Millenials failing job interviews.

[mistercrabby]

Why some job candidates flunked their interviews:
• Taking calls and texting. A male graduate student seeking a managerial position in Avery Dennison's research and development unit took a call on his smartphone about 15 minutes into the interview. The call, which lasted about a minute and wasn't an emergency, ruined his near-certain chance for a job offer, Singel says.
"If he thought that was OK, what else does he think is appropriate?" he says.


http://www.cnbc.com/id/100684583


Helicopter parents swooping in, poor socialization and more. I wonder how common this is.

This isn't a problem. It makes the selection process easier.

 

[hans007]

This is what I liked about sales. No bullshit, your numbers were posted every week for all to see and if they weren't good enough you got fired.

Yah I've heard the same about investment banking. Its the one thing I don't like in tech so I just switch jobs if he team degrades where I'm at. Worst thing too is most of them believe they are good and if there are a lot at your company they band together making really bad decisions.

 

[Triumph]

This thread needs some Old Economy Steve.

 

[Farang]

Yah I've heard the same about investment banking. Its the one thing I don't like in tech so I just switch jobs if he team degrades where I'm at. Worst thing too is most of them believe they are good and if there are a lot at your company they band together making really bad decisions.

Yea it is considered a 'high pressure' environment, and I guess it is, but I liked how open and honest the employee/employer relationship was. There's not really any office politics because you're there to make cash and as long as you do that you're fine. That is implicit in any employment arrangement but in other jobs gets bogged down in a lot of BS.

Not that there aren't downsides. But as someone who typically felt underappreciated in other jobs I liked sales because there was no denying if I did well

 

[SagaLore]

I'm not a millennial.
I dont do anything stupid in interviews.
Havent had a job in 5 years.

I think you have to actually apply for and interview for the job(s).

 

[SagaLore]

my boss takes personal phonecalls in the middle of our meetings

i honestly want to kill him when he does this

I had a boss that would respond to emails on his blackberry during meetings. He also did this during my interview. And he wasn't even stealthy about it, he would stop mid sentence to take care of the email.

 

[BoberFett]

Yep, it's a bit different for highly skilled technical people in SV.

I interviewed a barefoot guy once - the guy looked like a bridge troll. D: We did hire him - he was a very good UNIX Sysadmin.

I wouldn't hire someone like that. The kind of person that doesn't feel any need to follow certain societal norms like wearing shoes doesn't think they need to be a part of the team. They operate on their own terms and do whatever they want. Sorry, there's no room for that in my opinion.

 

[crabbyman]

This isn't a problem. It makes the selection process easier.

Hello my alter ego..lol.

 

[Fingolfin269]

I had a boss that would respond to emails on his blackberry during meetings. He also did this during my interview. And he wasn't even stealthy about it, he would stop mid sentence to take care of the email.

This is sometimes acceptable depending on the type of work we're talking about. The problem is that now that we have everyone jacked in 24/7 thanks to smartphones they think they have to answer immediately even if the matter isn't really that urgent.

 

[BoberFett]

Why would the candidate need to "look the part"? Shouldn't it be about "doing your job"? Ridiculous.

Because working with others is a part of "doing your job." If you find it impossible to fit in with simple things like dressing appropriately, how well can you be expected to work with the group?

When I'm on my own time, I wear ratty jeans and t-shirts, ride a motorcycle, and curse like a sailor.

For work, I wear a tie unless it's casual Friday when I wear nice jeans and a button up shirt, drive my Camry, and act like a professional.

I'm in the top 5-10% income earners in the US.

You follow the logic chain.

 

[Spungo]

I wouldn't hire someone like that. The kind of person that doesn't feel any need to follow certain societal norms like wearing shoes doesn't think they need to be a part of the team. They operate on their own terms and do whatever they want. Sorry, there's no room for that in my opinion.

Could also say he thinks outside the box
Just don't let any of the clients see him. They might think you're keeping him hostage and that's why he has no shoes.

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Sz0o9clVQu8

 

[Leros]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Sz0o9clVQu8

That video got one thing right. People who schedule meetings before 11am are horrible people.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I've had candidates show up dressed in t-shirts (knowing before hand we were business casual attire) with neck beards.

If you can't be bothered to put on a shirt and tie and trim your beard you don't need a office job.

So, if one works in an office then a shirt and tie is mandatory to you? I guess a lot of those in my workplace should be fired, including some right up to the directors and VPs.

 

[hans007]

Because working with others is a part of "doing your job." If you find it impossible to fit in with simple things like dressing appropriately, how well can you be expected to work with the group?

When I'm on my own time, I wear ratty jeans and t-shirts, ride a motorcycle, and curse like a sailor.

For work, I wear a tie unless it's casual Friday when I wear nice jeans and a button up shirt, drive my Camry, and act like a professional.

I'm in the top 5-10% income earners in the US.

You follow the logic chain.

I wear t shirts and jeans to work. But I do act like a professional.

My VP rides a ducati to work in full motorcycle gear and wears jeans and T-shirt and is 40.

I'd say I probably make in the top 2-3% income ( which actually isn't that much if you think about it given the bell curve like nature of it all) .

Main thing really is you produce. Then be professional. Probably in that order. We've fired some very professional non productive idiots

 

[sourceninja]

So, if one works in an office then a shirt and tie is mandatory to you? I guess a lot of those in my workplace should be fired, including some right up to the directors and VPs.

You should be fired for your lack of reading comprehension.

I explicitly said that if you are interviewing at a office you know has a set attire that you should try to match or be above that attire for your interview.

If you know the office is casual then by all means dress down for the interview. If your coming for a job at my office and I tell you it's business attire, you better damn well have a suit on.

 

[zoiks]

I bomb at hypothetical and obscure tricky questions in interviews. I probably will never get into Google because of this.

 

[waggy]

I wear t shirts and jeans to work. But I do act like a professional.

My VP rides a ducati to work in full motorcycle gear and wears jeans and T-shirt and is 40.

I'd say I probably make in the top 2-3% income ( which actually isn't that much if you think about it given the bell curve like nature of it all) .

Main thing really is you produce. Then be professional. Probably in that order. We've fired some very professional non productive idiots

I think this is where common sense comes in. IF you work in a place such as you describe wearing a suit would be out of place. The amount of places like you describe are few and far in between though. it also does not change what boberfett said. Dress how the office does.

 

[shortylickens]

I just saw an interesting tip elsewhere. Guy was convinced interviews are pointless and he suggesting taking someone out to lunch and making them drive. You learn a shitload about them that way.

 

[zerocool84]

I just saw an interesting tip elsewhere. Guy was convinced interviews are pointless and he suggesting taking someone out to lunch and making them drive. You learn a shitload about them that way.

Which would almost never happen unless it's an extremely small company since that would take a ton of time.

 

[Triumph]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Sz0o9clVQu8

haha, saw that on another forum. i love the textbook backing music and splash screens.

 

[Triumph]

I just saw an interesting tip elsewhere. Guy was convinced interviews are pointless and he suggesting taking someone out to lunch and making them drive. You learn a shitload about them that way.

Very true. This is how I interviewed. In fact I installed a dash cam in my car during the interview, to make sure they didn't try to screw me on a promise of benefits/vacation/salary/etc.

Got the job.

 

[shortylickens]

Which would almost never happen unless it's an extremely small company since that would take a ton of time.

Or a decent mid-level position at a large company. Where it kinda sorta matters and you dont plan on interviewing 200 people a week.

 

[Spungo]

Which would almost never happen unless it's an extremely small company since that would take a ton of time.

God damn it Johnson we don't have time to do car interviews. Now clear my schedule, I need to interview every candidate 3 times because I'm really indecisive when the cocaine wears off.

 

[Zargon]

I just saw an interesting tip elsewhere. Guy was convinced interviews are pointless and he suggesting taking someone out to lunch and making them drive. You learn a shitload about them that way.

my last job was a phone interview with 6 people


then an in person with 6 people

finally came in for lunch with the group ~12 people and chit chatted

to test group dynamics

I guess they had ~100 applicants and needed 3.