Interviewers - I ASK THE QUESTIONS AROUND HERE!
October 16th 2008 23:34
Yesterday I think I had the shortest interview of my life.
Let me just tell you for a moment of my days as a workplace trainer. I was a volunteer - hanging around a Mission Australia office to find a job, I became a constant appendage in the search room. One day, a workplace trainer was sick, so they roped me into it, and after that I took groups regularly. I told them how to dress and speak, how to plan a resume and word it to sound great. Some people really arent sure why they fail, even if its simple. Some of them are only there to fulfill a Centrelink requirement, and those people are a nightmare.
But I clearly remember asking them, How do YOU think you should act towards your interviewer? One of the girls - indeed, a few of them - all answered that you should say whatever you have to say to get the job. Act meek and grovel, basically.
I told them no, incorrect. You should appear at the interview looking like a million bucks, feeling great, resume tucked under your arm....And you should swan in as if you do not need the job.
If you really want it for particular reasons, make sure you highlight those reasons in the discussion. Make sure they know you are prepared to go the extra mile. But dont lie, dont grovel, and by all means, DO NOT say 'anything to get the job'.
This ends up being lying. Which goes very badly when you get the job and you tend to get fired or quit because you've made a tangle for yourself. The most important thing, is dont be afraid to ask questions. If your interviewer is made nervous by your questions, or doesnt want to answer them, dont take the job.
The most important thing I told them is this - You are sitting there with your skills to offer. You know what you can accomplish, and what your worth - they dont. You need to negotiate from a position of strength and make it perfectly clear you dont HAVE to take this job - use words to present yourself in a cover letter like "I would like to further discuss my suitability for this position." An interview is not for them - its for you.
And, most importantly, even the most confident people fake it, so you can too.
So yesterday, I found myself at a sales cattle call.
When I applied, I wasnt sure thats what it was. I researched the company, always a good idea, and they had good products. The job ad didnt have much info, so I accepted the interview to scope it out. My expectations soared at the nice building.....And plummeted when I got inside and saw 20 people.
Sigh. I knew where it was going.
The interviewer was running late (what a good sign) and had started doing multiple interviews instead of one on one(just gets better and better doesnt it?) so I found myself sitting there with two 18 year olds that were crawling up him for the job. He starts firing questions at us, and no matter WHAT he says, the two little graduates in suits are spouting their experience. Big Mistake. They just looked like they werent listening. Hell, they were so nervous they probably werent.
But I interrupted him - I had to, the dude would not stop his spiel - and said, "Can I please ask a few questions before we get right into this?"
The dude went white. His eyes bugged out of his head and he nearly rolled off his chair. Two suited grads were frozen in fear. "Whats she doing? You dont rock the boat man"
At this point, my mouth stretched into a triumphant grin. I knew how this was going to end.
"Is there any base wage or is it purely commision?"
"Well, uh, um, uh...It IS a commision but our sales people make OVER a grand a week so I dont think thats a probl-"
"Are we employees of the company or private contractors?"
"Ah - Well, um, ah - You will be private contractors, BUT we do call you employees and the company is -"
I was trying not to roll my eyes.
"Is there a part time option, or are we expected to work full time hours for ...This?"
"Theres no part time...." He looks at the suited grads. Their look of utter fear has melted and they are exchanging frantic glances. "Whats she talking about? Base wage? Private contactor? What the hell does all that mean?"
Interviewer quickly realizes how bad this is going. "Look," he says to me, "We really need to feel a certain energy from people .." Oh, yeah right, that brown noser energy right? "And Im just not getting it from you " No Shit Sherlock "And I think its best if we say goodbye to you" Damn you for getting in before me, Prick! "So thankyou for your time" RELEASE ME!!!!
I wandered down the road and found a second hand adult bookstore, so the trip was not a total waste.
And I have two interviews today for things I really want, and two next week for promos. What a dick.
Let me just tell you for a moment of my days as a workplace trainer. I was a volunteer - hanging around a Mission Australia office to find a job, I became a constant appendage in the search room. One day, a workplace trainer was sick, so they roped me into it, and after that I took groups regularly. I told them how to dress and speak, how to plan a resume and word it to sound great. Some people really arent sure why they fail, even if its simple. Some of them are only there to fulfill a Centrelink requirement, and those people are a nightmare.
But I clearly remember asking them, How do YOU think you should act towards your interviewer? One of the girls - indeed, a few of them - all answered that you should say whatever you have to say to get the job. Act meek and grovel, basically.
I told them no, incorrect. You should appear at the interview looking like a million bucks, feeling great, resume tucked under your arm....And you should swan in as if you do not need the job.
If you really want it for particular reasons, make sure you highlight those reasons in the discussion. Make sure they know you are prepared to go the extra mile. But dont lie, dont grovel, and by all means, DO NOT say 'anything to get the job'.
This ends up being lying. Which goes very badly when you get the job and you tend to get fired or quit because you've made a tangle for yourself. The most important thing, is dont be afraid to ask questions. If your interviewer is made nervous by your questions, or doesnt want to answer them, dont take the job.
The most important thing I told them is this - You are sitting there with your skills to offer. You know what you can accomplish, and what your worth - they dont. You need to negotiate from a position of strength and make it perfectly clear you dont HAVE to take this job - use words to present yourself in a cover letter like "I would like to further discuss my suitability for this position." An interview is not for them - its for you.
And, most importantly, even the most confident people fake it, so you can too.
So yesterday, I found myself at a sales cattle call.
When I applied, I wasnt sure thats what it was. I researched the company, always a good idea, and they had good products. The job ad didnt have much info, so I accepted the interview to scope it out. My expectations soared at the nice building.....And plummeted when I got inside and saw 20 people.
Sigh. I knew where it was going.
The interviewer was running late (what a good sign) and had started doing multiple interviews instead of one on one(just gets better and better doesnt it?) so I found myself sitting there with two 18 year olds that were crawling up him for the job. He starts firing questions at us, and no matter WHAT he says, the two little graduates in suits are spouting their experience. Big Mistake. They just looked like they werent listening. Hell, they were so nervous they probably werent.
But I interrupted him - I had to, the dude would not stop his spiel - and said, "Can I please ask a few questions before we get right into this?"
The dude went white. His eyes bugged out of his head and he nearly rolled off his chair. Two suited grads were frozen in fear. "Whats she doing? You dont rock the boat man"
At this point, my mouth stretched into a triumphant grin. I knew how this was going to end.
"Is there any base wage or is it purely commision?"
"Well, uh, um, uh...It IS a commision but our sales people make OVER a grand a week so I dont think thats a probl-"
"Are we employees of the company or private contractors?"
"Ah - Well, um, ah - You will be private contractors, BUT we do call you employees and the company is -"
I was trying not to roll my eyes.
"Is there a part time option, or are we expected to work full time hours for ...This?"
"Theres no part time...." He looks at the suited grads. Their look of utter fear has melted and they are exchanging frantic glances. "Whats she talking about? Base wage? Private contactor? What the hell does all that mean?"
Interviewer quickly realizes how bad this is going. "Look," he says to me, "We really need to feel a certain energy from people .." Oh, yeah right, that brown noser energy right? "And Im just not getting it from you " No Shit Sherlock "And I think its best if we say goodbye to you" Damn you for getting in before me, Prick! "So thankyou for your time" RELEASE ME!!!!
I wandered down the road and found a second hand adult bookstore, so the trip was not a total waste.
And I have two interviews today for things I really want, and two next week for promos. What a dick.
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Comment by Lady Henrietta Muddling
Potter in a Harry
When you're desperate for a job/income, I reckon one of the best things to do is ... nothing. There's just no point in getting a job you don't want because within a week or month you'll be back in the same situation. It's like going backwards. You're better off spending that week or month working out what type of job you do want. I'd go as far as to say, don't apply for a job you don't want. You're wasting your own time. And even if you are down a bit on confidence, you'll only shatter it and fragment it more by taking a job you don't want.
As for brown-nosing, arse-licking sycophants? Don't even get me started.
I've been resisting the temptation to write a post about the bullshit corporate, Nike-style menatality of the Australian workforce and dickhead employers and bosses, but eventually I'll write something.
Good on you for interrupting the dickhead and asking the questions he didn't want to hear. You probably did a lot of good for the other people at the interview, so at least it wasn't a complete waste.
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
Did you at least enjoy being disruptive?
~Dianna
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
There is no job I want, so I often apply for things that I know are going to dead end. Horses gotta eat. Get the cash in....Worry about my career when Ive got a publisher screaming about a deadline. Then I might care.
But it was amusing to see him falter and stutter, and see the two grads have a moments independant thought.
Dianna...
Always and always! Is there a job that simply has as daily duties - "Rock the boat" cos I do that at every single job I ever get. See, I usually wait until Im employed before I do it!
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
Of course.
I personally believe that writing is a job where daily duties should be "Rock the boat"-I like a little bit of independent thinking, and books and blogs that are just a little bit 'out there'.
But the arts are really the only place where you have that kind of freedom, I suppose.
~Dianna
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Yeah, they sure dont appreciate it in the standard retail or factory positions when you want to shake up procedure! I get a lot of "We've been doing it this way for 20 years"
Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
20 years isn't that long... they should just get over it and try something different. Change things up a little. Make life a little more interesting.
~Dianna