ever been interviewed by someone out of their depth?
Discussion
I once held a 'technical' interview alongside another interviewer. Before the applicant arrived, I said to my colleague, 'I don't know anything about this guy's discipline [VHDL], do you?', and he replied, 'no, but I had a look on Wikipedia earlier'.
Fortunately, the candidate was rubbish at everything anyway.
Fortunately, the candidate was rubbish at everything anyway.
I went for an interview at a computer manufacturer and one of the stages was to fix one of their computers that they'd 'broken'. IDE drive jumpers and that kind of thing.. Anyway, I got it booted into Windows 95 and fixed a load of crappy problems. The interviewer confessed that I had fixed a load of problems they did not intentionally stage!!
TurricanII said:
I went for an interview at a computer manufacturer and one of the stages was to fix one of their computers that they'd 'broken'. IDE drive jumpers and that kind of thing.. Anyway, I got it booted into Windows 95 and fixed a load of crappy problems. The interviewer confessed that I had fixed a load of problems they did not intentionally stage!!
Very well done.Great username, too
I was interviewed just a few weeks ago, and as soon as I walked into the room, my initial thought was "I shouldn't be working for you, you should be working for me". I don't mean that in a condescending way, it was just obvious that I could run rings round him.
As the interview progressed, this became more and more obvious as my experience clearly outweighed his, by some margin.
He also used another piece of paper to cover his writting hand as he took notes, as if we were 12 and he didn't want me to copy! Because in an interview, I will be more concerned with trying to read his notes upside down, rather than concentrate on the answers I am giving.
He was also the double of a young Peter Kay.
As I came out of the interview, I knew the next interviewee who also has similar experience to me, and I spoke to them a few days later and they thought exactly the same.
Neither of us got the job!
As the interview progressed, this became more and more obvious as my experience clearly outweighed his, by some margin.
He also used another piece of paper to cover his writting hand as he took notes, as if we were 12 and he didn't want me to copy! Because in an interview, I will be more concerned with trying to read his notes upside down, rather than concentrate on the answers I am giving.
He was also the double of a young Peter Kay.
As I came out of the interview, I knew the next interviewee who also has similar experience to me, and I spoke to them a few days later and they thought exactly the same.
Neither of us got the job!
Years ago, I had a telephone interview where the guy kept asking me what IT equipment he had...
I asked for a clue (politely), but he couldn't provide any. "I was rather hoping you could tell me?" Erm, mate I don't even know where you're calling from... The agency aren't allowed to tell me?
Didn't get the job. Even if I could read minds, he hadn't a clue anyways.
I asked for a clue (politely), but he couldn't provide any. "I was rather hoping you could tell me?" Erm, mate I don't even know where you're calling from... The agency aren't allowed to tell me?
Didn't get the job. Even if I could read minds, he hadn't a clue anyways.
Once went to a recruitment agency for an initial interview/assesment for a job, and they ran some basic tests to check for computer litteracy, spelling etc. The tests were on some ancient rediculously slow machines running Windows ME, and she couldn't get the program to run, I had to help her get the program to launch in the first place, did the test on the riduclous program, then when the results were emailed to her machine, she couldn't open the attachment, and again I had to help.
The funny part was when she gave me the results, "well, you've only scored 75% for the computer litteracy" made me chuckle.
Then the spelling test 'software' used an American spellchecker, so I had actually scored 100% but 'computer said no' due to American spelling of some words.
I did end up getting the job, but they no longer use that recuruitment agency.
The funny part was when she gave me the results, "well, you've only scored 75% for the computer litteracy" made me chuckle.
Then the spelling test 'software' used an American spellchecker, so I had actually scored 100% but 'computer said no' due to American spelling of some words.
I did end up getting the job, but they no longer use that recuruitment agency.
nosittap said:
Once went to a recruitment agency for an initial interview/assesment for a job, and they ran some basic tests to check for computer litteracy, spelling etc. The tests were on some ancient rediculously slow machines running Windows ME, and she couldn't get the program to run, I had to help her get the program to launch in the first place, did the test on the riduclous program, then when the results were emailed to her machine, she couldn't open the attachment, and again I had to help.
The funny part was when she gave me the results, "well, you've only scored 75% for the computer litteracy" made me chuckle.
Then the spelling test 'software' used an American spellchecker, so I had actually scored 100% but 'computer said no' due to American spelling of some words.
I did end up getting the job, but they no longer use that recuruitment agency.
Sure about that? The funny part was when she gave me the results, "well, you've only scored 75% for the computer litteracy" made me chuckle.
Then the spelling test 'software' used an American spellchecker, so I had actually scored 100% but 'computer said no' due to American spelling of some words.
I did end up getting the job, but they no longer use that recuruitment agency.
shakotan said:
nosittap said:
Once went to a recruitment agency for an initial interview/assesment for a job, and they ran some basic tests to check for computer litteracy, spelling etc. The tests were on some ancient rediculously slow machines running Windows ME, and she couldn't get the program to run, I had to help her get the program to launch in the first place, did the test on the riduclous program, then when the results were emailed to her machine, she couldn't open the attachment, and again I had to help.
The funny part was when she gave me the results, "well, you've only scored 75% for the computer litteracy" made me chuckle.
Then the spelling test 'software' used an American spellchecker, so I had actually scored 100% but 'computer said no' due to American spelling of some words.
I did end up getting the job, but they no longer use that recuruitment agency.
Sure about that? The funny part was when she gave me the results, "well, you've only scored 75% for the computer litteracy" made me chuckle.
Then the spelling test 'software' used an American spellchecker, so I had actually scored 100% but 'computer said no' due to American spelling of some words.
I did end up getting the job, but they no longer use that recuruitment agency.
A bloke who interviewed a friend of mine, who'd had no training and never done an interview before, was so nervous he vomited into his wastepaper bin halfway through the interview!
I was once interviewed to be training manager of a (now long defunct) electricals retailer by a bloke who smoked a cocktail cigarette and talked about himself so he didn't have to ask any questions
Then there was the bloke at a defence contractor in the balaclava helmet.......
I was once interviewed to be training manager of a (now long defunct) electricals retailer by a bloke who smoked a cocktail cigarette and talked about himself so he didn't have to ask any questions
Then there was the bloke at a defence contractor in the balaclava helmet.......
trashbat said:
I once held a 'technical' interview alongside another interviewer. Before the applicant arrived, I said to my colleague, 'I don't know anything about this guy's discipline [VHDL], do you?', and he replied, 'no, but I had a look on Wikipedia earlier'.
Fortunately, the candidate was rubbish at everything anyway.
So either VHDL was irrelevant to the job role being hired for, or you two were the wrong people to interview him in the first place. Either way at least your colleague did some preparation on that aspect.Fortunately, the candidate was rubbish at everything anyway.
Sir Bagalot said:
Is there? Where's that then... I have some real classics!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=...Sir Bagalot said:
Is there? Where's that then... I have some real classics!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=...Notwithstanding that many consider that selecting for role by interview is worse than picking a name out of a hat; interviewing effectively is a skill and requires understanding, practice and knowledge. There are training courses out there, but few avail themselves to them. I have coached many people in interview techniques over the years and it is a revelation to them; they cringe at how they had conducted themselves previously. I conduct many interviews myself, but I am always learning about new tools and techniques designed to get the best from any interview situation.
Interviewers also forget that they too are being judged by the candidate; a poorly delivered interview has turned many a good candidate away.
Interviewers also forget that they too are being judged by the candidate; a poorly delivered interview has turned many a good candidate away.
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