Acing the Interview: Audaciously

Yahoo Voices ^ | 4-7-12 | Mary C. Kirchhoff

[InHisService]

My last interview was typical of the new "selection process" employers utilize to weed out the unwanted and unemployable. The first interview was only round one in the boxing ring fighting to get a job. The recruiter gave us the heads up about the selection process.

"Today is the first round, and out of that group we will select those who will be brought back for a second interview. If that goes well, we'll have a third interview, where we will interrogate you with a Tae Kwon Do master on hand. You will be tied to a chair with rope and hooked up to an electronic gadget and a lie detector test. At that point, we will determine if you are telling the truth about your previous employment and each time it doesn't prove out, an electric shock will be sent to your brain, and our man will practice some torture methods on you."

[6SJ7]

We've got one very high up individual who will request phone interviews and blow them off on a regular basis. On Monday, I will be rescheduling one applicant for the third time. The first time, she just forgot to call. The second time, she decided after it was scheduled that she wanted that day off and didn't feel like talking to anyone.

The interview process is revealing not so much in what is said, but what is not said.

[freedumb2003]

>>. On Monday, I will be rescheduling one applicant for the third time<<

Excuse me? If anyone short of a physics engineer with a direct application to the new 1 billion dollar project being started, no one in their right mind would even SCHEDULE a “3rd interview.”

Yeah, stuff happens and you might have to reschedule the 1st one to the 2nd. Absent a death in the family, there is nothing that should cause a 3rd.

But I see why we are starting to follow Greece and Italy in our work ethic.

[freedumb2003]

>>Ouch, that’s gonna leave a mark!<<

Yep — get advice from an idiot or from someone who actually interviews and employs people.

Tell me you know my company and want to use your abilities to push us to success. Or just be a wimpy “my job is to do what he tells me to do” and never get employed.

Your choice.

[freedumb2003]

>>Therefore you must adjust your “C” to fit the new paradigm, and give yourself an “A” average.<<

You misuse the word “paradigm” that badly and have the audacity to attempt to lecture me?

What, are you 22 years old or something? That is the only explanation of your combination of zero RL experience and misuse/abuse of buzzwords.

Managing children in the workplace are always my penance...

[andyk]

what do you guys do if they ask what you GPA was?

Employers want to know how you will exchange the values of two variables without using a temporary variable. They want to know if you can explain big O notation of different sorting algorithms. They want to know if you've ever heard of design patterns. They're not so much interested in GPAs. </bias>

[Dianna]

Excuse me? If anyone short of a physics engineer with a direct application to the new 1 billion dollar project being started, no one in their right mind would even SCHEDULE a “3rd interview.”

I think you misunderstood. The person blowing off the interview is NOT the candidate, but the interviewer.

That is why I don't understand why the candidates continue to bother with us. Almost all of them currently have jobs.

[freedumb2003]

>>I think you misunderstood. The person blowing off the interview is NOT the candidate, but the interviewer.<<

I completely misunderstood. Thanks for the clarification

>>That is why I don’t understand why the candidates continue to bother with us. Almost all of them currently have jobs.<<

FWIIW (and I know on the Internet no one knows you are a dog), I am very much in demand for my 35+ years experience in managing the implementation of large systems — Financials and HR/Payroll — in pretty large ($1+ Bln) companies.

Recruiting good talent is more difficult than being on the receiving end.

Blowing off new talent is as bad as new kids blowing off interviews.

[Future Snake Eater]

Look, he told the truth. You want people to recite a prepared speech. In the end, you want someone who will do what they’re told to do, do it well, and move on to the next mission. Just because the words “create value” aren’t in there doesn’t mean anything. It just means he boiled down what the employer wants to its essence.

[InHisService]

LOL!

[grey_whiskers]

FWIIW (and I know on the Internet no one knows you are a dog), I am very much in demand for my 35+ years experience in managing the implementation of large systems — Financials and HR/Payroll — in pretty large ($1+ Bln) companies.,

And now we know what *you* are... ;-)

See last Sunday's Dilbert strip for details.

Cheers!

[grey_whiskers]

FWIIW (and I know on the Internet no one knows you are a dog), I am very much in demand for my 35+ years experience in managing the implementation of large systems — Financials and HR/Payroll — in pretty large ($1+ Bln) companies.,

And now we know what *you* are... ;-)

See last Sunday's Dilbert strip for details.

Cheers!