The honest job interview

[RISP]

This cartoon is brilliant, IMO:

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

Warning: Other daily installments of SMBC often contain some language or sexual content, so it is NSFW, I guess. This one is not problematic, though.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

My favorite

[/IMG]

 

[LoneAspen]

LOL. One of the things I've thought about doing once I don't need a job anymore, is to get hired somewhere and be totally brutally honest and see how long I last.

 

[38Chevy454]

LOL. One of the things I've thought about doing once I don't need a job anymore, is to get hired somewhere and be totally brutally honest and see how long I last.

....so you can honestly get unemployment

 

[Walt34]

LOL. One of the things I've thought about doing once I don't need a job anymore, is to get hired somewhere and be totally brutally honest and see how long I last.

I lasted five years. Of course, everyone else there was retired law enforcement too and most were in a position that they didn't need the income to survive. Supervisors knew which buttons not to push.

 

[ProspectiveBum]

LOL. One of the things I've thought about doing once I don't need a job anymore, is to get hired somewhere and be totally brutally honest and see how long I last.

You'd probably be pegged as a go-getter with management potential, a la Office Space.

 

[pb4uski]

LOL. One of the things I've thought about doing once I don't need a job anymore, is to get hired somewhere and be totally brutally honest and see how long I last.

Once I was FI, I was more candid and outspoken about job issues (but I tried to be diplomatic about it). I found people actually liked it as I was bold enough to say what everyone else was thinking but didn't want to rock the boat. It's just important to pick your battles wisely and be diplomatic in expressing your views.

 

[luckydude]

Once I was FI, I was more candid and outspoken about job issues (but I tried to be diplomatic about it). I found people actually liked it as I was bold enough to say what everyone else was thinking but didn't want to rock the boat. It's just important to pick your battles wisely and be diplomatic in expressing your views.

Same here. I postponed my plan to ER last year in order to help MegaCorp with a project for the next few months, but everyone knows I'll be gone as soon as the project is done. In meantime I've become brutally honest, raising issues and calling people out when balls get dropped, and the freedom to do that is empowering and liberating. I know some colleagues hate it, but I know and they know there's nothing they can do about it, because at this point they need me but I don't need them .

As for being honest in an interview, it would be fun to try that and see what happens. But then I would have to polish up my resume to get an interview first, and unfortunately I can't seem to find my resume anymore.

 

[LoneAspen]

You'd probably be pegged as a go-getter with management potential, a la Office Space.

LOL - Probably! That would be my worst nightmare!

What do you mean I'm being promoted to management!?!?

(sound of ripping hair out...)

 

[2B]

LOL. One of the things I've thought about doing once I don't need a job anymore, is to get hired somewhere and be totally brutally honest and see how long I last.

I've had that approach since I was first employed. That partially explains why I've had seven employers since college. People skills (kissing management's *ss) was never one of my "strengths" on performance reviews. What was interesting is that in several positions a higher up appreciated my directness and had me promoted further alienating my immediate managers.

Amazingly, my current employer is pretty well run in my functional area. The areas I see that "need improvement" aren't anything I deal with so I don't seek out trouble. I've learned I can't change anything several departments away.

 

[HFWR]

As for being honest in an interview, it would be fun to try that and see what happens. But then I would have to polish up my resume to get an interview first, and unfortunately I can't seem to find my resume anymore.

In my case, that would be like polishing a turd...

I have no plans to ever interview again.

 

[Backpacker]

If I can put up with the bull stuff for 3 more years I won't need to interview again either

Sent from my XT1080 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[Milton]

Great cartoon! Thanks for sharing.

Probably unfair to say that "all HR [-]people[/-] (sorry, "professionals") are self-important airheads", so let me just suggest that most of them are. Really, what do they expect you to give to such banal questions?

I am reminded of the job interview in Sloan Wilson's The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1955), pp.8-15. Extract:

"Why do you want to work for the United Broadcasting Corporation?" Walker asked abruptly.
"It's a good company …" Tom began hesitantly, and was suddenly impatient at the need for hypocrisy. The sole reason he wanted to work for United Broadcasting was that he thought he might be able to make a lot of money there fast, but he felt he couldn't say that. It was sometimes considered fashionable for the employees of foundations to say that they were in it for the money, but people were supposed to work at advertising agencies and broadcasting companies for spiritual reasons.
"I believe," Tom said, "that television is developing into the greatest medium for mass education and entertainment. It has always fascinated me, and I would like to work with it …"
"What kind of salary do you have in mind?" Walker asked. Tom hadn't expected the question that soon. Walker was still smiling.
"The salary isn't the primary consideration with me," Tom said, trying desperately to come up with stock answers to stock questions. "I'm mainly interested in finding something useful and worthwhile to do. I have personal responsibilities, however, and I would hope that something could be worked out to enable me to meet them …"
"Of course," Walker said, beaming more cheerfully than ever. "I understand you applied for a job in the public-relations department. Why did you choose that?"
Because I heard there was an opening, Tom wanted to say, but quickly thought better of it and substituted a halting avowal of lifelong interest in public relations. "I think my experience in working with people at the Schanenhauser Foundation would be helpful," he concluded lamely.