Asked very strange questions in Public Sector Interview

cars14

Hi. I had an interview for a very junior level job in the Administration in the Public Sector. They asked me very little about my skills or experience. They spent most of the interview asking me strange (political) questions like:
What is the main difference between the Public and Private Sectors?
Tell us about Accountability in the Public Sector?

In my feedback about the interview they never mentioned any of the above questions that took up most of my interview. They cut my answers short about the four set key areas that was supposed to be discussed in the interview and questioned me about non set key areas most of the time. In my interview feedback there is no mention of the non key areas e.g. main difference between Public and Private Sectors. Then they failed me in the interview feedback for not discussing the set out key areas in enough depth and not demonstrating enough knowledge of the set key areas.

What should I do?

maudgonner

Are you sure you didn't wander into the BBC News24 studio and get mistaken for somebody who was going to be interviewed on-air about accountability in the Public Sector?

Poor auld Guy Goma. Wonder where he is now?

andekwarhola

Go on strike immediately for a 65% improvement in interview questions, backdated to 1976.

tigger123

cars14 wrote: »

Hi. I had an interview for a very junior level job in the Administration in the Public Sector. They asked me very little about my skills or experience. They spent most of the interview asking me strange (political) questions like:
What is the main difference between the Public and Private Sectors?
Tell us about Accountability in the Public Sector?

In my feedback about the interview they never mentioned any of the above questions that took up most of my interview?

What should I do?

They're not political questions. Sounds to me like they were probing to get an idea of what your perceptions on the public sector are.

Do you have a lot of private sector experience on your cv?

The flying mouse

Was it for RTE ? As only liberal, US democrats may apply...and don't forget to say you have pictures of Hillary up on your wall, That's the job clincher.

AudreyHepburn

cars14 wrote: »

Hi. I had an interview for a very junior level job in the Administration in the Public Sector. They asked me very little about my skills or experience. They spent most of the interview asking me strange (political) questions like:
What is the main difference between the Public and Private Sectors?
Tell us about Accountability in the Public Sector?

In my feedback about the interview they never mentioned any of the above questions that took up most of my interview?

What should I do?

Nothing strange about that to be honest OP. It sounds like they were just trying to get a sense of how much you knew about the sector and how it works. It certainly wasn't political.

Most employers do this in interviews to make sure you have a full understanding of their business and your role in it.

topper75

The flying mouse wrote: »

Was it for RTE ? As only liberal, US democrats may apply...and don't forget to say you have pictures of Hillary up on your wall, That's the job clincher.

ha ha.

Those RTE/BBC folks have a new world to be getting used to. Leave them alone.

Their self-styled impartiality has been holed below the waterline.

cars14

cars14 wrote: »

Hi. I had an interview for a very junior level job in the Administration in the Public Sector. They asked me very little about my skills or experience. They spent most of the interview asking me strange (political) questions like:
What is the main difference between the Public and Private Sectors?
Tell us about Accountability in the Public Sector?

In my feedback about the interview they never mentioned any of the above questions that took up most of my interview?

What should I do?

There's no conspiracy against you.

I was asked those same two questions in mine, and everyone else was looking at the sample count.

newacc2015

I say they wanted to see whether or not you were aware that promotion in the public sector is very different to promotion in the private sector. I have friends who are in their twenties working in IT companies who within 6 months of joining are managers managing people much older than them, as they have leadership skills and the company is rapidly growing. Where as 6 months into a public sector job you will definitely be doing the same job. You realistically could be on the same payscale and job 10 years later, which is unheard of in a lot of private sector companies

I say the accountability question was to see whether or not you could see through the BS the media goes on about ie a public sector worker in a union can do whatever they want and their union protects them from being fired

newacc2015

I say they wanted to see whether or not you were aware that promotion in the public sector is very different to promotion in the private sector. I have friends who are in their twenties working in IT companies who within 6 months of joining are managers managing people much older than them, as they have leadership skills and the company is rapidly growing. Where as 6 months into a public sector job you will definitely be doing the same job. You realistically could be on the same payscale and job 10 years later, which is unheard of in a lot of private sector companies

I say the accountability question was to see whether or not you could see through the BS the media goes on about ie a public sector worker in a union can do whatever they want and their union protects them from being fired

RobbieTheRobber

cars14 wrote: »

Hi. I had an interview for a very junior level job in the Administration in the Public Sector. They asked me very little about my skills or experience. They spent most of the interview asking me strange (political) questions like:
What is the main difference between the Public and Private Sectors?
Tell us about Accountability in the Public Sector?

In my feedback about the interview they never mentioned any of the above questions that took up most of my interview?

What should I do?

Did you tell them about your position on the 8th amendment?