slate.com: I hear a lot of stories about terrible job interviews—the interviewer who demanded to look inside a candidate’s purse, interviewers who are rude and hostile or even explicitly insulting, candidates who are left waiting for hours after taking time off work, and much more. One common denominator in these stories is that when job candidates are subjected to rude behavior from employers, they mostly feel obligated to stick it out until the end of the interview. They don’t get up and leave. They sit politely, then walk out quietly stewing.
8 comments:
I’ve never really thought of the job hunting expense as an equal opportunity for both the interviewer and interviewee. I forget sometimes that people can be overqualified for a job and that the interviewing process is a judgment of both parties involved. In a great work environment, the employer and employee should be on the same team (there still needs to be an order of power, but both should be able to work together). I guess job searching is almost like searching for a relationship. Sometimes people are so eager to get the job that they forget to think about what will allow them to be a good employee in the future. If someone is demanding and requires you to give personal information then what would stop them from doing that in the future? Just because you are new doesn’t mean that a company can disrespect your privacy when evaluating whether would be a good addition on the team. Honestly, I would find it very hard to leave an interview even if it was a bad one. Sometimes I feel that you just need to stick it out (which is exactly what this article is saying more people do) so hopefully, I would take some advice from this article and leave if the interview didn’t feel right. I really enjoyed this article
Reading some of these stories was so painful! I felt so bad for the people who felt uncomfortable, awkward, or trapped in an interview because of something out of their control! I’ve done a few interviews in my time, and often, I’m awkward and uncomfortable because of my own nervous, but never have I experienced an unpleasant interviewer. I think this is a smart tip that I’ve honestly never thought of before. A lot of times, when we’re in the presence of someone who is dominant in the power dynamic of the particular situation we’re in, we sort of forget that we have control over ourselves and our actions! Our sole purpose doesn’t have to be to appease that person, and we can freaking leave if we’re not feeling it! Like the article said, obviously just storming out isn’t right, but politely leaving should always be an acceptable action to take if the interviewer is rude or has put you in an unexpected situation.
I found that this was an extremely eye-opening and well structured. Though I’ve never been in an interview situation that was not a college interview (which I feel is an environment that I wouldn’t ever find a reason to walk out of), this was incredibly useful guidance that I can keep in the back of my mind for future situations. I appreciated the fact that the author mentioned the issue of power dynamics, because I feel that a lot of articles of this nature would not (I assume). I especially resonated with this point because knowing myself, that would be the exact reason I wouldn’t stand up and leave in this situation. It seems especially daunting in the entertainment industry, because so much of getting jobs seems to be connections, knowing the right people, and what people might say about you by word of mouth. I’d be terrified that if I walked out (if, I happened to find myself in a rough interview environment), that it would find a way of coming back to me. But nonetheless, I’m glad I came across this article, because it instilled even the possibility of taking action into my head.
I’m glad that this article exists, and that the author recognizes that sometimes people just need a job, but another aspect of all of this is networking. Frequently in our field, people put up with abuse from their employers for the sake of networking. This extends to our interviews. In an industry in which reputation carries a heavy weight, it is hard to feel confident walking out of an interview no matter how outwardly horrible you think the person or company is. For instance, as of right now the industry seems very much torn over a few choice unpaid but hugely reputable internships. The fear of being blacklisted is very real in the theater world and I am sure that is the case I some other professions which would lead people to being so unlikely to walk out of interviews. The idea of being blacklisted in a situation with one persons’ word against another is what needs to be dismantled in order for this to be a reality.
I have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that interviews should be two-way streets. It is an excellent idea though. I haven’t done many job interviews but speaking from college interviews, I definitely treated them as an opportunity for me to show the school my potential and an opportunity for me to see if I like the atmosphere of the school. I turned down an offer just because I hated the way the interviewer staff spoke to me. I think employers who conduct these recruitment interviews really need to realize that they are not only judging people who are applying but also they are representing their institution and the way it works. They need to stop carrying themselves as if they have the upper hand if they want resourceful and talented employees. For the employers and interviewers who are just absolutely horrible to the interviewees, they are not only driving people away from the job but also building a reputation for themselves and the company.
I think so many more people should be reading this article as well as putting their bad interview stories out there. I don’t think any of the information in the article is profoundly new to anyone but it is a nice reminder and good to see written down so it can be commonly agreed upon. I think if more people start sharing their bad interview stories and walking out of bad interviews, as this article suggests, then I think there would be a lot less bad interviews. If interviewers start seeing how interviews make an impact on people, they might make an effort to have good interviews. I think everyone wants their company to be one where people want to work so if they know they aren’t selling it that way, that might make a change. I do agree with Kaylie that the fear of being blacklisted in theatre is a real one for a lot of people, so I do understand why people don’t want to walk out because it could be seen as rude and the employer could tell their other employer friends.
During my college application process, I was always told that an interview was an opportunity for the school to meet me and decide if I was the right fit, but equally and opportunity for me to asses the school and see if I felt that it was a place I want to be for the next four years. I think that this is mindset towards interviews is applicable to job hunting, however is often forgotten when going in for an interview. This article discusses the power dynamic present when walking into an interview, and the pressure that the interviewee has to put on a smile and do everything requested of them, even if the request is ridiculous. In my lifetime, I have not had many interviews for jobs, but I remember during the college process sometimes getting to a school that I wanted to attend so badly, that I can understand the pressure to make a good impression on the interviewer. However, it is important to remember that everyone deserves basic respect, and I don’t think I would ever want to work at a job or attend a school that would treat me poorly during the interview process.
During the college application season, I had many an interview lined up, given my choice of major. Always, always, I was told that the interviews were not only an opportunity for the representatives of each university to size me up but that they were an opportunity for me to ask questions. However, I had thought of them as just that: a resource to learn about the specifics of my major. I did not think that it would be an opportunity for me to size up the reps in turn, and I never did think of the possibility of leaving an interview in the middle of it. My main concern is this sort of behavior—leaving an interview—will be passed around the industry and I may get blackballed or blacklisted. It makes sense though! If the interviewer is not respectful, I should be allowed to excuse myself from the situation. The fact that it is an interview should not get in the way of respect and comfort.
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