Reply to: Things said in interviews that p*ss you off...

[PM-Junkie]

Guy I was at school with put "stamping in puddles and kicking cats" down for his hobbies and pastimes in his application for the BBC. At the interview, he was told he got the interview partly on the basis that they wanted to meet the guy who would put that on an application form.

He got the job, and as far as I know is still a cameraman with them.

....I could never pluck up the nerve to try something similar!!

[NickNick]

I was recently asked what I've been getting up to while benched. I thought he should mind his own business so I just said I was getting really good at Fifa on the PS2.

Didn't get the job....

I once responded with "trying to crack one off in *every* room of the house."

Didn't get the job....

[original PM]

I was recently asked what I've been getting up to while benched. I thought he should mind his own business so I just said I was getting really good at Fifa on the PS2.

Didn't get the job....

the interviewer must have been more of a Pro Evo man!

[chris79]

I was recently asked what I've been getting up to while benched. I thought he should mind his own business so I just said I was getting really good at Fifa on the PS2.

Didn't get the job....

excellent!

The most over-used question I've heard recently is "how are you finding the market?"..

[Grinder]

I was recently asked what I've been getting up to while benched. I thought he should mind his own business so I just said I was getting really good at Fifa on the PS2.

Didn't get the job....

[expat]

We can only pay you £500 a day.

That pisses me right off.

Yes, that's a measly 550 Euros thanks to Mr Brown. He thinks he saved the world. No chance, but definitely fvcked the pound.

No, he didn't do that single-handed. 550€ is all that £500 has really been worth for years, though we managed to persuade the currency markets otherwise.

[chris79]

Not an interview, but I had an agent call me this week to ask me if I was still interested in a job I'd put in for a few weeks ago.

I was told they wanted to interview me asap and would I be able to make it. I asked for the job-spec and rate and asked if I could get back to him on it, to which there was a long pause on the phone, followed by a reluctant tone and a "and when will that be (sigh).. etc". ????? Overall a very arsey attitude toward me, even though I was told "you are the only person in for the interview who they want to see".. (yeah I've heard that one before, sorry).

Anyway, after considering the 7 hour round trip involved for the interview and the rate being offered I emailed him back to say "I'm interested on the following conditions, 1. Telephone interview first, 2. The rate must be negotiated, please come back to me if the client is still interested".

No reply.... I guess that means they'll be re-advertising it since I was the only candidate.

[BrianSnail]

"I can see you are currently earning £17k per year, you know this role is at 11k, do you want to continue the interview"

I might try the reverse in future interviews...

"I can see the rate for this role is £350 a day, you know my rate is £500, do you want to continue the interview?"

[mky21]

This absolutely killed me ... About half way through the interview ..

"Not sure why we are interviewing you, We are being taken over by EDS and the job will probably disappear"

And a government based company quite a few years ago ..

"I can see you are currently earning £17k per year, you know this role is at 11k, do you want to continue the interview"

[kookachoo]

The gig I have at the moment:

Q: Would it bother you being a contractor with an Accenture project team on site at MyCo?

A: No, not at all

What I wanted to say was, why do they need a contractor, I thought they were the best at everything. As it turns out, they need more than a contractor!

[Rockfield]

Best reason I've had for not getting a contract... "we decided to go for the tallest candidate". I kid you not. I'm not exactly short. The position was managerial so I didn't exactly need to be 'beefy'! Lucky escape :-)

For a perm position I was asked whether I was thinking of having a family within the next 2 years, because if I was, they "probably wouldn't bother". After some coughing, spluttering and correcting that question by another other interview panel member, I got the job. Amusing!

[yeahyeahwhatever]

LOL couldnt agree more buddy

When you hear that. . . . .RUN. . . .it roughly translates as ''we have promised to deliver a ridiculous amount of projects in an unrealistic amount of time, senior management dont know how to say no, i dont know how to say no , its just how things are done round here, dont worry. . ..we follow Prince 2 methodologies. . .'' its usual followed by words such as multiple, plates and spinning, replace/substititue where nessecary. Are you in? (just say you can then we can tick the box. . . . . )

Yup - 20 projects... "as if..." ... Sorry but unless you want me to just delegate 95% of the work and turn up for sign-off then yes, I am perfectly capable of operating 20 projects within a normal working week.

I think there is going to come a point where I just turn up to interviews and tell them the way things are, if they don't like it then they can get someone else. I hope one day when my war chest is big enough I can put this into practice.

[kula]

I like "can you name some of your key strengths and weaknesses?"

Strengths - power of 10 men, hearing of a bat and able to assume any form.
Weaknesses - garlic, crucifixes and running water.

Do I get the gig then?

[d000hg]

"Do you have any children?"

I've lost count of the number of times I've been asked that - yes I know they're not supposed to, but they do.

CAn you not throw a strop, and scare them into hiring you so you don't sue

[ASB]

The old comedy glasses and fake nose not working any more then?

Clearly they've never worked.