[The_little_didgee]

I recently experienced an unpleasant job interview. It felt like an interrogation of my personality and values. Nearly all the questions were behavioural and value based. They asked generic questions such as my greatest weakness. Only three were technical. Halfway through, I started to feel uncomfortable. At times I felt violated and wondered why I had to prove who I was. There was no need because I did a work placement. They had three weeks to feel me out and see how I interacted with the staff and worked. Staff recommended me for an interview.

Towards the end of my interrogation I wanted to stop it, but out of courtesy I stayed till the very end. I regret doing that and not standing up for myself. It felt so artificial and fake especially after the placement. Obviously it isn’t about skills, getting along with others etc… It is all about the manager, if they like you or not. She couldn’t figure out if I was male or female. That shouldn't matter today. It didn’t seem to bother the other staff.

Is it possible to have an authentic job interview experience? I mean one without generic questions with scripted answers, acting and doing odd tests such as asking me to walk and moo like a cow.



Note: If you have nothing helpful to add do not reply to my thread. I will not tolerate insults.

If you do reply, please stay on topic. Thank you.

[SquarePegGuy]

I'm sorry that you had an upsetting interview experience!

There are some "standard" job interview questions that can be asked of anyone. "What's your greatest weakness?" is number four of the top ten most common according to Coursera.

For a few years I was on an interview team. I got to experience the other side of the interview. I found it nerve-wracking because I had to discuss what I thought of the candidate afterwards. Usually we ask the candidate to clarify some aspect of their resume. But occasionally we'd revert to one of the common questions. I'd usually ask, "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

[VabGirl]

Have you had alot of interviews?

[16PennyNail]

Sounds like a human resources person conducted that. I used to get a big laugh earlier in life when I would work part time going to school. People would ask me what my greatest weakness was and I would respond with something like, Kryptonite, or just say, I have no weaknesses. It really throws some of them for a whirl when you do that. I always got the job so it must have worked. Another of my favorites was, "Do you get along well with others?", my reply would be: I sure do when they are not present.

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by SquarePegGuy

I'm sorry that you had an upsetting interview experience!

There are some "standard" job interview questions that can be asked of anyone. "What's your greatest weakness?" is number four of the top ten most common according to Coursera.

What information is sought after? Obviously it is personality traits and intelligence, but there has to be more. How does this info predict the success of a candidate? So many people walk away from jobs shortly after getting hired.

Originally Posted by SquarePegGuy

For a few years I was on an interview team. I got to experience the other side of the interview. I found it nerve-wracking because I had to discuss what I thought of the candidate afterwards. Usually we ask the candidate to clarify some aspect of their resume. But occasionally we'd revert to one of the common questions. I'd usually ask, "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Are there any truthful answers?

They did not even look at my resume at all. I was asked nothing about my career change and why I want to work at that organization, which sent the message that they already selected people. I along with one other person were just there to make the process appear legal.

I feel so used. I wish I saw it coming.

This may be my opportunity to start my own business, so I don't have to endure this fake process and BS.

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by VabGirl

Have you had alot of interviews?

Not a lot. I have gotten jobs without them.

[The_little_didgee]

Originally Posted by 16PennyNail

Sounds like a human resources person conducted that. I used to get a big laugh earlier in life when I would work part time going to school. People would ask me what my greatest weakness was and I would respond with something like, Kryptonite, or just say, I have no weaknesses. It really throws some of them for a whirl when you do that. I always got the job so it must have worked. Another of my favorites was, "Do you get along well with others?", my reply would be: I sure do when they are not present.

Your reply made me laugh.

Kryptonite is a good one. My biggest weakness would be coffee or potato chips. My greatest strength would be sleeping all day and staying up all night.

[splitimage]

As someone who has both hired people and been on a lot of interviews myself, those questions that sound generic and like BS can actually reveal a lot about a candidate and their insight into their work style.


One of my standard, like to ask questions, is what did you dislike most about your last job? I asked this of an accounting candidate once and her reply was "dealing with people" That was all I needed to hear, as the position I was hiring for would require a lot of communication with sales and marketing.

When I was hiring a regularly for accountants, in a corporate finance setting, yes I would use generic and behavioural type questions. I'd rarely ask technical questions because one can have theoretical knowledge without being able to do anything. So part of my interview process was a skills test where I took common analyses that were part of the job and asked the candidate to do the best they could with an hour. That seemed to yield the best results in terms of hiring people that could be successful

[rechu]

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I've been on both sides of the hiring process. There definitely are some tactless, rude interviewers out there. I have tried to use my bad experiences being interviewed as a lesson in what not to do.

I remember once these two guys interviewed with were very accusatory. Everything was phrased as, "well, your resume says you know how to do this, but do you really know? It made me really uncomfortable. I didn't get a call back and I can't imagine wanting to work there if I did.

[The_little_didgee]

Thanks for the replies. My emotions are too raw right now to type out a thoughtful reply.

I'm hurting. I just don't know where I fit into the working world. I live with generalized anxiety disorder, autism spectrum disorder and am undergoing a gender transition (something I always wanted to do). I'm not exactly mainstream, but I am capable of working and with others. It doesn't seem to be enough.

[SquarePegGuy]

Originally Posted by The_little_didgee

-snip-
They did not even look at my resume at all. I was asked nothing about my career change and why I want to work at that organization, which sent the message that they already selected people. I along with one other person were just there to make the process appear legal.

Yes sometimes a company will have a preferred candidate in mind before they've interviewed all the applicants. I recall also a company wanted to hire a foreigner. But immigration law said they had to publish a job ad to demonstrate that no one else could fill the position. Yet a US citizen did apply, so they had to go through an interview with that person.