To really not see the point in an interviewer asking endless questions about my GCSE choices when I left school over 20 years ago?

[slinkyfiggy]

As per the title really.

I'm 38. I left school in 1993.

I had an interview earlier this week for an admin job at a college. The interviewer went through all of my GCSE choices one by one and asked questions about them, such as why did I choose to take two languages when I wasn't planning a language based career, and why did I take drama when it wasn't really an academic subject. She didn't mention any of my later qualifications that were relevant to the role.

AIBU to think her cross examination over my GCSEs was pointless? I chose my options at 14, based upon the subjects I enjoyed and was good at. I didn't have a planned career at the time. I got good grades in them all, surely that's the important thing?

This happened to me at an interview as well.

I do not put GCSEs on my CV. At the time I had just got a masters (in the subject I was being interviewed for) so had that, my degree, my professional qualifications (relevent subject) and relevant experience. It was for a job at a university. Most of the interview seemed to be asking me about my GCSEs and questions about where I went to secondary school and even more bizarre what my after school activities were and why I chose them?!?. I too was asked the logic behind my GCSE choices after I had no choice but to tell them what they were. I got a lot of looks because I dared to do a BTEC (I failed all my GCSEs and went to FE college to get into university which was seriously hard work to do) they were of the type who thought BTECs were beyond crap. I thought it very very odd. It was over fifteen years prior to the interview I did my GCSEs (I was in the first lot to do them) interview was a long time ago, but I never forgot it.

I really really wanted the job, passed the interview and accepted it. Worst. Mistake. Ever.

lol that's hilarious!

Good luck with the job

I had something quite surreal along those lines too a couple of years ago. Interviewed for a role I did not get, and they focused very hard on my undergraduate degree, also received about 17 years ago. The comment was that my academic qualifications were not very impressive. (I had quite ordinary results for my undergrad). I was a bit because I also had listed my Masters a number of academic publications and a postgrad research award I had received. Another comment in relation to my actual work qualifications was that they were not even sure what it is I had done in my previous roles. Bullet points listing my tasks were not enough it seemed.

Very odd. There's some crap interviewers out there.

How bizarre. Sounds like she hasn't got a Scooby. I wouldn't want the job if she was going to be my boss!

I was recently asked to list every job I've ever held. I've been working for almost 30 years

Maybe she had to ask all the candidates exactly the same questions, and the others had done their GSCEs more recently.

I had the job for less than six months. Apart from the BTEC issue (yes it came up A LOT) my medical condition deteriorated and I was bullied because of that, there were other issues as well which I won't go into here.

They fired me before I could leave. The manager came into my office and the conversation was something like

Manager: hey Becca what you up to after next month?
Me (thinking its to do with annual leave): um maybe going on holiday?
Manager: good you have something to do after you leave!

I should have walked out then, but no, I went to my 'goodbye lunch' an afternoon of people, including the manager, saying how much they would miss me and wished I would stay longer.

My only regret is not yelling to the manager in front of the entire department "you fired me, you bitch!!"

Like I said. Worst. Mistake. Ever.

That was the only job I had that I really really hated.

yy massa what is it with that?

I've been in my current industry for 15 years who gives a toss about a saturday job 25 years ago?

CVs they say absolutely don't list everything if it's not recent / relevant which makes more sense to me.

The public sector are worst for this all info about you since the dawn of time thing I've found although not gone for a public sector job for a few years now.

I had several CVs when I was working as I'm qualified in two professions and applied for a wide variety of work when unemployed. There is no way I would be able to list all jobs and all qualifications in two pages never mind experience or references.

Exact same problem here Massa - list every job and account for every gap in employment.

I haven't lived that kind of life FFS and I cannot fill in their poxy application forms.

For the first 20 years after college I was working on very short term contracts (self employed in the theatre/film) with lots of temp jobs in between.
It seems the crappier the job the more detail these buggers want on their bloody forms.

I was once given an earful from some recruitment twonk about putting "restoring property" as most recent work on an application form.
She sniffily said "Decorating your house doesn't count as a job."
I couldn't help myself and said "Well that non-job just made me £40k in 12 weeks."

How dare they say Drama isn't an academic subject. Having a daughter who took it to advanced higher it is an amazingly academic subject.
Interviewer was daft in my opinion.

I also left school in 1993 and really can't remember my high school results!

Good job it wasn't me that she interviewed - I'm ancient enough to have O-Levels, not GCSEs - and they were graded from 1 (=A*) to 9 (=Ungraded). That would have confused her...

Mind you, I'm fascinated to see that GCSE grades are going back to numbers -- but this time 9 will be the best and 1 the worst. Talk about reinventing the wheel...

I do public sector jobs and I have learned to force a broad overview into forms that seem determined to pin me down to why I left my evening supermarket checkout job in 1987 - I now lie have a more creative approach. But tbh any decent interviewer would ignore all that crap anyway.

Bikket, when I did O'levels it was A-E IIRC. When did it change from being numbers?

Mid 70s? I took my O levels in 1977 and grades went A-F or U. My husband did his in 1971 and I think number grades were still being used then, but it was a different board, which might have been another reason for it.

The application forms that ask for all qualifications and every job you've ever done do rather make a mockery of the fact that you aren't supposed to ask for the applicants' ages any more. Not difficult to work out if somebody took O levels in 1977 roughly how old they are!

OK - I did mine in 81.

It seems that the powers-that-be like to change everything on a regular basis then

They perhaps had to ask everyone the same or very similar questions to avoid accusations of unfairness or discrimination. If other people going for the job were younger, their GCSEs may have been more relevant.

I did I levels in 1974 and a levels in 1976. Numbers for o levels then and 1975 for my retake maths it was letters.

I have worked in one job or another since 1973 and in the public sector you list every job on an application form but a CV. (Rare for public sector) you can group creatively 'last 10 years' 'early career'. But in 2006 I was interviewed by a real idiot of a chief exec and he asked for grades of o levels and reasons. I couldn't remember! I had a levels, a first degree, a masters and a further post grad masters level qualification and all he wanted was O level grades. What an idiot