Worst Job Interviews (merged)

[OSUsushichic]

I have a question for you guys regarding a situation in which I recently found myself. I interviewed for an internal position (but with a different department), and I thought I had a really good shot at the job. However, the interview was a bust. The bitch asked me totally inappropriate, irrelevant, questions, even an illegal one (the "what is your marital status" one). Well, I didn't get the job (which is sorta beside the point), but I'm really upset with the interview process. My question is, if you were put in this situation, would you pursue this in some way or let it go? I in no way want to pursue this legally, but I'm thinking about talking to our HR manager about this woman and her "interview skills". Do you think this would be a mistake? Other avenues I could pursue? The more I think about it the more pissed off I get!

Thanks.

 

[buckeyefool]

If you really like the company overall, and think you can talk to someone about it without anything comign back on you I would mention it. Because although you don't plan on taking legal action for the questionable questions someone else down the road might.

 

[Pheasant]

Umm. I would have walked directly into the HR manager's office after the interview. That's the first place I'd go, if you don't get any satisfaction there, but you don't want to talk to a lawyer I'm not sure there's anything else you could do. Talk to the highest person up the ladder you can get a hold of I guess.

 

[GoBucks89]

I would definitely talk to the HR manager. That's a good idea. You have the right to go legal but as you say it's probably not worth the trouble. But if you bring the issue up the right way with the HR manager and you're professional about it, you might impress him/her and get a lead on a better position. There's no downside risk that I can see unless you handle it badly (i.e. cussing, calling her names, making fun of her appearance, etc.).

 

[BB73]

If you really like the company overall, and think you can talk to someone about it without anything comign back on you I would mention it. Because although you don't plan on taking legal action for the questionable questions someone else down the road might.

Good advice here. Approach it as a procedural issue that could be damaging to the company, rather than a gripe coming from your individual experience. That makes you look like a corporate watchdog, rather than some whiner that didn't get what she wanted.

And then, off company grounds, beat the crap out of that bitch!!

 

[OSUsushichic]

If you really like the company overall, and think you can talk to someone about it without anything comign back on you I would mention it. Because although you don't plan on taking legal action for the questionable questions someone else down the road might.

Good point. I really could give a f$#@ at this point that I didn't get the job (which would mean working for her); I just don't want other people to get screwed over by this woman. None of the questions she asked me pertained to my ability to perform the job. Very frustrating. Makes me wonder what experiences the other candidates had at their interviews.

 

[OSUsushichic]

And then, off company grounds, beat the crap out of that bitch!!

A lot of my coworkers would pay me to do this.

 

[exhawg]

I had a buddy that worked for Loreal. He saw all kinds of problems in the organization and tried to tell he superiors about it to no avail. Eventually he sent a (well written) constructive email to everyone over him to let them know about the problems. Within an hour security was walking him out of the building.

 

[PrincessPeach]

The only thing I would consider before talking to the HR Manager is whether or not he or she will maintain confidentiality. The HR Director of the company for which I used to work was famous for acting friendly and helpful and having an "open door, come talk to me if you have issues" policy and then talking about people behind their backs. My cubicle was outside her office for a while, and I would constantly hear her on the phone talking and laughing about what other employees had told her in confidence. It was pretty sad when people who didn't know better thought she would actually help them, and then she would ridicule them for complaining. She was one of the most unprofessional people I've ever met, yet she was promoted while I was there, because she knew how to put on the proper mask and say all the right things while management was listening.

So, long story short, make sure you trust the HR Manager to have professional courtesy and discretion...

 

[OSUsushichic]

The only thing I would consider before talking to the HR Manager is whether or not he or she will maintain confidentiality. The HR Director of the company for which I used to work was famous for acting friendly and helpful and having an "open door, come talk to me if you have issues" policy and then talking about people behind their backs. My cubicle was outside her office for a while, and I would constantly hear her on the phone talking and laughing about what other employees had told her in confidence. It was pretty sad when people who didn't know better thought she would actually help them, and then she would ridicule them for complaining. She was one of the most unprofessional people I've ever met, yet she was promoted while I was there, because she knew how to put on the proper mask and say all the right things while management was listening.

So, long story short, make sure you trust the HR Manager to have professional courtesy and discretion...

This is a potential problem as well. I know of one case where a coworker talked to the HR Manager, and the conversation was not kept confidential (the idiot later emailed her boss and talked about the "private" meeting). I think if I told him to keep the conversation confidential, I think he would, but I'm not 100% on this. :(

 

[FKAGobucks877]

Sushi - you have to be pretty careful in situations like this. Sadly, there is probably nothing you can do that will have any effect whatsoever, but almost anything you do could have possible repercussions that damage you. HR likely can't do anything about this; they don't handle the interviews, the hiring manager does. It is likely that this manager either didn't like you, or had someone in particular in mind for the position, and it didn't matter who else posted for it, that particular individual was going to get it.

You have to be careful of who this woman's friends are, as well. Is she friends with anyone in HR? Is she friends with or connected to anyone in upper management? As much as it sucks, I doubt there is anything HR can do unless you file a formal complaint, and if you do that, you're likely to be labeled as a trouble-maker. I would take a while to completely cool off, like maybe a week or so, and totally think everything over before you do anything.

As bad as it sounds, I really don't think there is anything you can do that wouldn't hurt you more in the long run than this woman.

 

[Bucklion]

Sushi - you have to be pretty careful in situations like this. Sadly, there is probably nothing you can do that will have any effect whatsoever, but almost anything you do could have possible repercussions that damage you. HR likely can't do anything about this; they don't handle the interviews, the hiring manager does. It is likely that this manager either didn't like you, or had someone in particular in mind for the position, and it didn't matter who else posted for it, that particular individual was going to get it.

You have to be careful of who this woman's friends are, as well. Is she friends with anyone in HR? Is she friends with or connected to anyone in upper management? As much as it sucks, I doubt there is anything HR can do unless you file a formal complaint, and if you do that, you're likely to be labeled as a trouble-maker. I would take a while to completely cool off, like maybe a week or so, and totally think everything over before you do anything.

As bad as it sounds, I really don't think there is anything you can do that wouldn't hurt you more in the long run than this woman.

FKA makes fantastic points here...my wife works at a large company, and there it's all about "how you play the game". There have been people allowed to get away with just about anything because they kiss the right ass, and people who were fired that afternoon for an argument or disparaging remark that had taken place that morning. If you are uncertain as to how the HR person views the interviewer in terms of a personal friendship and/or their value to the company, you really should proceed with caution, because you could find yourself in a really abd spot very fast, through no fault of your own.

 

[CausticMick]

At that point, start deciding on what you want to buy. Speaking with an HR official and having that information divulged is also illegal. The hard part is proving that she leaked it. You'll need to get to the source (the person the HR Director leaked it to).

Oh, and watch your P's and Q's if you go to HR. If they want to rid of you they'll do anything to find something to hold against you (attendance, etc.).

 

[OSUsushichic]

Sushi - you have to be pretty careful in situations like this. Sadly, there is probably nothing you can do that will have any effect whatsoever, but almost anything you do could have possible repercussions that damage you. HR likely can't do anything about this; they don't handle the interviews, the hiring manager does. It is likely that this manager either didn't like you, or had someone in particular in mind for the position, and it didn't matter who else posted for it, that particular individual was going to get it.

You have to be careful of who this woman's friends are, as well. Is she friends with anyone in HR? Is she friends with or connected to anyone in upper management? As much as it sucks, I doubt there is anything HR can do unless you file a formal complaint, and if you do that, you're likely to be labeled as a trouble-maker. I would take a while to completely cool off, like maybe a week or so, and totally think everything over before you do anything.

As bad as it sounds, I really don't think there is anything you can do that wouldn't hurt you more in the long run than this woman.

That is pretty much my fiance's take on this -- that it would only hurt me in the long run. As far as I know, this woman has few friends, even within the Press, but she has been there for several years, so who knows. She has probably had many dealings with the HR Manager, since her department has high turnover. (Gee, I wonder why!)

It has been a couple of weeks since this happened, and I've still not calmed down about it. That's why I'm wondering if I need to do something about it. It's not about me at this point; it's about this not happening in the future.

 

[Bucklion]

That is pretty much my fiance's take on this -- that it would only hurt me in the long run. As far as I know, this woman has few friends, even within the Press, but she has been there for several years, so who knows.

It has been a couple of weeks since this happened, and I've still not calmed down about it. That's why I'm wondering if I need to do something about it. It's not about me at this point; it's about this not happening in the future.

Sadly, even if you manage to change what happens in the future, it could cost you big-time in the process, and then where does that leave you? I have to go with FKA and the fiance on this one...just my opinion borne of my wife's experiences though.