Job interview from hell

Complaints Corner
1
So, I had a job interview yesterday and it was the strangest experience I've had in a while, leaving me confused and, quite frankly p%#sed off.

In december I was called about a job I applied for and was supposed to have a phone interview. The phone interview started and I was told immediately that the job had already been taken. I thought that was rather strange, to let someone know they won't get the job via a scheduled phone interview, but the person on the phone told me there were one or two other positions I was suitable for and therefore she would like to schedule another phone interview.

You could have done it at that time, I thought, but fine. So a new appointment was made and yesterday was my day, where I could shine and land me a nice job to finally put my freshly earned PhD to work! Or so I thought...

The call started with the question for me to describe myself, what I had done, what I want to do, etc. The standard stuff. Then I was asked what kind of job I would like at Company X. I said it was my understanding they already had some jobs in mind for me and that that was why we had this call, right?

Then I was told quite stiffly that I don't qualify at all for the job I applied for (which had already been given to someone else last month, remember?), that my experience in research and experimental design totally do not match the kind of work they do (research and experimental design) and on top of that I also got the advice to make my cv clearer and to update it, since in the meantime I had left my previous employer...

That pretty much ended the interview and left me with my jaw on the floor. Thank you very much!

I guess saying you have a position for someone is not the same thing as actually having a position for someone at that company. Back to square one, for me then.

Anyone have a job for a freshly graduated PhD with experience in scientific research, biology, the scientific publishing business?...

2
I guess I missed the part where the new company actually offered you a job before you tendered your resignation at the old one.

3
Me leaving the other job had nothing to do with this one, that was simply end of contract, and one of the reasons I applied here...

4
sorry, I have to confess that the folks I know in R&D do not generally trend to the softer side of social graces. good luck with the next steps in your job search.

5
But they didnt offer you a job? They just mentioned there were other jobs...

I think in those kind of situations you need a "Customer is always right approach" and suck it up!

Sometimes the CV format here can be quite different to the way your used to so it may be worth looking into.

When i applied for the job i have now I asked some one already in the company to read my CV. The completly changed it. It was no where near the way we learned to do one. In fact i actually felt a bit foolish sending it in as it was nothing like the way I would have done it if i were home in Ireland

Anyways, I wish you alot of luck for your job search! I hope you find some thing soon

6
Keep at it, eventually something will come through for you. Keep a positive attitude, and besides, you didn't get this job so that something better can come through!...Good Luck

7
If I am understanding you correctly, you never really had a proper interview the first time, on the phone or in person, correct? They could have had the same response (regarding your experience not being ideal for their company and the advice about your CV) had they actually conducted the original interview.

I would think that someone saying that they have some jobs in mind for you in this case probably just meant that (in their opinion) you might be qualified for other positions in the company, not that they have already earmarked you for the position and that your employment is a given.

It sounds like the person conducting the phone interview did not believe you were the person for any of these positions, thus you were told "Thanks, but no thanks."

Take their advice and take a critical look at your CV (or have someone else do so). Maybe an even better position still awaits you.

8
IMHO that answer was the trigger which excluded your CV from their list.

Good luck in your job search!!!

9
Yeah, I suppose there was a big misunderstanding about what that other job might have meant...

Still, I didn't tell them anything that isn't in my CV already, so if I am scheduling an appointment, prepare, and then only get told I am not suitable for anything they have, I just have the feeling they could have told me that last month already! I just needed to vent my disappointment a bit.

Thanks for all the encouragements! Back to the search!

10
I certainly didn't think that I got the job already, but if I don't even know the details of the jobs they had in mind for me, I can't really say anything about it either and it makes it kind of hard to say why I would be the right candidate for any of them.

11
Not being in the room its difficult to say, but sounds to me like they told you exactly what the issue is......your CV is at best unclear and at worst misleading. If they invited you for an interview (based on your CV?), and then tell you that your experience is unsuitable and to update your CV.......then the message is pretty clear, I think

12

Noooo, it wasn't like that at all!!! Now I'm getting all worked up again about it!

My CV clearly states the skills I have, and all I did is repeat them and how I think they would fit the sort of work they do. Then I was informed that these skills are completely not suitable for the kind of work they do, since they would need skill X, Y and Z versus A, B and C that I have. No mention was even made anymore of the jobs they had initially had thought me suitable for. How can you invite someone for an interview if you can already read that the skillset you need is not what this person has?

The part I should change is just to leave something out that they thought not informative (i.e. a publication list, which I had only added to demonstrate my research and analysis skills)

13

I just see Graham Chapman when I read this thread....

14
One thing that you must realise is that sometimes interviews, particularly phone ones, are arranged by people who are not themselves directly responsible for filling the position(s). I've had this myself, when going along to an interview across the river, when the interviewer looked at my CV, and I heard the job title, and both asked each other wtf I was doing there. Miscommunication by an agency who didn't understand the difference between a stats programmer and an application programmer.

Anyway, it's quite likely that the people talking to you hadn't really read through your CV themselves until the time of the call, and that would be why it was so quickly apparent to them that you weren't appropriate. And maybe your CV wasn't quite clear enough, perhaps allowing them to believe that you had some experience they required which in fact you don't, and it was only when you spoke that they realised their mistake.

I wouldn't take it to heart - just accept that someone screwed up, and most likely it wasn't either you or the people doing the interview, move on to the next one and don't expect miracles.

15
I think i'll just get a job in HR myself and apply these tips ;-)

16
It sounds like the fault of the middleman. You didn't know about the mystery jobs' requirements, and the interviewer probably didn't see your CV until the coffee break before the interview.

It's like a matchmaker who sets up a date for two friends, promising each one that the other is a perfect match... and they're just not compatible. A short awkward date ensues before a mutually disappointed parting of ways.

I've had similar interview experiences. It's a waste of time, but not your fault (or that of the interviewer), so don't take it personally.

17
Well I sort of had a similar thing happen to me, but it was face to face! Two or three questions into the interview it was clear to me that I was not what they were looking for... when suddenly the interviewer asked me: "Why are you here?" and I started laughing and said something like: "J****, I was think the same thing!".

After a further discussion, we realised that their HR person had not got a clue... so perhaps something like this was the cause of your experience as well.

18
Forget it asap and move on, there are many companies or perhaps individuals in those companies that have unprofessional interview and responses to applications. Find a better company to engage with.

19
Well, look on the positive side and only imagine for a moment as if it was face to face interview. At least both parties didn't waste their time traveling and exchanging niceties

My advice - move on and leave bad experiences behind. There is more to life than being worried about one negative interview. One day there will be a job for you, they always are...

20
First, congrats on your fresh PhD degree! I just graduated with one last month in the US. Tremendous feeling, right?

The interview could have been worse. I know of colleagues in the US who were flown across the country (missing out on time to work on academic projects, etc.) and had to solve problems on a whiteboard but before even beginning to write anything, the interviewer left the room to answer calls/e-mails and never came back, never followed up. The entire day and a half was dealing with similar apathetic interviewers. A complete waste of time for them and I imagine for the company as well to book all the travel arrangements and logistics, etc. Absolutely nothing came out of it except maybe the chance to visit a new city for a few hours before heading back.

Don't be discouraged. Most likely it was some sort of miscommunication. Is it a company you really wanted to work for? If not, then move on. They just missed out on a highly-qualified candidate. If it was your dream company, give them a shot again but first question their hiring practices... perhaps it's just an HR problem. Check to see if there are other internal problems. I use Glassdoor.com to gain a little insight, particularly for US companies. It helps but it should also be viewed with healthy skepticism. See if the company ranks anywhere, I'll admit it's tough to get such information if it's a small company but then again, I'd put a lot more negative weight on miscommunication for a small company.

Anyway, best of luck! I'm sure you will do fine.