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Worst Job Interviews (merged)

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Sushi,

I'm sorry you were put in this position. It sucks and it almost reaks of a no win situation for you.

You can bring it up to the big wigs.

Document everything that has happened in this process.
Write down everyone you discuss it with and write down their responses

Remember, this country has whistleblower protection laws.
 
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Sushi--I'm not aware of any federal law that says you cannot enquire into one's marital status (or even sexual orientation for that matter). It seems like discrimination to prefer one over the other of any kind of group, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's discrimination in the eyes of the law. I'm not familiar with the local and state laws where you are though, and they certainly could speak to marital status.

The best two pieces of advice that I've read on this thread are:

1. Keep detailed documentation (contemporaneously if at all possible); and
2. Let it go (even though you shouldn't have to).

You don't want to work for that bitch. And when it comes to work, life's a marathon, not a sprint.
 
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OSUsushichic said:
We are in the final stages of creating a questionnaire to be distributed to the staff dealing with workplace issues (evaluation process, manager/staff relations, etc.). One thing that it doesn't address is the interview process, and now I wish we would have included a few questions about this. If there is a real problem with my company's hiring practices, than that would have been a good place to spot it.quote]

I would use this survey to vent. At the end of surveys of this nature they usually have a comments box. I would recommend they have questions about internal job posting and hiring pratices. At most large companies such as mine, the results of the surveys have a large effect on the senior teams bonuses.
Click to expand...
 
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i didnt read all the posts of this thread in detail, but it looks like most folks have covered the major points here.

i will point out one possibility here. it is possible, even likely, that the woman that interviewed you already had the person she wanted to promote chosen, thereby making your interview a formality. you then get asked irrelevant questions just to get you through the process, but not allowing you to fully demonstrate your quality for the job, thereby giving her enough justification to validate her choice.

my immediate suggestion would be to see who is selected to fill the spot. talk to others that interviewed before and after that person. if folks interviewed after the selected person have a similar account as you, there's a pattern. If you find out the whole thing was isolated to your interview, then the problem is different and may be something of a personal nature on her part.
 
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OSUsushichic said:
The bitch asked me totally inappropriate, irrelevant, questions, even an illegal one (the "what is your marital status" one).
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Admittedly, I am totally out of touch with the civilian job market and everything that goes along with it. However, how is asking somebody their marital status in an interview illegal? Is there a "Don't ask, don't tell" policy dealing with marital status for civilians in the work place? (I am not trying to be sarcastic here, I just really feel out of touch) I could see...holding one's marital status against them illegal, but asking a simple question? What ever happened to small talk, icebreakers, and whatnot to get the interviewee comfortable or to see how they carry a simple conversation or maybe even see how they react to the unexpected (within reason). I mean, they already have your resume. They should already have a good idea of whether or not you are qualified. I wouldn't think that you are supposed to suddenly become qualified at some point in the interview. I have always thought that the fact that you are being interviewed was due to you meeting the prerequisites for the job. So, with that in mind, the interview itself really doesn't have to be very restrictive in its line of questioning. I could understand where some interviews may be direct and basically troubleshoot the interviewees knowledge, skills, and experience for a very technical position, but for many positions I would just expect to go in and be courteous and honest. Another question I have is whether the interviewer is required to ask the same basic line of questioning to all applicants interviewed. I guess I have to get in touch with reality soon though, as I will hopefully be entering the dreaded job market in a couple of years.
 
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Here is something I found on Monster.com:

Technically, it is illegal for an interviewer to make hiring decisions based on anything personal that is not directly job-related. Off-limit questions include (but are not limited to): information regarding your age, marital status, country of origin, religion, sexual orientation and health status. Almost any legal information about you is illegal in the job interview.

There are some exceptions to this rule, which might be confusing. Personal questions considered to be job-related usually are permissible in the interview or on the job application.

Legal Personal Questions:

Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

Can you show proof of your eligibility to work in the US?

Can you perform the job's essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation?
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During my interview, not only did this wench ask me if I was married (granted, she didn't flat-out ask the question but pigeonholed me into giving an answer that required it), but she also mentioned that she does not hire anyone outside the Boston area because people do not realize how expensive it is to live here. I don't know why she even bothered telling me this. She KNOWS I live in Boston! She also said that she conducted a phone interview with a woman in New Jersey, and after talking to her for a bit she heard a baby cry. She said that she automatically crossed this woman off her list. That is discrimination! She said so many wrong things in the interview.... I could go on and on!
 
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OSUsushichic said:
During my interview, not only did this wench ask me if I was married (granted, she didn't flat-out ask the question but pigeonholed me into giving an answer that required it), but she also mentioned that she does not hire anyone outside the Boston area because people do not realize how expensive it is to live here. I don't know why she even bothered telling me this. She KNOWS I live in Boston! She also said that she conducted a phone interview with a woman in New Jersey, and after talking to her for a bit she heard a baby cry. She said that she automatically crossed this woman off her list. That is discrimination! She said so many wrong things in the interview.... I could go on and on!
Click to expand...

She's an idiot. You're much better off not working for her, it would drive you crazy.
 
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I think everyone has it covered here. If you disclose what occurred you will do harm to your career at that company.

I will tell you that I once had a job interview that was very close to what you described. They asked me all sorts of personal questions. I had just finished my MBA and as I was asked those questions I casually mentioned that I had learned that asking those types of questions could get the interviewer in trouble and answering them was not in my best interest. Of course I did not get the job but I think the person asking the questions did not have a clue they were illegal or inappropriate.

Silence and a job may be the best bet.
Now of course if you do get the opportunity leave the company burn her ass in a way that won't haunt you.:)
 
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Discuss your worst job interviews.

I think I may have won this award today. I'm sitting on two offers from schools; and have interviewed with MANY others. The school I interviewed with today, was a second interview, this time strictly with the Superintendent.

During the interview he told me that the staff really wants me over the other 3 candidates, but that he however has some issues...

He tells me that of the 12 candidates that were told to write wellness policy essays, that my 4 -page policy was the shortest and that concerns him.

He continued to pull out my transcripts and quiz me on every grade that was a B- or lower. (I finished with a 3.1, so there were plenty of B-'s) Each time telling me that he isn't sure that he could hire a teacher who didn't have enough desire to get A's in the courses.

Next.. he tells me that he is worried that after 4 years I will become a roll the ball out 'p.e. teacher'. He tells me that he would have no problem with firing me if the p.e. department doesn't have drastic changes, and proceeds to rip on the staff that is already in place and tenured.

Finally he goes on to tell me, I have passion about teaching, I only see warmth from you, but I'll let you know in the next day saying my chances are 60%.

The school pays the best; and I see it as the best school of what would be my 3 options, although he has done everything in his power to steer me away from the school.
 
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Sorry to hear that, BuckWrestler. Sounds like the superintendent acted very inappropriately. I'm not sure how teacher interviews are conducted, but isn't it unusual for a superintendent to conduct the interview for a PE teacher? Isn't it usually the principal of that particular school? And who the hell challenges your grades in a job interview? I've never heard of that (unless, maybe it's law school or med school grades). It's great that you have a few offers on your plate, though. Congrats on those.

I merged this thread, because I had a similar experience back in October. My situation has worked out fine, though. I just got promoted last week, so I don't have to look for other jobs for a while!
 
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Today's Dilbert was funny:

uft5.gif


:lol:
 
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