What if you are right in an interview but felt stupid by the interviewers

[Harsh Gupta]

My reason for creating this thread is to understand from people around here how not to misbehave (of any kind, lile rudeness, arrogant behavior, some form of misconduct etc.) during an interview. And also the way I am putting forward my answers to their questions.

Hope no one mind.

Ok, I appeared for an interview today, technical questions were fired to me like canon balls fired by Pirates of Caribbean.

There were 2 questions that bothered me the most. (and the way reacted to my answers after)

1) In my resume, I have mentioned T-SQL (Transact SQL) and MS SQL Server 2000. No where in my resume SQL server 2005 is mentioned. They asked me how T-SQL is different from stored procedure?

Ans) Stored procedures are subroutines created within the database itself and are available to all the applications accessing this relational database.

T-SQL is a MS' extension to SQL language. This language is a base to access the resources of any MS SQL Server. All applications send T-SQL statements to server in order to establish some kind of communication with it.

Am I wrong somewhere or totally wrong?

Note: in my resume, I have highlighted some skills which are C#/VB.Net, ASP.Net, ADO.Net, XML/XSLT, and MS SQL Server 2000 (not T-SQL).

Reaction) While SP are parsed within the database and can be used in any version of SQL server, TSQL are MS SQL Server 2005 only feature, and when we write any TSQL in it, they are compiled in a DLL?

So Harsh, it seems that you know nothing except for the ones you have highlighted!! (lady :giggles

2) How will you sort an arraylist of, say, integers, and display them?

Ans) I can either call the Sort() method of this array or arraylist.

Reaction) Any other way?

Ans) We can create a SortedList out of this Arraylist, which will automatically sort them in an ascending order.

Or we can specify a function implementing an IComparable and IComparer interfaces and perform necessary action.

Reaction) Automatically sorted ? Is it possible? Have you ever used Collections in your life?

Am I wrong again anywhere? These were the 2 I could remember. There were numerous instances of such classes.. aha one more!

Q) What are classes and structures?

Ans) Both are container types and so they can contain other types as members.

Structures are value type and uses stack allocation while classes are reference type (Reaction ) and uses heap allocation....

Reaction: We think you are confusing 2 things.

The only difference today, I didn't argued with the interviewers' today and remain silent nodding to their answers and made myself stupid.

It is not that I was brilliant at answering questions. I couldn't write 1 query for a sample table they showed me, out of 2. But then I could not recall if it was a blunder from my side!!!

Man, I want to stab myself to death today.

[mendhak]

Hmm, it should clearly have been in your favor, but it wasn't. I have a feeling that the problem isn't your answers, it may be you. Is it possible that you lack confidence which allowed them to swoop in and take the opportunity?

I don't know how confident you show yourself to be but I'm trying to think how I would have handled the situation. Especially this

While SP are parsed within the database and can be used in any version of SQL server, TSQL are MS SQL Server 2005 only feature, and when we write any TSQL in it, they are compiled in a DLL?

It's obvious that they've been 'practicing' things a certain way and are not fully aware of what T-SQL really is. Now, because they are so confident that things work this way, it can only take confidence (not the right answer) to convince them otherwise.

Thinking about it, my first reaction would have been to tell them that "compiling" your T-SQL in a class library is bad practice. And if they insist that I'm wrong, it would definitely mean that this company/these employees aren't the ideal bunch to work with, so I could take the dive and say that I'd rather be wrong in your opinion rather than Microsoft's opinion. You know what I mean.

So yes, you did fine, but you walked into a scenario which I often refer to as "The Twilight Zone." Don't beat yourself up over it (or stab yourself), such situations are bound to occur. It is the law of averages and statistics.

[Merrion]

Typically a job involves dealing with people who have significantly less knowledge than you but are higher up the command chain than you.
Your ability to deal with this affects how well you can do the job, so this is why HR people and managers who interview are typically on the more gormless and vacuous end of the human spectrum.

[Hack]

Typically a job involves dealing with people who have significantly less knowledge than you but are higher up the command chain than you.
Your ability to deal with this affects how well you can do the job, so this is why HR people and managers who interview are typically on the more gormless and vacuous end of the human spectrum.

Agree, agree and totally agree.

I've been through a ton and a half of job interviews and feel very comfortable in saying that regardless of how correct you are to a technical question, if your answer is not how they do it there, then no matter how right you are, your answer is wrong.

My response is usually something like: "Really.....I find that interesting as I've usually used a slightly different approach."

[mendhak]

But laughing at the interviewee is uncalled for; disrespectful too.

[RhinoBull]

I'd say - let it go Harsh. You must be confident about yourself and I'm sure you are.

But putting aside the level of experise you and they do or do not posses did you feel comfortable arround those people?
If yuo did not you wouldn't last a month there so there is absolutely nothing for you to worry.
Based on what you said those folks are full of arrogancy and sarcasm - personally I would walk away right after "Reaction #1..." but maybe even earlier...
If chemistry isn't there from the very first minute then you are in the wrong place - that's my obsevation anyway.
Another thing I would suggest is you need to be very relaxed - it's just a darn interview so try not to stress over it.

Really wish you best of luck. Common down - I'll get a nice job arround here.

[Tom Sawyer]

Just remember that the people conducting interviews aren't necessarily experts on the subject matter. Often, they're the employees who weren't too busy to be able to spend some time asking applicants some questions that they downloaded off the internet which they may or may not understand.

Getting the right answers to the questions is only one facet of the interview. It's also their impression of you as a person and potential employee that's important. If the interviewer mocks you and you sit there and take it, the interview is over, regardless of which of you was right or wrong about the subject matter. It indicates that she will report to her boss that you aren't someone worthy of respect and other applicants should be the ones who move onto the next interview with someone who does know what they're talking about.

You should have backed up your response and demonstrated your knowledge in a professional manner. Don't mock her back, but inform her that she's mixed up T-SQL and CLR Stored Procedures. Tell her that yes, you have experience using collections and, based on that experience, you'd think that a SortedList would suit the application needs better than an ArrayList (which really shouldn't ever be used anymore). By allowing her responses to go unchallenged, you were informing her that hiring you would add no value to the company, regardless of how correct your answers were.

Remember that an interview is as much for you to see if the company is right for you as it is to allow the company to see if you are right for them. You're an applicant, not a supplicant. If you feel you gave the correct answer and the interviewer challenged that, back it up by displaying further knowledge.

[Kasracer]

I agree with Tom 100%. I've been on many interviews for development positions and at one point (keep in mind I was only 19 at the time) no one was even giving me a chance and not calling me back. I went on at least 6-7 and the most feedback I received was a post card telling me "no thanks".

It was then I finally figured out what I've been doing wrong. It had little to do with my next-to-nothing professional experience as most positions I was going for were junior level. It was the fact that I was not confident enough in my answers as well as overall. After so many interviews I decided to call back one of the people who interviewed me and found out the position was given to someone else. At first I thought it was over but then I decided to send him an e-mail detailing exactly what I could do for their company and why I would have been a great candidate. Shortly after my e-mail I received a call and they offered me a position . It was a paid internship but that didn't matter as it helped me build up professional experience doing web development.

After that first shot of reality I began to interview much better and I'm at a point now where every place I've interviewed at in the past 2.5 - 3 years has offered me the position. You don't need to know all the answers as long as you are confident and professional. I've had interviewers question my seemingly right answers to test my confidence and see if I knew why it was a right answer so you should always backup your answers and your reasoning behind them.

Though once the person started laughing that would have been my turn to leave. I wouldn't want to work in a place that employs people like that. I would have calmingly explained my answer in greater detail then stated that the interview was over and left.

[Harsh Gupta]

I have read all the posts carefully. With no sarcasm or disrespect towards people around here and those interviewers.

The reason I didn't reason/argue (put your word here) with them, initially they selected the latest project from my resume and asked its detail. I explained to them in one professional manner, with full of energy, keeping in mind that my communication should not break anywhere. They said hesitantly that they could not understand. I tried to explain them with an entirely different technique, taking it as my communication exercise. Well, all's well that ends well.

Initially I tried to establish a communication flow where I could clearly state my answers and tell them what I think of them (just like TSQL problem, but in this case I didn't tried at all). It was when they started to pester me with the comments "do you know anything?", "don't you know it doesn't work that way", showing teeth on my answers (well I don't mind this, but I feel this is a bit awkward, disrespectful and unprofessional) as if I am a stupid.

That didn't evade my confidence but I lost my interest in answering their questions. These were the questions which concluded the interview (I know, this is not a good sign).

I should also tell you something, this is a first interview I have given in last 4 months, and before this I have always argued and tried not answer any question on some topics (once I was asked like describe the entire DB structure you used in this project, kind of questions) and they didn't turn my way. So this time, I thought better to keep my mouth shut.

[Harsh Gupta]

Mendhak, well I always thought the problem is me. Why? well:

• Less confident while answering technical questions. Well anyone can judge from the last 2-3 questions I posted in ASP.Net forums.
• Low energy.
• Communication was my biggest problem in life. But working in a hell for 1 year, that problem is gone. Maybe, now I don't care talking to anyone.

I knew I could have made it in my favor, this was the first time I encountered something like this and so it was a mess.

Tom, Kris: I agree with you on all accounts. I don't know the interviews' scenario in other countries, but here in India, I never came across an interview where I could say atleast that interviewer treated me like a person. If not as a developer or a potential employee, but like a human being. I can speculate similar things in other places but then I am not really sure.

Talking to interviewers' after it is over? I tried this once. I may bore you with the story but ok, I know you won't mind. . After I graduated, went for an interview, cleared the technical round (more of C++, pointers, assembly :heaven: etc), appeared for the HR round, and told you need to wait for a month. 3 months came and went, no response and I thought it was over. They called me when I was in another town and could not find any flight back to Delhi, and asked me to come again tomorrow. I requested them to delay it by 3 days for the same reason. They said NO. Came back, called them up only to hear, "we can't hire a person who does not respect the feelings of his to-be employers." Mind you, this was the exact statement they made to me.

There are several incidents I can recall where people like me were humiliated like this.

I created this thread after I evaluated myself after, and during the interview. I checked, double-checked, triple-checked my answers. Evaluated if I misconducted in some manner.

[Harsh Gupta]

Oh, I forgot to tell you something. I got a call from them in evening today (as per IST) and they informed me that I have cleared the first round and have to come again next week for HR round.

I bet, if they do this again, I will stab them to death.

[Tom Sawyer]

Oh, I forgot to tell you something. I got a call from them in evening today (as per IST) and they informed me that I have cleared the first round and have to come again next week for HR round.

I bet, if they do this again, I will stab them to death.

Remember this primary rule of interviewing. If you get a sign-up bonus when you join the company, be sure to get the check from them before stabbing any HR people to death.

If you stab them first, the company will not give you the check. I learned this the hard way.

[Kasracer]

I don't know the interviews' scenario in other countries, but here in India, I never came across an interview where I could say atleast that interviewer treated me like a person. If not as a developer or a potential employee, but like a human being. I can speculate similar things in other places but then I am not really sure.

Hmm... I've never interviewed outside of the United States. My girlfriend has interviewed for a telecommuting job in... England I think (I'm your typical ignorant American with Geography, heh) but that's about it.

I've worked with people who lived / live in India but I can't really compare the types of jobs to ones over here. It could very well be the difference in cultures and why we don't typically* experience the same issues that you are facing. Though I have to say I would really prefer it if the interviewers told me to my face why they won't hire me rather than giving me a generic post card. I can understand if you don't want to hire me but at least tell me why so I can work on whatever flaws I may have for the next opportunity.

* This is pure speculation on my part. I'm sure there are rude interviewers all over the world. This came only form my personal experience.

Oh, I forgot to tell you something. I got a call from them in evening today (as per IST) and they informed me that I have cleared the first round and have to come again next week for HR round.

I bet, if they do this again, I will stab them to death.

Good luck. If you don't reply to this thread after next week can we assume you stabbed them and are awaiting trial?

[mendhak]

So despite the 'mocking', they still want to see you for your next round. Hmm, what does this say? It may mean that they're not able to find many candidates - I'm guessing this is due to their mindset and/or attitude.

I also think you shouldn't stab them, as you will then not have an opportunity to teach them the proper way of doing things.

[Pino]

What was the Job?

I've been for roles before which the interviewer would see how I responded to criticism be it constructive or not. So he would say these websites don't look the part try to see how you respond.

I got offered the role but turned it down due to the fact the interviewer annoyed me so much. its a bad technique but it obviously does happen.

[Harsh Gupta]

Been long time.

And No, I wasn't awaiting any trial etc.

Well that was no HR round. They asked me to go to their parent comapny and meet a their senior personnel. What happened there:

(I drove to their place 30 KMS from my house, they asked me to reach atleast 10 minutes before scheduled time, I got there 30 minutes early, and that person turned up 1.5 hrs late, don't know if this matters, but I was the only person)

Interviewer (In): So, have you worked on SharePoint Portal? (checking my resume which is hardly 1 page long)

Me: I am afraid, Not sir.

In: Have you worked on BizTalk server?
Me: No sir.
In: Harsh, it was nice meeting you! Hear soon from our HR department.
Me: (just not showing on my face, but....)

I was not hoping for their call, but they called me next day and said I have to meet at the original location again for the final HR round. Asked me to reach atleast 5 minutes before.

Getting 15 minutes before, still I had to wait for 1 hr for the senior person. He talked about 1 Workflow project I have done in my previous job, about me, my family etc.

Then he told me that their MD wants to meet me. He told me about the work they will doing and what they expect from me. And they are not going to create a big team etc etc etc.

In the past 2+ years, I have to admit that I haven't learn anything. Learning as in professional learning for skills and personal growth. So I am looking for a job where I could understand the technicalities of software/skills etc. development

But, I am in no mood accepting this job, just because they irritated me so much in past 2 weeks

[Tom Sawyer]

Wow.

If you have any other options, I'd suggest avoiding this company. If they have this little respect for the people that they're interviewing, you're not going to find that they treat the people they're hired with anymore respect.

Also, it sounds like they are completely disorganized and don't have much of a process for anything and "not creating a big team" is a code phrase for saying that they're going to dump a bunch of work on you and not give you any training or support to help you complete it, yet still hold you fully accountable for its success, mainly so that they can blame you instead of themselves when they don't meet their targets.

If your employment options are limited and you're in the position that you need to grab whatever you can get to build up some experience until something better comes along, then fine. However, when you start working there, you're going to need to stand up for yourself better than you did during the interview process. If someone speaks to you in a discourteous manner, tell them off - especially if they're wrong. If you have a meeting with someone and they're not there - do not wait around. Leave and get back to work and send them an email reminding them that you had an appointment and to please reschedule it. If they just pop by your desk later while you're busy with something else and ask if you can do the meeting now, tell them you're working and tell them to schedule another meeting. You need to let them know that your time is as valuable as their time.

You'll come across as somewhat dickish on occasion, but that's fine. The people at this company seem to have an attitude that involves treating people with disrespect and you can either be a guy they can push around or a guy they cannot. It's likely that you'd only stay there until you can gain enough experience to move somewhere better anyways, so don't worry that you'll piss some of the people there off.

As a note, though, it may be that the people that you'll actually work with are professional and respectful and the hiring folks aren't representative of the company as a whole, so don't start out with a confrontational attitude, but don't let them treat you like a chump if they try to do so.

[mendhak]

Dump them. You've put up with two bad interview experiences, same company. The only reason you have now for putting up with them is if you're desperate to join that company.

[Jenner]

I had a similar thing happen to me. I'm a mechanical engineer by trade; a pretty damned good one so I like to think. I interviewed at this one place was was literally the Twilight zone.

First, I spend 15 minutes sitting in a lobby no bigger than a slightly wider hallway filling out application forms on a flimsy clipboard without a table to write on, alongside 4 other people, by the looks of which were applying for shop floor positions.

Then, this ditzy blond HR girl interviewed me and asked a round of meaningless "standard canned interview questions"... you know the type: "What would you call your biggest strength?", "How about your biggest weakness?", "What are your aspirations for working here..."

After being tortured with these for a half hour, then they dump me in another room and an engineer came in holding a blueprint. He plopped it open and there was a car part there (part was a suspension piece for a Mercedes, I had just left DaimlerChrysler) and without anything else besides that blueprint, he asked me how I'd make it.

Well, there was about a dozen ways you could make a part like that, so I said one of them that I knew to be a pretty effective way. He gave me the "*BUZZZ!!!* Wrong answer!" routine and then proceeded to start telling me how stupid my decision was as he used little details like monthly production numbers to back up his facts... things you wouldn't see on a print.

I walked out of there feeling mentally raped, insulted and vowed not to accept any position at this dump if they came calling. Sad thing was, like three weeks later, a placement company who stuck up for me and got me my first position at DaimlerChrysler three years earlier called and told me they had a temporary opening at that same place for someone specifically with Chrysler experience. I told them about my interview there (which I did independent of them) and they assured me it would only be for 3 to 4 weeks at the most and would ask for top-dollar compensation if I agreed. I was going on month 4 of unemployed, so I figured a few weeks wouldn't kill me.

The position lasted for nine months before they dumped me without warning. During that time, I drove an impressive hour-twenty minutes one way to get to the place, and was treated like such filth, and was so miserable, I ballooned from an already husky 300lbs (which I wear pretty well, I'm a very big guy) to a massive 380lbs due to being stuck in a cubicle and eating out of depression.

When they let me go, they watched me like a hawk as I cleaned out my desk and wouldn't let me touch my computer to do anything but shut it down (I lost about 2 months of data in a personal budget file I kept on there, live and learn). Then they escorted me to my car and watched me leave. The place was a revolving door of engineers, they did this same routine for everyone, at lease five a month, most not lasting six weeks.

Never again. Never, ever, again.

That was 4 years ago and I still get pissed off at that place when I think back to it.

[mendhak]

I had a similar thing happen to me. I'm a mechanical engineer by trade; a pretty damned good one so I like to think. I interviewed at this one place was was literally the Twilight zone.

First, I spend 15 minutes sitting in a lobby no bigger than a slightly wider hallway filling out application forms on a flimsy clipboard without a table to write on, alongside 4 other people, by the looks of which were applying for shop floor positions.

Then, this ditzy blond HR girl interviewed me and asked a round of meaningless "standard canned interview questions"... you know the type: "What would you call your biggest strength?", "How about your biggest weakness?", "What are your aspirations for working here..."

After being tortured with these for a half hour, then they dump me in another room and an engineer came in holding a blueprint. He plopped it open and there was a car part there (part was a suspension piece for a Mercedes, I had just left DaimlerChrysler) and without anything else besides that blueprint, he asked me how I'd make it.

Well, there was about a dozen ways you could make a part like that, so I said one of them that I knew to be a pretty effective way. He gave me the "*BUZZZ!!!* Wrong answer!" routine and then proceeded to start telling me how stupid my decision was as he used little details like monthly production numbers to back up his facts... things you wouldn't see on a print.

I walked out of there feeling mentally raped, insulted and vowed not to accept any position at this dump if they came calling. Sad thing was, like three weeks later, a placement company who stuck up for me and got me my first position at DaimlerChrysler three years earlier called and told me they had a temporary opening at that same place for someone specifically with Chrysler experience. I told them about my interview there (which I did independent of them) and they assured me it would only be for 3 to 4 weeks at the most and would ask for top-dollar compensation if I agreed. I was going on month 4 of unemployed, so I figured a few weeks wouldn't kill me.

The position lasted for nine months before they dumped me without warning. During that time, I drove an impressive hour-twenty minutes one way to get to the place, and was treated like such filth, and was so miserable, I ballooned from an already husky 300lbs (which I wear pretty well, I'm a very big guy) to a massive 380lbs due to being stuck in a cubicle and eating out of depression.

When they let me go, they watched me like a hawk as I cleaned out my desk and wouldn't let me touch my computer to do anything but shut it down (I lost about 2 months of data in a personal budget file I kept on there, live and learn). Then they escorted me to my car and watched me leave. The place was a revolving door of engineers, they did this same routine for everyone, at lease five a month, most not lasting six weeks.

Never again. Never, ever, again.

That was 4 years ago and I still get pissed off at that place when I think back to it.

Wow! From this and other posts, you've really got a lot of bad luck favoring you.

[Harsh Gupta]

This is my month 6 of unemployment. But I must say, in last 5 months, in all the comapnies (really small companies), being interviewed was more depressing than sitting at home.

There are other things I want to discuss:

These people talked in our native language, Hindi. While I answered, communicated in English, but I found it little ridiculuous. Does it matter?

Based on the experience, I think I should dump them. Though I have no other option right now, thanks to the on-going IT recession, I should dump them.

Plus they asked me to tell them if and when I can join them! Boss. This was all new and loling, confusing, kissed in the rear experience for me.

[Shaggy Hiker]

If you need the cash, and have no other options, you're probably going to have to go for it. It you can tell them to go jump in a lake, that might be more satisfying, but it all depends on the job market and your personal bottom line.

[Tom Sawyer]

If the job market's bad, take what you can get. Most everyone has to go through their share of crappy jobs before they can find something that's a good fit. Just think of it as padding out your resume and building experience.

While you are there, though, remember that it's a temporary position and you are not dependent on them for advancing your career, so there's no need to take any crap from them. Also, if you run into the girl from the OP, you may want to call her on the inane errors she made during it.

[mendhak]

These people talked in our native language, Hindi. While I answered, communicated in English, but I found it little ridiculuous. Does it matter?

That's difficult to answer. I personally severely mark people down if they don't have good communication skills - in English. I suppose you should just answer in the language you're more comfortable explaining something in. I'd imagine answering something about an HttpHandler, for example, would sound awkward in any language in the world (except English). So I think it's fine that you've been answering in English. At least it'll also show your professionalism.

Plus they asked me to tell them if and when I can join them! Boss. This was all new and loling, confusing, kissed in the rear experience for me.

Did you mean kicked?

[mendhak]

If you're having such problems currently, start with your resume. Make sure it's polished, attractive, you know the usual.

[Jenner]

Wow! From this and other posts, you've really got a lot of bad luck favoring you.

I came out of college right at the beginning of the Dot.com crash of 2000-2001 so everybody and everything in America suddenly clammed up with hiring freezes and such, thus, I didn't get an actual "job" until this one, where it was the company I worked for paying my salary and not some contract/temp agency.

Heh, did I forget to mention that since contract/temp agencies pay diddly; especially to fresh out of school engineers who have no "true" employment aside from other temp work; those wonderful college loans had to be forebeared for a time and gained about another 12k of debt? Yea... I was making half of what I should have been making and during those years.

Life's certainly been a LOT better since though. That experience I talked about in my last post was certainly a serious low-point in my life.

[Harsh Gupta]

Umm, Yes, Kicked.

A new twist in the tale.

Last week, I wrote a mail to the HR personnel saying that it is not possible for me to join your organization. Thank you for your time. That HR lady called me next morning and said that if I am not looking for a job then why the hell have I posted my resume on job portals. I have wasted their precious time blah blah blah.

I told her in cool manner that this is not the case, this is to make sure that both parties don't spend much time anymore on this issue.

Then she began pestering me to tell her the reason for rejection. Finally I told her the job description and scenario given by her MD in the last interview I had, and it didn't interest me.

She started to say that this is not professional behavior etc etc etc. Saying that I might have misunderstood, she promised me to mail the entire job description and asked me to respond.

No mail received. Today, after 1 week, I got her call in the morning, that she had mailed the job description. Well it was no description, just the technology/ies I will be working on.

I have written a mail to her, seeking all the Term & Conditions of her organization and possible remuneration discussion, because in none of the 3 interviews we had they didn't give a chance for these topics.

Indeed a learning lesson!!@

[mendhak]

You appear to be dealing with a very strange organization.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Why would you even take the job now, a sense of curiosity?

[IntelSucks]

I got laughed at in an interview for saying S-Q-L, instead of "Sequel"...

Then, she said "its funny how "non-professionals" call it S-Q-L".

I declined the job offer.

[Jenner]

I got laughed at in an interview for saying S-Q-L, instead of "Sequel"...

Then, she said "its funny how "non-professionals" call it S-Q-L".

I declined the job offer.

ROFLMAO!! Yea, I would too. I can't deal with morons like that; especially the type who think they're obviously right when the fact of the matter is, they're obviously wrong.

[homer13j]

The position lasted for nine months before they dumped me without warning. During that time, I drove an impressive hour-twenty minutes one way to get to the place, and was treated like such filth, and was so miserable

Hey, Jenner - I'm from Cleveland, can I ask what company this was?

did I forget to mention that since contract/temp agencies pay diddly

Most do - some don't. I just landed a job through a temp agency that pays very well. But they sure are making me work for it...