• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Catherine Gacad

  • About
  • Categories
    • Archives
    • Blogging
    • Burning Man
    • City Guides
    • Education & Politics
    • Favorite Books
    • Finances & Retirement
    • Parenthood
    • Relationships
    • Religion
    • San Francisco Bay Area
    • Travel
  • Hire Me
  • Subscribe
    • Feedburner
    • Bloglovin
    • Feedly
  • Search

All Posts

Interviewing: High and Low

I’m not going to blab about several weeks of interviewing. Instead I thought I’d describe one high and one low moment.

Low

It was a 3 on 1 interview with three gloomy consultants on one side of the table and me on the other. No warmth, no friendliness, all business. I felt like a lamb in a lion’s den. Let me preface that if I were in their shoes and looking to hire someone, I would be completely normal. I’d ask the candidate about their background. I’d tell them about the position. Then I’d have them talk about why they’re interested and qualified. Simple enough.

That’s not what was on their agenda. All they cared about was hiring the smartest person for the position. Are you smart enough to work along side us? That’s what they wanted to know. People, this isn’t a Mckinsey or Pimco interview! Besides, we’re peers. We work for the same company and that’s how you treat me?

I asked for more clarification on the job description since it was written very generically. Bad move. I offended them. “What do you mean the job description was vague? What was vague about it?”

After a painful hour, they asked if I had any final questions. The interview had gone so poorly, I honestly thought to make a joke of it. I was so tempted to say, “Look, it’s obvious you guys don’t like me. And I sure as hell am scared of you. So I’ll just see myself out.”

But instead, the little lamb said, “No, I think I”m done.”

High

Several highs more than compensated for the low I described, but I was excited when an email came through this morning from one of the companies I’d been interviewing with. I’d told them bluntly via email that my search was over, so there wasn’t any point in continuing to interview with them. They asked if there was any way I would reconsider, and if not, they wanted me to know that there was always a direct line of communication to them if my plans change in the future. Super nice. Now that’s a company I’ll always have in the back of my mind.

Related

Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares

04.25.12

Tweet
Pin
Share
0 Shares

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to my site, derived from an advice column I wrote while getting my MBA. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I give helpful, opinionated advice based on my own experience and from the expertise of my extensive network. For more, click here.

Categories

  • Archives
  • Blogging
  • Burning Man
  • City Guides
  • Education & Politics
  • Favorite Books
  • Finances & Retirement
  • Parenthood
  • Relationships
  • Religion
  • San Francisco Bay Area
  • Travel

Popular Posts

  • Palm Reading
  • An Exploration of World Religions: Zoroastrianism
  • Real Estate Update: 2 Offers, 2 Days
  • Christmas Hope
  • What to Do in Lake Tahoe During the Summer
  • Retirement, You Elude Me
  • Mission Chinese: NYC
  • What to Know About the Lair of the Golden Bear
  • Guide to Carmel-by-the-Sea
  • Why Do Guys Date Girls Who Barely Speak English?

Back to top

© 2021 Catherine Gacad.