Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with jobinterviews

How do I let people know I got screwed without saying I got screwed?

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:11:10 -0800

Short version: I was fired for taking parental leave. I am now looking for new work. What do I tell potential future employers about the reason I left my previous job? I work(ed) in the print industry, in Canada. When my son was born late in 2008, I took 37 weeks of parental leave. My wife was unable to take a leave herself because she is self-employed. This had all been arranged with my employer, who made no indication that there was any issue with my taking a parental leave. It should be noted that in Canada an employer cannot fire an employee for taking a parental leave, nor can they eliminate the person's position or really do anything to penalize a person for taking leave to care for their newborn children.

I returned to work in the summer and was fired within 2 months for very vague, undefined reasons. Though it has not been stated as such, it is pretty clear that the dismissal was a reprisal for having taken leave in the first place. I've consulted with a lawyer and I'm clear on my rights and what action I can take against them (and I WILL be taking action against them). My previous employer provided me with a glowing letter of reference (completely in contradiction of his actions towards me) and has stated that any telephone references would be positive.

That still leaves me with a difficult issue. How do I bring this up to potential employers? I think it would be inappropriate to just say "I was fired for taking parental leave," since that has yet to be proven and even if it was proven it might make me look like a litigious pain. So, is there a way around the truth, that still isn't a lie? Some amorphous, touchy-feely, buzzwordy thing I can say to deflect attention from this hornet's nest of stupidity?

Political consulting firm interview: what to expect?

naoko — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 12:05:02 -0800

I have an interview tomorrow (yikes) with a political consulting firm. Problem: I don't actually know what this means. What exactly do political consultants do? What kind of questions should I expect to be asked? What kind of questions should I ask them? Help! My background: I'm 23, have a BA in government, interned for a campaign, and have spent the last year in an entry-level government job. It didn't really occur to me to pursue consulting, but I'm starting to get antsy in my current job and a friend hooked me up with this interview, so I thought I'd check it out. At the very least I'll learn something and get some interview practice.
I was feeling pretty calm about it until just now - I realized I have no idea what I'm doing and really would like to make a good impression, in case I decide this is something I'm interested in after all. I hope I'm not in completely over my head here.
I know there have been previous consulting threads and I've read those and they've been somewhat helpful, but most of them seem more oriented toward than politics. The firm I'm interviewing for works with the Democratic Party, individual campaigns, and nonprofits.

Thanks!

Give me the job already, dammit!

KokuRyu — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:34:02 -0800

How should I prepare for behavioral questions in a job interview? I'm in the process of switching from contracting to full-time employment. Through my work as a consultant, I know a lot of HR and hiring managers in the town where I live. Over coffee, I mentioned to one of these people that I had just had a job interview. She said, "you're a writer, aren't you? Why don't you apply for the writing job at our company?"

So I did. Tomorrow, I have three hours of interviews with 8 people, including all the stakeholders up to the CEO (it's a startup of 50 people).

The job involves creating marketing collateral, etc., with no responsibilities other than being the house wordsmith (no technical writing or documentation). It's a fast growing company, so there *may* be a ladder up to bigger and better things. But I like writing, specifically creating content that builds a brand or helps people sell stuff.

Behavioral questions always throw me. "Could you tell me about a time when," or "What would you do if?"

I think I have the "What is your biggest weakness?" question down:

Identify weakness (eg, time management) + ways you are addressing this weakness

But the questions the HR managers lob at you always leave me scrambling.

Any help would be appreciated.

Interviewing for a job with another offer already out there

apple scruff — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 13:11:46 -0800

I was offered a job that starts next week. I have an interview tomorrow for a job I'd rather have. How should I approach this during the interview? When it rains, it pours.

After not working for a while, I was just offered a contract job with one company. They want me to start at the end of next week. I have accepted the offer, but tomorrow I have an interview for a full-time job that I would much rather have. I am not sure how long they would take to make the decision, but I am wondering how, or if, I should mention that I need an answer as soon as possible about my prospects with the company.

Some additional info: the job I'm interviewing for is an entry-level position for a smaller company and I believe there's only one round of interviews. I'm also fairly confident that I will be offered the position (I'm not sure, of course, but my general feeling is one of positivity). Advice, personal anecdotes, and anything else helpful or interesting would be appreciated. Thanks :)

Preparing for a panel job interview.

footnote — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 11:16:14 -0800

How do I prepare for a job interview with a panel of 5-6 interviewers? I've got an interview coming up this week and have been told that it'll be with a panel of 5-6 people. I've been through dozens of one-on-one interviews in the past few years, and for those I've evolved from "totally terrified" to "can pretty much do ok."

But I've noticed that I have a harder time when there's more than one person asking me questions -- it seems harder to get in the flow and focus, easier to let the nerves creep up. Any advice?

How do I convince corporate America that this nonprofit guy is a star in waiting?

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Aug 2005 23:09:32 -0800

How do I convince a corporate VP that my nonprofit skills are completely transferrable for the job for which I have a phone interview Friday? I've done nonprofit communications for nine years of my 14-year career, including the last six. I've had some corporate bites over the last year, but nothing great. On Friday I'm talking with a corporate VP on the phone for a PR manager's job. How do I let her know that the skill set I've built will be an incredible asset for her company?

Ever interviewed for a job with the AFL-CIO?

kimota — Fri, 13 May 2005 10:27:00 -0800

My wife is interviewing with the AFL-CIO for a union organizing position--any tips? My wife is super excited about this potential career path, but is also really anxious about blowing it in the interviews. She apparently did well on the first round, but the second round involves scenario-based questions. Does anyone have any tips to help her prepare? I think having some examples would help alleviate her stress.

Travelling from New Jersey to Washington, DC cheaply & quickly?

XQUZYPHYR — Fri, 24 Sep 2004 14:42:05 -0800

Job interview in Washington, DC. I live in New Jersey. Cheapest/fastest/best way to do this? (More Inside) My job interview is on Tuesday, about a block from the Mall in DC. I live basically in between Newark and New York City, which are both hubs for trains and planes. My options appear to be as follows:

1. Cheapest way: Drive there. Takes, without traffic, four hours. Costs whatever filling the tank is.
2. Safest way (schedule-wise): Amtrak. The only available options to fit my schedule are the Acela, which is about $170 to get there, or an unreserved coach seat, which will cost $75, take 3-4 hours, and not guarantee a place to sit.
3. Fastest way: Fly. Travelocity offers a round-trip from Newark Airport to Dulles that fits the schedule for about $130, plus the cost of a day at a Newark garage and transport from Dulles to the Mall. Each way is about 1.5 hours. I can drive to Newark no problem, and the arrival in DC gives a two-hour window for delays and to get from the airport to the interview.

On the surface it looks like plane is the best way to go. My issue is I haven’t been on an airplane in twelve years. Especially since 9/11, I have no concept of how early I need to be at the airport, how likely a delay could be, and for how long.

My priority is, of course, not being late for the interview, closely followed by not having to spend a load to get there. Distant third would be the time the trip would take.

Other than that, I could drive down and look for hotels and stay overnight, but that seems needlessly expensive. Does anyone have NY-DC trip experience? Knowledge of how crowded an Amtrak train is?

Hiring for a Job

Eamon — Fri, 24 Sep 2004 08:16:09 -0800

JobFilter: There are plenty of online resources for those seeking a job, e.g. resume tips and example cover letters. However, I can't seem to find any examples that would be useful for the person on the other end... I've found myself in a management position, and now I need to hire people! I think I came up with a pretty good canned response for all the resumes I received, but now I'm ready to invite people in for an interview. I've bashed out a few drafts, but the correct mix of friendliness and formality continues to elude me. Where can I get tips on writing this sort of stuff?

Following Up on Job Applications

ferociouskitty — Sat, 08 May 2004 09:42:38 -0800

I've finished my teacher education program and now I want a job. I sent out resumes to every school system I was interested in and followed up with the basic "Just want to confirm you received it" blah blah blah. I've been told that, now that some systems are posting openings, I should be calling them regularly to keep them aware of my name. But... what do I say? Also, how do I get past the office staff and talk to the people making decisions? How important is it to do that? How much is too much? If I get somewhat shot down, is there any recovery? (Specifically there, I called to ask when Mr. Assistant Superintendent would be beginning the interview process, was told that he already has, could I schedule a time to speak with him, told that he's already called everyone he wishes to speak to.)