Send negative response if insulted during an interview?

[Art_Critic]

Not a lot but some. I can see that kind of test for a more people-oriented position but this one is more tech-oriented. Techies are generally not sought after for their people skills.

 

Boy.. isn't that true.. I knew a computer programmer back in the 80's and he used to eat his lunch underneath his desk and used to put cardboard walls up to keep the noise out.

 

When will you here is you got the job Tan?

[tanbark813]

Boy.. isn't that true.. I knew a computer programmer back in the 80's and he used to eat his lunch underneath his desk and used to put cardboard walls up to keep the noise out.

 

 

I worked with a guy who built a cardboard roof for his cubicle but that was for aesthetic reasons. He wanted to block the fluorescent lighting overhead and had a desk lamp. He was cool.

 

When will you here is you got the job Tan?

 

Not sure. Later this week, I suppose.

[BUENG1]

 

I worked with a guy who built a cardboard roof for his cubicle but that was for aesthetic reasons. He wanted to block the fluorescent lighting overhead and had a desk lamp. He was cool.

 

 

 

Not sure. Later this week, I suppose.

Hmm hard to tell. Is it possible he's trying to to talk down your present type of employer to get you to leave. Don't know though, its still in bad taste regardless.

[allina]

With most higher ups in your field what company you work for is a huge dick-size competition, you should know that

[Storyrider]

People are much more likely to be obtuse and self-absorbed than to hatch evil plans to undermine another person. I'd guess he was just spouting off and taking advantage of a captive audience.

[Phateless]

People are much more likely to be obtuse and self-absorbed than to hatch evil plans to undermine another person. I'd guess he was just spouting off and taking advantage of a captive audience.

 

Agreed. TB, I'm sure you're fine.

[tanbark813]

With most higher ups in your field what company you work for is a huge dick-size competition, you should know that

 

Yeah it is. That and laptop comparisons.

 

People are much more likely to be obtuse and self-absorbed than to hatch evil plans to undermine another person. I'd guess he was just spouting off and taking advantage of a captive audience.

 

I think you're probably right. Toward the end of the call my responses became pretty short and apathetic to what he was talking about and it seemed to boost his spouting off. Almost like he felt he had something to prove.

[Art_Critic]

Hey Tan.. any word ?

 

By the way.. there was this yahoo article today that talked about hiring practices today and this is one of the things they say to watch out for..as well as others..

They try to see your inner gossip.

 

some joe blow, president of some company, says a senior manager client would have other people on the hiring team do the normal interview screening. Then he would have a friendly interview with the applicant during which he'd drop a sideways comment about someone on the hiring team and ask the candidate's opinion of the person.? If the candidate agreed or added to the slam, or disagreed and defended the person, he or she wasn't hired. But if the candidate refused to acknowledge or discuss the inference, a job offer was usually made.

 

Maybe that is what happened to you.. or an off version of it anyhow

[tanbark813]

Hey Tan.. any word ?

 

Late last week the main recruiter contacted me and said I did fine on the last phone interview. We chatted briefly but I didn't bring up the issue with the interviewer.

 

I have an interview tomorrow morning with the General Manager which I think will be the last interview in the process.

 

Interesting article. I'm still not convinced it was staged or intentional but I suppose it's possible.

 

And in retrospect, I'm glad I didn't send any kind of negative response after the last interview.

[Thaddeus]

It's already been mentioned somewhere in this thread, but given the unemployment rate, organizations (and in particular the HR departments in organizations) have a lot of power right now and power inevitably leads to abuse.

 

These sorts of little mind-games happen all the time in interviews. It is, frankly, an abuse of their power, designed specifically to make the interviewee feel uncomfortable and put them off. And it doesn't tell them anything about how well the potential candidate may do the job. It's like asking, "Where do you see yourself in five years?", "If you could be a vegetable, what sort of vegetable would you be?" or "Describe yourself in one word" (all of which, I'm afraid, I've heard in interviews). They're completely and utterly meaningless.

 

Anyway, good luck TB. Keep us posted.

[Odyssey]

That's interesting 'cause i was talking to my friend about this yesterday. My interview last monday, the employer asked one the strangest questions: He picked up his mug and asked 'how would i sell this to a customer - what would you say'? It's strange because the position was for an engineering job and not sales. Takes the p*ss. But i'd BS my way through it. In the end i'd asked what it was really about? And he said it was from an interview book. What a dick?!?

[OpenBook]

I have an interview tomorrow morning with the General Manager which I think will be the last interview in the process.

 

... And in retrospect, I'm glad I didn't send any kind of negative response after the last interview.

 

I'm glad you didn't either! Congratulations and good luck on the interview! I know you'll kick arse (in a GOOD way!). :bunny:

[tanbark813]

Thanks!

 

The interview with the general manager went well. The first words out of his mouth were, "Well you got past [First tech dude's name] and [second tech dude's name] so you must not suck."

 

Still waiting to hear back though.

[alphamale]

Do you let your main contact know? Or do you just let it go?

if you still want a possiblity of getting the job then you let it go

[amerikajin]

if you still want a possiblity of getting the job then you let it go

 

You're spot on the money.

 

Interviewers will sometimes intentionally use tactics like this to weed out someone who might not have the best social skills (sounds like Tanbark passed this test with flying colors). This company probably has a number of resumes with the right technical skill set; it could be that they've been looking for someone who's personality can flow with the office culture. It's possible that they've hired people in the past who couldn't take blunt criticism, and maybe the company culture is such that people speak bluntly to each other, not for the sake of being jerks but just because they believe it's important to get the point across about how well a project is going and how well someone is performing. Maybe they've had people who have come from office environments like Tanbark and they came with certain baggage and didn't work out well, and perhaps they wanted to see whether Tanbark fit their stereotype. Again, the fact that he was invited to talk to the GM pretty much tells the story.

 

To me, interviewing is a lot like courtship. Companies have all different types of personalities, just like individual people do; after all, they're managed by people. The interviewing process is a way to find out if two parties are compatible. Some interviewers are quite friendly an affable to people they have absolutely no intention of hiring whatsoever; others can be curt and downright rude to people they're actually interested in. Most of the time, it's somewhere in between, with a professional level of courtesy balanced with relative coolness until both sides become more acquainted with each other.

[jerbear]

Here is an idea, do YOU want to work for the company after his comment?

 

The company expanding is a good thing.

[tanbark813]

It's possible that they've hired people in the past who couldn't take blunt criticism, and maybe the company culture is such that people speak bluntly to each other, not for the sake of being jerks but just because they believe it's important to get the point across about how well a project is going and how well someone is performing.

 

That's possible. The GM seems like a pretty straight-forward, borderline blunt, guy. He even used the term "ratf**k" when I met with him.

 

Here is an idea, do YOU want to work for the company after his comment?

 

I didn't particularly like the comment but it wasn't enough to dissuade me from working for them. Everyone else I've met has been cool.

[amerikajin]

That's possible. The GM seems like a pretty straight-forward, borderline blunt, guy. He even used the term "ratf**k" when I met with him.

 

I think that's your answer.

 

But seriously, ask yourself, knowing what you know about the personalities you've met so far, could you imagine a quiet, whispering accountant type working there? Probably not, right? I mean this is probably the kind of guy who will tell you to your face "Tanbark, what the f*ck happened on this project?" and let you have it for a moment or two and then forget about it as long as you don't mess up again. It's probably the kind of place where people are pushed hard but maybe everyone goes out for a drink at 3 pm on a Friday afternoon and shoots the shyte with other other. Maybe the roughneck talk is abrasive and initially uncomfortable, but perhaps you'll avoid the catty backbiting from people who pen up their aggression and stab you in the back when you're not looking. Maybe this style has its advantages. You won't know until you work there, of course, but it might not be so bad.

[donnamaybe]

Thanks!

 

The interview with the general manager went well. The first words out of his mouth were, "Well you got past [First tech dude's name] and [second tech dude's name] so you must not suck."

 

Still waiting to hear back though.

 

Oooo, good luck!!!!

[tanbark813]

It's probably the kind of place where people are pushed hard but maybe everyone goes out for a drink at 3 pm on a Friday afternoon and shoots the shyte with other other.

 

It's pretty much a standing, personal rule that anyone can call me an arsehole as long as they buy me a beer.

 

Oooo, good luck!!!!

 

Thanks!

[donnamaybe]

It's pretty much a standing, personal rule that anyone can call me an arsehole as long as they buy me a beer.

 

Hey, arsehole, what kinda beer do ya like?

[tanbark813]

Hey, arsehole, what kinda beer do ya like?

 

The cold, free kind.

[donnamaybe]

The cold, free kind.

 

Here 'tis, and in a frosty mug to boot! [_]}

 

Happy Fridayayayayay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tanbark813]

Here 'tis, and in a frosty mug to boot! [_]}

 

Happy Fridayayayayay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That's what I'm talkin' 'bout.

 

[Star Gazer]

That's possible. The GM seems like a pretty straight-forward, borderline blunt, guy. He even used the term "ratf**k" when I met with him.

 

Sounds like my boss!

 

But seriously, ask yourself, knowing what you know about the personalities you've met so far, could you imagine a quiet, whispering accountant type working there? Probably not, right? I mean this is probably the kind of guy who will tell you to your face "Tanbark, what the f*ck happened on this project?" and let you have it for a moment or two and then forget about it as long as you don't mess up again. It's probably the kind of place where people are pushed hard but maybe everyone goes out for a drink at 3 pm on a Friday afternoon and shoots the shyte with other other. Maybe the roughneck talk is abrasive and initially uncomfortable, but perhaps you'll avoid the catty backbiting from people who pen up their aggression and stab you in the back when you're not looking. Maybe this style has its advantages. You won't know until you work there, of course, but it might not be so bad.

 

That's a great inference, and guess what? That's exactly the sort of environment I work in.

 

Ever see Erin Brockovich, when Ed yells are Erin, "F&&K YOU!" and she yells, "F&&K You BACK!" and he starts laughing? That's exactly my environment.

 

It definitely has it's advantages, but ya gotta have thick skin. Mine wore thin a few weeks ago, and it took me a few days for it to grow back.

 

I doubt Tan would be so sensitive though.