/r/talesfromjobhunting

Photograph via snooOG

Tell us all of the horror/success/weird stories from looking for jobs.

Tell us all of the horror/success/weird stories you have from looking for jobs.

Also if you have any other things you want to talk/complain about when it comes to job hunting, post it here too.

even if your doing the hiring, post your story too

Meme's are ok as long as they related to job hunting If you see a story on the news related to job hunting, post it here.

For the sake for privacy, don't mention where you applied to or for.

Mod wanted to help with CSS PM me if you're interested.

Other Subreddits you may like:

/r/talesfromretail

/r/TalesFromTechSupport

/r/TalesFromCallCenters

/r/TalesFromThePharmacy

/r/TalesFromYourServer

/r/TalesFromTheCustomer

/r/TalesFromThePizzaguy

/r/TalesFromLifeguarding

/r/TalesFromMedicine

/r/TalesFromTheFrontDesk

/r/TalesFromPrintAndCopy

/r/TalesFromYourStripper

/r/AskFastFoodEmployees

/r/talesfromyourbank

/r/TeacherTales

/r/TalesFromSecurity

/r/askhr

/r/talesfromjobhunting

1,377 Subscribers

0

I hired a PC repairman to pose as me on social media and other sites

I set up these accounts on YouTube, X, FaceBook, Amazon Prime, IMDb and a few other sites. I used my real name and a good recognizable picture then instructed this guy to go onto YouTube and play videos of the most popular videomakers. He doesn't have to watch them, just create the impression that I have watched them. Then he goes on IMDb and rates movies in the same manner, leaving fake comments to create the impression that I have seen and enjoyed particular movies that I would never consider watching. He also purchases CDs and DVDs on Amazon for me to create more of this impression. He maintains my FaceBook profile to create the personnae of what a trash consumer would appear like, subject to the whims and pressures of pop culture and such. He agreed to help me on this because he has a lot of free time and it seems like a challenge to him. I pay him well and so far I am very happy with the results.

Questions?

3 Comments
2024/11/18
05:15 UTC

1

Ready to Quit

I recently got hired into a new position, it's in an industry where I have plenty of experience and have been working in for most of my career. My previous job, I was there for over 2 years and was feeling bored and uninspired, so when this position came up on my linkedin I applied on a whim. Fortunetly (or perhaps unfortunetly) I was hired, almost three months in, I'm ready to quit.

It's not because the job in all aspects sucks (some parts do) or the people I'm directly reporting to or the people who report to me. It's more the culture, is very...let's say, very much something I really didn't even consider when I left my previous job. At this new place, there is never really a moment where you switch off. The worse case is that upper management are the biggest perptrators. They respond and message beyond work hours, everything and I mean EVERYTHING is an emergency, which makes it hard to understand what exactly needs to be prioritised, the workload is excessive, on average I get about 100 -150 emails a day (and honestly, I think I'm being modest with the figures), which I'm expected to be on top of constantly. Just keeping on top of emails is pretty much a days work, there's other tasks such as reporting, pitching, building proposals etc, which obviosuly require time, but they expect things to be done at the speed of a machine. I'm the type of person where I like to pay attention to detail and thoroughly go through the work I produce, I want my work done and presented well. But if I'm rushed then that just goes flying out the window. I honestly don't know how everyone at this place copes and manages their workload if this is the pace that everyone is expected to be working at.

Part of the job in my industry can some times mean we work on outside regular working hours, for example, if there's an event or an activation happening, which is and not seven-headed beast, have done it many times, and often quite enjoy it. But a normal business would either compensate you for the additional hours, or at least let you claim that time back. This place, when I asked one of my colleagues at the same level as me, what was the procedure to getting our time back, she just chuckled and walked off. One time, it was Sunday, no event happening or nothing of the sorts, or was told to expect to be working, but I had my manager calling me to help her sort something out for a client there and then. It's was infuriating, but also as the new person, I just felt compelled to conform.

I'm in 30s I no longer feel the need to prove myself, 10 years ago or even 5 years ago, I would be pushing myself to put up with it because it's great for my career progression. But now, I'm honestly so over it, I'm ready to hand in my resignation tomorrow. Only thing holding me back is 1) I have nothing lined up and rent won't pay itself, and 2) honestly I'm beyond embarrased, because I feel like I left a decent place, where I was setting up roots and really establishing myself at a senior level, to join this new place where yes the title is more senior but the work and expectations feel very much like a demotion. I'm also embarrased at the thought of having to explain to future recruiters why I spend such little time with this business.

The role was not advertised in this way whatsoever, I first thought I'd be joinging a well established agency (they have a great reputation in my industry), where I'd be pushed to think creatively, outside of the box and really expand on my capabilities when it came to projects and client activations. But turns out, it's a poorly ran agency, just "yes" men to their clients, barely get any sort of creative input. No HR (I literally had to fight someone to get a copy of my contract/ I get paid but I still haven't received a single payslip.), they bend the rules and cut corners in so many ways but expect you to bend over backwards for their shitty and sometimes rude clients...anyway, I digress.

Has anyone dealt with major new position regret? How did you deal with it? I know in this job market I should really just stfu and be grateful I'm not on the job hunting grind. But damn do I feel real buyers remorse with this leap I took.

0 Comments
2024/11/11
23:55 UTC

0

setting plan for 3 months unemployed

Hi! I just want to share my recent status/ life ud lang. Cause life is lifeing paren, ang I'm barely living na because every month is like a big karma for me or is it just me, and really really experiencing physical anxiety (feeling pains, like chest pain, muscle pain, headache) and every week is like a challenge for me.

I'm applying for work and I just graduated last July, I even received job interview when I was undergrad, but luckily I get oit of that way cause it's a BPO na travel agency. Knowing na TS dapat ang work pero I don't know that time! Its my first ever interview in my whole life!!!!

Then I didn't make myself so into job hunting nung July, and I was so pa easy easy pa because I have so many plans with my college friends after graduation, parang every week may ganap. So I let the past 2 weeks of July, until I saw them looking for job unti unti. Then I feel the pressure from my sis, but my mom wasn't.

I never go out or live in the urban area, except my internship. Although I survive that 3 months of internship, and I enjoy my life there, so how come I looked for a job to get out of my comfort zone and face the real life, but the destiny doesn't make me do it. I'm getting frustrated at everything.

And this month, I'm still hoping to be in the hiring list na in this kilalang company, and a big time company for me kasi talagang kilala sya. I have plans na agad in my life if i hire in this company, so i hope na this would be the one. Ihave a lot of rejection lalo na sa mga kilalang BPO company din pero sa IT department yung gusto ko, gusto ko pa kasi ma boost yung skills ko specially in programming, because as an IT grad itong programming skills talaga ang magiging labanan mo sa buhay.

Lastly, yup hindi na tuloy kasama sa 13th month pay, but I just wanna hope na this company na I'm dreaming about, is sana ito na talaga yon. I always looked up sa mga signs na binibigay saken everyday and still I'm getting confused. There's a lot of job offer na binibigay saken. But ayoko, parang nag apply lang ako because wala pang ud from my top priority na company.

So I hope na talaga, to end my 3 months rule na unemployed status, sana mabigay na rin saken, dahil I want to be proud in myself and I want to live a life in an urban, I want to face my challenges, so please let me ;<

0 Comments
2024/09/24
14:14 UTC

7

The Day Everyone Quit

About 2 years ago I managed to get hired as an Esthetician at Damarah Day Spa in Saskatoon. It's the spa that's right inside the front doors of the Besbourough Hotel right in downtown. They refused to give me any paystubs and I'm on Disability so legally I need those paystubs to take to social services. Sanjanah who was my boss was very cruel in the way she talked to me and the other workers also. She kept All of our tips, shorted us on our paychecks by literally hundreds of dollars, when payday came she would withhold my paycheck just to make it so I was forced to talk to her. I once again insisted I needed my paystub and she said they'll be here on Saturday..then she took me from working fulltime to not being on the work schedule at all for 2 weeks to avoid me asking for a paystub. I reported her to the labor board and nothing came of it because she paid me by E-transfer and kept no records of anything and deleted me out of the system as if I was never even there!

0 Comments
2024/09/05
21:06 UTC

0

Can anybody share me: how much does it cost fees if you hire a job hunter to lool at a Managerial or Director level Job. Please share schemes you know

0 Comments
2024/06/20
08:31 UTC

1

Job Hunting & Application Process

Hello there,

I'm currently working for a recruiting company and I would love to hear some of the experiences of people when applying and looking for jobs.

I've got a quick survey if that is easier, but I'm also super interested in hearing your stories and experiences. What troubles have you found when looking for a job? Or what went smoothly during the recruiting process? Thank you in advance, and if you've got some extra thoughts, feel free to share!

Job Application Survey

0 Comments
2024/04/10
17:50 UTC

7

Anyone heard of Ascendion? Are they a scam

As the title says. I can't tell if it's a real place; they want me to schedule a 15-minute interview. Feels like a sales pitch. Anyone know of them?

5 Comments
2024/04/02
11:16 UTC

1

How many agree with this Yes Or No!!!!!!!!

0 Comments
2024/03/19
16:38 UTC

3

Lets Get Personal

Well, in today's world, our online presence often follows us, and potential employers, landlords, or even collaborators might be taking a peek at your profiles. 👀 A quick self-check can help you avoid any surprises and ensure your social media reflects the professional you want to be.

0 Comments
2024/03/03
22:03 UTC

2

So freaking stressed. 90+ applications and I've gone to only 5 interviews.

Nobody is calling back, I've got a clean background, I don't have tattoos or anything all over my body, and its been 3 MONTHS and I still cannot find anything. I'm legit applying everywhere (from restaurants to warehouses to sex shops litteraly EVERYWHERE)

0 Comments
2024/03/01
22:51 UTC

7

They ignored my desired salary range

Ok I’m going to rant a bit here. As someone hunting for a better job in these turbulent times, it has taken me half a year to even get close to a job offer. Last month I did an initial interview for a company in which they asked for my desired salary range. I gave them it. They never said that my desired salary would be unachievable for them. So it all looked promising. They wanted me to do a technical test which is normal for my industry. And it wasn’t a quick one. It took all afternoon. I used an afternoon of my day off because they wanted to get things done fast. So I think, fine, I stand a good chance of getting this job do why not. A week or so later they get back to me: good news, we loved your test and would like to do a final interview with you. I do it, it’s super straight forward and they say they’ll get back to me. A week goes by. So I email to ask when I will gear back. They say the result of the process is positive but theyre waiting for the managers to agree. Another weeks goes by so I email again just to touch base, asking for a rough date I can estimate a confirmation or lack thereof. They reply within a couple of hours with an offer. Hurrah!

But wait… as I’m scanning the conditions, they quote a gross salary 3k less per month (I live in Poland) than my desired minimum. It’s actually 500 PLN less than I earn right now. What the actual heck?

The job would have been remote so I think they were hoping I’d see that as a benefit worth taking a paycut. I said I was flexible but jeez not that much! On the remote work condition they said ‘this is an advantage over other employees because not everyone has this)… I should have known when I read this that the pay would be crap.

I’m so frustrated at this situation because if the recruiters had had an amount in mind from management they could have just rejected me in the beginning. But instead they were clearly disorganised, didn’t have the right information and still made me do a technical test plus another interview plus waiting around for a response just to offer me a salary not even close to what I was asking, less than my current job even! Did they actually think I’d say yes to that!?

They justified it by saying that’s the average that someone is earning in my field in Poland… not according to the stats I found!

I need a recruiter’s opinion asap on this. I’m so annoyed by this. I am so fed up of wasting time on interview processes for them to offer me peanuts. I’m a unique candidate in Poland being a native English speaker with the language combo they need (it’s a translation position) for cheaper than if they hired in Germany or the UK (even with my desire salary) with the skills and experience they need but they are not willing to pay for that. I’m f*cking done with being undervalued by companies and having my time wasted! Ah! Tell me I’m not alone.

0 Comments
2024/01/24
01:55 UTC

7

I left a stressful job with nothing lined up and I’m slowly regretting it. Help.

About a month ago, I left my job with nothing lined up for me. I was working as an operations manager in the healthcare industry. I worked tirelessly from 6:30am- 7pm, six days a week. I was paid salaried so there was no such thing as overtime pay. I got paid a decent amount, roughly 65-70k a year.

I hardly took any time off because my company would make you feel horrible for requesting one. One time I requested two weeks off for a family vacation with 7 months notice, only for them to say they won’t have anyone to cover for me and declined it.

I loved my coworkers, but our bosses were not the kindest and didn’t care about us the slightest bit. We were always feeling undervalued, unappreciated, and neglected. Whenever we would propose any ideas or constructive feedback during our department meetings for improvements, our suggestions would always be rejected because “it’s considered complaining.”

After 4 years of working in this type of industry, I decided to quit. I couldn’t stand the stress anymore- I was having headaches and migraines every day, I gained 30 pounds from stress eating, I was diagnosed with psoriasis, PCOS, and physically felt like body was giving out. I eventually gave them 6 weeks notice so they had time to replace me while also earned some money as I was looking for opportunities.

While having this time off for myself has been mentally refreshing, it has been difficult trying to figure out what my next opportunity would be. It’s been about a month & I didn’t realize how tough job hunting would be this time around. It’s 2023 and there’s an influx of companies laying people off. So far, I have:

  • applied to over 100 jobs
  • hired a career coach to help with my job search, updating my resume and cover letter
  • updated my LinkedIn page and slowly creating a website
  • took a certificate course that would improve my resume and gain more experience
  • networked with professionals on LinkedIn
  • applied to retail, Instacart, Amazon flex, and other part time jobs

…however received nothing but rejections. I have not landed a single interview. And I’m getting worried. I fear that I might’ve left my job too soon. I’m constantly stressing and worrying that I might’ve made the wrong decision for myself. Financially, I’m not bad, but not great. I do have $15k in debt with about $2k left in savings. I rent an apartment with my partner who’s been so generous and gracious to financially support us for a while.

If anyone is out there experiencing something similar, what are some advice you can give or that you’ve done during this hard time? Should I just go back to my old job knowing that I have job security or should I just keep looking?

0 Comments
2023/12/05
11:44 UTC

3

Can’t catch a break, any help for me please?

I was suffering from a bereavement which affected my mental health and being bullied at work on top of it, so I resigned. 5 months later and I can’t get another job, employers don’t like the gap or I generally get ghosted after interviews with no feedback. I lost one interview as I didn’t reply the same day as I was remote with no internet access just taking some time to breathe. One job advert was reposted before they told me I didn’t get it which was very cruel. It’s making my mental health even worse and I’ve lost all hope now. I have many years experience in my field (a decade) a range of software skills and good references.

0 Comments
2023/09/28
18:59 UTC

1

rescinded job offer due to personal relationships

0 Comments
2023/09/18
21:42 UTC

2

Fired 13 months ago, unable to get a new job

I don't know if this is the right community for this, but I was fired from a job for "Performance" although I was never given a counseling, verbal, written or otherwise.

Since then I've been struggling to find a job. Every time I apply at a place, I get a call back, I have a (Or sometimes many) great interviews, and then I don't get the job.

If it happened a few times, I would just assume that they picked another candidate, but on 2 occasions specifically, someone told me I was the favorite candidate and then all of a sudden bunk.

I'm concerned my former employer is bad mouthing me, perhaps even sabotaging me.

I've never been fired from a job before, and I've never had trouble getting a job before. Usually I apply to 20 jobs, get 10-15 interviews and 8-10 offers.

Now I've applied to hundreds of jobs, had probably 80 interview processes (With separate companies, often with 2-4 interviews with the company) and had 0 offers leveraged.

What should I do?

0 Comments
2023/06/30
15:05 UTC

3

[French and Dutch expats in Spain]

Hi there!

I would like where do French and Dutch expats look for a job in Spain?

I mean, what job portals do they use aisde from Linkedin, Indeed or Infojobs?

Do you/they use social media like Facebook? Are there some other social media which might be useful?

Thanks in advance if you're kind to share some useful information. And please please don't comment if you don't have anything nice or helpful to say. Be kind.

0 Comments
2023/02/24
08:17 UTC

5

Where to apply online in the Philippines?

I am a civil engineer with 3 years experience. I have been applying through jobstreet, indeed and LinkedIn for the past 2 weeks but up until now I still got no feedback. I am already starting to consider working abroad just in case.

1 Comment
2023/01/01
03:26 UTC

6

Horror Story from a new-graduate Physician Assistant

Note: I'm trying not to give too many details of the job. I'm sure I can be sued and fined for breaking my contract since I'm not supposed to talk ill of my company, but I just don't know much more more I can take. I'm also certain there's a cause in the contract that states I can't sue them, but there has to be a limit? Isn't there U.S. employee protected rights?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is going to be a long story...

For reference, PA = physician assistant.

I'm months into a new job at an outpatient medical-specialty clinic. I was so excited because I thought I did a diligent job finding the right place with caring physicians and coworkers. I was absolutely fooled. There's a couple other PAs that I trained under, but two of them are leaving later this month. Once I signed the job contract was the moment that they opened up to me about the workplace environment and how they were leaving. To say I was shocked at that moment was an understatement. Their vague reasoning was to leave some unavoidable tension and a snowball effect of other things. They are super kind and supportive, but I wish they had told me sooner.....

What I came to find out was that neither of the two PAs were working under a supervisory agreement, so they were technically not only putting their licenses on the line but also were putting the office at liability. They worked over a year into their jobs and had not applied for their DEA licenses either, which is necessary to be in allegiance with our employment contract. Of course, you can't get a DEA without a supervisory agreement along with other requirements. So, these PAs will be leaving the practice having no documental proof of them autonomously prescribing medications when they go into their next jobs, which last time I checked they don't have anything lined up.

We are at the whim of our group of physicians and essentially do all the charting, lab reviews, and prior authorizations etc. I don't know how it is with other places, but it just feels like we are their medical assistants rather than physician assistants. My blood boils when the physicians slip up and call us plain assistants in front of the patients or belittle our intelligence.

In particular, I maybe had 2 weeks of unpaid training/job shadowing before I was let on my own. I don't want to throw my mentor PAs under the bus, but nothing prepared me for the other small nuances of working the charting system or how to handle certain situations. I still have numerous questions every day about how things are run and I write notes with step-by-step instructions of how to find certain documents or how to follow through with certain tasks. I'm really uncomfortable having to find out how to do things on the fly and being ridiculed by the physicians for asking them or getting something wrong. The typical response has always been, "Why don't you go ask the other PAs?". I don't have much longer to do that since the other PAs are leaving and it's weighing on me. I should still technically be training, but I'm being used as a glorified scribe while my credentialing to work in the practice is being processed. At least, I spoke up enough to get a supervisory agreement, which us PAs all signed and back dated (which I'm sure is also illegal). I know either way that the moment that I get credentialed will be the same moment that nothing will change. I have been blamed for my physician's mistakes once or twice so far even though I write down his medical recommendations and treatment plans. I'm so glad no one has passed away from his inattentiveness. I do speak up or in many instances repeat my assessment in those grave moments, but its usually on deaf ears or I'm blamed for not saying anything sooner despite repeating myself.

Not only am I ridiculed for asking questions, I'm critiqued in such a way that is not conducive of learning. I'm constantly told that my charting is trash and I should not write down anything extra than what they say without any actual input of what exactly I say is "wrong" or what I write that's "extra". In one heated critiquing session, I was told by the physician not to pretend I know anything because I don't and I shouldn't pretend I went to college as long as he did. I was to write what he says and do what he orders and nothing else.... I wasn't three weeks in when another physician finally sat down with me and showed me what he expected the layout to be for his notes. The relief I felt after that was something else. All I needed to know this whole time was what his expectations were and he never got to the point of his endless criticism.

I know I should speak up for myself, but I also don't want to lose my job. Months into this position and they still haven't figured out the payroll system or direct deposit for me. I get excited on payday hoping things are different just to be disappointed that they still haven't fixed the issues from two weeks ago. I have to ask for my physical paycheck days following rather than them having it ready on payday without being reminded. I don't see why this doesn't bother the head physician aka boss, who signs those checks.

My husband wants me to run. I'm petrified since I have to submit a THREE MONTH NOTICE of leaving. Those physicians are going to make it a living hell for me up until the day that I'm gone. I've been already told by two people that I should just accept how things are and just suck it up. Yet again, I don't reveal everything to them except my husband. Someone else straight up said if I really wanted to leave, then I should say that I'm in a hostile work environment and that wasn't part of my contract. I don't think I could actually get away with that one, but who knows, lol.

This isn't what I was taught in PA school. This isn't being an advocate for my profession. I don't want to silently be killed by the machine. I wasn't thrilled to be in this particular specialty of medical, but I also come to work enthusiastic about medicine in general. Anyways to recap, I'm just in this early mid-life crisis with no easy decisions to make moving forward. What options do I have? How can I move forward?

3 Comments
2022/09/03
18:18 UTC

14

Got rejected for a job I thought I had a real chance at getting.... on my birthday

Title says it all. Been looking for a start in my career for the last couple of years and thought I had a real shot with this company. Got the email this morning that I wasn't being moved forward so happy birthday to me I guess.

1 Comment
2019/03/20
15:12 UTC

12

Here's a pizza, you can find a new job now

A few years ago when I was still in high school I applied for a job at Little Caesars. I handed in my resume to a location that was across the street from my school. The manager called me in for an interview, but when I got there the only person there was a clerk.

The clerk conducted the interview. She asked a bit about my availability and the manager called me shortly after to come in for training. She showed me and another new employee how to make the pizza dough, make pizzas, cook them in the oven etc. Nothing out of the ordinary happened that day and it seemed like a pretty fun job.

A few days later my friend and I went to Little Casears at lunch time at school. After my friend got his pizza the manager handed me one of their disgusting Deep Deep dish pizzas and said Here's a pizza, you can look for a new job now. I wasn't sure what exactly because of her accent and I asked her to repeat it and she said "look for a new job."

I left with my friend totally shocked. I had no idea why they decided not to keep me and why she wouldn't contact me normally instead of humiliating me in front of my friend. They never paid me for that day of work. The location I "worked" at closed not long after and I can't find that manager's contact information in my email. I was younger then and didn't think to ask what the problem was. All I know is that Little Casears is a scummy company and to never buy their crappy pizzas.

0 Comments
2018/12/04
05:13 UTC

21

Job Interview turned out to be a sales pitch

About 12 years ago i was job hunting...hard. I was filling out applications for everything from McDonald to house painters and everything else i can thing of.

I finally hear back from one potential employer, its an insurance sales job. They called and explained that they were having an interview session with other potentials and asked me to confirm that i will be there. Now, alarm bells started going off at the way they were talking.

They never once said it was a job interview or anything about employment, they kept pushing the insurance brand with phrases like "you will love XXX Insurance" "XXX Insurance is known for great customer support!"

So during this phone call i point blank asked them if this was for a job for me to sell people this insurance or is this just a sales pitch to get me to buy this insurance? I explain to the woman that im in need of a job and have been unemployed for almost a year and i need a job, i cant afford to waist my time or gas going to a sales pitch. She assured me that it was in fact for a real job. I figured ok, ill go.

I go to the meeting a few days later and there are 5 other people there. They have us sign in and as soon as it starts, its a sales pitch. They want US to buy this insurance...not sell it.

I let this guy go for about 5 min then stand up and say "this is bullshit. totaly bullshit. You all lied to us. This is a sales pitch! you want US to buy your shit! YOU LIED! I verified with the person on the phone when they called that this was for a JOB not you trying to sell me something!"

Several of the other people agreed with me too.

"all you care about was getting our names on that sheet of paper so YOU can get paid. You are a bottom feeding scammer."

He said that he apologized that i was incorrectly informed and i was free to leave, i was under no obligation to stay.

With that, i started to leave. I happen to pass by the desk that had the sheet with our names on it and i grabbed it and ripped it up. I threw it over my shoulder like confetti and left the room to the sounds of him sputtering because i just tore up his payday sheet.

Should also point out that 4 other people left right behind me, all were smiling at me for the ticker tape parade i did as i left.

TLDR: Scam job offer turned out to be a sales pitch to buy insurance, tore up sign in sheet costing the scammer a payday.

2 Comments
2018/09/19
10:42 UTC

1

I didn't get the job

I was trying to get a entry level sales job at logistic place. I went through 3 interviews(one phone, one over webcam and one face to face) I passed all the tests and I didn't get the job. I literally told how much I want this job and how I saw this as great opportunity for me to make a career here and take what I learned in school.

I know I am qualified for the job and I was willing to work and put in the extra time after work to make sure I was successful. The manger told me how he hired others and they quit but I told I'm gonna stay here and not quit I can handle cold calling etc..

what was the point of all of this?! If I didn't get the job?? Why waste my time like this!!

4 Comments
2018/08/09
01:57 UTC

28

Did I miss the memo, or am I just old enough to be out of touch?

I am a manager at a hotel. I've been interviewing people to work the desk and without fail, every single applicant I've invited to come in for an interview has shown up in really casual clothes. It would be one thing if it was a pair of jeans and a nice shirt, that's fine - but these people are showing up in ripped jeans, baseball caps, puffy vests (still a thing apparently?) and one guy who did all three took a call during the interview.

I'm not even thirty. I was taught that when you go in for a job interview - you dress like you want the job. Dress pants and a nice top, maybe with a blazer or sports jacket if you're a man. Granted, when I worked for a farm store I went to my interview in (nice, clean) jeans and a button up shirt, but I still made an effort to look nice while still being environment-appropriate.

This is a hotel, though!

So is the completely casual approach just the norm these days? To me I just felt like these people weren't serious about needing the job. Sure, maybe one or two of them are decent candidates, but if you don't make an effort to make a good impression to get the job, how can I expect that you'll put in that effort if you get it?

7 Comments
2018/02/24
07:42 UTC

39

"Don't worry, we won't give you an interview appointment at 7 AM" *turns white*

I am right now looking for a job and just on the day beforen this story, I had a job interview at 7 am because people forgot that I was applying from Ireland and there was a different timezone. I thought this was something intentional as the job would require to work early shifts occasionally, but it turned out that the interviewer was quite surprised and apologetic when I mentioned the time.

So, on the day afterwards, I received a call from another company, that they had received my CV and would love to do a Skype interview on a specific date. I said sure that would work well for me. Then, the following happened:

HR person: "What time would suit you?"

Me: "Oh, I have nothing planned on that date, so whatever is okay for you would suit me. Just, you know, please don't schedule me for anything at 7 AM."

HR person: "Haha, don't worry! That would be highly unprofessional! I can't imagine anyone would do that!"

Me: "I had it happen recently but it was an honest mistake. They were not aware that Ireland is in UTC and in Malta time, it was 8 am."

HR person: "Ah, that explains things. I can offer you an interview at 8..." audibly turns white "Wait, that is Amsterdam time! Let me see what I can do!" pause "10 am Amsterdam time, 9 am Dublin time. Does that work for you?"

Me: "Thanks! That will work very well!"

0 Comments
2017/11/11
13:42 UTC

28

Ever been ghosted by an interviewer?

I may have posted this in another sub/comment on here but I think it's appropriate here as well. Sorry for the long, detailed story.

Months back, I met with a recruiter just to talk so she can get a feel for what I was looking for. At the end, she mentions a 6-month contract position that she thinks I would be a good fit for, and the company offered a lot of good benefits. I explained that I wasn't comfortable moving to a contract role for the most part, because I've been in a permanent role for a few years now and I have good job security.

As a follow-up to our meeting, she sends me more information about job. I explained again that I would be nervous moving to that type of role.

She then calls me the next day and asks if I want to move forward with the position or not (I never really gave a formal yes or no). She said "Well it's up to you, I just need to know to schedule an interview or not." I felt like I was being pressured at that point and I was getting pretty annoyed, so I agreed just to appease her.

The next day she had her boss call me and give me a 10 minute spiel about how the company had every intention of hiring each contractor they got on the team, and that he's worked with them several times and many of their clients stay there until retirement. That's great and all, but none of them were listening to me nobody how many times I explained I was uncomfortable with a contract position.

I have the interview a few days later, and it's a simple 10-minute phone interview. It didn't even feel like one anyway. It was mainly them asking simple questions about where I was in my career and how I wanted to move forward (which the recruiter already knew). They said they'd get back to me on getting an in-person interview.

The next day, I sent a follow-up email about the interview. From then on, I didn't hear anything back. All this pressuring for nothing, and I felt like the company had paid the recruiter off or something. I already had a strange feeling about this company, I looked up some Glassdoor reviews and they were mostly bad. A lot of them were people saying they were blackmailed to write good reviews on there.

I tried to follow up with my recruiter directly instead of the company and didn't hear anything back, so I eventually quit trying. Months later, she calls me out of the blue and it's not even about that job. It's about a different contract position.

21 Comments
2017/02/02
20:36 UTC

33

I declined the second interview

I interviewed for an IT systems admin position in a small hospital. The interviewer was the manager of IT. He asked me a couple questions about my background and experience, and then he went into the history of the hospital's IT infrastructure. This would've been fine--it's an easy way to talk about current and potential projects, which allows me to bring up how much I could bring to the table--but it quickly progressed into him bragging about his start in the company and everything he's in it done since then. Again, that's fine, I do want to know my boss is competent, but this went on for an hour. The interview was an hour and ten minutes long, and I was only answering questions for the first ten minutes.

The next day, he called me and asked me to come in for a second interview because he had some more questions he wanted to ask me. (Yeah, I'm sure you do! :P)

I politely declined.

2 Comments
2016/10/23
06:54 UTC

20

Company Steals Content After Interview

O.k so I already have a job (education department non profit) but the company is way shakey and my department might get the ax within 6 months. I see a job listed right up my alley (actually a position I've held in the past, different co.) Email rez, 5 hours later they call, love my rez and experience, 48 hours later I have a 3 hour interview. I get asked a million questions about programs I've started (they actually googled my programs and like them) "how would you put into place the program you started at xxx museum in 2006?" I answer all the questions and they are happy. I get a call back from H.R. the next morning. The owners want to meet me, H.R. and I talk seriously about salary bennies etc. I have a 2 hour interview with the owners and answer mostly the same questions the Director had and I leave with a "I'll call you tomorrow" from H.R. Then nothing.....for a week. I call H.R. and she's on vacation. Email a week later and 4 days after that she answers "Everyone's vacations are happening we'll get back to you" yadda yadda I figure they are full of crap and move on. Now the kicker that pissed me way off. Just last week they announced on their facebook page implementation of a new education program! The one I discussed with the director. Even down to a photo of the education space I stood in during my interview and said "you could do this entire program in a space this big". I was livid. All this time I've not heard back for their H.R. so I emailed her and the Director and linked the facebook entry. I said if any other of the programs I discussed with you find their way into your curriculum I will be sending you a bill for my standard consultation fee.

2 Comments
2015/09/25
23:21 UTC

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