12 responses to “Job Interviews a Waste of Time?”

1. 

   Neil Hudelson

   March 11, 2011 at 11:20 am

   or a dream candidate they have no shot at landing.

   Currently having not the most ideal job in the world, I’m constantly looking at job boards to see what other opportunities are out there. I’m always amazed at what some organizations (I generally work with nonprofits) think they can get away with in hiring someone.

   An actual job description (paraphrased):

   Ideal candidate would have 5 to 10 years experience in the field, including at least 3 years in a position managing 10 or more staff members. Hours will be vary, and the candidate can expect the position to not conform to standard 9 to 5 office schedules. Candidate needs to be independently driven, and expected to fulfill his or her task with little to no guidance from superiors. A Bachelors in management, business, nonprofit management, or social work is highly desired.

   This position is considered part time and pay is $10/hour, but a small increase is possible for the ideal candidate.
2. 

   James Joyner

   March 11, 2011 at 11:35 am

   Alas, we’re frequently able to hire people with master’s degrees from prestige schools for unpaid internships. It’s a crazy world out there.
3. 

   jwest

   March 11, 2011 at 12:27 pm

   I’ve hired a lot of people over the years, but I can’t recall ever hiring someone “off the street” through a resume and interview.

   Hiring is almost always done through personal knowledge of the individual, a recommendation from someone else in the organization, stealing a known quantity from another business or some other connection.
4. 

   john personna

   March 11, 2011 at 12:35 pm

   My real education was being an interviewer. It was difficult for me. I tended to lob softball questions and just try to get a feel for personality. A few people red-flagged themselves to me, but was strange how many were dismissed by my co-interviewers for seemed like odd reasons.

   I agree that randomness is high, and this actually affects my political philosophy. When luck matters, a real safety(*) net becomes a moral obligation.

   * – not the kind we only support in the abstract
5. 

   Neil Hudelson

   March 11, 2011 at 12:50 pm

   we’re frequently able to hire people with master’s degrees from prestige schools for unpaid internships.

   This doesn’t surprise me nearly as much as those trying to hire for low wages. Indeed, yesterday I applied for an unpaid internship that, if I get it, I’ll have to live off of my savings for a year.

   Internships, if structured correctly and the applicant hardworking, can lead to bigger career opportunities, better networking, more skills, and an all around better resume.

   A part time job at $10/hour probably won’t, no matter what the organization or how good one is at B.S.-ing a resume.
6. 

   charles austin

   March 11, 2011 at 1:19 pm

   Perhaps she should seek a position that requires overgeneralizing from a few personal anecdotes.
7. 

   charles austin

   March 11, 2011 at 1:21 pm

   Another important point is that it is very much a buyers’ market out there right now when it comes to hiring.
8. 

   john personna

   March 11, 2011 at 1:24 pm

   “A part time job at $10/hour probably won’t, no matter what the organization or how good one is at B.S.-ing a resume.”

   Not to mention that low current pay can be a red flag with some interviewers. I knew a guy who would just reject anyone who he thought was making too little. This even when I thought the reason was acceptable (“I transitioned from grad student to working for the university”). Harsh.

   Basically as an interviewee you want to be able to tell a truthful story that shows progress and achievement. IMO it’s fair to be a little selective in your history to achieve that story arc.

   And it may take some independent projects, charity work, or internships to improve the story.
9. 

   Brett

   March 11, 2011 at 2:09 pm

   Quite a few bosses are shockingly bad at interviewing. I’ve been on that side of the process a handful of times and, frankly, I find it awkward and contrived. But I’ve usually eliminated all but the two or three best candidates (on paper) before interviewing, so am mostly just trying to get a sense of personality and fit.

   I wonder if it’s better to have multiple people doing the interviewing. My current workplace did that when they hired me – they had three people (2 long-time employees and the supervisor) sit in on the hiring meetings and ask questions.

   A part time job at $10/hour probably won’t, no matter what the organization or how good one is at B.S.-ing a resume.

   It depends on the job. I’ve seen White Collar Supervisor jobs with that kind of starting pay, and that can get you somewhere – even if it’s just getting hired as an office monkey at a bigger company.

   Hiring is almost always done through personal knowledge of the individual, a recommendation from someone else in the organization, stealing a known quantity from another business or some other connection.

   I think that’s how most jobs at the professional level are filled. You get in either because of an offer from some other company, or because a friend/connection told you about the opportunity.
10. 

    Jib

    March 11, 2011 at 3:20 pm

    I wonder if it’s better to have multiple people doing the interviewing.

    Does not everybody have multiple people do the interviews? My experience is in hiring software engineers. We have one person review the resumes, then another person do a phone screen and then 4 or 5 people interview in 30 minute chunks, one after another, complete with white board coding exercises.

    Interviews can be halted at any point if the person is obviously not qualified. Does not happen often and when it does the phone screener is beaten severally (ok, more like has to buy the team coffee).

    Even with all that, someone has to make a connection with the candidate. You need at least one person who will champion the candidate and no one else raising any red flags to get hired.

    This process is pretty standard for developers in the software industry. I have been on both sides multiple times. The reason is the cost of a bad hire is very high. One bad hire can wreck a whole team and for small startups, you wreck the dev team and the company is out of biz.
11. 

    george

    March 11, 2011 at 4:24 pm

    Does not everybody have multiple people do the interviews? My experience is in hiring software engineers. We have one person review the resumes, then another person do a phone screen and then 4 or 5 people interview in 30 minute chunks, one after another, complete with white board coding exercises.

    Same thing occurs when hiring electrical engineers – and the interviews are important . In fact, its as important for the business, as if you don’t get the right person you’ll not only have wasted a lot of money in the hiring process, but a lot of time and resources spent bringing the person up to speed.

    Mind you, it depends upon the industry. There’s a surplus of potential employees in some fields, in others (many of the engineering fields) there’s a shortage … in which case as often as not the person being interviewed already has several offers, and is just trying to decide which company is the best fit for him and her. This is of course cyclic, five years from now the fields with a shortage will have a surplus, and vice-versa.
12. 

    Klay Longstreet

    March 15, 2011 at 5:42 pm

    When people plan a future they look to gain the skills or education to make that future posible. They interview for a job and look at the benifits, and acsept the job based on the information.
    Then along comes someone that thinks they are so much better than you they have the right to take away your future.

    A new Political Movement
    Cosmopolitan
    Goals
    1. Reduces the size of government
    2. Guarantees of basic human rights (medical, food, shelter, and education)
    Every adult over 18 receives, $750 pr. month to shop for medical insurance, $1200 pr. month shelter, $500 pr. month food every child under 18 receives $200 pr. month in support of family needs
    2009
    2010
    2011
    2012
    2013

    Total Direct Revenue
    3,716 4,283 4,303 4,766 5,152
    Total US in Billions
    3. Improves human rights and environmental concerns world wide
    4. Business pays for the right to access American markets
    5. Eliminates income tax
    6. Eliminates race and prejudice and tares down the walls of class separation
    How is it paid for?
    For about the last 40 years we have experimented with a system of trickle-down economics, free market and trade. In theory a Neoliberal policy that states securing the well-being of all but in reality it has accomplished class separation. Privative investments have not trickled down, In the late 1970s, the top one percent of the US population held 13 percent of the wealth; in 1995 it held 38 percent. (Levy, Frank. The New Dollars and Dreams ). The richest 1% of adults owned 40% of the world’s total assets in the year 2000. The richest 10% of adults accounted for 85% of total assets. The bottom half of the world adult population owned 1% of global wealth. (Source: World Institute for Development Economics Research, The World Distribution of Household Wealth, 2006).
    “There were an estimated 7.7 million millionaires in the world at the end of 2003, half a million more than at the end of 2002, as stock markets and economic growth picked up and the rich took more risks with their cash. These wealthy individuals saw their riches increase by 7.7 percent to $28.8 trillion in 2003, recovering to levels seen before the global recession took hold in 2001, and the rich are set to get richer, with their wealth forecast to grow by seven percent a year and to exceed $40.7 trillion by 2008, the survey predicted… The survey also highlighted a small, but fast-growing global group of 70,000 super rich individuals with more than $30 million in financial assets. It found that this group was growing at a faster pace than those in the $1 million-plus bracket.” (World’s richest worth $29 trillion in 2003; Survey: Wealthy now back at level before dot-com bust. MSNBC.com, June 15, 2004,)
    Because the industrial world can not advance without the assistance from government in the form of tax cuts, incentive, innovation, consider the home computer got it start with NASA, and GPS started in the military just 2 examples. Another thing to consider is a tax cut to the top industry must be equaled by cuts in expenditures to social programs creating the balanced budget.
    The different parts of my plan work this way, If a person or organization that is in business for profit and benefits from the markets in the United States of America they are required to pay for that right. Only the business having wealth over one million will pay a percentage of overall wealth in fees, all under the one million mark pays no fee. A progressive amount in percentage is applied not to exceed the 30 present marker of total wealth of any business. Under this plan all income tax is eliminated, all citizens of the United States have the ability to use consumer information provided by the internet to shop for affordable Health Care Insurance, and report on businesses that exploit peoples and gained insight too avoid doing business with shysters and controls inflation. Business or Counties that violate human rights doctoring adopted by the UN either will pay extreme fees or be denied access to US markets.
    What I believe in and it is your fundamental right to agree or not.
    Because America is the world’s largest consumer market, business must purchase the right to access US consumers. The US Supreme Court has determined that Corporations, Business or Industry now have rights, and with those rights comes responsibilities as we Humans are accountable, Corporations are now accountable. Humus enters into contracts and pay for the privilege as a matter of choices. If corporations choose to inter the US market, it is of their choice.
    In America we have a mix of free peoples of all kinds and we are the most proud when we join together, we are all working to improve the lives of others and the lives that come after us, just like those before us or we would not be here.
    Once again tech. industry trumps human rights, the development of industrial might, and the Ideology of an institution that changes the social structure of a civilization and the imaginary that transformed the culture of a nation. The Demos of the earliest peoples that gather into band and produces for self-survival and their transformation into a Capital system. If we understand the role, each has played (Imaginary-Ideology-Capitalism-Liberalism-and-Socialism) and with the construction of reason over time, we create a Civic Cosmopolitan Constitution in a Global Economy of Justice that requires Capitalism to be responsible for the well-being-of-all as stated in the Theory of Neo-Liberalism. Next, we eliminate the Ideology of trickle-down economics braking down the bearers of class separation and prejudice. Replace it with the Imaginary of a system that as one person succeeds others fallow and do the same for all peoples. Then tech. industry would enhance human rights as it helps in the development of cultures and allows them to keep, not just their language, but allows for dignity and self-respect replacing race and prejudice.
    Now it is time to let people know I plan to run for an elected office above you get an idea of my views.
    First; It must be clear if anyone or any organization wishes to donate monies for my campaign you should find a youth organization instead, if you need help finding a youth group I have a list. I don’t want your money I want your vote, a lot of people know me and we have always shared dignity and respect for one another. They say you can’t win without raising thousands or millions I plan to prove just the opposite. The only true promises I can make is that I will work hard to help improve the lives we share. I personally believe that if one is successful, they bring others with them and if they become successful, they bring others with them. This is upward economics not the tickle down economics of the Neoliberal Republican Ideology that never has worked unless it was to build barriers creating classes and prejudice between peoples.
    Not to place blame on the past but only wish to find hope and solutions for the future.
    I hope for just one thing that all have an opportunity weather it is on home soil or global everyone has the right to follow the path they choose and not harm others. We have an obligation to one another as human beings because we have rights. Now that corporations have rights they also have responsibilities and will be held accountable as humans are held accountable for their actions. If corporations do not fulfill their obligations then states with the legal authority will step forward and take the appropriate action.
    National income guarantee for every citizen that supports the basic human right that all American citizens are equal as stated in the constitution. The income would cover health care insurance, shelter, food, and education, additional monies will be paid to teachers, and community leaders involved in youth program’s. Students attending state university college or trade schools will receive additional payments to cover the cost of the state institution they attended regardless of state of residence. Students attending private institutions will also receive equal funding but additional expenses will the responsibility of the student. All federal or state student loans that are currently owed will be paid by the federal government and release citizens of that bourdon.
    With every part of all industry paying their fair share inside the borders of the United States for the right to do business, this will offer adequate funding, and wen the time comes a surplus is attained US businesses fees are reduced . All business outside the US borders will pay twice plus 15% more than like industry based in the US for their right to do business in the sovereign US bounders. Our neighbors here in the Americas will pay only 50% higher than US cost of like business for their right to have access to markets and eliminates all other trade barriers. Foreign business can reduce their cost to compete in the United States of America by adopting and adhering to The United Nations Declarations of Human Rights and environmental improvement programs. Countries and business not conforming to the declaration and environment that wish to compete in US markets will be subject to additional fees.
    This program eliminates the need for income tax, home dwelling and small business property tax, and state sales taxes will remain but no sales tax on food or clothing. The role of the IRS will change from the individual to overseeing commerce and insure all parties foreign or domestic pay the required amounts for the right to compete in the markets. State will receive money from the federal government based on population (the number of registered citizens), addition money will be applied to the land size for the purpose of maintaining public safety and infrastructure.
    If you have an idea please share it with me
    Klay Longstreet
    Ideology is a guide: it can be a myth, it can be logic, it can be an institution, it can be a social movement, It can be different for each even if the experience is the same for each, the guide that puts things in action, it can be a tool in a mental thought that interprets institutions, it can be a comprehensive belief system composed of social thought-patterns, it can be many things but the most important is how the individual determines its relevance of understanding and were it ends up in the way we make decisions.
    Ideology is a system of concepts and views, which serves to make sense of the world.
    Imaginary is the idea and the rules used, it develops the intellectual inception into the world of everyday life in shaping the ever changing life. The three terms that help understanding imaginary are, Demos; the beginnings of cultural life and the start of reason, Heimat; the land of my ancestors and the beginnings of human rights, and Habitus; the culture and identity of an individual in daily life that makes you how you are.

    The easiest way to combine an example of the Imaginary Ideology is to place yourself and a young child with a coloring book and try to understand the world in their terms.
    Thank you
    Klayton Longstreet
    Duluth MN.
    klaylongstreet@charter.net