Should I mention sexual harassment in a job interview?
November 28, 2013 9:51 PM Subscribe
The primary reason I'm interviewing for another job two months into a new position is because this potential job is a better fit with my interests and will better prepare me to move forward in the field. The secondary reason is because I want to escape the subtle but frequent and unwelcome sexual harassment going on at my current job and the office culture that is aware of this one man's behavior but doesn't see it as a problem.
In my first interview, as expected, the recruiter asked why I was looking for work so soon into a new position, and I gave her my primary reason. In follow-up interviews with managers, I'm sure I'll be asked this question again. Should I stick with the better fit/advancement answer, or should I also mention the office acceptance of sexual harassment thing? In general, I know you're not supposed to say negative things about current/past employers in a job interview, but I’m wondering if this is worth mentioning, so I don’t just look like someone who got bored after a month and is looking for the next best thing.
In my first interview, as expected, the recruiter asked why I was looking for work so soon into a new position, and I gave her my primary reason. In follow-up interviews with managers, I'm sure I'll be asked this question again. Should I stick with the better fit/advancement answer, or should I also mention the office acceptance of sexual harassment thing? In general, I know you're not supposed to say negative things about current/past employers in a job interview, but I’m wondering if this is worth mentioning, so I don’t just look like someone who got bored after a month and is looking for the next best thing.
I would not mention it, solely because you really don't know the first thing about the person who will be sitting on the other side of that interview desk. I think the risk that they have some kind of negative reaction that could harm you either in terms of your job chances or somewhere down the line (i.e., by gossiping about the situation to their co-workers) is not worth the *potential* benefit of them having a better understanding of why you left. If they really push you or you sense they have major doubts, I would maybe add something like, "The office culture isn't the greatest" and leave it at that. I'm sorry you have to deal with this, and I hope you succeed in finding a safer and better work environment!
posted by pretentious illiterate at 10:17 PM on November 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by pretentious illiterate at 10:17 PM on November 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Nope. Don't mention it. All you have to do when asked us deflect. "Yes, I know it is short and I would have been happy there for a long while because of my interest/expertise in X, Y, and Z but what I don't see there, and which wasn't apparent when I started was room for advancement and this position you're offering is also so interesting to me because of A, B, and C. I can really see myself doing good work for you.... Yadda, yadda, yadda...."
Deflect as much as possible. Sometimes we have to flee a bad environment but ideally we want to run toward a new job and not away from. Too many people see the victims of sexual harassment or abuse as complicit or troublemakers. Don't give them the chance.
posted by amanda at 10:17 PM on November 28, 2013 [6 favorites]
Deflect as much as possible. Sometimes we have to flee a bad environment but ideally we want to run toward a new job and not away from. Too many people see the victims of sexual harassment or abuse as complicit or troublemakers. Don't give them the chance.
posted by amanda at 10:17 PM on November 28, 2013 [6 favorites]
Oh the other thing you can say is that "I saw this job, that I've wanted for years, it's so perfect blah blah blah I just had to take the opportunity and chance." If you're worried about the two month thing. As long as you have a decent track record, before this one two month job, you'll be fine.
posted by smoke at 10:20 PM on November 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by smoke at 10:20 PM on November 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
No. When you apply for a new job it is because it's a better opportunity. Stick with that.
posted by lester's sock puppet at 10:31 PM on November 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by lester's sock puppet at 10:31 PM on November 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
You're considering volunteering information that they probably couldn't legally ask you about. Don't do that. It's not their business, and it's a can of worms. If you mention it, you're counting on getting the right response from the person you're talking to, and the people he/she will talk to. Do you know anyone who has positive encounters with sexual harassment, or peripherally dealing with it in the workplace? Neither do I.
If you want a different or better answer that "not a good fit at my last job," snow them with "looking for broader experience," "looking to get into a more competitive/less competitive part of the field," whatever. Don't concentrate on the disadvantages of your old job, but expand on your ambitions for this prospective job. The two-month thing might be a sticking point, but in your shoes I'd emphasize that it's just a matter of unlucky timing that you got a lesser job just two months before this new opportunity, which you prefer to your current situation.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:33 PM on November 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
If you want a different or better answer that "not a good fit at my last job," snow them with "looking for broader experience," "looking to get into a more competitive/less competitive part of the field," whatever. Don't concentrate on the disadvantages of your old job, but expand on your ambitions for this prospective job. The two-month thing might be a sticking point, but in your shoes I'd emphasize that it's just a matter of unlucky timing that you got a lesser job just two months before this new opportunity, which you prefer to your current situation.
posted by Sunburnt at 10:33 PM on November 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
What smoke said...just no.
posted by Salamander at 11:24 PM on November 28, 2013
posted by Salamander at 11:24 PM on November 28, 2013
Good for you for seeking a different job and for getting to the interview stage. I agree with the above posters: Don't mention the harassment. Never badmouth a past job in the interview stage, for any reason. Remember, this is also a test to gauge your ability to spin experiences positively and to sell yourself as a candidate.
BUT. Apart from the job interview. Take care of yourself and make sure you're getting the help you need. Being the victim of sexual harassment can affect a person in myriad ways. It may help to work with a professional both to process your experiences and to work to combat sexual harassment in any future workplaces. Good luck.
posted by whenbynowandtreebyleaf at 11:26 PM on November 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
BUT. Apart from the job interview. Take care of yourself and make sure you're getting the help you need. Being the victim of sexual harassment can affect a person in myriad ways. It may help to work with a professional both to process your experiences and to work to combat sexual harassment in any future workplaces. Good luck.
posted by whenbynowandtreebyleaf at 11:26 PM on November 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
The time to mention this is a few months after you get this job, when you're out to lunch and want to tell your new co-workers how great they all are because man, there was this guy at my last job.... And not one moment before.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 12:54 AM on November 29, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 12:54 AM on November 29, 2013 [5 favorites]
Absolutely no. I am sorry and this sucks, but you'll look like a lawsuit waiting to happen.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:35 AM on November 29, 2013
posted by DarlingBri at 2:35 AM on November 29, 2013
Good answer what Smoke gave. A golden rule is to never talk about your former employer unless for objective facts. And always be positive. That's the best! Good Luck!
posted by dreamsandhope at 2:54 AM on November 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by dreamsandhope at 2:54 AM on November 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
Your primary reason is good enough. Don't open up a can of worms with such a contentious topic at your interview.
posted by like_neon at 4:13 AM on November 29, 2013
posted by like_neon at 4:13 AM on November 29, 2013
My initial gut reaction was, GOOD LORD NO! Then I thought about it for a few minutes and that is absolutely still my reaction. I'm in HR.
posted by magnetsphere at 6:26 AM on November 29, 2013
posted by magnetsphere at 6:26 AM on November 29, 2013
It's totally okay to look for a new job after just a couple of months. If you have a solid history of 2+ years at most other places you've worked, and this one place is just a couple months, it's totally okay to say "It is very clear that I made a mistake accepting this current position, and I want to put my efforts into a job where I see myself staying for years and years."
posted by colin_l at 8:15 AM on November 29, 2013
posted by colin_l at 8:15 AM on November 29, 2013
In general, I know you're not supposed to say negative things about current/past employers in a job interview
There is no good reason to ever break this rule, even for something like this.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:21 AM on November 29, 2013
There is no good reason to ever break this rule, even for something like this.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:21 AM on November 29, 2013
If you bring this up, the interviewer could feel uncomfortable and weird toward you. That is not how you want the interviewer to feel in the job interview. You want them to feel comfortable and positive toward you.
posted by John Cohen at 10:29 AM on November 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by John Cohen at 10:29 AM on November 29, 2013 [1 favorite]
Don't bring up the harassment. Your first reason is good enough.
But also, once the new job is in the bag, consider making a complaint at the old one. It's only the corporate culture to accept that because everyone thinks it's the corporate culture to accept that. A HR/legal scare coupled with a retention problem might do them some good.
posted by ctmf at 2:41 PM on November 29, 2013
But also, once the new job is in the bag, consider making a complaint at the old one. It's only the corporate culture to accept that because everyone thinks it's the corporate culture to accept that. A HR/legal scare coupled with a retention problem might do them some good.
posted by ctmf at 2:41 PM on November 29, 2013
Do not mention this. The only things you should mention in any job interview are things aiding you to become a successful applicant.
posted by Mario Speedwagon at 2:56 PM on November 29, 2013
posted by Mario Speedwagon at 2:56 PM on November 29, 2013
Human Resources departments exist more to prevent lawsuits than to provide justice.
Don't mention this.
Be prepared to deflect any questions such as "What improvements would you have
made in your previous job or work environment?" with "this job is a better fit with my interests and will better prepare me to move forward in the field" and have some very specific reasons.
If they ask you directly whether sexual harassment was a problem in your maybe former workplace lie and say no. This is not the time to save the world.
Do, assuming you get the job, by whatever means, make it known that sexual harassment was a problem in your previous job though.
It's not fair.
posted by vapidave at 3:55 PM on November 29, 2013
Don't mention this.
Be prepared to deflect any questions such as "What improvements would you have
made in your previous job or work environment?" with "this job is a better fit with my interests and will better prepare me to move forward in the field" and have some very specific reasons.
If they ask you directly whether sexual harassment was a problem in your maybe former workplace lie and say no. This is not the time to save the world.
Do, assuming you get the job, by whatever means, make it known that sexual harassment was a problem in your previous job though.
It's not fair.
posted by vapidave at 3:55 PM on November 29, 2013
Trust everybody here: absolutely do not mention sexual harassment in your job interview. Never never never. It's not fair, but it's good advice.
posted by Susan PG at 11:57 PM on November 29, 2013
posted by Susan PG at 11:57 PM on November 29, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
Absolutely don't say anything. Mention this, and some managers will think "will she sue us for sexual harrassment?"
It's completely unfair and untrue, but there it is. Don't mention it at all. If I were you I wouldn't mention the new position at all. A two month job seek is not unusual in the current environment.
posted by smoke at 10:12 PM on November 28, 2013 [23 favorites]