:40:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You've never heard of the pol sci criminology degree? Where do you think congress finds all those special prosecutors? Pfft!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Toss him in a washing machine.
MobbTARD ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:42:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is beard really a problem while trying to get a job ?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:54:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
well depends on the job and the beard. but an unkempt scraggly one, yes. At the very least trim it and make it look groomed and nice. I mean i have a full beard myself, so not its not an inherent problem, but i keep mine looking nice.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:35:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Asking people why they want to work there is stupid anyway. Everybody needs money and you seem like a non shitty place where they can make it.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:23:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a normal question testing whether they even understand where they are applying. Especially when the job is working for a senator's re election campaign, its somewhat important to know the people are actually supportive of the candidate.
I get there are a lot of jobs where its a stupid question, but for some, its very relevant. We would much rather have had a passionate person who needed a little extra training then someone who despised the candidate but was an expert.
You don't find political campaign jobs on monster or craigs list. You have to seek them out pretty specifically.
----0---- ยท 1154 points ยท Posted at 21:54:02 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can tell you I fucked up an interview last week by suddenly getting a stutter and going blank on Every questions that was asked of me.
xXSpookyXx ยท 685 points ยท Posted at 23:30:44 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just an FYI for your next interview: nervousness is normal in an interview and it does not reflect badly on yourself at all to pause to think over a question or reset if you find yourself stuttering or talking too fast.
Bleedthebeat ยท 460 points ยท Posted at 23:52:33 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What really helps this is if you realize that the interviewer is just another person and not an authority figure. As soon as you realize that the person interviewing you will just be a co-worker if you get hired it's easier to answer those questions like you would if you were talking to a co-worker around the water cooler.
call_it_art ยท 327 points ยท Posted at 00:56:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In all the interviews I've been in it was the actual boss.
Bleedthebeat ยท 295 points ยท Posted at 01:11:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah me too. But as soon as you realize that a boss is just a better paid Co worker it takes the pressure off. A boss is just like any other employee you have to work with. If you put them on a pedastal you're doing it wrong.
[deleted] ยท 93 points ยท Posted at 01:49:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you put them on a pedestal, that job fucking sucks and has no upwards momentum.
Onitsue ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 08:25:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you put them on a pedestal, you're forcing them to look down on you.
kingcanibal ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:57:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or you work in a professional kitchen
AgenderCaterpie ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:25:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hehe, I worked in a summer camp kitchen last summer and during the interview I played tetris with the camp director who was conducting the interview.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:00:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not the same as a professional kitchen with 11 hour shifts, high standards, insane numbers of tickets coming in, and a crazy head chef who will literally scream at you like an army drill sergeant if you're slow or make a mistake.
Not to mention the rest of your team will likely be made up of addicts, alcoholics and other miscreants, since they're the only ones willing to put up with such insane working conditions.
A laid back summer camp job is not the same thing at all.
AgenderCaterpie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:08:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I worked at the camp we had 14 hour work shifts, starting at 5 and ending whenever we finished dishes because the management was inept and we had all but 3 members on the team including me. The camp I was at hosted 350 campers per weeks so the day was filled with all hands frantically moving from cutting station to sink to the walk-in to the 20 gallon pot, back to the cutting station. The head chef was the only one truly qualified to make the meals so the first week was even more frantic with him having to alternate when he was chopping veggies to showing me how he wanted something cut because I didn't know the terminology at that point.
By the second week I had gotten used to the environment of the kitchen but the workload was still insane and I complained to my boss about the lack of staff, he brushed me off saying they would look into it.
By the fourth week it was clear that they didn't care at all for their employees as we had received no sign of help incoming. I was beginning to show signs of the stress that the constant work was putting on me, coupled with the fact that my wages were a meager 0.27 dollars an hour thanks to the way that summer camps can pay staff.
On the 4th day of the fifth week I put in a 3 day notice of quitting. My boss attempted to plead with me to stay, but I had none of it as I had no less than three panic attacks earlier that week due to an unfortunate forest fire at a nearby camp that caused us to have to host their campers as well as ours, their staff also came to our camp but we're unfortunately completely useless, using the week at our camp as a break rather than helping us.
All in all, I plan to go back and work there next year, because I know that the management will be different.
MacGillycuddy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:59:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Also remember that you are "interviewing" the firm as much as they are interviewing you. What I mean is, you are assessing them as well: are the people nice? Do you like the job description? Would you want to work for them? That actually helped me in my interviews.
JOE_HOCKEY_FOR_PM ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:21:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Even bosses have bosses.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:50:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Even Obama? ;)
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:38:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, his lizard person handler.
Letsplaywithfire ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:02:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have this problem with bosses and older coworkers. And guys my age with beards. I think I view myself as being younger than I am.
TheyMakeMeWearPants ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:13:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We usually do a phone screen, followed by either 2 or 3 pairs doing face-to-face. The boss is pretty much always somewhere in the mix, but the rest are either the candidates future peers or a boss from a different team. For the technical stuff, we usually don't point out who is a boss or who isn't.
For candidates that did extremely well, we'll try to tack on an extra 15-30 minute session with the boss's boss, who will generally spend most of that session convincing the candidate that we are an awesome company to work for.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is why it takes so long to get a job. All the interviews.
TheyMakeMeWearPants ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:54:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We do the phone screen first to filter out the obvious duds. If you don't make it past that, you've usually only wasted about 15-30 minutes of your time (and ours). The rest of it we do in a single day 90% of the time. We're not going to bring somebody back to the office over and over again if we can avoid it.
rugtoad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's only because the alternative sucks balls.
You want to find out as much as you can about an employee before they are on your payroll...because once they are there, your only option is to fire them if they blow up.
Some people don't have the stomach for it. Also, it gets expensive. Training new people isn't cheap, it takes bandwidth from your established team in both terms of teaching and correcting mistakes.
utspg1980 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:57:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I remember going to an interview that wasn't the boss. It was just 2 guys that had been working in the dept for awhile. I found it so odd, but didn't really press for answers on Why?
Ultimately didn't take the job just because they weren't offering enough money.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just had an interview and didn't take the job because it's only part time and no benefits. However, I made a friend.
Allyanna ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:10:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, my current job's interview was with my manager and the president of the company.
aneasymistake ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:23:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're going to have to work with people at all levels when you get the job. Some people will be ones you work with all day, every day and some will be ones you only have a chat to every couple of weeks. Either way, just treat them as equals. Show respect, be polite and be friendly. If any of that doesn't go down well you can take that as a factor in whether or not you accept their offer.
Crandom ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:26:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At least for software, this a red flag and you should run away.
throwaway4567891263 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:28:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For the job i'm in now, I interviewed with what would turn out to be a more senior coworker, my direct boss, his boss, his boss's boss, and his great grandboss
djbootybutt ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 01:36:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Until you're being interviewed by a police officer because you're interviewing to become a police officer. Talk about some fuckin nervousness.
fdsdfg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:41:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I tried this with an interviewee, he was super nervous and looked like he was going to throw up. I talked with him for a couple minutes about video games, turns out we share some interests, but he was still a quivering bag of garbage afterwards.
No way am I gonna send that guy out to customer sites. He'd probably hide under the bed in his hotel
ComebackShane ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:06:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Also, as someone who has hired many positions over the years, we WANT you do do well. We have a need and we're hoping you're the solution. Interviewing is a pain in the ass, so we'd just as much rather you be the one we hire if you can show you can do the job/get along with us in a work environment. We're rooting for you, so don't be nervous.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:25:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In interviews, I always pretend that I've know the interviewer for years and it always helps.
Bless_Me_Bagpipes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:37:18 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
As an owner, and a stupidly sweet one at that... I would caution against this advise. Don't treat your future employer like a god; they are NOT peers nor equals. BUT... I do NOT hire peers. I work with them. They have other businesses. You are not a coworker nor a peer. You are an employee.
Trying not to to sounds like a dick but tough shit if I do (and owners don't care). You cost me money unless you earn me money. Until you prove you are an asset you ARE a liability.
On the other side, I'm SHOCKED at how many people don't give a shit about their own lives.
Bleedthebeat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:43:06 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well to be brutally honest if, as an owner, you are the one conducting interviews, than your business probably isn't big enough to warrant being nervous during an interview regardless. Your business would most likely just be a stepping stone to something better for nearly all of your employees.
Bless_Me_Bagpipes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:45:30 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please do not heed this advise. Maybe on a corporate level. But at a small business level the BOSS will be speaking with you directly. His mortgage depends on him hiring people that will take home enough to house their loved ones allow him to spend time with her family
Bleedthebeat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:58:50 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have worked for both types of companies. I currently work for a company that has over 250,000 employees and I (voluntarily) left one that had under 30. Both companies were fine to work for but I can tell you first hand that it fucking sucks working for an owner who clearly thinks he's better than you. At least at the large corporate level I don't have to be reminded on a daily basis that my labor is what allows the owner of the company to have his over inflated ego. I'm sure the case is true with both companies but at least I don't have to see it with the big one. The worst fucking thing about small business owners is that "I worked hard for everything I have" attitude. Fuck you if you think I owe you something for you employing me. I work hard for every dime I make just like you did. The only thing any of your employees owe you is the work you pay them to do. When it comes down to it, even as an owner your employees are your co-workers. Even your lowest paid employees are coworkers because without any of them you would be the one doing the stuff you deem as "entry level work."
zurx ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 02:28:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As someone in management, I can tell you that in my field at least, we actually appreciate nervousness because it shows that you actually really care about getting the job.
Akronite14 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 04:13:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I learned this recently but so far it has led to big blank moments in my head as I wonder if they feel the silence as long as I feel it.
I'm trying to get better though.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:55:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
that's good. At my last job interview I started crying because the girl interviewing me was so pretty.
xXSpookyXx ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:16:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha That might be more of a problem
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:30:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
spoiler: I got the job.
And later, some escitalopram for my anxiety problems.
Vomath ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:06:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Coolest thing on my interview for my current job was that the first thing the interviewer said was exactly that. "Its okay to be nervous, we understand. Just take your time. We want to hear what you have to say." Turns out she's a great woman to work for, too.
Koras ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:05:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I took some advice a while back to simply say "Can I have a sec to think about that?" on the real bastard questions, and it's never backfired. Every bit of interview feedback since has said "I like the way you took the time to consider your reply", something along the lines of showing how you don't rush into important decisions. It's also meant I've given WAY better answers than I used to. Didn't get a single job via interview until I started doing it because I'm so bad with nerves and remembering examples on the spot.
Admittedly it'd probably work out a bit worse if I'd then given a shitty answer after taking the time to think.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:48:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Talking too fast. That's me.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:23:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Also just say "I'm a little nervous," if you find this happening. For most jobs, it won't hurt your chances, and it will relieve the pressure for you to say it out loud.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:32:17 on January 16, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
me rn
ashesfaded ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 00:17:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually this depends on the position. When I hire IT positions in my company they need to be able to keep their cool under stress. If my interviewee is so nervous that they can't keep it at a conversational level I politely excuse them.
mfball ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 04:40:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is really disheartening to hear as someone who gets insanely nervous for interviews but is otherwise awesome under stress.
ashesfaded ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:58:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Think of your interviewer as someone you met at the bar. You'll most likely be hanging out with them there at some point in the future. You're also going to be part of a small team and could possibly be spending more time with that person on a daily basis that you would an SO (not counting sleep). The interview is all about finding out if you fit in with the corporate culture and how you deal with stress, so you won't be asked difficult questions related to the trade yet. This means you don't have to be worried about how much knowledge you have packed away to answer at the drop of the hat. All that IT knowledge comes later when you take around 3 hours of testing that we have set up including lab and question/answer in essay form. I have no idea how other people do it but that is what we do. If you seem intelligent, chill and I like you, you're in for the test.
yumcake ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:44:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Practice makes perfect, desensitize yourself to interviews by applying to a ton of open positions, including the ones you're not sure you'll want, and the ones you don't think you'd ever get. You go in, and just practice interviews in these low-pressure situations where you don't think you'll get the job and don't really care either way.
Eventually, the interview stops being a special or unusual situation to get worked up about. Plus, sometimes the job you weren't that interested in might turn out to be better than it sounded on paper or they might be willing to pay more to get you. Or perhaps the job you didn't think you could possibly get, decides that you are actually a good fit.
It's a lot like dating (for guys). You can't marry a girl in your head before you talk to them, you'll get too nervous. Instead you just relax, talk to lots of girls to build experience, with no expectations on where you want that conversation to go.
acm2033 ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 01:29:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So, you're interested in how they do in interviews, or in their job? Is their job going to be constant interviews?
An interview can give you an idea about someone, but one nervous interview shouldn't disqualify anyone. Perhaps a second interview can show more of what a person's capable of.
ToiletDick ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 02:04:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's a lot of positions in IT where a technical guy is going to be put in a situation that's stressful like an interview.
Tech support guys need to be able to call up clients and be confident and straight even when things have gone wrong and the client is angry.
It's not unusual to get engineers involved in the sales process, especially at smaller companies.
cuntRatDickTree ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:11:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Hah yeah. In my first job as a software engineer I found myself trying to pitch a product to a salesperson who used to sell software to giant companies like Boeing, Raytheon, Morgan Stanley etc. Startups are stressful :(
He basically ended up helping us out and advising on our pitch! Amazing guy totally took over the proceedings :P
(For the record, we closed the doors recently. No regrets though - we still have a unique and very special product to work on in the future. It's just way too niche and expensive and we can'tleak details to secure investment).
ashesfaded ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:44:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would say that the interview creates the same type of stress you would experience with the shit starts to hit the fan in an IT scenario(these scenarios are very rare but they do happen). This has nothing to do with how they do interviews, it has to do with how they react under stress. If they start to lose their cool and they are a shaky mess and can't communicate properly without stopping and collecting themselves then I can conclude that they would react the same way under emergency situations on the job. They might be the most capable person on the planet as far as a particular skill goes but when you lose your cool that skill is worthless.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 02:12:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Idk. I mean I interviewed for a part time job and I'm young, but still. I was really nervous and had a hard time answering questions. However, few weeks later shit hit the fan and we had a really irate customer. I handled it before the manager got there. The customer left happy. Interviewing is a different type of stress, because your whole life is on the line almost.
ashesfaded ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:28:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I dunno, I think dealing with an Irate customer is different than dealing with potential storage failure with a billion dollars worth of data on the line. It's not just your one job on the line, its all your future jobs as well. You don't want to be the guy the run a billion dollar company into the ground. Not to mention dealing with disaster recovery scenarios, or data breach scenarios like with the Ashley Madison fiasco. Dealing with customers is definitely a different type of stress though as you're trying to resist not speaking your mind or punching their lights out. Props for being a person that can deal with that :)
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:17:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Aaaah ok i see your point. I was thinking of the IT people who just google everything.
Edit: but then again how social do you really have to be for that job. As long as they know what they're doing it should work out. Like the really nervous person could be a complete badass. But the confident person could suck. Maybe instead of a talking interview you. You should give them a timed test scenario like the one you suggested but let them do it at home so they're comfortable. Because after working awhile they'll most likely be comfy with their coworkers when a stressful situation hits. Just my two cents. But they're just pennies.
OutsmartBullet ยท 317 points ยท Posted at 00:45:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fun tip I learned in an interrogations class: pause and think before answering easy questions so it appears natural when you pause before hard questions
climberslacker ยท 128 points ยท Posted at 02:32:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interrogations class?
OutsmartBullet ยท 206 points ยท Posted at 02:38:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Investigative interviewing". Taught by the scariest man I've ever met. Nice guy, though.
mysixthredditaccount ยท 152 points ยท Posted at 03:15:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nice try, KGB.
killin_ur_doodz ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:52:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
FSB* Keep up with capitalist rebranding, comrade.
alblaster ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:04:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nice try, heavy.
DrPNut ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:32:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Kevin Garnett Band?
mysixthredditaccount ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
King grizzly bear. #justgrizzlythings
thatwasnotkawaii ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:23:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interrogate me (on anything.)
Vault-Tec_Security ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:53:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What was the least kawaii thing you've ever seen?
throw5769235 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:50:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
is he still pausing?
thatwasnotkawaii ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:13:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
3 guys 1 hammer
Vault-Tec_Security ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:27:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, that doesn't sound very kawaii.
dontcallmerude ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:51:15 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Harder, boss
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:40:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tell us other secrets you've learned!
OutsmartBullet ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:11:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pasted from another comment response for your benefit:
Most of it related to the body language and cues people give when being truthful or otherwise. You can find great youtube videos on that topic, we spent a lot of time watching and discussing interviews of politicians and murderers.
Besides that, we put a lot of practice into taking notes during interviews and looking for inconsistencies. It culminated in having us interview some of his DHS buddies who were playing roles, and being scored on what we were able to dissect and uncover.
Ucantalas ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:11:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So the substitute teacher was a real asshole, right?
emergency_poncho ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:37:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ah, kinda like the "enhanced interrogation" technique I was put through for my last job application!
They sure squeezed the answers out of me - literally!
rikjames90 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:03:36 on October 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
waterboarding 101
Ketherah ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:51:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"What's your name?"
(Pauses for 3 seconds.)
OutsmartBullet ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:17:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't forget to lean back and open your eyes really wide
THE-GONK1 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:48:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If they ask you an easy question and you're pausing unnecessarily to answer it, you will come across as slow.
If they ask you a hard question and you're pausing to answer, it's because it's a hard question and requires a little time to reflect upon it.
No need to cloud things up with 'interrogation skills'. JEEZ.
OutsmartBullet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I suppose the implied "context, moderation and discretion may apply" must be made explicit for some
THE-GONK1 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:46:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is that what you learned at ninja academy?
sourpuss_ashkenazi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:06:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And also people listen more carefully when you wait 2 seconds before you speak.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:36:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
OutsmartBullet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:10:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most of it related to the body language and cues people give when being truthful or otherwise. You can find great youtube videos on that topic, we spent a lot of time watching and discussing interviews of politicians and murderers.
Besides that, we put a lot of practice into taking notes during interviews and looking for inconsistencies. It culminated in having us interview some of his DHS buddies who were playing roles, and being scored on what we were able to dissect and uncover.
Raging_Elephant ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:23:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"So, your name's John, eh?"
...
"...yeeees."
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:32:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My namea Jeff
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:07:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if you're so nervous, when you pause you can't think? That's what happens to me. I've been told to pause and think, but when I pause to think my mind rushes and I can't think of anything to say.
OutsmartBullet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:16:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Based on my own experiences, that is alleviated by practicing being present in conversations. You can start that the next time you're checking out at the grocery store, even. Part of it is practicing empathy by paying attention to the other person's body language and making the human connection; the other part is being mindful that you are actually there with another person who has an internal dialogue just as you do.
The more time you spend outside yourself, the less time you spend inside yourself.
With practice, you can use this to focus on just what is being asked, rather than going down a rabit hole of what the question means to you
-PaperbackWriter- ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:19:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'll add to this to say, most employers won't mind if you say 'sorry, I just need a second to think about this.' It shows them that you're good at communicating and like to think before you speak.
SorrySirImABaller ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:20:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
DocJawbone ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:30:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Great tip. But I've also found being sincere is no bad thing, even if that means pausing to think about an answer. It shows that you think it's important and want to give a well thought-out response.
Of course if you pause for like two minutes that might be awkward.
nous_defions ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:25:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This. Listen to the question, pause, think of your response, and then give your response. Even with the easy questions.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:23:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Sir can you give me your full name?" scratches chin "Hmmm. I'm gonna need a second, I would have to say it is...."
Legate_Rick ยท 74 points ยท Posted at 23:50:34 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
don't know what it is, I can interact with customers just fine. but fuck all if I can prove that to the hiring manager.
Kirix_ ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:34:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
next interview you get treat the manager as the customer and your selling yourself. No, I don't mean prostitute just turn on the same sale charm as you would a customer.
EvilLegalBeagle ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:21:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Could you get a friend or family member run through a mock interview with you? Go through the type of questions and answers likely to be covered but bearing in mind you may still be asked something off the wall. Just the practice. Also maybe try to shift that nervous energy into appearing enthusiastic. Enthusiastic (not insane but enthusiastic) goes a long way.
acm2033 ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 01:26:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed someone who was extremely nervous. That didn't bother me at all. It's an interview, we all have done them, it can be trying.
And the more you practice, and the more you interview, the better you'll get at it.
Moonstone-star ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:01:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have a mild stutter normally, most people don't notice. But in interviews it gets 10000000x worse. I was so embarassed by it in my most recent interview that I started crying right in front of the interviewer (who is now my boss - got the job)
Pizzabagelpizza ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:56:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Protip- Tell them right at the beginning that you have a stutter. Any halfway decent person will understand and tell you they're cool with it. Then you can ride through the stuttering if it happens without freaking out about it.
brwbck ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:15:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you're on the inexperienced side, a good company/interviewer will not fault you for nervousness. You can stutter the answer as much as you want... as long as it's reasonably correct, I don't care that you are stuttering it. We've all been there.
Hugh_Jampton ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:03:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd rather see someone nervous but focusing on the interview as best they can rather than acting cocky and thinking they have it in the bag
theAgingEnt ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:14:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I lost a management promotion due to going completely mute and blank in the mind when asked the fucking "What question do you have for me?" most important pretentious question bullshit. I've never been speechless before.
numberninemac ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:57:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That happened to me once, they gave me the job. I was like: Really? Are you sure?
GruffalosChild ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:45:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed someone like that on Friday. I promise you that doesn't count against you, everyone gets nervous. From my side I try to tell them to relax, engage them in a conversation, remind them there is no wrong answer, and occasionally say, 'wow great answer!' I would recommend saying 'can you repeat the question? I'm just a little nervous! I really want this job and I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself.'
If the panel are jerks about it, you don't want to work there.
----0---- ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:55:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good point. I did my best. And if they're jerky, don't want to work with them.
osi_layer_one ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 22:36:04 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
this.
i'm relatively skilled in my trade, but don't interview well at all. ive been trying to take more interviews just for practice but...
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:56:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh this was my last interview. I didn't go blank but I stuttered a lot. I was incredibly nervous because I was coming from the worst job in my entire life and this was my first (and probably only) shot out of there.
I got the job though :D
Bombuss ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:41:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Look up Ted talk "fake it till you make it" (or was it fake it till you become it"). It's really good, I tried power posing for my last interview and somewhat discreetely in the interview room. I'll see this week how it really went.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:21:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once got so nervous I stopped talking for a solid 10 seconds then hung up. I shouldn't have done that but phone interviews scare the shit out of me. I've always been afraid of public speaking so I just completely froze up.
frizzykid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:56:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
for my most recent job my hiring manager told me the questions that would be asked during the interview so I could think about it, I felt like it helped a lot.
Calamity701 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:00:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did the same thing at my first interview for a student position in a software company + nervous eyelid fluttering.
Got the job!
You probably did great and will get the job.
If your answers were good, it won't matter whether you were stuttering like a 15 year old obese president of the computer club asking his crush out for the first time or as eloquent as Hitler ordering the purging of the jewish race. Just trust yourself.
tworkout ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:46:19 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I started stuttering during my interview I just went "I apologize for these stutters and other hiccups, i'm kind of nervous"
My now boss just laughed and said "We've all been there, take your time"
Vomath ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:05:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Edit: replied to the wrong comment. Move along.
mozfustril ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:47:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you're really nervous like that, sometimes it helps to tell the interviewer you're nervous. They will understand and in most cases human nature will kick in and they will try to help you feel more comfortable. Doubt you're going to get a back rub or anything, but they may go a little easier on you and will likely cut you a little slack for nerves when they assess your interview and compare you to the others.
alittlebigger ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just laugh and say sorry I'm nervous, it lightens the mood
fattoni182 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:47:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Username checks out.
ccasella3 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:51:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
----0---- ----N0----
Uncreative-Name ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:59:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought the same thing about my last interview but somehow I got the job anyway.
Frictus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:50:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My last important interview I blanked and could only talk about one subject
scyiia ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 02:58:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
dk is that you?
[deleted] ยท 677 points ยท Posted at 00:27:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A guy was about to get the job, then the receptionist came in with a story about how he was vaping in the reception area. When the receptionist stared at him and looked at the 'no smoking' sign, he gave her a big grin and blew a big vape.
The thing is, my boss hates vaping. He calls it 'tobacco juice' no matter how many times I explain it to him. The guy lost the job.
kingfez ยท 742 points ยท Posted at 01:13:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Forget hating vaping, that guy was being a douche.
Abstruse ยท 372 points ยท Posted at 02:42:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I vape, but it's because I was a pack and a half a day smoker for about 15 years. I treat vaping the same way I treated smoking. Don't do it in someone else's home/car unless they specifically say I can, make sure I'm downwind. I vape inside buildings I wouldn't smoke in, but I don't do it around people.
And here's the weird part...I don't constantly talk about it. I order my juice online, I have a couple of vape pens, and that's it. It's not a hobby for me, it's a way to not smoke. I'll talk to people who ask about it, but I don't bring it up first ever.
It's like the old joke, if a vegan vapes and does crossfit, which does he tell you about first?
Ya_Dingus ยท 137 points ยท Posted at 03:45:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The worse part about vaping is people coming up to you and talking about their vapes and I'm like I couldn't be less fucking interested.
AsthmaticNinja ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 12:32:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"BRUH, YOU VAPE? CHECK OUT THESE SWEET MODS ON MY VAPE BRUH. GOT THIS SICK JUICE BRUH. CHILL OUT BRO ITS JUST A VAPE, I DONT SMOKE. DONT GET SO MAD"
I will say my class partner is pretty fucking awesome about it. He asked me on the first day if I vaped, I said no, and he hasn't brought that shit up since.
jakeryan91 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:47:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Look at this thick ass cloud, lol umadbro
17Hongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:49:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There was a short piece on custom vapes on BBC Radio 4 a couple of months ago. Some guy had built his own, and it (somewhat predictably) exploded while it was in his mouth. After he got out of hospital, he continued to smoke with home-built vapes.
I don't know if he's just very trusting in his own ability to build a vape, or he's just spectacularly stupid.
Lewhasreddit ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 10:09:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wish every smoker/vaper was as considerate as you.
I've had people come up to me in the office and start talking and whip out an E-cig, I don't care how "non toxic" they are, I don't want them near me!
People appreciate what you do dude/dudette, cheers!
legacymedia92 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:33:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Several people I knew at my last job vaped (including my boss, in the office we shared). None of them made a big deal about it, they just did it because in our small office (40 people over 2 buildings) no one minded, so you could vape instead of going out in the snow for a smoke break. productivity went up.
whenifeellikeit ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:32:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I quit smoking a little over a month ago (after 17 years a smoker) by vaping. The only people who know about it are my family and close friends. It's just something I use to quit the cancer sticks, like the patch or gum or whatever. It's not a lifestyle. I hope to someday stop vaping altogether once I wean myself off of nicotine for good.
duracellchris ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:48:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There're juices without nicotine. I went straight from smoking half a pack a day to nicotine-free vaping and it worked out quite well. You should try it.
whenifeellikeit ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:50:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not quite ready to give up the nicotine yet, but I'm using a much lower nic concentration than I originally did.
warpenguin55 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:35:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's vape culture I tell you
ServeChilled ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 08:54:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am in the exact same boat; I vape but I never do it where smoking isn't allowed. Maybe those people don't want clouds around, or might get nauseous at the smell of a sweet juice, or maybe they like to keep their house clean of vapor and smoke. If at a friends I always go outside or ask. Besides it means I can keep the social aspects I would be missing by not smoking like stepping outside to have chit chat with someone and I can meet people this way.
I hate that those kinds of people give vapers a bad name because really most of us just want to better our lives and correct a mistake we made. My friends who vaoe are always respectful and treat it like smoking when others are concerned.
What I find a bit annoying is people who come up to me and say "you know that's worse for you than smoking right?" Why, because you read that one buzzfeed article with misinformation intended to fear monger you? I made sure to read plenty of lab reports before making the jump and I was convinced but no one ever cares to read the actual studies so I can't ever win.
shiveringmeerkat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:29:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Obviously he tells you he's atheist
Abstruse ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:40:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think that's an age thing. I was like that in my teens/early 20s, but now it almost never comes up. A guy I've set next to at work for almost two years found out I'm an atheist yesterday solely because he invited me to a church thing.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:43:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Agreed, I'm seeing this now with a teenager of my own. Her and her friends need to define and label everything and then announce themselves as such.
RobinBankss ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 06:04:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What's the joke?
Abstruse ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:21:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's the joke.
A similar joke: How do you tell who at the party is vegan? Don't worry, they'll tell you.
Explain the Joke: Some people love to talk about themselves to the point where it's a joke. The most common are vegetarian, vegan, crossfit, paleo diet, vapers, atheism, and gluten-free. The joke is that these people will constantly bring it up unsolicited at any opportunity. So if someone has more than one of these as a lifestyle or interest, which would they force into a conversation first?
AsthmaticNinja ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:35:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I use to work in the meat dept at a grocery store and fuuuuuuuck the gluten free crowd. I used to get people asking me if steaks and chicken were gluten free.
ebackhus ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:44:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nope, they are actually 100% all gluten. It'll kill ya.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:49:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
-guy starts having a heart attack-
Oh my God, is anyone here a doctor?
I'm a vegan
TrogdorDasBurninator ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:46:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
unfortunately within the vaping community, thats a pretty general consensus for everyone, from what i've seen. its sad, im a fan of vaping, it got me off dip, but most people i know, dont know that i have, or use one, because the people that "are teh v4p3 g0dz" have given us a pretty ridiculous persona built up in peoples minds. most of the time at my local shop, we're talking about cars, and "that chicks boobs", rarely atleast in my circle, is it ever actually held on a pedestal or "sooo awesome", the length of our vaping conversations are like "yeah, i have some wire, top drawer... cottons there too" and then hours of gaming or watching tv.
iaccidentallyawesome ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:45:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I thought it was the whole point too.
babylina ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 02:51:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
my friend vapes on the bus. i told him how annoying it is to other people and he continued. then some old Cuban lady said something... and then he got mad at me for being right.
accentmarkd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:40:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
There was a teenager taking a 2 year old on the train the other day and while I don't know if she was the babysitter, older sister, whatever, the girl was blowing her vape smoke in the child's face the whole way. The kid was not pleased and would get fussy with each puff. It was the double whammy. Not only are you being an asshole vaping on the train, you're vaping into an upset child's face on the train?
KremboJenkins ยท 45 points ยท Posted at 02:37:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good news! Cigarette juice!
MouseCunt ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:03:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mm spaghett
spodex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:27:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because it tastes great and it's filled with all the nicotine and taaaar that I need.
WhiteShadow0909 ยท 76 points ยท Posted at 01:30:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hate vaping, too.
Mostly just 'cos some people are arrogant pricks about it.
[deleted] ยท 84 points ยท Posted at 03:17:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can't stand the "culture" around it and how those who participate have to let everyone else know. Reminds me of when kids in highschool first discover weed.
JackofScarlets ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 09:22:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
FTFY. Age doesn't stop it.
tears-in-the-rain ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:43:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol.... like smoking vegans.
burnzkid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:20:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, like half of the vapeholes I know are kids in high school who just discovered vapes and just wanna chuck sick tits clouds bro.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:08:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
tacticalsnackpack ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:49:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some do. I manage a vape shop and vape regularly, and I only bring it up to those I know who smoke, or those who are talking about quitting. I am 3 years off of cigarettes thanks to vaping and I felt better than I ever had after quitting, so I love to share it with people who were in my situation. But to a random person in public? No one cares. Vaping gives people this self-righteous air about them, and I hate it. You're not cool because you can blow fruit-scented water vapor out of your lungs. We started this as a way for people to stop killing themselves slowly, don't be a dick and ruin it for everyone.
keepitrealprk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:13:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Vaping=mouth fedoras
FlashCrashBash ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:33:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The thing is it didn't used to be like this. I don't know when the change happened. But one day every high school kid suddenly has more vaping power than we ever dreamed of back in the day when everyone was chugging along with 510 cigalikes.
zeecok ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 08:25:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's kinda hard not to let the attention get to you. I try to keep it as discreet as possible. However, when I'm outside eating my lunch near my car and I will blow out a decent amount of vapor I will get looks from everyone. I don't like the attention. I just like my flavors man.
caseycoold ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:52:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well it smells like shit to many of us. Especially that and vanilla flavored cigars.
tacticalsnackpack ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:46:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I vape, and even I hate most vapers. Somehow it gives people a "holier than thou" attitude. I did it to stop smoking; it worked, and I just moved my way up to a big, cloud-blowing device because I simply enjoy it. I'm not in it for showboating. You're not cool blowing your strawberries and cream-scented breath into people's faces and fogging up a public area, calm the fuck down. You're being a prick.
geronika ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:50:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"It's just harmless vapor!!!"
So is it ok if I spit in your face, it's harmless vapor in a little more dense form
thats_satan_talk ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:02:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I vape.
I just do it alone and away from people/buildings.
Hell, a majority of my friends don't know. I just don't mention it.
LicenceToBill ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:52:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well then hate arrogant pricks, not vaping.
Kursed88 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:16:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep! A rule for the masses. Never piss off the receptionist, they are the gatekeeper for EVERYTHING and you can bet your bottom dollar, if they don't like you, you won't get the job or your life will be hell if you do.
excusemefucker ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:56:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The receptionist for my office is awesome. We've had people tell us she's a bit mean, but it's just that she's straight and to the point and makes sure my colleagues and I don't have our time wasted. The receptionist to our building is so sweet it makes me sick, but she's great to have as a general greeter.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:00:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have no problem with vaping, but I have had people tell me it gives them headaches. Just because its technically allowed doesn't mean. You don't have to be considerate of others.
HellMuttz ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:06:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My dad is crazy allergic to artificial fragrances. He gets horrible coughing fits, his worst one caused him to black out and drive head on i to a telephone poll. Someone blowing vape shit in his face would probably kill him.
jakielim ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 03:24:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That had to do more with him being a dick than your boss hating vaping.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 07:53:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is true. But if you want to flaunt your right to vape, do it in a movie theater, not in the lobby of your job interview for god's sake.
JuicyFeet ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:09:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Forgive me, but what is "vaping"??
scy1192 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:22:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you might be familiar with the term e cigarette, but basically it's a heat element that evaporates a liquid that you breathe in
some people do it because they like the flavor, others do it to quit smoking because it doesn't cause lung problems like smoking a cigarette does
mollypop94 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:12:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What the fuck.
I switched from regular smoking to vaping, and treat it exactly as normal smoking; I never smoke indoors except for my own home, if I'm in a pub or shop, I'll excuse myself and go outside.
In work, if I can catch a small 10 minute break, I'll go out the back and smoke the e-cigarette...it's just common sense.
Whilst it doesn't smell or emit smoke...well, a lot of people still aren't comfortable with it. I don't want my addiction or habit to make others uncomfortable.
nmeofst8 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:01:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As a vaper nothing pisses me off more than this... If you wouldn't be allowed to smoke, don't vape..
Yes it's less harmful... Some people don't want to breathe in your cinnamon/menthol/tobacco vapor...
ButtsexEurope ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:06:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's because of douches like him that vaping is banned on college campuses.
MschvsWzrd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:09:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
livin dat vape life
niallhalloran ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:37:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tim and Eric?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:36:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree with your boss though. Vaping just looks so douchey.
Plus no smoking doesn't mean "if its not toxic, its okay" it means, no smoke period, regardless of the chemical compounds it's made of.
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 15:02:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In all fairness the receptionist could have said something, because vaping isn't smoking.
They really ought to have a no vaping sign. Like the ones that say "No smoking of any kind, including e-cigarettes"
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:44:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 17:08:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well legally you can vape anywhere. It's not like it's unhygenic or any inconvenience to other people.
But if they don't want people to vape they should really put up a sign. Same as what they did with smoking when smoking was legal and there were places you could and could not smoke.
amandamauler ยท 443 points ยท Posted at 23:03:57 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"So, tell us about yourself a bit." I've always taken that question to mean "where did you go to college, what have you been doing since college, what are your general goals?"
Not this candidate. He proceeded to tell us his life story, taking 25-30min out of what was supposed to be a 40min interview, tops. Our team did not need to know anything about his childhood, much less 20 minutes' worth. He was not brought back for a second interview.
MayorScotch ยท 230 points ยท Posted at 00:08:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It must have been one hell of a story if you let him talk for that long.
amandamauler ยท 120 points ยท Posted at 00:28:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I weren't the most junior member of the interviewing party, I would have politely asked him to expedite the story or wrap it up at the 5 minute mark.
Skaughty23 ยท 93 points ยท Posted at 01:55:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You should get a speaker and start playing the music to play him off
rolmo ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 09:54:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The Wrap It Up Box
nmeofst8 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:57:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Cue Keyboard Cat!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:52:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or a shepherd's crook to drag him off sideways.
Kyanpe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:20:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We've all seen the award shows, we know that doesn't work.
TDIWill ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:41:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you me? Jesus, I just had that same thing happen a few months ago.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:42:35 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Plot twist...management was actually secretly interviewing you for a leadership role. Your lack of initiative caused you to fail.
benrawie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:07:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm assuming it was genuinely tear jerking.
J0hnny_Recon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:23:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i bet if I think about it real hard I can remember my first pair of shoes...
[deleted] ยท 93 points ยท Posted at 00:45:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
fatmand00 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:36:55 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
that actually does sound like something Ted would do.
VincentVeritas ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 08:25:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
RemindMe! Check this post eight years from now for a disappointing conclusion.
fanthor ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:22:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have went to an interview, and the bullshit interviewer was mocking me for that.
"Tell me about yourself"
" I went to this this colle.."
"Oh, you didn't go to school or anythi ng? Went straight to college after you're born? No family?"
Needless to say I said sorry and left
euphratestiger ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 03:53:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
Sigh
valarmorghulis ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 04:41:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Unless detecting context is a core part of the job and you intended to test it with that question, that was your fault much more than it was his.
If your list of questions have any that start with "Tell me/us about a time when..." cross them off. It's a terrible question no matter what follows.
Koras ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:29:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It drives me insane where I've worked for a while now, it's a big organisation so I've moved around departments, interviewing each time (because they're not allowed to just give people jobs...) but all the interviewing is incredibly standardised because they're obsessed with having 'fair' interviews. I guess it's 'fair' everyone being asked a selection of the same list of questions, but once you've had a couple of interviews for similar positions, you know typically what they're going to ask. That's not fair any more, because in my most recent interview I had a much better chance of getting the job than someone on their first interview at the company.
It's an ongoing joke that nobody ever leaves the organisation, because once you know the interview process, you can get any job here. There's whole families that have worked here for multiple generations, not because of the standard nepotism of just giving people jobs (although that does happen), but because people who have worked there can easily coach the next generation with exactly how the questions are supposed to be answered.
Why is this relevant? I've now seen the full list. Almost every question is "about a time when..." and the only freedom to ask what you really want to know is in the follow up questions, which have to be based on their response.
The interviewers have no option but to use the question, because each interview is a panel of 3 - HR rep, two senior people. If they deviate at all, the HR person gives them harsh looks and a nasty official email later.
valarmorghulis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:58:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Outside of a technical interview getting a conversation going is always going to be the best way to get to know somebody. Do they walk all over the conversation, or do they listen? Are they engaging or just responding? Are they appropriate, or would something need to be addressed? There isn't necessarily any right or wrong thing there either. You may be looking for somebody that doesn't engage if the job is for an actuary that does nothing but process. For a sales position you'd want something different.
When it comes right down to it, HR/Recruiters are just people too, and there are some shitty ones out there along with the fantastic ones.
My worst interview experience was when I was asked what type of breakfast cereal I was. Really? I get that team cohesion is important, but fucking really? I'm usually pretty good at saying something self-serving while just not answering bad questions, but I cut the interview short on that one.
Jackaroo203 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:42:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My high school had a couple of programs that sent us into the city to visit with mentors who were generally coming from the business sector. We would go in once a month and a lot of it was coaching exactly this. I did two similar mentor programs(one in year 10 and the other in 11) and I did about 7 mock-interviews over 12 total sessions. I remember dedicating at least a full 2 hour session to just this alone too.
rachawakka ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:39:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, that guy was fuckin dumb, not the question. That's a basic interview question that any level headed human being should know how to answer. Nobody should go into any job interview ready to talk about their childhood, unless the job is being a Child Therapist or something. The context is: you are at a job interview, keep it relevent.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:21:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a pretty common interview question, and it's really not a terrible one as these things go. It's basically saying, give me an elevator pitch, which you should already have anyway.
puppetmaster2501 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:44:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I disagree with that. For every interviewee who nervously fails to grasp context and blathers on about their childhood for 25 minutes, there are many other interviewees who will concisely ace the question with confidence and be ready to move on as soon as they provide something interesting.
I don't think it's the interviewer's responsibility to stop the interviewee from digging themselves into a hole.
The_Username_Is_Beer ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:30:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've hade the complete opposite at an interview for an assignment (I'm a consultant). I got standard question "Tell me about yourself" to which I started as usual about me now, education and workwise.
Got a quick "No, that I can seen in your resume. From the beginning. Where are you born? What do your parents do? Do you have brothers or sisters?"
That kind of threw me off, luckily me and my boss turned down that one in the end.
BloodlustHamster ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:47:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a pretty common question which means exactly as you described, but it's easy to see how someone inexperienced with interviews wouldn't know that. You're saying one thing and meaning something else.
In there minds if you wanted to know about there college, goals and experience you would just ask:
arch_nyc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:11:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Alpha.
ChristophColombo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:22:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've made a similar mistake before - interviewer asked about a time I was challenged (or something like that) and my story just kind of got away from me. Went into too much detail, etc. At the time, I thought it was what they were looking for, but a few hours later, I was thinking about it and realized just how long I had taken up. Probably cost me an internship.
SpoopsThePalindrome ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:59:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed a dude once that was like this - not in the sense that he told us about his childhood but that he'd make EVERY question extremely personal. Like, technical questions with answers that were either right or wrong.
"Can you describe a TCP three-way handshake?"
"WELL ~ my favorite way to shake hands is with a really firm grasp, lasting between 3-5 seconds and you don't want to squeeze so tightly you hurt the person, but you can't be so limp they think you're weak. So the server I guess is like me...someone, a browser in this case, comes up and wants to shake my hand...I make sure they're legit, and if I think they are, I'll shake it back..."
He would continue on like this for minutes. Finally I started asking Yes/No questions just to speed things up and he STILL wound off into diatribes. Did not get the jerb.
cambo666 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:52:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ya know what though, I hate those questions. I lost a couple interviews by questions like that. A guy that was interviewing me once asked "Who are you?" I haven't been asked that before and was not sure how to approach it. I explained what I have been doing since college and what my skills relating to the job might be. He was kind of grinning the whole time and he just was like, "Okay, good... but who are you?" ... I thought I was on a TV show.
I am going to take this oppertunity to tell you about the rest of the interview, upon expanding on the who I was question, which I was taking stabs in the dark at, the guy interrupts me, and says, "Hold on, okay, I don't mean this in a mean way, (pauses for 2 seconds), but you're boring. Like, as if you have no personality. You're monotone, way too serious and and seem like you don't have a personality." (I was quite taken back, didn't know how to reply) ... and said "Well, I apologize, I am used to professional relationships having only worked for the Air Force for the passed 6 years. I am just trying to be respectful." And he again posed the "Who are you?" question. Needless to say that went horribly, looking back on it I wish I would have responded differently instead of continuing to amuse his antics. I highly dislike those questions, and if you don't want a semi-open ended answer, don't ask wide open questions. I still went home that day and did a lot of reviewing etc and created a great response for my next interview that may hold a similar question. I was asked a similar question and the response was executed great... I think.
Anyways, TLDR; I hate those types of questions. & I have no personality.
Bladethegreat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:50:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't ask questions you don't want answered
davvblack ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:36:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
that's partially on the interviewers i think.
internetkid42 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:52:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...I did not know that's what it meant.
Thank goodness I have never been asked that in an interview and now I know!
Nickbou ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:56:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did this during a college internship interview. It was my first "professional" interview (i.e. not after school / summer job) in Georgia. The interviewer asked me to tell her about myself. Even though I had prepped for this question, I blanked. I told her I was born in <insert city name>, a very small town in western NY and then I just kinda paused trying to figure out where to go from there.
Turns out she was also born there, which is one helluva coincidence. I think she was kinda surprised and skipped to the next question without me really answering that one properly.
I got the internship, where I learned I did NOT want to work in that industry after graduation.
violbabe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:51:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I freeze up with that question. I hate talking about myself. Last time I was asked, I spent 3-5 min. talking about my education, goals, and skills. Ugh it felt horrible.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:53:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have a tendency to tell too much about myself. My son tells me this all the time and I've tried working on it but it's just my nature.
R_Q_Smuckles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:55:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you're looking for specific information, maybe you should tailor your questions to actually ask for that information, rather than a vague, coded question. If part of your technique is testing someone on whether they know your personal interview shorthand, you may not be a very good interviewer (or whoever asked him that question, and let him waste a half hour of everyone's time instead of clarifying the question).
UnauthorizedUsername ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:07:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Tell me a bit about yourself" is a pretty standard interview question and doesn't need to be more specific. If you can't answer that relative to the job you're interviewing for, that's your problem and not theirs.
R_Q_Smuckles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:38:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So you're saying that the interviewee is supposed to be able to read your mind, and if he can't, that's his problem? That's fucking stupid. Someone with such awful communication skills shouldn't be interviewing anyone. Why say "tell me about yourself" and laugh at the incorrect answer, when you can say "what did you get your degree in, and what have you done since?" and get the response you're looking for? Knowing what an interviewer means by that one question has nothing to do with how well the interviewee can do their job, so weeding them out on that basis is idiotic.
xRainie ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:11:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
On one of my first interviews I did the same. But almost form the start, HR guy stopped me and said, 'No, that's not what we'd like to hear', and then just asked me some questions. It's just lack of experience.
la_vie_en_fauve ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for the reminder as to what this question actually means. I always bomb this one...!
Khalku ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh that's what people look for in that question? I just talk about myself a bit.
Just curious, what would you think is a good answer if I didn't go to college (well, did a year but hated the program and never ended going back), but now have been working in a good company at a good job building experience for the last 5 years or so?
Lately I feel like I've had issues explaining away the school thing, people seem prejudiced by it. It probably doesn't help that I am uncomfortable by it myself, and others are probably picking up on it...
calaber24p ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:56:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was this guy Joe Dirt?
jyssrocks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:06:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So, I'm a headhunter. I love to tell people how to answer this question! "Tell me about yourself" is so incredibly broad, and a lot of people think they really need to summarize their entire life from birth up until this moment. This is what I like to tell people:
You need 1 paragraph that is specifically structured to give max info in minimum time. Your answer to this question shouldn't be longer than about 1 minute at the most.
Sentence 1: Name and education. Sentence 2: Current or most recent title, company, and 2-3 main responsibilities. Sentence 3: Why you are looking for a new job. Sentence 4: Why you are interested in THIS SPECIFIC company and position.
Example:
So, tell me about yourself, random interviewee. [let's pretend this is for a general office job]
"I'd love to! My name is Jane Smith, and I have a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from the University of State. I'm currently the Office Manager at ABC Law Firm, where I maintain all office scheduling, do court filings, and general administrative work. I'm looking to make a move because there is no opportunities for growth in my current company. I believe that my experience at ABC and also before that at XYZ as an Office Assistant really make me the perfect fit for your Office Manager role, because I know you are looking for someone really organized and comfortable working in a fast paced environment, plus you specialize in Litigation, which I am most interested in."
See? Great, relevant information, packaged in an easy-to-explain way. Perfect answer for this.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:43:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tell me about yourself is my favorite question cause its the easiest one of them all.
Give a short paragraph of your experience, why you want to work for the company, and who you are as a person.
Incredibly simple.
BarryMcAwkiner ยท 185 points ยท Posted at 01:03:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i hired him and sent him to the secretary to do all the paper work. on the way from my office to hers (separate buildings) he got high and stunk like weed when he walked in and then proceeded to sexually harass her. i was actually really afraid this would put my job in danger for hiring this guy. luckily the secretary wasn't too upset by it and now its just an ongoing joke whenever i hire someone. still pretty embarrassing for me
DD225 ยท 87 points ยท Posted at 01:19:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you now no longer allowed to do job interviews on April 20?
psychicsword ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:14:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I was OP's boss I would try my damnest to always schedule all of his interviews on 4/20.
proROKexpat ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 06:51:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not to fear we all make bad calls.
My mgr has 20 yrs of experience being a mgr
He's only hired one guy who ended up in Jail
I recommended that guy.
POGtastic ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:06:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My dad gave a glowing recommendation to a guy who ended up being a massive waste of oxygen. He still refers to the guy, 25 years later. That shit sticks with you.
havebananas ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:03:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
420 blaze it colleague!
42problems ยท 497 points ยท Posted at 00:03:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've been hiring for a distribution center for about 6 months. I've been asked out multiple times when I ask if they have any questions.
I will automatically reject that application. So dumb.
[deleted] ยท 312 points ยท Posted at 03:42:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because you want to date them and there is a rule against employees dating. Got it. Nice.
42problems ยท 58 points ยท Posted at 08:46:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
HA. My boss came up to me a few weeks ago: "You know what's nice about hiring, now you meet all these potential dates.." nope. nope. nope.
POGtastic ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 08:35:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Noice.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:53:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nice.
BeardsuptheWazoo ยท 185 points ยท Posted at 03:16:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Clearly you haven't interviewed me yet...
slicks hair back
LaughingJackass ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 04:11:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
42problems, please reach out to BeardsuptheWazoo.
BeardsuptheWazoo ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 04:12:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just want the jobbbbb
MyLifeIsMyOwn ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:10:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've got 42 problems, but I haven't seen you yet
automated_bot ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:16:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Licks eyebrows
cap7nmorgan ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:09:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
tips fedora
BeardsuptheWazoo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:15:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Its a trilby, noob
Duhcaveman ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:19:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"M'lady"
BeardsuptheWazoo ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:54:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"M'interviewer"
Razor1834 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:35:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
puts on fedora
Cige ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:09:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She has 42problems but people like BeardsuptheWazoo are all of them.
BeardsuptheWazoo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:30:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
M'reference
mynameisplurp ยท 43 points ยท Posted at 01:11:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So... yes?
cdnheyyou ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:52:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Of course, they have rules where you can't date your boss.
BabyNinjaJesus ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 00:57:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do you ask about what they think the meaning to life the universe and everything is?
thedancingdonkey42 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:24:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If someone said 42, I would hire them on the spot.
M3rcaptan ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 08:59:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Everyone has at least heard about it once. It's no longer an insider thing.
captainhindsite5752 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 05:42:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reject the application, accept the date. You sicko
DangeRussM ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 07:57:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well I hope you're at least very attractive!
expatato ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:05:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
42problems: So any questions?
Interviewee: Like, what's your sign?
Bleue22 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:32:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have worked with some seriously attractive HR reps and they do not have this problem. I wonder if there something about the way you conduct the interview.
To be clear, i'm not saying it's your fault nor that you should accept this behavior i'm just wondering if there's a root cause that can be addressed, not asking out the interviewer seems like it should be common knowledge.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:40:50 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Bleue22 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:40 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in logistics and I see employees hiring each other constantly, but never interviewees asking out interviewers. Maybe because i'm in the room it doesn't happen when i'm not there but at least a few of my HR reps would report it to me, if only to laugh about it, if it happened to them.
I think I'm more surprised that it doesn't happen more than the reverse.
hdfreak ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:10:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like you've got 42 problems, but punk-ass bitches ain't one.
flyy4abrownguy ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 10:35:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
May I ask what the position and location of the job is?
eille_k ยท 170 points ยท Posted at 00:57:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy set up for an interview on a Wednesday. Five minutes after the interview should have started, he called tk reschedule. We rescheduled for Friday, at the time his interview should have started, he called for instructions to our office so I gave him the address and the nearest intersection. To no one's surprise he does not show up.
The next Friday he called to reschedule again, I politely declined.
TheCloned ยท 54 points ยท Posted at 06:40:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whenever I had an interview I would always drive to the place a few days before so I knew how to find it and where to park, and would time the drive to see how long it would take.
How can you not know how to get to your interview?
Wild_Marker ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:28:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds a bit like overkill but like, at least check google maps.
accentmarkd ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:51:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I usually freak out about either public transit being delayed, or not being able to find parking/the entrance and arrive an hour+ early to my interviews, then discreetly hang out in the closest coffee shop so I only seem show up 15 minutes early....because I am super paranoid about being late. This story is my nightmare.
Rexamicum ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:11:45 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Same.
Dubanx ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:54:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Glad to know I'm not the only person that does this.
Mussu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:06:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I do this too. Parking stresses me out a lot, and I like to know my options prior to an already stressful day.
awwi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:14:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sadly I know many people like this. They don't think ahead and are constantly scrambling to just deal with the task in front of them.
But that is a good strategy, the scope out. Also, I do a little research on the company so if they ask me "why this company" I have some corporate vision detail I can give them.
TCsnowdream ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:51:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had an interview in another city in a different country... I left at 6am for a 1pm interview. I got in the city at about 10am and then hung out in the toilet on the floor of the skyscraper the company was in from 12-1:45... I walked into the office at 12:46... I'm pretty certain they knew I was in there.
mbz321 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 04:58:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like this is done purposely sometimes. In some states when you are on Unemployment, you need to show proof of actively searching for a job.
eille_k ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:33:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That was our theory, either that or a refugee type problem that has similar rules.
openupmyheartagain ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:23:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He's obviously a time traveler
Kyanpe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:18:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He's lucky you even gave him a second chance.
eille_k ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:47:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We were super short staffed.
A_Real_Wolf ยท 852 points ยท Posted at 23:50:08 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Came here for reassurance that my interview last week went well.
Thanks Reddit.
Geoslug ยท 184 points ยท Posted at 00:37:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're hired!
WTXRed ยท 117 points ยท Posted at 01:00:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're fired!
RestrictedAccount ยท 172 points ยท Posted at 01:52:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks Mr. Trump.
ghostboytt ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 04:49:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Gracias Sr. Trump.
v12a12 ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 03:38:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doot Doot
Whitecastle56 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:07:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
๐บ๐บ๐บ๐บ
[deleted] ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 03:56:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
gib concrete for stroong wall mr trump thank
mermaidleesi ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:53:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thank Mr Skeltal
MyLifeIsMyOwn ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:03:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is Huuuuuuuuuge!
t90fan ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:02:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or Alan Sugar if its the UK version.
I was really confused when I saw people saying your fired in relation to trump, never realised there was a US version with him.
PM_ME_YOUR_FELINE ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:32:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
thank mr trump
The_Trumpinator ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:21:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Anytime
ridethedeathcab ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:01:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doot doot
Jimmyhatespie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:16:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mr. President
Lets_Talk_About_This ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:01:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No thanks, Mr. Trump.
thebush007 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:48:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks Obama
monteqzuma ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mr. Obama.
rydan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:08:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
/r/trump
WMDTHEALMIGHTY ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Semi-Relevant username
Robrev6 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:53:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
doot doot
Tittiesplease ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:18:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's president trump to you!
Barry_Scotts_Cat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:42:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks Alan Sugar
thatJainaGirl ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:29:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's President Trump to you.
Skaughty23 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 01:47:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You raised my hopes and dashed them quite expertantly
natofinchmeister ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:59:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
:) :(
strangeelement ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:08:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're hired back as CEO.
Your first task is laying everyone off and closing shop. Please lock your office when you're done.
WTXRed ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:12:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Locks door, sets building on fire.
I feel like I forgot to do something.....
Traunt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:41:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks Mr. Krabs!
NippleSlapper ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:56:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're tired!
WTXRed ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:00:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No you're tired!
thatwasnotkawaii ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:30:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm tired
ThadChat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:46:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My man!
AustinThompson ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh you are soooo getting sued!
WTXRed ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:38:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Kerchunk! BLAM!
Thud
Not Today!
dog_in_the_vent ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:15:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This one guy showed nude up for an interview last week. He got fur all over the place and bit one of the other applicants. All of his answers to our questions were just growls and howling.
He starts Monday.
MediocreAtJokes ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 06:25:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Here's some reassurance: My last interview went so terribly that I went home and cried. I didn't even send them a thank you message for the interview because I was so certain I'd botched it and I just wanted to forget the whole thing.
I work there now.
DeithWX ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:49:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've learned that I didn't fuckup my interview, I just didn't get the job, so I have that going for me which is nice.
Kinderbat13 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:35:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Me too. I feel better. Good luck on yours. Lol
Curtalius ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:46:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have an interview in the morning. I feel much better right now.
Slanderous ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:14:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
shouldn't have shown up in sheep's clothing.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:33:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
/r/jobs
jmcm24 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:50:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have one in 3 hours time :(
Aroha11 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:01:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
good luck!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:25:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
A_Real_Wolf ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:22:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've got a second interview tomorrow! fingers crossed
escapist4 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:43:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am actually waiting for the interviewer at the moment and reading these. I am already sure that my interview is going to go well thanks to Reddit.
Thompson_S_Sweetback ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:26:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whenever I see these threads, I expect to see people talking about me.
tacojohn44 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:42:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This.
xXSHAD0WQUEENXx ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:14:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I came here for ideas for my future interviews and entertainment and its working!
Absinthe42 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:27:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have an interview this afternoon. This thread is perfectly timed.
ahmed1030 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:00:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you a real wolf?
17Hongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:42:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly, this is like those "worst date" threads. I always figured I was pretty low on the ladder, but after reading threads like this, I feel I should have a higher opinion of myself.
[deleted] ยท 305 points ยท Posted at 23:53:14 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He offered to sell me drugs.
[deleted] ยท 329 points ยท Posted at 01:29:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a high-risk, high-reward play.
The day that works for him, he'll have both a job and a customer.
[deleted] ยท 121 points ยท Posted at 23:57:42 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
Megaman99M ยท 136 points ยท Posted at 00:20:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or if he was applying to be a pharmacist...
WhiteShadow0909 ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 01:18:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're right!
I should keep this in mind for interviews after university.
slates-R-us ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:17:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sell me this epipen
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Right! If you want to work for a drug lord, that's what you do!
17Hongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:03:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, that really depends on the drug. If Meth-Mouth Mike offers me a aspirin, I'm usually ok with it. But if the dude down at Cohen's offers me skag, I might have some questions.
etherealcaitiff ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 00:37:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just going to take a wild guess and say pizza place?
[deleted] ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 00:43:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Close. Family style two steps above fast food restaurant.
wildeep_MacSound ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:35:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Buca di beppo! I love that place! Man...to think I could have had weed infused lasagna.
albert0kn0x ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:06:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly thats one of the least ridiculous things I've read in this thread. Without drugs and alcohol the food service industry would collapse.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:35:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked as a delivery guy in highschool and college. Most of the employees would sell weed to the managers for super cheap... Certainly not an isolated incident
jdubs333 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:05:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So how did he work out as an employee?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:06:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That was an instant disqualification since that particular place drug tested.
I wouldn't have hired him anyway because he was dumb as a rock.
Captain_Fartknocker ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:56:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was competing with this guy for the same job and when we were waiting alone together he offered me half of his oxy. I told management and got the job. Thug life.
onlynag ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:57:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sell me this pen err. drugs !!!
strangeelement ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:09:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That shows business skill! He's an entrepreneur.
Now if he tried to buy drugs from you, that's a different matter.
NAbsentia ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Umm, usually the first one is free...?
[deleted] ยท 166 points ยท Posted at 05:40:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He refused to shake my hand, but was totally down with shaking my male colleague's.
SecondOfCicero ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 11:54:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As a woman that infuriates me too. Cheers.
AdamOfOra ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 11:56:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As a man that thinks this is an incredible feat of stupidity, does this happen a lot? I really can't wrap my head around somebody doing something like that. I'm from Europe though.
isocline ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 19:43:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My brother is a software development manager at a mid-sized company, and he had a candidate who did the same. Someone's going to have to figure out how to handle situations where discrimination is part of someone's religious beliefs.
AdamOfOra ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:23:58 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't get why it should be 'handled'. I mean in a case like this it is obviously clear that said person will put his religion above all else. Who knows he will suddenly say 'oh I can't do x anymore because my priest told me that yada yada yada'.
By hiring and allowing shit like this you get situations like that american clerk that refused to marry gay people. Whatever happened to the separation between work life and private life.
Also in the stories it seems like the male colleagues did not intervene? Why not?
isocline ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:51:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Because it's a professional environment, which is not the place to go on a rant because someone wouldn't shake your hand. I'm a lady, and I wouldn't expect my male coworkers to "intervene." I'm sure if she found it insulting enough to comment on in that moment, she would have. Her coworkers were probably following her lead on how to react to the situation.
Also, it's tricky. Religious beliefs are protected. Gender is also a protected class. When these two things go head to head, it can get messy. Obviously, the company didn't want to hire a guy who isn't going to shake a woman's hand (and they didn't hire him), but giving the candidate any indication that his religious beliefs are why he isn't getting hired could lead to a very messy legal situation, which the company doesn't want to get into.
By "handled," I meant clearly establish what trumps what in which situations. Such as someone's religious beliefs clashing with individual rights of customers. I think companies should be allowed to let those employees go without legal repercussion, but the legal precedence is going to have to be established first.
LucubrateIsh ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:01:51 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. This happens constantly.
[deleted] ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 11:59:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was incredibly condescending to me (and not my colleague) the entire time.
Considering I would have been the person he'd be communicating most with, I marked him down as an immediate no. I wasn't about to hire someone who looked down his nose at me the entire time we talked. Colleague backed me up 100%, too.
Sean1708 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:22:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
/u/smunchyblue is a guy, he just had really disgusting hands.
Sign_me_the_fuck_up ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:13:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or he wasn't just shaking the male colleague's hand.
coppersense ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 13:03:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sometimes that's due to a religious reason, sadly.
captainslowww ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 16:07:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well then he communicated that fact really poorly, apparently. I wouldn't write somebody off for having that restriction but I'd definitely be evaluating how they handled it.
MensRightsActivia ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 16:16:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
why not? unless you're a priest your religion has no place at your job. you'd be incredibly stupid to think that such "restrictions" wouldn't negatively affect their performance.
spermface ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 18:19:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If his job requirements don't include touching women or shaking hands beyond the interview it might not matter. If I was hiring a call center representative and they told me they couldn't touch my hand for personal reasons, be it religion or OCD, I wouldn't give two shits.
SteevyT ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:03:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have warned that I'm feeling under the weather rather than shaking hands before. People seem to appreciate that.
eliminatetheuser ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 19:54:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. I am a muslim female and we are not supposed to shake hands with men, but I have a job to do. In professional America, we shake hands, it's business manners. Religion is personal, not professional.
phantom-16 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:07:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
One of my coworkers does this. He's a programmer, in front of the computer all the time type. I think he's just super super nervous about women, and not confident at all.
omegasavant ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:37:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What, was he worried about cooties?
massiv3_cunt ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:19:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What gender are you?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:37:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Female.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:54:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Only time i can ever see not shaking a hand as appropriate is if you are sick.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:28:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he is a part of a weird religion that forbids contact with non-family women?
BloodlustHamster ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 00:15:03 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'll shake a woman's hand but god damn I hate having to do it. Standard practice for a man to man hand shake is strong and firm. The kind that would crush a normal woman's hand. You never have to worry about hurting the other guy, some of the ones I've received from employers have made me wonder if hurting your "opponent" is the actual goal.
So the whole time I'm worried about finding a balance between not causing her pain and while still having it nor be too wishy washy of a shake.
Goombill ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:21:48 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Either you're shaking men's hands way too hard, or you're way underestimating how strong women's hands are. A properly firm handshake isn't going to hurt anybody. If you need to, practice shaking hands with a woman in your life beforehand.
[deleted] ยท -19 points ยท Posted at 11:09:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:28:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Probably just a muslim.
Beeb294 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 16:12:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Then he's bad at handling the situation properly.
kangruiqiu ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:34:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or Orthodox Jew.
salahelbat ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 15:31:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know why you're being downvoted. My Muslim friend explains, very respectfully, that it's against his religion to shake women's hands, but has no problems with professional relationships with them.
blimeyfool ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 16:49:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
seems pretty clear that the candidate in question simply refused to shake the woman's hand and offered no explanation (religious or otherwise) for doing so
salahelbat ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:26:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh yeah I know he's a clusterfuck - not excusable.
mayjay15 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:09:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That might be fine at some jobs, but if he works with any female clients or even with some female employees, refusing to participate in professional greetings with them and only them might come off negatively, even with the religious explanation.
salahelbat ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:02:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He understands that. He greets them professionally, just doesn't shake their hands. he says hi and all that jazz. gets along fine with them. And he understands the risk of offending them, and does his best to explain the reasoning behind it. So far he seems to be doing pretty well lol
wreckjames ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 17:24:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
he may have been a hasidic jew...in which case you're a fucking nazi
NoxDominus ยท 156 points ยท Posted at 04:52:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've done literally hundreds of technical interviews. While most people fail due to the lack of knowledge, some fail in spectacular ways because of poor judgment, lack of self-control, bad personality, etc.
I remember a few cases...
I remember this guy who was very self-confident. I started asking easy questions and he would scoff at me but answer them. I almost immediately realized I was boring him and moved on to the intermediate questions. At that point, he'd scoff and roll his eyes (really!) at every question, as if it was miles beneath him. The problem is that he would bungle the answer horribly, and when questioned about it, he'd start arguing with me that his answer was right and I was wrong! This went on for a long time, and I was being very careful not to corner him with my counter-arguments, afraid a scene would ensue.
I later learned that on the second part of the interview, he lost it with the interviewer and said he truly didn't know why he was applying for the job, that all the questions were stupid and all people interviewing him were so bad they couldn't even fully understand his answers. Don't need to say he never got hired.
There was also this time I worked for an Israeli company and two of us (a jewish orthodox coworker and I) had this candidate to interview in the US. After the first five minutes of the interview, it was clear to us that the guy didn't know shit, but company rules said interviews had to last at least 30 minutes, so we pressed on. The guy, looking at my religious coworker, started to say "Hey, remember, my last name is ... <obviously jewish last name>" between every question in an attempt to grab the position by influence. My team mate and I would exchange looks every time it happened. At the end, we were disgusted with the whole experience. Guy never got hired.
And last but not least, there was this candidate who would stop talking every time a relatively good lucking girl walked around the office. He would stop talking for a few seconds (until they got out of sight) and then resume the answer as if nothing had happened. No job for you, mister...
steveryans2 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 07:26:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can see that first guy now "so what skill or skills do you think you bring best into our work environment?" "Tuh! Orange" rolls eyes
NoxDominus ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 20:30:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, it was worse than that. These were technical questions for which a range of possible solutions existed, but his solutions were just plain wrong and wouldn't work. When confronted, he'd get aggressive and "fight back" arguing that the question was not properly formulated, or implying that I didn't know what I was talking about.
steveryans2 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:38:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hate people that do that, or come back with "we'll agree to disagree". No we fucking won't. You're wrong. There's a new breed of idiot out there these days and any time they're told they're incorrect instead of going "oh, I see, teach me how to do it correctly!" they refuse to believe on any level it might be their fuck up. Infuriating at best, dangerous to others at worst.
NoxDominus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:43:23 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, the "we agree to disagree" usually means "I'm wrong and I can't prove myself right but I want my point to stay anyway".
steveryans2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:26:43 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Th e other one I like is when you've thoroughly gutted someone's point and they say "yeah? Well you're an asshole" my go to response is that may be but even my asshole knows about (insert topic here". Our society can be so stupid with whom it gives pedastals to
eletricmojo ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 15:30:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The last one about the guy looking a girls sounds like something out of a cheesy comedy.
Geminii27 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 16:56:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have, no shit, worked for places where they would stop meetings when a good-looking girl walked by so they could all gawk at her through the window for several minutes, then go back to the meeting when she was no longer in sight.
BrobearBerbil ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 17:38:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
This happened at a fast food place I worked at. One of the bosses stopped everything and said "Be still my heart" while looking out the window. I turn around to look and it's just a fairly overweight, but young woman with long blonde hair and gigantic breasts. This experience was helpful to me as a gay guy as it helped me understand that normal guys' preferences can be far removed from magazine standards.
anonymousfetus ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:07:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Standards isn't the right word here. Preferences would work better.
BrobearBerbil ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:09:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks. Made the edit.
NoxDominus ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 20:29:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was really creepy. He should start lowering his voice volume and slowing down until he stopped. He would track his "target" and then resume normally as if nothing had happened.
eletricmojo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:40:45 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a creepy version of the terminator
concealed_cat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:21:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good lucking girls always attract attention...
NoxDominus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:36:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha. Just one embarrassing mistake. Not bad for auto completed text. :-)
the_boomr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:02:42 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Have you posted this elsewhere on Reddit before? It reads very, very familiar for some reason.
CappuccinoBoy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:35:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My uncle is like guy number three. Absolutely disgusting and awful.
wickedfighting ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:37:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
and that first guy's name? Albert Einstein.
besvr ยท 238 points ยท Posted at 02:00:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not even to the interview portion, but I've seen someone attach their "recipes" file instead of "resume" to an online application.
twinnedcalcite ยท 171 points ยท Posted at 03:15:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Were they good recipes?
Fadman_Loki ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 06:31:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Asking the important questions.
besvr ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 12:12:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't remember if I tried making any of them. I think they were all clones of restaurant or fast food recipes, the one I remember is Panda Express orange chicken.
psychicsword ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:04:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
/r/MimicRecipes
blamb211 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:09:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Totally worth a shot, Panda makes some bomb ass orange chicken.
jujubee_1 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:23:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was it for a chef or cook position? This might be a perfect way to apply.
me_is_dunno ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:41:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was Walt's 99.1% crystal meth recipe. And they were applying for a crystal meth factory. So I don't really see the problem.
nellirn ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:01:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Perhaps the application was for a restaurant position?
expatato ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:16:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They were porn links weren't they?
[deleted] ยท 83 points ยท Posted at 03:53:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can see it now. "My god this lasagna sounds amazing! Hire this person! " I'll have to try this.
Mr_Skeleton ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:57:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
upon reading the resume i have decided to make this lasanga and hire it instead
Koras ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 09:36:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I accidentally attached a character sheet to an application email once. Character's name began with the same letter as mine (CV is saved as MyName-CV, sheet is saved as CharacterName, so they were right next to each other), clicked and sent and realised seconds after it was sent. Immediately followed it up with a second email with the actual resume, but I never did get a response :(
Guess my stats weren't impressive enough
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:30:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've had a ton of people send me selfies instead of their resume. One guy was cooking in a track suit..
Scarletfapper ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 10:38:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The number of times I've accidentally sent in my application but forgot to attach the CV and coverletter is simply embarrassing.
Mackem101 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:25:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Yep, so glad Gmail prompts you before sending if you use the words 'find attached' in your email.
It has saved my arse on many occasions.
none4gretch ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:32:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep - also now when I start an email knowing there's going to be an attachment, I'll type in "attachment" before I start writing the email, just in case I don't use the phrase "see attached" in the body.
jaxmagicman ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:56:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
1/5 part hard worker
1/5 part honest
2/5 part detail oriented
1/5 part responsible
Mix together with 4-year college degree, 6 years experience in relevant filed. Add 2 great references.
After 30 minutes, you get your perfect hire.
obsidianaura ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:45:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once sent a prospective employer a recipe for chicken parmigiana instead of my resume
BloodlustHamster ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:19:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can't be the only person that would need to interview them to see what kind of person does this, can I?
OptimumCorridor ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:06:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It seems to happen frequently enough.
37214 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:30:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd be much more excited about recipes than some of the resumes I've received.
none4gretch ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:40:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've been involved with casting for theater etc, and the things some of these poor actors attach.... bless their hearts. My favorite was a headshot that was titled "headshot - sexxy ass headshot to get you cast" or something like that. (to be fair, it was a pretty bangin headshot) Terrible resume, but I kind of wanted to see them anyway.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:52:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not going to lie, I've come very close to doing that
besvr ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:04:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well if you came close to doing it, but didn't, you've passed the first hurdle to getting the job. Congrats!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:29:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha thanks although these recipes are pretty nice
GARBLED_COMM ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:31:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was it at least for a food prep job or something?
besvr ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:30:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I believe it was a warehouse job. "Materials Handler"...the guy that physically gets the part from the warehouse. And regularly needs to compare the letters/numbers on the part to the order. So they definitely didn't get a call back.
Kyanpe ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:24:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm guessing you weren't hiring a chef.
napalm_beach ยท 51 points ยท Posted at 04:17:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy show up for his interview drunk, wearing a powder blue tuxedo jacket. The interview didn't last long, but before it was over he was crying about his uncle who had died. We asked him how long he had been gone: 6 years.
The_Brain_Fuckler ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:17:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Jesus, you should have kept him on staff for the hilarity of it all.
calaber24p ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:18:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Kanye over here.
Xyranthis ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:36:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was his Uncle's name Touchy, and did he or did he not have a Naked Puzzle Basement?
KingOTheCask ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:18:30 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was he not wearing a shirt and crying?
BoldBlossom ยท 143 points ยท Posted at 02:32:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a woman show up with her six kids. They ran around the lobby screaming and yelling the entire time my boss interviewed her. Afterwards she demanded that we let her kids use the bathroom, which was for employees only, since she "obviously nailed that shit."
tana-ryu ยท 83 points ยท Posted at 04:26:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I accidentally brought my daughter to an interview. I went in just to get an application to take home. Manager told me that I could grab a high chair and fill it out at the restaurant. I filled it out, gave it back and she interviewed me with my little one there. I got the job.
TeacherPreacher ยท 48 points ยท Posted at 14:10:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Difference is you probably aren't a jackass.
tana-ryu ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 14:48:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't try to be. I was just happy my daughter was being quiet and the worse thing she did was take her shoes off.
NatalieIsFreezing ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 00:16:18 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She took her shoes off? Who the hell does she think she is?
tana-ryu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:25:25 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No my daughter took her shoes off. Sorry if that part was confusing.
NatalieIsFreezing ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 01:31:46 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was a joke. I was pretending to be enraged about your daughter having the audacity to remove her shoes.
tana-ryu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:36:31 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol my bad.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:00:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
See I was picturing you as like a mom with a 12 year old daughter or something.
Depending on the company, I've known mangers who tend to be lenient on things like this because "Hey, thats life." Assuming you to be a single mother and possibly struggling financially and cant afford a sitter, they give you the benefit of the doubt. Children are pretty much an extra part time-full time management position.
tana-ryu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:09:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nope she was a little over a year when I went that happened. I needed a part time job to pay for daycare while I went to school for massage therapy.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:28:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean I wasn't being mean or anything if I came across that way. I just didn't know how to picture this.
tana-ryu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:39:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's all good.
BoldBlossom ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:55:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's different, you didn't plan on interviewing when ypu brought your daughter. This woman had a scheduled interview.
losian ยท 473 points ยท Posted at 22:19:20 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was once doing some semi-casual interviews and was speaking to a lady who was super suspicious of everything, and eventually said something to the effect of "you're reading from a script this is a scam" and then hung up. And I was like.. okay then, sure, guess you don't want a job. I mean, I get it, you can be skeptical and all. But if you're going to waste my time calling in and going through the motions at least don't be a stanoffish dingus about it the whole time.
shineq ยท 222 points ยท Posted at 00:14:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did once interview for a company that ended up being a massive scam. They hired me on the spot, I just had to pay for my training that would be paid back in my first month of work.
It did leave me very skeptical for any interview I had after that in that period, which was very annoying, so I can understand her viewpoint.
[deleted] ยท 305 points ยท Posted at 01:29:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
NEVER pay to work. When the job is real, training pays you.
Source: Myself, my sister, and our dad have had paid training sessions for our work.
ChokingFrodosVag ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 01:37:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Unless you're paying to get licensed. Like selling insurance, or going to medical school, becoming a lawyer etc
krokodilchik ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 02:47:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in the insurance field, and most companies will pay for your training and licensing.
ChokingFrodosVag ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:51:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's true, but I worked at a legit insurance company, and made a good deal doing it, that paid for neither licensing, study course, or even training. Straight commission 1099. It set off all my trigger warnings for a scam and if I hadn't already known someone in that business, I'd have bailed.
frymaster ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:43:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The other option I've seen is "we pay for this training but if you leave within two years you have to pay us back". Whether that's OK depends on his transferable the training is I suppose
Militant_Monk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:35:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah went to one those places for an interview. The process is always long and dumb.
Initial one on one interview to make sure you're breathing.
Seminar with exciting powerpoint and the youngest rising star the company has to tell you "You can do it too!"
Group interview. I'm still convinced there was an overly excited shill in this phase trying to get the group excited.
Final panel interview.
I didn't stick around for all of it because the job I had actually applied for (office manager) wasn't even being offered.
ERRORMONSTER ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:06:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I lifeguarded, I had to front the cost for all of my traibing and certs. Those costs (200 bucks) was paid back my first paycheck and my uniform (bathing suit, 20 bucks) was deducted from my first paychecj.
futurespice ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:04:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
those ae normally completely separate and non specific to your precise employer
ChokingFrodosVag ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:11:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Agreed. I was just passing a caveat on never ever paying money to work.
futurespice ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:10:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually another exception comes to mind. Often with very expensive courses or certifications there can be a contractual provision that the employee has to reimburse the employer pro rata for the costs of the course if voluntarily leaving the company before a certain time period has elapsed - seen it often with the big auditors.
SpoopsThePalindrome ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:21:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Right that's third-party, or through a state board or what have you. I think /u/N8thanEL meant that you should never have to pay a "company" for training that it itself provides.
E.G. Cutco, Amway, Vemma, etc.
ChokingFrodosVag ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:09:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree completely.
Rulnos ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:24:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's kind of a grey area. There's plenty of trades jobs that will require you to either buy certain tools before you can start, or will offer you a pre-assembled starter kit that they'll garnish off your first two cheques. The pre assembled one is like buying bottled water though. You pay a premium for the convenience.
Source : just started as an electrician and had to get a starter kit-esq thing because I'm lazy.
mikedude7 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:50:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if you're aware or not and it will depend on where you are but in some places you can claim the VAT back on those tools.
mikey_says ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:46:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I paid $50 for training to be a flagger, worked out pretty well, I got paid handsomely for mind-numbingly easy work
was-not-me ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:53:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Except when in soviet Russia
NHZych ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:03:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I paid $75 for a 2 day training to install Primestar satellite TV (now DirecTV). I was skeptical at first but it was worth it.
kaze0 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:44:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Old Navy paid an ex girlfriend to train when we were in highschool, and she had even quit before they cut the paycheck
emPtysp4ce ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:13:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
TIL my old employers were a racket.
I mean, I always knew they were retards who could probably fail an IQ test to a fucking duck, but now I know it was a scam too.
At least they paid me.
expatato ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:03:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree. I go on training courses nearly weekly on my job (I say course, they're about 45min to 90min long) and I'm always paid for these.
Why wouldn't they pay you? They increase your ability to do the job they hired you for and make you feel valuable.
[deleted] ยท -9 points ยท Posted at 01:36:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had to pay for my clothes for multiple jobs (not uniforms) and they all turned out to be real jobs.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 02:22:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
thats not training though.
[deleted] ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 02:25:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He said never pay to work. I payed to work. I went to training and they told me i'd have to pay for my clothes. I could have gone with his philosophy right there and never paid to work, but i did and they were real jobs.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:51:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 02:56:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:10:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 03:20:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 03:24:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:06:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:53:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you have to be a dumb motherfucker to fall for "pay for training."
shineq ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:46:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't. They try to sell it to you right at the end. First they go through the regular interview things and describe the "job". Then they tell you they're happy to hire you and give you this great salary. Then after making you excited do they tell you "oh, you have to pay for training to show your commitment" and have paperwork ready to fill out your card details. Only then it did click that this was shifty and basically made my excuses and left.
They're clever though. They target people right out of university desperate for a job who don't have a lot experience.
There were a couple of red flags that I noticed as well. For example, the interview was conducted in an office you can rent hourly and the interview was set up late afternoon day before - as I was on my way back from another one, tired with barely any time to research them.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 18:54:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know you didn't I am just making a statement in general.
Brain_in_a_car ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 23:52:15 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She reminds me of those people who comment on Gordon Ramsay shows how everything is scripted and fake.
roflpwntnoob ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 00:08:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Its hard to believe that people on his show are that dumb though....
Brain_in_a_car ยท 36 points ยท Posted at 00:28:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ever been on an Askreddit thread about "the dumbest thing someone did..."? It's believable on that scale.
Less believable is that producers will hand out a script to half a dozen people or so with no acting ability whatsoever, and they'll do it perfectly.
thepixelbuster ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 00:38:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree. From all the reality tv Ive watched, the fake comes from the editing.
When two people are having witty banter, but people in the background are in different stages after every cut.
Or when you can tell theyve been fed a line. "Chef David mightve stolen my bacon, but now he has egg on his face."
Or when reactions are obviously stitched in later . The worst ones will use canned sound effects like gasps or grunts.
Brain_in_a_car ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 01:01:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What gets me is this episode on Hells Kitchen with David Beckham, and the whole episode leads up to how disgusted Beckham would be with his food. It ended up being an out of context grunt repeated twice.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 01:13:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A harmontown episode recently had a reality TV contestant on, and in addition to editing the producers will ask extremely leading questions. They'll plant lines that way.
Terry_Silver_GOAT ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:49:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not exactly the same thing, but a few years back I sat in the audience for the 'reunion special' of a very popular reality tv show (it was a much smaller audience than you would guess). Before the cast came out, they spent a few minutes with all the cameras pointed at us in the audience, while one of the producers gave us all instructions like "Everyone pretend you just heard something SHOCKING...ok now everyone make a 'WTF' face...ok now pretend you just heard something really funny." So yeah basically any time they cut to a reaction from a cast member or someone from the audience it is probably either totally fake or at least taken out of context
beccaonice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:19:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I absolutely hate the canned gasp sound effect! They use the same one on so many shows. I heard it used twice in one episode once!
Atigerwithlaserbeams ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:12:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or that any company would pretend to be like Amy's Baking Co.
Stone_Reign ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:02:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Jon Taffer talked about it in one of his AMA's. He was asked about people acting stupid on camera and he described that the people act how they act and don't care that cameras are there.
Lemerney2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:42:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
yeah on the mole here in australia i thought one girl was the mole because she acted totally fucking stupid ALL the time and i was amazed when she wasn't the mole.
TechKnowNathan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:25:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Link for the lazy or mobile?
GREAT_GOOGLY_WOOGLY ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 00:59:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Watch an episode of Kitchen Nightmares UK, then follow up with an episode of Kitchen Nightmares USA. The USA version is so heavy on ridiculous edits (obvious cutting in conversation, fake weird grunts added in post, dramatic music etc).
goblinseverywhere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:23:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
.
shellwe ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:21:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Except the show actually is fake... Or at least heavily edited.
thesorehead ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 00:14:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So... she went and applied for the job, then when you call her back (presumably giving your name and reason for calling) she ... doesn't believe that she got a call back? For the thing that she applied for?
... lolwut
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:10:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did this. Right out of college, I applied to a bunch of jobs off Monster and websites like that. I had a bad experience with my first job interview (legit scam, work from home, deposit this bounced check, and send us money kind of stuff). So the next time I got a call from a "marketing" group, I turned it down on the spot. They didn't sound the way a legitimate company would sound on the phone, sounded scripted, and I was in full paranoia mode. I made a show of telling them to go f- themselves.
Before getting my first job through a trusted friend. I literally went to 3 scam interviews... it's tough out there.
thesorehead ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:54:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Dammmmnn that sucks. Her reaction makes a bit more sense given that this sort of scam happens. Now I'm grateful that I've never been on the receiving end!
beccaonice ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:24:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hah, sometimes when you are looking for work, you upload your resume to some sites, you apply to a fuck ton of jobs and maybe get a call or two, and a lot times it's for some shady-ass sales job, and they got your number from your resume, you never even applied. A little suspicion is reasonable. Especially if you've been going through the process for months.
beccaonice ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:28:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I remember feeling very suspicious of any phone call I got after being duped into shady interviews for scammy type jobs. I definitely wasn't like that lady, but learned you have to ask very direct questions sometimes. Usually when the vibe was off, and I started asking questions, I was right and it was just another commission based sales job (not what I was looking for, at all).
I think one time I was totally off base and it was just an admin job, like I was looking for. Oops! Better than wasting time at 15+ "job interviews" I guess.
RobinBankss ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:59:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
just curious: in what state are you located ?
Psdjklgfuiob ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:46:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
DINGUS
emlosesit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:08:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My ad agency did a social media campaign for a well-known car company that ended with us giving away a brand new car. The first 3 people who were contacted as winners thought it was a scam, and refused to take it even though the taxes were paid and everything. Idiots.
dog_in_the_vent ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:15:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wait, she called you and thought that it was a scam?
LaughingJackass ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 03:53:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
upvote!
mrnetworkerror ยท 491 points ยท Posted at 02:56:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've done a lot of interviews for Quality Assurance and Software Development positions.
I had a guy come in with experience in garden automation as the last job on his resume. In his opening sentence he winked and said it could be used for "legitimate" crops too... Uhhh. You're opening by admitting to growing drugs illegally? Bold choice, my friend. Allow me to trust you with our intellectual property. Clearly you can keep a secret.
We had a phone interview with a guy whose first question was, "How tall is your building?" We told him it was 20 stories. He told us, "I can't work in anything over 7." Interview over. The other interviewer and I just sat there looking at each other like, "What just happened?"
Interviewed a guy with my boss. The candidate kept saying things like, "This seems like a 'house' job, not an 'apartment' job." Finally my boss asked me to leave so she could have a conversation with the poor guy about what sort of things were appropriate to say in interviews. I felt bad for him. He was really inexperienced.
I interviewed a guy who treated the whole interview like a massive inconvenience. He was very qualified but a total douche-nugget. My recommendation to the recruiter was to hire him for any position where he wouldn't need to interact with other humans. I think it was his favorite interview feedback ever.
I had a handful of candidates who would talk about why X language/OS is awesome and Y language/OS is total crap. "Java is awesome! JavaScript is a tinker toy!" "Linux is the p0wn and Windows blows goats." It was frustrating because EVERY language/OS has stuff it's great at and stuff it's poor at. It's all about picking an appropriate tool for the job.
I had a guy who went on and on about this new language he's learning and how it's awesome at recursion. Great! I have a simple recursion question for you. Factorials! Show me how you do it in this language. I watched for ten minutes as he slowly coded himself into recursion hell without a solution in sight. It was painful.
I used to ask all my candidates to write a program to reverse the order of words in a string. ex: "this is a test" becomes "test a is this". They could use any language and library they wanted, and I gave them my laptop so they could look stuff up on Google. This was not meant to be challenging in any way. I just wanted to see what tools they would use. (For reference, the solution in JavaScript is a one-liner: var outputString = inputString.split(" ").reverse().join(" ");) It was shocking watching college graduates poke at this problem helplessly. Over and over I would hear, "Well, I'm going to need a loop" and I would just think, "Buckle up, this is going to be a string-parsing train wreck." This became my filter question to get rid of time wasters. (Conversely, if the candidate looked at me like I was a moron and just banged out an answer, the interview usually went very well. This only happened a handful of times.)
I screwed up an interview once. The interviewer asked me, "What will you add to my team?" And I said, "I don't know what skills your team already has, so I'm not sure which of my skills will be an addition." He didn't like that. I was young and dumb.
I'll end with an interview WIN. I interviewed a very green developer. He was sharp, but didn't know any of the frameworks we used and couldn't answer questions about MVC frameworks in general. He emailed the following Monday with code samples showing that he had learned and practiced the framework we use. He had clearly spent the entire weekend on it. He is one of the best hires I've ever made. The guy is a freakin' rock star.
Interviewing is fun!
Prosaly ยท 250 points ยท Posted at 05:20:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is it just me that doesn't understand the house job versus apartment job thing? Was it a jab at the pay?
SpamBone ยท 49 points ยท Posted at 07:38:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ditto. Can we get an explanation on 'house' job vs 'apartment' job? Is that a payscale comment? I feel dumb because I don't get it but I've never heard that particular phrasing used before
yugtahtmi ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 11:15:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would imagine it was referencing the pay of the position vs the professional inexperience of the candidate.
His boss then probably tried to tell the guy that by making comments like that he essentially is undervaluing himself. The candidate would then be less likely to get the job.
DoxasticPoo ยท 33 points ยท Posted at 06:05:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I didn't get it either
tandsdown ยท 48 points ยท Posted at 11:46:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The interviewee was expressing that they see this job as a career job, a permanent home or house, rather than just a place to be till something better comes along.
It's a shitty metaphor, but I've heard it before.
Prosaly ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 14:33:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That would make sense, but to me that would be a good thing to say in an interview, not a bad thing? Like yeah I'm in this for the long haul pleasehireme.
Lemerney2 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 07:59:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ii don't get it either.
DeaconFrostedFlakes ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:28:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Seems more like a lifestyle thing to me, ie "This seems like a job for an old person with crushing financial responsibilities and no life who will stay late, not a hip young dude like me whose life is basically a Coors Light commercial full of other young hip people doing attractive-person things until 2 am every night."
Prosaly ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:34:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That might make sense... But still, very baffling.
tuscabam ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:45:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm with you, I'm baffled by that statement.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:00:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds to me like exactly that. Or maybe the interviewee felt above the position he was being offered.
superiority ยท 43 points ยท Posted at 06:15:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't understand what this means.
yugtahtmi ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 11:26:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interpret it as meaning the candidate was either was too oblivious to realize he was worth a salary equivilent to owning a home or he was inexperienced and didn't deserve a salary that high. The only other option is that the position was posted at a salary way higher then what the skills required for it would typically demand, and that seems highly unlikely.
Either way, both throw a red flag for an interviewer.
lafeeverte17 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:27:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I took it to mean that the salary was the apartment kind while the job required the work for the house kind, in which case the guy probably shouldn't take the job.
patentologist ยท -24 points ยท Posted at 09:34:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a play on the television show "House", where Dr. House gets handed a task (cure the patient) with minimal and often incorrect/false/misleading information (the specification) and is then forced to develop his own plan to figure out what the real problem is in order to save the person's life and I have no idea where the apartment comes in because I'm just making all of this up.
LittleLui ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:47:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In "House", House often sends his team to break into the apartments of his patients to investigate e.g. possible toxins they might have ingested there. Obviously, what the candidate meant was that this was more of a "insanely clever weirdo loner" job than a "team of highly qualified medical professionals doing breaking and entering on behalf of obviously intoxicated screenplay writers" job.
charmingtortoise ยท 34 points ยท Posted at 06:11:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Awesome boss that took aside the completely oblivious candidate to tell him what is appropriate for an interview. A lot of people would have just dismissed him.
Koras ยท 32 points ยท Posted at 09:13:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Shoutouts to that guy, I'd take willingness to learn and the drive to learn something completely new to a high standard during a weekend over misinformed confidence any day of the week, regardless of field apart from maybe surgery
I used almost this exact answer once, fortunately one of my interviewers was pretty sympathetic because as he told me later "the other people we saw before you were fucking insane" and were probably similar to other weirdos in this thread, made shifty looks with his eyes until I ran it back and elaborated with the things I'm good at.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:04:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Any time I was asked if I knew how to do something unfamiliar, my response was always, "No, but I'll learn if you'll give me the time to do it."
kcoyote ยท 48 points ยท Posted at 07:54:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
re. the second one: fire truck ladders can't go higher than that. My father refuses to live in apartments or stay in hotel rooms higher than the eighth floor for that reason.
infiniteMind ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:40:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
TIL. Thanks!
mrnetworkerror ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:00:00 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Makes sense. I hadn't thought of that.
ecb29 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:15:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I get it. I understand how skyscrapers stand up, I just don't feel it.
POGtastic ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 10:16:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As someone who considers himself relatively strong with the basic stuff but knows very little about frameworks, is this attitude common? I'm a year into a CS program, (8 years of casual hobbyist stuff before that) and job listings saying "MUST know Hadoop / Rails / whatever" are scaring the crap out of me. I'm thinking that the ideal thing for me to do is to learn 2-3 well and at least get acquainted with a bunch of other ones, but the choices are bewildering, and they don't seem to apply to one another the way that the fundamentals do.
Want me to solve a problem? No worries. Want me to apply $framework to solving said problem? I'll... get back to you after I've done some reading.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:22:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Learn one language well. Usually they start you with Java or a C language. Then your second one is a bit easier. Then by the third, fourth and etc. it's mainly just Googling how to do string parsing in X. Frameworks are the same, or so I've found.
But the best thing for me coming out of a computer science degree was getting my internship. I messed up a graduate job interview on the test because, coincidently, I messed up a string parsing question, just by being very nervous, because it was in a language I wasn't used to and because I didn't really know what to search for on the internet to find out how to do it. My internship was amazing. They understood my level of skill and didn't expect me to know anything outside of my degree. Three years on and I'm writing complex systems in languages I hadn't used until a month ago and even creating my own framework to do the job.
Coming out of education into a computer science related job is scary, but don't worry, start with a graduate job or even better an internship and you will be absolutely fine.
POGtastic ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:16:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Unfortunately, I have bills to pay, so I'm operating an electron microscope during the night and going to class during the daytime. On the bright side, I'm working at Intel, but it's not CS-related at all. My goal is to get a bachelor's and then put in for a transfer. Hopefully, they'll have recent graduate jobs when I graduate. If not, then I'll have to look at all of the other tech companies in the area.
I'm decent at C++ (go-to language with anything complicated), Perl, and Python, but web programming has remained a mystery. I'm going to try to remedy that next semester by doing all of my assignments in Javascript along with whatever language (probably more C++) they assign. I need to learn more HTML anyway, and I haven't even looked at CSS yet.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:07:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wouldn't worry about web stuff yet, you've got the hardcore stuff down like C++. Java is always good to learn though as it covers so much that's done in the industry. You don't want to overstretch yourself as you're working as well as studying. But getting your foot in the door at Intel is a great start. I just worked in retail while I was at university. But it certainly helped with my communication skills.
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:58:16 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You work at Intel? I worked there once. high five
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:35:47 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a big "it depends." I like to think I'm less of a hard-ass than other interviewers. Some interviewers are inexperienced. Some look for reasons to disqualify people. I just want to find out if you're a person I'd like to work with.
When I hired my green developer, it was for a junior PHP front end position. We needed him to know PHP (he did), what an MVC framework is (he didn't), and we wanted him to know Zend 1.2. (I know that's a crappy framework. It was legacy code.) There were only a few decent candidates, and he set himself apart.
So some of it comes down to your competition. Some of it comes down to what kind of job you're applying for. (Data scientists are playing a different game than front end devs.) Some of it comes down to your attitude. And some of it comes down to your skill set.
I think you have the right idea. Get really good at one or two languages, frameworks and databases. Get a passing familiarity with some others. And show a huge willingness to learn. Remember that different regions use different languages. (Learning Groovy in L.A. isn't going to do much for you, but it's totally appropriate for Minneapolis.)
Also, once you have a job, find the smart people and try to learn from them.
Also, if you're going into the Software Dev industry, a degree is optional for a lot of jobs. Some companies like degrees. Some sub-fields, like data science, like degrees. But overall, the software industry is a meritocracy. If you can get the job done you'll get hired pretty quickly. (Source: I only attended a handful of college classes and have been very successful.)
acoupladrinks ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 12:01:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think your answer was all that bad. Those kind of vague questions just show what a terrible interviewer he is.
lessnonymous ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 11:20:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Best interviewee I ever had did the same.
Coding challenge was done really well during the interview but not in perl, our in-house preferred language. He didn't know perl but he came well recommended.
I got an email at 1am that night written in really elegant perl. And so incredibly well thought out and super efficient. Had already decided to hire him. But this was fantastic.
He kept up the fantastic performance right up until Google poached him :-(
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 15:59:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a good one!
Jacen47 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:41:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I would have done the coding challenge in C due to having most of my experience in C with the perl script that night as that interviewee did.
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:34:01 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Right on. People like this are the best, and they're so hard to find.
PsypherPanda ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:10:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would have string tokenized and flipped the array because I suck with scripting language. No loops at least.
adambowles ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:52:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly his sample solution
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:02:22 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a great answer. Also, you can use any language you want. I want to see you at your best.
thurstonmooresmints ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 06:31:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pretty sure you interviewed Turk Wendell.
Rzezifok ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 05:44:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
love the last story :)
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:20:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I like how the guy specifically said 7 stories.
c_a_l_m ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:23:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, I was once asked how to reverse a string in an interview; my first answer ("Ruby has String.reverse, so...") seemed to mark me as a smartass, so I wouldn't have gone w/the split/reverse/join either.
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:05:01 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some interviewers are dicks. I would always be clear: Use libraries, use built-in language functionality, use Google. (Just don't look up the exact answer, please. Just lookup references.)
The surprising thing was how many would do it manually anyway and still couldn't do it. Like, 90% of them would get two loops deep and just fall apart.
I understand it's easy to get flustered in interviews. That's why I picked an easy problem. 'Cause I'm not a dick.
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:38:32 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Also, the problem isn't reversing a string. Anyone can do that. The problem is reversing the order of words in a string.
Ex: reverse_words("this is a test") // Returns "test a is this"
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:01:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please come to my office and tell my coworkers this. I'm an iOS developer so I obviously have a Mac on my desk for Xcode and multiple times throughout the day, almost every day I have people who have never used it walk by and make snide comments ranging from "That's a toy OS" to "You must suck Steve Job's dick".
I can't imagine being one of those people that limit myself to knowledge of one OS/Language. I'd hate to be a one trick pony.
mrnetworkerror ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:59:31 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm right there with you, Tiki_Torch. These people always come off as whiny noobs to me. Once you've used a bunch of OS's, Languages and dev tools, you tend to be more chill about it IMO.
If you're writing stuff that'll run on *nux, Linux or Mac is probably your best OS. If you're writing something that runs on Windows, use freakin' Windows. If you're writing something agnostic in a language like JavaScript, Java or Groovy, use whatever the hell you want. :P
Same with dev tools. You like JetBrains? Great. Eclipse? Great. Netbeans? Great. VIM? High five, you hard core code-slinger. EMACS? I don't understand you, but I still respect you. ;)
And then there's the whole "Ruby kicks PHP's ass" type of crap. My response is always "What kind of talent pool do you have in this area? If it's Java, use Java. If it's PHP, use PHP. Better to have good code in a language you don't like than bad code in a language you love."
Jacen47 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:42:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I personally prefer to stick with Windows/*nix as there are enough Apple developers out there already.
mrnetworkerror ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:34:03 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Apple is *nix. OS X is based on BSD. It's *nix with a super user-friendly front end. I know so many Linux devs (myself included) who work on Macs because of this.
Frazz86 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:15:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Out of personal curiosity, I myself haven't actually ran into the ".reverse()" before and would have answered it like so:
Same solution, just quite a lot larger, would it be completely rejected just because I happened to not know of one of the millions of methods that exist?
adambowles ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:09:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I think as long as you suggest to the interviewer that you would have the initiative to google for 'javascript reverse array' then you'd be fine. Not all languages have a specific built-in for reversing an array, and you'd really not be expected to know a languages standard library inside out unless the job is specifically for 'an expert in [language X]'.
Also your solution doesn't separate the new string's words with a space, but you'd notice that straight away if you ran the code, so whatever..
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:52:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I let my candidates use Google. I can't remember every method out there. I certainly don't expect someone else to.
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:32:05 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Totally rejected? Hell no. That solution works. Well. Kind of. Your output string doesn't have any spaces. EX: If the input string is "this is a test", your final output would be "testaisthis".
If this were a real interview, I'd point out the bug and ask you how you'd fix it. If you tried to manually insert spaces after each word, you'd end up with a trailing space. "test a is this " I'd point that out if you didn't catch it yourself. Then you might add an if to skip appending a space on the last word. Or you might trim the output string (which could also introduce a bug if the input string has leading/trailing spaces.)
At this point, your code might look something like:
I'd ask you if you could make it simpler (because simpler == less bugs, easier to maintain.) If you didn't know, I'd point you at the .reverse() method and ask you how you'd use it here. If you still used a loop I'd point you at the .join() method. Basically, we'd pair program on it. Then we'd talk about the pros and cons of manual string parsing. At this point, I'd have a little bit of a feel for what kind of programmer you are and how it'd be to work with you.
My goal with this question is to start to get a feel for how you code. I want to make sure that if we hire you you won't make a mess of our codebase.
This is just the first question, not the last. Based on how you fair here, I'd either pair program with you on a few more difficult problems, or we'd skip directly to talking about distributed architectures, security and that kind of stuff.
Frazz86 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:16:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Crazy how much things can be missed in 5 lines when using Reddit to code :p. Thanks for the response, definitely interesting, sounds like a fun interview :D.
cakez_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:11:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
After giggling at the first few examples, the last guy who was a good example really made me smile. I also started my first job as a software developer with basic knowledge and I'm doing my best to learn as much as I can, as fast as I can.
mrnetworkerror ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:45:45 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like you're going to go far, cakez_. Good on you.
cakez_ ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:03:40 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks, I really hope I will. :) It's been a month since I started and I'm still in disbelief I got the job so I'm doing my best to keep it now.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:01:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That last story sounds like how my boy Johnny got his first gig coding...
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:46:12 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Awesome! It's amazing what a great attitude and some ambition will do.
ItWasTheGoat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:17:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Recursion sounded fun, would this work?
int factorial_recursion(int alpha, int beta) {
if (alpha != 0) factorial_recursion(alpha--, beta *= alpha)
else return beta;
} EDIT: first time running use factorial_recursion(alpha, 1);
thabonch ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:45:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're not actually returning anything if alpha != 0. And alpha-- changes the value of alpha before beta *= alpha is evaluated, so at the final call you'll get beta *= 0. You don't need to keep track of beta independently, this way works:
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:15:44 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Puts on interviewer hat.
This is a pretty good start. If this were a real interview we'd talk and pair program on it a bit.
rulanmooge ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:07:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
" I screwed up an interview once. The interviewer asked me, "What will you add to my team?" And I said, "I don't know what skills your team already has, so I'm not sure which of my skills will be an addition." He didn't like that. I was young and dumb."
I don't get it. Why wouldn't he like that answer. It seems like a great response. You can't say what you would add until you know what they are missing. A very analytical and logical answer.
I would have hired you. (Note: I am a retired financial planner. Much of my work required analysis of existing portfolios, stock analysis, creation of new portfolios and other types of math crunching. Logical analysis of a situation and then apply it to the human aspect.)
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:06:30 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
RIGHT? That's what I thought too. (And thanks for the virtual hire!)
But the interview kept asking that question. I should have read his body language and adjusted my answer. All well. It was a crappy job anyway.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:40:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
When buildings are made over 8 stories tall in my country, they must use a pump to get water to the upper floors. I'm guessing he had an issue with that.
I feel like university has heavily encouraged me to write my own things from scratch. if your assignment is "do X", obviously it isn't "use a single function from a library which does it", they want you to do some work. the opposite is true for work.
mrnetworkerror ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:02:24 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe it was the pump thing. He wouldn't explain it, and we didn't want to pry.
I understand the university mindset of coding everything from scratch. I would always pose this question by encouraging the candidate to use libraries, Google, etc... I tried to be very clear that I did not want a from-scratch answer if there was a better way. Because honestly, if they couldn't use libraries for a simple problem like this, I didn't want to be the guy maintaining their crazy DIY code. :D
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:03:06 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
indeed. I was just mentioning how it made me realize that I have to make a huge transition when switching over to the "real world".
The__Imp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:33:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think the showing of extra enthusiasm/effort above and beyond what is called for is often a great sign.
I had an interview for a clerkship with a bankruptcy judge. I had my interview, and then asked if there were any hearings coming up that day. I was told that the judge's afternoon calendar was coming up in about 45 minutes. I got lunch, sat through the calendar and was invited back to chambers to discuss. I gave my thoughts about some of the arguments that had been made, and why counsel was making them. The judge was happy enough with my answers that he stopped interviews and offered me the job on the spot.
mrnetworkerror ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:50:00 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A "go get 'em" attitude does more to set you apart than anything else. I can train people if their skills are a bit lacking. But I can't train someone to have an attitude like this. Right on, The_Imp!
WNxJesus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:03:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was thinking how I'd solve your word reordering test.
And I would probably get an array of strings (which would probably be predefined size at something comfortable like 100), then go by character and split up the sentence into words and put them into the array. Then just write out the array backwards. I would definitely need a loop, probably even two, and variables and multiple lines of code.
I guess you wouldn't hire me for a coding job.
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:46:26 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I might hire you. We'd talk about it.
First I'd ask why your array size is fixed? You're deliberately writing a bug into your code right there. (I come from a QA background.) Next I would ask you why you're writing your own spit/explode function/method instead of using a pre-existing library that's already been tested. Last, if you're using a loop to write out the array backwards, I would again ask why you're not using a function/method to reverse the array. Most languages have that build in.
I'm not looking to fail people. I just want to see what they can do and start a conversation. The only time I'll fail someone is if they can't come up with ANY solution.
Note: If you use a library, you probably won't need a loop. Any time you're coding something to do manual string parsing it's a code smell. There's usually a better way unless you're doing something totally custom.
PansOnFire ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:20:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I might have wasted your time, but because I would be thinking about the possible inputs to your string reversal question. In the case where the input string is null or empty, the one-liner will crash. In the case where you're passing in a novel, the container that split() creates might not be the best use of computing resources. It's the sort of thing where a simple loop, a couple of pointers and a new string, and some parameter validation will go a long way.
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:39:06 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
An empty string won't crash it. But yeah, any type that doesn't support the split() method (and return an array) would totally crash and burn. The moment you paused and said something about input sanitation I'd be like "Gold star for you! For this exercise, let's assume the input has been verified to be a valid string." OR "How would you sanitize your input?" (Check for split method, check data type, etc...)
I like this sort of conversation in an interview.
deeper182 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:47:59 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hah, I did something similar to get the job I work at the moment.
After the tech interview they called me, and said that they liked me, but they will listen to a few more candidates before giving a final answer. I felt that during the interview we didn't quite touch my strong points (which were also part of the job, not some random parallel skills). So I wrote them a mail expressing how I felt, and asked them to send me a "homework" coding task, where I can demonstrate all this stuff. They did, I solved it, sent it back, they sent some more (implement infinite scroll in angular, yummy), I solved that too and bang, I was hired. The HR lady told me explicitly that the homework got me hired.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
mrnetworkerror ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:40:25 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, but the problem isn't reversing a string. It's reversing the order of words in a string. This yields much more interesting conversations, and if someone tries to do it the hard way, they're much more likely to code themselves into a noob corner.
mynameisevan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:05:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just out of curiosity, what your reaction be if somebody answered one of these in assembly language? Because kinda I really want to do that in an interview someday.
mrnetworkerror ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:35:06 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly, I'd say "Why did you use assembly? The next guy who has to maintain your code is going to hate you." :P But I'd also be impressed, so... It's a toss up.
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 10:46:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You sound a bit like a douche. Most of those things sounds like trivial jokes or common interview stress. Your question about word reverse is a straight trap, most people will assume you want to see the version of the program that demonstrates the algorithms and the trivial solution will be considered bad. Also "I don't know what skills your team already has, so I'm not sure which of my skills will be an addition." is a reasonable answer, sounds like you put it here just for humility of some sort, but not quite...
mrnetworkerror ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:52:20 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I am a douche, I probably wouldn't be aware of it. So you might be right. I'd like to defend myself a little though.
I'm not looking to disqualify people. That's not the goal. I want to hire someone that I want to work with. I don't want to hire someone who will make a mess of my codebase. It really is as simple as that.
With the word reversal question, I say up front that I want them to use libraries, built-in language functionality, and Google any reference material they need. (Because when I'm under pressure, I forget how methods work. And in real life, I'll have Google.) I let them type out their solution (because coding on a whiteboard is sucky). I even let them use any language they want. I want to see them at their best. I try to be very clear that I'm not looking for a total DIY job.
If the candidate solves it using some nested loops, that's fine. My follow question is, "Why didn't you use a library or built-in language functionality?" And if they say, "I didn't think you'd want that." I'd be like, "I do. Can you show me?"
BUT - I have never had a candidate solve this with loops successfully. They code themselves into a corner every time. I usually have to help them out to get through it. Then I ask about libraries, etc... I try to give them as many chances as I can.
And if they can pass that question, I have other, more interesting coding and architecture conversations with them. "How would you setup a REST service to do X? How would you handle security?" We'd just shoot the bull and talk about geeky stuff like that.
As for the "I don't know what skills your team already has", that was just me being a totally clueless 20-year-old. I wasn't reading the interviewer at all and totally bombed it. It's funny to me now, 15 years later. But at them time I felt like the biggest idiot. I'm sure I screwed up other interviews, but was too clueless to even realize it.
PM_MeYourNudesPlease ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 11:40:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
As a self taught programmer, can you tell me if I'm wrong here?
The factorials seem stupidly easy? Couldn't you just do that with a for loop? Or if you want to use recursion you just pass on the current number and some sort of identifier for what number you're at, then once you reach 1 you return?
Edit: I was bored so I made it in Lua, took like a minute, lol.
And for the string thing, it's stupidly easy. I would probably use whatever languages string.split(" ") or whatever, then put the array or whatever you got back together into a string, if you don't have a function for that, it's an easy for loop. Even if you can't string.split the string parsing is really, really easy.
Edit2: I got really bored, and I haven't coded in so long, it was fun.
SomeNiceButtfucking ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:16:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy was probably learning Haskell. Here's the Haskell way:
Of course, the way without explicit recursion is simpler:
PM_MeYourNudesPlease ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:30:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I also really liked your algorithm, redid mine.
SomeNiceButtfucking ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:49:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Here's another fun Haskelly way:
PM_MeYourNudesPlease ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:50:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can you translate that? lol
SomeNiceButtfucking ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:20:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Folding is a map-reduce operation. Basically, it applies your map function (* in this case), to a Texas range of 1 to n.
PM_MeYourNudesPlease ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:21:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, alright.
PM_MeYourNudesPlease ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:26:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, I see. I don't see how he would have a problem figuring that out.
Also don't see why I got downvoted, lol.
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:44:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Admittedly I don't know lua. I like that you actually have tests for your code right there at the bottom.
I really like that you opened with "I would probably use whatever languages string.split(" ") or whatever, then put the array or whatever you got back together into a string." In the real world, right after you said that, I'd be like, "Show me." About a minute later we'd move onto something much more interesting.
I'm betting you'd nail the interview.
PM_MeYourNudesPlease ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:43:45 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, thanks.
Lua is fun, I love when I get to use it.
And I mean, You don't have to relearn everything you know for a new language, you just have to learn how to do the things you already know. I know C# has a function to let me split a string like that, if you ask me to make it in Java, I can look up what function that would be, or how I can do it myself.
Unfortunately all ( almost, I did go to school for it but I stopped cause I knew more than my teacher so it wasn't very interesting ) I know I taught myself, so there might be things that I simply don't know that I would have to, and I can't point to any actual degree :/
So while I might nail an interview like that, I don't really have the resume to back up what I might may or may not be able to do :/
My experience so far is that, if I don't know how to do something, I can google it and figure it out, and from then on, I know ( or I still have problems with it, I just look it up again until I got it down), but I don't think that would work so well in a professional job.
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:49:13 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
High five, dude. I don't have a college education either. In fact, some of the brightest people I've worked with are dropouts.
I Google tons of stuff. (Everyone does.) That totally flies in the Software Industry. It's a meritocracy. If you can do the work, you'll get a job. You just need to build up a little street cred.
PM_MeYourNudesPlease ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:52:35 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow, you're making me feel really good about this. Maybe I'll try to get some more practice in and apply for some jobs.
I got the advice a while ago to just try to build a github that has stuff I can show, but I mean, nothing I've done are big complex projects, so I feel like it's not close to good enough. I just make little things for myself when I need them. "Tired of having to check reddit? code myself a little program that checks all my accounts and notifies me when I get a message" and things like that.
mrnetworkerror ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:12:09 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do it, Nudes. For the record, the resume is mostly there to get you to the interview. Once you're in the interview it's only used to formulate some questions.
I would suggest finding an existing github project that you like and contributing. It looks good on a resume. And it demos your ability to code and work with a team. I also suggest changing jobs every year or two when you're first getting started. Disloyalty is highly rewarded. You'll get raises and more diverse experience.
PM_MeYourNudesPlease ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:15:16 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha, made this account like 2 week ago cause I wanted to know if any people actually send any. One frontpage post later I'm very disappointed, didn't get anything.
That might be something that works. I also might turn one of my little projects in something polished enough so that I would release it, might also look good.
n0remack ยท 137 points ยท Posted at 00:25:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Dumbest thing I ever did was answer my phone at 7AM after working a night shift for a job I definitely would've taken.
I decided to go through with the phone interview.
Idiot...
Edit: Clarified it was a phone interview.
My Tip for future reference
If you're expecting a phone call from an employer, and you get a call you don't recognize the number to - let it go to voicemail and let the employer leave you a voicemail. You can then just call them right back and be all "Sorry I missed your call, I was away from my phone".
DD225 ยท 52 points ยท Posted at 01:26:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I take it the interview was for that same day and you were exhausted?
Agent_Orange7 ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 05:14:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You could actually spin that to your advantage. Tell them that you just worked a night shift but still want to interview. It makes you look like a very hard worker.
n0remack ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 14:19:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds like a great idea on paper...
however...let my example be living, breathing proof that, that may not always be the best idea.
I still laugh/cringe about it to this day.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:43:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Phone interview probably. Every time I've had one of those I've been completely blindsided by it.
n0remack ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:24:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Funny thing is, they offered to reschedule, but ol' dummy here was all DO OR DIE
I'm not a smart man.
straitrider ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:24:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just assumed it was a phone interview
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:50:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I flew in from a 16 hour non stop flight and went straight to a client meeting once. Keep in mind I hadnt slept the night before either.
I dozed off in the meeting over lunch
Didnt get the contract (obviously)
mishko27 ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 04:56:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once finished 4th before the last round (after having passed few rounds already) of interviews for a job at Google where 3 people advanced. It was an aptitude / IQ / logic test that I did at 8am right after I woke up as I was super excited to see it in my email. I still hate myself for that.
patentologist ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 09:45:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You'd be screwed either way. I put in for an interview at a place I'd worked about eight years earlier, and the HR staffer didn't bother to let me know when the interview was. I'm moving and getting my house ready for sale, when I get a phone call at 3pm, as I'm about to go out the door on an urgent errand, after nine hours spent packing things up and cleaning, without having eaten anything. I think, oh, good, they're scheduling an interview. Nope, this was the interview call.
Ten minutes in, I realize it, and explain that I was never told, and that I can't stay on the phone because I have to be somewhere else. I get an email the following week saying they aren't going to consider me. :-/
n0remack ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 11:27:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thats pretty inconsiderate of them. I work in HR and if I call someone first, I'm calling to set a time to interview because of reasons like this. I hate how people just assume you'll be ready on their time. Not me. People have lives, so when I interview people, I'm on their time, they're not on mine.
patentologist ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:35:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks, I thought so too. :-)
It was the dot.com collapse, and peak outsource-everything-to-India, so anyone with a job to offer could be as big of a dick as they wanted. :-/
openupmyheartagain ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 07:19:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did that once. Woke up very hungover, it's 8am and my phone is ringing. A person calling to interview me. As the interview proceeds, I realize it's for a job I am not qualified for (accounting.) I had applied on monster.com for a wide plethora of office jobs and had somehow accidentally applied for an accounting job. I kept going with the interview as she is asking me about my bookkeeping skills, accounting skills, etc etc. it was awkward as hell.
ck_mooman ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:25:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My current boss called me 3 hours after working my graveyard shift. I was sound asleep and recovering after getting 3 hours of sleep in 36 hours. The topic was something simple like clarification on something. I had called and left a voicemail earlier when I was conscious. She called back when I wasn't. She said she was glad my sleepwalking/talking habits had come up before. She also said our conversation was funny and "informative". I shit bricks thinking I'd told her something she REALLY shouldn't know and turns out I couldn't decipher if I was still at work or at home.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:07:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of employer calls at 7 AM anyway.
n0remack ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:40:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was 8AM their time, to be fair...
But still...god damn thats early
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:18:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I do interviews, and I avoid calling before 11:00, but I'm a late sleeper, and I try to respect other people's morning time.
n0remack ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:24:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My rule of thumb is 10AM
vikinick ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:04:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You could also answer and then say that now isn't the best time to talk. It's not like they scheduled it with you or anything.
n0remack ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:15:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Of course, and that was totally good in hindsight.
Oh well, I still laugh about it.
atsinged ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:01:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There was a time I worked full time nights in manufacturing and was taking 16 credit hours at the local community college. Got tapped to interview for a promotion and training to work the help-desk. Basically I worked 7PM - 7AM Mon, Tues and Weds, school was like 8-11AM Mon-Fri. Come Wednesday afternoon I was a tired boy, usually I'd get home at noon Wednesday and crash.
Somehow passed the phone interview, which happened on a cell phone in a gas station parking lot because I was driving home from school.
The interview got scheduled for 1:00PM on a Wednesday.
Large panel interview, 100 candidates, 10 positions, we're all spread out in this big conference room and the interviewers would come to us. Loopy as hell but I did well enough. Finally one guy who talked to me twice already came back and said that the hiring manager would like to talk to me, could I stay a while longer?
Well of course!
I noticed a lot of people had left, there were maybe a dozen or so of us left, all spread way out. It's cool and pleasant inside, it had begun to rain outside, beautiful campus, very peaceful looking, the water was dripping down the windows.
Sloowwwlly dripping down the windows.
Anyway, the booming laughter of a very well dressed black man woke me up, I jumped a little and he laughed some more and said "you must be the one who left here this morning, went to school all day then came back to interview for this job, I'm Sam, you'll be working for me if you like the offer I told them to email to you".
Never give up hope.
Now for the next 5 years, the topic of "atsinged can sleep anywhere, even during a job interview" came up every time there was random shit talking, but he was a great boss.
Mia-kulpa ยท 786 points ยท Posted at 23:59:31 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I had a male candidate direct all his answers to my hr colleague (male, I'm female). I was not the hiring manager, but I would have been this guy's direct manager and that was outlined at the beginning of the interview. He even directed answers to questions I asked at the male hr dude.
Another story - not hiring, but firing. A few months ago, I had to let a person go after the mandatory 3 written warnings, performance management etc. etc. So it should have been NO surprise to him when the death knell came.
So we organise the meeting, and I have te same hr business partner there, and I'm outlining the reason for the meeting and took him through the reasoning and then explained that today would be his last day, and he looked at the hr dude and said, "Is she serious??"
Grah. Yes, you fucking moron, I'm serious.
Meh_Turkey_Sandwich ยท 284 points ยท Posted at 06:18:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Awful. I got a job at Home Depot. I had a female coworker in my department that I was shadowing. Awesome lady, very knowledgable, became a friend outside work.
The first day when I didn't know product or anything we had several guys come up with questions. They'd ask me, she'd answer, they'd ask me again, she'd answer. After awhile it was like "Fuck dude, ask her, I don't know shit yet!"
jujubee_1 ยท 61 points ยท Posted at 12:00:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had this Happen a lot when I worked in the electronic section. One day when I was training a new male coworker all the male customers only wanted to ask him questions. When it was clear they preferred a man answering his questions even though he had no idea I just walked away. The worst was when a knowledgeable male customer would walk in and see me a female working in the electronic section and decide to ask super advanced computer questions. Trying to stump me.
Meh_Turkey_Sandwich ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 14:58:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I worked at the Depot I was also younger than other people in the department. They'd dumb down the question because they'd been doing it a long time and I was just a kid. Usually this ended with them not knowing what they thought they did.
dmilin ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 20:59:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a shame and I know it sounds incredibly sexist, but I think I too would fall into the same situation. Speaking as a Computer Science student, you see very few women in the computing fields and I think the general assumption made subconsciously is that the ones who are there don't know what they are doing even if they have the same or more experience or schooling.
[deleted] ยท 34 points ยท Posted at 12:56:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sexism is fun! /s
I (am female) worked at circuit city and got the same shit. I would ask people if they needed help selecting a laptop, and would be told no I'm just browsing... Then people would go seek out a male associate, who would direct them back to me because it was my department. It was a small store song was usually the only one working computers.
Same thing would happen when I worked tech support over the phones. I was also a trainer. At one point I had a lady so against me helping her, that I let the male sitting next to me, who'd been working for the company 3 days, help her while I gave him the answers. I really wanted to say something at the end of the call because she was super rude about it, and kept saying how she knew a guy would be able to help her so much faster. Poor kid just looked shocked that people act that way.
Meh_Turkey_Sandwich ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 14:54:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Now I work as a massage therapist. Occasionally you chat with the people you're massaging. I deal with the other side of sexism now, a lot of people don't want a guy as their therapist. I had a lady look past me as I walked up and say to the woman at the counter. "Are there no women?".
Personally, for me it's whatever, but being on the other side is eye opening.
TheKnightsTippler ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 19:30:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's not always a competence thing though.
You are nearly naked when you have massages and they are quite intimate.
Meh_Turkey_Sandwich ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:24:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't care if people prefer one gender over another. I've had people actually address me and go, "Oh, I'm sorry, I prefer a female." And I go, "Oh, not a problem!"
It's not even addressing you that's annoying. Just looking past you like you're a robot or something.
TheKnightsTippler ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:26:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree, that's really rude.
[deleted] ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 14:32:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
one time my dad was looking for something in the automotive section of a store and was looking for an employee to ask. I pointed out a girl working there and he's like, nahhh I don't think she would know, and finds a male employee instead. the guy doesn't know the answer, so he walks over and asks the female coworker, who knows the answer immediately.
skogsherre ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:20:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did you call out your dad on his sexism?
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 13:44:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Meh_Turkey_Sandwich ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:51:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I saw it all the time, really started to piss me off.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:18:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Happened to me all the time when I was a barback working with female bartenders.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:05:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've been in Home Depot and Lowes so often that I know where a great many things are located. I should apply.
t-poke ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:00:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
With my experiences with Home Depot and Lowes, that would make you overqualified.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 22:16:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol. You're right. As a matter of fact, there is a man who works in Lowes who has no clue where anything is in the store and he's been there for quite a while. I was there on two separate occasions where he tried to assist me. I got really frustrated with him so I began searching for the items myself. Both times when I found the items I took him to where they were and showed him. I said, "now you know where they are located if anyone should ask you."
Goombill ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:25:50 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I also work at Home Depot and I see this all the time. I work at the front desk and most of the people who work it with me are women. No matter how busy I am, or how not busy my female coworkers are, I will constantly get people asking me questions.
Meh_Turkey_Sandwich ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:10:27 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man, the front desk. I pity you. The morons and scammers that go to the returns and special services make me cringe. I don't know how you handle it. When I worked there and got called up to returns a part of me always died a little.
Goombill ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:18:41 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You learn to stop giving a shit. It's a major corporation, I don't care anymore if I give some thief a handful of cash every now and then.
Meh_Turkey_Sandwich ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:44:49 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I worked there I got that way too. It's a fine company, but it's still retail and they'll run you into the ground if you let them.
Isord ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:22:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But I thought equality had been achieved and feminism was useless now?
yildizli_gece ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:19:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not sure why you're getting downvotes; seems clear this is sarcasm, right?
Mia-kulpa ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 06:57:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tits: both a blessing and a curse, eh? ;)
ttstte ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 07:27:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's your take away?
Mia-kulpa ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 08:05:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was a joke. :) it wasn't serious.
JackofScarlets ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 09:19:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My manager is a woman, and both clearly older than me, and more managerial looking than me. The few times we've had old country dudes come in and very obviously direct their questions towards me, I've found it very satisfying to say "well, you'll have to ask her that, its her decision". Great fun.
WhiskeyCup ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 04:41:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked in a scotch and whiskey warehouse for a while as a cashier. I'm male and the other cashiers were all female. It was just a job to pay the bills I don't drink whiskey and know nothing about it. But SO MANY TIMES people, almost all men, would walk in and look directly at me and ask me a question like I look like I know what's happening. Even when the female cashiers answered, and I tell the customer that they know a helluva a lot more than me, they'd still direct their talking to me.
MensRightsActivia ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 16:11:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
imagine how degrading that feels for the women. every single day
WhiskeyCup ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:41:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm aware. My coworkers would get upset/ angry and I totally understood why.
Xannin ยท 41 points ยท Posted at 04:46:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Haha that drives me nuts. I have been in a situation like that. i am male and was sitting in on an interview with the VP of Engineering (female). I was a corporate recruiter at the time and I wanted to see what kind of personalities they were looking for and the kinds of technical questions they ask etc. So I was just observing and wasn't even sitting at the table with the VP, but the applicant decided he should direct all of his answers to me. I wasn't even looking at the dude half the time since I was taking notes and nothing about the situation suggested he should direct his answers at me. The VP looked at me and smirked since we both knew she would be dismissing the jackass from the interview rather soon. It was a shame since he really knew his stuff according to her.
Simple_Rules ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 09:19:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Man it's funny because I felt like a total moron the first time I had a dual interview (two people in the room at once), and I defaulted to "Eye contact with whoever asked the question while answering the question!"
I can't even imagine staring at the other person while responding to a question asked by the person I'm not looking at. How horrifyingly uncomfortable.
Thuryn ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:46:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It applies to meetings as well. You never know when a meeting that involves your director or VP can suddenly turn into an impromptu review of your skills and why you still work there.
Regardless of gender, race, age, etc. it makes a good impression if you start by directing your answer to the questioner, but also look around to make sure everyone in the room is on board. If people look like they're following, back to the questioner and finish. If not, find a place to stop and say something like, "Am I making sense? Some of you look like I'm way off." (Maybe direct this back to the questioner as well, depending upon the question and his/her relative authority.)
But yeah, answering only to the person who didn't speak is weird.
SuperJo ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:48:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've had strikingly similar experiences as a woman engineer. For one interview, I went down to the lobby to escort the candidate to our offices. I quickly introduced myself as the lead engineer for the program. We got in the elevator and as soon as the door closed, he looked me up and down and said "YOU'RE an ENGINEER!?" I should've let him off at the second floor.
Just a few weeks ago, a colleague of mine (also female lead engineer for her program) interviewed a candidate and at the end of the interview she asked if he had any questions and he said that he didn't because he only had technical questions and had assumed someone who could answer those would be at his interview. She assured him she could answer all of his questions and he declined.
yildizli_gece ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:23:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please tell us neither were hired? Because that is what I hope.
SuperJo ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:12:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No. Neither were hired.
yildizli_gece ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:50:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yay! Thank you (weeding out the idiots one interview at a time!)...
SuperJo ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:07:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're welcome. I try to think of them as a little too young, a little too honest, and the product of a society where women engineers really are rare.
rulanmooge ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:14:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah. The male/female thing in business is real. I once got a job at a stock brokerage firm because I was honest.
When asked what would be my biggest challenge in the industry dealing with prospects....I answered...being a woman. Then elaborated that men tended to not take women investment brokers seriously and that some will just not work with me...... but that I would be killer with the women clients AND....in many marriages, it is really the woman who makes the decisions. I can deal with it.
Got the job.
bjeason ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:48:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you serious?
Wonderful_Nightmare ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:53:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Omg that sucks. I feel so bad for you and other women who have to deal with that kind of sexism.
toterra ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:29:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I always make it a point during an interview to pay extra attention to any female interviewers.
BlackVaderWoman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:01:54 on October 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a girl who works with video games and 10/10 can confirm. People ask my male coworkers questions, coworker asks me, I answer, customer asks male coworker different question.
I legit had this conversation one time Guy:"Hey, you're pretty cute!" Me:"thanks" Guy:"So, do you even know anything about games, or do they just hire you girls to lure the guys in to buy games?" Male coworker "Naw man, she knows more than me!" Guy:"Shit, no! Really?!" ...
MensRightsActivia ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:10:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
but sexism in the workplace doesn't exist right guys?
Salem1988 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:14:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wait, was it the same guy? Why was was he not responding directly to you? Did you find out why?
SpoopsThePalindrome ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:32:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You serious, Clark?
Mia-kulpa ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:48:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, Lois
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:04:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It has to be nerve wracking to fire people. I would be worried that someone would go off the deep end.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:49:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was the HR colleague have been asking all the questions? I was at an interview the other day with a partner and the head of the secretaries in that company. The H.O.S didn't do any of the questioning even though she would potentially be my boss. I tried to address them both but it is good manners to be looking at the person who is questioning you. Maybe male candidate was just trying that?
FutureSynth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:41:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Girls are scary!
traderofswings ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:09:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
kys fam
Blurr11 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 10:30:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he is just a really good looking HR guy
ablaaa ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 22:38:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
boohoo, how offending by the first guy to do that! /s
Nowin ยท -13 points ยท Posted at 06:15:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is it possible your male coworker told them you aren't really involved?
Mia-kulpa ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 06:56:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Naw, I work very closely with our HR business partners, and it's large enough company that there would be very very serious repercussions. Plus I was introduced as the reporting line to the position, and the hr person the hr person.
Nowin ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:55:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah good.
redplanetlover ยท -295 points ยท Posted at 00:53:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You seem a bit put off by the respect automatically granted to your male colleagues. I would be very wary of working for you as you seem to have a bit of a chip on your shoulder.
Mia-kulpa ยท 112 points ยท Posted at 01:03:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not the respect granted to my male colleagues at all, I promise. It was the instant dismissal of me that irked me. I'm asking a question - he's directing his answer to someone else. As a line manager, I had to let someone go, his reaction is disbelief until confirmed by my male colleague.
I try to foster a team (i lead a team of 30+ people) environment of tolerance and respect at all times. We are too deadline driven and pressured to be able to operate in any other kind of environment.
notalife ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 01:21:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What an ass. You have a right to be pissed off.
mrshulgin ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 02:33:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought he was trolling until I looked at his history. Luckily I've never met one like him in real life.
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 03:36:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what a sad existence that person must have. seriously.
xanderjones ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 01:22:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not that I've ever led a team of 30+ folks by any stretch, but I worked in an electronics store for three years, and I grew particularly fond of the camera department; I taught myself a lot of shit in said department. I came across several male customers that would straight up ask me if there was a male associate that they could speak to. I grew tired of it eventually and started handing them off and waiting for the male associate to come over to me with a question. It became a game eventually.
Not that I knew everything there was to know about the store. Just try asking me a tv question.
100000nopes ยท 30 points ยท Posted at 02:01:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Same thing happened to me when I was working in a hardware store. A male customer was walking around looking confused. I asked him if he needed help, he kind of smirked and asked where something was. I told him the aisle it was on. He nodded and didn't go in the direction I pointed. Moments later a male associate walks by (who happened to be new and didn't know where anything was.) The customer proceeds to ask him about the same item. The new employee walks up to me asking if I knew were it was. I say it's still on the aisle that I told the guy it was on less than two minutes ago and walked off.
deathlokke ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 03:07:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My sister used to get the same. It ended up as a game, and the other employees knew what was happening when she would ask for a man over the radio. She was one of the store supervisors.
WiFiForeheadWrinkles ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 03:03:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, this kind of stuff happened to me at a toy store. Men would refuse help with choosing a bike for a child, and many would ask for a male associate for help with Star Wars stuff (I would always direct them to the stoner guy who had no interest in Star Wars because it was funny to get them angry).
Mia-kulpa ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 01:27:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually I was going to edit my previous post, but got pulled away to put out a fire. I will never ever confess to knowing everything. I don't. Not by a long shot. That's why I hire subject matter experts to get the best results for the company.
BUT skills can be taught. If they're proactive, I can put them on courses, offer the knowledge that I have, partner them with mentors if they lack the skills, it's the culture fit, and getalongability within a team environment that can't be taught. well not quickly.
Self-Aware ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:36:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Literal or metaphorical fire?
misskass ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 04:02:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I remember being asked once if 'any of the boys' knew the answer to a question a customer had about buying PSN credit in the department store I worked in. At the time I owned a PS2/3/Vita, I knew what I was doing.
mrshulgin ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 02:30:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So, in your world, when someone asks you a question you turn to the person next to them to answer it?
Xannin ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 04:48:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So you're kind of a piece of shit huh?
aeiouieaeee ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 02:51:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why shouldn't someone of a particular level expect the same level of respect as all of their peers? I would be wary of working under a woman who was OK with being disrespected like that.
Fagsquamntch ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 05:54:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is that a joke, or are you that stupid?
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 04:37:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Automatically granted? Yes, that is shitty.
[deleted] ยท -9 points ยท Posted at 10:14:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
iaccidentallyawesome ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:10:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm shy and socially anxious but I know how to behave professionally. Not answering someone's question, especially if it's because they're female is very un professional. You are expected to work with people of both sexes and that's it, the world isn't going to accomodate some men's shyness around female superiors.
Faeruun ยท 164 points ยท Posted at 04:28:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went to an interview,
funny thing is on my way, I got knocked by a big metal parking bar which I didnt see who struck me down on the ground, hit me right in the chest, could not breathe for 20 minutes,
I miserably crawled to the interview, panting and spoke with the guy feeling half dead,
then after the interview, went to the emergencies,
one week later, I was told I got the job
[deleted] ยท 238 points ยท Posted at 04:35:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
steveryans2 ยท 132 points ยท Posted at 07:23:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That was the REAL interview. The rest was just fluff for hr
M3rcaptan ยท 29 points ยท Posted at 09:52:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
They orchestrated the accident just so that they see how she would react... Okay that seems a bit too much.
EDIT: pronoun.
Left4Head ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 14:39:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"alright we have a person coming in for an interview today. Whose hand are cutting off in a freak chainsaw accident?"
New_new_account2 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:14:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
bribe some quadriplegic patient?
Left4Head ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:32:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And that's why you always leave a note!
M3rcaptan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:31:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's be a cool movie...
wajaba ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:06:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
with a shit sequal
M3rcaptan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:53:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's usually how it goes, yes.
M3rcaptan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:31:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's be a cool movie...
wajaba ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:06:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
with a shit sequal
POGtastic ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 10:49:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of this fantastic experiment.
Scarletfapper ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:52:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is your friend Nurse Jackie?
mighty1u2 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:19:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My sister is a nurse, and was interviewing for a job at a blood lab. One of the interview questions was, "are you OK with the sight of blood". Her answer was, "I gut my own deer". She got the job.
pericles789 ยท 198 points ยท Posted at 00:07:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I used to work for a law firm and one day a girl came in for an interview wearing jeans, tank top, and thin sandals. She was slouched down in her seat the entire time during the interview.!She actually seemed really smart, just a little....out of touch with reality?
cakez_ ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 12:18:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
On an opposite note, I recently went to an interview for a Junior .NET Developer position for a huge corporation, looking all ready for business, decent make-up and trying to act super professional. My interviewers were wearing shorts and band t-shirts and so did the other people who were there for interviews. It's not bad, it just felt weird but in a good way.
Best part? I got the job and I get to wear my band tees at work. :)
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:10:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Positions like that are much more about how skilled you are, whereas a lot of business positions can really be filled by anyone, so they're more just looking to see how well you "play the game".
Developers are probably one of the only positions where even grunts are treated with some kind of dignity.
[deleted] ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 02:22:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if serious or Erin Brockavich reference...
havebananas ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:01:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did she start yelling on front of the whole office about how you lost her case?
Super_C_Complex ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 02:59:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what position was she applying for?
pericles789 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 03:24:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
legal assistant position.
SpoopsThePalindrome ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 10:43:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lisbeth Salander?
doomgiver45 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:41:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Smart people typically are.
kidvjh ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 02:02:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe, but maybe not. I refer you to my favorite relevant comic.
piezeppelin ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:04:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, that's just Hollywood.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:42:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. I go to law school in slacks and button-downs, at a minimum. You'd think she might wanna class it up a bit for the interview.
pericles789 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:39:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. We had a few law students clerking for us and they always came to the office straight from school in slacks, button-downs, dress shoes, etc.
mementosmentos ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:22:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
.... you dress up for class? To be fair, I feel like people did that for the first day and then it all drops afterwards. I mean even on my first day I went in gym shorts and tank top because of the heat.
Nyan_Cat_Chick ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 02:03:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She could of been high, or really tired
[deleted] ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 06:19:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:43:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He meant "She is known as 'Could, of Been-High.'" You know, Been-High, that town over by Schenectady? Or Really-Tired, close to Albany.
[deleted] ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 10:56:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
One of my younger coworkers came into work wearing flip flops last summer.
It's not like she's trashy or dumb - she's actually really pretty and has two master's degrees.
TryGo202 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:24:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If you're smart and get the work done who gives a shit if you're wearing open toe shoes? Unless you're working in hazardous conditions or a customer facing job..
I really don't understand this about corporate culture
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:12:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because people don't like to question the status quo -- especially once they become part of it.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:00:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
cultural differences, maybe? flip flops are normal attire in many warm places.
StrawberrySweetie ยท 157 points ยท Posted at 02:39:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Interviewing for a Director of Nursing position, the candidate absolutely knocked the phone interview out of the park; she was exactly what we were looking for. At the end of phone interviews, I always remind candidates about what to have prepared for their in-person interview (obvious stuff - have multiple copies of your resume, dress appropriately, no jewelry or perfume, the usual). She was friendly, and we joked a bit about how on earth some people show up to interviews looking inappropriate.
When she showed up for her in-person interview, she was drunk, her knee-high stockings were rolling down (her dress was above her knees anyway, she should have been wearing regular pantyhose), and reeked of cigarette smoke.
TL;DR- I will never again underestimate how completely oblivious people are to their own faults.
misskass ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 04:25:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No jewellery or perfume? I've never been advised to not wear jewellery, and I'm always wearing silver rings/bracelets/a necklace. I do try to avoid showing my ears though, since I have three piercings per ear, which isn't necessarily considered professional.
ShiftLeader ยท 41 points ยท Posted at 07:13:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In Nursing you're supposed to wear absolutely minimal jewelry(wedding band) because it can become a danger to yourself(psych patient choking you out with your necklace or ripping your earrings out) or other patients(jewelry has tons of micro spaces that bacteria love to gather in). Perfume, cologne, or other scents are supposed to be absent or minimal as they can upset patients who are sensitive to odors due to sickness, medications, etc. This normally also applies for interviews and orientation and people in managing positions.
I just got a job on a med surg floor and as a guy my formal interview recommendation and orientation dress both listed no perfume/cologne, jewelry except watch with a second hand and wedding band, fake or painted nails, and a few other misc things.
kroxywuff ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 15:32:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's basically because in a hospital setting a patient can come in who is asthmatic and your perfume/cologne will set them off.
Even in biomed research, if you work with animals you don't wear cologne or perfume.
scm96 ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 05:15:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think simple stuff is usually fine, but you know some people take accessorizing to a whole new level. I've seen young girls show up at interviews with five bracelets on each arm.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 07:16:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think it's a nursing thing - jewelry is a minimum, see /u/scm96's comment. I just wanted to add that hospitals are usually scent-free zones, as well. Anyone in a position to become a Director of Nursing would likely know that these things are generally not accepted.
corinthian_llama ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 04:57:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like she fell off the wagon...
laxtwentyfour ยท 190 points ยท Posted at 03:56:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Former staffing recruiter from Idaho here... don't get me wrong, I love Idaho and have lived here most of my life but we have some serious rednecks here. I called and set up and interview with this guy a few days out and immediately regretted it. I had to explain to him exactly what a temp agency is and EXACTLY where we were located (he was living almost an hour away from our office). So about 15 minutes before his interview I get a phone call from his wife (who at the time I thought was his 9 year old son) and she's trying to figure out where to go. I'm on the phone with them trying to be polite and all of a sudden I hear her say "WHY ARE YOU TURNING INTO THE GAS STATION?!" which, he replies with "I HAVE TO TAKE A FUCKING LEAK!" Then she responds with "WE ARE ALREADY LATE!" then... without missing a beat he says "SO THAT MEANS I CAN'T TAKE A MOTHERFUCKING PISS? GOD FUCKING DAMN." They finally arrive 10 minutes late and they are dressed like they just walked out of a trailer trash convention. I call him back to interview him and his wife comes with him and i have to politely say "this is a private interview, I'm sorry but you'll have to wait in the lobby" so she responds with "so... does that mean I can't be in here?" Long story short, he wasn't qualified for any of the jobs I had open and wouldn't stop calling me once a week for over 2 months.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 08:54:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
jkersey ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:46:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was going to guess Emmett.
laxtwentyfour ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:36:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
CORRECT!
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:01:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds about right.
Master-Potato ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:25:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Horseshoe bend get all the people who wanted to retire in crouch/mccall but ran out of money.
Emmett and Kuna are where the white trash are
The_Brain_Fuckler ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:53:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly what I was wondering.
laxtwentyfour ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:35:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Worse... Emmett.
aspringotter ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 09:03:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Job skills? None.
Persistence? Yes.
..At least he stood by something?
Tattoomyvagina ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:15:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm going to guess South East Idaho, right?
laxtwentyfour ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:36:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I live in Boise actually and he was from Emmett but I see where you were going with that! Haha
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:45:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Worst part about working for temp agencies is you typically deal with the shittiest and most worthless unemployable people.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:08:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Amazing how they manage to find each other and get married though.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:10:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
not really mocking the stereotype but being serious here.
they probably are cousins somewhere along the line.
AMMODEPLOY ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:33:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was scared one of my hopeless interviews was going to be on this post (I live in Boise). Thank god it wasn't. Being young and inexperienced caused me issues for a couple months.
cheeseburgerwaffles ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:15:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
this is the best fucking description i have ever read
hastethewhey ยท 111 points ยท Posted at 04:07:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A girl I was interviewing had her phone on the table. During the middle of the interview it rang and she answered it. She freaking answered the phone and looked me in the eyes to tell the other person they were in a job interview.
I just asked one more question which was,"do you have any further questions for me." To which the reply was,"I didn't get the job did I?"
lime_boy6 ยท 88 points ยท Posted at 05:55:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of the time I called my mate. Me: hey whats up Mate: im in a job interview at the moment. Me: You fucking idiot, you answered your phone in a job interview? Mate: I got to go.
thnxbeardedpennydude ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 06:15:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well did he get the job?
abedneg0 ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 08:22:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed a guy who got a phone call during the interview, answered it, then turned to me and said: "Sorry, I'm going through a messy divorce." Then he walked out of the room for 15 minutes. I was just sitting there, twiddling my thumbs and looking at him talking on the phone through the door. Good times...
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:26:51 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[removed]
hastethewhey ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:54:27 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It sounds like you probably have a job. You bring just what you should bring. for the love of all that is holy people, please at least silence your phones before you come in for an interview. I silence mine while I have interviewees set time set aside to meet with me.
muthafuckincupcakes ยท 35 points ยท Posted at 02:13:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had an applicant show up half an hour late to a midday interview in a sweaty, smelly leather leotard, high heels, and visibly unwashed hair. She insisted that she wanted the job... but only for a few months because she liked to jump around from job to job so she wouldn't get bored. I was not impressed.
nellirn ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 18:15:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Where does one purchase a leather leotard? I am reeling here..
Corusmaximus ยท 36 points ยท Posted at 11:24:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewee: " I just got out of jail. It was nothing serious, I just beat my girlfriend. Sometimes you have to smack a bitch, you know what I mean."
Me: OK well have a good day.
butt_puke ยท 201 points ยท Posted at 22:51:30 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The application says "have you ever been convicted of a felony? (Answering yes will not automatically disqualify you)" and they wrote I WILL EXPLAIN IN MY INTERVIEW!! We arent allowed to ask about it at all. Thats all they wanted to talk about.
[deleted] ยท 30 points ยท Posted at 00:22:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well what was it?? Did it have a good explanation?
[deleted] ยท 44 points ยท Posted at 00:39:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
WizardOfPogs ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 01:00:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wouldn't not making the shortlist mean you wouldn't get the job? So it does disqualify you from getting it?
Stinduh ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 01:57:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't "automatically"
PortalCamper ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:51:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Assuming everyone on the shortlist accepts your job offer.
calaber24p ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 18:13:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This kind of sucks, I see why companies do it , but say it was something stupid like she sold weed when she was 19 and was charged. Now shes 30, has a college degree and is an upstanding member of society. Shes barred for life from making anything over minimum wage? Idk I understand it, but its just a shitty situation.
Humblerbee ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:34:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"She told me she was 19" the person being interviewed was saying they had relations with a minor who misled them as to their age, not that they themselves committed a mistake when they were younger.
calaber24p ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:48:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I completely thought it was an applicant that was 19 wow "right over head". But the comment still stands about instantly getting rid of felons off the bat.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:03:16 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They don't, though. The problem is, in an economy where they get a lot of applicants, there's bound to be someone with similar or better qualifications and no felony record.
Steavee ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:11:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair this was a tip we gave a lot of ex-felons. A lot of employers will see X felony on an application and not call you in for an interview, at least this way you can put yourself in front of the interviewer, explain yourself rationally, and also take time to talk about what you can bring to the position. Getting TO the interview is a major goal in and of itself when you are a felon.
It only works if you can interview decently though.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:17:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a shit situation when you're branded for life and then people get on your case for not trying to better yourself.
Kind of hard when we set people up for failure right out of prison.
eratoast ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:52:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeeeep. My stepbrother was arrested for possession (literally half a joint) when he was 17 and received a felony for his troubles. Unfortunately, because of that, no one would hire him for the longest time. He finally got a construction job within the past couple of years.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:27:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's funny how people roll with these zero tolerance laws. If everyone followed through on those, Obama would've never gotten near any political office, let alone the presidency.
eratoast ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:20:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It really sucks now that pot is decriminalized where he lives.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:56:37 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Average just-say-no republican: "That would have been terrrrrrible!"
cdc194 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:07:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Convicted? No.. Acquitted multiple times? Maybe....
clocksailor ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:58:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What are they supposed to do?
ButtsexEurope ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:23:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sometimes people are wrongfully convicted.
beefwich ยท 535 points ยท Posted at 00:22:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As a senior in high school, I worked as an assistant manager of a pet store. The general manager left early one day and, about 45 minutes after his departure, a young woman came in claiming she was there for an interview.
I called my GM and asked him if he had forgotten about the interview-- to which he informed me that it had been scheduled for three hours prior. He thought she had blown the interview off. He told me to tell her to come back tomorrow at the same time and he'd give her another shot.
I relayed the message and she said okay, seemingly disaffected by the message. She sat there, in the front of the store on a stacked display of dog food, for 2 hours. Every time I asked her if she was alright, she told me she was waiting on her ride.
This girl was a mess. She looked like the offspring of a human and a Vietnamese potbelly pig. Her forehead was fat-- not big like Rihanna or Christina Ricci-- fat. It actually drooped over her eyebrow ridge and punctuated every expression she made with an air of sluggishness.
My manager called back and I let him know the girl was still sitting in the store. He told me to go into the office and grab the corporate binder that had contained the boilerplate interview questions. If she seemed like she wasn't an absolute mongoloid, he'd follow up the next day with a brief phone interview.
Long story short, here are some brief snippets of things she said and did in the interview:
Admitted she did not have a car and had no real plan for how she would be getting to work. When I suggested a bus, she reacted like she had not even considered it ("Oh, yeah! That would work!")
Admitted she didn't like animals and didn't really want to handle any-- but she would if "we forced her." We went around a couple times after I explained that no one would "force" her to do anything-- she wasn't indentured.
Answered her cell phone during the interview. Apparently her ride had finally showed up.
(And I don't know why this one sticks with me so much) Asked no fewer than a dozen questions about guinea pigs. "Are those dogs? Why do they call them pigs? So they aren't pigs? Are they like rabbits? So they're like really big hamsters? Why do they live in those little igloos? Why does that one have curly hair but the other one doesn't?"
Raschwolf ยท 228 points ยท Posted at 01:13:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is probably the saddest case of generic stupidity I've heard in a while....
novelty_bone ยท 82 points ยท Posted at 02:14:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
her and kevin should meet up.
[deleted] ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 03:28:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some people want to watch the world burn.
You're one of them apparently.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 02:41:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Never met a Kevin who wasn't retarded. Never name your child Kevin.
novelty_bone ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 02:43:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
meet kevin.
mbz321 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 04:45:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thank You! No idea why people kept saying Kevin.
krokodilchik ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 02:59:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Who do you think was picking her up?
novelty_bone ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 03:01:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
kevin's mom? who was only late because she stopped at 3 other stores this person had never applied to?
mickey72 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:35:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It would jump start Idiocrocy by a couple of decades at least.
nextxoxexit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:56:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I fear the offspring they could create. However...being that dumb could make it difficult to figure out the mechanics of sex.
kjata ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:28:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I dunno. Kevin appears to be a member of a bloodline that stumbled into reproduction for generations.
throw5769235 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:11:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That must be that one thing
novelty_bone ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:40:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
nah, that ain't true at all. that's instinct for humans.
KushKong420 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:56:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Couldn't even begin to imagine how stupid their offspring would be.
novelty_bone ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:59:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
it'd be dumber than a box of rocks. quite literally i'm afraid.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:54:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You misspelled "genetic".
wildeep_MacSound ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:41:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ehhh, I think this one might actually extend into the medical side of stupidity. I'm thinking she's either somewhere on the autism spectrum, or is a little light on the chromosome count.
particle409 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 05:53:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't leave us in suspense! Why did one have curly hair and the other didn't?
Azertys ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 09:34:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because that one was a texel guinea pig and the others were not. It probably cost twice as much.
BeardsuptheWazoo ยท 74 points ยท Posted at 03:18:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I want you to write more words about more things. I like the way that story was told.
philosoraptocopter ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:42:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mongoloid?
heckhounds ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:01:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a not so politically correct way to describe a person. Mongoloid in Wikipedia.
snorlz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:18:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
another term for someone with down syndrome. mostly just means retard now
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:25:50 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Your timeline is backwards. This was actually the medical term for various forms of "intellectual infirmities."
Now it mostly just means "I like using anachronistic terms". And it's not just another word for "retard"; it's considered even more offensive (if you're into that kind of thing), due to having pejorative connotations against both a mental condition as well as a culture.
TL;DR -- This is a very old timey word that is really offensive. You're safer for using "retard" in terms of condemnation, though no more excused for it in general.
TheRatDaddy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:24:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I find it hilarious that she had no idea what a guinea pig was and didn't want to handle animals, but was hoping for a job at a pet store
Procchek ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:33:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought for a minute he was going to tell you to beat and shoo her away from the store since she wouldn't leave.
DocGerbill ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:51:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So you interviewed Honey Boo Boo?
nellirn ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:10:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Written like a true Pet Store employee!
whorestolemywizardom ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:40:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I need to know this now..
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:34:03 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For a follow up, look up an old Disney short (based on a much older book by the same name) called "Pigs is Pigs".
Not only did the author tackle this issue, but he wrote a timeless tale of bureaucratic bungling that speaks to how corporations have always been the same... even in a hundred years ago.
Disney helped by putting the story to a catchy tune. Also by attaching their name to the story then, for added irony.
StrawberrySweetie ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 02:29:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That combined with the behavior, this girl probably suffered from any number of mental disabilities.
Jesus, have some fucking heart.
beefwich ยท 50 points ยท Posted at 02:58:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There are countless people in the world who are both ugly and dumb and have nothing medically to blame. I'd counter by saying your automatic assumption that she was disabled because she falls below the midrange of the looks and intelligence curve is more offensive to people with actual disabilities than anything in my story.
StrawberrySweetie ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 03:03:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, if she was ugly and dumb, no big deal. But you specifically pointed out her forehead, which is a telltale indicator for several mental disabilities.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:43:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Okay, I asked Google and I can't find anything other than BDD. What mental disabilities is it a tell-tale indicator of?
Philofelinist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:19:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I looked up 'large forehead mental disabilities' and Sotos Syndrome showed up. So that's one possibility.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 14:46:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Omg now you're saying you believe in phrenology!?
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 04:30:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Right, you sound stellar.
GyratingBiscuit ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:12:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're a great writer!
Philofelinist ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:20:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Christ, the poor girl most likely had mental disabilities as evidenced from her large forehead. Show a bit of compassion rather than making fun of her.
[deleted] ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 14:46:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:18:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It does kind of sound like downs syndrome or something similar though.
Philofelinist ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:24:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She could have had say, Sotos Syndrome, FG Syndrome, etc according to Google. I'll wager that she had mental retardation.
zuppaiaia ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:59:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guinea pigs are cute.
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:30:42 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I really liked your story. But I sincerely wonder just one thing: where did your choice for using "mongoloid" came from?
Was this a quote from your manager, per chance?
It's just that I've honestly never seen that term outside of the antique medical books I have. (Admittedly, you'll see anything sooner or later on the internet.)
beefwich ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:39:07 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a term that my mother used when she referred to mentally challenged people and it stuck with me throughout my life.
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:44:09 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That makes sense.
Actually, that reminds me of that one scene in Clerks 2. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, don't worry about.
Thanks much for answering!
beefwich ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:47:07 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Porch monkey? Yeah. My mom was full of hilariously antiquated slurs and disparaging names like that.
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:57:16 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My Hungarian aunt referred to her Handicap Pass that hangs on the mirror as a "retard sticker." She was translating the Hungarian literally. "Handicap" exists too, but it implies a choice, while the word for cripple/retard (which is the same for both in Hungarian) indicates that you're disadvantaged without any such choice.
It made for many an awkward moment getting out of the car, parked in a blue spot, in the front of the grocery store, only for her to exclaim loudly in a thick, but always understandable accent, "OH NO! I forgot deh REE-TARRD STIHKERR!!" So many heads would whip around.
openupmyheartagain ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 07:09:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please tell me more stories
Hugh_Jampton ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 09:17:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why do they call them pigs?
Pipthepirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:56:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
sailors would have to eat them so they started calling them pigs to draw attention away from the fact they were eating rodents
gimmiehawtsauce ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 12:42:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mongoloid...hahahaha thats brilliant
jrrrd92 ยท 354 points ยท Posted at 04:16:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm always amazed when I hire a kid (high school kids typically) after the interview goes average/fairly well, only to have the parent(s) call and ask me about stuff like scheduling and general questions that any kid should be able to call their employer about. The shit is ridiculous. PARENTS: stop doing this shit. It seriously makes me hate your kid.
edit: I can't believe my most upvoted comment yet is about high school kids with helicopter parents.
[deleted] ยท 114 points ยท Posted at 06:01:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My mum did that and my new boss told me that he nearly didn't hire me because of it
Koras ยท 113 points ยท Posted at 09:39:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I was a teenager I went for a job and I had to REPEATEDLY stop my mum from calling them to ask questions that I'd forgotten to ask but didn't really care about (things like breaks etc that I figured I'd find out when I got there, I just wanted the job). Was a constant battle to try and stop her from ruining my chances >.<
darthcoder ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 10:43:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good grief - the only time my parents ever got involved in my career aspirations (other than supporting my computing habit - Thanks Mom!) was a drive to an interview three towns over during a blizzard when I hadn't had more than a smattering of snow experience. They sat out in the car the entire time.
Actually, that's probably one of the ones I lost, but mostly for not being prepared. It was a CAD internship for a tradeshow booth manufacturer turning 2D hand drawings into 3D models. I wasn't told this by the co-op office at my school, so didn't print out any of my CAD portfolio. Fucking plotters took YEARS back then.
Was the Winter of '92/93 - I definitely had a lot of driving in snow experience by the end of THAT winter. :-/
SamJSchoenberg ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 17:01:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I suppose I should consider myself lucky in that my parents pestered me about that kind of stuff and not my employee directly.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:05:26 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, it's not nice
HardenedHearts ยท 57 points ยท Posted at 08:28:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah parents...when I got my first job out of college, my mother pestered me for the phone number to the office, "in case of emergencies." I had a feeling it would be a bad idea to give it to her, but I did anyway.
Well, the next day, my boss pokes her head into the reception area to let me know that my mom is on the phone. She was polite about it, but I could tell she was peeved. What was this emergency my mother called about? She wanted to know if I was going to be home for dinner. Luckily, I only had to give her a talking-to that one time to get her to knock that off.
BrobearBerbil ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:10:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What part of your mom's background do you think made her think that would be okay? Had she ever worked in a professional environment herself?
HardenedHearts ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 17:20:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, she'd never worked in a professional environment. She'd been a SAHM all my life.
jrrrd92 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:08:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
haha that makes the original situation a little bit more understandable.
frizzykid ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:54:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Part of the thing about getting a job is so you make money so you can be more independent, why would a parent think its ok for them to call you like you're their 3rd grade teacher or something
jrrrd92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:50:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly my thoughts everytime I answer the phone and the conversation starts with "Hi, I'm incapable kid's parent..."
rowawaymythrowaway ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:41:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A kid can't really control an adult.
HighSalinity ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:11:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a friend who was pretty good at doing that, but his helicopter mother cost him his job.
... at the age of 23 when he has been long moved out of the house and not talking to that narcissistic mess.
TheQuickAndTheRed ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:57:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As someone who had helicopter parents, sometimes it's not the kids fault. My Dad would straight up pretend to be me on the phone. I'd show up to work and get told that I'd already been given information over the phone. Information that my Dad would then text to me to let him be the hero or just consider "not important."
It took years, and I mean YEARS to get him to stop.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:14:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You should probably have information going home to parents if you are hiring minors. I was given that at every job I was hired for as a minor and give it to people I hired as well.
BrobearBerbil ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:12:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is bizarre to me as my parents even refused to speak to my teacher's for me. They always forced me to screw up some courage and talk to adults myself. Want to quit band? You have to go tell the band instructor yourself. You think the teacher gave you an unfair grade? Go make your own case to him.
jrrrd92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:45:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Based off the small amount of knowledge I have about your parents, they seem great. Please thank them for me
BrobearBerbil ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:52:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not a chance. If you want to thank them, you gotta be a man and do it yourself.
jrrrd92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:54:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You passed the test.
blamb211 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:02:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The most my parents did in helping me get a job is take me to Target on my 16th birthday a week after I had applied, and stood there while I asked to speak to a manager, then asked for an interview. Why they were so insistent I got a job the day I turned 16, I have no clue, I got to keep all the money I made, family was doing just fine, they were just very insistent. Oh well, got some money to play with in high school, that was pretty sweet.
Philofelinist ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 08:25:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, the parents are probably making sure that you're not exploiting their kid. Not a lot of kids know their rights or would stand up for themselves.
AdventureThyme ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 12:31:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not sure if you are kidding, or a parent defending their practice of overbearing "protection".
Ninbyo ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:26:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They could just you know... teach them that stuff at home so they can stand up for themselves. It's a lot better than having them completely reliant on their parents, but then I guess some parents want them to be. Helicopter parents are just setting their kids up for failure, you're raising a future adult, not a permanent child. They need to learn to stand on their own and deal with their problems themselves eventually.
waggytalk ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:23:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
that's why you teach them that. You do not call the office.
There is NO good reason for a parent to be doing this for a kid. A parents job (well one of them) is to teach the child to be a productive and independent person.
jrrrd92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:03:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No. Unfortunately, that is definitely not the case. They are literally calling to see when the kid is starting or when they work next
Philofelinist ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:15:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah that would be frustrating. But having the parent discuss some employment terms at the start isn't necessarily a bad thing and I had a horribly overprotective parent. Not that many young teens would understand if they're being exploited.
Butt_Stuff_Pirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:51:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I cant believe your highest voted comment is 200 points and you felt the need to edit and tell everyone.
jrrrd92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:54:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can't believe it's not butt
er_stuff_pirate[deleted] ยท 162 points ยท Posted at 00:20:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work at petsmart, and one of the questions is if you could be any animal what would it be? He said he would be a turtle because he's always really slow and he's never in a rush.....
Eddie_Hitler ยท 121 points ยท Posted at 00:52:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would be a panda.
Lazy, loner, spend most of my life eating, and very little contact with the opposite sex.
carnavas_ ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:30:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At least that's somewhat creative.
newamor ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:15:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"...and when I do have contact I'm soooo small it's like throwing a hotdog down a hallway."
meem1029 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 06:27:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
TIL I'm a panda.
havebananas ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:00:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is some low self esteem you have bro.
You're better than a panda, much better.
havebananas ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:59:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Really? You really want to be one of those mooching shitbears?
Goddammit, you need to check your heroes bro. They're flawed!
thats_satan_talk ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 02:05:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What would change?
finetunedthemostat ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 04:16:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He'd have a bit less body hair.
abedneg0 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:10:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would be a rabbit. That's the life...
Pipthepirate ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:40:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Except for eating the same place you go to the bathroom
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:09:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do you poop up to 40 times in a 24-hour period, sometimes even while sleeping?
nellirn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:09:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you black, white, and Asian?
jerry-springer ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:46:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I was 16 I had an interview at Chuck E Cheese. They asked that same question and I said "a cat. They spend a lot of time sleeping and generally doing nothing and I can relate to that."
meh2you2 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 04:53:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
......and they eat mice?
DexterVane ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 09:02:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The only correct answer to that can be dog, right? Loyal, faithful, motivated, loving, active, always tries to please...
Oracle_of_Knowledge ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:52:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is what I was told, you always have to answer dog.
spacepie8 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 10:52:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do you have an example of a good answer someone gave?
Mackem101 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:49:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A good one I heard was a hawk, because he had the vision to spot problems from a distance and could swoop in to deal with them efficiently.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 04:51:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can I answer that I would like to be a Human ? Humans are animals too.
openupmyheartagain ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:17:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd be a cat. Sleep all day and don't have to do shit but have love lavished on me. Please hire me?
PM_ME_YOUR_FELINE ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 04:48:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would be a kitten.
They are so fluffy, and cute, and kind. I love cats.
throw5769235 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:25:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
username checks out
Aroha11 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:26:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am an adult, seriously, if anyone asked me 'what kind of animal would you be?' I would leave. What kind of immature question is that?
GabrielForth ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:41:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd be a mongoose as I'm not afraid to tangle with the problems that others are afraid of.
brenansb ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:36:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh my God, I would of said penguin so I could waddle everywhere.
Troutmandoo ยท 166 points ยท Posted at 04:20:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a candidate who brought his wife to the interview. We had no idea because he left her to hang out on the first floor of the building. This was a multi floor office building with shops and stuff on the first floor. About 1/2 hour into the interview she came up to our lobby, announced she was bored and asked us to cut the interview short so he could drive her home. This was for a pretty high level management-type position. We were appalled. He did not get the job.
skilliard4 ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 07:40:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did it seem like he had a good chance at getting the job before the wife showed up and interrupted?
Troutmandoo ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 07:50:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. Actually, he was a top candidate. He was looking great.
OoklaIsMyHomeboy ยท 35 points ยท Posted at 12:45:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Seems a shame to not hire a guy for a job he was qualified for because his wife is stupid and made a dumb mistake. He left her in the lobby and didn't bring her in with him. Like you said, you didn't even know she was there until she showed up. Her stupidity cost him the job, not his own. Wonder what that car ride home was like for them?
coppersense ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 12:57:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It certainly wasn't too clever of him to bring her in the first place. If he's married to this woman, he must know she's like that. I believe he was 100% at fault and it shows he doesn't have great judgement.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:01:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She probably insisted on going
-Manananggal- ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 23:33:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, well if she insists
didistutter ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:53:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That depends. If he actually left, it would show poor judgement and lack of prioritization.
HardenedHearts ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 08:59:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whoa. How did he react? Was he all like "Ok honey, just a minute" or was he like "WHAT THE @#$%?!"
Troutmandoo ยท 40 points ยท Posted at 14:43:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He just kind of acted like it was a normal thing and left. She treated the situation like he was a little kid playing at a friend's house and it was time to go home. That was the tone she took. It was obvious that she didn't respect what he was doing, and we felt that if he was going to let her dictate how the job interview went, then he was going to let her dictate how he did the job.
HardenedHearts ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 17:53:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh yeah, for sure. I can imagine everyone at your office working late to meet a deadline, and he'd be like "well, wife says I have to go home now, good luck."
PM_me_your_PANDAPICS ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:45:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Man, I had to take a friend to a job interview & I just took a nap in the car.
pokemon_fetish ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:12:53 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hope he got a divorce.
Troutmandoo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:56:08 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She probably wouldn't give him permission for that.
themcp ยท 86 points ยท Posted at 01:41:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiring for a database programmer who would work closely with other programmers and the business people to design and implement software. I selected one particular application for an interview because she seemed to have a lot of experience and had a good cover letter.
The applicant showed up and was able to speak only very rudimentary courtesy phrases in English, otherwise she spoke chinese. She brought us a letter from her translator explaining that he had done her resume and cover letter for her, and that she comes with superb references from china.
Nobody else in the organization spoke chinese. The job description required "excellent communication skills".
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 07:31:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You wrote that part in English, right? Common rookie mistake.
AMerrickanGirl ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:57:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When one of our data analysts gave notice, the company asked me to pitch in part-time and do the more vital parts of her job for a while until they could replace her. So they send me over to learn the job before her 2 week notice was up.
This woman was Chinese and spoke very bad English. That was fine - she spoke well enough to make herself understood most of the time, but her work ethic sucked. For one thing, the databases she was in charge of were a mess. She had taken them over from whoever wrote them, and never fixed or improved anything, because "No one told me to." Unless her supervisor explicitly told her to do something, "That not my job."
Unfortunately during her 2 week notice, the supervisor was out of the office, so without anyone to tell Jin what to do, she was completely uncooperative with me. There was some written documentation created by her predecessor that needed a little more detail and some clarification which I asked her to please update so I could use it after she was gone.
"I not your secretary" was her answer. Finally she got so belligerent that they asked her to leave. I managed to figure out the job and spent a good year fixing up the process to make it simpler, faster, and more accurate (that's right, they never did replace her so I was doing her job and my original job, with no pay raise), and I updated that documentation.
But here's the kicker: her new job didn't work out, surprise surprise, and she contacted our company again to ask if there were any positions open. Not bloody likely!
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:57:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Job descriptions "require" a lot of things.
themcp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:58:11 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. And sometimes they require them. An applicant should be able to infer from the tasks described that at least some of the skills are actually needed.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:50:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That would be a painful interview
themcp ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:59:57 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Very. She seemed really sweet, and she had suffered severe facial scarring as a child, so we had a lot of sympathy for her as a person. Also, as she was both asian and female, HR was really pushing me hard to hire her once they saw I'd selected her to interview. I hated having to turn her down, but it was really clearly the only possible choice, and then HR made it much more painful by harassing me about it. It was awful.
acoupladrinks ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:22:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well did it say the communication skills only applied to the English language?
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:36:31 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My favorite part of your story is the unwritten punchline:I just read your comment below and feel like shit for my response. Sorry about that.
Still, solid story for the OP.
[deleted] ยท 218 points ยท Posted at 22:09:06 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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BabyNinjaJesus ยท 95 points ยท Posted at 00:54:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not for where I work. Ive been explicitly told by the store manager to ignore the customer and continue on with my work. We get drilled into our head to be insanely friendly when helping customers but then we get told to do the absolute bare minimum.
plantbabe666 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:40:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked in a bookstore where we were technically supposed to help the customers, but there wasn't much we could do. It was a big used book store, and we didn't have an inventory system. If you looked in Classics and didn't find the Great Gatsby, sorry. You can try looking everywhere else, but all I can do is point at classics.
The only time we were really any help was for recommendations, especially for children's books. Although half the time it was "your grandson's 7? Has he read Harry Potter? No? Get him Harry Potter."
strangebrew420 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:33:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guitar Center?
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 07:35:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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BabyNinjaJesus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:50:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work at a supermarket chain in australia (if you guess. Youve got a 50/50 chance of getting it right!) Packing shelves on a casual basis.
Ive had elderly women ask me where something is. Our policy and our motto and shit is to give you insanely good service so we dont lose you as a customer to somewhere cheaper. So I do all the pleasentries. Take them to exactly where the product is. If its out of stock I go to the back and actually look for it. Dig through piles of backstock to try and find the product you would like (note this only happens maybe once a week and doesnt take me any more than 5 minutes) then if I cant find it and its on sale I write a raincheck for you and tell you to have a happy day / night w/e.
Except ill get bitched at by the person in charge every step of the way because they dont actually do any fucking work yet their hours are included on the required hours to fill the load so everyone has to work above the safety limit just to work around the asshat in charge doing nothing.
Woo tangents.
Raschwolf ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 01:07:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's got to suck. The sad thing is, in a properly functioning team, that's how things are supposed to work. But the interview has to be answered differently, for virtually no reason at all.
DaveYarnell ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:51:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've worked in retail for 10 years. Your first second and third priorities are customers. You are cleaning the store for the customers. You are doing inventory to make sure you have products for the customers. You are changing price tags to keep them coherent for customers.
If you are engaged with a customer you coworker shouldnt even be asking for help. Unless someone is actively shoplifting, committing some other crime, or some other emergency is happening, your coworker has no business interrupting your engagement, and it should be ignored. After you finish ignoring it, he needs to have it explained that it is not okay to interrupt someone helping a customer.
Simple_Rules ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:29:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The trick with bullshit questions like this is that any answer is a bad answer. They're not asking for you to prioritize. The question is really just "can you politely not say anything is more important".
Good answers to this usually run along the lines of "making sure a customer gets the best service possible is always important, but I would never leave a coworker struggling with a task they couldn't complete alone."
NOTE - this is primarily for corporate bullshit interviews. If you're interviewing with a smaller retail business, odds are you're talking to a non-robot who has actual opinions on this topic, and unfortunately at that point you'll probably have to give a real answer.
In general, I like "I'd do whatever seemed most important, but I'd never leave a customer unassisted, even if I needed to ask someone else to help them". In my opinion, this is is accurate - there might be things more important than YOU helping that specific customer, but there's nothing more important than SOMEONE helping that customer.
ShockRampage ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:12:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This reminds me of my very fist interview. It was Matalan when I was 16, the interview went well until the last question:
"Who is the most important person in the store?"
I did not say "The customer", I said "Me".
Somehow still got the job, looking back, yes, they were (and probably still are) desperate.
[deleted] ยท 607 points ยท Posted at 22:07:38 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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l_2_the_n ยท 41 points ยท Posted at 00:02:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've heard that some candidates also pay someone to take their phone interview for them.
RoyalOcean ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 01:08:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is genius...
HITLER_SEX_PARTY ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:48:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
..until you get hired, and it's clear you have no idea what you're doing.
jcoguy33 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 04:28:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They could be qualified, but bad at answering questions.
inspector_norse ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:05:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or until they bring you in to do another technical test in person. As most big tech companies do.
l_2_the_n ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:02:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's theoretically possible to have someone else interview for you in person too. You probably won't interact with your recruiter or interviewers again once you start the job. Not sure if anyone has ever been audacious enough to do it though.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:27:57 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know if you've only worked for strange companies in the past or if you have no experience and are just making things up, but in 20+ years of working in tech I have literally never heard of someone being hired for a job where they didn't have an interview with the manager that they would be reporting to, and in most cases at least a quick interview with some subset of the team members that they would be working with.
l_2_the_n ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:29 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Last year I had 3 tech company offers. For 2 of them including Google, I met the managers over the phone, after I already had an offer. For the last one, I didn't meet the manager at all. So I could have gotten someone else to pass my interviews and get me an offer, then talk to the managers myself.
You have way more experience than me, but I still think that in some interview pipelines, it would be possible.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 01:23:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How would you interview someone for the job?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:26:05 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup. I've had this happen before. I've had people pass the phone interview who could speak in perfect English, and then when they come in for the office interview be practically unintelligible. Apparently some Indians assume that white people can't tell Indians apart.
I've also had the person on the phone obviously googling answers to questions. After the second or third question I would also google the question that I asked, and then as they were reading their answer I would start reading it out loud with them, matching them word for word. That made the point pretty quickly.
I've had phone interviewees for positions that were clearly posted as "H1-B not available for this position" where they would give me a phone number in the local area code that clearly was forwarding over Skype or some other VOIP service to (presumably) another country, judging by the poor call quality.
Punchclops ยท 173 points ยท Posted at 23:51:05 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How is that cheating? Sounds like standard operating procedure for most technical jobs I've worked in.
I find the ability to find the answer is more important than simply knowing it, because nobody knows everything.
LotusFlare ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 02:17:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most decent companies aren't looking for someone to fill the gap between Google and their codebase. They want someone who can break down an abstract problem, figure out what sort of solution best fits it, and then start the Googling for the bits they don't understand. If Google is necessary for an interview, either the question is too esoteric, or the candidate sucks.
[deleted] ยท 153 points ยท Posted at 00:33:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:48:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I really don't understand why people are peeved they can't use the internet during an interview. Sure, you can use it during a job, but an interview is more poking at your fundamentals, your communication skills (communicating your thought process), and your problem solving abilities. Googling things works for a decent number of things but for a lot of stuff no amount of googling is going to help you and you have to be able to not only solve it on your own (or attempt to solve it) but communicate the entire process to your co-workers/boss.
roryarthurwilliams ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:49:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The point being made is that it shouldn't be weird to look up the answer to a question about your job because that's what you'll be spending a large portion of your working time doing. Why is it considered bad to look things up while you're being assessed on your ability to do a job in which you need to be good at looking things up?
babysharkdudududu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:06:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's true for support positions but if you're asking basic questions on things to make sure they know them, yeah looking them up is pretty bad.
We ask two types of questions where I work, one is to see how you think, the other is to see how much you know.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 03:03:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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roryarthurwilliams ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 03:59:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm in the field as well and I understand that it's a thing, it just seems a bit strange that companies care about it to the extent they do.
ThinkingCrap ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:50:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Uhmm...I bring my laptop to every interview?! Go through some code together, explain why you did certain things in this particular way. Maybe even go for a little coding challenge (and for sure show off that I don't mind to use google and similar to get my solution...after all that's a huge part of your problem solving skill)...def better than just to talk through theoretically stuff IMO
blaghart ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 01:51:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But most engineering SOP involves knowing where to find the answer to your question, not knowing the answer intrinsically. Technical questions in interviews should be simple enough that looking them up online wouldn't be feasible because of the variety of answers, at least if your intention to test problem solving skills is accurate.
DisWastingMyTime ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:34:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't matter, engineers will sometimes deal with problems that were never solved before, they need to know how to approach those kind of problems, and not only find a solution, but also be able to document and explain the solution and why it is correct.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:01:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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DFP_ ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 06:13:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There is a difference between looking up stuff to help you out and just plagiarizing a response. In this case it sounds like the guy just read an answer to the question. The point of interview questions is more to know the thought process than anything else.
microseconds ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:58:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The goal of the tech interview is to find out what you know, not how fast you can google.
ErroneousBosch ยท 38 points ยท Posted at 23:55:17 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fine for tech support, not for programmer/developer/sysadmin
missblit ยท 58 points ยท Posted at 00:03:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Programmers/developers/sysadmins look stuff up all the time.
Just not usually in the middle of an interview!
[deleted] ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 00:27:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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frojoe27 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:42:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We were encourage to bring our own laptops so we would be familiar with the environment, use whatever language we were most comfortable with, and use whatever resources we needed to for the tech interview at my current job.
A much better approximation of how people actually work in my opinion.
t90fan ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 10:04:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did at mine, we were asked to so we could do the programming bits in our own editors etc..
[deleted] ยท 73 points ยท Posted at 00:02:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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zwei2stein ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:58:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But you need to know enough to know what to google and you will never be able to google how to translate your customers request to code.
sonofaresiii ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:58:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can we not give the interviewer the benefit of the doubt and assume he wasn't asking questions that should be looked up, but instead was asking questions that should be general knowledge for the job?
Punchclops ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 03:48:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A programmer who never looks stuff up on Google is a programmer who never learns that someone somewhere has run into the exact same problem they have, found a perfect answer and gleefully kept it to themselves.
The bastards.
KeyBenji ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 00:04:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If it was a question relating to a void method, it would've been pointless for the guy to Google it because the search would not return any results.
akaioi ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 00:09:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, but he'll always remember that a call can have side effects.
Socky_McPuppet ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:06:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Here, have all my upvotes. That was masterful.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:28:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
booooo
KeyBenji ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:23:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Copyright (c) KeyBenji
All Rights Reserved.
meighty9 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:37:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I see what you did there.
sloansta ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 00:16:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Programmers do a LOT of googling, actually some of them say their job titles could be professional googler's (Not in my opinion, but hey)
DrMonkeyLove ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 01:34:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
A lot of times the API documentation is not sufficient so I need to find someone online who's dealt with the same problem before.
Kaidaan ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 04:33:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Programing is a lot of people having the same problem over and over until someone puts the solution into a framework... Then people have problems with the framework
DrMonkeyLove ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:41:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's why for some programming, it just feels like frameworks all the way down.
sloansta ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:32:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly my point, we research a lot.
Koras ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:02:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I write awful code in my spare time (shoutouts to thousands of nested if statements) to make games, but I learned the hard way without the internet I have no idea what the correct syntax is for basically anything and everything falls apart >.> I am definitely not a programmer.
a_guy_with_a_plan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:47:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You'd be surprised.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:49:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
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Punchclops ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:46:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did they also insist the code run perfectly first time when fed into a hand cranked Babbage Difference engine?
hugganao ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:23:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm pretty sure it wasn't some IT job but a programming job. software engineering interviews are pretty damn serious when it comes to knowing their shit.
brwbck ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:17:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Last time I interviewed, I was given a question I didn't know the answer to, but knew it would be relatively easy to find the answer with Google.
Rather than Googling it then being deceptive by pretending I knew the answer, I said "I do not know the answer, but it's something I could find on Google in a few minutes."
My future boss's reply to that was "Good answer."
What I did was what a technical person should do. Pretending you just magic'd the answer when you didn't really know it it just flat out fucking lying.
Bodark ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:33:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you are, a moron.
Punchclops ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:38:24 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I, disagree.
StabbyPants ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:45:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
depends what you're asking. if it's obscure, then google away. if it's basic, then toss out a simple answer.
microseconds ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:58:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like I've interviewed that same guy. Just a couple of months ago.
In his case, it turns out that his tons of MPLS experience amounted to paying a carrier to install and manage an L3VPN service that linked their branch sites back to the mothership. "So, when might I be interested in RSVP for signaling instead of LDP?" (Clickety clackety for about 10 seconds) "I think it has something to do with LSPs."
Next!
lumpycrumpet ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:11:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed someone who got a lot of answers wrong or answered "I haven't worked with that before". I suggested hiring her because her reasoning skills up to the answer were very good. She's been a rockstar since we hired her. Tech interviews are like a math test, right answers with no explanation might still get you an 'F' while wrong answers with good work shown can get you a passing grade.
philcollins123 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:49:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually it's the universal standard because somebody did it once, and interviewers are compelled by some kind of gypsy curse to repeat every bad interview question they've ever heard.
ShadowShine57 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:21:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He shoulda gotten a keyboard with reds
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:18:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I was to hypothetically be in a technical phone interview, and you asked me a technical question, and I wasn't too sure of the answer, maybe knew a little bit of the material due to either the lack of knowledge or nervousness (or such), what would be the best way to answer it?
Would it be better to give a little warning like "Hmm, I'm not too sure, my best solution would most likely be to _____" to not look like stupid if my answer was completely off, or should I exhibit confidence and risk the chance that I'll look like stupid when my answer was completely off?
MusaTheRedGuard ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:54:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Think through it and give it your best shot. If it's an interview you studied for, you should have some idea. It may not be the most efficient or the best solution but it's something. You can optimize later
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 07:02:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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noman2561 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 03:40:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I were interviewing over the phone and the candidate didn't use the available resources, I'd be disappointed. You can't expect an engineer to memorize every equation. What a disaster if they just go off memory and build an infrastructure like that. I'd rather have the engineer that always second-guesses even the best solution. If you're putting them in a position that doesn't allow enough time for verification, you're not putting enough people on the job or giving them enough time. No job should be that time-sensitive if it has the proper backups. I've been across the table from interviewers like you and frankly I'm happy not to work for a company that would likely put me in too deep and then fire me because I couldn't keep up.
Prints-Charming ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 05:26:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ummm, im going to disagree I worked at Stratasys(MakerBot) as an engineering tech and know many managers who would have appreciated this. hell, bill gates said it best
Unicrat ยท 272 points ยท Posted at 01:18:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've done some interesting interviews. Our positions are usually technical in nature, which means we do tend to get some candidates with unusual personalities. On paper the people we interview always look well qualified, but sometimes they get a little bit of help writing their resume, and sometimes the words on the paper just can't impart the full glory of their weirdness.
One guy turned up and was full on Rain Man autistic, but fat. As we call him to the interview room and he stands up, the bucket seat he's been sat in comes with him, firmly attached to his posterior which is wedged firmly into it. He won't take off his motorcycle anorak for the whole interview (he came on the train, not a motorcycle) and consequently he is sweating profusely throughout. Any time we ask him a question that he isn't expecting (i.e. most of them), he puts his head on the table, face down, and just sits in silence for an uncomfortable amount of time. Rephrasing the questions seems to draw a bit more out of him, but there's a lot of really awkward silences. At one point he gets particularly stressed and starts making a high-pitched buzzing noise.
Another guy Q. How would your friends describe you? A. I don't have any friends. (pause) I have a brother. Q. OK, how would your brother describe you? A. Weird.
Another guy answered the same question with the word "twisted"
Another guy told us he'd really rather be a builder, because he was a builder once, and he really enjoyed it and the money was better.
Another guy interviewed ok, we'd asked all our questions, given him an opportunity to ask any he had, and just wrapping up. Suddenly he interjects: "No, no, no, no. We are not finished, yet." He launches into a monologue about how great he is and why we simply must employ him. As he draws to a close and we are breathing a sigh of relief, he then pulls out two sheets of paper, and starts reading the list of fifty or so questions he's written down, most of which we've already covered.
A question we sometimes use involves planning a response to an impending emergency. One recent female applicant decided that it was the morally correct thing to do to leave the most elderly, disabled and vulnerable people behind to die in the impending tidal wave because it would take additional effort and money to take them to safety and 'they don't contribute anything to society.'
Another girl spent five minutes telling us with an impressively oblivious level of pride about the illegal marketing activities she had been coordinating at her current place of work.
Perhaps I just attract interesting people!
BlackHoleFun ยท 133 points ยท Posted at 03:35:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is this a hyperbole or you really ask the question "If there was a tsunami headed towards our town, what would you do?" in job interviews? What field of work are you in?
Agent_Orange7 ยท 45 points ยท Posted at 05:31:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"well, sir, since our town is in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, if we get hit by a tsunami pretty much the whole world is fucked..."
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:30:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if it was a tidal wave caused by the Coors Lite Silver Bullet crashing?
ExultantSandwich ยท 43 points ยท Posted at 04:45:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He works at a factory that attaches aglets to the ends of shoe laces
17Hongo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:05:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Their true purpose is sinister.
Koras ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 09:23:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They tried using this one a while back at a place I was working, they asked a bunch of people working there (who were the model of what they wanted to hire) and myself what they would do if they were the mayor in charge of a small coastal town that was due to be hit by a tidal wave.
Apparently we all gave fairly similar answers, so they basically graded it on similarity to the model answer. Purely some psychological bullshit designed to test how they think of solutions on the fly and whether they think the same way as people who already do the job. It was a pretty typical office, no disaster management involved.
BlackHoleFun ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 09:31:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh okay, that reason gives me the creeps, because but how many realistic answers could there possibly be? If my answer was "I'd take out my magic wand and raise the level of the town 20 meters up so the wave can't reach us" I wouldn't get the job. It's like they're checking how robotic you are before they hire you.
Koras ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 09:43:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I thought it was pretty sketchy and profile-y...
To be fair though, the job was pretty much being an office robot (data entry, XML tagging etc), so probably not too far off.
mfigroid ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:13:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I live in a coastal city and my city has a plan for a tsunami strike. I would totally ace that question.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:57:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
cherrycherie69 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:04:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, if this is a emergency natural disaster situation..um run? Every man for himself. If its something else like plague outbreak or fire, then that's different...I guess. I suppose those things could be managed.
TigerlillyGastro ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:36:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It could be a little hyperbolic, but questions of that kind are reasonable for people charged with disaster planning, e.g. senior IT staff, or really any kind of person who needs to deal with risk management.
Shikaka79 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:30:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Risk Analysis in Houston.
plantbabe666 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:43:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Evacuation and rescue.
JustAMomentofYerTime ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:12:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We used to do this with the RAs at my college. Seeing the spectrum of answers was super entertaining, but we did it in a group setting and just paid attention to how they worked as a team and their methods at arriving at an answer. We didn't care who they killed, as long as they worked together. I can't imagine the reason for doing it in a one-on-one interview.
because_monstah ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:38:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nice try CIA.
DeaconFrostedFlakes ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:44:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
On mobile but IIRC this article claims Google used to ask this, the idea being to get a look at the candidate's thought process.
http://www.businessinsider.com/hard-google-interview-questions-2014-7
Hellman109 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:46:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Disaster rescue team. Also in life and death situations she's probably right
itswhywegame ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:55:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The only correct answers are FEMA and apparently Japanese nuclear facilities.
Ucantalas ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 05:25:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's classified.
TheLaramieReject ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:25:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No shit...really?
davvblack ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 04:53:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What was the right answer? Such a weird question.
newamor ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 05:50:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, I mean her answer is tasteless but I can't say her logic is COMPLETELY wrong. It at least shows she's pragmatic. :P
snorlz ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:15:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
its not really tasteless either. in any legitimate discussion for something like that this is a question you need to address. prioritization of resources is important
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:54:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
ShadowLiberal ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:52:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Indeed, I definitely recall reading about how they did basically that for hospitals in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The reasoning behind it is they wanted to evacuate the maximum number people in as little time as possible.
They came back later to help the bedridden/etc people who couldn't walk themselves, and who needed more room on the rescue vehicles.
Unicrat ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:59:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There isn't a 'right' answer, the question is designed to find out a bit about how you think. So whether you're big picture, micromanager, whether you look to delegate effectively, how you break the problem down into smaller chunks. She is the only person we've met who decided right from the start to write off basically anyone who wasn't young and healthy with a driver's licence.
Aroha11 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In reality, whatever you say has virtually no relation to how you would really react in a case of disaster. People who never experienced this just don't know - and only find out when the disaster strikes.
realmei ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:18:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What was the actual question though? Maybe she understood it as a "all humanity is gonna die except for the few people you save" so she simply went for saving the healthiest people of reproductive age. It's actually very logical and pragmatic.
BendOverBf ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 08:57:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's not true. "Elderly" tends to imply too old to work, "disabled" implies not able to do much, and "vulnerable" people may also be liabilities within workplaces.
The question is unnecessary and leaves room for inaccurate, biased judgment. You could've put her on the spot to question her logic. The following answers would've been more telling.
Unicrat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:43:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We do follow up, there is always a discussion. As others have pointed out, the logic isn't necessarily wrong, but she was quite brutal, it was pretty much the first thing she decided.
6and7 ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 05:27:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, most emergency disasters you save people from most ambulatory (mobile) to least ambulatory. You can save more people that way, though it assumed you keep rescuing until everyone is saved or its too late.
DisRuptive1 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 03:07:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What's the question?
superiority ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:40:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of illegal marketing activities? Spam? Graffiti?
Unicrat ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 06:49:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fake reviews, plagiarism, as well as some other stuff.
patentologist ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:35:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She's right, you know.
PTBRULES ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:04:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I believe sooo....
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:36:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She sounds like she has the capitalist spirit, though.
iusethisatwrk ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:10:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think you found fat Abed.
HellMuttz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:19:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was his name bob?
specialkake ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:49:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You interviewed Ignatius J. Reilly.
DruchiiConversion ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:20:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If that's how you're doing your hiring, I can't say I'm that surprised you're coming back disappointed.
Other people have already pointed out the ridiculousness of asking about disaster planning for most jobs. But some of these other complaints seem even more unusual to me.
Like - the guy who'd really rather be a builder, who enjoyed it and liked the money - why's that a problem? Would you say the same if he would rather have been a professional football player? "The money's better and I really enjoyed the work!" And don't spout the nonsense about how he should have lied and said he'd much rather flip burgers for minimum wage (or whatever it is you happen to do) - employers getting whiny about perfectly reasonable people saying reasonable things like "I'd rather do this hard-working trade which I'm good at and get paid more" is why none of the people I'm currently interviewing are willing to tell me anything at all about themselves that isn't completely superficial. I just get lies all day about how people really, really want to work in our factory/office and find the idea of menial business admin work to be just delightful.
The same is true of the marketing girl. She doesn't know it's illegal, clearly! Her employers might be scumbags or just negligently allowing it to go ahead - who knows - but she's showing off her hard work and willingness to go the extra mile to get things done for the company. Can you really not relate to that? She needs a guiding hand, not a snarky forum post about her.
Unicrat ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:10:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks for the reply, I will try and give my point of view as far as I can without divulging more than I should.
I'm by no means disappointed, we try and give people a chance even if they don't have the 'right' background or qualifications, and we have discovered some gems by doing this, but we do get some interesting candidates too.
The disaster planning question works really well for us, because it's hard for people to prepare for. I could ask you how you think, or how you tackled problems in the past relating to your job. Or I can watch how you tackle an entirely different problem than what you are used to and ask you why you're choosing one option over all the others. I'm not an HR person, so this may not be the right way to do things, but it has worked for us.
It's not a problem if the guy wants to be a builder, except that we have a massive shortage of builders here, and the pay would have been significantly more than that which the junior position he had applied for offered. I don't expect people to be in love with their jobs, but if you are telling me your dream job is one that you are qualified to do, pays more and there are ample vacancies around and there are no injuries or any other factors preventing you from doing that, I am doing you a disservice if I hire you. The type of dream does matter, we have a young man working for us at the moment who is a musician, signed to a label, very talented guy. If his career takes off, he will be gone, with my blessing, and this was apparent even before the interview stage, but right now he needs to earn a crust and he's good at what he does and we're happy to have him.
The marketing girl, realistically, if she doesn't know it's illegal, she doesn't know her field well enough for anything other than a very junior position. But even then, common sense would tell most people that the behaviour in question is unethical and not the sort of thing you should be boasting about.
DruchiiConversion ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:13:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fair enough. Without any details I obviously can't say any of that doesn't make sense. Particularly the marketing one - it really does make a huge difference what she was doing and why! And of course, data protection - you probably can't tell us that.
I also guess you're in a very different part of the world to me - over here, construction work has been absolutely strangled to the point where there's not even any room for unpaid voluntary workers looking for works experience. We get people in all the time saying things like that - "I really wanted to be a builder", "I really wanted to be a plumber", and they make decent factory staff despite it not really being their goal.
inconceivable_orchid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:08:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I lost it at "a high-pitched buzzing noise" - thank you.
Lemerney2 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 08:07:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
did you find it again?
foreveralog ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:16:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, I think he wanted to lose it cuz he said thank you.
openupmyheartagain ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:14:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please tell more about "illegal marketing activities". Drug dealing or what?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:02:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depending on the job the girl that left the old people behind may be a good hire. Seems like she understands that sometimes you got to let a few smaller things go away to save the big thing.
vengeance_pigeon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:01:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People do not believe some of the personalities I work with. Highly specialized technical people are a strange bunch. Mostly good strange, but some just plain weird and a few that are actively terrible.
mynameisevan ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:26:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You interviewed Ayn Rand?! Wow!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I read rain main autistic and was like wow this is gonna be bad.
Interviewing is the art of bullshitting and selling yourself. Don't lie on your resume or in the interview and as long as you just act normal your fine.
I can't tell you how many times asking them to rephrase the question has saved me from sitting there idly thinking. Gives you extra time to think and can help you answer it.
I've done so many interviews in my life that the hardest part for me now is actually training! Man thats when you really learn what you are getting into.
[deleted] ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 03:16:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
LotusFlare ยท 55 points ยท Posted at 02:09:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He called me from a very noisy Starbucks, didn't have a pencil, paper, or computer on him, didn't want to reschedule, couldn't answer any technical question I asked him, and then asked to end the phone screen early so he could go see a movie. He still sends me updates to his resume from time to time.
LoIzords ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:50:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
2015-still looking for a job
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:50:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
a resume of what movies he had seen lately?
HeWhoCouldBeNamed ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:41:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Now I'm curious. How's he doing?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:42:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wonder how many of these stories are people who just want to keep collecting assistance
NobletLovesJellyneck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:01:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What movie?
CaptainFairchild ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:57:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've done a few interviews like this and I can never figure out what people are thinking. I remember this one, a woman was sitting outside at a coffee shop next to a busy street. Between the traffic, the customers, and the occasional siren, it was next to impossible to hear her.
spicytacocat ยท 30 points ยท Posted at 06:49:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had a girl come into an interview entirely baked out of her skull. Being this was a low level tech support position and i was only running the technical interview, i really didnt care so long as her resume panned out and she seemed good fit.
I was generally excited as she knew linux and had a good grasp of networking and although very impared, she seemed like a greenlight. However, after about 20 minutesinto the interview, she pushed her chair back from the table and reclined to the full unlocked position and stared directly into the ceiling while still answered our questions quite accurately for another minute or two. I was generally impressed up until the point she just fell silent. I spoke up and repeated the question but only got a slight snore in response.
I asked the others to leave the room quitely and I pulled my chair out and sat outside waiting. It was an hour interview and didnt feel inclined to go back to work so i figured i would just sit in the hallway and respond to some email.
My patience paid off and after about 30 minutes she opened the door with a look on her face like she awoke in a zombie apocalypse. She apologized to me multiple times but to her credit didn't make any excuses and you could see the degection in her eyes as i walked her to the reception area.
It is really hard to find quality highers for a Tier 1 tech support position. Even with around 8 weeks of training and coaching we wash out 30% or so before 6 months and only about 50% last a year. I wish she wouldnt have fallen asleep as she seemed a really good candidate.
[deleted] ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 16:24:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tough job to fill, you are basically looking for skilled people who are too lazy to apply themselves
spicytacocat ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:27:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It isn't too far off of that. I look for people who are smart and skilled but haven't been given the opportunity to shine. I wouldn't say lazy but rather haven't had the ability to apply themselves.
rowawaymythrowaway ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:53:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hire me!
I wonder what she was thinking exactly.
none4gretch ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 19:11:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Aayyyyyyyyyyyy
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:39:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe she had a legitimate condition?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:33:02 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's because it's an entry level job. People only take them to get their foot in the door or to get a little resume experience. They pay tends to be shit, and the working conditions usually aren't great. Anyone who shows any technical aptitude while doing the job very quickly moves up to tier 2 or takes a job with another company. That's the way entry level jobs work.
OTOH, if you find someone who is happy to do tier 1 tech support for several years then you know that there's probably something very wrong with them.
spicytacocat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:24:43 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It isn't that fast of promotions at my company. You can expect to spend 2 years in tier 1 before getting promoted. Tier 1 pay is above entry level and bennifits are standard for high tech. We only speak to IT engineers so most customers are fairly knowledgeable and easy to work with. Some days are a beating but most days aren't.
However, there are a few guys that have been in Tier 1 for 10 years and you are spot on.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:32:17 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, but most people with aptitude wouldn't stay in tier 1 for two years. They'd get the experience and then jump ship to another form. If you spend more than a year in an entry level job you're screwing yourself and your earning potential, particularly in IT or tech sector jobs.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 20:06:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"... quality highers...." Well played!
chargoggagog ยท 260 points ยท Posted at 22:07:27 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had an interview at a school about 75 min from my home. I decided to just do it as a practice interview. When I got the the principal took me for a tour, we saw nice classrooms and plenty of great resources. When she opened the door to the interview room, I was greeted with 12 more people sitting around several tables in a U shape. I though that was a bit ridiculous, so I had some fun with it. I made some jokes, kept people laughing. I think they thought I wasn't taking it seriously enough. But you put me in front of a 12 person commission? Yeah, I'm gonna be real serious...
snarfu ยท 193 points ยท Posted at 00:46:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Group interviews are the absolute WORST.
I've been interviewed by a panel of 4, but 12? Not necessary.
Jwpt ยท 43 points ยท Posted at 02:56:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like the standard school district bullshit I've heard of. Everybody and their mother is in on the hiring process.
snarfu ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 03:12:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Right? Let's let the whole department have a say!
Jwpt ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 03:29:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Plus two assistant principals, the principal, an assistant superintendent and for some reason a gym teacher!
newamor ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 06:04:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In my first and worst teaching position the principal agreed to let the overbearing parent volunteer who asked to sit in on interviews attend. I didn't even know he wasn't an employee until later - they mentioned he was a parent but I assumed they meant a faculty member who happened to have a kid who attended because he even had a badge. It was...one of many terrible administrative decisions over the (too many) years I spent at that school.
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 05:59:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:22:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But at the same time?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:19:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
wtf do you do and how much does this position get paid?!
If you gotta go through that much pre hiring you obviously are making 6 figures.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:37:05 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not really. Some companies are just really thorough. This is especially true at companies that have high brand value, like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, etc. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the pay is off the charts.
The biggest problem with panel interviews tends to be that there's really only a handful of people who need to interview you, but the rest of them are there in the name of inclusiveness. Often times, there's one or two technical people who think that they're the absolute best thing since sliced bread who try to monopolize the interview and ask you all sorts of esoteric or tricky questions in an effort to show you (and the rest of the team) how clever they are.
mennoniteminuterice ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Atypical, but maybe not weird.
Super_C_Complex ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 02:55:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've done one in front of 5, it was for an internship with a solid Prosecutors office that was medium sized and busy. I was expecting an interview with like 2 people, 3 tops. I physically stopped briefly when I saw it was 5 people in this tiny ass room. If it was 12 people I'd have freaked out.
Now if you apply for an actual job there, you have to give a mock opening in front of the entire office (can get like 40-60 people to show up out of the 80+ in the office)
snarfu ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 03:14:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I understand the mock opening as you'll clearly be expected to perform well in a courtroom. Five people still seems like too many for an interview of standard length.
Super_C_Complex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:08:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
it was the two people in charge of hiring and the three people I'd officially be working under.
snarfu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:47:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a logical group at least.
frogminator ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:45:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My current job was seven or eight. To be fair, there was six of us so it was almost fairly matched
snarfu ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 03:15:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A group of interviewees is even worse! I was in one once that was like the Lord of the Flies-- each prospective employee trying to one up another and remain victorious as the last man standing! The pay was terrible and I'd imagine the "team" environment fostered by those tactics couldn't have been much better.
frogminator ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:08:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There were enough positions though, we all could've easily gotten offers. They told us this from the start but we didn't believe it and still did battle with each other
POGtastic ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:34:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Intel does this pretty well - have 5-6 candidates at a time, assign one candidate to each interviewer, and shuffle them around every 30 minutes. All of the benefits of a group interview without it feeling like a goddamn inquisition.
snarfu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:41:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I like it.
RawPinkFlesh ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:53:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
4 people? That's like guantanamo bay or something. 2 is all I can handle.
PM_me_your_PANDAPICS ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:41:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The most I've gotten was three & it was a very weird interview experience...the capstone of which was that they had three pages of questions to ask me & each of them asked me, in a monotone, the questions off one page. Then they mechanically thanked me for my time. I was neither surprised nor disappointed that I did not get that job.
Chattycath ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:14:52 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At the firm where I work, all 12 attorneys, office manager and a legal assistant sit in on interviews.
jerry-springer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:38:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Kind of necessary in schools, especially if it was elementary. Not 12 people but more than one person.
wildeep_MacSound ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 10:51:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd have walked in and told them - AND THIS IS WHY I TEACH MATH, DAMMIT.
There are 12 of you! The interview is supposed to last an hour...lets break it down on the board shall we?
60 Minutes, divided by 12 people, equals 5 minutes each. That means that each of you gets to ask ONE Question and I have anywhere from 1-4 minutes (if I'm lucky) to respond to you. If you take too long, or I take too long, someone is getting skipped! Also - NO follow up questions.
Now that I've gone on this rant, we've already skipped one of you. YOU - Yeah you there with the full suit and tie - you're obviously the one in charge of this shit show. You just lost your turn. Chick to his right, you're up. Ask your question. CHOP CHOP, we're on a clock here people.
chargoggagog ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:14:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh my god this is amazing, thanks for that, starting my day with a smile
wildeep_MacSound ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:10:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I found a career in cutting through bullshit. I do indeed love my job.
17Hongo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:07:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I ever end up in front of a large panel for a job I don't really care about, I am doing this.
AllisonCatherine88 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:24:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The most I ever had for a teaching job was 9 people. And it was only for a maternity leave position. I would hate to know what an interview for a full time position would be like.
ryanknapper ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:52:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was there also a judge, balif and lawyers?
Amuseco ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:30:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't understand why you would treat this like a joke. Twelve people (who would end up being your colleagues)? What's wrong with that?
rosie1897 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:22:35 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was just a practice interview so I don't think OP wanted the job, they just wanted a better feel for interviewing.
itswhywegame ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:57:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My current job had one on one interviews, but I had to meet EVERYONE in the lab of twenty. I had to come in four different times.
imforit ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:27:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They gave you an offer, didn't they?
Yogurt_God ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:04:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This was for a SCHOOL? As in a single school and not the district? That's a bit odd. If it were a district interview I could see that happening, but an every interview I had for a school had a maximum of 4 people
chargoggagog ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:30:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup, a 3rd grade teaching job. Crazay!
Nyan_Cat_Chick ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 01:56:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You have a spelling error m8 forgot re
geronika ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 02:40:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy answer his biggest weakness question with "Waking up on time and coming to work." I just sat there in shocked silence and he followed up with, "I really like sleeping in." I just noted it, asked a few more questions and ended the interview shortly after. He didn't get the job.
POGtastic ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 11:25:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I always liked answering that question with "I'm bad at delegating. I get really nervous about attaching my name to someone else's work, and I have a really hard time just letting go and trusting them to do it well."
In a management position, that wouldn't do so well... but in any worker role, it sounds honest but has absolutely nothing to do with the position. It also shows a solid work ethic and attention to detail. I mean, I'd be a horrible manager, but you're not interviewing me to become a manager!
That question bugs the hell out of me, as it's a weird perverse game. Make an answer that sounds honest, but doesn't actively fuck up your chances at getting the job. I get that it's a way to get rid of the people too stupid to think up a decent answer, but it's just creepy to me.
AdamOfOra ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:00:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I actually have a good answer on it. I'm a shy introvert, so what I mostly say is among these lines:
You probably have noticed that I am more of a quiet and introverted type, I think that is probably my biggest weakness but I have learned to live with it and make sure it never gets in the way of me communicating with my team or asking help when I need it. I'm just a bit weaker at the small talks and such.
jyssrocks ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:42:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It is a tough question. I've found the best way to answer it is to say something that genuinely IS/WAS a weakness, and then finish the sentence by explaining how you did/are working on it. Mine is usually: "I am a talker, and I tend to chat a bit too much when I get distracted, but I've learned that facing the wall/closing my office door/putting in headphones really allows me to block out distractions and focus on my work."
geronika ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:57:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It is a tough question, I've always answered "Getting to the point." And then I pause and smile. This usually draws a smile from the interviewer because by this point they know I like to over communicate.
If I were interviewing you and you gave me your answer then that would be a very good answer in my view and I would immediately ask you to give me an example of a time you worked as a member of a team and had to complete a complicated project on time.
Gilox ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 08:47:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At least he's honest.
keep_it_kayfabe ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 23:26:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I told the CEO of a company I was applying for that my biggest weakness was being a disorganized mess. The position was Associate Director of Marketing Programs. I continued on and said that I get a little frazzled when I have a lot on my plate and that I tend to lose focus. I concluded with the fact that I do my best to correct my weaknesses, while building on my strengths.
He hired me the next day because I was, in his words, "the most honest person" he's ever interviewed.
SamJSchoenberg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:34:09 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When you ask a person about their biggest weakness, You're asking them to do one of the following two things
TenNinetythree ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:34:26 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, to be fair, he was very honest.
swrdfish ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 06:40:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiring someone for IT support they had to go on site at clients, and has to have a license and access to a car. All in the ad.
Dude showed up about 5 minutes late, just pouring sweat and out of breath.
I asked if he was ok. He said that he had problems with the bus and he was sorry for being late. No big deal for me.
We start the interview and I say something like "car is in the shop?" And he says, "no I don't drive". I reminded him of the job and he said he would take the bus to the clients.
I said "what if you have to deliver 12 computers?"
He just stared at me while I stared back.
I will never forget that your man's name.
vinney1369 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 18:25:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wut?
swrdfish ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:11:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
oops.
chainmailtank ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:42:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Albert Einstein?
sumtingswong ยท 451 points ยท Posted at 00:56:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Me: Tell me something that inspires you.
Applicant: Breakfast.
No explanation, no second answer. She was confident that was the answer to go with.
[deleted] ยท 210 points ยท Posted at 01:02:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
chris732 ยท 275 points ยท Posted at 02:25:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was a job at kellogs
agentverne ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 09:06:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Your cereal turned me from a chronic masturbator into a paragon of virtue!"
notFullyCoping ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:45:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It works!!!!1!!
Gekthegecko ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:18:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She was not only hired on the spot, she was promoted to CEO of the company.
Onitsue ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:11:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're hired!
SecondOfCicero ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:41:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Battle Creek?
proletariatfag ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:01:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The correct answer in that case would have been "circumcision".
sumtingswong ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:06:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Haha no - it was an operator position in a retail store.
havebananas ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:55:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lmao
alblaster ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 05:21:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
she should have gone with second breakfast. Everyone knows that it's more inspiring than the first one.
Myrandall ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:00:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
^ Found the hobbit.
[deleted] ยท 322 points ยท Posted at 07:36:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
iaccidentallyawesome ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 11:50:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hate those stupid questions too. Are you supposed to say "money" ? "Gandhi" ? Wtf!
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 14:14:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"A sunset!!!"
"Omg he's perfect for this office job, hire immediately!!!??!?!?! 11"
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:52:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But those questions are perfect for most jobs. They test your ability to put up with absolutely trivial shit and still act like you care.
iaccidentallyawesome ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:26:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a fair point actually. It can probably test the ability to chit chat.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:22:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As someone who's worked in HR, it's usually just:
A) A test to see if people are willing to "play the game"
B) A question written by an HR person who has no real idea what the company needs for the position and is resorting to generic inquiries as a result
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:21:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly, these days, I use it as a filter for jobs I don't want. If management is trying to get me to play stupid games with them during the interview, then that's a big red flag to me.
I've done my time in places like that, and I've had my fill I've had awesome experiences working for people who don't ask such inane questions during the interview and don't purposely make it as staid, stiff and unpleasant as possible.
Aroha11 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:01:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly, what should a person say, when they are interviewed for - say - McDonalds job - Nelson Mandela?
Sojoez ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:15:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Where do you see yourself in five years?"
tordenflesk ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 12:09:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"i didn't see being psychic anywhere in the job description"
b33r_engineer ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:26:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Although this only works for another couple of months, the perfect answer would be, "I don't know, I don't have 2020 vision."
Not perfect as in "will get you the job," but still, it's a stupid question to ask.
nkorslund ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:06:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doing your ... son?
fallenmonk ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:56:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Celebrating the 5 year anniversary of you asking me this question
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree unless you are an inspirational speaker or an artist.
Curtalius ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 03:27:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you sure you weren't interviewing leslie knope?
Bigfluffyltail ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:55:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Waffles.
ArsenoPyrite ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 03:46:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
http://dilbert.com/strip/1992-01-08
PrfctChaos ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:17:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wait... you just referenced a strip over twenty years old. How did you know that was there?
sister_uta ยท 36 points ยท Posted at 05:09:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, that's a meaningless question to ask an applicant. What are you expecting to learn? In what way would the answer directly reflect upon their ability to do the job?
Reijm ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 10:56:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interview questions are often not about the answer directly but about the way you answer it. When asked what inspires you, you should give an answer that conveys passion. There is no right or wrong answer to this question as long as you can explain why you give the answer you chose.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:15:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Except breakfast, that is apparently incorrect.
Vally1 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:12:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well you could go on a rant about how it gives you the strength/energy to go on throughout your day and a bunch of other bullshit.
M3rcaptan ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:52:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. Is there a standard answer to such a question?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:02:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't like those psychological questions on E-applications. After you answer them there's another section of the application that basically asks you the same things only in different ways. They try to mess with our heads.
acoupladrinks ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:05:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You know who asks questions like that? People who made a career out of HR and never had to do any real work in their lives.
eat_the_pudding ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 05:52:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a pretty hard question to answer. Maybe she was trying to say that she gets out of the bed in the morning, eats some breakfast, and feels inspired for the day?
Judge_Judy_or_Bust ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 06:16:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Starting every day with a bowl of inspiration? I like your style kid."
nextxoxexit ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 06:04:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This reminded me of how I got my first job, and it worked in my favor! 16 yr old me had never been through a job interview was asked "what is your greatest weakness" instead of being philosophical like they probably expected I answered "chocolate" the interviewer laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes. She stopped the interview right then and hired me on the spot! Worked there 6 years!
Neutr0nFl0w ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:56:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not exactly a job application, but I'm on unemployment at the moment, and in spite of the fact that it's only until my boss remodels and reopens and I'm guaranteed my job back, I still have to do this "re-employment" program to keep getting money.
One of the questions on this form I had to fill out was "Short Term Goals: How do you want to improve your skills?"
I'm a line cook. Short of culinary school, which is a waste of money for a line cook, there's not really any way to improve culinary skills other than actually working in a kitchen.
So I put that I'd like to learn cake decorating.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:18:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Someone direct that girl to a Denny's.
M3rcaptan ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 08:50:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What the hell is a standard, good answer though. It's such a boring question with no definite answer.
Blurr11 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:37:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Answer makes as much sense as the question. If we are going to waste each others time we may as well do it quickly
jimmy_talent ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:20:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That sounds like a joke answer to a ridicules question.
choikwa ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:07:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
dude I wake up everyday to be inspired by heavenly breakfast
Nickbou ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:02:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What do we always say is the most important thing?
___mojo___ ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:21:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What a stupid question
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:50:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a good answer too.
silkpantsman ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:43:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Your on the wrong thread m9. This is about applicant fuck ups, not interviewer ones. Your comment inspired my response.
euphratestiger ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:24:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"For strengths, you put 'accounts'".
me_is_dunno ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:39:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Breakfast can be very inspiring. It's the first meal of the day, and if that inspires her, then her whole day could be driven with inspiration.
Ajizi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:43:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If she gave a explanation or something along those lines would you've hired her?
We_Are_The_Romans ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:18:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Stupid question, but potentially great answer if she had qualified it with almost any sort of follow-up
yanomami ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:41:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was the position head philosopher or renaissance painter?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:15:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's the type of confidence I like to see.
TheWavingSnail ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:37:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
was Ron Swanson the applicant??
pistachiopaul ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:56:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She thought you meant of the things you eat.
CZILLROY ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:27:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She knows what's up.
BeauParleur ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:20:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, obviously, it's because breakfast comes before everything.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:50:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Unless you jerk off in the shower.
Lord_Mormont ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:41:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Hey, what do we always say is the most important thing?"
Geminii27 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:39:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The correct answer, of course, is "money".
NobletLovesJellyneck ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:59:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was their name George Michael Bluth?
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:51:44 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My God. I think I know who that is. Mainly because I swear I heard the other side of this story from her sister.
It's either that, or this answer actually occurs more often than it should.
sumtingswong ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:08:16 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Perhaps - this was almost 20 years ago though
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:46:41 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Then the answer lives on!!
shakeszilla ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:03:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ask stupid questions, get stupid answers.
steveryans2 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:13:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Should have told her sum Ting was wong with that answer
firetroll ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:45:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hoping this wasnt mc donalds or other low wage job.
GuruPrimo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would have probably hired her. No joke
HUP ยท 181 points ยท Posted at 23:33:57 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We brought a guy in for an all day interview. Me and the director took him out to dinner the night before. When we picked him up at the hotel he was finishing a wine. At dinner he ordered at least 3 beers. That was a warning sign. The next day at lunch...part of the formal interview, with several stakeholders present...he ordered a beer...when no one else was drinking. He was obviously not hired.
cappy1223 ยท 64 points ยท Posted at 05:07:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in the beer and wine industry. My boss asked in the interview, "if you were getting together with friends and we're supposed to bring beer, what would you bring?"
I answered Coors Light.
The guys eyes went wide and he asked me to explain. I simply stated that I saved MY money for good beer, and coors light is decent enough to bring a bunch to a get together.
He took a second to think and rephrase the question. "what 6 pack or bottle would you buy for yourself?"
Had to tell him that I honestly don't know, I have a few beers I like and love trying new things..
Got the job on a weds afternoon. He ended the interview by giving me his cell number and telling me that he'd text me to meet at one of the local bars that night if I wanted to start learning more about beer.
(he made sure I wasn't scheduled at my current job before the invite)
philmchunt888 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 02:48:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I could see myself doing this.
dingoperson2 ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 04:11:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Drinking the most in any professional group is a sign you should drink less.
Terror_from_the_deep ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 04:29:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know what you're saying, and I'm not critiquing it at all, this is just a random though. Somebody always drinks more than everybody else. So whoever that is would have to lower consumption, and somebody else becomes the heaviest drinking. This repeats until nobody drinks at all.
DareToBeStupid ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 06:52:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why can't everyone drink the same? Everyone have 1 bottle of beer or 1 glass of wine.
Why must there be "somebody [who] always drinks more than everybody else?"
metheb ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 10:17:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is everybody built the same? 1 bottle of beer will get my SO tipsy, for me its not even enough to pour over my morning cereal.
Letsplaywithfire ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:26:27 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At a work meeting, you shouldn't be drinking to get tipsy. If you have a glass of (beer/wine/mixed drink) it should be to pair with the flavor of your meal, not for the alcohol.
oonniioonn ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:40:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not everyone likes beer or wine so as soon as you have someone like that no one can drink at all? Not everyone drinks at the same pace, so we all have to conform to the slowest drinker?
All nonsense.
Iintendtooffend ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:23:58 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
if it's a work context, especially if it's interview, and on someone else's dime. There is wisdom in not out drinking the people looking to hire you.
oonniioonn ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:44:18 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Absolutely, but that is not the situation I was describing.
Iintendtooffend ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:09:05 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
well that's silly because the context is the opposite. I'm totally with you when hanging out with friends, but if you're with colleagues, especially new or important ones, at most you should match the highest level person if they can see you ordering.
Terror_from_the_deep ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 16:44:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, I suppose with enough work you could exactly distribute ethanol is drinks in such a way that nobody ever drinks more, but analytic techniques are imperfect, and somebody would end up getting more, even if it's only 100 or so molecules of ethanol.
108241 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:34:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The person that drinks the most should be the highest ranking or most secure in their job.
Terror_from_the_deep ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:41:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So it's all just a drinking contest?
EXTRAsharpcheddar ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:05:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am this person, because once one of my bosses told me to have another beer about four or five times. Almost as many as the waitress.
psychicsword ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:09:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My company has a bar in the lobby. While I should probably drink less for my health, at least 25% of my connections at the company are a direct result of being drunk there and starting conversations with random people from other departments. However, this could be mostly the result of my company being almost exclusively < 35 year olds.
That being said you definitely shouldn't be the drunkest person at the table if you are in the process of interviewing.
jerry-springer ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 03:40:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
All day interview?! Where do you work?
piezeppelin ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 07:05:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pretty typical in tech. Maybe not all day, but six hours is pretty typical.
ERRORMONSTER ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:57:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can confirm. Got flown out the night before, picked up from the airport by a manager, 6 applicants ate dinner with 2 managers, then the next day we interviewed starting at 6 am with 10 groups over 5-6 hours. Driven back to the airport by a manager, hopped on a plane and was back home by 5 pm.
HUP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:18:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
yea, it was a tech position.
WhynotstartnoW ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 04:12:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Wow, unlimited mimosa lunch special! I'll take two!"
I've known a few guys like that. Better that they show it during the interview then having them on for a week before they come back from lunch sloshed.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:49:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't matter. Free beer.
ArsenoPyrite ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:55:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At least you know that he might be a redneck, anyway.
tyleraven ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:39:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Australian here. Not seeing the issue.
samlir ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:39:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What do you drink at a fancy dinner like that if avoiding alcohol? I would feel weird having like a steak and water or a steak and pepsi
stargaret ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:46:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think it was the "at least three beers" that was more the problem (plus the wine when they picked him up). One glass of something at dinner probably would be fine in many professional settings.
HUP ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:56:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yea, my boss and I both ordered a beer. So I would've let that slide.
CuteShibe ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:40:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sparkling water, coffee, a non-alcoholic cocktail.
TigerlillyGastro ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:31:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A glass of milk. I'm 99% serious. Its a straight up honest drink, and actually goes well with a lot of food.... unless you're kosher Jew, then I'm not sure.
JackIsColors ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:54:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think that having a beer would go over better than the vicious, room-clearing farts that I would have after drinking a glass of milk.
TigerlillyGastro ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:28:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hehehehe... maybe he knew he had no chance, and was making use of the free tab while it lasted.
HUP ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:19:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is actually my theory. We had several candidates who were only in it for the free trip.
jones102 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:17:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
While obviously unprofessional, if he was a genuinely nice guy and just had a problem, that makes it kind of sad.
HUP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:57:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually heard later that he lost the job he was in at the time. So yea, it was sad.
shakeszilla ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:13:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
All day interview? I'd want to drink too.
L2attler ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:45:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What kind of a job requires an all day interview?
HUP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:52:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What sort of professional job doesn't require an all day interview? If you're paying someone a decent salary for a job that works independently and that person is expected be a face of the organization, the least they need to do is be able to keep it together for an all-day interview.
L2attler ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:00:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was asking a legitimate question, thanks for answering like a pretentious douche.
HUP ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:03:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wasn't trying to be a douche. Just stating my experience. Sorry if it rubbed you the wrong way.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 02:36:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
lammnub ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:00:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Apply for grad school in the sciences.
fueledbychelsea ยท 48 points ยท Posted at 04:15:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tell a story about them going to an anti-Islam rally when asked about sensitivity to other cultures. Yikes.
ERRORMONSTER ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:42:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean I could understand if they went to protest it or just to get a new perspective on people who have that opinion. Or was that not the case?
fueledbychelsea ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 19:02:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was not the case. Not at all.
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:54:52 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So they took it to mean whether they had any sensitivity to other cultures? As in, the same way that someone allergic to cats might muck up sensitivity to animals [in a totally deranged way]?
fueledbychelsea ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:48:21 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I honestly have no idea what their train of thought was. It was just strange. It's just not something you generally bring up
Daedalistic-Outlook ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:53:03 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're right. Come to think of it, this probably falls under my grandma's golden rule for explaining things:
"Sometimes crazy beans is just plain crazy beans."
Thank you for responding anyway!
fueledbychelsea ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:44:39 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Quoting your grandma forever now.
[deleted] ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 10:41:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was this in Germany?
papasnork1 ยท 209 points ยท Posted at 01:04:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a young man show up in a what looked like a white bullet proof vest as a shirt. He was wearing white shorts and white tennis shoes with gold trim.
He didn't get the job because the rings on his fingers were silver, didn't match the gold on his shoes.
Nyan_Cat_Chick ยท 36 points ยท Posted at 02:08:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he wanted to look like his GTA 5 online character
17Hongo ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:11:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A friend of mine actually works at Rockstar in Edinburgh.
I wish I could tell you more about him or his experiences, but whatever the hell he does is so important he's not allowed to say anything about his job. He wouldn't even say what colour his chair was.
Nyan_Cat_Chick ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:49:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow lol
DD225 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 01:18:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought you were going to say he didn't shave for the interview or something like that.
Skaughty23 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 01:35:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once forgot to shave half of my face, I tried sitting sideways so they wouldn't notice...
I'm pretty sure he noticed
Nurum ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 04:35:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
For some reason that reminds me of a time I got asked to sub in at another branch because all their bankers were off. I drive like 40 minutes to this branch in a pretty small town, hop out of the car as I am putting my tie on, and go about my day. At about 11:30 I go to pee and realize that I had forgotten to put my tie under my collar. I walk out to the teller line (all women) and am like "WTF, why didn't you guys tell me"? They responded with "we just thought it was some new style in the big city". I'm pretty sure they were just fucking with me.
adambowles ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:24:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You tie your tie over your collar, then put it under?
I thought everyone lifted/'popped' their collar and tied a tie there, then turned the collar down again
Nurum ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:49:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Normally I do, but for some reason i was in a hurry and just didn't. I was literally tying it as I walked from the car into the bank.
nellirn ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:13:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was he applying to be PitBull's (aka Mr. Whirwhy) bodyguard?
MediocreAtJokes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:45:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mixing metals; rookie mistake.
TEAdown ยท 174 points ยท Posted at 00:39:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This one candidate said "bro" no less than 15 times in the interview and said "top left". I had no clue what top left was but I felt like this.
[deleted] ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 03:13:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
According to urban dictionary, "top left" pretty much means "honestly."
TEAdown ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 03:41:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yea, and not exactly the lingo you want to use in an interview.
abedneg0 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 06:34:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Top left!
MyLifeIsMyOwn ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:33:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Like top left!
Mistersinister1 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:00:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That makes no sense. I hate this guy and would punch him in his stuipd face, top left..
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:03:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
GravitationalConstnt ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:34:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I doubt that anyone who uses this phrase thinks that deeply about what the words actually mean.
gbmad73 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 07:35:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Linking to the google search instead of the actual image just makes this reference even more incredible.
skilliard4 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 07:42:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
you sure he wasn't saying top kek?
snorlz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:20:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
he was a bro, not a neckbeard
squeeiswin ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 04:58:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
May I have "top left" in a sentence, please?
TEAdown ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 05:00:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bro, if you need me to sell that phone for you I will do it for you, top left, I gotchu, top left.
Tankdog12 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:34:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol, really? Bro, I'm 16 and consider myself fairly in-tune with pop culture, and have never heard anyone say anything close to that.
It's not you, trust me.
MyLifeIsMyOwn ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:34:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, bro, top left.
Koras ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:32:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I swear bro, top left!
Apparently it's because your heart's in the top left of your chest. "on my heart"
Sounds dumb.
superflippy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:03:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
All I could think of is that that's usually where the home button is on a website. I am a big ol' nerd.
dangerzone2 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:31:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
jeez, I consider myself fairly young and in with it but I've never heard of "top left"
pjabrony ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:42:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he was pitching you his line of male support undergarments.
yanomami ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:52:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he was talking about CSS positioning?
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:20:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
did not know where that link was going.
overall left satisfied.
TOP LEFT!
PotsyWife ยท 25 points ยท Posted at 13:11:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Went with husband to an employment agency a few years back (I was with him because we'd been out for lunch), and while he was speaking to someone, a guy who had been in the waiting room with me came over and asked for help. He'd got a questionnaire to fill out but he couldn't read or write, and would I mind giving him a hand? Being British and therefore unable to say no, I awkwardly sat there helping him. Name, address etc etc. then we reach education.
'What's the highest level of education you have received?' 'All of it.' 'Er, I think they are looking for something more specific. GCSEs, A-Levels, University Degrees etc?' 'Yes, I've got all of them'
Let's face it, you don't get through a single exam without being able to read and write, but I'm too polite to call bullshit. So I just write down 'degree level?' Next up is some tick boxes. 'Driving license?' 'Yes' 'What type?' 'All types' 'So you have a class 1 license to drive arctics?' 'If that's one of the types of license then yes? 'Okay.....' We go through a myriad of qualifications, including pilots license, certification to teach, trade stocks and to be an archeologist. This man is a fucking genius.
Then we get some maths questions. They start off very simply. '7 x 7=?' 'Do you have one of those adding machines?' 'You mean a calculator? Well I have one on my phone, but I think they are asking you to do it in your head?' At that point, husband comes back to the waiting room. I had never been so relieved to see him. I told the guy I had to leave, and best of luck. On the way out I stopped by the receptionist. 'Excuse me, there's a gentleman in the waiting room, and he asked me to fill out his forms. I did, but I'm a little dubious about whether he's as well qualified as he says he is?' 'Oh Alan, late 50s, beard, smells like a brewery?' 'Er yes...' 'Oh don't worry about him. He spends most of his days here. He likes talking to people, and it keeps him off the street so we let him in.'
For fucks sake....
MevalemadresWey ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:53:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, maaaan. I laughed with your comment but certainly felt your pain.
10293847567throwaway ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 03:26:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not a hiring manager, but it's an engineering company so the whole team interviews the prospective new hire. We had one guy come in for a group interview that was going all right until the manager asks:
"What do you see as the greatest challenge facing our company?"
Dude gets all chipper and answers: "Well, I think losing the [giant future-defining lucrative contract that we had just won] is probably a bit of a setback!"
We all stare at him in total confusion for a moment, which he must have taken to mean he'd hit a nerve regarding our "recent loss," so he quickly followed up with, "But I'm really excited to work on your other projects!"
We now switch to looking at each other in total confusion before somebody asks, "What do you mean, 'lost the contract'?"
Now it's his turn to look confused. After a moment, he apparently decides we're joking (using extremely dry sarcasm to cope with the loss, perhaps?) so he giggles. "No, really," my teammate repeats, now sounding a bit icy, "I don't understand what you mean."
All we receive in response is a goldfish face of utter incomprehension.
We did not hire him.
Always research the company you interview at before going, folks!
ThinkingCrap ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 12:30:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
twist: You got the message that you didn't get the contract on the next day and the guy just had some insight info that you didn't
awwi ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:25:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was sent by NASA to give them the bad news in the most unsuspected way possible.
dfuzzy1 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 21:30:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Time traveler in the wrong timeline, obviously
Wherearemylegs ยท 205 points ยท Posted at 23:12:47 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing a teenage girl for a minimum wage job. In the middle of the interview she told me that she was frequently late for class. I kept the interview going but I decided immediately that I wasn't going to hire her.
jdubs333 ยท 195 points ยท Posted at 02:08:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
inexperienced interviewer just telling the truth. She'll get the hang of it. Q: Are you ever late for anything? A: Oh never! I'm normally 10 minutes early for everything so I can be ready for work.
you're hired, well done, you learned to lie during an interview!
[deleted] ยท 141 points ยท Posted at 02:53:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
xXG0SHAWKXx ยท 50 points ยท Posted at 04:48:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be early is to be on-time, To be on-time is to be late, and to be late is unacceptable.
This is the only thing playing in my head when i'm ten minutes early for everything.
atrd ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 08:31:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
By transitivity, being early is unacceptable.
ERRORMONSTER ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:53:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I like the band version more. If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late. If you're late, you're left.
jyssrocks ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:23:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ahh. I'm extremely punctual and over the last few years, it has driven my SO insane a few times! Even just a casual family BBQ, I'm like "they said 1 pm! We have to go!" I've learned to relax for casual family stuff, but unfortunately for my SO, we travel a lot and I am super anal about leaving the apartment and getting to the airport on time. My nagging to leave stresses him out, and we sometimes argue on the way to the airport, just born out of frustration on both sides. :/
To be fair though, he tries really hard not to be running late on travel days. he knows I'm not doing it to be an asshole! I just hate being late!
smeuchel ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:12:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My high school marching band director said this and it's stuck with me. I get panicky when I know if I don't leave this instant I'll be "on time"
Downvoterofall ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:34:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not a bad problem, i am similar. My so is almost always late though, not sure how we are still together
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:36:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm the same way, only more so. More like 25 - 30 mins early for everything (including work, every day).
Honestly, for me it's a lifestyle thing. I just enjoy life a lot more when I don't have to rush. I leave so early that the only way I could be late for work is if there was some kind of absolute disaster (personal or national).
fansworth ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:25:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
im the same, i take the earlier bus so i am 25 mins early, the next bus would get me to work 5 mins early, dont want to risk it.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:24:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You and me, buddy. We get it.
See you on the earlier bus, my friend.
mfigroid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:26:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
With the bus I take to work I arrive either 30 minutes early or 20 minutes late.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:29:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
While I understand this mentality. I really think it's unnecessary that we play these sorts of games with each other. I'd rather they just be clear about exactly when it is acceptable for you to be at the office. Don't say 8:30 if you really mean 8:15.
I value my sleep and my free time, and when I have a 1 hour commute (2 hours total) that extra 30 minutes means everything to me.
k_mermaid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:29:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My manager absolutely HATES when people show up that early. We're in a hiring season right now and when you have a full day of half-hour long interviews booked, it's really annoying to have your 2pm at the same time as your 1:30pm. What's worse is when you schedule a half-hour lunch and then your next interview shows up as you're heading to the lunch room. And to be hanging out in the make-shift waiting area of an office full of people that are trying to work for 25 mins is just distracting. If you're gonna be that early, wait in your car or outside and then come in 5 mins early instead.
jyssrocks ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:24:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a headhunter. Agreed. You should never be more than 10 minutes early to check in for an interview. Anything more than that makes me feel like I have to rush through or drop what I'm doing to go greet you.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:26:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To clarify: I get to the AREA early.
I don't go in and expect to be seen early.
Anybody who does that is a weirdo.
Agent_Orange7 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:35:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I try to show up exactly on time. Especially punching in for work. It looks so nice and neat if every single punch on the time sheet is perfectly on time.
BritneeB ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:07:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's ok. My husband is 30 minutes to an hour early for work every day. He has to commute about 40 minutes away but if there is an accident it can and will easily eat up half an hour or more. His motto is "something something if you don't beat the boss to work you're late" but it sounds better than that.
astrogaijin ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:50:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm very punctual as well, if I'm not atleast 10-15 minutes early I feel like I'm an hour late.
Judge_Judy_or_Bust ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:12:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
False, you're punctual. I respect it.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:37:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I used to be late for everything, almost all the time, until I was about 30. Now, I'm more like you about time. I don't obsess over it, but I always prefer, and plan for, earliness rather than being on time. Nowadays, i feel "late" when right on time. I like the extra bit to look over where I am, what I'm doing, and what needs to be done. I feel much more confident about my surroundings in this manner.
vaelstresz77 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:36:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree. 5 Years in the Marine Corps makes you super paranoid about being late. 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior to 15 minutes prior. "its 6 am why are you here?" "work starts at 7:30 I have to be on time"
DexterVane ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:06:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
at least 20min. I don't even really plan it that way out of fear I'll be late. It just sort of happens. I like having time so I guess it kinda got automated.
Those_Who_Remain ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have exactly the same. It just feels wrong not to be early.
was-not-me ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:55:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hired.
oblisk ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:00:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
5-minutes early is on time.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:36:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was five minutes early to work today and felt like I was late.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:59:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
First day at my current job, I ran 45 minutes behind schedule due to public transit information being inaccurate. Got there and apologized, explaining the situation. I was there 2 minutes early.
Super_C_Complex ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 15:37:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I was showing up to my internship like 45 minutes early over the summer. I didn't want to look bad in front of the other attorneys
edit* plurals are hard.
nostyleguy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:17:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In front of the other attorney's what?
b33r_engineer ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:41:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"if you're early, you're on time, if you're on time, you're late, and if you're late, you're fired."
-my father, who has never been less than 10 minutes early for anything in his entire life.
Super_C_Complex ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:42:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly what my dad would say as well actually.
frizzykid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:22:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Im usually 5 mins or so early for my job, I dont want to risk being late even though my managers have expressed its not a big deal as long as its not extremely late
Lesp00n ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:35:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Much more than ten or fifteen can be awkward tho. I'm security and work the front desk, and I had an interviewee show up like 40 minutes early. The manager interviewing them was in a meeting, and theres no where for this person to wait excpet the small lobby I'm in. The guy wouldn't make small talk, and looked at me all annoyed when I kept answering the desk phone. Be early, thats great, but don't be that early and then have nothing to do when the person interviewing you is busy till the scheduled time.
Super_C_Complex ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:31:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
oh definitely. Showing up an hour early to an interview is not great. My last interview I showed up 25 minutes early, and waited in my car for 10 before walking in so I was only like 10 minutes early.
average-adventures ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:46:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh my god I'm not alone!
tvtb ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:23:58 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I'm meeting friends somewhere at 6pm and I'm on schedule to arrive at 6:01, they'll get no less than 2 texts.
laborthrowaway ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 05:28:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This pisses me off because I am literally never late for work but I can't say that because employers will assume I'm lying if I check "never" on that box so I check "very rarely" instead. BUT IN TWO YEARS OF WORKING AT MY CURRENT JOB I HAVE LITERALLY NEVER BEEN LATE.
RSP16 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:07:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I still have nightmares from two occasions lateness could be pinned on me but it wasn't my fault: A cancelled college final I didn't hear was cancelled, and my first day at a soul-draining retail place where the guy with the key to open the building was late.
kilroyishere89 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:31:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I consistently show up to work 15 minutes early because I think there will be traffic at 8 in the morning when I have to be there at 8:30; there is hardly any traffic.
AgentMulderFBI ยท 71 points ยท Posted at 23:52:58 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why keep the interview going? You're wasting your time and her's by keeping it going.
TheFlounder ยท 156 points ยท Posted at 00:04:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My employer wants full interviews no matter how bad. Only if the applicant calls it off can we quit it. Has to do with defending against discrimination claims.
senatorskeletor ยท 65 points ยท Posted at 02:44:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Plus, let's be honest, plenty of people would rather throw away the last 10-15 minutes instead of telling the person to their face they're not getting the job.
ThinkingCrap ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:11:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah and you should, not just because of the mentioned discrimination claims but also because you just can't know what those nutjobs throw at you or whatever
firebuzzard ยท 97 points ยท Posted at 02:28:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was doing a preliminary phone interview with an applicant, who was obviously driving somewhere with the window down. Not long into it, he paused mid-answer to order a burger and a peach tea from a drive-thru.
I really hope that burger tasted amazing.
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 03:54:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
reading through this thread made me realize how many stupid people are there. if i had an interview, especially from the phone i would find the quietest room ever. and i would be even more prepared than a 1 on 1 interview.
Arboghasthero ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 04:51:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a phone interview that I had to take on my lunch at work. I worked at a hospital and there are almost zero quiet areas for interviews. I went to my car and had the windows cracked. Freaking Wasp flew in and landed on my hand. I don't know how I didn't get stung, managed to answer several questions, and maintain composure. I got the position, but I learned to always find a room, no matter how hard to find, to do phone interviews.
skilliard4 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:54:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was it a scheduled phone interview though? Sometimes they can happen at unexpected times. He should have pulled over for the interview though.
firebuzzard ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:11:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, it was scheduled at least a week in advance.
firebuzzard ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:17:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Usually (but not always) the phone interviews are precursors to in-person interviews. I'm not sure I would be MORE prepared for a phone screen than a face-to-face interview, but I certainly wouldn't take it for granted either.
GravitationalConstnt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:40:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had something similar happen. I was interviewing someone for an internship, and it was 100% clear that the kid was driving somewhere. When I asked if it was still a good time to chat, he said something to the effect of, "Yeah, I've still got about 15 minutes before I arrive at my destination."
Next!
black107 ยท 42 points ยท Posted at 04:06:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A guy was interviewed by a female supervisor for a design position at a video game company. After the initial background questions, naturally the topic switched to the game series we were working on, which the candidate was very enthusiastic about and familiar with. We wanted the person to walk through things they would improve design wise. We had him log into his account so we could discuss some forthcoming features and interfaces in the context of his data/info.
Upon logging in, we immediately noticed his avatar was a (ms paint drawn) fist going up a bleeding ass, with a bloody handprint on one cheek with "FTW" on the other. He was immediately embarrassed and mumbled something about his brother or roommate or something.
The woman interviewing him can handle much worse shit than that, but she was teetering between busting up laughing and gasping in horror.
He didn't get a callback.
undyingfish ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 12:59:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is that normal in game dev jobs though? While I can appreciate that's not professional, it's not something I would have expected to come up. "sign in to your /personal/ account.... Oh..."
black107 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:25:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sure, it might have been unexpected, but it tipped his hand to how much (or little) tact he had.
undyingfish ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:32:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So there's no safe place online to proclaim ones love of being fisted?
tardis42 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 05:11:46 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Presumably if you're being interviewed for a job with pornhub, having a pornhub account with a fisting-based avatar won't be a proplem :P
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 14:30:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That doesn't seem like it's his fault. He didn't know he was going to be asked to log in, right?
Geminii27 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 17:16:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or maybe he actually did have a douchey roommate/brother who would do something like that. Should he have changed the password on his personal account before a corporate interview, just in case they did something like that?
puppetmaster2501 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 20:04:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean sure, but not everyone's batman and can think of every scenario and prepare perfectly for every eventuality, lol. I don't think most people would expect the sudden trolling avatar change by a roommate to coincide with your job interview or that it would be relevant to your job interview.
black107 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:57:46 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly, he probably was talking up his familiarity/enthusiasm with the series. If he had used it, he'd know as soon as he logged in he'd be greeted with his avatar. If he hadn't talked himself up so much, we probably would have just demoed with one of our test accounts and never been the wiser.
So while a brother/friend/unidentified douche could have done it to him, the odds are significantly higher that that's just how he rolled. He may very well could have ended up being a model employee, but seeing a potential red flag like that meant we had to pass on him.
puppetmaster2501 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:59:27 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
100% agreed. A lot of people in this thread seem to be missing the concept that for each candidate with a red flag like this who shouldn't be disqualified for it or whatever, there is at least one other candidate with ltierally nothing wrong with them.
black107 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:53:54 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He didn't know, but we also didn't ask every candidate to use their own account. Designers come from far and wide, many have no interest in games, sports, etc but this particular one had a lot of knowledge with the specific game series. Since this familiarity allowed us to skip a lot of the "this is the project you'd be working on" conversation, we figured he'd have specific things in mind to improve.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:58:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It seems to me that he shouldn't have been disqualified then. He couldn't have known that he had to prepare his account for a professional interview, so how is it fair to expect it to look professional?
black107 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:24:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's about him accidentally tipping his hand to being potentially immature, sexist, or otherwise problematic in the workplace. As another redditor put it, why choose a potentially problematic candidate when you can choose one that is not.
It's no different than some of the other stories in this thread where folks volunteered damning info such as drug use, criminal activity, or other professional negligence.
Anyway, you better believe we Google the shit out of people anyway. If you don't think you need to prune your public social media profiles of anything questionable when job hunting, you've got another thing coming.
udonsoup ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 04:44:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a guy send in a 15 page resume for an English teaching job in Thailand. It was repetitive and written in a multitude of crazy fonts and colours with highlighted sections. He got an interview anyway because we had so few candidates but didnt get the job. 2 weeks ago he emailed me again citing the exact same job he had already applied to before and attaching the same horrid rรฉsumรฉ as though he'd never spoken to me before.
Afryst ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:32:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The CV is unforgivable, but I can almost excuse the multiple applications. TEFL jobs tend to get posted on multiple sites, forums, blogs etc (sometimes by the employer, but often by the TEFL community), so it's not unusual to run in to the same posting several times. The postings often have minimal information or are written in broken English.
I've never applied for the same job twice, but when making a list of open TEFL positions, I have sometimes realised that some are on my list more than once.
Rzezifok ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:14:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
huh, that's crazy!
Nikkushi ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 05:22:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed a girl once who just wouldn't speak. Me: Give me an example at work or school when you had to lead a team. ....30 second pause... Me: you know like in a class project or something ....silence.... Me: okay...well let's try a new one. What made you want to apply with the company. .....silence ......awkward silence ......extreme awkward silence She didn't get the job.
massdebate159 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:43:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh God, was this me?
Nikkushi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:38:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well did you apply to a Lady Foot Locker 4 years ago in fort myer fl?
massdebate159 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:10:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nope. Phew!
Nikkushi ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 21:07:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Although now I am slightly concerned for you.
massdebate159 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:14:35 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wasn't as bad as that. I just stuttered a lot and froze in awkward silence a few times.
moejoereddit ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:13:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did you read her mind? Sometimes people are thinking and you just forget to listen to their thoughts.
Nikkushi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:18:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Damn and she could have been the best employee I ever hired...
Winterspear ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:46:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did she just look at you during these pauses?
Nikkushi ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:37:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. Like looking to me for guidance...uhh I don't think your quilified for a job in sales expecially working for commission.
BloodlustHamster ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:20:59 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Twist: you're later hit with a discrimination lawsuit for not hiring a deaf girl.
Nikkushi ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:57:51 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good thing I don't work there anymore. I hated that job.
dakeyjake ยท 83 points ยท Posted at 00:29:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy was over 2 hours late. His excuse was he had a meeting with his parole officer that took longer than he thought. Turns out he just got out of prison for aggravated robbery.
grape_jelly_sammich ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:55:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
hey...the man was busy.
Potato-MD ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 06:23:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So, when does he start?
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:30:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
that's actually pretty impressive. just out of prison and already has an interview ready?
Geminii27 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:59:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I guess at least he was looking for legal paid work rather than deciding another robbery was the way to go...
dakeyjake ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't mind that he was a felon. I already employed a felon. What pissed me off was that he was over 2 hours late.
BucketHelm ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:48:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The parole officer really shouldn't job-block him like that, though. Not a good recipe for re-integration.
dakeyjake ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:08:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think he really wanted the job anyway.
dduct ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:36:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, once you have served your time you should have in theory replayed your debt to society and been rehabilitated. Of course we know that recidivism is high but we should give people a chance during the interview and if hired, initial probationary period.
I know people who have served their time and completely changed their lives however they still get pulled over by police and searched for over an hour on a regular basis simply because they are on probation. They can show up unannounced at your house and it can take a long time. I imagine it makes holding down a regular job to be a difficult task.
dakeyjake ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:48:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He blew his chance when he was late. I already hired one felon, and I had no problem hiring another, but the fact that he was late to the interview threw up red flags.
grape_jelly_sammich ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:55:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
hey...the man was busy.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:26:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
for any money oriented positions no way he'd get hired.
anything else though, provided he can prove he's at least dependable I don't see why not.
I think he'd be better off working for minimum wage or at a temp agency first to be honest.
dakeyjake ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:47:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he would've shown up on time, he could've been hired.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 18:58:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At a hotel I worked at, a lady showed up 3 hours late for some BS reason but she was at least qualified so they hired her.
She was still there on my last day so she at least was a good worker.
emp_omelettedufromag ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 09:54:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A bit late to the party, but this guy was pretty amazing. I was interviewing him for a software development position. Main focus of the job: being able to work with large datasets. So the first part of the interview was basically leaving him alone with a computer and asking him to display data from a certain source with > 5 million entries.
The guy just displayed the first 100 entries, then was explaining very confidently how he overcame the problem of having too much data to show by simply showing less data.
At the end of the interview he seemed extremely happy with his performance and said "now it's time to drink to celebrate!"
dottmatrix ยท 34 points ยท Posted at 03:20:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As much as I suck at interviews, this thread makes me feel slightly less bad about myself.
rustyisme123 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:53:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know, right? I'm really glad this thread pips up like once a month. It makes finding a new job seem much less hopeless.
akanefive ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:52:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Seriously, I got turned down for a promotion about a week ago, and this thread has made me feel much better.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:51:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Made me think that I didn't bomb my interview with a charter school a couple weeks ago. Especially since they just emailed me to interview for a different position.
scottpot ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 04:12:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not in charge of hiring, but I used to work at a ritzy hotel that was looking for experienced candidates. A guy applying for a bellman position submitted a resume that consisted of two pages. The second page only had one sentence: "Extremely knowledgeable about marijuana and its effects :)" Needless to say, he was not hired.
Sno_Wolf ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:55:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why... why the fuck... why the fuck would they...?
*brain simultaneously implodes and explodes at the same time from the stupidity that I've just read*
ThinkingCrap ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:35:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd just assume that was by accident...or a prank from some "friend". Like you did that as a joke and then forgot about it or something like that. Can't imagine anybody would think that would be a good idea :D
LittleLoba ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:38:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
it was definitely a prank, I've recently heard of a girl who's boyfriend added "I GIVE A MEAN HEAD" to the very bottom of her resume, and she didn't catch it before sending it out. People can be douchebags.
DownloadReddit ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:14:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like one of his qualifications was "having bad friends".
brwbck ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 06:10:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had flown an interviewee out from Montreal to Oregon for a full day interview. I was pulling the lunch interview shift, which is where a lot of interviewees tend to let their guard down and either say something really great or really fucking dumb. This guy was the latter...
We were asking him about his plane flight, usual chit chat, and he mentioned that he had been flown out once before to our area to interview at a much larger tech company. Then he said "But I didn't really want the job, it was just nice to get a free flight to the Northwest for some sightseeing."
My colleague and I looked at each other thinking "What the fuck???" The guy instantly backpedaled and said "Oh, but that's not what I'm doing this time, hahaha!"
He was screwed.
When we all got back to the office they terminated the interview process and sent him home, before even hearing our report. So he must have really blown it with one of the other bosses during the morning.
It was hilarious but sad, too. I mean, we all say stupid shit sometimes, but that was just monumentally stupid.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:12:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People like that infuriate me. They're so lucky to get an interview and do that crap.
Poila13 ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 06:37:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Me: Tell me a little about yourself.
Boyd: let me tell you a little something about Boyd, Boyd used to have a little bit of a drinking problem. But Boyd seems to have it under control now.
3rd person and everything, also smelled pretty heavily of booze. So I also thing Boyd had a bit of a lying problem.
havebananas ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:14:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Classic Boyd.
awwi ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:34:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did he live in a van down by the river?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:56:14 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was his name even Boyd?
MysticYoYo ยท 45 points ยท Posted at 01:26:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked in an HR front office collecting applications. A woman and her boyfriend came in and said they had just moved to the area and were looking for employment. I had a jar of Hershey's kisses on my desk and not only did they help themselves to chocolates over and over again WITHOUT FIRST BEING OFFERED ANY but they left little foil papers scattered all over the place. No, they were not called back for interviews, as it was a resort hotel and we were hiring for housekeeping and I didn't these slobs made a good first impression.
[deleted] ยท 41 points ยท Posted at 01:59:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had someone stop at my desk and dump my entire jar of Hershey kisses in her purse. It took everything I had to not dive across my desk and snatch her purse from her.
Unknown_Phate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:03:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is theft. And illegal
thecolourbleu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:04:36 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do people seriously just see those as real-world treasure nodes that they can loot?
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 07:58:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She did you a favour, those things are like tin wrapped shit
NothingmaN79 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:17:22 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sort of depends where they are on the desk. Close to customers? Free reign. I would at least ask first, and not gorge on them.
[deleted] ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 02:17:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewed a guy for a "bag-checker" position at a retail store. After explaining the role to him and letting him know it was NOT a security officer role, merely someone to scare potential shoplifters away, he proceeded to tell me how he "really can't wait to be a security guard for <store>" and asked me if he'd ever get to be in a situation where he could tackle someone.
Cristo_Kennedy ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 04:04:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked with a guy who told me he had years of experience in the field but cant do the simple things we have teenagers do in the summer and then he tried to tell me he should be doing the job i was doing because he knew he had more experience then me.
lendergle ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 13:28:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lied about where he had worked last. I happened to have worked there myself a year or so before. Parking was horrible there, so to sort of commiserate and get some rapport going, I asked him "so which lot did you park in?"
He turned pink, and then red, and then purple, started hyperventilating, coughed a bit, and then admitted he had never worked at the place and that the headhunter he was working with had put that in his resume because she said it would look good and nobody would know. I said "well I guess you've learned an important life lesson, right?" He nodded, dashed off, and spent the next fifteen minutes heaving up his guts in the restroom. We made him stay in the break room, gave him a cup of tea to help calm his nerves, and our receptionist stayed with him until he was settled down enough to drive.
The coda to this story: He wrote a very heartfelt apology letter, thanked everyone for their compassion, and attached a resume' that did not include the false term of employment. He said he wasn't asking for a second chance, but just wanted to make sure that the last piece of paper we had about him told the truth. I called him up, offered him the job, and he was a super employee. Unfortunately so much so that he became highly marketable and got poached by another firm. I don't begrudge him his success, but it's often irked me that he didn't stick it out a few years seeing as how we really went out on a limb by hiring him.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:46:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
undyingfish ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:20:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, from where I'm sitting it actually worked...
rowawaymythrowaway ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:01:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean if the other job worked out more ...why wouldn't he??
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 20:13:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because when they asked what type of animal he'd be, he answered "a dog" because they're loyal.
[deleted] ยท 89 points ยท Posted at 23:14:11 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The one that drove me nuts is when people were so eager to sell themselves that took every question as an invitation to give a little speech. It was not a conversation at all--it was more like each question I asked was a button that activated some rehearsed performance.
Aside from creating this robotic persona, it meant people could not actually answer the questions asked because they had not memorized an answer for that one. Instead, they'd just answer whatever question they wished they'd been asked.
Extremely frustrating!
ImADancingSasquatch ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 02:52:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Were you hiring for the position of President of the United States?
asad137 ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 03:11:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like a politician during a debate.
PointClickPenguin ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 03:20:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This could be due to a previous company they worked at or interviewed for that created this behavior.
I know for sure that my company, an extremely large one, specifically interviews looking for people to give speeches about specific topics. They literally have buzzword checklists and stuff. This person could have been exposed to that.
wildeep_MacSound ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:29:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually that's how they're training people to respond to interview questions now. You're supposed to avoid one word, or even single sentence answers. The IDEA is that you'll start a conversation...but it can also turn into the longest dronefest you've ever heard.
minstrelj ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:45:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Much like a political debate
skilliard4 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:59:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lesson learned: Don't overprepare for an interview.
Thanmandrathor ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:01:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Politicians are good at that.
dduct ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:37:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like the Presidential debate lol
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 04:10:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Does this background check go outside of this county?" That was the last thing one guy asked me at the end of his interview.
I had another guy tell me he got fired from an old job because he assaulted a coworker who was sleeping with his wife.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:40:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, to be fair, that is a pretty understandable response. I'd have done it outside of work though.
pablozamoras ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 05:28:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
By answering "no" to every question. They weren't yes or no questions.
moejoereddit ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 22:21:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol. What questions did you ask? I imagine "what's your biggest weakness?". "...no". " um. Ok whats your biggest strength". "...no". That second no is with a different inflection in my mind
tacticalsnackpack ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 06:26:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Obligatory "not an interviewing applicant" post, but I'm in charge of weeding through applications before they go onto my hiring manager, so I get to read through everything.
One time, under the job description/skills used portion for a previous job, one kid wrote "wearing different shirts" as his abilities. It wasn't even relevant to the job,he was just a cashier or something. Blew my mind.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:05:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like he was trying to explain his ability to fit many different roles.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:03:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
TIL not to use metaphors in a job application!
TheLovelyLadsGroupie ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:08:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, the phrase is "wearing different hats" though, not shirts. :)
Biff_Tannenator ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 17:33:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Water under the fridge, man. Water under the fridge.
moejoereddit ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:24:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Different coats for different boats, you know.
massdebate159 ยท 141 points ยท Posted at 01:12:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm reading through these to see if the guy who interviewed me a few months ago will comment. I turned up to the interview, smartly dressed, on time, had all the correct documents I'd been asked to bring with me. I go to the room to be interviewed, I opened my mouth and autism came out. Every question I just froze for a painfully long time and stammered through a lot of them.
I didn't get the job, despite working within the company for most of my working life.
garfnodie ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 10:55:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's me. Doesn't matter how prepared or how knowledgeable I am, that interview starts and my mind goes full retard. You could ask me how I pee, and I couldn't tell you if I stand or sit.
TestZero ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 11:52:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ouch.
squirrelhaven ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:56:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Same exact thing happened to me, man. I'm right there with you.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:59:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm really sorry!
massdebate159 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:07:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You? xD
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:47:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Phrased that badly because a call came in as I was typing. What I meant was that I could feel your pain and was sorry you went through that.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:38:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd really doubt that's a recognizable story. It probably happens all the time.
realmei ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:56:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Gaaah, yes. I get anxious sometimes which often means when I open my mouth it's either bitchy or me speaking too loud/fast/long. :(
DistanceSkater ยท 44 points ยท Posted at 03:36:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not a manager. I'm a bartender. But I had a girl come into my bar, order a glass of sangria. Then sit in the waiting area with other people waiting to interview... When the manager called her name she stood up and brought her glass of sangia with her and sipped on it throughout the interview.
Whenever she left i went over to my manager to ask if he knew her or if shes really that ballsy...and he was already laughing his ass off before I said anything. He took her application and crumpled it into a ball.
havebananas ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 11:06:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hmmm she was ballsy and application ended up crumpled into a ball...
I feel like there's some lesson here I'm missing. Some clue on how not to be.
DistanceSkater ยท -17 points ยท Posted at 14:50:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh sorry Mr. Pro redditor...in this situation "ballsy" is slang for "stupid"
Kinda like you're being painfully ballsy right now for replying to me about something so obvious.
angdm ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:36:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Isn't ballsy slang for brave?
rowawaymythrowaway ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:07:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes.
RUlax23 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 02:36:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Been asked at least twice if we drug test?
dexterpine ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:43:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once worked a manual labour job where my co-worker was a drug abuser.
I sometimes feel like asking that question just so I know I don't have to end up working with another cokehead.
ThinkingCrap ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:38:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
valid question tho. Won't work for a company that invades privacy like this..even if I don't do drugs. Same goes for things in the contract like "Can search your bag at any given time" and similar. No, you can not.
squirrelhaven ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:43:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A girl called once and asked if we were hiring. I told her I wasn't sure and she could look on the website to see if any positions were open and apply for them. She said, "Ok... Do you drug test?"
We do for you, dear.
rowawaymythrowaway ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:05:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe she meant will she have to take out an hour out of her day after the interview to go get tested.
DimitriV ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 06:56:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't do hiring but my desk is disturbingly close to where it is done, so I've seen a few things.
There was the lady that came in wearing about a gallon of perfume; I literally had to leave the office for the duration of her application because I couldn't breathe.
The young kid that got all offended when someone working told him to stop swearing in the building, then cussed the guy out. The guy was the manager. The kid didn't get the job.
Then there was the paranoid one. It was clear before she came in that she was not normal; as I heard it, her reply to the e-mail inviting her to come in for an application and a typing test included how many steps it would take her to get from the bus stop to the front door. When she took her typing test she got half of the required score but insisted she'd do better when she was actually hired. But the kicker was when, both verbally and written on her application she objected to the people who were distracting her with their loud talking and insisted they were talking about her. I was there: they were quietly talking about work on the other side of the room. She insisted that they had been too loud though, and she couldn't work with such distractions. And when she was shown the call center she was applying to work in, with a dozen people on phones sitting three feet apart, and asked how she expected to work there, she didn't have an answer. That didn't stop her from reapplying though.
jiggapatto ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 10:45:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I interviewed a HGV driver who had previously been sacked by our company for a number of driving offences, job he was applying for was HGV driver and all he could say was "come on man, you know me" which was exactly the problem
warmchinchilla ยท 89 points ยท Posted at 02:38:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I called a candidate to do a phone screen and got her voice mail. I left her a message to call me at her convenience about her application - making it clear that this was like a pre-interview. So she calls me back a couple hours later and we start to chat - she clearly knows who I am and why I'm calling when she says, "Hey can you hold on a sec....(to a drive through speaker) CAN I GET A NUMBER 4 WITH A COKE...yeah I'm sorry what were you saying?"
TLDR: ordering your lunch in my ear is not going to get you a call-back.
yanomami ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:38:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She demonstrated multitasking and organizational skills.
17399371 ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 12:22:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why? You said it was informal and for her to call you back at her convenience.
beccaonice ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:48:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Common sense and normal etiquette. Really basic stuff.
No need to be contrarian for the sake of being contrarian.
17399371 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:53:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not being contrarian for the sake of it. How is she supposed to block out an hour of time with no notice to call this guy back? Her options are squeeze in a pre-interview chat while she does other things (because it's not an interview) or let the potential employer's message go unanswered until the next day. I'd argue it's more unprofessional to not return a phone call than it is to take one while on the road.
beccaonice ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 15:57:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, it's definitely more professional to wait until you are in a quiet place and can dedicate all your attention to the call like a normal adult, even if that means 8+ hours until you return the call, than doing it while ordering at the drive-thru. Shit, it would be better to wait 5 minutes until you have at least ordered and received your food.
Obviously. Considering the hiring manager disqualified the person based on that. Which would be typical.
I would never consider doing this, it's so unprofessional. I would laugh in the face of a friend if they told me they did something like this. It's just childish behavior, showing signs of not knowing proper etiquette or having any respect for the job search process or interviewer.
ChagSC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:58:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Based on half the comments in this thread, I don't think availablilty of jobs out there is the #1 factor of why people can't find a job.
Treacherous_Peach ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 13:16:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He didn't say it was informal. Pro-tip, anytime you're going to talk to your potential employer is formal. Often goes for current employer too.
17399371 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:38:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Eh, different strokes I guess. When I hear pre-interview I think informal.
I can't be expected to clear an hour out of my schedule with no notice to have a formal pre-interview chat.
tomalexdark ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:04:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well if you're the one applying for the job, make time.
Itachi0970 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:25:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There was notice. Reread the story, she called him back later.
dangerzone2 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:41:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
uh the fact she called him back while going through a drive through is pretty ridiculous. Its not like he called her and happen to catch her off guard.
[deleted] ยท 27 points ยท Posted at 02:34:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
raulcat ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 19:16:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As my boyfriend says, "Never miss a good opportunity to shut the fuck up."
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 04:50:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Talking shit about his current boss who also works within the same company, differnt department
Overbaron ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 11:34:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Talked very confidently with my coworker who was 15 years my senior and brushed off my questions with very short answers.
My coworker had been in the house for 6 months. I owned the company.
colossaldong ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 02:13:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I accidentally said "fuck" under my breath when asked a tough question. It was clearly audible and I was 18 damn it!
Pagiras ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 12:05:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whoa, man. What's the swearing age in your country?
TheShrinkingGiant ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:41:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think I actually got my current job because of swearing. I was given 6 reports to write the sql for (Oracle)
I got stuck on one of them, and just started muttering curse words to myself. I figured it out, moved on and got them all. And then we just sat around after laughing about how cursing helps write better code.
PMental ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:39:36 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I farted once on the set of The Blue Lagoon.
colossaldong ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:54:22 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
SLAP!
Jeanfiske ยท 23 points ยท Posted at 02:00:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work at a restaurant and hire basically entry level, minimum wage positions. I don't have incredibly high expectations of my potential employees but I do expect respect and at least feigned interest. That being said, the absolute worst way someone has fucked it up has been to tell me they were only there as a back up for the job they really wanted, and then to tell me how great the other job was. I get that no one dreams of washing dishes or roasting chicken but you're here because you need a job and I need a worker. If not, don't waste my time.
TA_Dreamin ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 02:13:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You don't appreciate honesty? Would you ha e preferred he told you he saw himself there in 5 yrs just to have him quit next month?
babylina ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:17:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
even with restaurants, HR should have high expectations. probably why i have such caca coworkers insert tear face that i can't make here
the_city_drive ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 06:24:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My favorite was a young gentleman who showed up in workout clothes, drenched in sweat, and covered in grass stains. Straight out of PE or some sports practice. Sets his book-bag down, sits down, wipes sweat off his brow with his hand, then reaches out for a handshake.
All I could muster up was, "are you serious right now?"
yupynut ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 07:09:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
job requires to be fluent in both french and english, this is a high end restaurant in a very touristic area. that dude could not even understand me when i asked him to leave his resume. apparently, it wasn'T his fault if no one could understand hindi in Quebec city. guy threw a tantrum right there at the front desk calling us racists in a semi-understandable english. his father was waiting for him in the car outside and started screaming first at him, than at the general direction of the restaurant, probably all in hindi.
p.s. hindi is just my guess. i guess that could probably be any dialect from that region. thing is if you don'T understand french, (90% of the pop) you're out. if you don't understand english, (80% of the clientele) you're out. bonus points for spanish and mandarin. if you only speak hindi, aim for the dishwashing job, not a service one.
CylonGlitch ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 13:08:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a guy who was doing great, my co-worker had to leave the meeting early so she excused herself and went off to another meeting. As soon as she left, I hear from him, "I'm glad she is gone."
"Excuse me?", I responded.
He blurted out, "I'm glad she's gone; I hate them."
"What do you mean?", seriously confused I asked.
"Asians, I hate them, can't stand working with them."
I looked at him and said, "Did you not notice that about 80% of this company happen to be Asians? And, it just so happens my wife is Asian."
I ended the interview at that point and had him escorted out.
BackpackTrebuchet ยท 44 points ยท Posted at 03:06:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A guy applied at my work who went by the name David Supernigger, I shit you not. A fucking judge approved it and everything. I told him he couldn't work there and he asked why. I said "Because your name is David Supernigger." It was a telemarketing job!
[deleted] ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 05:56:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Giving false names for telemarketing isn't exactly unheard of...
GuatemalnGrnade ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:26:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Friend of mine works at American Express doing collections, he wanted to use Godzilla but his manager wouldn't let him use it. Also one of his co-workers got Walter White as their alias.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:09:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I meant like, using an american sounding name to hide the very obvious fact that the job has been outsourced to a call center in india where they can both not understand what I'm saying nor do anything to actually solve my problem.
Fuckers.
GuatemalnGrnade ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:28:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They do it here in the US as well because plenty of Americans have "UnAmerican" sounding names. My friend goes by Paul and does well, but starting out using his birth name got him a lot of racist and "LET ME SPEEK TO SUMONE IN AMURIKA" comments, even though he was born in California and working in a call center in Phoenix, Arizona.
BackpackTrebuchet ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:39:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Right, but the mental state of someone who would change his name to a racial slur gave me pause.
judgegabranth ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:18:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This shouldn't be relevant but I'm curious, was he black?
specialkake ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:31:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I dont' think so, if this is the same guy.
BackpackTrebuchet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:40:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's him.
BackpackTrebuchet ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:38:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No he was white and had a face tattoo.
WMDTHEALMIGHTY ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:01:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was this him?
https://m.reddit.com/r/cringe/comments/26djkw/this_white_guy_legally_changed_his_last_named_to/
rustyisme123 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:44:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not sure, but how man 'David Supernigga's can there be?
BackpackTrebuchet ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:42:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This link won't work for me, but if he's from Pittsburgh PA that's the guy.
tkykid91 ยท 35 points ยท Posted at 02:50:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Heard this from a colleague who was part of the hiring committee.
The job was for a medical-related position where there is obviously the need/concern for patient privacy. The job was also for a high school setting, so there are minors typically involved in the job.
One hypothetical question was "A female student comes to you and you can tell that they aren't 100% themselves. Something seems off. When you ask what is wrong, she says 'If I tell you, you can't tell anyone else.' You agree. She then tells you that things are going poorly at home, and that she recently moved out of her home to stay with her uncle. While there, her uncle's friend rapes her. She hasn't told anyone but you. What do you do?"
The applicant's answer was that "Well, she told me not to say anything. I would probably try and get in contact with the mom/dad at home and figure out if we can get her back in her own home."
My colleague says "Yes but...you understand that she was raped, right?" And her answer didn't change.
Regardless of patient privacy, if there is a crime, you HAVE to report it. Not only does it seem like common sense, it's pretty clearly explained in our governing board's handbook. She did not get the job.
blackbirdsongs ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:54:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Do you legally have to report it? Because if not it seems like a great way to never have those kids trust you with stuff like that. Not all victims of sexual assault can handle reporting :(
Watchmakers ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 16:46:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The actual issue here is that the person in question is a minor, and basically every health care worker and educator is a mandated reporter when they are told about child abuse. If it were an adult saying this, then confidentiality applies.
tkykid91 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 16:55:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, legally we have to report all crimes.
Luckily this isn't overwhelmingly common. It's much more common for kids to share things they wouldn't want to tell their parents, like they're failing a class or something. Those kinds of things certainly wouldn't make us jump on the phone to tell someone.
[deleted] ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 15:30:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
blackbirdsongs ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:32:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is the absolute shittiest justification for outing someone when you've trusted them with something like that. Telling a sexual assault victim if they don't report that they're essentially responsible if it happens to someone else is a really ugly thing to do.
TheLovelyLadsGroupie ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:44:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My husband is a child Psychologist. When meeting a new client he explains in great detail that what they talk about it confidential UNLESS you say you have committed a crime, or you were witness to a crime. That's how the system works ethically.
Geminii27 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:18:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Hi, kid. Are you familiar with the entirety of the legal system and everything that's technically considered a crime this week?"
blackbirdsongs ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:49:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I think it's a little muddy to call it ethically, but legally, sure.
SamJSchoenberg ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:10:50 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If I were asked that question, I likely would not promise to not tell anyone else in the first place.
I also probably wouldn't get the job.
talltad ยท 36 points ยท Posted at 00:41:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mostly external applicants come simply unprepared, it's amazing how many people don't put any preparation into it.
The worst however is internal applicants, I've had people simply arrive for the interview and somehow believe fully that "x" of time spent in another role automatically makes them the best candidate
lime_boy6 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:45:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What do you mean by unprepared? Should they bring in anything other than a good attitude and appearance?
talltad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:50:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Absolutely, if the candidate hasn't prepared by reading through the Corporate Culture, values and performance plus also industry trends I pretty much disqualify them within the first 5 mins and will work to end the interview early.
Aroha11 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:12:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At the same time, many companies expect the candidate to fill 12 pages of forms, write an essay, and sometimes even complete some specific task - all of which takes half a day of work or more - just at the first stage of the recruitment process. You spend 5 hours filling various forms and scanning documents, and that is before they even interview you, or talk to you.
Now, this is not a very symmetrical way of doing things, and these are not fair demands. Wouldn't it be more fair to ask someone for a cv, and only when they go through the first stage of the selection process commission them to do all the work with the forms? If someone is applying for jobs, they are applying for many positions - if they are sending 50 covering letters, you can't reasonably expect they would be 100% versed with the intricacies of your company politics and values. Of course it is important to come prepared, but too many companies demand a lot without giving anything in return, and with zero understanding of the process of applying for jobs. Who can afford spending three days applying for just one post?
Geminii27 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:11:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"As a candidate, are you prepared to have mountains of bullshit dumped on you at all times, devote yourself to this company 100% without ever considering working at any other employer, and do large amounts of overtime for free?"
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:32:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Yeah, I use long, crazily demanding interviews like that to tell me that I definitely don't want to work there. If that's what they expect in a first round interview, what do you think they'll expect from you once you're there?
I once took a job for a marketing/staffing role at a low wage that asked me to do a 3 hour exam before they would even do the face-to-face interview. Big mistake. All the usual shit like expected overtime, lousy supervisors, stifling office culture, etc.
All the workers there were like abused dogs. They all just did what they were told, and nobody dared to complain. All the people that stuck around were the ones with poor prospects elsewhere, or the ones with no self respect. The few smart people that were there, got fed up and left within 2-4 months.
I felt like I was getting dumber every month that I stayed there.
talltad ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:58:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I probably did 100 interviews in the past 24 months and realized early in the process that you can put just about anything on your CV(Trust me people do).
I work for a large oranization and can get up to 500 applicants for a role. Alot of the Forms, docs, info is needed to verify and sort out applicants that may be fits for the specific role. Also depending on the role I would assume perhaps some HR concerns may come into play so you want to ensure your company is aligned to standards setup by Employment Government agencies...ie Employment Canada
IMOP this is why there is quite a bit of upfront effort from the applicants. Hiring the right person is very difficult and is probably the most impactful decision I make in my role. It can make or break my team and I. Going back to my earlier comment if I post a role I can get about 500 applicants, I ultimately interview about 10 people for a 30 minute face to face. If I believe they are the candidate they assume to be, I move the top 3 to a more in depth process which ultimately can take 2-3 months to finally land a role. It's such a critical item to address(Headcount), that weeding out those that are applying to 50 roles is really necessary.
Of course not, but I do expect them to know what's happening in the news about my organization, the key information that is available on the website and also any other items that fit with the brand(social media, charitable support...). One of the biggest misses I see people make is not requesting a quick call or requesting some further info/context about the interview.
I'm not really sure what you mean here.
Do whatever it takes to achieve your goals in life. If you really think about it, you work more than you do anything in your life. So you should be really careful on where you chose to work, it took me 8 months to get into my current company and I took a massive pay cut and role responsibility to do so. That was 7 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made.
Geminii27 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:09:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Admittedly, after having worked for places where the corporate culture and values were pretty much only used as birdcage liner and sick jokes, some candidates might not be interested in being further disappointed.
talltad ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:11:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep I think that's a guideline in general though. If your looking to secure a job, you should research the company your interviewing with. I think of course it depends on the role and the company however.
jcooli09 ยท 89 points ยท Posted at 01:22:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy ask me to join him in prayer once. I kind of laughed it off at first, but he aggressively insisted. I told him I was an atheist, and he said he was sorry for me. Then he asked when he should expect to hear from me again.
Geminii27 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 17:00:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Some questions only the Lord can answer."
Belly318 ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 05:37:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"ask Jesus. He'll tell you when."
tolkienwriter ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:18:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm sorry to hear about your tough interview, I'll be praying for you.
jcooli09 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:49:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wasn't tough for me, maybe you should be praying for the other guy.
tolkienwriter ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:04:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'll keep him in my prayers too, our lord and savior Beyoncรฉ accepts all sacrifices. May she have mercy on your weak mortal soul. I'm Sasha Fierce's name we pray, Surfbort. ๐๐ป
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:42:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
and you should have answered : " next time jesus appears on your toasted bread"
[deleted] ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 14:16:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh, this topic reminds me of the time i was interviewed for a job. NAILED the interview, guy loved me, compared me to his nephew, was all pumped up about me. At the end when i shook his hand, i asked "So should i expect a call?"
What i mean was, either way, should i expect a call telling me i either got the job or not?
But he took it as arrogance, like knew i was hired, and his whole demeanor changed. Suddenly we weren't buddies anymore. He quietly showed me the door, and i was left with jut an awful vibe.
And no, i didn't get a call or email telling me i didn't get the job.
jyssrocks ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:28:41 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You can try a different closer. I like to close with something like "Thank you for your time, I'm very interested in this role, and I think it would be a great fit for me. What are the next steps?"
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:09:05 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Damn, that's good. Thanks I'm totally using that one.
SafetyDanceInMyPants ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 02:29:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once showed up for a temp position for a week before heading to school - or so I thought. Walk in, the manager takes me into the office and asks "so why do you want to work here?" I said "I mean, I'm heading back to school next week and taking temp jobs just gets me a little extra, you know, money..." Apparently he had asked the agency for job candidates, and something went screwy.
joanhallowayharris ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:10:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I used to work for SAP, which is a software company, and my manager was holding interviews for a really junior position. She told me that one girl showed up in jeans and a hoodie, and started talking about how much she loved animals... She thought she was interviewing for a job at the SPCA.
Lesp00n ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:57:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What is SAP software for? I've been in a couple jobs where the SAP number seems like this holy grail of office management and you can't do anything without one, but I don't actually know what its for. Is it like personnel management or something?
absolutspacegirl ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:38:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's awful. Be glad you never heard of it.
At my job we use it to keep track of equipment and work orders, things like that.
joanhallowayharris ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:28:55 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's for a lot of stuff. They are a leader in Cloud computing, Financial software, HR software, eCommerce, loyalty programs... everything. It's a massive company with a diverse portfolio.
Stone_Reign ยท 41 points ยท Posted at 05:37:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I used to work at the front desk of a big toy store. I had the pad of applications behind my counter for people to fill out and the HR lady gave me some pre-interview forms so I could get a general feel for the applicant if I wasn't too busy.
So one fine weekday afternoon a very overweight black woman in clothing that was far too small came up to the counter and asked for an application. This lady smelled TERRIBLE. I was 3 feet away and felt like gagging. So I puttered around the far side of the counter while she filled out the form. When she finished I put on my best customer service smile and asked if she minded if I asked her a few questions. She looked me up in down and gave me a disgusted face and said "I ain't gots ta answer no muthafuckin questions from you. B'sides. I gots ta go." She then turned on her heel and walked out the door. I got out the red marker, wrote a big "NOPE" on the interview form and circled it before stapling it to the application.
barbodelli ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 15:15:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
AINT NOBODY GOT TIME FOR DAT!
troycheek ยท 84 points ยท Posted at 02:18:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
HR came to me with an application and said, "This was probably a joke, but I don't see how it's funny. When I asked him if he'd ever been convicted of a felony, he laughed and said, 'No, they never caught me.' I was too scared to ask for followup." I replied, "I think we just got a volunteer for the new criminal background check system."
When my boss discovered that the company we work for, which had claimed for years to run a criminal background check on all prospective employees, had never actually ran any such checks, he volunteered the security department to start conducting such checks. Arrest records, sexual offender registries, and the like were just starting to be available online. Between my boss and me and several veteran officers, we had contacts in law enforcement in several nearby counties. How hard could it be? The legal department thought it over for a while and finally decided that we could only do background checks on people that we'd actually offered a job to. By the time that decision came down, said applicant had already been hired and had been working for months. We decided to check him out anyway.
He had told the truth. No felony convictions. Numerous lesser convictions, an actual appearance on COPS, and an active warrant in a neighboring county for questioning about an attempted murder. Naturally, if we'd known the guy was wanted for (attempted) murder, we never would have hired him. But legal got involved and claimed that since we hired him knowing he was a suspected murderer, we couldn't fire him for it now. We didn't know, but since the legal position (bald faced lie) of the company was that we always did background checks before hiring, we should have known. Ultimately, we ratted him out to the county with the warrant, let him get arrested, and fired him after he missed three shifts in a row. (There was a policy that you got fired if it was found that you lied on your application, which technically he didn't because we never asked about lesser convictions or active warrants. There was a policy that you got fired if you got charged with a crime more serious than a minor traffic violation while working for the company, which technically he didn't because these crimes were from before he got hired. There was no policy about firing someone wanted by the police or having a criminal record such that we wouldn't have hired someone had we known about it.)
The whole experience "proved" to legal that conducting our own background check was too risky from a liability standpoint, so the process was outsourced to another company. At least, that's what they told us.
Had he not decided to be clever during the interview, we never would have checked his criminal history, and he never would have gotten caught. I lost track of him after that, so I don't know if he got convicted.
havebananas ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 11:12:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well uh, I mean technically he's not wrong...
Geminii27 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:03:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Probably shouldn't have been, either. Being wanted by the police doesn't mean someone actually committed a crime. They might not even know they're wanted.
troycheek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:09:31 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The concern was that the company would be considered liable if he killed a coworker, since the company was aware of the possibility that he had attempted to kill someone else recently but decided to allow him to keep working.
Geminii27 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:17:59 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. It's only a possibility. Anyone can be charged with murder. I bet the company boss wouldn't step down permanently if they had been charged, regardless of whether they'd actually done it.
Hellman109 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:53:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Woah some countries are crazy, most of what you said would be illegal here for a start, what you did that is. Background check without written consent is illegal, and they will only report convictions and not accusations or crimes that they were never found guilty of.
Background checks are normal though, I've had one for my past few jobs as par for the course, but the consent for that is requested when signing a contract and never before.
troycheek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:14:14 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he filled out the same papers I did during the application process, he did consent in writing to a criminal background check. Also a credit check, interviews with friends/family, and I forget what else. The WTF from my viewpoint was finding out that the company had been telling everyone for years that they were conducting such checks when in fact they weren't.
Hellman109 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:05:13 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Credit check and interviews with friends and family? Unless you were going for a security clearance thats crazy talk here atleast.
troycheek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:55:17 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pretty much every job application I've filled out here in the US (rural Tennessee) has included a section for listing both personal and professional references. This company was unique in that I had to sign a piece of paper stating that I understood the company actually planned to contact my references, ask them questions about me, explain why they were asking questions about me, etc. Apparently, the perception is that nobody ever checks references, and people have gotten in trouble at home and at work when the company calls up and starts asking questions (wife finds out husband lost his last job, current employer finds out employee's "sick day" was him taking time off to job hunt, etc). I personally don't see the point of listing a reference you don't want them checking, but like I said, the perception around here is that nobody ever checks.
Edit: The credit check was for anybody who handled money as part of their job, the reasoning being that if you had bad credit you were more likely to steal from the company.
Hellman109 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:16:02 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Professional references are standard here too but personal once you're not in your first job isn't. They always contact references here too, but I never give them till after an interview
SamJSchoenberg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:26:02 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What do you mean by "more serious than a minor traffic violation"?
When my dog gets out of the house and the police pick him up, it usually costs me twice as much as a speeding ticket.
troycheek ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:49 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Crimes are divided into "classes" based on the severity of the punishment. The least severe crimes will get you a relatively small fine and no time in jail, like a speeding ticket or loose dog. The most severe crimes get you fined more than you can make in a lifetime or put in jail for that lifetime, like murder. In theory, the employee handbook should have specified exactly what level would result in termination. In practice, it was left vague and translated to "whatever crime that makes us not want to employ you anymore." HR liked vague because it let them fire whoever they wanted while at the same time being able to say "we didn't want to fire you, we had no choice, it's policy!"
Yivoe ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 04:21:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I'm a big fan of the holocaust". When asked to give some info about themselves.
No explanation. I'm gonna assume they meant the history related to WWII?
iaccidentallyawesome ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 12:38:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me
I'm a, I'm a Nazi
Baby, there's no other genocide, you know that I'll be
A good, a good Nazi
havebananas ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:14:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol what the fuck. How did you respond to that?
Did the interview keep going?
Yivoe ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:28:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I feel like me and the other interviewer kinda paused after that statement (hard not to), but we kept the interview going. Don't think the interviewee really noticed.
It was a current employee looking to move to another position. She was a good employee, so we weren't gonna be dicks and say, "well we can just end the interview here then". Haha.
NormanConquest ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:11:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy came in, didn't make eye contact the entire time. Every time I asked him how he'd do something, he responded with, "oh, it's very easy, very easy," and then rambled off on some tangent without giving me any specifics. Then he told me he doesn't like spread sheets.
It was a digital marketing analyst job, so you have to actually have some skills. And yeah, spread sheets will be part of it.
Some people just don't have any interview skills, or people skills.
E_hV ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:15:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In his defense, I don't give detailed answers when a company ask me how I would design something. I'll give details about past products I've been involved on, but your current products, no way. I've gone on a few design engineer position interviews which seemed like they had no intention of hiring, and instead were using the interview applicants as a think tank. These were mostly for small MEP firms.
NormanConquest ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:31:15 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This wasn't an engineering job. I expect you to be able to tell me how you're going to actually do things. There's no way you could tell me something I don't know about my field. But you can easily display the fact that you've only read a few high level blog posts about it
rachyandco ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 06:19:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Last interview, I spent an hour with a guy who described himself only in negative terms.
From his education to his previous jobs or personal life.. He didn't said one positive thing.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:29:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Meeh, depending on the job I wouldn't automatically put them out, it's better than someone trying to pump up every piddly thing they've done, but it is pretty off putting
PQ858 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:48:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a guy that we made an offer to ask us to push his start date off by a few days because he landed an interview with the company he "really wanted to work at"
Oznog99 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:02:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had one who counteroffered a particularly high salary requirement, because he had another offer out, which I respect and all. But I was told he said he PREFERRED the other company, but he would work for us if we paid him a lot more. Which... wow, no.
PQ858 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:52:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There is a point where you can share things. But when it comes to a job offer that is on the table and was accepted, don't make it known you would prefer another company at that juncture.
Oznog99 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:20:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't actually WANT to work here, but if you overpay me, I will.
Valgardson ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 07:54:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Where I am from, people need to go interviews to continue their employment assistance benefit if they've been out of work for awhile.
So people will show to an interview for my company dressed poorly, dirty, and then tell me they have a habit of not making it to work very often but if someone from such and such department calls can I let them know this person showed up?
pzPat ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 12:25:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I used to be an Air Force recruiter in northern Minnesota.
Had a young man come into my office and wanted to join so bad. His dad was in the air force, and his grandpa was in the army air core years ago.
Unfortunately he was about 70lbs overweight and had gauged ears. Otherwise he was qualified.
I told him he could not join until until he got his weight down and got his ears fixed.
Normally when i see people like this they never come back after loosing weight. They just stay fat.
Nope, not this kid. He came back after loosing almost 90 lbs and he did it in like, a year. I was super impressed. Takes a lot of willpower and dedication. And he also had his ears surgically corrected.
After about 10 min of catching up with him i recheck his qualifications and he had gotten a DUI and was busted selling booze to minors. He was still going through court stuff for the DUI.
What a moron. He worked so hard to get where is is and now he can NEVER join the Air Force. Probably not any branch, i know at the time nobody was taking anyone with a selling to minors charge.
He was heart broken, but he understood that it was his fault. Pretty sad.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 15:13:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just don't understand the desire to get gauged ears. They don't look good when they are in and when they are out they look even worse. How not to get a job 101
JBean85 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 18:07:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewed waitresses at a brewpub for summer help. At the time I was like 24 and this one particular interviewee was 22. She proceeded to blatantly hit on me: touch my hand, bat her eyes, lean over provocatively. Not that I hated it.... But it was a group interview and the other person interviewing candidates with me was my mom.
IAmBecomeKraken ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 04:22:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I was interviewing this kid who must have been straight out of high school. During the middle of his interview, mid f****** sentence, I kid you not, he put one finger on one of his nostrils and blew a booger onto his pants. Then, while still talking, he picked the booger off of his pants, rolled it on his fingers, and then flicked it onto the ground. I ended the interview as soon as I could, and the kid went to shake my hand with the same hand he used to play with his own snot. I noped the f*** out of there and went back to my office.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:03:59 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
IAmBecomeKraken ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:26:05 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My phone did that. I was using voice-to-text and didn't see it before I replied. Haha. Fuck is one of my favorite words. Damn program censored me I guess. Ah well. So it goes.
mattdaaaaaamon ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 04:58:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had one of our new team leads sit in on a second round interview. Great guy but a bit of a stutter. So when he introduces himself it sounds like "Hi, I'm st- st- stev- steven. Our applicant responds with "What, did you forget your own name?" The interview only went downhill from there.
PhilosophicalPsycho ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 10:06:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What happened after that?
dailydoseofdogfood ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 14:40:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
SAVAGE
havebananas ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:08:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Rekt
Kukuran ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh my 'lanta...
[deleted] ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 04:39:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
ThinkingCrap ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:12:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Probably the mom insisted...might even pressed him to pursue this career in the first place. Who in his right mind would choose to become an investment banker? :O
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:21:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:43:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
LukaCat ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:35:51 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Husband is a junior in IB, can confirm that hours are that horrible.
goldspike888 ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 04:29:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Applicant said he was a genius and even had business cards to prove it. Next!
havebananas ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:04:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...my god it even has a watermark...
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:15:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Like this?
thefoolofemmaus ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:42:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was thinking of this.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:56:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hmmmm.... not sure which I'd rather not hire - the guy with the screwdriver-embossed business card who spends all day talking to a stuffed animal, or the guy who keeps getting deliveries of anvils, catapults and batman suits at work.
Tough call.
Plz_Dont_Gild_Me ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:47:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That reminds me of the time we had to make business cards in high school, and I made myself business cards with the title "Business Card Carrier"
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:59:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Any chance you're from the Pacific Northwest? I really think you may have interviewed my old roommate.
goldspike888 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:26:07 on October 10, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
DC/Baltimore area. There seems to be lots of self proclaimed geniuses out there. I've hired lots of geniuses but they didn't know it. They have the modesty to go along with it. I still know some of them as friends. Some were arrested at a fairly young age for what i'll call juvenile hacking and have gone on to be extremely successful on the protection side of cyber security.
Punchclops ยท 120 points ยท Posted at 00:05:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I spent a few painful months working as an IT Recruiter (please don't hate me) and found a guy who seemed perfect for a role that required a highly experienced Linux engineer.
Being non-technical myself I checked him out for general cultural fit and work ethic and he seemed fine so I sent him off for the technical interview with the client.
He was rejected for saying he would only work 35 hours a week because he considered any more than that was oppressive!
This is in Australia where a minimum 40 hour week is pretty much standard for any IT role I've ever seen.
Lesson learned. Check if potential candidates are idiots before sending them to clients.
BeardsuptheWazoo ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 03:14:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Alright, mate, and now we move onto a non-traditional question, so sorry for asking, but... arrre you an idiot?
....
Punchclops ยท 31 points ยท Posted at 03:49:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Err...yes.
I mean no! Damn it, I always get that one wrong.
semitones ยท 20 points ยท Posted at 03:23:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wish it were acceptable to work for fewer hours. It really is oppressive when you think about it. Especially since working more hours doesn't necessarily make you more productive.
Aroha11 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:52:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree, it only encourages empty presenteeism.
TheCloned ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 06:29:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Everyone does, but we also expect people to put in the same amount of work as the rest of us.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 10:20:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We need to stop measuring effort/amount of work in hours. What are the stats for amount of time spent gaming/watching porn at work? No one is putting out 40 hours worth of productivity
DisWastingMyTime ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 07:55:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
40 hours is 8 hours for 5 days, or 10 in 4? If you want more free time than this then you should find a different job that you enjoy more...
Tefmon ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 04:40:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, he wasn't wrong about modern working hours being bullshit. That's still not the kind of thing to say in an interview, though.
Nikerym ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 03:52:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
40 hours minimum is not 100% true, most QLD government jobs (i'm in an IT one currently) are only 36.5 hours a week. 9-5 with 45 mins for lunch.
That being said.... I know no one who works those hours in IT, most people put in 45+ even if not being paid for the extra, then most people will respond to emails at all hours of the night/morning, so if you take that into account they work even longer.
Sezhe ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:54:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
38 a week here, no after hours unless something is on fire.
Used to have a work phone and do the whole after hours email/call shit, then HQ decided I didn't need a phone. I didn't argue!
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:41:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
huggiesdsc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:41:01 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
closes folder Thank you for your time, we'll let you know.
IWantAnAffliction ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 08:44:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Having a view that opposes industry standards doesn't make you an idiot, and I would wager that a highly experienced Linux engineer is probably smarter than a recruiter.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:19:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fucking. Yes!
adanine ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 14:59:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He's still dumb for applying for the job in the first place. It would have been advertised as a full time gig, which means 40 hours. If he really expected to only work 35 hours a week while still being payed the 40 hours worth of work then that's just him being silly.
If full time employment isn't for you, then hey, more power to you. Just don't waste other peoples time.
IWantAnAffliction ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:34:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't see how full-time necessarily dictates a 40-hour week.
If you are good at what you do, there is usually room for negotiation, especially in something such as IT.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:19:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why wouldn't he apply? He may have been more qualified than the other candidates. Smart hiring managers might be willing to make the tradeoff.
cuntRatDickTree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:23:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he's good enough he'll get a position somewhere else with less hours and a higher salary. You have no clue what's involved in the job. A good Linux sysadmin is absolutely essential for their skills, not their time. That said, everywhere I've worked has infinite to get done and everybody has been constantly productive because we were always growing the company. But if you're working on a system that's already out there and not creating new products, there is limited time you can possibly spend productively. I've suggested between 10 and 20 hours for sysadmins usually, but you gotta pretend it's 40 because the government are morons.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:13:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly tech jobs should be closer to 30 hours than 40. Many people have issues concentrating on brain intensive tasks for over 5-6 hours a day. Those last couple of hours are basically worthless. So while he was an idiot for the way he communicated it, he probably wasn't incorrect in his logic.
[deleted] ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 04:45:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Full time is 35-38 hours a week in Australia. You know that.
If I were him and had his qualifications, I'd tell you to go fuck yourself too. Glad he dodged a bullet by not working for you.
Punchclops ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 05:37:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
35 - 38 hours may be standard for full time permanent employment, but this was for an IT contractor role where the standard is very much 40 hours a week minimum - as anyone who's worked in the IT contracting field would know, even if they are a Linux expert.
glenm80 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:32:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I sign a contract for 38 hours I work 38 hours unless its an emergency then I'll work until its fixed, even then I'll take time off in lieu. I finished a contact early last year because they wanted to pay me for 8 hours work and actually get 9-10 hours work a day. Most people in IT are brainwashed into this "have to work lots of unpaid hours". I've been a programmer for more than 35 years and worked for 40 plus organisations and only two of them have taken exception to my work ethic, needless to say I didn't work for those two for very long.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:12:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd really love to be able to work a 4 day week, as I have other responsibilities that a 5 day working week makes really difficult. Those being study and family.
It's more likely that his attitude of "that's oppressive" is what lost him the opportunity.
I'd really love to find a good IT recruiter in Melbourne. All the ones I've spoken to are quite lacklustre.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:15:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewers seem to forget often that interviewing is a two-way street.
Even if the standard was 40 hours a week, the guy has every right in the world to seek a job where he is only required to work 35. If he was desperate for a job, he wouldn't insist up front that he only work 35 hours.
"He was rejected". Sounds more like he rejected you. Not caving in to something he doesn't want or need doesn't make him an "idiot".
Punchclops ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:44:48 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There are better ways to go about it though.
If he was interested in the job he could have just asked about the working hours and potential for non standard arrangements. The company was fairly desperate for staff at this point so he would have stood a pretty good chance of being able to negotiate something to his requirements instead of just throwing any chance away.
If he didn't want the job he could have just said "Thanks, but it's not quite the role I'm looking for."
I've done this myself on a number of occasions.
ThinkingCrap ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:10:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is something you need to ask upfront. I totally do that too sometimes but it's the first thing I'd ask "Are you guys fine with part time roles?"...or in that case if they'd be happy with 35h....40h work week is kinda oppressive really :D ...and tbh if you pretend to work 5h per week more browsing reddit or actually not being in the office doesn't make a difference anyway ;P
superflippy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:07:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hey, a friend of mine is an IT recruiter, and she found me the job I have now, which I'm happy with. But I know that if it should ever go south, she's got my back & will help me find something equally as good. No hate for recruiters here. There are good and bad ones, just like any other profession.
dduct ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:29:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was he French?
mariner289 ยท 17 points ยท Posted at 14:48:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Applicant shows up late, smelling like beer and has on a t shirt with a giant pot leaf that says, "Will Work for Weed". I knew he didn't want an offer so he could continue to collect unemployment, so I refused to sign his unemployment card and and offered him a job. He never showed and i called the unemployment office to make sure they knew what he was up to.
King_Whistle ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:59:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You the real hero!
beckymegan ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 03:02:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My newest co-worker opened up his interview with a rape joke but he got the job so I guess we must be desperate.
samlir ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:54:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what field?
beckymegan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:30:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Random minimum wage job.
TheLovelyLadsGroupie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:35:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Rapes 'R Us
HITLER_SEX_PARTY ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:53:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a bandleader, have hired and fired countless 'musicians'. A few months ago, a guy showed up for a guitar spot. He couldn't figure out how to turn on the supplied amp, he said he had a jazz background but played very standard rock licks, he constantly complained that we weren't 'playing the songs right' (we were a very well-rehearsed 6-piece band), complained one song 'wasn't funky', kept backing into my personal space (it's a huge room)...after four songs I said "you have to go". He looked shocked.."am I fired already?" Yes, you are. Auditions are for playing and keeping your mouth shut.
twlscil ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 05:24:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bullshitting during a technical interview. Say you don't know and move on, I know you don't know but evading and bullshitting are 100x worse than ignorance.
throw_bundy ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 06:45:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bad grammar or spelling often causes your application/resume to go to the bottom of the pile. I've had some spectacularly bad resumes that I still have stuck to my filing cabinet, the applicants were never called.
Dr-NguyenVanPhuoc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:26:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
is it common to not call applicants? i think it's incredible rude to not inform an applicant of his rejection
throw_bundy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:24:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the application volume. It is common when the resume lacks basic elements. One of my peers phrased it best in saying: "If they spent the time to accurately apply or include all requisite details in their resume, I will spend the time to reject them personally, and tell them why... If they didn't put forth the effort or time, I'm not wasting my time telling them that they're stupid."
Dr-NguyenVanPhuoc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:51:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
that sounds kinda reasonable. i spent days working on my resume, made a professional looking cv, went to a professional photograph and paid quite a few bucks on material for each application. a few companies didn't write a rejection letter/email, one big company (popular car manufacturer) didn't bother contacting me after i called them a few months after sending my application to ask when to expect an answer (about 2-3 months after i have sent them an application for an apprenticeship, was qualified and met all their requirements). i understand if you don't want to send everyone a personal letter but is it too much to send a standardized rejection email so i know it's not gonna happen and continue writing more applications?
throw_bundy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:19:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That amount of effort shows, I would likely call and tell you why you weren't being hired, if you were not being hired that is.
The applications that I'm talking about are more along the lines of: barely more than writing your name on a paper in crayon with a happy face, not conjugating verbs at all, not listing any job history, ignoring education information all together, etc.
Not that education is hugely important, I'd prefer experience to a college degree. But, leaving it out entirely is just a waste of both of our time. Oh, and diploma mills get nowhere with me. For example I get a ton of resumes listing the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. I am yet to have a decent intern, much less employee, with that place listed on their resume. I'm sure good people have gone through their program, but the program doesn't produce good people in my experience.
mattmu13 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 11:26:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a guy come in for a programming interview. He knew all the buzz words, answered all the questions really well and was listed as working in the field for several years.
Once the verbal part had finished I asked him to compete a simple javascript for loop to last a bunch of numbers without using Google to find the answer.
I left him for about 10 minutes expecting him to call me and say he'd done it (it should take no longer than 4 minutes for a basic coder).
I came back and he'd done nothing. I asked if everything was ok and he told me he'd forgotten how to write a for loop.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:26:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This happened to me once. I forget what it was (something basic, like a method for a C++ class) and my brain just up and froze. It was something I've written hundreds of times. Right after the interview I wrote the damn thing in a second. I was so mad at my brain.
mattmu13 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:48:36 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have it happen sometimes with odd functions, but for it to happen in a job interview is really bad
sinestrostaint ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:47:39 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sometimes that happens if youve been working on a lot of other languages and havent used one in a while. The syntax for a javascript for loop isn't as straightforward as some other languages. It'd be easy to forget if you had to put a semi colon or comma, or even that the parameters are all in one bracket.
mattmu13 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:53:52 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was applying for a web developer position and told me his main language was PHP during the interview, so it should have been fairly straightforward. I myself have gone blank sometimes and wondered why something didn't work only to find it was a semicolon or a comma.
The problem is he had written nothing, not even tried it, and I only told him not to Google because you could find the answer to the function I was asking him to write pretty easily. He could of looked at the page source as there were for loops in the back of it or even tried it and asked for help but he just sat there for 10 minutes and said he'd forgotten. I know we all forget sometimes but it's particularly bad when you're in a job interview and there are other candidates you're competing with.
Asl687 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:06:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Once got a cv from a programmer with a list of games he had written on it.. One of which was programmed by myself many years earlier.. The other directors of the company would let me bring in in for interview..
Mysecretpassphrase ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 12:09:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Little late to the show, but the absolute dumbest thing I ever saw an applicant do was to tell me that "I'll have your job in a year." I thought to myself "no you won't"
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:22:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The guy I replaced at my current job said that to my boss.
iancon-artist ยท 26 points ยท Posted at 03:15:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not me but my boss. Young looking Mexican guy walks in for an interview for a sales position, the first thing I noticed was that he had a shirt with a bare breasted woman on it...not a good outfit to wear to an interview... The second thing that I noticed was that he could barely string together complete sentences without saying "uhhh...fuck man" in between words. Also, he didn't take any of the questions seriously and would chuckle before answering.
The interview lasted 10 minutes. He didn't get the job.
mbz321 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:06:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was it Cheech or Chong?
GravitationalConstnt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:12:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
| the first thing I noticed was that he had a shirt with a bare breasted woman on it...not a good outfit to wear to an interview..
I saw one of those at the gym the other day. I really don't think those are appropriate anywhere..
dachjaw ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:10:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
And the point of him being Mexican is ... ?
iaccidentallyawesome ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:32:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You're getting downvoted but this is a fair question. It's not like he answered in Spanish or anything.
microseconds ยท 77 points ยท Posted at 23:35:05 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The guy who had all manner of Unix experience all over his resume. Taking a cue from that, I asked him what his preferred editor and shell were.
He informed me that he prefers Notepad, and would FTP files off and back,to the system, editing in Notepad. As for the shell question? I'll never forget how he put it (quite smugly even)... "I don't work in a shell, I prefer to work directly in the system."
Great, we've got a guy who can't use vi or emacs, and just pipes a series of 0's and 1's into /dev/kmem. We should totally get this guy. /s
There's also a series of guys who have put CCIE on their resume, but no number. When asked for their CCIE number so I can verify them in the tool on Cisco's site, it invariably comes out. They never took or failed the lab and have only passed the written exam.
WhiteShadow0909 ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 01:26:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have absolutely no knowledge of this area... what is a shell?
Also, can you explain this sentance?
Stormgeddon ยท 32 points ยท Posted at 02:18:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Are you on Windows? Hit the Windows key and run "Command Prompt". That's a shell. It's basically just a command interpreter for a computer.
vi and emacs are text editors on UNIX systems. Saying that he likes to work directly with the system means that he would be literally typing binary into the computer.
WhiteShadow0909 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 02:30:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ok, thank you :)
Now even I can laugh at this guy's idiocy!
LaughingJackass ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:18:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
More to that: the vi editor is different from Notepad, you basically use the H,L keys to go left-right, j-k keys to go down-up, dd to delete a line, yy to copy a line and so on. I lose my shit when I see Unix programmers not being fluent in vi and for good reason - when an urgent problem comes in at 5PM on a Fri, I want a keyboard wizard to handle it, not a hunt-and-peck typist.
bobthemundane ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:06:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Naive question. I mostly work in vim. That really is my go to editor. Most people I talk with either talk about vi or emacs. Would I be looked at oddly for using vim instead of vi? Or as long as I am confident and competent in vim it should be ok?
elmonstro12345 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:54:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't know what sort of work these people are in, but every job I've worked at no one gave a shit what editor you used as long as you knew what you were doing and could do what was needed when it was needed.
Fuck, I know people who use log in with putty from Windows and then use gedit (with xming)... In the real world no one gives a shit as long as you get your shit done. Don't sweat it, no one will care. If they do, you probably should not work there.
LaughingJackass ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:36:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Holy cow, you're a boss if you working in vim. I guess most seasoned vi-ers are already moving to vim.
POGtastic ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:33:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When people say "vi," they mean "vim." Vim is vi's direct successor, and has been around since 1991.
improbable_humanoid ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:07:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If he could actually do that, he would have to a savant or something, right?
JackFlynt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:34:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Now I want to learn how to code in binary... What have you done!?!?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:06:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
emacs is the one true editor.
Stormgeddon ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 03:12:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Die heathen scum! Only the enlightened race of vi users are welcome here!
legacymedia92 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 03:37:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nano uses here, don't kill me!
1391453181620 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:19:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fear not, comdrade! For when the Vivians and the Emacolytes have mutually destroyed each other we shall crown Nano as the one true Editor! Those who remained faithful shall be rewarded! Sinners will face the ultimate punishment: writing PHP with Notepad! Repent, sinners! Repent!
legacymedia92 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 04:30:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually I'm putting time into learning vi, but I can use nano without a sheet of paper beside me.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:51:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I'm vim user that uses arrow keys. You couldn't do it in original vi because back then these keys do not exist but these times ended. Probably before I was born.
Can I hang out with you guys? I don't want to deal with hjkl-ers because they want to lynch me as well.
ChagataiChinua ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:33:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Anyone remotely serious about emacs eschews the arrow keys as well. C-n C-p C-b C-f, M-b M-f by word, C-M-a C-M-e beginning/end of defun etc, this isn't a bad intro.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:25:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Saint Stallman begs to differ.
Even then, emacs does everything vi does, but better, and it doesn't matter anymore that it's heavier since we have so much more overhead than before.
Plus, emacs is open software.
Let us pray.
Join us now and share the software...
TheRealVilladelfia ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:32:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, it's missing a decent editor for one...
Ducab666 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:55:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You spelled "VI" wrong. Hahaha, emacs is pretty good too, though.
pbfy0 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 02:26:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A shell is a basically a command prompt in Linux. There are several different shells that exist and all do basically the same thing. In the second sentence,
viandemacsare command line linux text editors./dev/kmemis the device for kernel memory. Theoretically, you could use a system by editing data in memory directly ("I prefer to work directly in the system"), although it would be extremely impractical.WhiteShadow0909 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:31:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks a lot!
cfreak2399 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 02:48:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The shell is how you work directly with a Unix or Linux system.
OPs other comment is sarcasm. If they weren't using the shell they'd directly manipulate the system memory.
WhiteShadow0909 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:08:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I understood that it was sarcasm... I just didn't know why it was so retarded, but thank you.
semitones ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:38:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A shell is a command-line interface that lets you interact directly with the computer -- kind of like DOS. You tell the computer what to do with a written command, and it tells you the result of your command.
Vi and Emacs are powerful text editors you can run from a shell, often used for programming. Their learning curves are fairly steep, so programmers tend to specialize in and prefer one over the other.
If you don't use a text editor to program, maybe you're (unrealistically) programming in binary by writing your program as 0s and 1s directly into the system's memory, which has the location '/dev/kmem/' in unix.
cschlue ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:50:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This explains what a shell is pretty well.
WhiteShadow0909 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:09:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
Justmetalking ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:35:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought he was speaking in tongues.
strangeelement ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:31:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
DOS is an example of a shell. It's pretty much the most direct access to most OSes, where you type in commands (that you have to learn about, there's no menu and the available help requires you to know what you're looking for).
It's the best way to interact with most operating systems when you need to work under the hood. Harder, but more freedom. You have to know this stuff to be efficient, especially with any Unix or Linux systems.
vi and emacs are text editors integrated in the shell (type in the command, they open up and you can create/edit files).
Piping is a way to chain commands (which are basically programs) in a shell. Basically you can pipe (pass around) data (a file, keyboard, network, etc.) between programs in sequence. So you can enter a command, then pass the output to another command. A good example in the shell is to type the command to list files in the directory (ls), then pipe/pass around the output (a list of the files as text data) into a command that orders them by file size (or whatever), which could then be sent into a file, or passed to a command that sends an email.
WhiteShadow0909 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:35:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So, going by your definition of a shell, I was in fact using a shell a few days ago when I had to run a "chkdsk" command on my step-mother's laptop from the command prompt?
strangeelement ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 02:38:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup! Command prompt is pretty much another name for shell. Kinda. Close enough anyway.
orbitaldan ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:21:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not all shells are text-based. Windows explorer (explorer.exe) is also a shell, it's just a graphical one. It's not the only graphical shell available for Windows, either.
truckbot101 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:56:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I only have basic knowledge in this area, but from what I know (and microseconds or anyone else, feel free to correct me):
A shell refers to the command prompt or the terminal window. If you use Windows, it's that black box that you open up that begins with: C:\
vi and emacs refer to a text editor (like Microsoft Notepad) that allows you to create, read, and edit files. These text editors are a bit different from text editors like Microsoft Notepad though, in that you can use them from within the shell.
People give commands to the computer through written code (it looks like some sort of pseudo-english), that the computer then translates into binary code (it looks like 0's and 1's) for itself to understand and carry out. I haven't heard of anyone who codes directly in binary as it is quite difficult. The guy interviewing might have been bluffing, or if he wasn't, his inability to use text editors within the shell probably limits his capacity to do work.
WhiteShadow0909 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:12:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't realise a shell and a console window were essentially the same thing, so thanks for clearing that up.
Also, assuming I understand correctly... even if the guy knew how to code in binary, wouldn't that still take a stupidly long time?
truckbot101 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:23:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh, good point - I didn't think about that part. Yes, it would.
Tefmon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:40:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:57:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
All cool kids use blue color now, which is default for Poweshell.
truckbot101 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:10:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not cool enough at the moment :(
Just started learning UNIX and all - sad to say, a few weeks ago, I didn't even know what a shell was either!
icomeau ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 02:45:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Of all my years with Linux, sadly i'm only comfortable with nano.
legacymedia92 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 03:38:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Can you do your job in it? if so, what's the issue? (I still need to learn vi myself)
ThinkingCrap ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You always need to learn vi. You'll never get at the point were you can say "I know vi!". If you do say it you are lying :P
cuntRatDickTree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:31:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Probably not true. You could scour the source for a few months, then you might be able to know vi and not be lying :D
cschlue ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:47:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just out of curiousity, what would your reaction have been if he used only nano and bash? I've used VI, and haven't really played with emacs too much but they've always felt a little overkill for what I've worked on. I haven't had a lot of exposure to other shells, should I be exploring other options? Bash seems pretty universal.
microseconds ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 02:51:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm fine and happy with bash. That's my shell too, and there's really nothing "pedestrian" about it. But if you claim to be a Unix guy and can only use nano, I'd question what you've been doing all this time. So many tasks you'd actually want to do are a 5-second effort on vi or emacs, but just can't be done in nano.
cschlue ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:03:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wouldn't claim to be a unix administrator outside of lamp stacks and simple scripts. If it's not to much to ask, could you give an example of something that would be more appropriate for VI or emacs? I usually only edit c++ or php scripts in nano and have had plenty of programming friends use vi or emacs but usually they're using them to do the same quick edits I am.
cuntRatDickTree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:32:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
IMHO he's being unecessarily elitist.
If you are doing hefty edits, use sublime or something ffs. There's no text editing that "just can't be done in nano" :/
But it might be a macro that's quick in the command line with Vim or Emacs. I'd probably make a python script for that. Maybe I'm just too lazy to spend a little bit learning Vim/Emacs but all the user's I've met IRL are charlatans - they put effort into Vim/Emacs specifically to lord it over other people but they don't have a clue what to do when something on a system starts bugging out etc. (and I have to go around fixing their vulns but that's another story).
youssarian ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:38:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There seems to be a huge rivalry between vim and emacs, but what about us pico users? For some reason I've always used pico.
And truth be told I do generally prefer Notepad or Notepad++ over most IDEs. Not only are they slow to load on my laptop, they try too damn hard to help. If I want a parenthesis, I'll type a parenthesis! And stop saying that perfectly fine line of code is an error! Fine I clicked on it, and oh suddenly it's not an error anymore?!
I'm a grumpy programmer. I like programming, but sometimes the tools we're given try too hard.
microseconds ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:46:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Pico, IMHO, is the DOS edit of the *nix world. There's a learning curve to vi or better, vim, but once you can do that, there's enormous power there. You can be productive at a basic level in vim in minutes.
For example, I don't know of a way to fix a text file that has DOS CR/LF line endings in there (endings that look like ^M).
In vim, that's a quick command. By the time you've done it 2 or 3 times, it's forever burned in your memory:
:%s/ctrl+v ctrl+m$//g
On screen it looks like :%s/^M$//g
That says, take the current text buffer, search for ^M, anchored at the end of line (the $), replace with nothing, and do it globally within the buffer. The only real mojo there is the regular expression, which isn't unique to vim. If you've got any programming history, you should already know and understand regex.
As for emacs, many love it, I hate it. I find it to be an exercise in finger-breaking keystrokes.
microseconds ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:49:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pico and nano are like the DOS edit of the *nix world. Could be worse, you could be using a line editor like ed (think old DOS edlin). For anyone writing any volume code, I can't fathom how you would want to chuck your computer out the nearest window if you used pico or nano.
Agent_Orange7 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:48:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have a feeling this post would be a lot more funny to me if I know what half of it meant...
noslipcondition ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:15:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is CCIE the one where if you pass, Cisco will pretty much hire you on the spot?
microseconds ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:03:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
While common folklore, no.
jones102 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:27:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
From a non-computer specialist, I have no idea what all those abbreviations mean.
microseconds ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:37:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Which is absolutely fair, in your case. But, you get the idea. It would be like putting "surgeon" on your resume, while you have no idea how to hold a scalpel.
Nez_dev ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:46:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The only correct answer to that question is VIM and BASH. When getting my degree in Network Administration we specialized in Linux or Microsoft and I did Linux first (ended up doing both) and our entire class we were not allowed to use a GUI and our only editor was VIM. We had to learn how to script everything from kickstart files and user/group management to writing our own packet sniffers using top. This made going into the Microsoft classes super easy because I could just do everything in PowerShell.
cuntRatDickTree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:30:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pfffff, I can only use nano :P
FTPing (presumably sFTP I hope) stuff over to edit in sublime is fine, but notepad?
Turtledonuts ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 23:26:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
CCIE?
skilliard4 ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 08:12:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Reading this thread, I honestly believe most of these people are those that intentionally bomb interviews so they can collect welfare without working.
MissAnthropy1982 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:33:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
and unemployment. You got it.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:31:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Yep.
I had a guy straight up tell me that's what he was doing. In the interview he said "fuck" a lot, and when it was over he apologized and told me that he'd be a terrible employee and I should, by no means, hire him. Heh.
Fagsquamntch ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 05:47:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This thread makes me feel like an interviewee god.
iaccidentallyawesome ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:40:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Me too! I got a "we can't hire you" call this morning and still, I feel very good about myself now thanks to this thread.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:53:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At least they fucking told you
smokin3kgt ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 05:08:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had someone apply for a CDL driving position that came in smelling like booze wearing a tank top, shorts, and flip flops. He also wore the same clothes and still smelt like booze a couple day later when he came back to check on the status of his application.
babysharkdudududu ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:13:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Rescheduled five minutes after his interview should have started. Called fifteen minutes after his rescheduled interview should have started to ask where to park (office is in the city). We did him the courtesy of letting him into the building when he showed up half an hour late. Our manager let him know he could go home when he finally got in, sat down with him, didn't offer an apology for wasting our time, and immediately asked if he could work part time.
PurpleWurple ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:42:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
External applicant. Asked if he would be working directly with me, I told him no. Then he asked if he would be working with "any other women". (I'm a woman) When I asked him why, he said he was going through a divorce at the moment and didn't get on with women any more.
BroccoBaba ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 11:55:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
wrote in application she knew Java, PhotoShop, and some other programs. Asked her what she could do in PhotoShop. She couldn't really answer. Asked her what she meant by Java. She couldn't really answer. I asked: Do you mean you know how to use the Java updater? She then said yes... immediately told her interview was over and she wouldn't get the job.
catfroman ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:31:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What job would you be mentioning Java and PhotoShop for? I guess UI Design at a small company where there's overlap..? Seems like two separate skillsets.
BroccoBaba ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:42:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
management consultant. Those skills weren't important at all for the job. But people always fill out IT skills, and so I used it to test if she was honest in her CV - or had inflated it / straight up lied.
catfroman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:06:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Gotcha. Blows my mind that people put stuff on there that they can't back up.
BeerDrinkinGreg ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:35:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I fucked up a job interview. I'm a tradesman, so we usually don't have those. I had 2 coffees on the drive over, because it was pretty early and I was tired. Had to wait 20 minutes after I arrived, and halfway through, the coffee kicked in, and I cut a fart that echoed.
To_Err_Is_You_Man ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:47:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Coworker and I were interviewing a candidate for a software developer position. My coworker asked the young man what he liked best about computer science.
His answer: "I hate computers". My coworker and I sat in stunned silence for a moment. My coworker asked him if we should even continue the interview. His response: " well, I can work with them, I just don't like them."
Maybe time to reevaluate ones career choice.
EngineerDave ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:50:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In Engineering the biggest thing is, don't put something on your resume that you know absolutely nothing about down as a skill set. Just because your old job had you install AutoCAD so you can look at drawings, but you never actually drafted any designs, corrections or processed redlines is a big flag. I had a guy come in like that.
His resume looked perfect for our position we were trying to fill out, he had a previous Co-op with AutoCAD experience, industrial controls experience, panel build experience, experience with the proper equipment and brand, plus had willing to travel. In fact before all the interviewers started coming in, I had reviewed all those resumes for a few hours before hand and he had a little start in the corner as a prefered.
He comes in, nice suit, decent handshake, eye contact, asked the right questions. It was great. So now we get down to him, and his skill sets. Just a small conversation about each skill set. "Oh yes I've got experience with CAD. I was the field Engineer when the panels were being designed so it was something I used near daily." So then we move on to the next skill set and he pretty much says the same rehearsed line about some equipment, and then other software packages and finally actual design questions which start to set off red flags. We go back and then start to ask specifics and he just completely starts to break down eventually telling us he didn't use nearly anything other than MS Office that he listed at any real level to be considered a skill. the vast majority of the exposure the guy had was that he had the stuff installed on the computer as part of his company supplied laptop kit. The guy didn't even really want to travel which is a huge nope since 25-50% of the time you'll be on the road at this position. Dude was completely full of shit and seemed to have custom tailored his resume to what we would have wanted rather than what he was actually capable and willing to do. He even went as far to admit that he wasted his Co-op, being regulated to nothing more than a guy who prints out drawings and watches electricians run wires... without actually learning what even the electricians were doing because "Well I was the Engineer, why would I need to learn that stuff?"
After the interview we do a walk through of the building to show off the lab and the gym and a few other things and I use the time normally to get a feel for the personality in a non-interview setting, as we are walking through the gym area he asked me what his shot was at the job and I told him It's probably not great, which he followed with a relieved sigh and said "Good, cause that bit about the drug policy earlier was making me nervous." "... Alright chef thanks for coming in, we can just take this door here to get to the parking lot..."
Yeah he was talked about for a few days.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 18:25:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
drunkzombie420 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:34:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i bet her name was ho lee fuk
[deleted] ยท 37 points ยท Posted at 05:41:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A young woman stated on her CV that she is genderfluid. I had no idea what this even was at that point. When she came in for the interview I greeted her with Mrs. XY. I was scolded for not realizing she feels like a man today and addressing her with Mr. Instead.
Of course she didn't get the job. Trolled herself, I guess.
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 17:31:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man i bet some nasty stuff was said about you on her blog.
massdebate159 ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 13:40:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What a ridiculous person. She's clearly lived her life on Tumblr. Why would you even put that on your CV?
skilliard4 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 07:58:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You should be careful with admitting that, you could technically be sued for discrimination in that case.
With that said, its never a good idea to put personal things like that on a CV/Resume...
[deleted] ยท 22 points ยท Posted at 09:06:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I dont think anyone could sue because of that. Genderfluid is like otherkin, if you show up to an interview claiming to be an alien you cant blame the company for discriminating against your stupid opinion. You just dont fit in there, especially when you are supposed to work with customers who are going to be berated because they used the wrong pronoun.
There is transgenderism but there is no feeling like a boy today and like a woman tomorrow genderfluid shit. Transgender is not a choice like gender studies or other shit science wants you to believe. These people suffer from being born into the wrong body. If some hipster shows up claiming that he chooses to be a girl today because genders are made up anyway, that is like a fundamental christian telling a homosexual that he can choose or pray away his sexuality.
These made up genders just exist so someone can feel extra oppressed and play the victim card.
rikjames90 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:20:34 on October 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
yeah its like, hey I feel like a girl today so I guess I'm going to use the ladies bathroom. hey you girls gotta extra tampon
sinestrostaint ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:11:47 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That happened. It's much more likely that a reactionary redditor is making shit up. He talks about his hatred for those kinds of "tumblr" people in his other posts. There's very few people like that in real life, and very few people in that group who would push their views in an interview. Is it more likely that this happened, or is it just some weird comeuppance fantasy that only happened in this redditor's head?
RedTheWolf ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:26:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What's weird is that this crazy person was married! Usually people who are overly into their Tumblr genders tend to also eschew traditional relationship stuff like that.
enigmo666 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 08:52:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'll give you two, from different sides of the coin:
I sit on a fair amount of interview panels. I work in tech, and as one of the dwindling minority of geeks without a major social problem, I get wheeled out to speak to these potential recruits. One that sticks in my mind was the humanoid object that somehow managed to get an interview having obviously copied and pasted everything on his CV, and I mean everything but his name. After the usual 5mins complaining between ourselves about HR being populated by idiots, my colleague and I then spent the next 25mins with what I can only describe as a grinning idiot. Never broke his smile, not for a second, but similarly couldn't put together a correct answer to save his life, and usually bordered on incoherent! No knowledge of support, or infrastructure. No experience of networking or security. Basically if he'd been some sort of savant I could have let things slide, but absolutely everything on his CV was not only stolen, but also a lie. He could also not produce the certs he claimed to have, or demonstrate knowledge of the course contents needed to get them. He left the room, still grinning, and I just laughed at my colleague when he said he liked him and wanted to offer him one of the positions. I pointed out that as one of the positions was in my team, not his, then he wouldn't have to work with him, but I might. HR needed numbers to fill, so he was offered the job, took it, and started in my team. I left shortly after. Not strictly because of that, but that's just one example of the idiocy where I used to work.
Second one was from the other side of the table. Technical interview being carried out by three people; one engineer, one manager, one senior manager. Basically, the engineer was OK, asking relevant questions and generally was pleasant and I liked him. The manager made it clear that he wasn't interested, not because I wasn't capable of the job, but because I wasn't his friend already in the company who was after the job as a promotion, and the senior manager spent half his time answering mails/texts, and then answered his phone! At that point I called a halt, stood up, and told them not to bother calling me back. That if I had behaved in an interview as they have, then I'd expect to not get the job, so by that standard they don't deserve me, or anyone else, as a candidate, let alone an employee. On the way out I spoke to another candidate I'd been talking to before hand and just told him to watch them carefully as they were generally not professional. I ran into him a few months later, and he said he lasted less than 5mins in the interview before deciding it was a waste of time and leaving.
vankirk ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 04:28:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy actually tell me in an interview that he was going to have to miss a lot of work because his wife was disabled. I felt bad for him, but dude, wait till after you get hired. I can't deny FMLA. Good candidate, too.
XAmsterdamX ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 07:23:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wasn't responsible at the time, but I've seen a couple of candidates be unfriendly (normally not rude, but dismissive) to our receptionist. My manager always asked her for her opinion, and weighed it quite highly.
techsupportgal ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 08:41:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As you should.
I judge people bigtime on how they treat other people, especially retail folks or people that would not be in a position of power over them.
My mom tossed more than one resume in the trash over the years because of how the interviewee treated her secretary while she was finishing setup for their interview.
Queen_of_Nuggets ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:01:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
My mum used to do this! She would meet with the candidates first, explain that the interviewing manager had been slightly delayed, get them a tea and have a little chat with them about their journey etc etc.
She would then go and report back to the interviewing manager about how they were. Some people failed there and then by being rude to my mum!
Tip: Assume the interview starts from the minute you step in through the door. Be your best for everyone you meet!
schoolnerd51 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:15:56 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is such good advice. I hitched it off with the secretary at my job interview today. Lovely gal who helped me feel at ease. Turns out she is the one who helps with training and orientation! Needless to say I now have a new job.
likethatwhenigothere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:30:45 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I never understand this. Receptionists are the best. From my experience, they are usually some of the nicest, most fun people in the company. Which isn't really surprising when they are the first person anyone is going to meet when they arrive at the office.
dc2224 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 03:31:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Know the company/person you're applying to work with. It amazes me how many people miss this
Kfloro ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:41:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Mid-question, the applicant took his phone out of his pocket and started texting.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:16:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow! Who brings their phone to an interview!? Mine stays hidden and locked in my car and anything I need to remember gets written in my folio I bring with me.
kangruiqiu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:18:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did he take a selfie as he was escorted out?
Ridiculousgoodlookn ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:51:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had a person walk in and ask for a 18-wheeler truck driving position at my medical office. He just wanted me to sign what I presumed to be unemployment papers. I said I wouldn't since there was no ad or sign up saying we had positions to fill.
spdk187 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:48:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I had a guy finish what should have been a 30-45 minute interview in about 7 mins because he answered "yes" and "no" (or other far too brief responses) to almost every question. He was really talented, so it made me almost angry since I had to try to "help" with leading questions.
Edit: realized I used commas in a weird manner.
MusicMercenaryX ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:59:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have an interview today. I will be relentlessly scouring this thread for any detail that i might fuck up
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:04:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hope it goes well!
massdebate159 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:21:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good luck! Everything you read here, don't do any of this stuff...
xXSHAD0WQUEENXx ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:17:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You seem to be doing the right thing. All I can say is that at least you are trying to make sure you have ideas on what not to say. Good luck and i hope you get the job!
Johnnyhiveisalive ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:14:27 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hope it went well mate.
MusicMercenaryX ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 00:26:12 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It did! I got the job!
Johnnyhiveisalive ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:11:20 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sweet! Well done buddy. :-)
Kilbim ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:52:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How do you build your resume and get invited to interviews if you want to switch field?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:13:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Kilbim ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:25:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How much is learning on your own worth? I always assumed it's worth nothing, with most people bullshitting around.. Everybody has been ceo or some shit on their resume, if you want to stay true to yourself and not boost your CV to the point of bullshitting it's hard out there..
norf9 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:30:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, I think it depends on the field. For something like programming I would consider working on your own time on something like an open source project the same as job experience.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:32:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Kilbim ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:33:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What about getting into management in general?
jmeaden ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:59:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy asks how long the interview will be because his friends are waiting in the car park and they're driving to the snow straight after the interview and they want to beat the traffic.
15 minutes later he answers his phone when it rings and says "I think it's wrapping soon - just wait for me".
Slomin ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:00:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've witnessed an applicant 'fuck up' before the interview had initiated. The man reversed his car into one of our director's motorbikes and spent the entirety of his time in the waiting room complaining about the width of the parking spaces and the quality of the coffee our receptionist had offered him. To add fuel to the fire, he was applying for quite an important and highly paid position (ยฃ67,500+ P/A) but arrived wearing a Doctor Who tie and matching belt.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 12:43:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Asked a canidate about hit employment gap, says he was in prison for stealing and selling drugs which he was "bullshit, cause if I was selling drugs than I wouldn't need to steal nothing."
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:23:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh I have an employment gap. I worked overseas then came home and lived off my savings while finishing college.
What do businesses see though? Employment gap.
1600lbs ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:12:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, I mean, he isn't necessarily wrong.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:14:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
True, but I wasn't sure if he was saying he was a thief or a drug dealer....
TheLovelyLadsGroupie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:43:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Flawless logic.
ryanknapper ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:45:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed a woman who had "fart learner" on her rรฉsumรฉ. Turns out she did not do impressions.
akanefive ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:19:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Let me guess: she was applying to a copy editor job?
redstarr01 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:37:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
An applicant at a store I worked at applied for a position as "night stalker".
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 12:56:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing for a receptionist position and I had an applicant come in with a completed application from a local grocery store. I asked her to fill out ours and she declined. Her reasoning was that the Albertson's application was very thorough and contained all the information I would need. It never occurred to her that part of any job is your ability and willingness to take instruction. Just totally blew it. Gave her a 5 minute courtesy interview and moved on to the stripper.
FeetSlashBirds ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:01:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a white dude working in China for an international company. Since the work requires you to communicate with co-workers all over the world all employees are required to speak English.
When interviewing recent, Chinese college grads the company always includes at least one native English speaker to do a normal interview in English. Prior to the interviews, the company uses a written test to weed out people who can't speak English but amazingly a lot of poor speakers still make it through.
I've had so many interviews where the Chinese guy/gal starts sweating bullets when they realize they won't be able to fall back to Mandarin if they get stuck on the English. It can get pretty cringy when they clearly can't communicate in English, it means the interview is over because I'm not gonna waste half an hour bullshitting with somebody in broken English.
Anyway, the worst instance of this was a girl who visibly recoiled when I walked into the room and then spit out, "Oh my god! I was not aware I was going to be interviewed by a lao..." and then she stopped herself from saying the semi-offensive Mandarin word for "foreigner." Instead she saved it by saying, "...interviewed by a... foreign friend."
At this point the girl was visibly nervous, sweating, stuttering and totally uncomfortable with the idea of doing the whole interview in English. After stumbling through a few questions her eyes started welling up and she just said, "I'm sorry, I need to go." She walked right out of the building and we never heard from her again.
I felt bad because nobody should needs to get stressed to the point of tears during a job interview.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:25:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
gingaflo ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 13:49:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i find it amazing that people haven't yet figured out how important it is to stay humble, and how far an apology can go.
loomdog1 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:09:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had an interviewer fuck up on me. I was interviewing for an Architect position and he referred to my school (Cal Poly) and building niche (Hospitality) as crap. I was done once he said that.
Drakien1 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:21:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I remember one candidate who I will never forget. Showed up 20 minutes late, disheveled, carrying a bag of groceries and a starbucks. Every time he answered a question he would attempt to remove every atom from his almost empty Starbucks cup. Then turn 90 degrees and talk to the window. As he formulated every answer in the form of a story that had little to do with the question. After 45 minutes we had only gotten through 3 questions.
Raider1987 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:19:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I used to work for a solicitors that used to prosecute people for owing money.
So naturally we for for a very specific type of person, very confidant, can argue and debate but also very polite.
I have had someone who's sister did all the telephone interviews for them and then when they actually came in they couldn't speak English.
On another occasion I had front desk call me and tell me the applicant was going to be 15 minutes late for the interview. It was with about an hour's notice so it didn't bother me.
When I met her I asked 'so I heard you had a little trouble getting here, where did you come from?', her response was that she had no trouble getting here there was just a really great sale on in the stores near the building. NOPE.
I will end it on a win though. This guy came referred to us as a friend of an employee so I had high hopes. When he arrived he was very smartly dressed, clean shaven etc. But he looked AWFUL. Like really sick, as in 'should be in a hospital' level of ill.
His interview went a little weirdly and he gave some bizarre answer to one question, but everything else about him was going really well. So he ended up getting the Job.
Turns out he had a full blown sinus infection, and both of his ear canals were swollen so badly that he was basically deaf, and he more of less guessed what the questions were out of what he could make out and winged his answers.
The Dude was a class A bullshitter, and was excellent a debt collector.
lynnyfer ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:37:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Woman was in our waiting room filling out our preliminary application. Pulled out her phone, looked at it, then handed me the application and said "I just got a job offer that I think I might take so I'm going to go" and walked out.
Three days later she e-mailed asking if I could reschedule the interview.
baconraygun ยท 46 points ยท Posted at 00:11:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am not in charge of hiring, but last week, I was doing some stocking in the same area while my boss was waiting for an interviewee to show up. This lady walks in, hair loose around her shoulders, wearing a t-shirt, leggings and ugg boots. Boss immediately asks her, "Are you sure you're here for the interview? Because I just filled the position." [A lie, we're still short handed as I type this.]
__your__name__here__ ยท 62 points ยท Posted at 02:01:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Obviously she was not dressed appropriately, but what is wrong with having her hair down? Was it messy and disheveled, or was it just hanging neatly? I ask because I always wear my hair down (neatly brushed and everything) and didn't realize that might be an issue for some people.
baconraygun ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 04:18:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was like that "purposefully messy rumpled but on purpose" wearing her hair down. As we're a restaurant, health code requires we wear up/back.
greyttast ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 06:02:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The restaurant part makes sense. It was difficult to understand without it.
__your__name__here__ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:17:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That makes sense then. I haven't had too many interviews at this point and none of them would have been in an industry that required my hair to be up all the time, and I would definitely make sure it looked nice! Especially paired with the rest of the outfit I can definitely see it being unprofessional
baconraygun ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:23:26 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm starting to hate it though. I used to wear my hair up frequently, pony tail or bun was how I liked it. But now that I'm forced to? Ugh. First thing I do when I'm off the clock now: hair comes down.
twinnedcalcite ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:01:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd say it would be the Uggs.
AppleThrower5000 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:14:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Depends on the job. You wouldn't want to show up to a job working with heavy machinery/factory with your hair down because it might get caught on something, or in the food industry because of the issues that come with loose hair. Even if you're not working during the interview, showing up like you're ready to work and know general safety rules is good, I think. An office or other generic job wouldn't care as long as it looked clean and neat though.
Thanmandrathor ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:12:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I doubt it was the hair but the entire appearance. Hair in context, if you will.
__your__name__here__ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:19:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's what I was thinking. The whole look is definitely unprofessional and not something to wear to an interview.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:40:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wearing longer hair pinned back/put up makes for a tidier/more professional appearance in most cases.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:16:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The rule of thumb I've heard is to have it pulled back from your face. Tucked behind your ears is fine. Just don't "hide" behind it.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 01:51:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Pigeon-holing themselves is a pretty common one.
Don't ever answer a question with just, "I don't know" or "It's not my job".
If you don't know, say, "I don't know, but I'd <talk to another department that should know, dig around on Google, search for an outside contractor that could help>".
If it's not your job, too frickin bad. It's impacting your work, so it is your job to deal with it, even if that just means going to whoevers job it should be and working with them to get what you need.
I think the worst was a mechanical engineer applying for an engineering position. We asked how he'd improve a process he was presenting on. The answer we were looking for was to update the software he was using or introduce some new programming to automatically post-process the data and present it in a more useful format.
His answer, after we handheld him towards our point, was, "Well, I'm not a programmer, so I don't really know what I'd do."
Bad answer. He was sitting in a room full of engineers that had no formal programming experience but all did their fair share of programming despite. We didn't even need him to say he was a programmer - just realize it was the software that needed improving. He actually would have gotten a lot of respect from interviewers if he had said, "Well, I'm a shit programmer, so it'd probably wouldn't be the best for me to do it, but I'd go find a software engineer and have them take a look at improving the output to look more like <how it should look>."
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:46:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
thanks for the help :)
godless-life ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 04:48:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewed someone for a marketing position with 50% writing / 50% graphic design capacities. When I asked him which program he prefers for the design part, he replied with "PowerPoint". Ended right there.
djhubcaps ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 04:49:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Saying you're fluent in Spanish and when prompted, completely unable to say anything in Spanish
Edit: grammar
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:18:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This happened to me, sort of. I'm fluent in R but the recruiter told me there would be no technical portion in this interview, so when I was surprised with a test I was so nervous I had a syntax error in defining a variable. Needless to say, I didn't get the position...
ProctorBoamah ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 07:41:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
*you're
judgegabranth ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:23:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
u/djhubcaps never said anything about being fluent in English.
UNITBlackArchive ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 05:03:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had four positions open and was doing a large number of phone screens, about one every half hour from a bank of candidates our recruiter set up.
I get to one guy and right off the bat, his phone has a weird ringtone thing where you hear his ringtone when you call instead of the dialing sound. It's some rap song I didn't recognize, but it involved "bitches and hos" and started getting a bit sexual. Huge red flag #1. The guy answers, and even though he already scheduled this with the recruiter, he wasn't ready and wanted to know if I could call him back in about 15 minutes. Red flag #2.
I told him I have other interviews, but would call him back if time allowed. I finally got an open slot and called. He was very lackluster on the phone and didn't have any enthusiasm at all. He wasn't currently employed, but his last job was out of state within about a month, so I asked him about that.
He said his mom moved them out of state to live with their grandfather years ago, and his grandfather had recently died, so he decided to move back to our state where he was happy because he was going through a lot of depression and stuff. It wasn't helping though because he had been here about a month and no one would hire him.
doc-ant ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 09:34:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know a guy who went for an interview and apparently it all went well.... until he was asked "do you have any skills that you could bring to the team?" he said he was caught off guard so his reply was "well, i can run really really fast."
He was applying for an admin job in the police.
tickle_whale ยท 75 points ยท Posted at 23:27:26 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Stinking like cigarette smoke, like they had just put one out. They got the job by the way, they were best qualified and did a terrific job. But damn, was it was difficult to overcome the first impression of shaking hands with an ashtray.
ProjectStormy ยท 73 points ยท Posted at 23:45:32 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wouldn't be surprised if he had to smoke to calm his nerves.
Rajani_Isa ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:12:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There are ways to mitigate the smell.
A jacket you leave outside, for example. Make sure you're not in the wind. Wash your hands.
Gah, one downside to legalized pot is people need to rediscover the concept of a smoking jacket. The other day had a customer come to the counter that made me step back.
PurePerfection_ ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:19:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Even better, gloves (preferably leather or similar instead of a knit material) and a hat or hood to keep the smell from lingering on your hands and hair. And if possible, brush your teeth instead of just having a mint. If you smoke in your home, leave your interview clothes in the dry cleaning bag so they don't absorb the odor sitting in your closet.
tickle_whale ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:55:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, and I get that (ex smoker).
MayorScotch ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 00:28:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Its still not a good attribute.
ProjectStormy ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 00:53:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, but isn't that why it's ironic? Or am I misusing that? The internet will tell me.
MayorScotch ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 00:56:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, i think that is the definition of irony.
Skaughty23 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:52:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Theeee use of words expressing something other than their literal intention.
Now that is irony!
Meh_Turkey_Sandwich ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:37:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a massage therapist, my manager turned down a candidate once for coming in smelling like smoke. How do you expect to be so close to a client and smell like an ash tray?
tickle_whale ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:58:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Smoking would not preclude someone from working at my company, but it is contrary to the 'corporate culture'. None of the upper/middle management smoke.
Meh_Turkey_Sandwich ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:59:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I personally don't care if people smoke but given certain jobs you have to be considerate. Especially for massage when your interview involves you getting up close and personal with the interviewer.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:03:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
tickle_whale ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:50:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good point.
buttblasted234 ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 02:24:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
why is "smelling like a smoker" a reason to turn someone down for a job?
hysilvinia ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 11:31:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
People don't want to have someone in their office that smells terrible, probably.
Tefmon ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:46:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The same reason that having body odour or bad breath is. It's gross and the person's coworkers shouldn't have to put up with it.
s0cia1_ineptitude ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:18:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because it's gross and if I have to deal with someone every day I don't want them to smell like shit every 20 minutes.
buttblasted234 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:11:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
no worse than dealing with a socially inept reject
tickle_whale ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:55:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not a reason to 'turn someone down for a job', the question was a out fucking up an inyerview. While this guy gave an okay interview and was eventually hired, he did give me a strong first impression of smelling like cigarette smoke, which turned out to be something I had to deal with everytime I spoke with him.
Nikerym ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 04:09:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
increased costs for health insurance would be a reason in the US i'd expect.
In Australia where I hire, I will refuse to hire a smoker as they feel they are entitled to 10min breaks once an hour whereas a non smoker will just sit there and work (generally). smokers also take more time off due to "sickness" (in my experience, this isn't scientifically proven that I know of). I really don't want to have to police my employees and I feel that it's unfair when one of my employees sits there from 8-10, has a 15minute then 10:15-1, has an hour, then 2-5 compared to a smoker who has 8 breaks throughout the day + an hour for lunch.
buttblasted234 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:14:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i agree that smokers should get no special treatment, or at least non-smokers should also benefit from more frequent breaks.
the kind of work we do at my office generally allows everyone to take it slow. no one ever has an 8 hour day. so it's not uncommon for smokers to get for a smoke whenever the hell they want, and others to just lounge around, chat, go for a break in the lunchroom, coffee run, or just some fresh air outside. perks of the job i guess.
Johnny2Cocks ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:33:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Smokers do take more breaks more frequently.
But in every office I've worked in, the non-smokers do too. Instead of walking out to the smoking gulag, though, they usually walk to another worker's desk and bullshit about sports or some other nonsense.
In that way, a smoker may be away from their desk, but they're only taking themselves out of rotation.
Nikerym ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:06:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
fair enough, but the bullshit talk/socialising builds culture.
Lampshade_express ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:50:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
The vast majority of smokers don't smoke that much.
[deleted] ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 04:02:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
buttblasted234 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 04:11:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
even as a smoker i can agree to that and understand it, but that is not a good enough reason to turn down potentially the best candidate for the job. plenty of people in my office smoke, including most of the higher ups.
Legend-WaitForItDary ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 04:41:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No one said it was?
Mnwhlp ยท -7 points ยท Posted at 07:01:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Proves they're dumb.
motion_lotion ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:29:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The guy nailed the interview, had extensive experience, a solid resume, and was the most qualified for the position. I was going to hire him until he called back asking for the results of his drug test.
[deleted] ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 13:35:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
necrolust ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 14:01:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Listen to this guy, hes a doctor.
Dr-NguyenVanPhuoc ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:44:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
sure, i'm very competent http://i.imgur.com/rB8PsgX.png
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:56:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was thinking this guy
whynot2001 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 14:10:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Here we can lose commercial insurance policy on everyone and the entire building if it turns out anyone was on drug and something had happen during business hours.
Dr-NguyenVanPhuoc ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:42:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
liability sure if a thing but i still don't understand why a positive drug test automatically leads to a rejection of an applicant. many drug test will be positive a few weeks after consumption because there are non-psychoactive metabolites in the consumers system. as an irregular cannabis user (1-2x maximum per month), i can't comprehend why i get denied based on my consumption (mostly saturdays, i never show up intoxicated at work, ever) while some people get employed without problems even though they drink tons of booze every weekend. both of us are consuming drugs but neither will show up intoxicated at work. sorry for the rant but i consider myself a reliable and responsible person and hope you understand why i feel discriminated against sometimes.
raulcat ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 19:37:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This gets me too. I had a 3.6 GPA in school for a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering. But god forbid I smoke on my own time.
Dr-NguyenVanPhuoc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:50:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
yeah, it's ridiculous. i value my personal sparetime and privacy higher than large paycheck, so i would never accept any position that has some bullshit requirements and restricts what you are allowed to do after work. my current employer banned drugs from company area but doesn't care what we do in our free time. i'm really glad they accepted me because they care about their employees. free education, will help me with uni if i want to, voluntary seminars for health stuff, free gym membership, good salary, profitsharing, and some other benefits. it's one of a few companies that did not care for good grades but were actually interested in you as a person. shame, that many employers have bullshit criteria you have to meet to get a job
raulcat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:04:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck dude where do you work?
Dr-NguyenVanPhuoc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:27:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
metal industry (recycling and producing steel). 37 companies and ~11000 employees, i think i work for one of the smallest companies in that group, we recycle metals and deliver them to our steel mill just a few kilometers away. the steel mill is the most important employer in my little town, without it many would be unemployed. they offer great apprenticeships (everyone gets equipment, we have different courses depending on our trade [eg welding, operating a crane, dozens of others] and the first year is in a special training workshop. they also make good money with training workers from other companies). we only work 6.75 hours/day (7-14:30 including 30+15min break) which i find very pleasant. your education is not as important, since they will teach you everything in a special training. it kinda feels like a family, mutual respect and friendliness are very important. i don't have any experience with other companies but everyone loves working here and is productive so i guess that the company is doing something the way it should be done. we currently have a guy from afghanistan who attended school for only 3 years in his entire life and still isn't fluent in german language. our supervisors don't mind explaining something again/slower and he takes part in a program to help him integrate (people help him doing paperwork, learning the language etc). i almost feel like double-crossing them because i want to move on after my apprenticeship + uni degree but they told me it's totally fine and assured they will support me. never expected that reaction since i'm only wasting their resources during that apprenticeship
raulcat ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:19:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well good on ya man! That's awesome.
motion_lotion ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:21:42 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, it's a deal breaker. Personally if a candidate smokes a little pot or something on his/her own time, I couldn't care less. Unfortunately, our insurance company and leadership see it differently so I have to be very strict. Oddly enough, he passed the test -- he would've had a job had he just kept his mouth shut.
HardenedHearts ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:25:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't think that should automatically be grounds for rejection. False positives aren't unheard of in drug tests. Unless he said something else that indicated he'd been on something recently?
TenNinetythree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:18:05 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't get it. I am paranoid that drug tests false-positive me. I heard that some have a tremendously high rate of false positives.
motion_lotion ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:51:02 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We're pretty good at avoiding false positives. We're not looking for the presence of THC for example, we're looking for a large amount above threshold. We'll also ask a candidate to explain any false positives -- the most common issue I deal with is adderall coming up as methamphetamine.
TenNinetythree ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:59:32 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yep, but just because you are does not mean the other companies the person dealt with were.
motion_lotion ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:46:42 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup, there's no doubt about that.
Clossterfuck ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 09:10:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a guy show up with a puppet. He would only talk using the puppet.
Also, had a guy ask me if we offered "shift beers". Never good to bring up potential addictions during a job interview.
Johnny2Cocks ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 09:43:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've got some advice for people in charge of doing the hiring:
When hiring a senior-level software engineer, let's skip the junior-level questions and get right to the higher level concepts. If I'm truly senior-level and have a good grasp of the junior-level stuff, I won't have any trouble answering questions at a higher level and expounding upon the basic stuff as needed.
Seriously, peppering a senior-level person with junior-level questions means you either don't understand the distinction between junior and senior level concepts or you don't trust the candidate you are interviewing. Either way, those are huge red flags and I will turn your offer down either way if I'm on the fence about your job offer.
Also, if I'm interviewing for your position, I'm okay with answering questions about why I'm leaving my current job and even the job before that. But don't take the 1.5 hour interview as an opportunity to grill me on why I haven't only had one job my whole adult life. This is the 21st century. People move jobs. You certainly did. Don't be a dick. If you've changed jobs at some point in your career, just give it the once over and move on to stuff that matters. If you haven't and you really have only worked in one place your whole adult life, firstly you're full of shit. Secondly, that's another huge red flag that means I don't want to work for you.
We're software engineers. Moving jobs every 12 to 18 months is not a red flag for candidates. Ever heard of consulting?
datmart ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 18:32:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As someone who is ~30 and has had more jobs than years of driving experience, this so much.
Granted, I've been at my current place for a bit over 2 years, but it's really frustrating being in the tech world and constantly asked "So why do you only last 1-2 years at an employer?"
DukeOfChaos92 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:38:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The company I work for has interviewed several people for senior level back end positions who couldn't answer basic questions. We've even had a guy in who only knew nosql. We're a Microsoft company, and this guy didn't even grasp the very basics of a relational database. I was more equipped as an intern than he was with years of a experience. This is why I think the first handful of questions should be basic, just to determine whether or not this person is even worth the time. Of course if they never ask you the hard stuff, that's reason to be concerned
SamJSchoenberg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:20:05 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Usually, you're right not to trust the candidate you're interviewing. The point of the interview is to verify, not to trust.
noeljb ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:02:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Brag about drug use.
Catfish_Man ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:16:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Candidate for a quality assurance position. Spelled the name of the main product they'd have been working on 3 different ways on their CV.
AB1186 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:45:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I work at Chipotle. As part of working there, Managers and Crew Members both take part in interviewing new clients. So me and my Manager went on to interview about three people. Its a simple interview that should take no more than 10 minutes and halfway through a guy comes up to the table with a drink in his hand, smelled like he hadn't showered, and wearing an Ed Hardy shirt that was buttoned incorrectly and interrupts the interviewee mid sentence and asks "Ummm is this for the interview?" We tell him yes and he stands back and takes a chug at his drink. Needless to say he wasn't interviewed when we were finished.
Had another guy apply and at his interview he was a really cool guy. Wasn't the full package but seemed like a fit but that all changed mid sentence when he said he was leaving out of state next week for school. SO WHY APPLY?????
One time I was working on the line and had the phone ring So I answered it. A young male answers and asked if we were hiring. Chipotle is always hiring but you must apply online to begin with. He asked if we do interviews and I told him yes. He then went on to introduce himself and talk about himself as if we started an over the phone interview lol. I stopped him mid sentence and told him we do don't phone interviews and to apply online. He again asked me if we do interviews so I just told him to apply online and have a good day.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:14:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I wonder if a parent or SO was nagging him to get a job. Maybe he came to the interview to shut them up.
RickRussellTX ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:29:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Casual profanity. If you can't tamp it down in a interview, how can I trust you around customers or my own boss?
Hydrok ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 10:22:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I just want to help everyone out so here is my one big piece of interview advice for everyone. Silence is ok. Interviewers will often pause in between questions to see if you will elaborate on something. This is kind of a trap because you stopped talking for a reason. Look the interviewer in the eye and wait for the next question or direction to elaborate. Also don't let your eyes wander while you are considering a question, bring a notebook with you and just glance at it while considering a response, looking all over the place makes it look like you are searching for an answer you don't have.
This brings me to the worst interview I've ever had. This kid who was 22 was applying as a mechanics apprentice position. I asked him to "tell me a little about your experience" and he talked for 15 minutes and some time after I stopped paying attention and started prepping for the next candidate I heard that he had work limitations because he had outside responsibilities. I didn't answer him right away and he plowed on telling me about his WoW stuff he had to do. He didn't get the job.
sierramaster ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:29:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My dad's story about him being interviewed to work at Miniclip ( browser game company), he has a good resume as a programmer and was asked what he thought of videogames, his answer?" I don't like videogames." He's the kind of person who thinks of gamers as no-lifers and fat and didn't know Miniclip was a game company... He got the job.
37214 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:56:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Once interviewed a guy for an IT position with the self proclaimed title of "Code Poet". I mean, how could I pass that up?
designerinbloom ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:31:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh my God. I have to meet this person and smack them. Code Poet my ass.
ViceroyFizzlebottom ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:18:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I can answer for myself. Rocked a first interview, did great for half of the 2nd interview, then it came time to identify weaknesses and I just unloaded on myself. Honest and overly critical. I just lambasted myself and my lack of experience. I wanted the position but felt like I needed to let them know that I was a rookie for the position (or so my overly critical self thought).
Tell us about your management experience, they asked. Despite being in charge of the division when we had no manager, I told them none. Because officially, my job description didn't include it. Managing workloads? Interns? Making policy and independent decisions? NOPE NOPE, not on my job description even though I did this on a daily basis. I worked with these people on a daily basis and didn't want to be thought of as the guy who took credit where none was deserved or acted like he had more authority than he truly had. I was so worried about not overselling myself that I sold myself incredibly short. My director, who apparently wanted me to get the job had a post-interview meeting with me to work with me on not being so hard on myself. I'm still learning how to do that, but I have historically used beating myself up as motivation to do great work.
Zambini ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 15:25:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing this guy who looked great on paper for a game programming gig. Bring the only one in the company knowing anything about databases, and this project relied heavily on it (think online Magic) I tagged along in this interview after only being at the company a month or two.
This guy rolls in, cocky as all hell. "I could program the world" attitude. Every question we ask him: "yes I know how to do this", " yes I do that ", " yes that's simple for me "
Finally I get sick of these bs answers and ask him to design a schema as a super basic proof of concept for some similar game db needs. After 20 minutes he comes up with something so asinine that even in my first ever database I would have gotten the job over him. We exchange our pleasantries and end the interview, and I could see that he was confident he'd get an offer later that day.
Another guy, for the same position: looked pretty great on paper, even had 10 years in database management. We bring him in and I ask him basically the same question. Literally says "if I'm the guy you have designing your database you're in trouble" jokingly. I had no more questions....
SamJSchoenberg ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:13:15 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If an applicant came in and actually worked on Magic Online, would you hold it against that person?
Zambini ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:35:46 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That would probably be a plus, depending on his or her role and contributions to the project.
evoic ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 15:56:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed a guy along with my operations manager at the time. He was as perfect as perfect could be. I got buzzed through our office intercom that she was needed urgently. She excused herself and stepped outside. The door had barely closed and Mr. Perfect said, "Jesus Christ what a rack on her.....but that voice! How do you deal with that annoying terrible voice! ?"
I just sat there for a moment in stunned silence trying to decide if I could overlook some or all of that. Trying to decide if he really just said those words. Trying to decide if the LSD I took in my younger days had just came back in a very strange way to make me hallucinate what just happened. Dumbfounded. I remember VERY clearly what happened next. I told him, "We're going to have to go ahead and wrap things up right there....." He looks me straight in the eyes and says, with no sarcasm or personal awareness whatsoever, "So am I your guy?"
".......You are most certainly NOT our guy, but I thank you for your time and wish you luck in whatever you end up doing"
TacoFugitive ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:12:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not in charge of hiring, but I'm an engineer who acted as the final step of the interview process.
I had an applicant make it past resume review, and an initial phone screen, and get all the way to a meeting with me to test his technical skills. The position was for ruby on rails web developer and CSS expert.
Turns out the applicant's work experience was as an ice cream truck driver, he did not own a computer, and had just taken an "intro to web pages (html)" course at his local community college. And by "his local", I do not mean "my local"- he lived in another city, and would need to drive about 45 miles to get to the office. He said he couldn't afford to do that daily, and asked if he could stay at my apartment for a few nights a week.
I was polite to him and he understood when I explained that this job was not entry level, and we were only considering local candidates. He said "But why did you waste my time with this interview? All of that stuff was on my resume..."
I had a very, very tense conversation with HR, and requested our CEO sit in on the discussion. This problem did not occur again.
MyNameIsNico ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:15:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
While first reading I thought you we're saying by he lied on his resume, but it sounds like your HR department just fucked up and let him through to you when his qualifications (or lack thereof) should have prevented that?
TacoFugitive ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:18:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was hilariously underqualified. And even if he HAD been qualified, the "can I live with you" part would have been a reddit-worthy disqualification by itself. But yes, 90% of the fuckup was in HR.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:31:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
During her interview, a woman was told that the company uniform was black pants, and she said "Oh, good! I've got black pants comin' out my butt!" She still got the job, but it was gloriously inappropriate.
potatoboat ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 07:30:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked for a large parts distributor a few years ago and I had a strategic account that grew very fast and my regional manager decided with the profit we were making we could afford 2 part timers splitting the week to help me and my partner to do stock and essentially receive and warehouse parts until they were needed. So my partner and I didn't officially hire anyone but we conducted the interviews while our regional manager just hung in the back. (He was super weird and a really shitty napoleon complex). Anyways my partner and I knew that the interview needed to be super simple and we needed only short straight forward answers. I.E. short quiz to make sure they could remember numbers, if they have ever worked on their own and we're expected to accomplish tasks on their own, if they have issues with working in heat (our warehouse had no air conditioning it was miserable in the summer) and finally if they had ever driven a fork lift. Now mind you we didn't have alot of people jumping at our 21 hour a week 12$ position so even if a candidate had no experience in any of those questions we were still desperate. So we narrowed down a group of mouth breathers from 12 to 2. Mouth breather 1 never showed up for his final interview and mouth breather number 2 had no experience but had just finished 4 years in the Army. So we knew he could handle the job and we would essentially just train him but we still asked him the 4 questions I mentioned. Instead of just answering everything like he had in previous interviews....he launched into this weird, dead stare monolog which I can only imagine he memorized where he in no way answered the simple questions I asked. Instead he just spoke like a robot about how he was a team player and loved being a part of a team. He literally focused on the team idea for every question. I was all about hiring him up to this point. Both me and my partner were like yeah he really blew that one and it was super creepy like he was maybe on drugs???? So our regional manager said well....I respect your guys opinion, well just keep looking. A week later our regional got tired of having to sit in on our interviews (which he wasn't required to do but he was a shit stain) and he just went over our heads and hired mouth breather 1. Mouth breather was a horrible employee. He would straight up refuse to do take that were included in his job description, which were actually pretty cushy, and he used to raise his voice to me all the time but never my partner which essentially infuriated me. I was always professional and eventually had to follow our company policy for termination less than two weeks after he started. First a verbal (I actually gave him 3) then a written (that one was easy he showed up late every single day. Not once did he show up on time) and then for a third and termination I had to include my regional manager and hr. HR was all about getting rid of mouth breather because he really did suck and I had done a great job of documenting his absemtism. So I gave my side of the issue and left it at that. My regional said that I could leave because he had to follow up w HR. soooooo....he wasn't at work the next few weeks and I just assumed he had been let go for poor Performance. Then I found out no.... no....that hadn't happened. Instead our regional had this guy promoted to a 2 step up promotion with 0 experience and no college experience which the job required. Worst part was I had been told if I applied to the position, which I did, o would very likely be hired. Nope Mouth breather got promoted. So I'm sure this all sounds do negative it must sound like bullshit. Alas, friends it is not. Eventually after moth breather screwed up 2 times really huge and higher ups noticed they then started to look into why regional manager had hired an unqualified and person for the position. Turned out regional was related to mouth breather which mouth breather lied about on his application when asked if he had family employed by the company. Now any normal large publicly traded company would usually terminate both. Not so. Instead regional got transfered to a further away market and mouth breather was busted down again onto my team. Don't know who he knew but it was impossible to get rid of him. I eventually resigned because his incompetence started to reflect poorly on our whole team. I thought that would definetley get the hire ups attention. NOPE. he got moved into my spot and I was given a step down demotion. This all sounds so impossible but it happened. I left the company a few months later. My friends who stuck it out said regional was eventually fired and had been found to be holding back on workers bonuses to give to himself. Then everything became a cake walk and they are all making stacks. I wish I didn't have values.......
TL:DR- a regional director sneakily slipped in a relative into my work team who was terrible and I always tried to get rid of him and instead was demoted for trying to do so. So I left the company my friends roughed it out and eventually everything got straightened out and they are making lots of money. I luckily am unemployed and living w my parents now.
Oilerman14 ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 09:43:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewing for a sports store.
Me: So tell me about a time when you had to multitask?
Him: I'm a great multi tasker! sometimes when I play call of duty I'm also eating and drinking at the same time.
Me: So... How do you do when you're not drinking and eating at the same time?
Him: Oh way better.
javilez ยท 49 points ยท Posted at 01:22:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy was being interviewed for a teaching position. Got a boner when a 16-year old walked in. Interview was supposed to last 2 hours, only lasted 5 minutes. Stop being a perv Jared. (Seriously, his name was Jared.)
mana_Teehee ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 05:33:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
just out of curiosity, how could you tell he had a boner? Like it was that obvious? Is this something I should be concerned about. Do you all know??
[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 07:20:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[removed]
mana_Teehee ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:44:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Poor guy. I dunno this one seems borderline to me. I know its a little taboo, but you can't really help what you find attractive, all you can help is your actions. For all you know he could have been a great candidate. Then again, I wasn't there.
javilez ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:30:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
As u/Cormanxd pointed out, he was in dress slacks; and pretty tight ones too. Also, the desk we were sitting at was transparent so anything below the waist, we could see clearly.
Icansecretlyfly ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 08:24:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck how is he supposed to control that
kaenneth ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 11:52:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ALWAYS jerk off before a job interview, puts you in a much clearer mental state, more relaxed, less distracted by boobs, etc.
Biff_Tannenator ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 18:23:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewer: "Well... I think that covers everything. I've got to admit, you're the most impressive interviewee we've ever had. I think I'd be a fool not to hire you."
Applicant: "I feel like we'd make a good fit."
Interviewer: "Tell me... what's your secret? With confidence like yours, there's gotta be a secret."
Applicant: "It's simple really. This morning, I got up early an extra couple hours. I double checked my clothes and paper work. Once I was sure that everything was in order, I gave my wife a real oppressive power-fucking. My wife asked me to slap her titties, but I punched her in the throat instead. Then, my wife opened her mouth right when I was about to release... but I pushed her head aside, and jizzed on her pillows. I managed to maintain an erection during my entire commute to this building... and I even stopped for McDonalds. 10 minutes before checking in with the receptionist, I went into the bathroom and soaked some paper towels in cold water. I wrapped the ice-cold paper towels around my shaft, and flicked the tip of my penis until it went back down. So yeah... that's my secret. I recommend trying it sometime. Super effective."
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 11:38:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Today, on r/TIFU
Pipthepirate ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:01:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe he is an exhibitionist and got turned on from you staring at his penis
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 07:55:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
/r/thathappend
massdebate159 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 01:32:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That doesn't necessarily make him a nonse. It could've just been very unfortunate timing! Poor bastard.
javilez ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 01:34:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I actually wanted to pull the "it happens" but my boss was there. And if Jared would have done something, my boss would have said "you told me to keep him"
massdebate159 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 01:37:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, that's true. Not worth the risk at all.
[deleted] ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 03:25:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I fuck up a job interview by being woefully under qualified for the job, despite there being no indication of this from the job posting, and from my resume it was clear what kind of experience I had. It was super awkward and embarrassing. It became clear about halfway through the phone interview we were wasting each other's time.
[deleted] ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 04:28:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
This interview was actually an awkward gong show the entire time, but the thing that really got me was at the beginning.
I asked the applicant in my initial email to please print out and fill in our application, which I attached. Standard stuff. The email is only about five lines long.
So she shows up, cute as a button and nervous as all hell. I greet her and ask for her finished application.
"Ohh... Was I supposed to do that before I came?"
"Well yes. I asked you to in the email." In fact, details about then app take up literally half the email. You can't miss it, unless you don't bother to read five lines of text.
"Oh...."
Undeterred (and, frankly, more than a little desperate - we really needed to fill the position) I gave her a printout of the app and sat her down at an empty table.
So she sat there for about an hour, scribbling away. I couldn't get any real work done in that time because I was waiting for her. At one point, my boss walked by and came back looking angry. I asked what was up and he said that she was wasting our time just sitting there and texting. I went over and asked about it. Apparently she hadn't thought to bring a copy of her CV and was now desperately searching for it in her email.
We ended up not hiring her because it was pretty clear that she was unfit, inexperienced, and had some issues with immaturity besides. This lady giggled nervously throughout the interview (which, thanks to her application-writing time, had stretched to about an hour and a half) and couldn't answer any of our questions without prodding from myself or the other interviewer.
She was visibly relieved when we said it wasn't going to work out and as I saw her to the door, I noticed she had decided to wear skinny jeans and Chucks to the interview.
I honestly wonder if she's managed to find work since then. She seemed nice enough, she just had no idea how to do a Grownup Job interview.
ThinkingCrap ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:59:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
might have been the very first time. Can be very intimidating. Sure she did better on the next one
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 22:21:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Going by her CV and what she said in the interview, she'd been working in my field for about two or three years. She seemed to have stumbled into her previous positions, but I'd be shocked if she'd never had to do an interview before.
DarthOtter ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 11:48:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I don't really have the right skills" and "I'm not sure why I'm applying" were my favourites. I've seen people shoot themselves in the foot during an interview but I've rarely seen someone empty the clip and then pause to reload.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:02:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I wonder if some of those people did not really want the job. Maybe a parent or spouse/partner nagged them to apply.
redflipflop ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:52:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well I'd if it's the "worst", but it was definitely the most surreal/bizarre. A few weeks ago I had a candidate "Tyler" who seemed very promising on a phone screen with our developers, and so I scheduled an in-person interview.
It was about 5 minutes past his interview time, and he wasn't there. The building can be confusing and there was construction on our floor, so I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I decided to call him at 10 minutes late, and unfortunately got pulled aside for a small issue right before I called him. By the time I get back to the phone, he is 20 minutes late and hasn't called me. I call him:
"Hi Tyler, this is redflipflop from business."
"Hi."
...
"I'm just calling to check on you in case you've gotten lost or something has come up. Will you be able to make your interview today?"
"Oh. I'm in (Name of Town 45 minutes away)."
...
"Well, we're not, we're in (City)."
...
"Okay."
... (the silence was really long and awkward. I was waiting for him to offer a lame excuse, or apologize, or ask to reschedule or anything) ...
"I don't think you'll be able to make it in for an interview today, so let's cancel."
"Where is your office again?"
"(Office Address)"
"Huh. Well, I'm in (Name of Town 45 minutes away)."
"Why don't email me when you get a chance. Have a nice day, Tyler!"
Two days later he sent an email saying he was available for an interview on the following Tuesday. He didn't mention the missed interview at all. I told him we had moved forward with other candidates, thank you.
[deleted] ยท 34 points ยท Posted at 23:02:11 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
wildeep_MacSound ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:27:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"How would I explain to someone that I hired a guy who didn't even bother to wear a shirt?"
"He had REALLY nice pants"
wantsomeapple ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 03:24:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Please tell me the candidate was a man.
babylina ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:04:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
if you were still working there, i'd take you up on the position.
Kendermassacre ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 01:52:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy coming in to apply for really nice slot, if I recall it was to be at 3pm. Customer did a surprise visit at 2pm though and when 3pm came I made sure my front desk let them know what was up and just hang on a second or two. At like 3:06ish I was finished and walked in ready to shake hands and do the happy greet and meet to be met with, "You are late. I don't accept late."
Interview was over, might shock you to learn I did not hire him.
babylina ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 03:16:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
to be fair, if it's not professional to show up late, it's not professional to start late. i am more understanding than that, but others might feel the same.
[deleted] ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 03:15:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
goldspike888 ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 05:57:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He notified the candidate that he was running late. That I think is very courteous and the proper thing to do. It showed he had respect for the candidate and wanted to keep him informed. In fact, if I were the candidate I would have recognized that the employer did pass his side of the interview because he did not leave the candidate hanging wondering where he was. What more could he do under the circumstances? Would you want him to be rude to a customer who is part of the success of his business and kick him out? Or try to balance the transition from customer to applicant the best he could under the circumstances and likely apologise when he met the candidate. If you gave me a hard time because I was late, I wouldn't hire you either.
Kumacon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:40:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is why being punished for tardiness is fucking bullshit. If the interviewee were late, that would have fucked him out of a job. Yet, management can be late, and they can fuck him out of a job when he points it out. I understand the reason he didn't get the job is because he was a rude asshole about it, and not because he pointed out that you were late, but it's still a double standard, and it's still fucking absurd. Shit happens. People are late. Yes, even management and corporate fuckholes.
Skaughty23 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 01:32:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm just here to see if I was in any of these stories
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 10:36:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am just here to see what mistakes i should avoid when i apply for my first job in IT. TIL 1) Dont get drunk 2) Own a car 3) Buy formal clothes from thrift shops 4) Dont say you are lazy.
tallornot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
me too, literally.
psychick ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 05:09:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She pulled out her phone, which was in her bra, and proceeded to answer it during the interview.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:53:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did she lick her tit sweat off of it?
I_Raptus ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 05:47:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I fucked up a particular job interview for a variety of reasons, especially because, at the end, when I was given my travel expenses, I sat in front of the interviewer and counted them. He just stared at me in disbelief.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:57:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The first interview i had my gran went with me and did all the talking i got the job as well i cringe at the thought of it now.
AppleThrower5000 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:05:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This wasn't me, but I've had this conversations with supervisors before and what you wear to the interview is a big indication of whether or not you are worth hiring.
First boss came out one day angry and sort of laughing and told me that one of his interviewees came in wearing flip flops, shorts, and a wife beater. To a food service job. Sadly, he didn't get it.
A year later I'm working front desk at a hotel and my new supervisor tells me about the time a girl came to her interview in a mini skirt, tube top, and uggs. When she was informed that the job included a uniform she looked visibly displeased. Apparently she thought she would be able to wear a tube top at the front desk of a hotel. In the rich, fancy, tourist part of the state.
flying_pony ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:52:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
'Ah, so you've worked here for 2 years? Uuuu, you must be a good boy' with the most creepy wink/smile expression on his face.
KFCConspiracy ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:16:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So we were hiring for a junior developer position and this Indian woman applies, had a decent resume. We bring her in and get father comes to the interview and wants to sit in (we said no). She barely spoke English, couldn't answer the technical questions, it was bizarre. I think the resume was fake.
notquiteold ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:42:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Late to the party but it's a pretty decent one. Not me, but a friend of mine fucked up his interview quite badly. He was interviewing with Microsoft when the topic of Internet Explorer came up, and he made a joke about how IE was terrible as a product and nobody actually used it.
As the interview was finishing up, they were making idle chit-chat, and the topic of what the interviewer did at Microsoft came up. It turned out he was the head of product development for IE. My friend did not get the job.
evilwearspink ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:43:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Probably going to get buried now, but I just had to share: happened a few years ago; he was a very smart guy and looked very good on paper. Aced all the interviews, and got a verbal offer.
Unfortunately, on the same day he got a verbal offer, he was invited to the company party and he promptly got wasted and puked all over the party floor. His offer got rescinded.
I know about all of these because our firm was the recruitment team that got him the interview in the first place. :(
SamJSchoenberg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:36:58 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He got wasted and puked at a party, therefore he would have been incompetent at his job right?
poohoopshooter ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 12:53:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Recruiting for a role called "customer service officer"..
Me: What's your biggest weakness? Applicant: Customer service.
chunkerpig ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:58:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I was asked " describe a time you dealt with an irate customer, and describe how you handled it. I won't get into the whole answer but I actually used the phrase "I went against company policy" in my answer.
SalsaRice ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:09:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well, I was the one being interviewed, but I fucked up one pretty good.
Stuck my right hand out on instinct to shake the head engineer's hand..... only to look down and see he didn't have any right arm below the elbow.
He looked cranky after that.
teeb46 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:38:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You can't blame yourself for that, most people have 2 hands!
BridgetteBane ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:15:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh man. I used to hire for an on-demand temp agency, and a direct care company, and I saw some doozies.
Showed me exactly how he shoved his finger in his supervisor's face and how he yelled at his supervisor when he walked off the last job site.
So jacked up on heroin that he started rolling a cigarette during orientation. When I told him it wasn't appropriate, he decided to give in to The Nods and basically fall asleep until we kicked him out.
50+ year old man came in during our laborer-dispatch time (5 am) and asked to be sent on a job. Had never been in the office once before. I told him to come back at 9 am for an interview. He came in at 7:30. Without a shirt on.
objectifying_men ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:15:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So this bloke shows up for a marketing Manager position interview. He also happens to be a former employee who was let go after a temper tantrum, when he refused to clean up his desk since he was 'not a woman'.
He sits down for his presentation, opens a blank PowerPoint, and starts typing as he is talking. He writes "ships" as he mentions new builds this year, writes "money" as he mentions sales he will generate, writes "products" while he discusses our product range.
We may have still glossed over all this had he actually made any interesting or even factually correct statements. At one point he assured us two million in sales by selling a product we do not have, nor are able to manufacture, as he learned while working with us the first time around.
The entire interview was a mere formality in his head and he couldn't understand why we expected a serious presentation.
moosewhaler ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:54:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
manager: so, given that you have no sales skills, no IT skills, and have never been in a customer-facing role before, how long do you feel it would be before you would start to be a productive member of the team?
me: [observing, expecting applicant to say something reasonable like '6 months', or 'a year']
applicant: [looking like he's really thinking about this] three weeks. you give me three weeks, I'll google it
Queen_of_summertime ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:21:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This comment may be too far down to be seen, but I'll tell it anyway. I was interviewing for a labour position, the description was very entry level. Just be a regular person who can listen to instruction and you're hired. This guy comes in SUPER jumpy. He's talking a mile a minute, asking me a million questions, which usually isn't bad, but he wouldn't let me speak! He kept rubbing his nose and sniffing. He was clearly on coke. He then says that he suffers from allergies, so he sniffs very often. I raise an eyebrow and continue with the interview, then he says "okay, I'll take the job". I tell him that I have some other interviewers and that I'll be making the decision to hire. Don't go to interviews on coke and assume you're the one who decides if you're hired.
Rmanager ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:32:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
mrcleatus ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:45:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiring for a well paying software development position. The candidate was unable to interview on site so we asked to have a webcam chat. It was important to see the person for quality communication so we asked that they have that ready. They did not and so after several minutes of waiting we proceeded to ask our questions. Each and every question the candidate frantically typed on a keyboard. Would search the Internet for an answer and take 30 seconds to a minute to start answering the question. The answer was always very generic and in no way complete. After 10 minutes I informed the candidate that they were not prepared for the interview and that they were no longer a candidate.
Sad really.
dienah13 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:55:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a youngish teenage boy come in for an interview for Starbucks.
The interview went well, until he had asked me for my number. After telling him how inappropriate that was, he had continued. Even till the moment he walked out the door.
We didn't hire him.
SamJSchoenberg ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:27:20 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Asking for contact information isn't all that unusual when applying for a job. Are you implying that he was actually hitting on you?
dienah13 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:33:27 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sorry should've been more clear on that.
And the answer is yes.
BuffHipster ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 10:43:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not HR personally, but my boss told me a story where someone called during the workday, and the call basically went like this -
"YO, YO, YO, YO, check this - you got the status of my application?"
My boss laughed his ass off and said - "Yo yo yo... you're an idiot." And hung up.
childeroland79 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 03:58:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Woman showed up drunk and racist.
SamJSchoenberg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:11:45 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Racist you say? Tell us the story!
DarkMurk ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:06:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Candidate showed up for a programmer position.
Since it was his first interview of a series, I asked him a simple warmup whiteboard problem. The candidate got up, held the pen to the whiteboard, started shaking, excused himself and stormed out of the building.
He didn't get the job.
okayifimust ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 09:58:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Jokes on you: He stole your pen!
imbogey ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 08:49:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I get that people ask whiteboard problems, but there should be some end to it... Once I was interviewed for a summer position in an international company. The interview took over an hour and half, there were two interviewers, half of the time I was explaining detailed problems on whiteboard. Three different language was spoken during the interview just to see how could I manage it. Afterwards I had to choose between two positions and didn't take this one just because of the interview. Good luck grilling someone else.
ThinkingCrap ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 12:29:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup...I wonder if people understand that you have to impress the candidate as well. Give me a reason to spent most of my time for you! If you already treat me in the interview like shit I'm sure as hell not gonna work for you...
DarkMurk ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 14:47:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You guys have this all wrong. I've refused jobs because the grilling was insufficient. I will NOT work in an environment where employees are not vetted properly prior to hiring.
A strong grilling impresses me much more than anything else as it convinces me my coworker won't be idiots.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:39:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Being "grilled" on a whiteboard doesn't accurately assess a candidate's skill level. Some people handle pressure better than others, and this is independent of how well they would perform on the job. If you want a better representation, you should do your best to make them comfortable and try to understand their thought process while they are relaxed.
jbird102513 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:57:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A guy came in to an interview a little early and asked to use the restroom. After he came back when I asked how has doing he responded, "I'm good, just had to drop the kids off at the pool"
great opener.
ThinkingCrap ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:57:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
...maybe he actually did just do that. I hope. Remembers me of a situation where we were in the kitchen cooking at school a few years back and someone asked the teacher whether she washed her hands and she just said "I was just to the bathroom" which makes sense but is still a weird answer in that situation
bankonitwv ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 12:54:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a candidate completely nail the interview. I was about ready to make the offer on the spot, but at the very end of the interview he says, "Bankonitwv, I really feel like I can trust you. Now don't worry about anything, because I know how to get around this, but I experiment heavily with marijuana."
I sat there for a minute in stunned silence and the only thing I could think to ask was, "What does experiment heavily mean?" And he answered, "I pretty much smoke everyday to ease my anxiety, but don't worry about the drug test. I can get around that very easily."
I thanked him for his time and ended the interview. Weirdest hiring experience ever.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:08:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
so weird. There are some truly stupid people being written about in this thread.
amandatoryy ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:14:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Called a girl to set up an interview:
"Can you come in at 2 or 3 for an interview?"
"Uummmmmm well I have to pick up my boyfriend from work. And also! I wanted to take my dog to the doggy beach!"
"Ok, so 2 or 3?"
"3!"
Then she called at 2 to ask if she could come in now....I mean ok, you aren't getting the job anyway.
Also, the pizza slapper
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:40:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This happened back in June. A woman told me she didn't like customer service. Wrong thing to say after I'd emphasized how important customer service was to our role.
LupeFiascoStoleMyHat ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:56:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing developers (programmers) and one guy brought his wife and two children to the interview. They just sat outside the room, but man it was odd.
The best though:
Why do you want to work for company
Er, I'm not sure that I do.
OK. Thanks for coming!
dkrainman ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:06:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Afraid I'm going to be on this list.
darthcoder ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 10:07:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know for a fact I lost a job because I was wearing sneakers and not dress shoes. At the time, my dress shoes were lost in a move, and I'm not a guy who can just drop into any shoe store and buy a pair. I have short super-wide feet - they just don't make shoes in my size except sneakers.
I had one pair I bought off the shelf at DSW (black Timberlands) and wore to Xerox HQ for a consulting gig - one day in them and I was on crutches for a pinched nerve in my ankle for a week.
The joke was on them, they ended up firing the guy they hired over me, and hired my coworker from the company I ended up joining, not six months later. :-)
Spastic_hawk ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:37:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was on an interview panel for an IT technician job last week. One caditate from Poland got through to the interview stage based on his impressive CV. We had to abandon the interview after about 5 minutes as he literally couldn't speak enough English to respond to any of our questions. He couldn't understand us and we couldn't understand him. He'd traveled 200 miles for the interview, and I suppose you could say it was a balsey move, but I honestly would love to know what the hell he was thinking.
mynameisalso ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:50:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I was getting interviewed I was asked "what do you think is your worst quality" I said, I guess I'm not much of a looker.
Generic123 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 12:46:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Knew someone applying for a government internship and when asked how his communication skills were he answered "sub par very sub par" with hand gestures for emphasis. Thinking it meant above average.
huggiesdsc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:27:20 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is truly ironic.
Mdmaguire ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:01:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a girl come for an interview wearing cut off Jean shorts and a t-shirt. I told her to leave with out asking one question
Bless_Me_Bagpipes ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:23:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Very first day, during the interview this guy asks me. "So what happens if I get into a fight?"
I explained it would likely be immediate termination for both parties. Our insurance basically requires it unless self defense, and that's not the same as fighting. He couldn't believe he'd be let go for fighting.
He was gone it 2 weeks.
B0h1c4 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:37:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's not super funny or outlandish, but the most common thing that I see are people that are just too talkative and over share.
Literally every time I hire for a position, at least one or two candidates get eliminated immediately for this. Maybe they are nervous or something, but they talk, and talk, and talk, and get off topic very easily. I always want someone that can stay on task and address the issue at hand. And I get these people that keep talking and end up saying "what was the question again"?
A lot of times, I think people go into an interview knowing where their red flags are and they are prepared to address them, so they start giving excuses unprompted. ... Maybe an employment gap, a lack of experience in a certain area, or they left a company on bad terms... And they just defensively steer whatever question into that direction.
Answer the questions asked and don't shoot yourself in the foot.
Fushiko ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:50:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm not a manager but I can throw my two cents in for this one. I had an interview I was really nervous for, I hadn't taken the time to prepare for it ( it was one of the first interviews I've ever had). I had been expecting a 1 on 1. When I sat down there were 3 people across the table from me and I panicked. They asked the typical, what's your name yadda yadda, then they asked " what's your birthdate?" Being so terribly nervous, i froze... and for a good solid painstaking minute I struggled to remember my own damn birthdate! The main interviewer laughed it off but I've never felt so incredibly stupid in my life... not being able to recall my own birthday. Wow!
Poquito-Cerveza ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:37:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My brother in law runs a business. In his last batch of resumes he had one that half a page written mostly in text speech.
Example text: I m a hard worker. U shuld hire me! XD
TankVet ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:45:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a young woman come in for an interview as a veterinary technician.
I asked her how much she expected to be paid. She said "Whatever your going rate is plus $2 per hour. You need somebody like me."
So far we've been fine without her.
ramboacdc ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:48:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
in hindsight it wasn't my best idea to have a smoke with a guy who worked at the place before my interview. if i recall i didn't get asked a single question in that interview.
Zoso03 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:52:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
late to the show but this happened to my cousin.
She got a call for some job at a law office, she however got lost looking for the place and to make matters worse it was pouring out and her umbrella broke. So she's lost, walking around in the rain, late and calling the office trying to find out which one it is. By time she makes it they are already interviewing someone else so she sits down and waits. Surprisingly they still interview her and was in and out in 15 minutes.
By time she got home which was straight from the office, they had called her home and offered her the job. They liked that she didn't give up even under the bad circumstances and was able to recompose herself and gave a decent interview.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:02:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work in a research lab at a university. My adviser has a grant that allows her to hire graduate students who then have to bring their research to high schools and teach the kids about it. During the interview (casual interview at the table - my lab is very open) my co-adviser starts asking her questions and she almost immediately starts a verbal spat with him. She knows no programming. No math.
She still got hired and they all get along fine now and are teaching her the basics. Sometimes I wonder how much of it is your knowledge/experience and how much of it is your ability to be charismatic.
MustangTech ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:52:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
your resume gets you the interview, your charisma gets you the job
Skyshrim ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:11:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
On an application for the gas station I work at, under Reason for Applying they put "My mom wanted me to"
needless to say, they didn't get the spot.
stephmveg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:12:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing for a position that entailed keeping volunteers motivated. Like highly motivated in a highly stressful and not always positive subject matter. This candidate was highly qualified but as soon as they come in this energy of gloom just overshadows them. This person was interviewing internally so they knew the position and what they were expected to do but every single question was like they had taken a xanax right before. This included long, i mean long awkward silences, non answers to questions they should have known, and to the questions they did answer it was a one sentence answer. At one point they were silent and still for so long I thought they were falling asleep. I seriously thought they threw the interview on purpose but then afterwards when they didn't get it they posted on social media how disappointing they were and how they really thought they had aced it. It made me wonder if they really did have a medication problem or maybe a severe panic reaction during the interview.
alynnvan ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:16:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The guy was 20 minutes late-then on his application he had put that he had great time management. uhh, really??
foureyesfive ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:27:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work at a restaurant, in charge of the bussers. Our restaurant has the busser assist the waiter with running food, getting soups and salads, cleaning the floor etc. I train them for a night to see how they do and then they move to probationary training for three days. One kid came in SO high I thought his pupils were naturally red. I went to shake his hand and he couldn't move his arm, just giggling and telling me "a new job is gonna be totes awesome." I guided him to the back alley and told him never to come back. I watched him wander away like Mr. Burns in that episode of the Simpsons when Mulder and Scully came to town.
oogmcgoog ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:28:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Slightly different take here, but a few years ago I was interviewing a candidate with my manager. He spent most of the interview being curt and somewhat hostile to the candidate. At one point he pulled a sheet of paper out of his notebook and said "Now I'm going to ask you a series of behavior based questions. There's no right or wrong answer to any of these and the purpose of them is to see how you answer them." I looked over at him with what was probably a look of mild shock and saw that he had a printed list of about ten questions that he asked in turn. After the interview was over and we were back at our desks I saw that he had an at least 30 year old book on behavior based interviewing techniques next to his keyboard. I never did another interview with him and quit not long after.
honbadger ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:38:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I work for a large animation studio. One day I got a phone call from some guy who'd found my name on IMDB. Apparently he'd called the front desk and just asked to be transferred. This has actually happened to me a few times. He was interested in an entry level technical job and sounded like a go-getter, so I just referred him to another department that I thought would be a good fit. Well the department supervisor brought him in to interview and as soon as she started speaking he cut her off and said, "Hold on. I'll be running this interview." She said, "Uh, okay... Go for it." and just let him go off about himself for the rest of the interview and show everyone what an arrogant douche he was. He didn't get the job.
Brico16 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:41:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was not the part of the interview but a friend I referred was. It was only for a movie theater gig that I had the first couple of years in college. My boss was prepared to hire him on the spot since I put a good word in for him and he prior movie theater experience in his hometown.
I see my friend a few hours after the interview and ask how it went. He said he thought it went well and that they'd get back to him.
The next shift I work I ask the manager about my friend's interview. It turns out my friend showed up in a dirty t-shirt, jeans and flip flops. He was also stoned off his ass and she could smell beer on his breathe.
Anyway he didn't get the job on that go around but a couple of months later the manager that had interviewed him quit and so he applied again and did the interview right and got the gig.
ced_spectre1 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:48:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interview for Network Technology Instructor, no computer experience, currently employed as Dishwasher for 3 summers because he "liked to take the winters off". Stated multiple times he was the most knowledgeable person in the city hands down when it comes to computers, but answered all the questions incorrectly. At the end of the interview he asked if he would be able to approach NASA for potential research projects using the campus computer hardware.
your_pet_is_average ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:53:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed a high schooler recently for an internship in our office. Really little was expected of him; I work for a local politician who likes to help HS students improve their resumes. Anyway, he was supposed to help work on something called "participatory budgeting" in which the district can vote on ways to spend our allotted budget money. So kid shows up, has no idea what PB is. No idea what my boss is or does. I explained both and, trying to give him a line, asked if PB sounded like a project he would be interested in. "Um, I don't know. Maybe." Answered like that for every question.
brison ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:56:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a candidate show up 10 minutes late, tell me he was going to fail a drug test, and then on the way out ask is he could have some of my book keeper's lunch which was on her desk.
dreadspartan ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:13:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked a candidate what particular area in our field he'd like to learn more about/improve on. "Nothing, I'm an expert."
Considering the errors in his previous answers this was the 'absolutely not' trigger, not knowing a few things in an interview isn't a big deal, but assuming you know everything, even if you ARE an expert is a deal breaker.
Jasmonster ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:23:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My friend had an interview for a residency spot of his choice in LA, where he's from. It was going so well and he was sure he'd end up there. Then, when the interviewer asked if he had any questions, my friend asked "so, why is your salary so low?" Not surprisingly, he didn't get the position and actually ended up on a program across the country. :(
Glitchypink ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:49:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not a hirer, but in my previous job (at a high street chain of music/entertainment goods) we would have group interviews in the staff room as it was the biggest room in the building. During times of active recruitment, it was common to be sitting eating your lunch as an interview was happening around you. One of the questions that was often asked was "what was the last album you bought?" and one interviewee replied with "it was Rihannas most recent, but I didn't buy it, I illegally downloaded it!"
Probably not the best thing to say when being interviewed for a store that sells CDs...
sinestrostaint ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:51:36 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well its not like theyd be stealing cds.
deadeyeAZ ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:42:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have had the "opportunity" to do a few remarkable interviews with applicants...the best/worst one......guy from a different department is helping us out until we could hire someone was actually doing the job and was well qualified..during the interview the panel consisting of his future boss as well as a woman from HR and me, a future coworker. This was behavioral interviewing so a question was presented about him telling us a stressful situation and how he handled it. So he tells of the time his son was doing drugs and his wife (you know women) could not cope and he had to step in and take over, he went to his boss and told him he needed to take some time of to deal with it and if he didn't give him the time off "he would kick his ass". By the time he finished we were all just staring at him with our mouths gaping. It was amazing the shit people would say during a behavioral interview.
kymboandarrow ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:10:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a girl come in and within 15 minutes, she had told me that (1) her father recently married a mail-order bride who hated her, (2) she then said the mail-order bride threw all of her belongings out on the front lawn to kick her out of the house - yes, at 37 she was still living at home (she told me her age) (3) she was currently looking for a job because she had just gotten out of rehab for a personality disorder, and (4) she said if she got the job, it'd finally be a good time for her to finally buy a car. With that amount of drama in the first interview, I can only imagine what level of drama she would have brought to the office. No Way. Thank you and get OUT.
thespank ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:23:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
On his list of hobbies, one of them was : "raping"
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:54:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
thespank ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:33:54 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah but that combined with the way he talked in the interview... it wasnt in the cards
huggiesdsc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:51:28 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What was the job?
thespank ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:50:32 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A Rescue Guide for a high ropes/zipline course. Not exactly high level
huggiesdsc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:07:16 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So rape wouldn't be a very applicable skill then.
RunsWithPremise ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 20:29:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had a guy show up for an interview for a warehouse job wearing a hat from our biggest competitor in the marketplace.
Had another guy show up for a job that is very physically demanding who proceeded to tell me all about both of his heart attacks, his bouts with cellulitis and how he lost a prior job due to unsafe work habits. His major selling point on himself was that his wife was a well-known and attractive radio DJ.
gsavageme ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:02:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Okay, so I'll reverse this and tell you the worst experience of my life interviewing. A little background I had been a regional manager for a large corporation and was let go due to downsizing. One of my managers who had given me issues and was 3 steps down the path of documentation told several people at that place of business I had been fired for stealing. I only found out because one of them called and asked me about it. SO anyhow here I am 3 years later I have gone through 3 phone interviews and one in-person interview for a job well within my skill-set and experience. I am having a 2nd in person interview when I spot another manager that was friends with my manager from the other company so I know why he thinks I was let go. He makes a point of shaking my hand and asking me how things were going then tells my hiring manager he needs to speak with him once he finished the interview. I assume he's going to pull him aside and say that dude was fired for stealing at XYZ company. So I'm pretty sure I won't hear back from them. But I do and I get a 3rd in person interview for which I take off 4 hours from my current job. I sit for over an hour waiting because the person supposed to interview me showed up late. The interview went well and I was like maybe I was wrong. A week goes by and I haven't heard anything so I call my contact back and he tells me they decided to hire internally. So I'm pretty sure I didn't have the job after the manager talked to my hiring manager but they failed to stop the interviewing process and completely wasted 4 more hours of my time for a useless 3rd face to face interview.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:57:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed for a TA position at a charter school. I bombed it. I was off my depression meds so I was having bad anxiety and depression, so I have a bit of an excuse. I cut off the teacher I was interviewing with a couple times. I rambled a bit on answers sounding like a jackass. I didn't get it. I guess I wasn't the worst because I interviewed again for a slightly different TA position at the same school today a couple weeks later. (Back on meds) I listened, I answered the best I could. I didn't answer how the lady wanted me too. She was pretty nervous. I don't think I'm getting it a second time and I'm not sure I'd fit well in the ladies classroom.
firebuzzard ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:24:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had an internal candidate take credit on his resume for work I performed before I was promoted in management. The interview was epic; I had a field day with it.
huggiesdsc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:53:51 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lol you called him out on it?
firebuzzard ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:04:12 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hell yeah I did! I didn't roast him, but I did make sure he learned something from the experience. It's better he figured it out from me than to get caught lying on his resume somewhere later in life where the stakes could be higher.
TrollAccount420 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:16:17 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
One time I came into an interview smelling like cat piss because my cat pissed on one of my nice dress shirts. Stopped at the supermarket 10 minutes before the interview and sprayed myself with febreeze.
I'm writing this from my work computer at that job right now.
[deleted] ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 08:15:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got promoted and had to interview for my replacement. I had two absolute freaks interview for the same job on the same day.
First guy had clearly taken the 'arrogance is confidence' route. He waltzed into the interview room, twirled his jacket onto the back of the chair, and slouched back in the seat with a 'manspread' so great that we could see the exact revolting profile of his meat-and-veg. It was an office-based position, and his opening gambit was "I hate working in an office - can't I do the job from home?" He slouched progressively more casually during the interview until he was so relaxed that I expected him to put his feet up on the desk at any minute. The job also involved giving presentations to high-profile members of the government. I asked him how he would approach this and his reply was "Presentations to the government? You must be kidding. I'd be off sick that day! AHAHAHAHAHA."
I swear he heard me and my coworker exploding with laughter the moment he left the room.
The second guy was very nervous and was clutching a blue-bound book which he laid on the desk very ostentatiously. When I asked him what his proudest achievement was he replied "I no longer have a colostomy bag". Then he flipped the book up on end and pointed to it, saying "no, seriously, my MBA THESIS". Every question he answered by including the thesis in his answer, and flipping the book up on its end again, like "ta-daaaa!" How do you deal with prioritising? "Well as I wrote in my MBA THESIS..." (flips book up and points to it) How would your former colleagues describe you? "There goes the guy with the MBA!" (flips book up and points to it).
When I asked "are there any questions" he said "Is it a junior or a senior role?" I was somewhat surprised that he didn't know so asked him where he saw himself in the organisation. "Oh either. Junior? Senior? I don't care. I'll do anything!" At the end of the interview I thanked him and he said "OK, thank you for your time. So show me to my desk. I'll start now!"
So during the interview it came out that the poor bastard had been struck by lightning. He was in hospital for two years and during that time he did an MBA. This is laudable in the extreme. But he was so freaking weird that there was no way I'd inflict him on my coworkers.
prettydirtmurder ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 10:17:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The second guy, wow. Hope he finds his place in the world, he sounds amazing.
[deleted] ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 10:40:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, so do I. I had nothing personal against him. He used to be a cop, was standing outside doing duty at a county fair and got struck on the head by a literal bolt from the blue. Very nearly died. Incredible that he turned it around and achieved something despite his injuries. But he was just so freaky. I'm not sure if his weirdness came from the lightning strike, being bed-bound, being desparate, or if it was just his regular personality, but he absolutely was not a good fit for the role.
prettydirtmurder ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:13:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Man, that is sad and unfortunate. It's understandable though that his issues would put some limitations on what he can do for a job. But it sounds like he'd be great under the right set of circumstances.
Mr1988 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 03:43:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A guy interviewing for an assistant role for me showed up a day early without his resume. Suffice it to say, he didn't get the job.
Diabetesh ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 02:50:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not a job interview, but a tip for you people looking for jobs. Don't just call and ask if you are hiring. Either come inside with a resume and ask or send an email with your resume and ask. Ticks me off when people just call "sup bro you guys hiring any dudes?"
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:37:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ugh I used to hate this when I had to apply for part time jobs in high-school. People always seemed busy and you were such an inconvenience bothering them for an application when you weren't buying anything.
TakeOffYourMask ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 03:14:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You'll want to look at The Daily WTF's "Tales From the Interview" section.
kkidfall ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:26:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But there doesn't seem to be anything there
TheLovelyLadsGroupie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:01:41 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Really??
kkidfall ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:40:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ah, i was looking for a subreddit lol
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 08:33:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I don't like kids"
Interviewing for a job on a summer camp.
v1LLy ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:12:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nodd off while i was interviewing them.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:19:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
v1LLy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:46:30 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whut is that? ?
sworley77 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 19:00:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Heroin is a helluva drug.
v1LLy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:46:47 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's why I user morphine! !!:-)
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 11:13:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know how I've fucked up a few interviews: Telling them I was in the US Army. Seriously. Great interview, previous jobs come up "So you were...In the Army... Ok sir, we will contact you. Have a good day." They then immediately end the interview. I don't know why, I just know its happened several times.
vaelstresz77 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:11:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah I would have to agree with /wellknownfacts below me. USMC 5 years, Network Systems Specialist, in my interview for my current job they got to the military part asked me what my job title meant, so I explained to them what I did. Landed me the job over the only other candidate that just graduated with a degree in computer science. Simply because I had 5 years work experience and knew everything and more that the other guy did.
edit: I just started replying/posting after years of lurking, I dont know how to put the link to someones username lol, please dont hurt me to bad.
datmart ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:24:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No worries, you just missed the /u before the slash.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:02:37 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I did the same thing in the Army with 3 years of experience, with almost 1000 computers on our network. Almost every job wanted 4. I was kinda baffled. Before my only deployment I ran an entire network alone for a year of that frame of time. Just me, no support Lots of times I'm thinking "So you want a guy who has 4 years of any experience over a guy that ran a network who was constantly supervised...ok..." (Edit: Technically we had a help desk, but day one that I was there they elevated all of my privileges on the computer said 'your NCO will train you, don't call us.' That was the last I ever spoke to them.)
(As an aside the reason those people with degrees cant get a job: After a year of being alone I had a Captain come in straight out of college after me, who didn't have as much of a clue what was going on, and when I would try to explain things to him he would go on these huge rants about how I was wrong, and he was going to article 15 me. None of that ever happened. Oddly that guy broke serious regulations/SOP all the fucking time. I reported him consistently and nothing happened/was true. "They are security violations, your rank isn't above 0-7, so I don't care that you are over me..." If I could only count the number of times I had that conversation with him. Would you want that guy working at your company?)
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:25:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Because sometimes... the title you have in the army and the work that you do there has no real world relevance.... and before you freak out-- hear me out.
We hired a guy who was SIGINT and came to find out that his particular SIGINT title meant he carried and replaced batteries in radios and sometimes encryption chips. That was his entire tour. But during the interview, he played it like he had super-secret work to do that he couldn't tell us about or he'd have to kill us.
I fucking hate it because we're a veteran-owned business and we like having veterans on staff. Tell me what you did so I can find a place for you. Don't lie to me or you end up fired, when you otherwise could have stayed with us for as long as you liked.
My only advice without knowing anything at all about you: Be sure your resume says what you did with the army and how it is applicable to the job you desire. Your goal is to make me seem like an idiot for passing over your resume.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 13:03:53 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah this isn't me. I gained real world skills and that really didn't matter. Or I should say hasn't mattered yet. I gave up and went to school. Which I'm currently in now. I'm really happy with the decision for school though. (This sounds critical of what you're saying, but I don't mean it that way.)
Seemose ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:55:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Me: "Do you have any relatives that work here."
Response: "Yes, he works in (insert department here)."
Me: "What's his name?"
Response: "I don't know."
Me: "Ok, maybe you misunderstood the question. I was asking if you had any relatives who worked here. People in your family."
Response: "Yep."
Me: "How do you know he's your relative, but you don't know his name?"
Him: "To be honest, I'm much better with faces."
That was the second-worst part of that interview.
PRGuyHere ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:11:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She asked if we have a carpool program.
That by itself isn't a big deal. Hey, you're trying to save the environment. Good for you.
I told her there wasn't one to my knowledge...but there's thousands of employees here, so it's entirely possible that one DOES exist without my knowledge. And if there isn't, she could certainly start one herself.
But she just keeps pushing about this carpool thing. Finally, she shares that she's worried about the commute...she's never driven this far before.
So I ask her where she lives.
She's about 15 minutes away.
I tossed her resume in the trash in the middle of the (phone) interview.
Callmebobbyorbooby ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:42:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Since I'm a recruiter I'll chime in some advice on this thread, since we're talking about applicants fucking up. I'm the recruiter, so naturally I'm the first person you go through to get a job with our company. I make the first judgement. If you have a shitty personality, are a dick to me or any of my coworkers in any way, or just act like you're doing me a favor by being there, you're out. And let me tell you why. You may be qualified for the job, yes, but if I let you through, it makes me look bad. A hiring manager will get to you and will question my interviewing skills. So yeah, if you're a shit head, expect to not get through most recruiters. I've had this happen a surprisingly number of times. Not only am I doing it to cover my ass, but I don't feel the need to help people who are complete fucking assholes.
SamJSchoenberg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:31:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's not an interview story.
Callmebobbyorbooby ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:37:00 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh ok. Thanks.
VOZ1 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:08:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Posted this a while ago in another thread:
She brought her kid to the interview. Weird, but not a dealbreaker. Shit happens, I understand how it can be for parents. Then the kid, who was about 3 or 4, throws up while sitting on her lap. OK. Now things are starting to get pretty weird, but it's not her fault the kid is sick. Get some napkins, clean the kid up, OK, back to business....Aaaaaaaand she whips out her tit and is breastfeeding this 3-4 year old in the middle of the interview. And not even a peep to acknowledge that it's happening. My assistant couldn't pick her jaw up off the floor. I thanked the woman for her time, and she didn't get a call back. W. T. F.
massdebate159 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:29:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good Lord.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:23:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
VOZ1 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:28:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Could be, but I got the sense that she was 100% serious about getting the job. I like to think my bullshit radar is pretty finely tuned, and no alarms went off with her. She was just crazy.
spermface ยท 28 points ยท Posted at 23:04:11 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing a candidate for a retail position that required basic computer skills. He couldn't even perform a simple subreddit search.
[deleted] ยท 115 points ยท Posted at 00:21:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I don't find a lack of redditing skills to be a deal-breaker. These are usually learned on the job itself.
thats_satan_talk ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 02:04:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
With the old search system?
It was like Where's Waldo, with more porn.
dexterpine ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:52:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There are companies that have applicants use Reddit during interviews?
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 03:48:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
my father was interviewing a guy in his mid 20's and he told my father that he was more productive when he smoked pot. it was a programming gig, so he was supposed to have his own office , and he didn't see any problem with hitting a bong inside his office.
weird_jellyfish ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 01:32:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Question in a teaching interview for a school in a diverse area: "How do you address or practice positive cultural responsiveness in the classroom?"
Answer: "I feel like that question is a trap. I'm not racist, if that's what you're asking."
[deleted] ยท 19 points ยท Posted at 03:06:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
weird_jellyfish ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:10:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The "fuck up" was the forceful and suspicious nature of his reply, though it also was odd that there wasn't more to the answer since it came after a long description and discussion of the importance of CRE practices in our school setting.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 14:59:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Right. A lot of people fuck this answer up.
BeardsuptheWazoo ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 03:26:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What would a good answer be to that question? Why the strange wording?
SloppySteam ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 03:14:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That is a weird question. What kind of answer are you looking for?
weird_jellyfish ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:32:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was just sitting in. The wording related directly to the thorough description of culturally responsive educational practices that the principal had just given. Basically the person just had to give an example of how they had incorporated cultural acceptance into their classroom. We have a very diverse population, and CRE is big with our admin. The forceful reply kind of took us all by surprise.
Kumacon ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 11:32:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, you and I both know that question is a trap
SamJSchoenberg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:16:55 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What even is "positive cultural responsiveness? It sounds like buzzword soup to me.
starky411 ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 00:52:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
'I don't like to work hard.... (Looooong pause.......) I like to work smart'
Raschwolf ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 02:39:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yea, I still wouldn't hire them. I've seen what people call 'working smart'. It's laziness with a bow-tie and some fancy words.
omgplsno ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 01:50:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've had one person tell me that they didn't like working with others.
Raschwolf ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:43:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What was the business?
squirrelhaven ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:20:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Does it really matter though? Most jobs require you to work with someone, customers or coworkers. Unless you're at home, but then you still have to deal with the mailman sometimes.
Raschwolf ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:08:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Doesn't like to work with others isn't the same as inability to work with others.
I don't like to work with other people. I'm a commercial diver. I suck it up, because if we don't work as a team someones going to end up dead.
There are businesses where a reclusive personality would be good; the candidate would still have to work with others or at least interact from time to time, but it wouldn't be the full description of their job.
squirrelhaven ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:40:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You make a good point, I hadn't thought that.
sniven ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 05:17:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had an applicant say, "I know I don't have the skills you're probably looking for, but I need a job, my unemployment is about to run out."
squazify ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 05:28:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We recently had a guy apply to my work with 1337 in his resume. Dude was 40...
Hugh_Jampton ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:54:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Now that's a word I haven't heard for a while
reversEngineer ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 08:19:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would have viewed that as a positive!
squazify ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:28:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was an IT job. Maybe we should have viewed it that way...
SwankBank ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:14:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
1337? What does that mean? Why is is bad that he was 40?
squazify ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:27:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
1337 is for LEET. It was older slang for elite. You would see people put 1337 skills, haxor, etc... It normally went along the same lines as p'owned. The issue is that you don't put that in a professional resume. I understand that I work for a small company, but it seems very unprofessional. I could see it coming from a 17 year old kid, but when it's a 40 year old man you would expect them to know better. I mean the guy was qualified, and was persistent enough to consider him, but due to that my boss and I just laughed at it. Point is, 1337 shouldn't be put in a resume, it belongs on the 90's and 00's internet.
POGtastic ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:47:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A meme so dank that you can't even use it sarcastically anymore... Mother of God.
TheLovelyLadsGroupie ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 16:05:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's real Zero Cool/Acid Burn/Crash Override territory.
KMFDM781 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:42:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That display is so crispy
SwankBank ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:38:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh. Oh wow. Thank you for explaining this guy's ridiculousness
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:58:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
See if you get invited to my r0x0rs p4r-t
NoodleBird44 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:59:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I own a restaurant. I was interviewing a potential front of house (cashier / server) and I asked her what she liked and disliked most about her last job. She responded with, "I like the customers most. And disliked the most? I disliked the customers most."
She did not get hired.
MagicHamsta ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:02:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was a love-hate relationship.....
gotmynamefromcaptcha ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:47:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She came to the interview with mustard and ketchup stains on her blouse, and looked like she hasn't showered in 3 years.
The moment she sat down we ended the interview right then and there.
Allthatisjay ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:16:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What's one common misconception people can have when first meeting you?
"Some people think I'm a cunt when they see my face. I don't know why but I don't fucking care as I'm a strong person."
And....Thank you for your time.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 12:51:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went into an interview a day after eating burritos and I was sitting there with the guy interviewing me, holding myself together. He went on to ask me about my past experiences and I couldn't speak. There was this huge fart waiting at the edge of my butt. I was trying so hard to squeeze my butt cheeks together to stop a fart from exploring the tight room. There was dead silence as he awaited my answer to one of his questions, but I was so focused on keeping my fart in. I was thinking about asking him to use it the bathroom, but thought I should look professional and finish the interview. At that moment it slipped out in a long squeak (because I was trying to keep it in). The interviewer gave me short pause with a stink-face and asked me if I needed to use the restroom. I said, "yes please." Instead of going to the bathroom I ran out and balled at home. One of the most embarrassing experiences ever.
massdebate159 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 13:12:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Oh God, we've all been there. My farts ruin everything.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:17:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Show up with alcohol on their breath.
brettmjohnson ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 06:41:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once had a candidate not show up for the interview. This wasn't terribly uncommon, but I was annoyed that he had not even bothered to call and cancel.
About 45 minutes later, I get a call from the receptionist for the company across the street. Apparently the candidate had showed up there and the receptionist had been calling all the HR and hiring managers to find out with whom he had an interview.
Eventually, they figured out he had shown up a the wrong company, in the wrong building. I told her to send him home. He had failed the interview based on a stupendous lack of attention to detail.
I interviewed hundreds of software developers over the last 3 decades. We had a moderate set of programming problems we would pose to candidates. We typically asked them to solve 4-8 in an interview. They were not trivial, but they all demonstrated knowledge of of some skill or problem-solving ability; and could be implemented in a dozen or fewer lines of code. If someone was having difficulty, I would ask questions or offer hints to see how they work their way to a solution.
Some people breeze through, revealing to me they have the (not too tough) material down pat and have likely done it in the past. Some struggle a bit, but it gives me valuable insight into their problem-solving abilities. Some do poorly, either from lack of experience or lack of education.
However, in 30 years, only one really stands out. A candidate was struggling with the very first problem. Even after about 10 minutes of hints and direction, she was only about half way through it. I am OK with a candidate blowing one problem, as long as they do reasonably well on others. However, she never got that chance. She started crying, then bawling. She grabbed her stuff and ran out of the building. It hasn't happened before or since.
TL;DR: There's no crying in
baseballjob interviews.[deleted] ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 07:49:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hate it when recruiters ask you bullshit questions.
"We'll get back to you."-------No you wont.
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"-------In the fucking mirror, same as always, prick.
"Why do you want to work here?"------------To make money and pay bills, idiot.
"Have you ever shown up late for a job or lied to a employer."--------Certainly, but I ain't going to tell you the fucking truth so why ask?
lewko ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:59:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked a female candidate what she planned on doing for the next five years. She said "have lots of kids".
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 09:17:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Now keep in mind this was for Spencer Gifts so it's not like we were the most professional lot, but this guy came to his interview with a fake raccoon tail pinned to the ass of his pants. My store manager said to me "That could have been the best interview you've ever given and I'm still not hiring raccoon boy." Thankfully it hadn't gone well anyway.
ROBTOMIC ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:13:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
https://youtu.be/BsxYfYCbVC0
DoeEyedBrownSkin ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 07:46:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She called her husband a son of a bitch, wore fake lashes that were so long and disturbing, I thought she looked frightening annnnd she rudely answered calls multiple times without as little as an apology in front of myself and my manager.
She keeps calling my office asking why she doesn't have a job yet.
johnm4jc ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 09:15:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm working for an automotive development service provider and usually applicants are misinformed about what the Job "technical productdesigner" is actually about. Most applicants think it means you get to design cars and other vehicles. One day there was this girl whose answers to any questing made us kinda suspicious, so we asked her what she thought she would be working on later. She started to list some proper products, ruining everything by ending with Television sets. We were all quite shocked how someone could be so uninformed.
Another guy on the same day thought he could get the Job just because he knew some People at the Company, was very confident, and later very disenchanted.
brufleth ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:37:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I guess it was after he was already hired, but I was still trying to help figure out how to integrate him into the group.
He told me he was only joining the group to get a bullet point on his resume so he could get into a grad program he needed the experience for.
It was a huge red flag. I think he just assumed we were conspiratorial buddies or something because I was taking him out to lunch on his first day. As you'd expect, he did almost nothing during the time he worked in our group. He'd fall asleep (repeatedly) during demonstrations of how to use test equipment, he never delivered any assignments, he rarely seemed to show up, and he was generally just a big sink hole for the team's morale.
I was happy when he finally got into his grad program and left.
wickyewok ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:28:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was reviewing CV's once and some guy put "sleeping" as his main hobby. I was entertained, and his skill set was fine so he got through to the testing stage anyway.
Another guy I once interviewed was applying for a graduate software developer.
His CV wasn't great (but he passed the first stage of testing) so I gave him some advice during the interview which was about how he should put more emphasis on his technical skills. His response was "oh I never bothered as it wasn't a field I am interested in working in, I am only applying for this job because the agency said I should".
I noped out at that point.
(He had a science related degree and some coding ability which is how he got so far in our recruitment process)
littlewoolie ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:36:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I saw a coworker recommend his friend to our boss for a job at the supermarket. He interviewed well and had the right availability. The problem was his lack of understanding English which probably would have gone unnoticed had he not turned down the job offer on the phone because he thought HR was a telemarketer.
Kungmoocow ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:54:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A candidate once called the CEO of the company (the woman who was interviewing him) 'she' in the interview and only talked to the male interviewer. After that they stopped taking notes
SamJSchoenberg ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:33:03 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I bet it would be more entertaining if you actually told the story
mastapetz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:15:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I am not in charge of hiring, but my direct boss is and another coworker too.
I once came to office, since we had an important customer coming, I was in Suit jacket, Suit shirt and everything. I come into the office and see a lady sitting in our Lobby, looking like she just came from woodstock. I say friendly greetings and she to greets me like I am the CEO or shit.
Since I was a bit in a hu8rry I just walked in not thinking of it.
So second coworker comes in (the one in charge of hiring) and goes. "That was a first, that woodstock lady? She was the one that applied for this managment post. She was complete out of it, lost touch with reality some time ago. Oh my"
If there is one thing, our company likes, people that apply for jobs, should come dressed like they would if they interact with our ILA customers. You dont go to a customer like Unilever, Nestle, name it, dressed like your would put daisies in their hair.
themistermatt ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:35:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was the guy who fucked up an IT position that I had an interview for.
In my defence, the things they asked me about were nothing even close to what the job requirements stated.
supercash4you ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:50:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy brought his wife to interview so she could fill out the employment app for him. 50 years old, couldn't read. Then there was the applicant that walked into a plate glass window instead of the open door.
chuckabrick ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 12:54:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had his wife drop him off.She came into the interview with him uninvited, then she called to ask if he got the job.
yanomami ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:01:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Me: Are you in front of a computer?
Candidate: No
Me: Did they tell you you should have access to a computer for this phone screen?
Candidate: Yes
Me: Do you want to reschedule this phone screen?
Candidate: No
Me: ...ok, maybe you can just tell me what you'd type then.
FeatofClay ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:43:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
My team does research and data analysis and reporting. Last time we had an opening, we created a small worksheet beforehand that we sent to our top candidates about 5 days before the interview. To complete it they'd have to go online to our website and other webpages within our larger organization. The answers were all findable; we just wanted them to go through the process so we could talk in the interview, about how they approached it. A few of them called us beforehand to ask for clarification on a few items, which showed an attention to detail we appreciated.
However, one person came in and wasn't done because she'd just started that morning 30 minutes before the interview and ran out of time. She didn't even seem that sheepish about it. I was sorry we wasted that interview slot on her.
pdaugh ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:47:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
An young lady showed up in a t-shirt with little skulls in the pattern. Her resume was very good.
holcomb_ ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:51:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most recently - a girl told me her whole life story. How she and her soon-to-be ex-husband owned a bar and he left her for a meth head skank with no teeth. Another girl had some less than professional photos on social media. And the last guy listed "box cutting" as one of his skills -_-
chillywilly007 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:59:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm a Chef; I interview people high on pills and smelling like weed all the time. Eyes barley open - you could blind them with dental floss.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:34:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have an interview in a couple of hours... this is only making me a little bit more uncomfortable than what i already was in the beginning.
datmart ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:51:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well? How'd the interview go? Did you ace it?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:13:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Update. Killed it. Got the job!
Turtledonuts ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:55:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yay.
datmart ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 14:01:59 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Congrats!
Nezzuu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:41:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Someone called at 0700 am on sunday, I asked him do you know what time it is? He said: Yea I do, didn't expected someone to pick up.
Emergency phone that is linked to the office phone in the weekends.
annijack1978 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 15:57:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
She showed up in jorts and texted her boyfriend the entire time.
SamJSchoenberg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:54:46 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What are these "jorts" I keep hearing about?
annijack1978 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:53:54 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Jean short cut offs. Usually very short.
TTwTT ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:13:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Don't interview but have checked through resumes (retail store). Found some odd ones where people wrote as part of their skill lists: Watering plants for neighbours, buying lunch for co-workers and keeping their rooms tidy.
Greyzer ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:23:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a candidate that fell asleep during his interview at my last job.
He got hired anyway...
poormilk ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:33:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have a good one! Asked what his biggest accomplishment was "my comic book collection."
Also what was project you worked on in the last 6 months, "well I made a mixtape for my cousins wedding."
He had worked for the company in the past as well, Im pretty sure he wanted to stay on unemployment.
yaemes ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:57:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
After a phone interview for a single cleaning position, a family of 10 showed up-- Kids, parents, and family friends. Only one of them, the one we had a phone call with, spoke English, a requirement for the position. Everybody else was there to just...watch.
kangruiqiu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:12:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A company I used to work for had this cleaning crew that started after our business hours. This one cleaning guy brought his kids, who were probably about 8-10 years old. My department had late hours one evening and we noticed that the guy was directing his kids to do all of the cleaning. The guy himself did none of the cleaning. We fired his services soon after.
C0USC0US ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:37:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This girl I was interviewing got lost taking public transit on her way to the interview, and admitted to me that instead of asking someone for directions she called her mom, who had to leave work, to come pick her up and drive her the rest of the way.
If she's too scared to ask someone for directions she definitely can't do the job she applied for.
Suicideking15 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:01:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I commonly ask about an applicants references and then ask pointed questions like: If I asked James about your time at XYZ shop you would he say you are an honest person? Would your last supervisor say you were a hard worker? One question I commonly ask is: Would your last employer consider you a punctual person? Most people respond; โYesโ of course. One young guy thinks about it for a moment and then says very straight forward; โnoโ My respose was โReally? Your last supervisor wouldnโt consider you punctual?โ and he says angrily; โNo one considers me a punk.โ Interview over.
johnm188 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:48:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Interviewing a younger dude. I asked what would your previous boss tell me about you. He said that his old boss was asian and that he had expected too much work. Always complained when he came in late. Then he said "You know how those people are." (referring to his asian boss). I thought I was being punked but he was serious.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:47:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was telling a woman we do drug testing if hired. She then told me she had something embarrassing to tell me. I thought what the heck could it be at this point. She explains she started her period and if that would affect the drug test. At this point I am holding back laughter as she continues on about her period. With a grin, I tell her "We just need urine, and that is IF you are hired"
nochilly ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:04:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i used to work as a receptionist at a staffing agency. i would always get calls from people asking if we had admin positions available. i had one lady call, i told her yes. she asked what experience was needed, i told her basic computer skills ets. she then responded back with "yeah, i do computers"
eratoast ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:07:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We didn't bring her in for an interview, but we had someone apply for a senior UX Designer position through LinkedIn. No information on her profile except her name. Her resume was FULL of spelling and grammar errors, would selectively capitalize things (not as a stylistic choice--her first name had a capital letter, but not her last, nothing in her address was capitalized except the first letter of the first word of her street and the first letter of the state abbreviation). She included what I think was supposed to be an objective statement, but read more like the answer to "Why do you want to work here?" and said she wanted to try something new. She had NO design experience at all, never used Photoshop, InDesign, nothing. I get applying for jobs that you're not perfectly qualified for, or you want to change fields, but she was in no way qualified, had no transferable skills, and didn't even try to tailor her resume to fit the posting.
stellasounds ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:12:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
After the interview the candidate goes, "you look much thinner in person."
My response was "have we met before?"
Her response was, "I looked you up on facebook and saw pictures of you"
Kinsata ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:24:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I once answered the question "Why should we hire you" with "I'm the best."
I still cringe when I think about it.
cookieguyster ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:11:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When asked if he had any questions for us, a candidate pointed to my boss's hand and said "What's that band-aid for?"
Kilbim ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:29:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I see, that's good advice, even if I try and I am not give me much of a chance. And since its a very small team I can't look for opportunities for doing that elsewhere.. Are online courses, in addition to real degrees, worth anything in the eyes of a recruiter?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:32:59 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I sat in on an interview for another accountant whose hat said "Take this job and shove it."
NoxDominus ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:04:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not really. It's the first time I post this here, but I'd think using your religion, race, club affiliation, etc to gain advantage is a pretty common thing.
Mandog222 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 00:56:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
When I was working at a shop a guy showed up for his interview an hour early for some reason. He was hired, but stopped snowing up after a week or two.
Edit: showing* not snowing
BeardsuptheWazoo ยท 14 points ยท Posted at 03:27:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
maybe he melted.
_ILLUSI0N ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:35:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You do know you can edit the word right...
Mandog222 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 05:52:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, but I wanted to leave it so people knew what the other comment was getting at.
inconceivable_orchid ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:57:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well it's good that he's off of the blow.
goldspike888 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:43:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i had a candidate resume and was doing a phone screen and noted he had had several jobs in the past few years. I was doing a phone screen and started asking about why he left each of his last jobs. For the first one he said he was fired because he talked too much. As I went down the list, he had either been laid off or fired. He said he was just being honest and I responded that I was honest in saying I was not interested in hiring him. He was actually surprised. Sorry, click.
hafizshahid110 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 09:00:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
2 Ways To Ruin Your Chances During A Job Interview *Someone might tell you to โBe yourselfโ in the interview. Donโt be yourself. Thatโs the worst advice ever. We donโt want people who are neurotic and quirky and whatever else. All we care about is your skill and experience. *I know many of you met your former spouse at the company. But the thing is, for every one of you, there are five people it doesnโt work out as well for. And your office romance can and will be held against you.
Augrills ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 10:54:12 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Depends on the job.
I was kind of an asshole in my last interview, and I still got the job. When I try to play up the "perfect worker" bullshit, it doesn't mesh with my personality. I work hard, but I'm not going to break my back to be enthusiastic about work. I love people, I like my job, but I'm not going to be a ham. If I can't be myself at one place, I'm going to find a job where I can.
My problem with interviewing over the years is that so many people doing interviews seem to get off on putting people in uncomfortable situations that will never arise on the job. They abuse this modest authority they have over me for 30 minutes to a couple of hours. All of them ask questions that are completely fucking stupid and expect a straight answer. If you ask me what kind of animal I want to be, what kind technology I'd like to own or any of the other generic "silly" questions, I am going to fuck with you. It has turned on me in plenty of interviews to be an honest person, but it's also weeded out shitty employers who want a lapdog instead of an employee.
KMFDM781 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:11:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly...people get a modicum of power over someone and they lord it for all it's worth.
OneWayOfLife ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 14:56:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Add spaces after your asterisks to make them bullet points :)
fdsdfg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:37:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Cry
stinx2001 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 05:08:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a guy answer the phone for a telephone interview: 'I'm on the toilet, can you call back in 5'
[deleted] ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 05:42:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
well what the hell else was he supposed to do!?
TheSilentOne705 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 07:26:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
TBH, I've done a phone screening on the john before. I just made sure to be very quiet about what I was doing.
KMFDM781 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:08:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What's that echo? "I'm in the garage to have some privacy"
slates-R-us ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:00:34 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Just drove my Lamborghini through the Hollywood Hills"
gallaaxy ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:11:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe explain the interviewer that he is doing something like mowing the law and ask him if he could have 5 minutes to get inside so he can focus on the Interview in a quiet location.
benikens ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 05:23:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I conducted a programming test as part of the interview. The test was done on my laptop. While watching back the candidates code in real time I noticed one of them that just had the whole answer appear at once. Checked search history and he'd google the problem then pasted the answer. If your going to cheat at least cover your tracks.
[deleted] ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 17:46:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He probably didn't realize that was considered cheating. Knowing what to search for is a huge part of software development.
TheShrinkingGiant ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 19:53:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So you want developers who reinvent wheels.
Solid.
We do the same, but project the laptop screen and watch it happen. If someone straight googles the answer, and is smart enough to do it fast, and recognize if it is what they want, that's a positive.
benikens ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:28:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
While I totally agree that knowing how to google your answer is a vital part of developing, this was just to see them attempt to code so we could be sure they had at least a vague idea where to start. This is web dev to and it was a very simple problem.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:15:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
My husband is in upper management for one of the large retail chains. He deals with multiple store locations, but one store is his "home" store.
If you ask for a job application for your son/daughter, he will tell you that they are not hiring. Your child (of any age) needs to care about working enough to come and apply on their own.
Do not bring babies, children, a parent, a boyfriend/girlfriend, or a spouse to the interview.
A retail job is still a job. Don't treat it like a joke. Dress professionally. Turn off your cell phone.
Also, when you want to inquire about whether a place is hiring, be polite and courteous to everyone you speak to - cashiers, the janitor, etc. If you are rude and snappy, management will hear about it.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:01:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I interviewed someone and before I got back to them they started texting me asking if I wanted to hang out, seemingly in a personal way. I hired her but have never responded to the texts. I will definitely sleep with her after she no longer works there.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:10:29 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This grad came in for an interview, his first job out of college. He was asked, "Where do you see yourself in two years." His reply, "Director of supply chain organization." We thanked him for coming in.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:45:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Were you pissed at the arrogance on his part? Or did his answer just imply he was ignorant of the nature of the company.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:21:31 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Neither. His expectation of unfettered rise from entry level to Division director is unrealistic. We felt, as a team, that these expectations were too lofty and development would be a risk. We needed a worker who would do work do work, not look for next giant step. Looking to move on.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:17:13 on September 17, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ahh i see, i assumed he was somewhat near director level if that was his goal. Totally understandable on your part as those are ridiculous aspirations for 1 year.
j_schmotzenberg ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:17:09 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Tell me about the Simpsons when the candidate was asked to teach me a skill they know from an engineering background.
mfranko88 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 06:12:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Me: So tell me about your self?
Person: (Paraphrased) Well...I dont really do much. I'm pretty boring. I just sit around most of the time because I'm so lazy.
Me: ...Bye
gallaaxy ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 09:18:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If i would have to answer honestly i would have said i go to school, get home, do my homework and chores for the day, then work out on a couple of days and then i like to relax by playing videogames. Is it really that bad that you are not doing much in your freetime? What answers would you like to hear on that question?
Beast-Beats ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:27:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Your answer is clearly more intelligent and coherent, while still being honest. My online applications have the question "what is your last favorite thing to do each day" and most people put "sleep in because there's so much to do all day" or "sit around and do nothing because there's so much to do all day." Those apps very quickly go to the no pile because when I'm not at work, my favorite things to do are sleep in and sit around and do nothing.
gallaaxy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:10:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
ok thank you for the information i will keep that in mind when i have to apply for a job. :)
mfranko88 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:37:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Nothing that uses the word lazy.
squirrelhaven ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:54:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I would consider myself lazy at home, but I'm a really fucking hard worker. Maybe that's why I'm lazy.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:33:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did you really just say "...bye"? Talk about unprofessional.
mfranko88 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:37:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I paraphrased the whole thing.
Enigma_1376 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 06:32:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked for a charity and we're talking to a candidate about his suitability as the person organising all the fundraising etc... then he says "well it's not like I've got to raise a million dollars"... the CEO and I just looked at each other and he could tell he's put his foot in it; then he asks "what's the working budget" and I tell him it's 2m... he didn't get the job.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:25:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
His phone rang, he apologised.... then answered it. When he hung up I asked him politely to leave.
marunga ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 08:26:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lage to the show but I still think I've got a few good ones: All stories are based in a health care setting...because,well, that's what I am, a a glorified nurse. First: The resume Another manager felt I'll with the flu and asked me to take over from her. The candidate was interviewed for a well-payed specialist-team leader position and rocked the phone interviewing. I must admit that I was kind of unprepared and only could read thru the resume during the interview. Interestingly enough he worked at the same hospital I worked before - but although I was the teamleader for the division he claims to have experience in I never heard his name.Initially I didn't think to much off is - maybe he just switched right after I left,who knows. Naturally after the usual questions we switch to this topic. Me: So who was your team leader at $genericbighospital? Him: That was oll'George. Me: Interesting. I've never heard of him. Him: Oh he works there for twenty years, I was able to learn a lot of him. Next one needs a bit of explaining. Said hospital has a big statue in the foyer called 'the Paul'. It's very well liked by most people but some do find it too modern. Me: So do you know the Paul? Do you find him too modern? Him: Oh I always enjoyed working with him, he introduced a lot of new knowledge into the team.
Me: Sure he does. Thank you for your time.
Story Nr.2: The bodybuilder. Another interview for a nursing position. Guy had a good resume and was invited for a in-house interview. Came in a tank-top, showing his tattoos and muscles (he was ripped). Interview went surprisingly well but one answer ended it: Me: So what are your negative sides? Him: Yeah, bro, I'd like to fuck people up when they disagree with me. Me: Ehm,could you explain that? Him: Fuck them up.Punch them in the face. Wasn't hired either.
ElsweyrFondue ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:03:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I guess you didnt tell that to his face.
marunga ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 11:01:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually I did. The fact that I had Hulk holgans Russian twin brother as an personal assistant might have helped - together with the fact that I had suicidal tendencies all my life. The assistant wasn't called 'Igor the Destroyer' without reason, I've seen that guy lift Xerox machines like other people carry groceries. The ladies and I cried when he moved to become regular staff at another department.(Favorite quote that got him hired: "No problem Mr. Bossman, you have thing to do, I do thing, good, no problem.")
vaelstresz77 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:37:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's wonderful, I have had my fair share of colleagues who knew they were not the brightest of us ( I work in IT ) but they were big ass mofo's. and they understood this, they would try to learn where they could but if they ever saw someone struggling to carry a server to the other side of the building they be all like " hold on one second vaelstresz77," walk over grab server with one hand, and carry it for that guy all with a smile on his face. LOVE THOSE GUYS
marunga ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:58:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Actually he was way overqualified - he had a masters degree in maths from belarus,but had not enough knowledge of the local language (or English for that matter) to make any use of it at that point. He meanwhile is fluent in German and English (after three years,with a very mean dialect although) and is now a team leader within one of our consulting teams.
He still brings me a small keg of vodka every time he gets home. :D
dangerousbrian ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 08:57:55 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
TLDR when googling for code to submit to and interview, don't submit the first result from google unmodified.
We had a guy with a degree from Cambridge, a second one from Oxford with a follow on masters, all in subjects relevant to the position. Everything on his CV looked amazing apart from the fact he hasn't worked for the last 6 months.
So we send him out filter test which is a bunch of simple questions one of which is to write a function that implements ROT13 (shifting characters 13 places). I noticed that the java code he submitted started "ublic class" which smacked of a cut and paste mistake so I googled "rot13 function java" and boom first result was his code.
Aroha11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:34:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So what he did not work? My God, do people have no right to any LIFE anymore?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:50:20 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not working is a red flag, duh. if it's the only one, who cares. But why would I hire somone who is out of practice when I have other people who aren't?
c0nduit ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:52:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was on a phone interview with a guy for a programming job. Sort of doing like a "prescreening" to see whether it was worth flying the guy in for a bigger interview. Every time I'd ask him a question I'd hear furious typing, then a pause, then he'd answer me like the canned shit you'd get from a google search lol. I finally told him I could hear his typing and I asked him to answer a few without using Google and he fucked them all up. Jackass.
pakapakaist ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:16:25 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Resume was papyrus font.
fredg7 ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 15:14:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At least it wasn't wingdings
norf9 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:35:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Comic Sans is the way to go
FelisLachesis ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:08:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
While I was working as a student IT "gopher" at a real small school, my boss told me about one of the stellar interviews he had to administer:
He was looking for someone to fill a systems administrator position, and he got a resume that looked spectacular. All the right buzz words, all the right certifications, MCSE, Cisco, the works. So my boss brought him in for an interview.
During the interview, my boss was noticing some trepidation in this guys voice, so my boss asks a fairly simple question, at least in his field: "tell me, what does MCSE stand for?"
This guy completely hesitated, and started shooting words at random "Microsoft service... Certified... " or something like that.
My boss ended the interview right there, that guy didn't get hired.
jackson392 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 09:40:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's a poor interview question and an awful reason to disqualify a person.
FelisLachesis ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:22:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It wasn't a question my boss wanted to ask, he just noticed this guy was fumbling around all the other questions about his qualifications and such. The rรฉsumรฉ looked good, but turned out this guy actually fabricated everything.
datmart ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:32:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had to look it up myself, thinking it was microsoft certified systems engineer, surprised to see it's solutions expert.
I do hold an A+ and previously held a net+, though that expired a while ago.
FelisLachesis ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:36:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If this guy had just said something confidently, my boss would have let him pass. It was just that look the interviewee had like a deer lost in headlights when asked that question that raised a ton of red flags.
Honestly, I would've thought it stood for the same thing you said, as well.
vinney1369 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:29:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hell to the no. If you don't know the name of your own certification we're done. It doesn't matter if it took you 3 months or 4 years, you paid for and earned that shit. Know it.
jackson392 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:04:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
He does know the name of his certification, it's a MCSE. Nobody calls it a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert... everyone calls it a MCSE. You don't call yourself a Cisco Certified Network Associate, you call yourself a CCNA. You don't call it Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, you call it DHCP. You don't called it Internet Message Access Protocol, you call it IMAP. I don't know the spelled out name of dozens of acronyms I use every day in IT, but I know exactly what they are and what they do. Expecting people to remember acronym meanings is nonsensical and pointless. It's the sort of bullshit question I'd expect from a non-technical IT manager.
vinney1369 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:04:32 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
From what I can tell, you and I must be looking at this guy from two opposite angles. You see him as a poor guy who got tripped up on an unnecessary title question where I'm seeing it from the point of him lying and trying to pull one over on a potential employer.
I'm all for people reaching for the stars but an interviewer has to be able to call someone on bullshit too. I can't imagine that was the guy's first time interviewing someone either.
I also work IT as well and use acronyms all day long. However, I still think that if you have a degree or certification you should absolutely be able to tell a layman the full name if asked. Not knowing the proper name of your education is just lazy.
jackson392 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 00:16:35 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
Then test his actual technical knowledge. You haven't actually proved he doesn't have MCSE level knowledge by him not knowing an acronym.
The question is lazy.
bobbo007 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 06:28:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Voluntarily tell me they were fired from their last job for fucking up appointment setting for u-haul.
b33r_engineer ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:16:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I thought fucking up the appointments was a requirement to work at U-Haul. I've tried to rent stuff from there several times, and it's never gone quite right.
bobbo007 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:40:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe I should have hired them for doing a good job.
RasslinsnotRasslin ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 04:58:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Fuckers didn't show up.
platelicker ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:17:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Chewing, gum.
BlackFox19 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:27:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It was a laid back telephone interview. So laid back that I said "fuck". I did not get that job.
Fubardian ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 05:45:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Come in dirty as hell, saggy pants, a shirt 5 sizes to big, nasty tatoos, and gauged ears. "Yo dawg, can I get an application?"
Aroha11 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:49:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Deepends what kind of job he wanted to apply for.
Fubardian ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:44:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Even if you want to be a tattoo artist you should dress and speak like you care about getting a job.
morganrum ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:37:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiring for a junior position for someone to assist me in my day to day. I asked the guy what his greatest strength was, and he replied with "leadership". Despite an otherwise good performance in his interview and a good CV, he didn't get the job. It was a perfect lesson in not understanding the role you're applying for.
RampageOctagon ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:57:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
applying not hiring but this ones pretty dumb from me - for my third year at uni (or college for all you americans here) we have an option to take a year out and do an internship (i do a design degree). After having not much luck I woke up one morning to find out I had been invited for a Skype interview with Lego (my dream job). In a fit of excitement I rushed downstairs to show my mum the email only to find out I had accidentally hit the delete button. went into my email bin to retrieve but accidentally permanently deleted it.
Luckily my uncle knew a person high up at Lego and managed to get the email resent but I didn't get the job...i wonder why...
Aroha11 ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 13:26:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be honest, I wonder why too. This kind of mistake can happen to everyone.
jimmy_talent ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:02:14 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
By thinking she could get the job just because she was hot, she sent half naked pictures with her resume and she was really hot but I would have gotten in so much trouble if I had hired her after that.
Viking1308 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:21:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had some guy stage in my kitchen. I asked him to sweep and mop the cooler...He moped first.
SamJSchoenberg ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:37:27 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's an underwhelming story. It's not like sweeping and mopping are difficult to train someone on.
Viking1308 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:39:20 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No. And that's kind of my point. It's the most brainless the job you could ever hope for. If you're hoping to get a job in the kitchen and you can't even do that you probably should look for a different profession
Shpoogle ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:59:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy came in, had a fantastic interview. Afterwards i follow up with the other manager and we both came to the conclusion that he would be an outstanding addition to our team. As I always do, searched him on Facebook, found no issues. Had his twitter account in his bio, clicked on it, profile picture is him smoking a fat blunt. Needless to say, that was as far as that went...
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:07:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Im assuming your in a non legal state. Pretty sad when an applicant seems qualified and a great fit, yet they get instantly binned because they smoke weed in their free time. Shouldnt have posted it to twitter but still
Shpoogle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:16:34 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'd definitely agree with you there, but as I don't live in a legal state, and my company doesn't allow it, it would be dishonest to overlook it :/
Mineth_tre_too_won ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:16:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not the worst one, but the one that sticks out to me the most was when a girl came to be interviewed in a VERY VERY lowcut dress. Besides that she was great, but the other people in charge of hiring thought she was a slut pretty much.
Holy_City_Sinner ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:03:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This lady came in 3 hours early for an interview with her husband and child. The boss wasn't even here yet so we told her she needed to come back at her specified interview time... Ok, two hours later she comes back, still an hour early... With husband and kid in tow. Ugh no. Just no.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 04:53:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
TIL I can't wait for all you boomers with childish hang ups to retire/die.
dachjaw ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 06:33:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We're working on that as fast as we can.
vaelstresz77 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 18:31:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
here is another guy that shows up to interviews drunk wearing cut off jean shorts, flip flops, and a wife beater lol. 99% of the reasons people have given in this thread are more than acceptable reasons for not hiring someone lol.
vinney1369 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:10:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've read through all of these and each one of the stories seems very reasonable.
You are going to represent myself and my company. I'm not gonna hire a turd.
Gnarseph ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:53:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
One time at a group interview they were asking what animal I was. This was during the Napoleon Dynomite times so it only seemed right to answer with, "a liger".. I didn't get the job.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:01:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What the fuck are these positions that ask shit like this?
KMFDM781 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:00:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Well and do they expect a serious answer to such a ridiculous question?
Gnarseph ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 22:17:37 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Kohls department store.
Shannonagannery ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 04:26:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
I interviewed a woman about a month ago and was getting the feeling that she was a little green. Good professional experience for a 27-or-so year old, but just seemed a little immature and lacking in life experience. She confirmed my suspicious when she said her greatest life accomplishment outside of work was getting married and that her most difficult challenge she's overcome in life was "learning to live with a boy after getting married."
I want to hire strong independent people. Not some girl whose proudest accomplishment is tethering her horse to a man wagon.
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 16:58:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So you want to hire people who are good at quickly coming up with answers to bullshit questions.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 04:42:17 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes, being able to think quickly is important in most roles. I can't tell a client "I dont know". Thats bad.
Shannonagannery ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:14:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Is that not the nature of the majority of interviews? Also, not my questions. I don't ask that ish.
trunxzzz ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:10:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hire positions for a restaurant. Guy walks in with no smile on his face, takes a piece of mint from the jar, pops the mint in his mouth. Then proceeds to ask my for an application for a job. I ask him what position he's interested in and be replies with anything. Before he leaves he grabs a bunch more of our mints. Give me my mints back
prospect12 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:01:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A guy came in and wrote his phone number on a napkin. I asked him to wait one minute so I could grab him an application and when I came out he was gone. That napkin went straight in the garbage.
jayleavitt91 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:15:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Had a guy with " Fuck you " written on his eyelids no joke, and a picture of tits on his right forearm. Needless to say we did not hire him.
IAmBoyd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:41:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was hiring for a network admin. I asked him: "Give me a valid netmask for a 192.168.0.1 network to talk to a 192.168.1.1 network."
He couldn't answer it, for our network administration position.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:50:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
IAmBoyd ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 15:24:28 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I got the blank face I said "you don't have to give me a complicated one, I don't need to know if it's /24 just give me one that starts with 255.255. whatever"
Which was pretty much giving him one and a half valid answers.
OneWayOfLife ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:33:00 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
255.255.0.0?
darkendvoid ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 20:07:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
valid, but that allows access to all 192.168.1-255.* networks.
255.255.254.0 is what your looking for.
datmart ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:05:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It's a class C address, so at least it'd be 255.255.255.0.
OneWayOfLife ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 20:54:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah, but do to the different networks you need a custom netmask. It seems 255.255.254.0 is correct.
datmart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:59:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Except for a class C address you wouldn't remove bits from the subnet, you'd add them, so 255.255.255.0 to 255.255.255.255 would be correct, 255.255.255.254 would put it as a class B address.. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classful_network
OneWayOfLife ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:12:13 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm confused now, OP said otherwise :S
datmart ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:24:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
An easy answer would just be 255.255.255.0, but they could say something like 255.255.255.192 and still be correct.
IAmBoyd ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:22:34 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
yes that would have been fine.
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:15:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Not perfectly relevant, but my cousin said he saw himself as a physician instead of a physicist in 10 years on a college application and that is the reason he believes he didn't get into the majority of his target (not-reach or backup) schools.
hiphoprising ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:09:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"So what do you think of [candidate's current employer]?"
"I'd like it better if there weren't so many Mexicans"
gsavageme ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:39:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I had one candidate that gave me three personal references all of whom said, "Oh her...I would never hire her again. She was always late if she came in at all and cause all sorts of drama in the workplace." All three of them would not recommend her. How do you pick three people as personal references that can't stand you.
massdebate159 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:41:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't think people were allowed to give a bad reference. They can refuse to give one though. Unless it's different to the UK.
gsavageme ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:04:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
These were personal references not business references. But they were people that worked with this person at previous workplaces so they knew what she was like.
Made_you_read_penis ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:25:05 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
One of my applicants showed up in flip flops. Because he forgot his shoes.
He forgot his shoes.
Drakonnen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:00:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A girl of about 19 or 20 listed on her resume for a file clerk position that she was currently in college. Naturally I ask what she is going to school for, she said she wasn't sure yet, which is fine, but then I asked her about her schedule to see if it would interfere with the job.
She then proceeds to tell me that she is only taking one class right now. I probe and ask why, because obviously it would take a long time to finish college that way. She said she tried to take more and it was too hard so she was failing, and that her family members had the same issues so that they decided the best course was to take one class at a time to "try to make sure she passed it."
So not only was she too dumb to handle more than one class, her whole family had the same issue.
I tried to dispense life advice about how long it was going to take to finish a degree that way and that she needed to focus more on her studies, maybe not mention that in future interviews, etc., but there was no way I was hiring little miss failure to work for me after that.
mai_tais_and_yahtzee ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:26:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Just showing up not dressed well. I hire a lot of software engineers/developers and I've seen them show up in Abercrombie t-shirts and shorts/flip-flops, etc. Way to impress.
Also, not having a copy of their resume available for any latecomers to the interview meeting, not taking notes, and not having any questions/obviously having not researched my company ahead of time.
Walter_Malone_Carrot ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:38:23 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When they laugh at the worst times.
BlackVaderWoman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:46:15 on October 18, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was interviewing a guy a couple weeks ago for one of our seasonal positions, when I asked him what he felt was the best customer service he had received or given had been over the past couple of weeks, his response was that he smiled at customers and recommended their new sandwich on their menu.. He also straight out told me he sleeps at his other job. Cherry on the top was when he walked into our store, before we had met, I asked him how he was doing, and he put his hand in my face and just said "Here for an interview. " without even looking at me. I don't think he realized I was doing the interview. Mmm..hmm..
Quan-Cheese ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:52:35 on January 4, 2016 ยท (Permalink)
I was a manager for sonic and had a employee during a interview ask if I smoked weed and had a connect
Kumacon ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 11:58:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This thread has validated my hatred for job hierarchy, redundant corporate policy, and the modern day slavery of the workplace.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 17:03:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I want to think that these people are hiring for bullshit minimum wage jobs that don't really matter. Otherwise yikes...
vaelstresz77 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:01:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have seen numerous IT and software development job's mentioned in this thread, I would say half are minimum wage though. but as for "modern day slavery of the workplace" your most likely one of the fuck up's mentioned in this thread.
datmart ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:00:20 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
*you're
"Your" is possessive, IE: your spelling is incorrect.
vaelstresz77 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:34:54 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
dont care this is reddit i dont need to use proper grammar or punctuation for my point to be valid
datmart ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:50:07 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When you're sitting there calling someone else a fuck up in an IT related thread, the least you could do is ensure you're using proper grammar and spelling. We're in the IT world, and most IT folks should have a proper grasp of the English language.
vaelstresz77 ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 20:30:03 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is in fact reddit. This is not work. I can do as I damn well please on the internet. Typing without grammar has no relation to what I said about someone showing up to an interview in above mentioned clothing. Also note that having a proper grasp on the English language has nothing to do with posting on reddit. You are just trying to be a self righteous prick and boost your ego by correcting someone on the internet.
lowercasejames ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:38:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I ask someone why they chose our organization, and they answer "Well the commute is definitely a plus!" Poisons the rest of the interview with me.
Aroha11 ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 13:27:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
But why? What is wrong in applying somewhere that is convenient to commute to? How would that reflect on someone's quality of work?
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:05:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm with you on this-- except for the fact that I wouldn't CHOOSE a company based on its relative location to my home.
PS - I can walk to work, if that means anything.
lowercasejames ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 01:34:53 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
First question is why do you want to work here. First answer is commute. Nothing about the company's reputation or culture or mission? Nothing about advancing your career? Commute is your priority? NEXT.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:08:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
A commute is a huge factor. You can pretend it's "bad" or whatever, but all of your candidates are taking it into account.
lowercasejames ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:35:15 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's fine but first answer? That's the priority?
cschlue ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 03:18:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Quick question for some interviewers in this thread, I've worked with a friend for a few years on a startup company that develops iOS and android applications acting as the CTO. It's a registered LLC but has yet to turn a profit. Would this be worthwhile to include on my resume? I've managed all the IT resources, web presence and programmed the majority of our releases but it's been for little to no compensation. I'm not entirely sure how to represent it on my resume if I did.
dexterpine ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 10:23:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I did some work on the side for a small biotech company, managing their social media pages, writing press releases, and photographing visits from business leaders and politicians. Like you, I made little compensation (about $200 over three years).
I included it on a resume when I applied to be a communications intern at a much larger biotech company.
I got asked "What department did you work in?", "How many hours did you work per week?", and "How did you get along with your co-workers?" Given that I wasn't an official employee, worked an average of zero hours per week at this company, and had no co-workers, I tried to downplay this job and tried to change the subject to real jobs I've had. The interviewer decided not to ask any questions about my legitimate 9:00-5:00 Monday-Friday jobs and passed on my candidacy.
So, from my experience, don't include this work on your resume.
gperlman ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:09:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Asked a candidate the standard, "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" question during an interview for a position as a software developer. He replied, "I really want to be working at a game company." We are not a game company.
gingaflo ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 13:57:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
i always found that question hard. do i lie and say i want to be working with the current company even if it is blatantly untrue? or do i be honest and share my actual vision?
bachooka ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:15:07 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
You just give an answer that they can take to be about themselves: "I see myself in a position that I have earned and working hard to prove my worth".
gperlman ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:00:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It depends on whether or not honesty is a principle that is of high value to you. It is for me and I live by the notion that principles only mean something if you stand by them when it's inconvenient.
In this particular case, the candidate was working for a software company that made security software which was not at all his passion. I told him that he really should go find a game company to work for since that was clearly his passion. I decided to check in with him 6 months later. He did indeed leave the company he was working for when he interviewed with me and went to.....another security software firm. Some people never find the intestinal fortitude to follow their passion.
[deleted] ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 17:22:48 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
K? You expect him to sign a contract for over 5 years or something? Software developers tend to have plenty of flexibility to move around. He obviously knows more about the industry than you do.
gperlman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:07:37 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, I don't expect that and yes, I know the industry having worked in it for the last 30 years. However, generally speaking, it's not a good idea to send the message that you don't have a passion for what the company does where you are seeking employment. I think because we are so careful with our hiring, we have extremely low turnover for our industry.
JPohlman ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 02:20:26 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Were you looking to hire someone that would be on board for the next 5+ years? Or was his employment just to fill a short to medium term need? Was his tenure for five years guaranteed on your end?
Did you have ideas on how this individual would grow within your company, such as projects for him to eventually direct? Or was he about to become a worker bee, for good?
Was it a "he" or a "she?" I forgot. The point is, five years is far from a long time. Unless you were very clear in making your needs known and he -still- said something contrary to it, you probably passed on an ambitious person who would've served you well for a reasonable time.
Good for him. Or her.
gperlman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:36:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We always hire for the long term. We have a huge codebase that takes 6 months before an engineer is really making a contribution.
Each engineer has a LOT of responsibility and there is plenty of opportunity to grow. In the case of this person, he wasn't talking about how much he liked what we do. It was clear to me that we would just be another stop along his way somewhere else. And sure, others that have worked for us have gone on to other things but it's never struck me as their plan from the beginning. In this particular case, he didn't even pursue his dream. He took a job just like the one he was leaving.
When I hire someone, I want to feel confident that they really want to work for us and really like what we do. Our process seems to work as most of our turnover rate is pretty low.
JPohlman ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:58:20 on September 22, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Absolutely and totally reasonable. I'd feel the same way. :)
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:05:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPKhhne8mCs
luserina ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 08:36:50 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I asked the applicant about her previous job (as a secretary) and how she found it. It was important for me to know if she enjoyed her previous job since the job she applied for is kind of similar. She said, "I found it in the internet."
When I realized that she misunderstood (I was asking if she found the job fulfilling, etc.), I clarified and she said, "Oh, it was boring." I also asked her to write an essay about herself and she wrote that she was the "black sheep" of her family.
Augrills ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 10:50:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I'm having trouble understanding how either of those things are bad. She didn't misunderstand your first question as much as your first question could mean two different things. I don't see anything wrong with warning people that you have quirks and feel socially different either.
Aroha11 ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 13:35:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Especially taking into account that people are usually very nervous and stressed during job interviews, and make lots of silly mistakes just because of that.
luserina ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:50:47 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
There's another one, although not in an interview. Since we're an educational company, we require anyone applying for a certain department (math, science, etc). to take a qualifying exam. There's a guy (graduate of a math teacher's course) who submitted a very impressive resume and transcript but when he was made to take the qualifying test for math, he answered two items and asked if he can skip the rest because he doesn't remember the lessons anymore (he graduated 6 months before this event). IDK how you can apply for a position involving solving math problems/reading math text if you "can't remember" your lessons...
[deleted] ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 09:45:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Wow. Recruiting and HR sucks. Y'all are disqualifying applicants over little things. What proof or research that those facets would make a crappy worker for your company? To me, you all look like a bunch douchebags writing people off.
overlordsarecool ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 11:29:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most of what I have read is people not knowing what to do, not show up, or be poorly dressed. As a company all of these are reasonable.
CakeAndRum ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:09:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I have to hire people as part of my job and I very rarely dismiss people based on the answers they give to questions we've seen in the comments to this post. What is most import is the attitude you bring with you. (I hire for customer service) I look for things like whether or not the applicant is making conversation as opposed to just answering questions, do they seem like a generally happy or pleasant person, did they dress like they were preparing for the interview, and can they hold a conversation even under the pressure of an interview.
vaelstresz77 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 18:28:52 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
this is the guy that shows up to interviews drunk wearing flip flops, cut of jean shorts and a wife beater lol.
Blurr11 ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 11:12:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
They are but that's interviews there is always an element of luck. Half the stuff in this thread is trivial and petty
raDveMT ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:06:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Being late or coming in with a parent or worse, both parents
Jackedaniels ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 06:30:19 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I was applying for marianos online and I sent in my application and everything. A week later they call me up in the morning for a phone interview i was half asleep. She asked in what way or what characteristics describe me. I said in one word 6 times in a row, Big. They never called me again.
dagobaw ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 10:26:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Complained that he hated dealing with large corporation policies. We are a large corporation.
Sonotmethen ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 11:52:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Saying things that contradict your resume which I am literally looking at.
MadKingKong ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 12:26:43 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I fucked up in an interview accidentally once. Was for a basic data entry and gate guard job but by nature I am a person who doesnt see a problem as an issue, I see ways to fix, adapt or improve just by the way I thing and see the world.
The depot manager and the guy who would be my boss are interviewing. The boss needed a data inputter to enter the correct stock level which had gone tottaly wrong over time to the point they were stuggling to function properly. That sets me of and I ask all the wright questions for the wrong job role as is my fix it nature. The depot manager was happily chatting back n forth but the would be boss eventually pipes looking very upset and tries to bring us back on topic and eventual get so annoyed he snaps and points out its his job to resolve the issue and that this job role is for a guard and a data entry clerk to follow what he has decided is the correct way to solve the issue. It amusing looking back but at the time I really needed the job.
ladyfacederp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 13:43:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"I have a boyfriend now so I had to end it with my sugar daddy"
I gave her points for honesty and results tallied up to those being her only points on the interview.
SamJSchoenberg ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:49:01 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
what was she applying for?
HardenedHearts ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 00:29:10 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
How did that come up?
DrMaxUrban ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 15:49:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Worked for A Movie Chain. Not gonna say which one, but I was interviewing the friend of another manager in our market. This dumbass says, mid interview, that he "wasn't trying to be a dick" when telling a story about something. He also said "shit" during the interview. Also brought a book bag in with him. Didn't really have an issue with the bag, but thought it was a little odd. However the other 2 things were deal breakers. Can't have a crew member cursing at or in front of the guests.
SamJSchoenberg ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 21:53:37 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Was saying a couple of swearwords all he did wrong? That's a pretty fucking weak reason not to hire someone.
DrMaxUrban ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:23:59 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. And it's not a weak reason. It wasn't an office job. It was a job in guest services for a pretty big company. Can't have the crew cursing at guests and stuff. Normally I wouldn't care. I curse all the time, but cursing in an interview is unprofessional, and told me we couldn't trust him to not do it in front of the guests.
Wusel-Faktor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:06:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I got the usual complain e mail at work. Telling us how shitty our service had become, it used to be better and everyone working with us is a retard. It was at least a page long. Only in the last sentence he made it clear that this was actually an application. That he used to work in customer service for us and would like to get back into his old job. I didn't even forward it to HR.
ladyfacederp ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 07:05:47 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Bartender
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 01:04:10 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Nyan_Cat_Chick ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:13:21 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Isn't there a comment like this above?
Raschwolf ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:42:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yes. Yes there is.
UpVotesAllDayz ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 02:41:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
At the end of the interview I allow time for the applicant to ask me any questions. They chose to ask immediately what the discounts were at my store because himself and all his family shop there all the time. DO NOT ask about discounts during the job interview.
mbz321 ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 05:08:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I mean, that seems like a valid question, but the applicant probably should have asked about 'Benefits' or something instead which discounts would fall under.
Trhinoceros ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:32:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When do you ask?
almightysmart ยท 8 points ยท Posted at 04:39:27 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
After you've been offered the job is a good time.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 05:04:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
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GotAhGurs ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 07:08:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Or it could have been that you showed up in jeans and sandals acting like you own the retail world.
jaclynconnors ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 07:15:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No I am very self aware of my cockyness and make a point to humble myself
FernsAreFine ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 02:00:28 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Guy was interviewing for a manufacturing job. The question was about a time he has experienced an inappropriate behavior at his last job. Apparently someone had called someone else the N word at his old job, came at us with the "well, I'm just going to say it" when explaining. We were all screaming "nooooooo" in our heads when the dropped it. We really, really, needed to fill that position.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 02:09:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[removed]
Raschwolf ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 02:46:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yea, seriously. Ya'll were overeating.
FernsAreFine ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 03:08:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
It is flat out unprofessional. Don't use a slur in a job interview regardless of context. Even just being so comfortable saying things like that is a red flag and could be an issue down the road.
[deleted] ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:21:35 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I worked for an Architects firm and was interviewing a new IT engineer. He was ok in the interview but proceeded to tell us (including one of the directors) that he didn't like the building and thought it was badly designed. We had designed and built the building. He didn't get the job.
choder ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 02:26:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
When asked "How long do you see yourself being with us?" His response? "Oh, at LEAST a year."
I guess that makes sense when you are 22 and only on your second job. From my perspective, I don't want to invest a year in someone who is just going to take off.
majinspy ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 16:14:56 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I hate this question. It just punishes honest people. I'm not going to pass up a doubled salary because of company loyalty.
choder ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:38:39 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Saying you want to be at a place is one thing. Leaving because you have a chance at a 100% raise? That is too good of an opportunity to pass up. It sucks for the employer, but that's how it goes. A good boss would be happy for you. They might even fight to keep you..
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 16:53:18 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Ok so lie in the interview. Got it.
choder ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:30:01 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Maybe? Or maybe be straight with the interviewer. Say something like "I'm looking to start a career." or "This looks like a great place to work. I hope I can stay here a long time". These are positive, non-committal responses that make you stand out in an interview. The interview process is about determining the type of personality as much as it is a measure of skills. Skills can be taught. Attitude, not so much.
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 02:40:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
mighty1u2 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:20:33 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Hah, I have a similar story. My father was a taxidermist (I'm sorry if that offends you, as a vegan), and when i was in high school i would help him out at his shop sometimes. Mostly i hung out in the reception area and talked to prospective customers. A woman came in and was complaining about how cruel it was to the animals to hunt them and stuff them. I laid into her hypocrisy. She was literally eating a hamburger, wearing a leather purse, and her husband had a snakeskin belt on.
udonsoup ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 04:44:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We had a guy send in a 15 page resume for an English teaching job in Thailand. It was repetitive and written in a multitude of crazy fonts and colours with highlighted sections. He got an interview anyway because we had so few candidates but didnt get the job. 2 weeks ago he emailed me again citing the exact same job he had already applied to before and attaching the same horrid rรฉsumรฉ as though he'd never spoken to me before.
Rzezifok ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 06:14:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
huh, that's crazy, never heard that story!
lollapaloozah ยท -15 points ยท Posted at 22:37:10 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The one that stands out most to me is an interviewee that was asked a fairly simple question. Now, most questions pertain to the work environment, and how you have handled situations in past jobs, but occasionally it is okay to answer a question with non-job experience.
So a guy comes in, and the question is basically "What is the hardest challenge that you conquered?" and the guy proceeds to answer that moving to the area we were was the hardest challenge, and that he conquered it by looking for a job and getting a place to live. Later on in the interview, we discover that he is living with his mom.
Sorry buddy, you didn't conquer anything, and you're still trying to get that job. We wanted to see the solution as it pertained to the problem, not the in-status of it.
Also, just remember in a job interview to come in with a series of stories lightly pertaining to what you're applying for. Most questions are started, "Tell me about a time..." and we want a very specific story about exactly what happened, not a generalization of how you would(or have) handled something along the lines of the question.
[deleted] ยท 16 points ยท Posted at 23:31:04 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What if you genuinely don't have a specific answer to those questions? This has always stumped me when someone asks "tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult customer" for example. I've never really had that type of experience and feel like an idiot.
Punchclops ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 23:59:10 on September 13, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
In this specific case one way would be to explain why you've never had a difficult customer.
E.G. "I've never had a customer I consider to be difficult because I believe I always take care to listen to their problems and provide them with the most effective solution for them and the company. I believe customers recognize when someone is genuinely listening to them and appreciate it."
Total wank. But the sort of total wank that management tend to like.
Mandog222 ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 01:02:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To me that sounds similar to answering "What's your greatest weakness?" Is that you are too hard working or something along those lines, although I guess it is better than no answer.
lollapaloozah ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 02:16:00 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To tell the truth, make one up, but reasonably. A lot of stories can be tweaked just slightly to become one that matches the fairly vague question. I was told by my higher ups when I first started doing practice interviews that a believable fake story was better than "uh..." answer. I've spent a lot of time in operations, so I don't have very many good stories pertaining to merchandising questions, so usually I come up with a similar situation, and go about how I would handle it as if I already had done that exact same scenario.
For example, I have to deal with customer issues a lot. A customer came into the store and was distressed at our "open for dogs" policy. He was incredibly concerned that an owner let their dog sniff him. What if the dog had bit? I assured him that our "open dog" policy was here to stay and was a decision based on the fact that the majority of pet owners are responsible and keep their dog on a six foot leash, as is our store requirement. He was not reassured, so I calmly told him that he could walk through our store as he would a park, and there aren't many dogs in at a time. Midday is our busiest time, so the most dogs will be in. He could also order online and we would be more than happy to have his order ready for pickup at the desk, which would minimize his interaction with the dogs, etc. Essentially, I brought up every solution he could have to his dog issue. Although I didn't give the customer what he wanted (he went on for several more minutes about how dogs shouldn't be in stores), I handled the situation eloquently and provided solutions. I like this story for interviews because it is unique and shows that I am capable of coming up with solutions and speaking with customers about their concerns. That story actually happened, and it's boring, but not every story needs to be action-packed with venom-spitting customers.
The story also can go with questions along the lines of "How did you handle a difficult situation?", "What about when you were unable to give the customer what they wanted?", all the way down to "How did you follow the company SOP when disagreed with?"
You could then tweak the story slightly to fit other questions. Perhaps you're going for a management position, and the scared-of-dogs-guy talked to an associate who called you into the issue because he didn't know how to handle it. Suddenly it's a teamwork or teaching moment. Perhaps you came up with the solution to add solid bottoms to the shopping carts so smaller dogs could be "contained" while their owners shopped, thus making customers and their pets feel safer and more comfortable. Now you're looking at a nice HR question or bonding with the community. The stories can be tweaked ever so slightly to match your question.
TL;DR: Make the story work to your advantage, or just make a believable one up.
ofcourseimanxious ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 00:17:46 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Lie. Make something up that sounds plausible, or rephrase a story with a similar principle to suit a work environment.
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 16:54:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good to see that you hire based on qualifications...
lollapaloozah ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:59:15 on September 15, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Most of the interviewees are entry level, so it's more based on how you have handled situations in the past and kept your composure, or came up with a tricky solution. Since it's entry level, we expect you to move forward into a different job, and we're not really looking for experience so much as someone who can learn quickly from mistakes, has pride in the job they perform as well as developing professional relationships with customers and other employees.
kemzo ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 01:31:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Talking about a ride to the interview.
PM_YOUR_ONE_BOOB ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 12:32:40 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some buddies from my university and I began a sports marketing company in Philadelphia. Keep in mind I was working at a failing paper company at the time. So I invited my friend who managed our warehouse onboard for an interview. He drove all the way out and he started off nervous during the interview, thinking he wasn't good enough but we confessed that we weren't experts ourselves. After loosening up he did great, we all loved him. Get this though he ended the interview off by grabbing our basketball and shooting it into the basket we kept in our office, it bounced off hit a light and landed in our fish tank killing all of our fish. He still got the job though.
Rajani_Isa ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 11:25:22 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)*
While I haven't done any interviews, at the restaurant I work at one of the local convenience store owners (a married couple) will interview at our store.
If you showed up on time, they wouldn't speak to you. Had to show up 5-15 minutes early.
Once had a woman show up 10 minutes late and I almost laughed when I lied said "nope, haven't seen them". I can only recall them meeting with someone who was late once, and they called about 10 minutes prior to the meeting to explain an emergency.
Long story short - On time means show up early. Never know when you might need to bic your head.
_hi_im_troy_mcclure_ ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 12:23:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Some guy overfilled his water glass.
Oryzanol ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 16:37:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W0WsdLobq8
Basically if you say anything in this video, you'll lose the job.
Psychoicy ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 22:23:08 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is not a job interview but I interview applicants for highly competitive rental housing in Vancouver.
One of the applicants has the audacity to try to bargain with me for a unit that 33 people had wanted.
She said "is $1200 the best you can do?"
To which I reply, "No , $1500 is the best I can do, but I like to pick my tenants."
breathediana ยท -3 points ยท Posted at 06:17:17 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Am I too late? I've been interviewing candidates for a cashier position and had these two nutcases today...
Me: So, why do you think I should hire you over my other applicants?
Nut1: Pity, because you know I need a job, or else I wouldn't be here.
...
Me: Why do you want to work here?
Nut2: Well, I've been a hermit the last few years. My spouse killed himself and after that I didn't come out of my house for about two years. I figured this job would be a good start in being a part of society again.
rabbitANDme ยท 18 points ยท Posted at 08:29:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
The second person seems genuine. Mental illness including ptsd is not really funny.
Aroha11 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:46:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Exactly. Not a nut at all.
breathediana ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 19:12:53 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I agree but the purpose of the job isn't to fix the employee.
majinspy ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:18:59 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I've got to ask...are you really expecting someone to be passionate about being a cashier?
breathediana ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:12:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
No, but this is a company where if you can get into a store at ANY position it's very likely that you'll have the opportunity to progress quickly. We invest a lot in all of our employees and they've got to be worth what we're going to pay them.
majinspy ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 19:16:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
.....hiring?
DrRo ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:18:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Gotta give nut1 props. Dudes got balls to say that in a interview and still expect to get hired
breathediana ยท 0 points ยท Posted at 19:14:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He'd been coming by every few weeks and when we finally had an opening I had high hopes. He was a cool guy and put together. But when it came to the interview he didn't know ANYTHING about the field. Not even the common sense stuff.
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 16:57:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
"Nut1" gave the correct answer. All your other candidates are liars. Luckily you don't hire for anything important.
MiamiPower ยท -5 points ยท Posted at 00:18:44 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Good Will Hunting - Funny Job Interview (Ben Afflโฆ: http://youtu.be/-JBvfZTx-vs
Wibbles20 ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 03:09:33 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I didn't do the interviews this time around, but the other manager at the fast food store I work at told me about this one person he interviewed last week.
When he asked the interviewee "why do you want this job" his answer was "it will look good on my resume"
Lord_Ka1n ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 05:53:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Honestly though. Its a fast food job. What is he supposed to say? "well, I've always had a deep passion for McDonald's as a kid"
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:47:03 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yeah seriously. Any logical answer should work here its a fucking min wage deadend fast food job. Op be taking that fast food game way too seriously.
MTPoll ยท -6 points ยท Posted at 16:57:49 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
We were getting toward the end of interviews, and there was this one guy whose phone interview had gone really well. Thing is, our small company doesn't pay much, and I don't like to waste people's time or have my time wasted, so I often broach the topic of pay a little earlier than might be considered usual. When I met the interviewee, I immediately felt this vague recognition, like he might have been a local celebrity or something. But I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Interview goes well, he answers all the questions pretty effortlessly and it seems like he'll get along well with the team. He has a very laid back personality. I again reiterate that this is an entry level position, and I ask what are his expectations of salary? He says, "I need about tree fiddy." That's when I suddenly placed where I'd seen this guy before! Needless to say, he didn't get the job.
[deleted] ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 18:49:58 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Alpha17x ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 19:15:24 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I know a woman who works on imprinting the ROMS that go into missile guidance systems. (and that's all I know about what she does and ever will) She interviewed internally for a move to a leadership promotion. She got it by referencing leadership of the WoW guild we were both in, and was able to cite examples of how it was applicable to 'real life'
Management is management. If everything he ever did someone related back to WoW as it seems to in the case you mentioned, then yeah, probably not going to be a fit. But quite often that MMO guild leader is going to end up in an 'IRL' management role of some sort whether you put them there or someone else does. It's pretty much inevitable.
[deleted] ยท -9 points ยท Posted at 03:39:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Late.....because he ran over at the prior interview. Next.
huggiesdsc ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:42:04 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
What was it about that that made him unhireable?
[deleted] ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 18:56:58 on September 16, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
He was to meet me at 10am for an interview. He shows up at 10:30am and says "sorry, I was over at XYZ other company and I'm running late."
That is bad, bad, bad. Should have told XYZ company that you had a commitment that you needed to meet. Showing up late for an interview - absent some act outside of your control - is the exact wrong way to start an interview because now I think you (1) don't care about my company, (2) aren't punctual, (3) will likely make excuses for issues in the future. When I've got a stack of 10 people I'm interviewing for that 1 position, the answer is going to be No.
[deleted] ยท -65 points ยท Posted at 00:29:45 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
masterchris ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 01:02:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
This is the only response thats not serious. You know not only a year reddit didn't even have serious tags and it was fine.
Pun-Master-General ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 03:08:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Did you ever stop to think that perhaps OP didn't mind some joking in the comments but still wanted serious answers, or were you too busy thinking about how the serious tag wouldn't be necessary without people like you?
[deleted] ยท -12 points ยท Posted at 07:15:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
green072410 ยท 11 points ยท Posted at 11:50:51 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
That's stupid. I graduated college in 2007, but I had "real" jobs before and after. Hell, I don't even remember what my GPA was. So if you reject applicants with real experience and skills because of a number that doesn't really tell you shit about a person or how they function as an employee, then you'll get exactly what you deserve. Bless your heart, honey.
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 13:37:02 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Pipthepirate ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:59:31 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
When I was in college I never put ny GPA on my resume. I put my work experience
i_downvote_your_mum ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 08:41:15 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Why?
[deleted] ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:09:11 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
If hes discarding resumes over GPA, its probably not a very important job. Finding the best isn't always a priority to some hiring managers, they just want someone who won't be terrible.
datmart ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:21:26 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
I went to a university that didn't give GPA's, it was either pass or fail, and while I failed a course, I passed it the next time I took it. No reason to automatically assume every college uses GPA scores.
ForkUK ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 11:35:57 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Non-US person here: What is a GPA?
green072410 ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 11:51:30 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Grade point average. Basically, the numerical representation of how well you did in school, overall.
[deleted] ยท -4 points ยท Posted at 02:05:42 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted]
Augrills ยท 10 points ยท Posted at 11:01:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Sounds like she had to deal with really difficult customers and dealing with regular problems would have been a breeze for her. Sorry she gave you an honest answer instead of bullshit.
Baby_Deadpool ยท -2 points ยท Posted at 12:46:38 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Yup. We got the tour and initial interview, then for the second interview with the vp he asked if he could do it together and we said yes
Vansmakeherdance ยท -13 points ยท Posted at 06:01:54 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Whenever I do a group interview for my store, (Vans) at least 1 person always shows up wearing Converse or Nike shoes. smh. Really?!
i_downvote_your_mum ยท 9 points ยท Posted at 08:54:16 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
To be fair, brand loyalty prior to joining up to a seller isn't always a necessary trait. Some of the best salesmen will sell shit to you rather effectively and never once touch it in their life.
Vansmakeherdance ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:34:36 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
True. You make a good point. Sadly, all of the people that showed up like that were under the age of 22. They didn't care where they worked. Just wanted a job.
TimeTomorrow ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 18:49:32 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
Really? Really yourself that's ridiculous.
yabeking ยท -8 points ยท Posted at 13:20:06 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
By not answering 10 when asked on a scale from 1-10 how much you desire obtaining this position.
[deleted] ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 17:29:04 on September 14, 2015 ยท (Permalink)
So you prefer people who are desperate for a job over people who are good at what they do and can land many interviews and get many offers?