Monday, May 01, 2006

Interviews I Have Had*:

• The one during which the department director was so obviously in need of a stimulant that I nearly offered to get him some coffee.
  
• The one where the department director asked me two questions and then spent 45 minutes talking about tennis.
  
• The one that is memorable for no other reason than the fact that my right eye twitched uncontrollably for the entire interview. ALL TWO AND A HALF HOURS OF IT.
  
• The one in which the department director claimed to have "10 or 12" employees in the department, but the research associate looked confused and said, "Ummm...it's just me and the director." (For the record, I withdrew my candidacy immediately following the interview.)
  
• The one in which I was asked my salary requirements, and then asked how much less I'd be willing to accept.
  
• The one that took place in a building that attracted obscenity-shouting homeless dudes like moths to the flame.
  
• The one in which the research associate laughed out loud after hearing the department director's self-described personal management style.
  
• The one in which - appropos of nothing - the department director very defensively stated that they don't "cook the data". (Uh, guy? I'm no expert on defense strategy, but it's generally considered suspicious to deny doing something you haven't been accused of. I'm just saying.)
  
• The one in which the hiring manager looked over my little black suit and Coach bag and commented, "If you think this position will shoot you right to the top of the company, it won't." (That one? I didn't even bother sending a post-interview thank you note.)
  
• The one that was evidently less hinged on job competence than on ability to "personally connect" with the ever-so-important drug dealer client segment. (Gee, and to think that saying NO to drugs was supposed to increase my employability...)

# posted by Amanda at 11:49 AM | 0 comments