Adventures in interviewing

[auntiem]

I'm still interviewing *le sigh* - have gotten close on a few of them, but I suspect that I'm getting called in on some purely because of my age (I hit the over 40 "protected" demo).

Multiply styles of interviews - the "I'm just fresh out of HR school" type, the "read an article on how to interview and am winging it" type, the multiple interviewers (which I prefer) and the multiple interviewees (which I didn't like) type and everything inbetween.

Today was a new one though - I went to an interview for a job I am almost certain I didn't apply for. They called yesterday and I searched the name and job descriptions (I copy / paste the craigslist ones to a folder) and nope / nada. The only thing I can think of is it was someone calling who had seen my resume posted on the state's unemployment website - but those folks usually state that is where they got my info.
The thing is I really liked the people and the job, but kinda had to "fake it" like I already knew what they were offering by way of pay / hours / benes (since I was taught not to ask those things in the first interview).

On the flip side - I still haven't heard from the job that I would be perfect for that I put in for at the beginning of the week. And not a peep from the job that a friend called me early am Sun mid December to tell me about and that she would put in a good word (I had already applied for that one but it was nice of her to give me a heads up).

Any good interview stories to cheer me up? What is the whackiest interview you have ever been on?

[fireheart]

The wackiest interview I did was the one I did the other day (which I passed )

Basically, after we did the "partner" scenario and the "group" scenarios, we then played different games for about 30-45 minutes while another person did 1:1 interviews with us. There were only about a dozen of us.

It was fun. The job was for an OSHC worker role.

My group's scenario was this (paraphrased):

You are an OSHC worker. You are running an activity involving cardmaking. 3 tweenage girls don't want to participate and say it's childish. Another worker is outside playing a game. What would you do?

The part 2 of that scenario involved a young boy with a crayon up his nose

the games we played were things like dead lions, squirt (also known as bang), wink murder and silent ball.

[ozcatbug]

The weirdest interview I ever attended was my mother's interview for a job at my store. Yes, it wasn't even my interview and I shouldn't have had anything to do with it. The backstory of it was both mum and me had applied for a position with a brand new store. I ended up getting a nightfill position, but mum didn't. After a couple of months when my boss rang the house asking if I could start earlier since we had a big load and another person had quit, mum (who answered the phone) hit him up for a job. She told him that we applied at the same time, but she was knocked back. He offered her an interview.

So mum turns up on the day of the interview dressed professionally and ready to go, but my manager couldn't be found. Turns out he decided to take the day off. He didn't tell anyone about the interview, but the store manager decided the 2IC could do the interview instead. Problem was he had only just gotten the promotion and had never done an interview. So they dragged me in. I had the manager looking at me asking what questions he should be asking, I had mum looking at me to help her remember what she had done (mum's memory is shocking), and despite all this, or maybe in spite of all this, mum ended up with the job.

[Pimento]

Lol. Strangest interview I had was for a welding shop in an oil patch town I lived in. Small skill test then he sat me infront of a computer to watch a certain video involving girls and a cup lol.

Watch the whole thing and you're hired haha. It was a good job. Awesome pay. Bosses were relaxed and let a LOT go. I remember days where the parking lot would empty for guys going for dooby breaks on coffee lol. Plus they always threw awesome parties and junk. I kinda miss that place now haha.

[Parrothead]

Current job. Standard interview, then he asked me to sell him a highlighter. Yeah.....

[mhkohne]

Current job. Standard interview, then he asked me to sell him a highlighter. Yeah.....

Please tell me it's a sales job.

[Fjummer]

I had some really odd interviews.
First one was at an IT company. Would you ever want go to a safari and kill lions. Uhmm safari yes, killing animals no. Thats great, when can you start. After a few years and went to my boss and demanded a pay raise and better work assignments, he looked at me and said yeah you and me both, so he went to his boss and said the same.. we both got promoted and payraise. I kinda miss that company.
Next job I wasnt aware I was being interviewed, I just helped a guy (the boss) with some equipment and a lunch he said, you want to work for me.
Next company it went really wierd. The interviewer was more selling the job than me buying it, best thing ever I took that job.

[ngc_7331]

Getting a job at Wendy's a few years ago. I walked in, asked if they were hiring and was told "Yes, we are, can you start Monday?" O.o So I actually got hired before I even filled out the application.

[EricKei]

I walked in, asked if they were hiring and was told "Yes, we are, can you start Monday?" O.o

I more or less got a job that way at SmallButNationalPizzaPlace last year -- I was one of the only people to apply for a driver position with actual experience, they liked me, etc, so boom. The location was set to open for the first time about a week later. I wound up training newbie drivers on how to handle custys, where the shortcuts and speed traps were, etc

Sadly, I found out three months later that my services were no longer required -- effectively because the ASM (who had quit a month before I got fired because her grueling 30-hour-a-week SALARIED position did not allow her enough time for her BF) apparently didn't like me, and never wanted me hired in the first place...because I'm chunky x.x Of course, this was not the official reason, they made some BS up about how I, one of the only non-managers working 38+ hours a week, was unable to do my job properly ...

Oh, did I mention, she was the owner's little sister?

[Parrothead]

Please tell me it's a sales job.

It's a sales/receptionist/maintenance job.

[mhkohne]

It's a sales/receptionist/maintenance job.

Oh, good. That trick of having the new guy sell something was popularized by QVC, among others - they apparently take it very seriously at some places.

[Solacelawlz]

Hrm... I'd have to say it'd be a tie from when i was about to introduce myself to an applicant and before i could he reached in his pants moving his hand around for a good 10 seconds, smelled said hand, made a horrible face then reached for a handshake like.... wtf really? and... the time i interviewed this lady and in the middle of explaining the job she says "hold up one sec" breaks out her phone and has a full on convo with her girlfriend describing how great the view is from the office and how she's got the job in the bag etc etc then she hangs up and says "hold up one more sec while i send this twit pic..." i couldn't believe it!! lol

[Gizmo]

the time i interviewed this lady and in the middle of explaining the job she says "hold up one sec" breaks out her phone and has a full on convo with her girlfriend describing how great the view is from the office and how she's got the job in the bag etc etc then she hangs up and says "hold up one more sec while i send this twit pic..." i couldn't believe it!! lol

Wow. And I thought I was bad (I was - and naive and stupid - I admit this.) when I was discussing some of my volunteer art work and didn't explain I was finding a picture of a piece we were discussing on my phone before I looked for it! And that was for a volunteer only role with a furniture remodelling place!