You suck, interviewer! by Alison Green on August 4, 2009 I’m on a bit of a rampage about interviewers who don’t bother to send candidates notices of rejection after a candidate has taken the time to interview with them. You put hours into preparing for the interview. Maybe you buy a new suit. Maybe you drive several hours to get there, spending gas money you […] Read the full article →
bad interviewer behavior: a forcible, sweaty hike by Alison Green on July 27, 2009 I always enjoy nightmare interview stories, so here’s one for you. A friend of mine recently went for a job interview that consisted of two parts — first an interview with an HR rep, followed immediately by an interview with the hiring manager. At the end of the HR portion, the HR rep told her […] Read the full article →
stupid interview questions (and win a free office chair!) by Alison Green on July 9, 2009 If you could be a tree, what tree would you be? What type of animal are you most like? What would I find in your refrigerator right now? Who the hell is asking these sorts of interview questions? Apparently someone is, because complaints about them abound. But they’re lame, and more than being lame, they’re […] Read the full article →
interviewer wants reference from current employer by Alison Green on February 20, 2009 A reader writes: I am in the midst of applying for a new job. I have interviewed three times with a prospective employer and have been told that I am one of the final candidates for the position. The HR rep contacted me and asked if they can contact my current manager/supervisor for a reference. […] Read the full article →
the sound of silence: companies that don’t send rejections by Alison Green on November 10, 2008 One of the biggest complaints I hear from job seekers who write to me at Ask a Manager is about companies that don’t respond to job applicants: no rejection, nothing. There’s a real divide on the issue. Job seekers think it’s incredibly rude, while many companies feel perfectly justified in not putting resources into dealing […] Read the full article →
interviewers who don’t interview by Alison Green on September 19, 2008 A reader writes: I recently interviewed for a position that I think I’m under-qualified for. The position is to be a dean of department at a university which requires 7+ years experience in a similar post and a great deal of knowledge about financial markets. I graduated from the top ivy league school in the […] Read the full article →
abusive interviewer extends job offer by Alison Green on August 23, 2008 This letter from a reader is long but worth it: My career experience has mostly been in the military, but I have recently completed a college degree in physics with a minor in education after stopping work to stay at home with my daughter. Currently, I am working as a high school science teacher, but […] Read the full article →
you are high maintenance and full of yourself by Alison Green on August 12, 2008 A reader writes: My interviewer asked me what my salary range was, so I researched and sent an email back. He replied stating that it was too high, so I sent him a email back just asking what an acceptable range would be. At that point, he sent back three paragraphs bashing me, stating that I […] Read the full article →
prospective employer called current employer by Alison Green on July 19, 2008 A reader writes: I recently interviewed for a position in a company that is opening a new branch in my area in the early fall. I went through the entire interview process, a phone interview and then meetings with 2 HR reps, a branch manager and a VP. Everything went great. I was very clear […] Read the full article →
why don’t companies get back to applicants? by Alison Green on April 29, 2008 A reader writes: I am amazed at the number of times companies have stopped communicating during the interview process without explanation. In this era of email, I don’t understand why a brief note isn’t sent to let a candidate know they are no longer under consideration. My most recent experience was with a company that […] Read the full article →