25 Dec Celebration of My Failures: 6 more interviews that I failed (Part 2 of 2)
In my first post, I laid out 5 interviews that I failed. That was just the start. I have 6 more to go. These interviews being the most recent.
6) Large C0mpany Interview #1 that consisted of 17 interviews only to end in an a rejection.
This interview #1 consisted of 17, yes 17 interviews over the span of 3 weeks. I made it to 17 interviews and I still managed to mess it up. After 3 years at a large consulting firm, I’m looking to get out of consulting. I had a referral within this large company so I was able to get an interview. First set of phone interviews go great, then I go to on campus interviews. This company eally did their due diligence before sending me out their. Everyone loved me until I get to the last interviewer. She asked me “who was your worst manager”. I told her about another coworker I worked with at a consulting company. She then asked “Can I get her contact information”. I was like WTF mate, and I will look into it. Then she asked me about my writing skills and if I can send her a writing sample. All I can think about was – lady, I implement technology systems for a living and why are you asking for this? I think my resume was kind of jacked, and she didn’t think I can write for shit. She was probably right. Then they started asking for referrals from my CURRENT job before I got a job offer from them, and that’s when I put my foot down. You want me to tell my current firm that I’m interviewing with your company and mess everything up before I even know that I have an offer from your company? I’m stupid, but not that stupid. I said no thank you and told them I couldn’t give them any contact information.
I had another technical interview (which was my 17th) that I messed up royally. They were basic programming questions that I should have answered properly but I blanked out. I messed it up, but overall the whole interview process was pretty intense. It’s OK though I’ll get a second shot. If I made it to 17 interviews on my first shot, I can definitely improve and get an offer the second time right? WRONG!
7) Large company interview #2 several years later. My second chance to get a rejection from the same company. Then the worst timed nap ever happened.
I was searching for a local job for this company and I ran across a enterprise technical sales position that I thought I would be perfect for. I worked some magic, came up with a great cover letter (an email) and I found every single person on linkedin that is connected with someone at this company. I sent about 15 emails, and I worked my networking skills. BAM, I got an interview.Interview is scheduled at 1pm, I reschedule my real job meetings around it and I’m ready to go at 1pm. 1pm comes around – no call. 1:30 rolls around, no call. At 2pm I said forget it he probable had a last minute meeting. Since I rescheduled all my meetings and I was at home – I had nothing to do. So I decided to take a nap. At 3pm during the best part of my nap, I get a call from the interviewing manager.
This is where I make the biggest mistake ever. I’ve always believed that I’m the best “wake up and answer the phone like I’ve been up for 8 hours” type of person. So what did I do? I picked up the phone. Apparently, my “just woke up skills” aren’t as good as I thought. I was so excited for the interview that I didn’t want to wait to call him back with the fear that he might not pick up. I had no idea what questions he asked, all I know is I didn’t get offered the second chance to interview 17 times to get rejected at the end anyway. Yes, i’m still mad! Mostly at myself though.
8 ) Large Company at a Job Fair. I took my resume back from the recruiter because the paper was just too nice to waste.
This wasn’t a real interview, but was at a job fair in College. I wait in line for 45 minutes to talk to this company. At the time, the company was WAYYYYY out of my league and it was everyone’s dream to work there. It’s finally my turn and I start talking to the recruiter. I can tell immediately this guy hates me and gives me the whole “well, here’s our brochure, and you can apply online business”. I don’t know what was wrong with me, but I did the unthinkable: I snatched my resume back from his hand and I walked away. I printed that shit on nice & expensive paper. In college, every penny counts. I don’t got time for it to be put in bullshit “don’t hire” piles. It wasn’t my proudest moment, but still made me feel like I did something for the team.
9) Consulting Interview with big name consulting firm. Name not included so this part doesn’t get out of control.
This was a second round interview in NYC. They HOOKED us up with a nice hotel & the interviews were done on the 55th floor in the middle of Times Square. This interview actually went really well, but i didn’t get the job. One of the interviewers actually asked me what nationality I was. He was indian and I’m brown (but not indian) so I told him what nationality I was. I thought that was some good brownie points (no pun intended). I don’t think I didn’t get the job because of that – but I could have made a lot bigger deal out of it then I did. I almost don’t know why they flew me out there if I was going to have amazing interviews, and just get a rejection.
10) Large Consulting Company interview. Sometimes I just need to keep my mouth shut regardless of how mad I am.
This time it’s for a real “change management” position. It’s an onsite interview in Upstate New York. This interview was after I already received my job offer from another consulting company. So at this point, I didn’t really care what happened – It was just free travel & I’ll see what this company has to offer. The company booked my flights and when they booked my flights, they weren’t non stop. That really ticked me off. Really, you want to hire me and you’re going to make me stop somewhere else when there are clearly non stop flights to white plains which is 5 mins away from your offices? So whatever, I get there and everything is so disorganized. You got to this company resort the night before the interviews, literally not knowing when your interviews are or what you should be doing. I wake up early the next morning and figure it all out. So at this point, I was sort of disgruntled and during my first interview – The first words out of my mouth were how disorganized the whole process was.
It was a bad, bad, horrible mistake in hindsight, but you also have to remember I had an offer in hand ready to go. Long story short, I spent 18 hours traveling to NYC for 2 30 minute interviews. That’s it, 2 interviews. Of course, I had a stop on the way back too. I didn’t get that offer obviously because of my whining. It was pretty stupid.
11) Consulting Company – What’s your name again?
This interview being my most recent interview. I’m ready to quit my job, but not sure where I want to go. I get an interview from Point B, and i’m all ready to go and interview with them. I get to the office and I walk up to the lady at the front desk and tell her I have an interview with Nancy. She says, GREAT – take a seat and she’ll be right with you. I go to the bathroom and when I get back, Nancy is ready to go. She then gives me her business card. Her name’s not Nancy. It’s Sally. GREATT!! I’m screaming at myself. I know while I was gone to the bathroom, the secretary spilled the beans to Nancy, cuz my dumbass had to go to the bathroom. If I just did 2 seconds of preparation, I would have not made this mistake and switched up the names. All I can think of is how the hell did I come up with Nancy.
The secretary never corrected me. Never gave me a “huh” or whatever. She just knew that I messed up, and she was just ready to gossip to Nancy / Sally my mistake. So the interview sucked, and she was just totally not interested in me. I’m convinced that was the reason. I’m a firm believer that the moment you walk into the building for an interview, the interview has already started.
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PS: Read the only resignation letter template you’ll ever need.
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