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reasons i didn't land an assignment left me personally insulted


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Hi there,

 

I went for an interview with a small company to assist in the finance sector as their previous employee had walked out of the job 3 days earlier ( they told me this in the interview) since it was such short notice before the interview they weren't able to write me out a proper job description and the guy who was interviewing me had only been at the company 2 months and he had previously worked at 6 different companies in the last 5 years.

 

I was in the interview for 90 minutes which I felt was an extremely long time, they assessed me on my body language, asked me how I dealt with confrontation, asked me questions about the job and tested me. The interviewer even brought the managing director in to meet me.

 

To be honest the role was a lot less than the salary i'd have liked, but I thought maybe if I made a good impression I could then start negotiating after the interview maybe? so I still tried to leave a good impression.

 

i'm currently working at a much much larger company and earning more money than the salary that was offered at this interview, i'll be honest, the main reason I went to the interview was because my position at my current job is only temporary even though they keep asking for me to stay on longer so i really only went to the interview to hopefully scare my current job into hopefully offering me a position and not losing me.

 

After my 90 minute interview I went back to my current job and worked myself to death again.

 

By the end of the day, the agency called me up with feedback from the interview informing me I didn't get the role.

 

The reasons I didn't get the role were because when the interviewer asked me where I saw myself in 5 years I couldn't give a solid answer and he wanted me to say ' with this company' even though he's been with 6 different ones himself in the last 5 years.. and i'd only found out about the company 3 days ago and didn't even how a clear job description or know anybody there that well and to be honest where you see yourself in 5 years and where you end up are always 2 different things anyway..

 

The second reason was that I didn't stand up to shake his hand when he walked into the interview room.. fair enough I probably should have.

 

The last reason was because I wasn't clean shaved.. which I just find petty considering I turned up in a bmw, a suit and some really expensive aftershave / shoes / watch etc.

 

he did say that I demonstrated that I was capable of doing the role to an exceptionally high standard and efficiently though.

 

I'm just feeling insulted. I can't believe they wasted 90 mins of my time and put me through everything they did when he already decided not to give me the role the second he walked in , saw my beard and I didn't stand up to shake his hand.

 

I'm so confused. what are your thoughts? I wish I didn't take it so personally but I think there were some personal digs considering he did say I demonstrated I was capable of the job.

 

It makes me feel sorry for people who get judged with tattoos, their ethnicity , their sexual orientation, their gender, their age because today I didn't get a contract because of a bit of a beard.

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Sorry, I think you shouldn't go to an interview with stubble.

 

Part of an interview is giving a good first impression and not being properly groomed could indicate a number of other issues.

 

A BMW? How is anyone going to know what kind of car you drove up in?

 

A 90-minute interview? I've been on some interviews that were twice that long.

 

I think you are being petty...

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Sorry, I think you shouldn't go to an interview with stubble.

 

Part of an interview is giving a good first impression and not being properly groomed could indicate a number of other issues.

 

A BMW? How is anyone going to know what kind of car you drove up in?

 

A 90-minute interview? I've been on some interviews that were twice that long.

 

I think you are being petty...

 

 

he complimented my car when he walked in. I just used it as an example since he seemed like the judgmental type.

 

Me personally, I don't care what car you drive, what hair cut you have, I don't care if you listen to death metal in your free time. If you show you're capable and you're enthusiastic I believe you should be treated equally.

 

If you assume somebody has issues because of a beard then I believe you personally have issues.

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I also gave the time period of the interview because I believed it was ridiculous to waste that much of a persons time when you've already decided you're not giving them the job after you've judged them on a hand shake and their beard.

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Haha.

 

I found his reasoning hilarious.

 

I mean....you are capable of shaving:lmao: if the job requires it.

 

It is a bit of a joke to feel that a bit of a beared is indicative of any undesirable traits :lmao:

 

And he shouldn't have wasted your time if he knew that without a shaddow on doubt, he still wouldn't give you the role due to the beard and lack of handshake. He shouldn't have carried on if he knew indefinitely from that point forward that you had no chance.

 

And the five year vision.... It is pretty unprofessional to fault you on having a lack of desire to stay with a company long term when he himself has jumped companies several times within a relatively quick succession.

 

 

 

 

You sound like you have too much common sense to work for such a company anyway :lmao: they are obviously not the types of professionals you would get along with.

 

Good luck on your search. I found it to be a funny read.

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My company would likely not have hired you either to be perfectly honest with you.

 

The times of things just being about being able or not to do a job are over and employers want to see consistency.

 

Shaking a person's hand when you meet them is just every day normal manners. If he went to or actually did extend his hand and you didn't that is a personal rebuff in terms of body language. It shows disrespect.

 

HR and managers look into and know far more about psychology and body language now than ever before and it makes the process of choosing candidates easier.

 

As regards the unshaven look. The guy who interviewed you already knows that you didn't shave as you didn't see the role as important enough to look your best (let's face it you weren't going for the role for the purpose of getting the job but actually to scare your current employer).

If he also knew you were off to work after your interview then he would also know that you turn up for work unshaven. Depending on the length of stubble they could have been able to tell if you had not shaved the day before for your current job too.

 

The question about where you see yourself should bear no relation at all to his employment history. A company will want to hire someone who thinks long term, otherwise the investment they are making doesn't make financial sense. Training someone and also recruiting someone (if an agency is involved) costs money. A company will want to see a return on that investment and see it as a worthwhile investment.

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I wouldn't have hired you, either, but when I make up my mind about someone the instant I see them, the interview doesn't last more than 15 minutes. Perhaps they were trying to get a better picture of you and as more time passed, the less impressed they became.

 

Look, an interview is a first impression and you didn't give a good first impression. Always be clean shaven, unless you have a beard that looks like a beard, instead of looking like you just didn't feel like shaving that morning. Also, as someone else mentioned, a handshake is a very basic thing. This needs to become ingrained in you in every business dealing you have with anyone.

 

I'm sure you're a very qualified person but there is way more to getting a job than just being qualified. That's only the start. I interview people all the time. They don't even get through the door if they're not qualified. From that point on, I'm looking at their appearance, #1. If that turns me off, they're toast. Secondly, I'm looking to see if they're a fit for the job and the company. I also try to figure out if they're going to be difficult to manage or not. There is a lot going through the mind of an interviewer so don't think you're a shoe-in just because you're technically qualified. I can see where you made a lot of mistakes in this interview. If you're smart, you'll learn from it.

 

Also, just as a side note, your comment about going on the interview just to threaten your current employer was a very bad move. They shouldn't even be aware that you went on the interview. I know that when the owner of the company I work for hears about something like that, he starts to phase that person out because he sees them as being undedicated to his company. In your case, since your position is temporary, that could go either way. What I'm trying to say is be very quiet about any job interviews you have. The company you're with could possibly take great offense to you waving that in their faces. It's also possible that if they're not offering you a permanent position, there may be a good reason for it -- like they may not be able to budget for it, etc. Big corporations are known for all their red tape and keeping you on temporarily may be the only way they can justify your position.

 

Unless you know for sure what's going on behind the scenes, don't be too quick to judge. People do this all the time with their bosses and, the truth is, you don't know half of what goes on behind the scenes. I find this to be one of the most frustrating aspects of managing because people think they're so much smarter than their bosses when they really have no clue about the things their bosses have to deal with. A really smart person will learn this basic fact: if your boss feels like your goal is to support him or her, and that you want to make them look good, then you are eons ahead of the game.

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Calgary,

 

Sorry for the crappy feelings the feedback generated.

Rejection never feels good.

Of course it was highly personal but, it was helpful insight, don't you think?

 

I'm with the others who would not have hired you.

 

My field is creative so I anticipate some..."original dressers."

Yet for an interview, I expect effort, which is what shaving implies.

 

Regarding the handshake, I would wonder about your social skills and the impression imparted on clients.

Would you be similarly neglectful in your manners toward them?

 

But, I would carry through with the interview, in case you tipped the scales in some other ways.

It's not trying to dick you around; it could be extending a chance to redeem yourself.

Edited by cerridwen
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Look, an interview is a first impression...

 

I'm looking to see if they're a fit for the job and the company...

 

I also try to figure out if they're going to be difficult to manage or not...

 

you don't know half of what goes on behind the scenes...

 

if your boss feels like your goal is to support him or her, and that you want to make them look good, then you are eons ahead of the game.

 

While I don't agree with everything bathtub said, these words are golden. First impressions are so important. (I underestimate their importance myself. A lot. To my detriment.) Bottom line, they're sizing you up as best they can in that 1-2 hr interview, and all they care about is what you can do for them. Say/Do whatever it takes to convince them they'll be in good hands with you, and you're golden!

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I went for an interview with a small company to assist in the finance sector as their previous employee had walked out of the job 3 days earlier ( they told me this in the interview) since it was such short notice before the interview they weren't able to write me out a proper job description and the guy who was interviewing me had only been at the company 2 months and he had previously worked at 6 different companies in the last 5 years.

 

On the other hand, calgary, I think you dodged a bullet with this one. I see red flags all over the place here.

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On the other hand, calgary, I think you dodged a bullet with this one. I see red flags all over the place here.

Always shake the interviewer's hand, even if you have to make the first move.

 

Most companies don't mind a neatly trimmed goatee/mustache. Beards are a grey area, I'd recommend shaving or at least trim it down.

 

Live and learn, we all make mistakes. At least you got feedback. I'm rather suspicious of that company's turnover rate. Someone who walked out off the job and the manager who has had 6 jobs in 5 years. Plus the salary being minimal, you're not likely to stick around long term.

 

Also, why would you want another temp job that pays a lot less? You can't really negotiate with your current boss to offer you a better job by leaving for another temp position that pays less.

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thank you all.

 

I just want to make it clear that I did shake his hand, it's just that I was sat down when he walked in and I didn't stand up I just remained seated. It was a simple mistake but sometimes you get nervous and you don't always think of the basics, it all happened so fast.

 

second of all, i'm in my early 20's I have a highly responsible role where i'm working at the moment that demands respect and it's difficult for me because honestly if I shave I still look like a teenager... it's hard to command respect from men in their 50's when you look young enough to be their son. They just don't take you seriously. so I grew a beard in hopes it might make me look a little bit older and maybe people would take me more seriously. Age discrimination does happen and there's not really much I can do about it, it's just something that I have to accept that comes with the higher salary at my age.

 

if I was clean shaven then perhaps i'd be sat here telling you I didn't make the job because they may have suggested I was lacking experience or something ? I don't know I get called ' kid ' and ' boy' so who is to say it wouldn't have gone down that road instead.

 

I did dress correctly I really made the effort in all other respects, I am well groomed, I do have an electric razor and I trimmed it so it wasn't like wild or unkept looking, I pay a lot for my hair cut and wear aftershave etc. It's not that I didn't make an effort, I arrived promptly and when I sat in the room with 6 chairs around the table I picked the one facing the door etc, I feel like I sort of know to an extent what to do. I did behave optimistically about the job and enthusiastically towards challenges and explained how i'd address them and they were impressed with those answers and my attitude he did say that in the feedback.

 

It's like you said I dodged a bullet really. I wouldn't have been happy there, if they're so scrutinizing over the little things in an interview I can't even imagine how they would have behaved towards my work ethics.

 

They did keep asking me how i'd feel if I had finished a report and I got 100% marks on it but somebody suggested I approached it in a different way and how would I take that kind of opinion and I felt like they were hinting that is why the previous employee in the position left.

 

An interview swings both ways. I guess it's so you can get a feeling about the company and they can get a feeling about you and personally I wouldn't like to work for a company like that, many people may feel lucky to get that position but I've had better and I have better at the moment, I just don't know how to secure what I have is all.

 

I just felt a little insulted, i took it personally, i just wanted to talk work and do a good job for a company and i felt a little saddened that somebody would disregard my education, work experience and optimistic attitude over a poor handshake and beard.

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Ok, this puts a different complexion on some of the things you said. If they're so picky that they object to a well-trimmed beard, then they're being too picky. They were silly to even mention it. I'm not sure not standing for a handshake would cause me to decide that you weren't worthy of the job, either. I could see where something like that could happen quickly and take you off-guard.

 

As others have said, you probably dodged a bullet. This doesn't sound like a great company to work for.

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Ok, this puts a different complexion on some of the things you said. If they're so picky that they object to a well-trimmed beard, then they're being too picky. They were silly to even mention it. I'm not sure not standing for a handshake would cause me to decide that you weren't worthy of the job, either. I could see where something like that could happen quickly and take you off-guard.

 

As others have said, you probably dodged a bullet. This doesn't sound like a great company to work for.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

When you wrote "unshaven" I pictured a scruffy 5 o'clock shadow or somesuch.

Something, well, sloppy.

But trimmed facial hair?

Very conservative.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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thank's again everyone. Just a quick update, i got a higher paying job with a much more established company and they took me for dinner the other night. I'm so happy. I should probably let you all know that i didn't shave for the interview process. Infact one of the guy's interviewing me had a 5 o'clock shadow.

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thank's again everyone. Just a quick update, i got a higher paying job with a much more established company and they took me for dinner the other night. I'm so happy. I should probably let you all know that i didn't shave for the interview process. Infact one of the guy's interviewing me had a 5 o'clock shadow.

 

I would think it doesn't matter about the interviewer's stubble, or lack of - just the candidate. And that your beard is at least, well groomed anyway.

 

I'm happy for you that you secured a more permanent position than with your last employer. Though they must have liked you, to ask you to stay on longer.

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