Weirdest or worst job interview?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:48 hour fly-in interview. I realized at dinner the first night that as a block the young faculty would not vote for me, and without them I would have no chance. I still had to go through a full day of interviewing the next day.

And the one where my potential boss kept commenting on my small feet.

I'm heading into academic job interview season, so this post caught my eye.

What led you to conclude the young faculty wouldn't be voting for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

DH's story here.

DH was interviewing for a network admin position at a small IT contractor. It is not uncommon for NA's to have to do a simulation troubleshooting exercise during interviews. No big deal for DH - he was very experienced and had done a number of these things during certifications and other interviews. So he gets to work on the sim and it sems odd - like it was not a sim at all. Turns out the "sim" was an actual issue that one of the contractor's clients was having. Under the guise of an interview, they were having him do actual work. DH asks the guy about it and the guy makes up some BS story about wanting to see him in action in a live environment. DH, having already realized that he would never work there, asks point blank "is this client paying you for MY work?" Akward silence. DH gets up and walks out.

Had something similar happen. Interviewed for a nonprofit for a role in digital marketing. Was asked to complete an exercise afterwards writing some email copy for them. Didn't get the job, but liked the organization and had even previously donated to them so I was on their email list. Saw an entire paragraph that I had written as my exercise show up in one of their emails a couple weeks after that. Decided that if they could steal my work, I didn't need to ever donate again.

Same for me. I was asked to conduct a meeting with an actual project team to outline a yearlong communications strategic plan, with a panel of 3 watching (stressful). I prepared heavily, it went well, but I didn't get the job. Someone told me later that they liked some of my ideas very much and were planning on carrying them forward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My worst one was where I had to take one of those personality tests. I had already interviewed in person and they made me go home and schedule a time to have this personality test. Then, someone called me and asked me all these weird questions for over an hour.... like "tell me of a time when you left work feeling happy"..."tell me of a time when you left work feeling sad". WTF. Needless to say, I didn't get the job.

Wow. I used to work for a company that develops selection assessments. This sounds like a "test" made up by an unqualified individual. I'd love to know who created it and hat measures were put in place for the individual to administer and analyze that test. Personality tests are almost always multiple choice with numerous items to test each personality facet. As an aside, they're almost always fakeable, and IMO, relatively useless instruments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

DH's story here.

DH was interviewing for a network admin position at a small IT contractor. It is not uncommon for NA's to have to do a simulation troubleshooting exercise during interviews. No big deal for DH - he was very experienced and had done a number of these things during certifications and other interviews. So he gets to work on the sim and it sems odd - like it was not a sim at all. Turns out the "sim" was an actual issue that one of the contractor's clients was having. Under the guise of an interview, they were having him do actual work. DH asks the guy about it and the guy makes up some BS story about wanting to see him in action in a live environment. DH, having already realized that he would never work there, asks point blank "is this client paying you for MY work?" Akward silence. DH gets up and walks out.

Had something similar happen. Interviewed for a nonprofit for a role in digital marketing. Was asked to complete an exercise afterwards writing some email copy for them. Didn't get the job, but liked the organization and had even previously donated to them so I was on their email list. Saw an entire paragraph that I had written as my exercise show up in one of their emails a couple weeks after that. Decided that if they could steal my work, I didn't need to ever donate again.

Same for me. I was asked to conduct a meeting with an actual project team to outline a yearlong communications strategic plan, with a panel of 3 watching (stressful). I prepared heavily, it went well, but I didn't get the job. Someone told me later that they liked some of my ideas very much and were planning on carrying them forward.

Yes, I know someone this happened to as well. He had to do a marketing presentation, prepared heavily, it went well, but he didn't get the job. Someone told him later they were using his ideas and presentation in their marketing campaign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My worst one was where I had to take one of those personality tests. I had already interviewed in person and they made me go home and schedule a time to have this personality test. Then, someone called me and asked me all these weird questions for over an hour.... like "tell me of a time when you left work feeling happy"..."tell me of a time when you left work feeling sad". WTF. Needless to say, I didn't get the job.

Wow. I used to work for a company that develops selection assessments. This sounds like a "test" made up by an unqualified individual. I'd love to know who created it and hat measures were put in place for the individual to administer and analyze that test. Personality tests are almost always multiple choice with numerous items to test each personality facet. As an aside, they're almost always fakeable, and IMO, relatively useless instruments.

What you are giving examples of doesn't actually seem like a personality assessment to me (and for what it's worth, it's generalyl considered unethical to use personality assessments in selection processes- although of course it happens). It seems like a situational interview where they were putting an emphasis on feelings to determine where you would be a good fit (for instance, "I was so sad b/c my boss yelled at me" probably wouldn't work in some companies, while "I was so sad b/c the board didn't buy my proposal" might show something else).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a panel interview just last week in which I was asked, "if you were a food at a picnic, what would you be"

Your answer doesn't matter. They are seeing if you are uptight or not or think about your answer too much.

[Anonymous]

Biglaw callback. I was given a vibrating stuffed cow to hold, got told a client was a "slut," and that fact was helpful in a lawsuit and reference was made to a very dirty indie film.

[Anonymous]

Group interview, member of Congress dozed off.

He's still an elected official too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Biglaw callback. I was given a vibrating stuffed cow to hold, got told a client was a "slut," and that fact was helpful in a lawsuit and reference was made to a very dirty indie film.

I always thought it was weird that when biglaw does on-campus interviews, they are held in hotel rooms. Yeah, you, and some old dude, and a bed two feet away. Just really not professional. Who else interviews recruits in what is basically a bedroom?

That being said, I know that the interviewing partner is doing one recruit after another non-stop from morning to late afternoon, so it's not like these lawyers are offering you drinks and chocolate covered strawberries in their rooms, at least not during OCI.

I heard some inappropriate things that went on. Like, one partner got tired of a recruit's answer and in the middle of it left to take a piss. This was a guy recruit. Some would push the envelope and compliment female law students on their looks ("You are very tall," etc).

My personal experiences were very boring, so unfortunately nothing juicy to tell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Biglaw callback. I was given a vibrating stuffed cow to hold, got told a client was a "slut," and that fact was helpful in a lawsuit and reference was made to a very dirty indie film.

I always thought it was weird that when biglaw does on-campus interviews, they are held in hotel rooms. Yeah, you, and some old dude, and a bed two feet away. Just really not professional. Who else interviews recruits in what is basically a bedroom?

That being said, I know that the interviewing partner is doing one recruit after another non-stop from morning to late afternoon, so it's not like these lawyers are offering you drinks and chocolate covered strawberries in their rooms, at least not during OCI.

I heard some inappropriate things that went on. Like, one partner got tired of a recruit's answer and in the middle of it left to take a piss. This was a guy recruit. Some would push the envelope and compliment female law students on their looks ("You are very tall," etc).

My personal experiences were very boring, so unfortunately nothing juicy to tell.

Academic jobs (often scheduled around conferences). If TV is accurate, some medical exams (boards?) have the interview part in hotels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Biglaw callback. I was given a vibrating stuffed cow to hold, got told a client was a "slut," and that fact was helpful in a lawsuit and reference was made to a very dirty indie film.

I always thought it was weird that when biglaw does on-campus interviews, they are held in hotel rooms. Yeah, you, and some old dude, and a bed two feet away. Just really not professional. Who else interviews recruits in what is basically a bedroom?

That being said, I know that the interviewing partner is doing one recruit after another non-stop from morning to late afternoon, so it's not like these lawyers are offering you drinks and chocolate covered strawberries in their rooms, at least not during OCI.

I heard some inappropriate things that went on. Like, one partner got tired of a recruit's answer and in the middle of it left to take a piss. This was a guy recruit. Some would push the envelope and compliment female law students on their looks ("You are very tall," etc).

My personal experiences were very boring, so unfortunately nothing juicy to tell.

Interesting choice of words...

[Anonymous]

Interviewing at a law firm, the male associate told me they were meeting at a topless place later for drinks and asked me if I wanted to come along. I politely declined that and all further contact with the firm.

Later on at a different firm we went to Jaleo for lunch and I realized he had said TAPAS place. I was just too much of a yokel at the time of the original interview to know about Spanish mezze. Oops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

DH's story here.

DH was interviewing for a network admin position at a small IT contractor. It is not uncommon for NA's to have to do a simulation troubleshooting exercise during interviews. No big deal for DH - he was very experienced and had done a number of these things during certifications and other interviews. So he gets to work on the sim and it sems odd - like it was not a sim at all. Turns out the "sim" was an actual issue that one of the contractor's clients was having. Under the guise of an interview, they were having him do actual work. DH asks the guy about it and the guy makes up some BS story about wanting to see him in action in a live environment. DH, having already realized that he would never work there, asks point blank "is this client paying you for MY work?" Akward silence. DH gets up and walks out.

Had something similar happen. Interviewed for a nonprofit for a role in digital marketing. Was asked to complete an exercise afterwards writing some email copy for them. Didn't get the job, but liked the organization and had even previously donated to them so I was on their email list. Saw an entire paragraph that I had written as my exercise show up in one of their emails a couple weeks after that. Decided that if they could steal my work, I didn't need to ever donate again.

Same for me. I was asked to conduct a meeting with an actual project team to outline a yearlong communications strategic plan, with a panel of 3 watching (stressful). I prepared heavily, it went well, but I didn't get the job. Someone told me later that they liked some of my ideas very much and were planning on carrying them forward.

Yes, I know someone this happened to as well. He had to do a marketing presentation, prepared heavily, it went well, but he didn't get the job. Someone told him later they were using his ideas and presentation in their marketing campaign.

This would be so frustrating. It makes me wonder: are these companies actually trying to recruit someone or are they just looking for free ideas?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interviewing at a law firm, the male associate told me they were meeting at a topless place later for drinks and asked me if I wanted to come along. I politely declined that and all further contact with the firm.

Later on at a different firm we went to Jaleo for lunch and I realized he had said TAPAS place. I was just too much of a yokel at the time of the original interview to know about Spanish mezze. Oops.

OMG! That is so funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Interviewing at a law firm, the male associate told me they were meeting at a topless place later for drinks and asked me if I wanted to come along. I politely declined that and all further contact with the firm.

Later on at a different firm we went to Jaleo for lunch and I realized he had said TAPAS place. I was just too much of a yokel at the time of the original interview to know about Spanish mezze. Oops.

OMG! That is so funny.

That joke is so old. Nice try.