Interview Feedback

Anna2834

I recently attended an interview with a mechanical and engineering group based in the IDA Business Park in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

It was a HR role.

When I arrived I was greeted by a very friendly man at reception who pointed me in the right direction. It was a very modern interior very technologically advanced which was a lovely surprise.

The duo that interviewed me arrived 15 minutes late, which wasn’t nice however I did have time since I had the day off.

I have never come across a more aggressive HR Manager in my life, and I have been doing HR myself for quite some time.

The role I interviewed for is mid-senior lever and would be reporting into her. I had prepared myself for the typical questions which of course came, however one thing I didn’t prepare was a topic that was never mentioned in the job spec and wouldn’t be under the remit of this role. The HR Manager kept asking about this said topic over and over again, without me really knowing a lot, since it has nothing to do with the role.

I was very disheartened at her approach which was very aggressive and downright rude. The faces she made every time I attempted to answer a question were unbelievable, if I ever dare treat one of the people who come in for an interview in this manner I would be fired on the spot. Due to her aggressiveness I proceeded to withdraw my application.

I haven’t attended an interview in 7 years so I am hoping this is not something that I have to deal with going forward?

If someone has any similar stories can you please share, as I am getting really worried that this is what I have to deal with now…

givyjoe

Anna2834 wrote: »

I recently attended an interview with a mechanical and engineering group based in the IDA Business Park in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

It was a HR role.

When I arrived I was greeted by a very friendly man at reception who pointed me in the right direction. It was a very modern interior very technologically advanced which was a lovely surprised.

The duo that interviewed me arrived 15 minutes late, which wasn’t nice however I did have time since I had the day off.

I have never come across a more aggressive HR Manager in my life, and I have been doing HR myself for quite some time.

The role I interviewed for is mid- senior lever and would be reporting into her. I had prepared myself for the typical questions which of course came, however one thing I didn’t prepare was a topic that was never mentioned in the job spec and wouldn’t be under the remit of this role. The HR Manager kept asking about this said topic over and over again, without me really knowing a lot, since it has nothing to do with the role.

I was very disheartened at her approach which was very aggressive and downright rude. The faces she made every time I attempted to answer a question were unbelievable, if I ever dare treat one of the people who come in for an interview in this manner I would be fired on the spot. Due to her aggressiveness I proceeded to withdraw my application.

I haven’t attended an interview in 7 years so I am hoping this is not something that I have to deal with going forward?

If someone has any similar stories can you please share, as I am getting really worried that this is what I have to deal with now…

I've interviewed many, many times over the last 7 years and I've actually found instances such as these to be less and less frequent. Maybe I'm choosing the companies to apply for a little better.

Anyway, don't let this put you off future applications. By the sounds of it, you were absolutely correct in withdrawing your application, particularly if this was going to be your manager.

Anna2834

I was so disappointed that its really hard not to mention this ladies name and the company she works for. I hope this is not the culture she extends within said company. I left there shaking in disbelief.

It has really put me off interviewing and I still cant believe that someone in that position is actually allowed to deal with candidates in that manner.

givyjoe

Anna2834 wrote: »

I was so disappointed that its really hard not to mention this ladies name and the company she works for. I hope this is not the culture she extends within said company.

It has really put me off interviewing and I still cant believe that someone in that position is actually allowed to deal with candidates in that manner.

I'd definitely advise against doing that, fairly certain it would be removed by a mod anywho.

Don't let it, you were just unlucky.. or rather lucky that your potential manager showed her true colours at interview stage. What you described is not the norm at any level.

Be prepared for a backlash from other posters on the bolded section though, the put-you-in-your-place brigade will be all over that.

JennyZ

You can always give feedback to someone above her.

Anna2834

Thanks I understand. I guess I shall be positive and put it down to a bad experience. Guess I have to choose the companies I interview for wisely.

Anna2834

JennyZ wrote: »

You can always give feedback to someone above her.

I was thinking that in fairness. However Dublin is very small and honestly what good would it do? It seems that she has been with the company a long time & she just made her way up to the top due to her being there for so long not necessarily that she is brilliant at her job.

It just felt as I was such an inconvenience to her and tried to show me that she is actually better than me in terms of her professional background, seems that she might have more experience than me but wow definitely not professional enough at all.

_Brian

One guy I was paired to interview with from time to time would badger interviewees about anything he could think off until they would eventually have to say they didn’t know something, it was infuriating behaviour.

It was a pure power trip for him and nothing to do with the candidates at all.

mmg0305

I reckon you dodged a bullet. Imagine if she had been nice at interview and showed her true colours only after you started working for her.

Better luck next time!

server down

Normally I would say “tell hr” but it won’t work this time.

Anna2834

I should have just stood up & ended the interview straight away from the way she was conducting the interview. It put me off so much that I am afraid to accept any interviews for a while now.

I just thought that maybe she just didn't like the look of my face or something along those lines - some people do think that way...came across a few that say this in an interview...

I hope I never have to come across her ever again...

Anna2834

server down wrote: »

Normally I would say “tell hr” but it won’t work this time.

I know I know...:rolleyes:

jimmycrackcorm

Op, it pretty much sounds like you were being tested for your reaction. As your role is dealing with people in a neutral sense, it wouldn't be surprising.

I've heard that interviews to become Gardai also used this technique to check that the candidate can remain calm and reasoned in a frustrating setting.

givyjoe

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

Op, it pretty much sounds like you were being tested for your reaction. As your role is dealing with people in a neutral sense, it wouldn't be surprising.

I've heard that interviews to become Gardai also used this technique to check that the candidate can remain calm and reasoned in a frustrating setting.

I'm sure the OP can elaborate, but that wouldn't be a standard interview technique for a HR related role.

It's always a two way process and if you are going to employ such a difficult, unusual interview technique, it would probably be best to at least tell the candidate after the interview. Otherwise they leave thinking, as the OP did, what an absolute wagon.. I'm not working there.

server down

Anna2834 wrote: »

I know I know...:rolleyes:

well, actually there is always American HR. Probably though I wouldnt do that, or at least get a job somewhere else first.

Anna2834

I was certainly calm and composed - my make up also hid the fact that I was going really red

Well I guess I failed that test since I withdrew my application as I certainly wouldn't want to work with someone using this interviewing technique.

Thank God I didn't apply for the Garda positions then.....

Worse thing is that I had another interview that day and because of the way she spoke to me I cancelled the second interview....i was so rattled that I couldn't "pick myself off the ground".

storker

Anna2834 wrote: »

I hope I never have to come across her ever again...

Maybe you will..as her boss. <evil laughter>

Anna2834

givyjoe wrote: »

I'm sure the OP can elaborate, but that wouldn't be a standard interview technique for a HR related role.

It's always a two way process and if you are going to employ such a difficult, unusual interview technique, it would probably be best to at least tell the candidate after the interview. Otherwise they leave thinking, as the OP did, what an absolute wagon.. I'm not working there.

Nothing mentioned to me she just seemed frustrated at/with me and ended the interview in exactly 12 minutes from the time she started...

If nothing else put me in my place well that did, not that I needed to be put in my place in the first instance, but anyway...lesson learned.

storker

Anna2834 wrote: »

Nothing mentioned to me she just seemed frustrated at/with me and ended the interview in exactly 12 minutes from the time she started...

If nothing else put me in my place well that did, not that I needed to be put in my place in the first instance, but anyway...lesson learned.

Don't let this knock your confidence. Never forget that a job interview is a two-way process. Just as they are assessing your suitability as an employee, you are assessing their suitability as an employer. And they failed. Miserably.

You did nothing to reproach yourself about, other than be gobsmacked by a psychotic interview technique, which is how most people would react. As for testing your ability to deal with stress, I call BS on that - you're applying for a job with a HR department, not the SAS.

Anna2834

"You did nothing to reproach yourself about, other than be gobsmacked by a psychotic interview technique, which is how most people would react. As for testing your ability to deal with stress, I call BS on that - you're applying for a job with a HR department, not the SAS."

I could not have put it better myself "psychotic interview technique" indeed.

I also love the SAS part made me laugh.