why did they get the job?

heretolearn_2 · 6 May 2011 at 6:35PM

Why and how one candidate gets the job over the other applicants is a subject of eternal interest here. From interviews we conducted yesterday, I've got to say, the only thing that distinguished the person we picked was enthusiasm.

We interviewed 6 people, all very similar in qualifications and experience. On paper, nothing between them. the job needed that qualification and experience although it also included working in area X, a specialised sub-field of what they already did, that we didn't expect anyone to know much about and would train the candidate. the job ad and the information we sent them said that their primary responsibility would be area X.

OK, one had a fit of nerves and walked out when asked to do a simple IT test. So that's down to 5.

All very nice and competent people.

Out of the five, 3 knew absolutely zilch about area x and didn't even know what it was. 1 had heard of it. 1 hadn't heard of it before applying, but had researched it on the internet, read up on it the night before the interview, learn some of the legal/technical issues already, and was keen to learn more. She was also the only person who'd looked at our website and learned a bit about us.That was the person who got the job.

Made our decision a nice easy one this time :T

Gingernutty · 6 May 2011 at 7:15PM

My very first job EVER was as a Saturday girl at Woolworths when they still had delicatessen counters and grocery sections. My mum knew one of the ladies who worked as a supervisor. The saying about what you know and who you know can count regardless of the level of the job.

I got my very first full time job on leaving school because I knew how to wire a plug, I was the only one of the candidates who knew to locate and stop the mains water supply before trying to change a washer on a tap and because I lived the closest (within sight of the hospital).

Enthusiasm counts for a lot, but sometimes the most random elements can be a major factor.

catmiaow · 6 May 2011 at 9:19PM

I always look at the company website its best to be prepared, I can't believe people don't do this!

Gingernutty · 6 May 2011 at 10:48PM

catmiaow wrote: »

I always look at the company website its best to be prepared, I can't believe people don't do this!

I went for a job interview on Wednesday and did just that. Read up all about the manufacturing site I was going to and all about the new parent company that took over a few years back.......

.......only to be told at the interview that the website was out of date and they had, in actual fact, been taken over by someone else again!

You really can't win some days. :eek:

However, I did get some brownie points for travelling to the site the day before to see where the interview was going to be.

Bitter experience has taught me that. Work out where you are going, how to get there and how long it's going to be.

And a 'dry run' with your clothes as well, wouldn't go amiss. I've had a couple of wardrobe malfunctions before now.

heretolearn_2 · 7 May 2011 at 8:23AM

oh yeah, the dry run or at least planning out how to get there/where it is. I'm not impressed by people who are late because they couldn't find parking or got lost. Had someone once who couldn't find us, rang in, and it turned out they were in a different town altogether!

feeling · 7 May 2011 at 8:38AM

Good advice, heretolearn, thanks. Do your research and speak at the interview like you actually want the job are two key things.

PasturesNew · 7 May 2011 at 2:11PM

I've been employed because I lived nearby and would be walking - previous job holder had often had trouble finding a parking spot.

I've been hired because they thought I was too old to start wanting to have kids. I've also been hired because I don't have any and they knew it'd be OK for me to work odd hours without notice, or be sent 200 miles for 3 weeks without knowing when I'd be allowed back.

I've also been not hired because they were looking for somebody older, who wouldn't be leaving to possibly have kids in the next few years (this was common in the 70s and 80s).

I've been not interviewed because I lived too far away and employers wanted a local candidate.

I've been employed because I have a nice speaking voice - and they wanted their answerphone message recording.

I've been not hired because they "had a disabled quota to fill".

Many random reasons.... it's not just about enthusiasm.

bristol_pilot · 7 May 2011 at 2:18PM

Appointing someone who knew nothing about 'area X' other than what they had looked up on the internet but had prepared well for interview and said all the right things might come back to bite the OP's organisation. Let's hope 'area x' isn't something vital like designing jet engines or diagnosing cancer.

However, the OP is absolutely right to say that this is an approach that will often win for the candidate at interview - one reason why interviews are not a good selection tool, but that is not the candidate's problem it is the employer's.

paulwf · 7 May 2011 at 9:38PM

I have to agree with the OP, it is amazing how few people spend 30 minutes online researching the bare basics about the company. If someone can't be arsed to put in the effort I can't be arsed to put in the effort to hire them.

Savvy_Sue · 7 May 2011 at 10:11PM

heretolearn wrote: »

oh yeah, the dry run or at least planning out how to get there/where it is. I'm not impressed by people who are late because they couldn't find parking or got lost.

Even less impressive when you know they DO know where you are, and only have to WALK from round the corner!

heretolearn wrote: »

Had someone once who couldn't find us, rang in, and it turned out they were in a different town altogether!

:rotfl: classic ...

Strider590 · 7 May 2011 at 11:16PM

heretolearn wrote: »

Out of the five, 3 knew absolutely zilch about area x and didn't even know what it was. 1 had heard of it. 1 hadn't heard of it before applying, but had researched it on the internet, read up on it the night before the interview, learn some of the legal/technical issues already, and was keen to learn more. She was also the only person who'd looked at our website and learned a bit about us.That was the person who got the job.

Made our decision a nice easy one this time :T

My only comment to that is..... Learning a little about something is not the same as doing it.

It's like.....

The uni grads who just get through by memorising a few text books (which they then forget), they usually have the gift of the gab, they talk the talk, but cannot walk the walk.

But those those with good honest skills and interest in a subject, they don't tend to talk too much or use big words to confuse you into thinking they're great.

Friend of mine works for a school, he's does all the IT work, he has hardly any qualifications.
The school take on a graduate with a degree in computer science. On her first day, she's asked to reinstall windows on a machine, but she doesn't know how.
She's asked to change a faulty power supply in a teachers PC, but she doesn't know how.
She's asked to connect up a brand new PC, she plugs the USB keyboard into the printer/parallel port and can't work out how to turn on the monitor.

The end result is my friend passes her simple work and has her calling his mobile every 5 minutes because she can't do something. He wouldn't mind but she gets paid more.

Unfortunately these days we have far too many people getting places just because they learn a few big words and as I found when interviewing people, I can see when someone is talking crap, but my manager at the time thought they were great because he wasn't an engineer and just thought that big words = knows their stuff.

why did they get the job?

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