Education & Work What to do in an interview (from a interviewers point of view)

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by Gockie, 20th Nov, 2018.

Join Australia's most dynamic and respected property investment community
  1. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Sydney
    I suppose I've been approached by recruiters more than applying to job ads.
    Recruiters have great spelling and the organisations I've worked for don't have issues with bad spelling in ads.

    If they had bad spelling then you'd question the professionalism of the business.
    Computers pick up/mark words that might be spelt incorrectly.... no excuses.

    And if you are writing on a mobile phone to apply and it is littered with typos then it serves you right for choosing that device.
     
  2. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    5th Apr, 2016
    Posts:
    5,751
    Location:
    Melbourne
    What was the question you asked that prompted that answer?
     
  3. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    23rd Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    6,675
    Location:
    Mt Druuiitt
    Would it be worse to swear or break wind during a job interview?

    I was once before a three person internal job interview panel when a terrible odour swept into the interview room just as I sat down. I instinctively checked the soles of my shoes and prayed I hadn't stepped in something. All clear there.

    One of the panel members looked up at the air con vent as if to say it came from up there. However, the union rep on the panel (who I new) had a big smirk on his face. I immediately questioned him with "you dropped your guts didn't you?" and flicked a paper clip at him.

    The interview was then moved to an adjacent room.

    I missed out on the job due to swearing ("dropped your guts") and immature behaviour. I did address the selection criteria and provided solid examples to back my claims for the position.

    Just thought I was treated a little unfairly. I didn't bother lodging an appeal to the position as a friend got the job.
     
    Davothegreat and Kassy like this.
  4. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    27,094
    Location:
    Sydney or NSW or Australia
    When did you ever hold a job? (they don't have union reps at Macca's).
     
    datto likes this.
  5. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Sydney
    Candidate just talking about irrelevant things to the job. Waffling on and on about doing x role when the job is for y (And it requires a different mentality). It makes me think, do you want to do a role involving x instead?

    And a question about willingness to work overtime e.g. for a weekend deployment. The response was the partner drops the candidate off in the morning and was picked up at x time regularly. That doesn't show that the candidate had any willingness to go over and above if the occasion calls for it.
    The candidate worked many job roles in the past, so with that answer does that mean they never worked extra hours willingly to meet a deadline?

    Edit: Perhaps this candidate only wanted the job under their terms. Fair enough. But given another candidate blitzed all the questions, gave really good solid responses, came through really confidently and gave responses in a really enthusiastic manner.....

    At the moment, I see the main job of the candidate is to impress the interviewers, get an offer and then decide to take it or not. The candidate who doesn't impress the interviewers.... well.... even if they can do the job, they won't get the job (unless all candidates are very medicore)....
     
    Last edited: 22nd Nov, 2018
  6. Blacky

    Blacky Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    25th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    2,066
    Location:
    Bali
    It’s our fairly standard practice to google candidates.

    One guys Facebook was filled with highly sexist and bigotry comments. I wasn’t going to interview him because of it. But my colleague insisted (female). At about the third question, in the middle of his response she interrupted him and asked “if we were to look at your online profile what do you think it would say about you as a person?”

    He stuttered and stumbled and said something about “my online profile is my personal life and I think that should be kept separate from my work life, and it’s not relevant”

    She simply said “we disagree” and hung up.

    Highly unprofessional... yes. But very funny.

    Blacky
     
    datto and chylld like this.
  7. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    15th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    11,654
    Location:
    Newcastle
    Irony much? ;-)
     
    DeJ and chylld like this.
  8. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Sydney
    :)
    Guess it all depends on the alternative options!
     
    Joynz likes this.
  9. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    15th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    11,654
    Location:
    Newcastle
    Medicare, mediocre, mediacare...

    I was brought up in an era when spelling was supremely important. I cringe now when I see bad spelling and grammatical mistakes. But the emphasis has been taken away from spelling in more recent times; many people don't speak English as their first language, and struggle to master the complex rules of English grammar. I've even spent time grammar checking my daughter's university thesis.

    I've read thousands of resumes for unskilled hospitality positions. For those, I generally ignore minor errors, however, I reject resumes with major errors, especially those with spelling errors which would have been picked up on a com[puter or smartphone. I had to be conscious that perhaps half of the applicants spoke English as a second language, and written English was not a requirement for the job - however, lack of a basic spell check or the care to have the most basic mistakes removed I felt reflected on the person.
     
    Gockie and chylld like this.
  10. chylld

    chylld Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    24th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    1,701
    Location:
    Sydney
    It could of been worse...
     
    Jess Peletier and DeJ like this.
  11. EN710

    EN710 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    3,218
    Location:
    Melburn
    From my point of view, this really depends on my circumstances at that point. As a candidate, impressing the interviewer is less important to me than assessing whether the job, the people and the company would be a good fit for both parties. When they line up, there is no 'impressing' required. The focus will change if I really need the job.
     
    Last edited: 22nd Nov, 2018
    Gockie and chylld like this.
  12. DeJ

    DeJ Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    16th Nov, 2018
    Posts:
    45
    Location:
    Nowra
    Interviewing candidates is a skill in itself. Being able to deftly get the candidate back on track if they've interpreted your question differently or if it's ambiguous. If they continue to waffle, and you're allowing it, you need to look at what you're doing.
     
    Joynz likes this.
  13. mimosa

    mimosa Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    52
    Location:
    Vic
    Perhaps check the job ad in your signature :)
     
  14. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Sydney
    I guess though, is it polite to interject while someone is speaking?
    Ahhh.... my bad! I googled the spelling but in this case, Google didn't help me much! :(

    Good thing this forum isn't a job application.
     
    chylld likes this.
  15. Gockie

    Gockie Life is good ☺️ Premium Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    14,735
    Location:
    Sydney
    Ok!!! Since you mentioned it....I've had a look. you are right. I stand corrected. I'll pass it on. Well spotted.
     
  16. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    27,094
    Location:
    Sydney or NSW or Australia
    Cyber-stalking is part of the recruitment process nowadays. Even going back about 10 years, my 'new' colleagues had already sussed out my Linkedin profile (no joy with FB or other media). Kids schools have already drilled them that their online profile is on show, don't put anything on there that you won't be proud of in years to come.
     
  17. Heinz57

    Heinz57 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    1,959
    Location:
    Paradise
    Polarising questions are best. My faves for sales reps:
    Dogs or cats?
    Ford or Holden?
    Coffee or tea?
     
  18. WattleIdo

    WattleIdo midas touch

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    3,429
    Location:
    Riverina NSW
    Character and integrity (in this case, making sure the other person has every opportunity to present at their best) over-rides what we were taught as a children, "don't interupt". There's no maturity or respect otherwise.

    Manners are a great way of superficially showing respect but what they are really meant to show is a dep respect for others. No point having 'good manners' and denigrating as many people as possible at the same time.

    Another thing that keeps coming up is the question of whether or not you may be judging people for simply answering the questions that you have asked. But do those questions really elicit the qualities that are needed in the job? If they don't give the answer that you want, do you push further to find out more?
    Are you just encouraging people to lie?
    For example, I have a boss who often works overtime but also takes weeks and weeks off work due to getting sick - which is much more of a pain in the neck for everyone else and puts us further behind and creates more work than if they'd just been a bit more relaxed and realistic in the first place.Surely you want someone who can work efficiently within work hours and stay healthy?
     
    Last edited: 24th Nov, 2018
  19. euro73

    euro73 Well-Known Member Business Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    6,125
    Location:
    The beautiful Hills District, Sydney Australia
    Dogs
    AMG Mercedes.
    Coffee
     
  20. Lizzie

    Lizzie Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    9th Jul, 2015
    Posts:
    9,618
    Location:
    Planet A
    ... and what happens if I reply:

    Have both (one cat, two dogs)
    Toyota
    Drink and like both

    Does that make me a good sales rep?

    I've always found that the jobs I get are more about quickly building a back-and-forth rapport with the interviewer, rather than simply answering questions well.
     
    EN710 likes this.