Recently I did a phone interview with a hiring manager, and I was excited because I have had major problems with recruiters in the behavioral questions in the past, but it went terribly wrong. First off, his English is barely understandable. I swear I didn't understand half of his talk. I was all the time saying "I'm sorry, could you repeat (the question), please?". Not good for me, but of course, it's my mistake. I should understand him because he is the hiring manager Then he was rude. I was talking about my backgrounds, and he abruptly and aggressively interrupted me as if he didn't like where I was going with introducing myself. Then I explained to him what I did, and he asked me the same question 3 times about the conclusion of my work. Then when he asked me a couple of technical questions, non of them were in my specialization. I studied them in my undergraduate textbooks 12+ years ago, and I haven't used them in my work. They were not in my specialization, although the position requirements are more aligned with my specialization. Then he told me If I have experience in something they didn't ask for, and I told him no. All in all it was a total failure. To put salt on the wound, I made the mistake of telling my father I had an interview, and in the last few days he was bombarding me with texts like "when is your interview?" "Are you prepared?" "Did they call you?" I snapped at him, and told him it was a total failure. I know he is worried about me because I am not working and I am still dependent on him, but his worry makes me anxious and irritated Now I feel guilty and depressed I did that

[winter4me]

Not your fault. If you can, let it go. Maybe give your dad a call and let him know that you know he is worried and you are too but didn't mean to snap at him. Hang in there.

In the job, you don't memorize everything. You reference what you need. The important thing is the ability to understand the material and use it in solving problems. This is how I have been working and learning.

I feel in this last interview it wasn't fair for me because I know the answers, but not on the spot. I did 2 technical phone interviews before at which I did very well, but this one asked unreasonable questions that don't focus on the fundamentals of my specialization. I was shocked of the questions he asked me, and what he expected me to know (very advanced and specialized topics I haven't had the chance to explore in my previous work, but I told him I am learning and reading about them by myself, and have the ability to understand them and work on them, but he wasn't impressed).

I wonder why they called me, and cost me a couple of days worth of anxiety and stress I was very honest in my resume, and didn't claim I know things I don't know, yet he asked me unrelated questions. I emphasized that I have the fundamentals and the ability to learn very fast, but apparently not good enough for him. He wanted me to 1) know the answers correctly and on the spot and 2) to have direct experience in topics that are very advanced without any regard to any fundamental understanding.

Anyway, I am glad it didn't work out. I wouldn't want to work with a hiring manager like this. He was rude and unreasonable at all.

[WastingAsparagus]

I just wanted to say I've had awful interviews too!

It happens to people sometimes that you'll have an interview that you're excited about and it will go badly. Or you're hoping the interview goes well, but sometimes it will happen that the interview does not go as planned. But the interview, even if you're excited about it, can go badly.

That's not a faillure on your part. Just know that it happens a lot and it has happened to me before when I've wanted an interview to go well, and it goes terribly!

You can just say, hey, you know, I have more exprerience now in interviewing. View it as a positive thing because now you have more interview experience!

This is true if you don't get interviews every 3-4 months. You get better at interviews with close frequency. In this particular interview, I answered all questions with confidence, until he asked me a couple of technical questions not directly related to my specialization and previous work, and I talked about my background and previous work at the very beginning of the interview, when he rudely interrupted me. I wouldn't have known in advance he would ask them for this position. I felt he wanted just to trip me, otherwise why would he ask me questions not related to my work, and I didn't mention anything he asked about in my resume or when I introduced myself?

In general, there is this mentality, especially in the industry, where you have to know everything, and be ready to "hit the ground running". Employers have no will to train new employees with the necessary background. They want you to get experience somewhere else first, and then they take you ready!! They are not willing to invest in new employees to maximize their profits.

[winter4me]

[QUOTE=Nxious;6605422]This is true if you don't get interviews every 3-4 months. You get better at interviews with close frequency. In this particular interview, I answered all questions with confidence, until he asked me a couple of technical questions not directly related to my specialization and previous work, and I talked about my background and previous work at the very beginning of the interview, when he rudely interrupted me. I wouldn't have known in advance he would ask them for this position. I felt he wanted just to trip me, otherwise why would he ask me questions not related to my work, and I didn't mention anything he asked about in my resume or when I introduced myself?

In general, there is this mentality, especially in the industry, where you have to know everything, and be ready to "hit the ground running". Employers have no will to train new employees with the necessary background. They want you to get experience somewhere else first, and then they take you ready!! They are not willing to invest in new employees to maximize their profits.[/QUOTE
]
/sad but too true...