Job-Hunting

This week, I've been on 6 - yes, s-i-x 6 - job interviews. So, obviously this weekend I'm feeling a little frazzled. Add to those job interviews one job offer, one resignation and one last day at my old job, not to mention the normal anxiety of starting a new job on Monday, and it's easy to see why I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now.

My first two interviews were on Tuesday. Strangely enough, they ended up being for the same job. It seems the employer had contacted two agencies, both of whom had advertised on Seek, received my application, and wanted to put me through. They had listed different position titles though, so it was hard to recognise. Here I am, sitting in the second interview as he describes the company to me, wondering if I should say anything (as I'd signed a privacy statement with the first agency). I went on to meet with the employer on Wednesday, and funnily enough that was the job I've been offered. So there you have it - the easiest way to get a job is for two agencies to send your resume to an employer.

Probably my worst experience of the week was my interview on Thursday afternoon, my last interview for the week. I'd literally been offered the other position half an hour before-hand, and was somewhat interviewed out, but decided to attend the interview as it was very short notice to cancel by the time I remembered it. Also, it was for a permanent position where the job I've taken is a short-term contract, so I figured it couldn't hurt to have a shot.

The interview was at one o'clock, so I got there at 12:55. The office was empty. I don't mean there was no-one at reception, I walked out the back and there was no-one there either. Now this is a professional recruitment agency (apparently) and the role I'm applying for is their Candidate Manager, so my first thought is "Well, they certainly need one then" and my 2nd is "What the hell is going on?" Well, I figure that maybe everyone is out at lunch (although it's strange they'd all go at once, and leave the office open) so I sit down on one of the chairs and wait. As I look around, I start to wonder if I've walked into someone's office rather than reception. It doesn't really look like reception except for the leather couches, so I look around outside - nope, no other doors. So I wait some more. About 1.10, the phone rings, and I hear someone out the back answer it. Hm, ok so maybe there is someone here.

When I hear them hang up the phone, I head out the back and call out "Hello?" I hear a murmur of "Oh, god, someone's here" and a lady appears. I explain that I have an interview at 1, so she gives me a form to fill out and tells me the interviewer will be with me soon. I fill out this form and wait for another 10 minutes. By this time, it's 1.25 and I've been there for half an hour. Considering I'm skipping work to be here and could get in trouble if someone notices I'm not back from lunch, I figure it's time to get going. I call out the back, and the same lady comes out. I give her the form and tell her I've got to go back to work now. She looks quite taken aback, and insists I wait for another lady to come out. A couple of minutes later, an older, crabby looking lady comes out and berates me for not saying earlier that I only had half an hour. She then badgers me into coming back at 4.30 when I finish work.

To be honest, I'm absolutely stunned. At this point, I decide that although this place clearly needs someone to fix their candidate management, it definitely aint gonna be me. So as soon as I get back to work, I write an email which says that I've been offered another position and therefore won't be attending the interview set up earlier today. As expected, I received no response. I am so disgusted with the way they handled the situation, I'm almost tempted to name and shame them, but for the sake of the poor person who has to try to manage candidates among that horrible excuse for professional recruiters, I will refrain.

If you've had any bad experiences with interviews, please leave a comment and share them. I'm currently working on some interview tips which I'll post here shortly.
In the meantime, I hope you're laughing at this story, because I certainly am.
Cheers!