Ever get the feeling that the interviewer doesn't want you to get the job?

Ever been in this situation where an interviewer doesn't see you as a fit into the company, but you have the skills and work experience for the job? What did you do?

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NetworkNewb

applied for more jobs when I got home.

Legacy User

Don't take it personal just keep applying. The interviewer has to make sure not only if you have the skills but if they like you which is what makes the final decision.

markulous

One of the last couple interviews I had, it sure seemed like that. Interviewed with like 5 people in the company and they all went pretty well, then got to the guy that would be my boss and he seemed annoyed that I was there from the get go. Felt like a waste of my time at that point. If you don't like my resume or think I'm not a fit before you see me then great, tell me beforehand, but otherwise we've both got better stuff to be doing.

I just move on to the next job opportunity. Don't let it get to you.

NOC-Ninja

Would you be surprise that sometimes, the interviewer already have someone in mind?

scaredoftests

I was on one interview, one of the people of the panel, kept getting up and sighing 'she didn't have time for this'. I really felt like getting up and saying the same thing.

networker050184

Sometimes I can tell in the first five minutes I wouldn't want to work for the boss. I'm sure it goes the other way as well. Gotta find a good fit for you and them.

Plantwiz

Fayz wrote: »

Ever been in this situation where an interviewer doesn't see you as a fit into the company, but you have the skills and work experience for the job? What did you do?

If your personality doesn't fit the company profile, why would you want to work there? So, take the interview experience, and move along to find something more of your fit and theirs. It happens.

Phileeeeeeep651

Had an interview like that last month, panel interview with 4 people. Everyone was very receptive and engaging with me except the guy who was supposed to be my direct manager. Asked me maybe 3 questions during an hour long interview, nothing remotely technical. Needless to say I didn't get that job. I don't think he liked me from the start judging by the fact that he avoided my handshake. You can't take it personal, just have to shrug it off and move on to the next one.

OctalDump

That's a bit unprofessional. It's unfortunate that hiring practices still allow that kind of thing to happen.

dmarcisco wrote: »

Don't take it personal just keep applying. The interviewer has to make sure not only if you have the skills but if they like you which is what makes the final decision.

It's really unfortunate that whether they "like" you matters. It sounds like picking for teams when you are 9 years old, not a professional environment. People should be able to focus on the job, and not whether they like someone's haircut or how they talk.

I wonder how much of this poor decision making is hurting productivity.

kohr-ah

All the time. Only thing that bothers me is if I am not interested in a position during an interview I don't waste your time if you don't feel I am a good candidate please don't waste my time.

Otherwise oh well. *shrug* there will always be more opportunities. May take some time but I know my goal and somebody else isn't going to stop me.

fmitawaps

I had a phone interview a couple weeks ago for a job I got. The very last line on the bottom of my 3 page resume was a single line about my military time. The interviewer noticed it and brought it up in the group phone interview.

2 weeks later, when I went in for the in person meeting, I felt like I was halfway to getting the job before I even got there, and I ended up getting it. I don't know if I was hired only because of veteran status, I hope not, but either way, the paychecks are very much needed! It is a nice step up in work experience, which will help me down the road a ways.

pevangel

Sometimes, it takes more than skills and experience to get the job. Interviewers will also make judgment based on your personality/behavior.

OctalDump

Or your skin colour, or weight, or height or shoes or haircut or accent or perceived gender or sexuality or age...

TheFORCE

Then they are asking for a lawsuit for discrimination.

scaredoftests

I was actually asked my age, how long I planned to work etc on one interview (it was a second interview..a family business-I had interviewed with the older son). It was one of the oddest interviews I ever had.

OctalDump

TheFORCE wrote: »

Then they are asking for a lawsuit for discrimination.

Nah, they'll just talk about "cultural fit" or "personality" or "not quite what we are looking for at this time". Actually proving you didn't get a job because of some legally protected discrimination thing is usually not worth the pain. And quite a few of those things aren't actually protected, either. So you yeah, not hiring someone because they are fat could be completely legal in some places.

That's assuming that the person interviewing is even aware that's why they don't want to hire you.

Anonymouse

NOC-Ninja wrote: »

Would you be surprise that sometimes, the interviewer already have someone in mind?

This right here. Sometimes they already have a candidate but have some sort of requirement to fulfill on how many people they interview. This was hinted to me during an interview with short remarks here and there. Pretty much I was told near the end that I was mostly contacted to pad out interviews but however they were very interested in me. I'm sure the second part was all BS.

TechGromit

Fayz wrote: »

Ever been in this situation where an interviewer doesn't see you as a fit into the company, but you have the skills and work experience for the job? What did you do?

Not the interviewer, but one company I applied for a job, the person that scheduled the interview told me the wrong day and time for the interview. I found out later that the person that scheduled me for the interview also applied for the job, talk about a conflict of interest.

Fayz

Wow that's insane never heard of that before but that's messed up, probably saw you as a threat.

LeBroke

@=TechGromit
I'm not one to ever go full American, but to me that sounds like grounds for a lawsuit.

That said, I completely disagree regarding hiring for company culture.

IMO someone that fits into the current atmosphere will often be a better and more productive fit for the company, in addition to being more pleasant to work with.

bpenn

This stuff happens in the government so much. Good ole' boy system in full effect.