Interviewers - would this be a deal breaker?

[YellowEllis]

I just had a Zoom job interview, I think it went well. I'd researched the right things and could answer all their questions, my experience matches the role perfectly, I think I'm a strong candidate - but on the second question they asked me I accidentally lent on the mouse and minimised everything. It took me 20 secs to get it back and get myself together and in that time I said "oh um sorry, ah" and looked like a bit of a bumbling idiot and got anxious. I got it together and was fine for the rest of the interview. I'm just kicking myself for not explaining what I'd done, as they probably thought I was clicking off screen to check the answer or that I just couldn't think of an answer rather than I'd shrunk the screen.

Would that put you off someone? Or do I still stand a chance because the rest of the interview went well?

Personally I'd think that was OK. Unless the job was IT lead!

I probably wouldn’t care about it. Most of us are new to both being interviewees and interviewers online so would expect the odd technical issue

No, absolutely fine. We are all having these sorts of issues at the moment and unless they are jerks, they will understand that interviews/meetings/whatever by video conference can sometimes be awkward and there can sometimes be technical issues. I probably would have just explained what happened as it's nothing to be embarrassed about, but assuming the interview otherwise went well, I doubt they even remember.

I've started all interviews recently saying I understand if we get interrupted by a small child or a dog and we will bear with the interviewee!

As an interviewer, I wouldn't mind at all.

For a second I thought you meant 🐭.

🤣

No not a problem with an electronic one.

Fingers crossed then. Will hear in a couple of hours either way. Atleast they aren't keeping me waiting for weeks!

I did an interview where the interviewee was sideways for a while and she took a while sorting it. It was fine. We're all muddling through and these things don't mean points deducted.

I've conducted interviews a few times online in the past few months, and I would make allowance for technology glitches. As others have said, unless slick video-calling skills are an essential part of the role, I would be pretty forgiving - in fact, I'd be more interested in seeing how calmly you handled the problem and were able to refocus.

Well they said they'd phone the successful applicant after 4 and everyone else would get an email. I've had neither! Guessing the phone call would of been made by now though, I shall await my rejection email!

Wouldn't bother me.

That would not be an issue for me at all

Still silence

Wouldn’t bother me as that’s something I would be likely to do too.

Awww. I had a Zoom interview this afternoon for a very senior role, and both of the board members interviewing me couldn't seem to log in to their own meeting! I sat there patiently waiting for them. When they finally arrived, one didn't put his camera on at all and the other had such low bandwidth that he froze and had to switch his off.

Years ago I did a Skype interview and for some reason the camera kept zooming in and out on my forehead.

Never mind OP, my motto is that if they don't choose you, it wasn't meant for you. Next!

No it wouldn't matter for me. If it did bother me, I would invite that person again to see if they regularly did weird things or whether it was just a bad day / nerves.

I hired someone who had a mini-panic attack on the way out, and he was great at his job.

And still nothing. Guessing they'll of finished for the day now. That can't be a good sign!

Maybe they've offered the job to someone but are waiting for that person to say yes or no before they email everyone else. Or maybe ask the candidates are so good that they're still trying to decide.

These things get delayed for all sorts of reasons so I wouldn't assume the worst just yet.

@tectonicplates

Maybe they've offered the job to someone but are waiting for that person to say yes or no before they email everyone else. Or maybe ask the candidates are so good that they're still trying to decide.

These things get delayed for all sorts of reasons so I wouldn't assume the worst just yet.

Yes I think it will be that they've offered it and are waiting to hear back before rejecting me. Which is annoying because it means they haven't offered it to me

They might not have made a decision and are sleeping on it. I’ve had that happen before. They just apologised for taking longer to get back but said it was close and they needed more time.

The zoom thing wouldn’t bother me. Our team meetings are done over Teams and there’s always Somebody with technical issues of some sort and nobody takes any notice (different situation granted).

Good luck 😊

Fingers crossed for you OP - I think it was bad planning to say they’d call successful applicants after 4pm and email everyone else, they shouldn’t have left you hanging - hard to know what went wrong.

I had an interview via Skype a few weeks ago. Only once it started did it become apparent my camera was working, cue lots of panic, them giving me time to restart the whole laptop and figure it out. Got camera working, on the third question, one of the guys on the panel his laptop started playing up and he couldn't see his questions... But I got the job. All the feedback they gave me was about how I answered the questions, no mention of IT :)

*was not working

I'm not getting my hopes up, seems more likely they'd of phoned whoever's got the job already. I'm just a bit sad! It's a band below where I am now, but more days so more money and in an area I'd of really enjoyed. I had every bit of experience they wanted, and technically it was a step down. I really thought I had a good chance!