Terrible 2nd interview

micromary

Just had a 2nd interview yesterday. After a great first interview where I was called back almost immediately, I did the 2nd. This was with the original manager who I met the week before and a more senior one. I don't know but unlike last week I started stuttering, forgetting these etc. No obvious big mistakes but still it did not flow. From the off in a different office I did not feel at ease. The original manager even said "i told you that last week". Feel really down and p****d off as I wanted the job but feel I bombed.Anybody had a similar experience?

OnTheCouch

micromary wrote: »

Just had a 2nd interview yesterday. After a great first interview where I was called back almost immediately, I did the 2nd. This was with the original manager who I met the week before and a more senior one. I don't know but unlike last week I started stuttering, forgetting these etc. No obvious big mistakes but still it did not flow. From the off in a different office I did not feel at ease. The original manager even said "i told you that last week". Feel really down and p****d off as I wanted the job but feel I bombed.Anybody had a similar experience?

Not exactly the same as yourself, but last year I was interviewed for a position in the UK which was not particularly related to my education and work experience, but more my personal interests. So I decided I would apply for it.

Anyway, I turned up to the interview, everything went really well I thought, I came across as quite confident, assured, I answered their questions well, etc etc. They even told me that my set of skills was fairly unique and sought after, which was great for my self-esteem.

The only hitch was that I had to do an Excel test and I didn't do well enough in it to reach the standards required to work there.

However, this did not seem to put them off, they simply told me to go away and practise Excel for a few weeks, then when I felt I was sufficiently competent I could come back and do the test again (fairly flexible, but of course this had to be within a reasonable time-frame). Essentially I felt they were saying that provided I could prove my Excel skills, I had a guaranteed job.

So off I went and started reading up on Excel plus watched several tutorial videos. Things were going well when I received an email from the company. They had obviously had a re-think, because they said they would be prepared to train employees in advanced Excel techniques on the job and were therefore offering a junior role (presumably with less money). Again the only hitch was that I was required to attend an assessment day with two other candidates before an offer could be confirmed.

As it turned out, this was a disaster. I should have known it was not going to be my day when I inexplicably thought we had to be at the office half an hour later than the actual time. Luckily I had given myself a bit of time anyway, plus I called them to let them know, but I was still seven minutes late and extremely on edge from having driven dangerously fast there on the way.

Things only went from bad to worse, I did not click at all with the other candidates, one girl pissed me off every time she opened her mouth, my presentation looked extremely simplistic and unresearched compared to the others and meetings with current employees also felt a bit forced. Plus to take an expression from yourself, I bombed all the exercises we had to do, my head was all over the place, it was one of these moments where whatever I did, it seemed to make things worse. Felt completely ill-at-ease and depressed the longer the day went on. I even had to ask to take a five minute break at one point to try and pull myself together.

Anyway, sorry for the long post, but as you can imagine I was not offered a position there. They claimed they hired no one from the assessment day, but I don't know how true that was. I even re-applied to different jobs with the same company later on but was ignored completely, so I assume they figured out that I wasn't the type of candidate they needed in the end.

So I hope that the impression you got was simply down to nerves and that you have much better success than I did. Or perhaps they, unlike in my own situation, put more emphasis on the first interview.

Best of luck anyway.

hmmm

I once had 5 interviews in one day (in London) for a very similar role with multiple companies, and my experience was different in each, including one I considered a disaster and two that went really great.

So don't beat yourself up, interviews are very difficult and sometimes things just don't happen for whatever reason.

From sitting on the other side of the table, it can also be the case that things might not have gone as badly as you think. The fact that you got to a 2nd interview is great news, as in most companies that would be a very short list of people.

Wabbit Ears

on a side note, Anyone who every uses the phrase 'I told you that last day/week/month/year' is a tosser. Dodged a bullet I say.

micromary

Btw. Just like to hear peoples views on this. I was asked salary requirements in both interviews. Is that common or were they trying to trip me up to see if I said the same thing 2nd time around? Found it a little wierd if honest.

Dixie Chick

micromary wrote: »

Btw. Just like to hear peoples views on this. I was asked salary requirements in both interviews. Is that common or were they trying to trip me up to see if I said the same thing 2nd time around? Found it a little wierd if honest.

You could have countered back with "I told you this last week".

Seriously, that manager sounded rude to say that, if they would do that in an interview, god knows what they would be like to work for.

micromary

Thanks guys. I feel better after reading your views. I realise that I did not so much "bomb" it as I know exactly who I would be "working" for in the future and its best to move on!!!

Mak_i

Did you get the job?

micromary

Mak_i wrote: »

Did you get the job?

I think it says a lot about a company when they say they will contact me with a answer and feedback and it is Wednesday and they have not done same. Lack of respect. I have a new job which I started on Monday but I will send a email if I do not get a response by the weekend advising disatisfaction in their process.

micromary

Mak_i wrote: »

Did you get the job?

I think it says a lot about a company when they say they will contact me with a answer and feedback and it is Wednesday and they have not done same. Lack of respect. I have a new job which I started on Monday but I will send a email if I do not get a response by the weekend advising disatisfaction in their process.

SteM

micromary wrote: »

I think it says a lot about a company when they say they will contact me with a answer and feedback and it is Wednesday and they have not done same. Lack of respect. I have a new job which I started on Monday but I will send a email if I do not get a response by the weekend advising disatisfaction in their process.

I wouldn't bother sending them an email. There's nothing good that can come of it apart from making you feel a bit better about things. They're just going to mark you down as a person that is annoyed because you weren't offered a job and it won't change how they do things imo. You've got a job now (great news), just move on.

Fussgangerzone

micromary wrote: »

Btw. Just like to hear peoples views on this. I was asked salary requirements in both interviews. Is that common or were they trying to trip me up to see if I said the same thing 2nd time around? Found it a little wierd if honest.

I've been asked it a few times, and to be honest, I forking hate it.

Last time it happened I stopped for a second and had a think before defining a range.

My personal feeling is that it's up to them to make you an offer if they want you, and then you can make a counter-offer.

It's a double-edged thing for the employer to use. Sure, they want to know they can afford you, but if you aim too low, they might think you're a joker who doesn't know what they're doing.