Has anyone ever had a job interview that didn't just go so-so or even bad, it was a complete disaster?
After being unemployed for a month (you can follow my saga in the jobless thread if you feel so inclined), I had three interviews so far. Two went just OK, but this one I had today...even though it was a spur of the moment phone screening...was just AWFUL.
The job, which was for a sales position at an NYC startup, had kind of a different application process than what I've had to do in the past. You had to call a number first and leave a voice mail talking about yourself and your interest in the job; then e-mail your resume.
Well when the recruiter called, he totally called me out on not leaving my phone number in the voice mail and told me I should always, always, ALWAYS leave my number on a phone message. I am not trying to say he was wrong to tell me that, but this is the first time I've ever made that mistake (and it won't happen again)...and I just felt like an idiot that I got called on it. That was the first sign this was going to be a horrible interview. Everything else started to go downhill:
-I got something caught in my throat and started coughing a lot. Then I had a hard time talking and my eyes began to water. It just wouldn't shake itself for the rest of the call.
-My cell phone began dying in the middle of the call and I thought I'd had enough battery to make it through the screening. Plus my call waiting beeped. No I did not switch to answer the other call but obviously that's one of the last things you want happening.
-The recruiter went into a spiel asking me about what other jobs I wanted to apply for in NYC and why I was looking in that particular city. When I gave him my answer, saying that I was applying for a lot of nonprofits, he told me that nonprofits do not pay a lot (which I knew b/c nonprofits in general don't make you rich no matter where you are) and how would I survive on the pay of a nonprofit in NYC? I mean what kind of employer asks how you plan on surviving on their salary? I didn't know they could ask that question... I just said I had family in New York and I'd live with them for awhile. The recruiter kinda got silent after I answered.
-I was asked if I had ever read up on sustainability and asked if I knew what it meant even after I said no I did not. When I gave my way out there definition (let's just say this, I did not give an answer that had anything to do with the environment), the recruiter had to correct me.
Well I guess if nothing else...this phone screening showed me that I do not want to work at this company and/or I was not meant to have this job. But I still feel stupid for not leaving my phone number on the voice message and not being able to provide a detailed analysis of how I'd survive on a low salary.
Anyone else ever had a really, REALLY bad job interview? This is my third job interview since losing my job last month and none of them have gone really great so far...you know, when you leave with the feeling that YES you want a certain job. I haven't had that yet. I'm just discouraged and now I feel sick that I flopped so bad on this phone screening. I just don't know what to think of myself.
Dude sounds like a dick, and even though you're looking for a job maybe you should have called him out on his being a dick. The way you describe it it sounds like he wanted to tear you down just for not leaving your phone number, probably would not have been fun to work for. When some guy you just met patronizes you like that it doesn't say much about him either.
Dude sounds like a dick, and even though you're looking for a job maybe you should have called him out on his being a dick. The way you describe it it sounds like he wanted to tear you down just for not leaving your phone number, probably would not have been fun to work for. When some guy you just met patronizes you like that it doesn't say much about him either.
Yeah. This.
I was actually kinda surprised he called me on it because I know that most employers worth their grain of salt would just ignore your application/not give you the job if you made a business etiquette mistake. Like I said, I have always left my phone number for employers and I didn't this once b/c from the application process...I was sending my resume in addition to calling. And he made a big show that although my phone number was on my resume and he found it there, that I should've left it on the voice mail.
I still feel kinda down but luckily, I got a call from another potential employer today to set up an interview and applied to be a promotional team memeber for my AHL team. I trust my instincts good when it comes to finding a job...and I have yet to have an interview where I leave thinking "YES. I want this job."
I replied to an ad for "Administration clerk" at an energy company during the summer after my 1st year of university.
The office was pretty much bare, so they were quite new. The interviewer comes in 30 minutes late in a pretty bad mood, reads my CV quickly. Then starts talking....Turns out it was a door-to-door sales job, 100% commission related to providing electricity or something, I forgot the details. I think Direct Energy does something similar.
I was perplexed, this wasn't what I had in mind for an admin clerk. He says the job is mine; I said I had to think about it, pretty sure he noticed my confused look. He gets up and shows me the way out and says that he's really busy, etc...
I was like wow. The actual interview didn't pass 2 minutes for sure.
I replied to an ad for "Administration clerk" at an energy company during the summer after my 1st year of university.
The office was pretty much bare, so they were quite new. The interviewer comes in 30 minutes late in a pretty bad mood, reads my CV quickly. Then starts talking....Turns out it was a door-to-door sales job, 100% commission related to providing electricity or something, I forgot the details. I think Direct Energy does something similar.
I was perplexed, this wasn't what I had in mind for an admin clerk. He says the job is mine; I said I had to think about it, pretty sure he noticed my confused look. He gets up and shows me the way out and says that he's really busy, etc...
I was like wow. The actual interview didn't pass 2 minutes for sure.
That sounds pretty bad. I've heard of some of those Multi Level Marketing scams where interviews go pretty similar to that. Definitely makes me feel better about the B.S. I had to handle today.
And I figured that if they had to ask how I would survive on a salary from a nonprofit, it's likely that the company was going to pay pennies and I wouldn't have been able to afford my living expenses.
That sounds pretty bad. I've heard of some of those Multi Level Marketing scams where interviews go pretty similar to that. Definitely makes me feel better about the B.S. I had to handle today.
And I figured that if they had to ask how I would survive on a salary from a nonprofit, it's likely that the company was going to pay pennies and I wouldn't have been able to afford my living expenses.
Ya it was unfortunate. I was confused and a bit upset; the job advertisement was nothing like he was talking about.
I know how you feel sometimes Jay. As of today, I've applied for or inquired about 38 different openings. I have had eight responses of some sort (meaning a yes we want to interview you or a no we're not hiring/thanks but no thanks) and on Friday I am having my 4th interview since losing my job. So I guess I can tell myself that at least those four people think I am doing something right...and four others do care enough about my time/are courteous enough to respond to my inquiries.
But when I hear nothing from a job, even if they were going to say "thanks but no thanks" it's frustrating as hell!
i had a co-op interview for a job in the finance field that was right in the middle of my finals, i didnt look nearly enough into hte kinds of things i would be asked and i was kinda lost the entire interview, the interviewer was nice but i knew when i left that i would not be hearing from them
I know how you feel sometimes Jay. As of today, I've applied for or inquired about 38 different openings. I have had eight responses of some sort (meaning a yes we want to interview you or a no we're not hiring/thanks but no thanks) and on Friday I am having my 4th interview since losing my job. So I guess I can tell myself that at least those four people think I am doing something right...and four others do care enough about my time/are courteous enough to respond to my inquiries.
But when I hear nothing from a job, even if they were going to say "thanks but no thanks" it's frustrating as hell!
This is generally how I feel, P2TP. I've recently finished my undergraduate degree and have been searching for contract, part, or full-time employment ceaselessly since I graduated in June and there haven't been very promising prospects for the most part. I've called and met with managers of financial companies (whose HR staffs are perilously thin due to the recession), banks, service companies, pretty much every retail outlet in my area imaginable, and have only managed to snag two interviews so far, both of which resulted in me being passed over (despite being over-qualified for the position). Tomorrow I do have an interview at 2 p.m. so I'm pretty upbeat and encouraged by that, so hopefully it goes well. I don't like looking at my monthly bank statement and seeing a set of 0's along with no transactions because I can't spend any money.
You would think that getting a higher education and a degree would translate to something tangible beyond "wisdom" sometimes but I guess not. So hopefully things begin to pick up soon (I've already filled out my Canadian Forces application, lol).
This is generally how I feel, P2TP. I've recently finished my undergraduate degree and have been searching for contract, part, or full-time employment ceaselessly since I graduated in June and there haven't been very promising prospects for the most part. I've called and met with managers of financial companies (whose HR staffs are perilously thin due to the recession), banks, service companies, pretty much every retail outlet in my area imaginable, and have only managed to snag two interviews so far, both of which resulted in me being passed over (despite being over-qualified for the position). Tomorrow I do have an interview at 2 p.m. so I'm pretty upbeat and encouraged by that, so hopefully it goes well. I don't like looking at my monthly bank statement and seeing a set of 0's along with no transactions because I can't spend any money.
You would think that getting a higher education and a degree would translate to something tangible beyond "wisdom" sometimes but I guess not. So hopefully things begin to pick up soon (I've already filled out my Canadian Forces application, lol).
Sometimes being overqualified puts up a huge red flag. I work retail and hired someone who had a pHD in something. She was probably the worst employee I've ever had.
I don't think the guy had any right to ask you how you would survive on the salary you would be making. Technically, he may be allowed to ask ( I honestly don't know), but I don't think he should have.
Sometimes being overqualified puts up a huge red flag. I work retail and hired someone who had a pHD in something. She was probably the worst employee I've ever had.
I can absolutely empathize with that and understand that, but I've worked on golf course maintenance crews and in restaurant kitchens, landscaping, etc. so it's not like I haven't done lower-end or more blue collar jobs before in my life.
Sometimes being overqualified puts up a huge red flag. I work retail and hired someone who had a pHD in something. She was probably the worst employee I've ever had.
I think that hiring people like that for low end jobs is a bad idea. They probably feel pretty entitled and bitter about the job (I don't blame them). I doubt they make for very good employees, I mean, they're probably more educated than all the people working there combined.
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I was fired from working at a convenience store b/c I had a bad habit of leaving too much $$$ in the drawer when I was busy. In other words I usually would wait 'til I was done with customers if I felt rushed before I would drop the money into the safe. This would lead to the register being screwed up with counting change & I guess my manager was looking for anything to axe me at that point despite the fact I willingly did a ton of OT.
Anyway, months later I went to apply for a job at a supermarket. I was nervous b/c it had been so long since I did such a thing but I sailed through it pretty well. Did all the right things like maintain good eye contact, be super polite, give short & quick answers, etc. I was going to start bagging groceries with an eventual eye towards becoming a cashier. I had the job in the palm of my hands. But...
...When the question came up as to why I was no longer at the convenience store, I was so nervous I choked. I could have/ should have given ANY answer instead of the one I gave---which was to explain my termination.
I tried to emphasize that I was a good soldier kind of worker who was young & willing to do anything but as I kept talking I kept burying myself further & further. The manager was under the impression that I had stolen cash out of the register at the previous job. Seriously, he literally flatlined his mouth second by second. After I finished speaking he was short & escorted me out of his office. It wasn't until after he shut his door that it hit me that I tanked. Nobody else saw it, but few times have I ever felt more embarrassed in my life.
