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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Weird job interview?

62 replies

pineapplepenny · 13/04/2017 12:04

I went for an interview on Monday. It was a panel of three. One of the panel was the person l'd be job sharing with. The same role, same hours - same wages. The two main interviewers asked relevant questions and were extremely 'nice'
Anyway, the job sharing interviewer was gruff and appeared to not want to be there. All the panel obviously had questions , they then asked if she did. She noticed my youngest daughter is still of primary school age- she asked : " What will you do if she gets sick?"
I explained l'd obviously need to take care of her , alternating with my DH. She isn't very tiny, and l explained by her age they tend to have built up more immunity.
Anyway, l was then told the role really depended on personality and how the two 'job sharers' would get on?Confused
This person has only been doing the job 5 months , and the other two actual managers seemed quite in awe of her.
Am l missing something? I don't think she should have been 'interviewing' me. My credentials are not up for her scrutiny are they, if she liked me?
I just found the whole thing unusual.Smile
If this is normal ( and l've not come across it ) l'd be happy to be corrected!

OP posts:
snowgirl1 · 13/04/2017 12:51

I work in HR and I think you should definitely raise the issue of the question about childcare - it's outrageous.

I do agree with the interviewers that it is important that two job-sharers get on, otherwise managers find themselves dealing with squabbles about who hasn't done what and who's not pulling their weight.

MrsELM21 · 13/04/2017 12:51

Ugh she sounds horrible, and probably not very nice to job share with, better off out of it!

August1984 · 13/04/2017 12:52

Sounds like she'd have been a total cow bag nightmare, trust me I've a colleague just like that and i could sense it a mile off.

In future i'd remove all mention of your children from any paperwork and don't bring them up at the interview, unless its obvious that the interviewees have kids/are very family-friendly. They're not meant to ask you anyway i don't think.

Edballsisoneniftydancer · 13/04/2017 12:52

Ah well thenPenny that outs a slightly different complexion on it. By bring it up and rambling on (YOUR words Grin )you could well have made it look like it was possibly an issue for you.

As someone who has regularly sat on the other side of the desk, that would have rung alarm bells for me, though it is never an issue I would bring up.

UppityHumpty · 13/04/2017 12:53

@Edballsisoneniftydancer - It's the cynic in me. In my industry management only entertains non-senior 'job shares' when people can't manage their workloads. I really wouldn't be surprised if they gave the role to someone with no caring responsibilities & eventually that person would replace the job sharer.

August1984 · 13/04/2017 12:53

Sorry just saw your update on why you mentioned them.

Edballsisoneniftydancer · 13/04/2017 12:53

PUTS...and I was referring to your post at 12.49. Gosh this thread has got its skates on!

Original poster
pineapplepenny · 13/04/2017 12:54

I've remembered something.
Apparently, this job used to be her job plus an assistant. They decided it would be better to have it as an equal job share.
I didn't know about the wages so l checked. The manager didn't know, and went to check. When she came back she told me and mentioned to my job share that she'd be on that wage now too!
She just shrugged her shoulders! Grin
Sounds quite funny now.
For those of you who remember ' upstairs / downstairs... she was just like Mrs Bridges - minus the curls and pinny!

OP posts:
Edballsisoneniftydancer · 13/04/2017 12:55

That explains it admirably Humpty (though I have to say it's not my own experience!

Original poster
pineapplepenny · 13/04/2017 12:56

I only rambled as she sat there staring - it was the only question she asked. I felt l should give it my full attention! Grin

OP posts:
Edballsisoneniftydancer · 13/04/2017 12:58

Believe me I appreciate you probably had the best reasons in the world for 'rambling' but nevertheless parsnips remain unbuttered: it would have looked like this was an issue for you.

Still, as others have said, you have very likely dodged a bullet and you can chalk it up to useful experience for when something truly worthwhile comes along

Emphasise · 13/04/2017 12:59

FWIW I can't think if any job where having primary school age or younger children would be a good thing. I'd never dream of asking g but staff who might need time off for child sickness etc are always a concern, even if the skills gained through patenting see very relevant to the job. Don't mention it again

Floggingmolly · 13/04/2017 12:59

It all sounds incredibly surreal. Nobody even knew the proposed salary? And madam didn't even know her own salary, and had to be told?

SapphireStrange · 13/04/2017 13:00

I've jobshared in the past and I have been on the interview panel for my partner more than once. I don't think it's unusual.

We were all kept on quite a tight lead though – at my work the system was that we had to ask prescribed questions, and before the interview we (me, my boss and an HR person) went through and divvied them up depending on who seemed the most suitable person to be asking which ones.

We weren't allowed to ask about children or any aspects of personal life though. I thought that was quite usual. I'm Shock actually that they thought it was OK to ask. If I were you I'd check if that's even legal and consider taking it further.

EastDulwichWife · 13/04/2017 13:02

I'm not sure she can ask those questions, since your suitability for the role has to be what's considered - not your private life.

I've interviewed plenty of female candidates and always get reminded by HR to NEVER ask about family / kids etc. If I'm asked, I say we have flexi time to cater for families, but I'd never bring it up.

If you don't get offered it, or do and don't want it, I'd complain to their HR (obvs not if you decide to take it!).

Edballsisoneniftydancer · 13/04/2017 13:03

Yes I agree with Emphasise

As an employer it's none of my goddam beeswax HOW childcare is organised: my only concern is that it BE organised and that we are not in the poo more often than can be helped. If it is a recurring problem then we address it: we don't meet it halfway!

Original poster
pineapplepenny · 13/04/2017 13:06

Thank you for all the responses. Very helpful. I won't mention my children again. I've learnt my lesson!

OP posts:
TheMysteriousJackelope · 13/04/2017 13:08

I would not want to job share with someone like that. It's even worse if the managers 'are in awe of her', because you just know if there's a dispute they'll come down on her side because it will be easier for them (unless you can be equally bolshy).

Anyone can get in an accident and have to take time off for a broken leg etc. I bet she doesn't ask childless candidates how they'd manage in that situation, only the childcare was asked about. That's really not on and I'd wonder about the culture at that company.

Baffy · 13/04/2017 13:12

I've got quite a 'challenging' member of staff and I tend to involve her in the interview process for new team members as it's key that I find people who she can get on with (small team, harmony required!).

So I agree, you've dodged a bullet op! By the sounds of it, it'll be her personality that's the problem and not yours. Lucky escape! Grin

ClarkWGriswold · 13/04/2017 13:18

Our interview panels usually include the person who is already doing the job. We also have a further stakeholder panel where interviewee meets the rest of the team; so it is quite usual.

She definitely should not have asked you about your child or her care. I thought it was discriminatory to ask about dependents?

WillandBill · 13/04/2017 13:22

I was asked to interview the person who would be my line manager

LadyPW · 13/04/2017 13:24

Maybe she asked because she thought she'd be stuck covering you if you were off with sprog a lot? Understandable wanting to know, not so professional actually asking! (But not illegal I think if she asked everyone)

Floggingmolly · 13/04/2017 13:24

Did you get a say in the appointment, Will?

Hissy · 13/04/2017 13:24

I'd email back and actually say that I wasn't surprised as you found it obvious from her manner toward you that the job share colleague didn't gel with you at all.

Hissy · 13/04/2017 13:24

sorry, distracted and messed up my post!