Oh my, where do these people learn interview skill?

[mudnuri]

I resigned from my current position back in January- and gave a 6 week notice to finish up current projects, and allow for a smooth transfer between myself and the new hire. This past Monday and Tuesday we had interviews with 3 canidates...2 were recent college grads- 2001, and 2002, and the 3rd was an older applicate, approximatly 40.

1st canidate did pretty well, but lacked the skills needed for the position, budget/projection skills, grant writing, soliciting donations etc.. now these are skills that can be learned, however our busiest time of year is May-Sept, and budgets/grants follows that, it doesn't leave much time to learn the skills....he was black listed...lacked interview skills in the question/answer aspect....asked for a simple question "how would you encourage the youth in our community to participate in program development"....to be repeated 4 times for claification...it really wasnt that hard of a question.

2nd- older canidate....had some good skills, had budget skills, ....canidate was basically bashing programs we have in place...some of them new...some of them old, and again, some of them that we're very well attended, and others that were learning curves for us, programs we need to revamp etc....Now, I'm one of the interview decision makers...now, if research had been done by canidate as to who develops programs ME!! I doubt he would have bashed programs that I created...black listed from me!

3rd....okay this is the kicker.....get this- this kid has a double major, recreation/physical education...he works in our local school as a paraprofessional, and on occasion as a sub teacher..okay...."why did you apply for this position"...answer..."I want a job with more free time"...okay- this position is 50 hours a week..........hmmmmmmm WRONG answer....then he says ...

and this is direct qoute...."I would have applied a few years ago, but I hadn't been graduated yet..."...............yes-hadnt been graduated yet...

Do high schools NOT teach interview skills? Because if they don't boy they really should start.....

okay off my rant, my last day is suppose to be Sunday, and now I'm entering into negotiations to stay on for another season....taking a lot of soul searching, and family discussions regarding the time I am away from home etc....I'm going to have to delegate more at work, and learn how to say no to committee's and meetings etc.....uugghh

Brandy

 

[swea_pea1]

I'm no authority on the English language, but I remember thinking this sounded strange the first time I heard it when DH graduated from college. Here's an excerpt from dictionary.com

Usage Note: The verb graduate has denoted the action of conferring an academic degree or diploma since at least 1421. Accordingly, the action of receiving a degree should be expressed in the passive, as in She was graduated from Yale in 1998.

It seems to me that if "she was graduated from Yale in 1998" then she hadn't yet been graduated from Yale in 1997.

dictionary.com does go on to say that most people prefer "she graduated from Yale" but either is acceptable.

Some people are just nervous on interviews...I always take that into consideration although the "needing spare time" comment would have raised my hackles as well. Good luck on your decision!

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by mudnuri

and this is direct qoute...."I would have applied a few years ago, but I hadn't been graduated yet..."...............yes-hadnt been graduated yet...

Yep, he's right with that one. Maybe you should do your research before bashing HIM.

swea_pea found a dictionary that accepts "I graduated from," but when I was in high school, we were taught that this was WRONG usage.

 

[Disney Doll]

In the OP's defense, sometimes even when something is grammatically correct, it sounds funny or stilted in cinversation. "Hadn't been graduated" is one of those things. I personally would have thought it was grammatically incorrect as well.

In the context of that conversation, the person would have been better of saying "Hadn't graduated yet" or "Hadn't graduated at that time time". They also would have been better off not saying they were looking for more free time!

DocRafiki...a little cranky this AM, aren't we???

 

[mudnuri]

I think he would have been right HAD he not used the word been....as in "I hadn't graduated yet...".....not "hadnt been graduated yet..."...........notice the difference?...

Saying I graduated in 1997 is different than "i hadnt been graduated in 1997" the "been" is the word that ruins his sentance....

but anyway.......to ask my question again...do highschools in your area offer interview skills?

Brandy

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I just sat through three days of interviews. My pet peeves are people who do not take the time to check their spelling on the application and their resumes. Also, there is so much ME focus, this job could be good for ME, instead of this is what I can bring to the company. Other things I look for: if the person addresses everyone on the interview panel (there were three of us), if they are confident in their answers and my big one, if they have any questions for us. How can you know you really want to work in this place without asking questions about it?

As for interviewing skills, I believe I was taught some in high school and college.

Oh and the one thing that helped to get me jobs...writing a thank you letter after the interview. I had one employer tell me that is what put me ahead of another equally qualified candidate.

 

[Robinrs]

I had an interviewee show up with her mother and she was dressed in Daisy Dukes and a t-shirt....

Jasmine, I also agree with the thank you letter. It's nice to receive and nice to send!

 

[Pin Wizard]

I absolutely HATE interviewing! I stink at it. But you know what? I'm a GREAT employee! Just because I don't ask a question means I might automatically be bumped out. Well...YOUR LOSS!

 

[battricia]

the tuff thing about asking questions in an interview is that, while I'm fairly sure everyone has questions about the job they are interested in, the questions might not be to the liking of the interviewer. I read in a magazine that you should never ask questions about salary/benefits etc. it's too much of a 'what is your company going to do for ME' type question, which is exactly what Miss Jasmine said she didn't like about most of her interviewees. Sometimes I feel as if most of the questions I have about any job are "me"questions, so I just don't ask.

tricia.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Well in an ideal situation you know the company you are interviewing with (through a temp agency that may not be the case). You should research the company and have some general questions ready. For example, I work at an airport, we are a smaller airport and we stuggle with commercial carriers. Recently we have announced some international flights to commence near the end of this year. A candidate could have asked a general question about those situations. I did not mean questions about salary requirements and the like, just for the interviewee to actually seem interested in the company her or she supposedly wants to work for.

 

[wdwoldtimer]

The big question, Robinrs, is did Daisy Dukes get the job? I can think of a few workplaces where she'd get the job based on that alone.

 

[crazelion]

Do high schools NOT teach interview skills? Because if they don't boy they really should start.....

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

They don't teach those skills in high school and college anymore in college. When I came out high school they did not teach me how to fill out application. I tried found a class in college to teach me how to fill out a application and resume writing they don't have them.

I don't interview well either. I have so many things that going a against me it's pathic. I have a learning disablity and most places don't won't hire some with one. Don't try tell me it's different. One employer told me to my face he don't hire anyone with a disability period.

Some employer don't let take a appilcation out the building so there forth some us don't have access to a dictionary. Don't get start on the psychology test that love to give now. If fill out wrong you will not get hire.

I have winter job that offer no advance what's so ever. But the summer job that give me a chance. I went from pouring beer to concession stand manager in two years. I have achieve beyond my abilities. The man that interview me said I gave the most awfull interview he ever scence. He love to give people chance because some people is good at interviews and pass test but don't have the people skills that go with the job.

I have don't judge people on there interview and test skills because you will miss some very good employees that way.

 

[caitycaity]

my alma mater (college) offered resume/interview workshops through the career center. even alums can take advantage of them.

my high school though didn't have any kind of career training.

 

[minniecarousel]

I work in a public HS and there is a class here called " Work Experience" and students learn how to interview, how to fill out job applications, etc. The students must work in an outside job for at least 10 hours per week. It's defintely geared toward the student who won't be attending a 4-year university. Our school district used to have a class in Career Counseling that paired up with Drivers Education.

 

[missypie]

When I was a senior in HS, the college to which I had been admitted invited me to come for the weekend to compete for a scholarship. Part of the process was an interview with faculty in your major. That was my first interview ever in my life...I had not practiced for it. I had no idea what to expect. No teacher, counselor or parent had prepared me. (Of course, I didn't get the scholarship.)

I really really wish there was a chance to tell interviewees why they didn't get the job...but of course, lots of the reasons would probably be illegal. One lady I interviewed for a secretarial position at a law firm wore a blouse so low cut, it was just shy of Public Indecency. The lady was about 50 years old, so it's not like she shouldn't have known any better. I thought "If that's what she wears for the interview, what will she wear on Casual Friday." I really wanted to pull her aside and tell her to button up.