OT: Personal story

[spursfan101]

I just found out last week that due to cuts in cancer research funding, I'll be losing my job in a few months.  

Undaughted, I applied at a company that produces lottery tickets, needless to say, my wife works there and gave me the inside scoop on a position that would be opening up. They called, and I interviewed. THen they sent me for a battery of comprehension and personality compatability tests. Then they called again...and I interviewed..again. During that interview,  I went in and was rushed into a small room, where I met with 3 people. The VP, the manager, and the HR person. I managed to shake hands with everybody but the FEMALE HR person, who was behind me. I had mean't to, but everybody had already sat down, so I did the same. As soon as I did, the HR person stood up, and said "excuse me, do you havve no intention of shaking my hand??"  It was a clear oversight on my part and she seemed truly offended.  

Anyway, didn't hear anything for a few days, so I assumed I didn't get the position. Yesterday, I got a call from the HR person though, she wanted to talk. She prefaced the call by saying the interview WENT HORRIBLY. She then dinged me on my poor eye contact, dinged me for not giving concise answers, the list goes on and on. But her big gripe was that she wanted to know if I had an issue working with WOMEN!  I was like WHAT???  I apologized for the handshake, and the other alleged "mistakes" that I made. She then said that if I didn't sound sincere and remorseful, she was going to hang up the phone right then.

She then reitterated that if it WASNT for my wife, who is a fantastic employee for the company, she would have never called me back, she would have just dumped my application in the TRASH.

She then proceeded to give me another interview, we discussed the position, and she concluded the call by saying that a decision would be made shortly.

I called my wife to get the scoop, she  was flabergasted. She thinks that the THE TWO MEN liked me during the interview, and said that they are the ones that make the final hiring decision. When it comes to that, the HR person can offer recommendations, but she is out of the hiring loop.

So what do you think?  Was this women trying to test me? Was she trying to see if I would get pissed and hang up the phone?  Was she trying to vent?  Was it because she was a lesbian? (my wife thinks she is.) I really don't know, but that was the wierdest interview I had ever been on, and I don't know what to make of it!  :blink:  :lol:  

[Laker Fan]

Dude!! Sounds like she was the prototypical manhater.

That's why I started working for myself! We had this power mad woman in our office at Weider that was spoiling for confrontation with every man in the place. She got promoted to manager of the R&D department and several grievance filings by the men (not 1 woman, and they made up at least 50% of R&D) under her mangagement later, they moved her out of a position of authority so we wouldn't lose our scientists.

Maybe it was a personality test, I've heard of such things, I was offered a job once after I had taken a written lie detector test where I put down every answer I knew they wanted to hear. When they offered me the job I told them they could keep their company and the silly little hoops they made me jump through. I hate being treated like I'm a liar by someone who doesn't even know me.

[SPURSX3]

who would have thought applying at Walmart would be soo hard......lol
 

[WayOutWest]

Sorry to hear about your job cut, I've been there thanks to Bush myself.

Dude, WTF!  That was a very very very bad move on your part.  I don't care where that woman was positioned you shake everybody's hand even if they're across the friggin room.

Sounds like you should need a refresher course in inteview techniques.  Just do a quick search and you'll find tons of "do's and dont's" regarding interviews.  Have you punched up and updated your resume?  I know we're probably not in the same field but I've been on the other end of the hiring process and I could give you a few tips on your overall resume.  Send me or post your resume if you'd like.  rivas1464@earthlink.net  

[SPURSX3]

Sorry to hear about your job cut, I've been there thanks to Bush myself.

Dude, WTF!  That was a very very very bad move on your part.  I don't care where that woman was positioned you shake everybody's hand even if they're across the friggin room.

Sounds like you should need a refresher course in inteview techniques.  Just do a quick search and you'll find tons of "do's and dont's" regarding interviews.  Have you punched up and updated your resume?  I know we're probably not in the same field but I've been on the other end of the hiring process and I could give you a few tips on your overall resume.  Send me or post your resume if you'd like.  rivas1464@earthlink.net

I think it is just a way to keep his cost down, especially since his wife works there, it wouldnt surprise me to hear them calling him with a job offer with "BUT" in the conversation somewhere.  she probably think this will keep him from feeling too secure and lazy in his position.  just stupid corporate mid games IMO.  I think we have all seen them.  I think 101 is more then able to handle the job, and has the know how, and from what he told me about the interview prior to the call back from them doesnt say that he did do anything overly wrong.  a handshake??  the question there would be was thier hand extended towards him or not?  at most he could only be faulted for not offering the hand shake first, and at that it is not THAT big a deal, especially for a job with no real customer interaction..

[spursfan101]

just felt a little insecure, my hand did smell like butt crack.

[spursfan101]

actually, I think it was a test. I obviously am pretty rusty when it comes to interviews, so I made some mental notes and I won't make them again. I think she was trying to see how "thick skinned" I would be, since the position has quite a bit of interaction with alot of really pissed off people when it comes to a states lottery tickets being wrong.

[Ted]

She's probably a Democrat who's pissed off at the world because of George W. Bush. Don't take it personally 101. I'm sure you're more than qualified for the job. Good luck.

[spursfan101]

I didn't get hired because I'm hispanic, it's my intention now to file a class action LAWSUIT!! :angry:  :angry:  

[jn]

I think you may be right about the test to see if you are "thick skinned" based on what happened with the lottery here in MN recently.

The lottery director, George Anderson, and his department, had an far more autonomy and less oversight than most lotteries.  The legislature was finally getting around to auditing.  

Anderson killed himself after hearing about the audit.  What's crazy about it is there were no accusations of fraud or embezzelling and none was found.  The legislature just wanted to cut down operating expenses and they ended up with a suicide of one of the state's most important workers.    

[spursfan101]

Hmm....just like Vince Foster....<_<  

[JoMal]

Interesting. It does strike me as a judgement technique on her part to see how you would react in a tense, confrontational position.

I think if I were you, I would call her back and thank her for that second interview. Tell her you realyze how careful the company has to be filling such a position and she was tremendously helpful to you in making you realyze how first impressions can be viewed and that you must be prepared to handle situations on the job itself with tact and poise. Tell her it meant a lot to you for that second opportunity.

You not going out of your way to shake her hand because she was behind you and then everyone sat down? You better believe that she positioned herself like that just for that reason. The other two guys would have been in on it. Her immediate reaction to it was the give away - it was planned. That whole setup was to judge how you personally would reaction to that type of tension. Know what you are getting into with this group and what they are looking for. Ask your wife more specific questions about how employees in the position for which you are hiring are expected to react to these types of situations, which they clearly were trying to duplicate in your interviews.

BTW, yes, I am in management.

When a candidate comes in for an interview, HOW they answer questions, WHERE their eyes go during answers. SPEED of responses, POISE when answering personal or tense questions - these all come into play when I compare each candidate with the others. They all are expected to response to the set questions correctly - we weed out the unqualified before we ever see them in an interview. The interview is strictly to meet with each person individually and judge whether or not you can happily work with that person.

[jn]

:lol:  :lol:

Well, Anderson is the only director we've had so he's served under 2 republicans, an Indpendence party, and on Demo Gov.  Bipartisan homicide?  Biparticide? Bihomisan? Oh wait, the Republicans want to ban that last one.  

[spursfan101]

But did he make any reference to not believing in WMDs?

[spursfan101]

Just tired of jumping through hoops and all. This position financially would be a lateral move for me, and going for 3 hours of extensive testing, PLUS THREE interviews is starting to frustrate me at this point.  They obviously don't know that I'm losing my job, I told them I was happy where I was at, but if it weren't for the fact that I'm going to be downsized, I would just rather stay where I'm at than mess with that ladies BS.

Don't get me wrong, I'll kiss her arse if she calls me back for an offer, I just don't know what "bargaining" chip I have as far as getting more money goes. She told me yesterday it was a lateral move and wouldn't pay me MUCH more than Im making now.

But dammit, if she dosen't offer AT LEAST $7.50 an hour, I'm turning the damn job down! :angry: