Tell me stories about hiring managers who were ignorant, rude and corrupt. I need to know I'm not the only one suffering in a buyers market.
Answers (9)
Jay L.
My clients grow their revenues faster, earn higher margins and lead their organizations with confidence
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Trevor,
The best story I know is not mine, but came from a friend I won't name. His experience was with RIM in Waterloo, Canada.
They invited him back for SEVEN rounds of interviews -- a 2-hour round-trip drive for him each time. After the seventh interview, he never heard from them and they would not return his phone calls or emails.
Make you feel any better? It probably shouldn't. Ignorance and rudeness seem par for the course in the recruitment stories I hear. Nepotism is also common. Is that what you mean by corruption?
Jay
You are not alone! I have heard and experienced so... many stories in my many years in office administration and human resources. One of my favorite stories is of the young woman who had a panel interview. Most of the panel was professional and the interview was going well and then when it came to the hiring manager he went into full attack mode. Being very hostile in his behaviour and asking questions that were not only not appropriate but not legal. Finally instead of responding to his questions she began to gather her things much to the shock of everyone on the panel and she told them that the last series of questions were not questions they could legally ask in an interview and if this gentlemans treatment towards her was any indication of what she would be treated like as an employee this was not a company she would choose to work for. Although unpleasant among other things it is much better when they show you their true colors up front. It is much worse to get into a job and then find out that there is no way you can possibly work in that environment.
Linda F.
Recruiting Specialist at RFT Staffing
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Interesing inquiry, Trevor, and one that just makes me so mad! I get so frustrated when hiring managers conduct interviews and treat candidates this way! I ALWAYS recommend to have an HR person, or a recruiter, in the interveiw WITH the hiring manager.
Realistically, and I am sure there are people who will disagree, interviewing is a talent. It's an art. Not everyone should do it and way too many people won't admit they shouldn't be interviewing. Ego is SO huge on the part of some hiring managers (it's my team, I know exactly what they should have!). Ignorance is another (I don't know what I'm doing, but I'll do it anyway because I don't want to get fired. And the last is a combination of both (I don't knolw what I'm doing, but I'll never admit it because I ROCK!).
I don't care if a client uses me, or another staffing company, or another contingent recruiter, but please, please hire someone who knows what they are doing when it comes to recruiting/interviewing!
Ok, off my soapbox. If there is anything I can do to help you out, Trevor, please let me know!
Dorothea T.
Experienced HR Manager with a strong background in Safety and a Passion for all aspects of Human Resources
I understand where you are coming from, having 16 years experience in interviewing and hiring, 8 years as a Human Resources Manager, and now being a job seeker myself. I've encountered a few surprises from both sides of the hiring desk. I just interviewed with the City of Huntsville, AL, and I must say a lot of companies could take some lessons from them. I didn't get the job, which was very disappointing for me, but they were very consciences of the applicant's feelings throughout the whole process. I don't think I've ever had such a pleasant interview experience, and the questions they asked were strictly job, task, and experience related.
I know there was one job I applied for online recently, and received a response the next day that said simply "After reviewing your resume, you are no longer being considered." I think that was extremely crass.
Hang in there and try to shake it off, don't let your bad experiences influence your attitude in future interviews.
HI Trevor,go to glassdoor.com and place an interview review you can give others a heads up on this company and they way they interview.
also gives the company a heads up on the folks that interview for them.
Links:
Razvan S.
Copywriter
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A telecom company I know does candidate group interviews for managerial positions. The senior managers who attend like to tell people where they went wrong, before sending them home. This, while the group of candidates is still assembled.
A couple stories from my not so recent past:
I was applying for a copywriter position in an advertising agency. During the second interview the manager flat out stated "I don't need an ideas guy, ideas are a dime a dozen. I just need someone who does what he's told."
I aced two rounds of testing and two interviews for a HUGE consulting, services and outsourcing company with a name that starts with A. I then proceeded to get the run-around "oh the hiring manager's manager isn't here to approve your position" "oh the process has been delayed". Never got that final call-back, or an outright rejection.
I'm pretty certain the HR manager disappeared me, in favor of some protege. It was all very strange, the atmosphere there was like you see in mobster movies, grim, tired men and decorative women standing around smoking or speaking in hushed tones in the hallways.
Sahar A.
Diversity& Inclusion|Leadership training|Social Media Marketing|Social Media Training|Public Speaker|Culture Competence
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Every now and then I go out and interview to keep my skills in interviewing and if I feel it is a great position that if I get it I might think about it if it is to good to refuse
So mid last year I got called for an interview in a big public agency I get there on time and the address I was given looks like a deserted place I kept calling the HR people it kept going to their voice mails 3 times left messages no call back so I googled on my phone the general number and called after being transferred 3 times and 35 minutes after the interview time they tell me sorry but the interview location has been moved - would have been nice if someone told me so they give me an address I drive there and it is the wrong address again they send me to a 3rd address now we are 55 minutes into the interview that was supposed to take 90 minutes
I tell the person that was supposed to let me know about the situation I am serious she shrugs her shoulders like she never heard me
Then I go into the interview and 65 minutes passed so I have 25 minutes to do what I am supposed to do in 90 minutes and the hiring managers keep looking at the clock stressing me out then they ask me questions that are totally illegal including my ethnicity and trying to maneuver about asking my religion - the position was like an executive marketing person when I was asked how do I promote myself I answered and one of my answers was using LI and the person that was interviewing me had NO CLUE what LI was - here I am being interviewed for duties and tools that i would use by someone that would grade me on something that he doesnt know
The best part is that I did a couple of consulting jobs and speaking engagements for that entity but they found that I didnt score enough- really and who was scoring me? when I asked in the end what made me stand out in my resume both people had no idea even what my resume looked like they have never read it or seen it before
So do you feel any better?=)
Richard K.
MBA, CIW World’s 1st Marketing Sociologist; digital marketer & journalist #1 Linkedin PR answers 2012, 2011, 2009 & 2008
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It's not just the interview. I have a hard time getting people to return calls or emails.
They called baby-boomers the "me generation." Today, that is magnified 100 times.
Here's my Facebook post today:
Make sure your marketing leader has the "cojones" to make sales calls and can go face-to-face. Otherwise your company is headed out of business.
Recently tried to make an appointment with a woman who would only make appointments via email. 4 emails to get an appointment set that would take 10 seconds on the phone.
She cancelled the appointment via email, too. Didn't pursue. This company won't exist 6 months from now with her leading its marketing.
A marketer must know sales, a subset of marketing.
