Job Interviews: The Frontline

I left a job that made me miserable in July. I spent the next month “detoxing” by doing the class time for a pilates mat certification that I’ve wanted to do for about 6 years. Then I started the job hunt in earnest.

Over the past 5 months I have had at least a dozen informational interviews with people in a variety of fields, in addition to countless job interviews. While I haven’t found the right fit and right next job yet, I’ve certainly built my network.

All this interviewing leaves me with many tales of job interviewing gone awry, which can entertain many a dinner party audience.

I particularly love the “non-interview”. After spending several hours preparing for an interview, I show up only to find that the HR staffer just isn’t that into interviewing.

Research Coordinator gig in Century Century

For a fact, I am sure that market research is not my calling — I need to do something just a bit more creative. This particular position appealed because of the apparent focus on qualitative research and the resulting trend forecasting reports that generate quite the buzz in a the research world. Since my last job focused on quantitative, it seemed only fair to consider the other more abstract side of research.

An assistant called me to schedule an interview. I was confused in that I hadn’t applied for the position in question, so I’m not sure how they got my resume. But no matter, I went ahead and scheduled the interview.

Wore the cliche black pinstriped suit on interview day — we’ll talk wardrobe malfunctions another time.

An assistant delivered me to the hiring manager, D. D explains that his job is to screen potential candidates for the position. He will in turn meet with the department to discuss the pros and cons of each candidate and would get back to me either way. D also shares that this position is typically a promotion for an assistant. Unfortunately, due to some restructuring and bad timing, they unfortunately had to look outside their own walls for a new research coordinator, because the department in question just didn’t have time to train someone new. This break with tradition is a very big deal because the next step from Coordinator is Executive (no managers at this company, coordinator to executive in 18 months. BAM!)

The interview went something like this:

Why did you leave Market Research Company Y? I respond with canned answer, honed from repeated response and mock interviewing.

OK, what questions do you have for me? Yes, the interview after one question was turned over to me.

Thus, I begin my barage of questions about corporate culture, training, growth opportunities, work styles, management styles. I personally enjoyed best the 2 times that D looked at me and said, “Good question. I have no idea. What else?“ Personally, when I have no idea as to the answer of a question, I offer to find out and get back to a person. D does not come from that school of philosophy.

The interview lasted roughly 28 minutes. I never heard from D again. What could he have possibly learned from me in that 28 minutes, but that I come from the Socratic-esque method of learning, whereby I ask a gazillion questions of my teacher, instead of vice versa.

Research Manager @ a startup

Again, I violated my rule of no more research gigs, but here’s the thing: I find digital content distribution fascinating and thought a foot in the door is a foot in the door. HR manager is awesome on the phone and I get to talk about what I didn’t like about my research job, and how I wanted to be in more of an operations role, applying the research to a business’s needs. Additionally, we discussed my vision for the future of video distribution. A face to face interview with an executive of the appropriate department was scheduled.

Favorite parts of the interview:

Exec: Why did you leave Market Research Company Y?

Me: canned response, which included the vague euphemism of “institutional issues” that detracted from my ability to perform for the client in a meaningful way.

Exec: Do you know, B? He’s been at MRCY for years. He has no complaints.

Me: I can’t speak for B, but I can say that there is a roughly 30% turnover rate annually at MRCY. I share their sentiment, not B’s.

Exec: (looking at my resume) You only stayed at MRCY for 8 months.

Me: Actually 11 months. I knew pretty early on that MRCY was not a good fit for me, but I wanted to do my best to stay for a year and learn the basics of market research. I knew in July it was time to move on.

Exec: [insert lengthy diatribe about commitment and dedication in the face of start up turmoil; a diatribe I cannot begin to do justice to here.] In an effort to provide an example of his commitment he explained he had to give up a company car and personal assistant to take this job — as a newbie out of grad school, I am not sure how he expected me to related to that sacrifice when my goal is just to keep my rent paid. Thus, that you only stayed at my last job for 11 months is not a indicator of commitment, since it appears you just cut and run.

Me: I feel I had solid reasons for leaving, and given my commitment to content distribution, I’ve already shown it. I’ve spent the last year following news feeds on digital media because that’s where my passion lies, not out of any job requirement. Now it’s a matter of crossing over to a company in the .com arena.

Needless to say, I didn’t get the job. In fact, I got the rejection e-mail before the end of the business day.

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