"We'd love to employ you, but ......."

[Provost Harrison]

Re: "We'd love to employ you, but ......."

Originally posted by duke o' york
I'm severely pissed off at the moment.
I've just been turned down for an excellent job on the basis that I was too serious in the interview.
I had the best test scores of anyone they've interviewed there (maybe not ever, but certainly as far back as the finance manager has been there), they said I did really well in the interview, but apparently have decided to pass on me on those ridiculous grounds.
It's a bloody interview - not a pub crawl!!!! I'd be worried if someone wasn't serious enough. Plus, I thought that the interview was fine, and we shared a few jokes that they have possibly blanked from their memories.

So, polytubbies, in a bid to relieve my gloom, what are the most outrageous reasons you have been refused a job for?

Sounds familiar duke o'york. I once had an interview for a toxicology lab that did a lot of organ bath/animal work. I was by a mile the one with the most experience, my research experience fitted the part perfectly and I had a good interview and a good rapport with the interview. Only one other competitor for the position - a fresh graduate with no experience. Who got the job? The other person...I was turned down for being 'too confident'.

At the end of the day though, if they wanted someone to be meek I wouldn't have fitted in. Perhaps they wanted someone who was more jovial (I'm not saying you aren't but often these teams had a certain dynamic, perhaps they have a different kind of humour or personality in mind when they are looking).

At the end of the day my personality traits make me very good at my position - I am confident and brassy, but I am hard working and take responsibility and never shy away from something - and they love that trait in me. At Novartis this jarred horribly with what they expected of me...horses for courses...and don't forget that. I know hindsight can be a wonderful thing though. Just keep pushing...

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by Japher
If it makes you feel better PH loses jobs because he's a pretentious snob

I'm certainly not pretentious (I know you're only kidding) but you have to be in the right environment to thrive...

[Japher]

My wife got turned down for a job, and they hired one of her employees instead (as the company they were coming from was folding)... Any way, my wife is glad she didn't get the job as the person who did is getting pushed around and being made to do menial tasks.

You can't push my wife around.

I know you're only kidding

Maybe I am, maybe I'm not

[chequita guevara]

My interviewer yesterday said I had a great personality. I sure tricked her.

This is why I think I got the job. They had a couple other people to interview, but I have the gut feeling I really clicked with the people doing the hiring.

[Kontiki]

I actually got turned down once for the opposite reason laid out in the OP - I was too laid back. It was for an investment banking position, and one of the interviewers (I interviewed with three different people)actually called me up afterwards and told me that she loved me, but that I was too laid back and not intense enough. Probably for the best, since it didn't take me much longer after that to decide that I didn't want to go into I banking. She actually called me up a year later when another position opened up at the same shop to encourage me to apply. It was nice to be remembered, but it just wasn't my bag.

[Japher]

It's a communist conspiracy!

[rah]

Employers rarely give the real reason why you are turned down. Mainly because it would land them in court way too many times. So don't try to correct something that may not be a problem.

There are exceptions of course

I did a behavioural interview with a candidate and every answer of his displayed his total lack of respect for any authority figures. I asked the person at the end about how he thought he did and he answered "I thought I nailed every question" My interviewing partner and I laughed for about an hour. We eventually told him that his skills didn't match the position requirements enough.

[JohnT]

Originally posted by MRT144
i think some the of time that happens where the person who is the best fit for the company gets hired rather best qualified.

Very astute, MRT. That is likely what happened here.

They know that you can do the job - your resume, test scores, and history show it. What the interview process is for is to see whether your personality is a good fit for the company.

I'm also surprised they actually told you why. You now can take them to court for wrongful hiring practices or something.

[Dis]

most of my jobs I've been hired at were for companies that were desparate for people. They had no choice, but to take me.

[Lancer]

The guy hired his cousin/brother/sister/etc no doubt.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by rah
I did a behavioural interview with a candidate and every answer of his displayed his total lack of respect for any authority figures. I asked the person at the end about how he thought he did and he answered "I thought I nailed every question" My interviewing partner and I laughed for about an hour. We eventually told him that his skills didn't match the position requirements enough.

At my last place they were interviewing for another web designer. They felt pretty much he was out of his depth, most of his design work previously being for his father. Then they asked him on a scale of 1 to 10, rate your Photoshop skill. He said a ten. We laughed about that for months afterwords, not because he was horrible, but simply that no one is a 10. The best people are 9s, simeply because the program is more powerful than anyone can master. Whenever there would be a lull in the conversation for a few months, someone would then just say, "I'm a ten."

I'm a total geek, aren't I?

[MRT144]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


At my last place they were interviewing for another web designer. They felt pretty much he was out of his depth, most of his design work previously being for his father. Then they asked him on a scale of 1 to 10, rate your Photoshop skill. He said a ten. We laughed about that for months afterwords, not because he was horrible, but simply that no one is a 10. The best people are 9s, simeply because the program is more powerful than anyone can master. Whenever there would be a lull in the conversation for a few months, someone would then just say, "I'm a ten."

I'm a total geek, aren't I?

[Lancer]

"I'm a total geek, aren't I?"

total? No. You're about a 9.

[Japher]

The Experts Agree: Che is a 9?

[The Emperor Fabulous]

I just wondered how you planned to live. Do you already have a job or business, wealthy parents, etc ??

I'm an actor. So I'll probably be living off of bartending and waiting jobs.