Interviewing the Company

Interviewing: A First Person Perspective
June 24, 2013

Before I begin this unapologetic look at one of my most recent interviewing experiences, I would like to say that this experience has not been typical. I have worked with very knowledgeable recruiters and human resource departments in the past and present, who have offered much needed advice, guidance and worked diligently to identify positions and companies where we both have thrived.

I have left the recruiting company and interviewing company names redacted, because I am not trying to embarrass anyone, but hope that this negative experience provides better service.

My phone rang, and the recruiter on the other end detailed a job which sounded tailored almost exactly to my qualifications. I recognized the agency immediately, very well known and respected throughout the Information Technology industry. Eagerly I accepted  and scheduled the invitation for a phone screening.

After passing the recruiter’s phone screen, which consisted of just answering in the affirmative that I knew certain buzzwords; the recruiter passed along which company name at which I was going to be interviewing. I immediately remembered interviewing for almost the same position two years ago. I distinctly remember that their culture was not a good fit at the time. Same recruiting company, same end company. I was hoping they were much better than before and had progressed with their business outlook and internal information security issues.

The phone interview with the IT manager was almost exactly as before, his monotone questions and monologue showed a disinterest in his job, responsibilities and especially interviewing. He was unprepared, and as the conversation progressed the job requirements seemed to evolve. As he read more about what I have done in other companies his “Yeah, we need that too”, was repeated.

I accepted the onsite interview and decided to interview the company, and find out what they were really like. I have looked online to see company employee reviews, but honest internal company workings are almost never discussed, and rarely do I see reviews of recruiting companies. This particular recruiting company did not provide any additional information about the position, aside from what they had said on the phone. The better firms I have worked with in the past have been like AAA, they provide detailed maps, company history, places nearby to eat, even if the location is only a couple miles away. I always appreciate recruiters that take an interest in their job and build relationships with their clients and know their customers. This recruiter as not interested in either. But at this point I was not going to move forward with the position based on the phone interview, unless their office atmosphere was dynamically different than that  soulless manager’s voice projected over the wire.

I arrived, as usual, twenty minutes ahead of time, had their documentation printed, but their secretary had no idea there were any interviews scheduled or that anyone was expected. After a brief wait their Information Technology manager showed, and we went into his office. He asked what position I was interviewing for, and I related the title from the email correspondence and he said, “No, you are here about a different position”. I held back a small laugh, yes at that point I knew this was going to be a fun day.

In his office he sat behind his desk and fidgeted, then asked or a copy of my resume, and we sat in silence while he read.  Finally, he broke the silence and the interview process began in earnest, he began to mention the various projects that he needed complete, the list was very similar to their needs two years earlier. Same company, same security holes, just two years later. At this point I knew I was not moving forward with this company. I guess I could have walked out, but then I may not have had the funniest moments to relate here.

After just finishing reading my resume, he then began to recite my experience back to me, and incorrectly, I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. I did correct him, “No, I am sorry, that is not a project I worked on”. Disinterested he glanced back at my resume and then he proceeded to look at the ceiling and relate his three years of experience with this company which from my take is really just the first three months of a typical startup. I listened intently and nodded appropriately and just noted to myself how clueless he was. He then proceeded to tell me that these were all project he could do himself, but I had a certification that he did not and that was the reason I was being considered.

He then brought in another employee to interview me in an old abandoned office that would have fit perfectly as a scene from The Walking Dead which I think is a distinct metaphor for the company I was interviewing. Yes, I was interviewing them.

The second interviewer kept putting his glasses on and taking them off, and sitting silently in a chair. He appeared to know nothing about the position, responsibilities and he asked very few questions. He looked as though he had never seen my resume before, and had no interest in doing the interview and in no rush to get back to work, even though I was recalling the long list of security projects that his manager had just told me he urgently needed completed. His words.

As I was leaving, they had violated so many security procedures I did cut them a break and return the badge they gave me at sign in. And with that, I mustered a hearty “Good Luck!” and was glad I had dodged that bullet two years ago.

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