Post by Society of the Spectacle on Jul 25, 2013 3:55:24 GMT -5
So I currently work as a para-educator at a LAUSD school, and for anyone familiar with LA, and its school system, things are not going so great budget-wise and so I've been actively seeking a new job. A friend of mine works at a one of the bigger tech entertainment companies and so suggested me for a job as someone who answers emails and phone calls regarding common issues. So after three phone interviews with three different people, they asked me to come to their offices for an in person interview. Now this company is off the 10 Freeway, and for anybody that knows the 10 in LA, it's a nightmare, so even leaving two hours early from the east side, I barely made it.
Now it's a tech-type of company, but this was more so an entry level customer service and writing (My academic background) position from what they told me over the phone, so I felt alright going in. I won't go into what they asked me, but let's just say that even though I am not a Luddite in terms of technology, I don't actively follow tech blogs or the breaking trends in the field. I did do research on the company and what people were saying in reference to them online (the gripes, the buzz, etc.) What followed was a marathon.
Basically, it wasn't just an interview, but four of them in a row. I talked to four different people for a half hour each, and it was like a bad cop/good cop/good cop/bad cop sandwich. The first one acted like they weren't interested in anything I had to say at all, and drilled me hard on tech stuff. I didn't want to come off as stupid, but also didn't want to bullshit them, so I answered as honestly as I could. There were questions where they kept asking the equivalent of "Is that your final answer?" as if they were seeing if I would second guess myself. The next two were very warm and asked about my background and my interests, and what I thought I could bring to the team. The last was kind of cold again and kept checking their phone.
Mind you, it's a interview, and after a two hour drive, I had to use the bathroom really bad (they gave me a tiny break between the first and second pair of interviews), so I probably didn't have my full wits about me, but I was as warm and open as I could be. However, the structure of the interview was just brutal. In hindsight it may have seemed like a normal interview, and maybe it was, and perhaps I'm just not ready for that kind of that world, but it was just a really draining experience.
Needless to say, they called yesterday and said I didn't get the position. I don't regret putting myself out there, and I was grateful to them and my contact for even getting me the interviews, but I can't remember the last time I was in an interview thinking, "End this insanity already, please!"
Anyway, that's my story. Any particularly harrowing experiences for you guys or gals?
Now it's a tech-type of company, but this was more so an entry level customer service and writing (My academic background) position from what they told me over the phone, so I felt alright going in. I won't go into what they asked me, but let's just say that even though I am not a Luddite in terms of technology, I don't actively follow tech blogs or the breaking trends in the field. I did do research on the company and what people were saying in reference to them online (the gripes, the buzz, etc.) What followed was a marathon.
Basically, it wasn't just an interview, but four of them in a row. I talked to four different people for a half hour each, and it was like a bad cop/good cop/good cop/bad cop sandwich. The first one acted like they weren't interested in anything I had to say at all, and drilled me hard on tech stuff. I didn't want to come off as stupid, but also didn't want to bullshit them, so I answered as honestly as I could. There were questions where they kept asking the equivalent of "Is that your final answer?" as if they were seeing if I would second guess myself. The next two were very warm and asked about my background and my interests, and what I thought I could bring to the team. The last was kind of cold again and kept checking their phone.
Mind you, it's a interview, and after a two hour drive, I had to use the bathroom really bad (they gave me a tiny break between the first and second pair of interviews), so I probably didn't have my full wits about me, but I was as warm and open as I could be. However, the structure of the interview was just brutal. In hindsight it may have seemed like a normal interview, and maybe it was, and perhaps I'm just not ready for that kind of that world, but it was just a really draining experience.
Needless to say, they called yesterday and said I didn't get the position. I don't regret putting myself out there, and I was grateful to them and my contact for even getting me the interviews, but I can't remember the last time I was in an interview thinking, "End this insanity already, please!"
Anyway, that's my story. Any particularly harrowing experiences for you guys or gals?
