Taking cakes to job interview

[onesupplied]

My lovely friend had a job interview last week. Very large organisation, likely to be a strongly structured interview. I asked her how it went and she said well, and that she had baked a cake and taken it along to the interview.

AIBU to think that this has more likely hindered rather than helped her application?

Is this ever a done thing?

I think the example (which may not be true) was of a qualified candidate being turned away by a panel who accused her of an imprisonable offence because she brought a cake

Are you talking about my example, which did happen? If so:

I never said she was turned away, because she wasn't.

Whether she was qualified or unqualified probably made little difference.

I didn't say she was accused of an imprisonable offence. She was told it felt like an attempt at bribery.

I'm not sure why you felt the need to embellish.

oh have some cake

You too.

:)

She was there to be interviewed... Why did she imagine she needed to provide the conversation starter?? As if the panel would sit there staring awkwardly at her; desperately trying to think of something to say
Has she actually done any interviews?

She was there to be interviewed... Why did she imagine she needed to provide the conversation starter?? As if the panel would sit there staring awkwardly at her; desperately trying to think of something to say
Has she actually done any interviews?

Ha, this!

You don't need a conversation starter. Generally it's hello, how are you, did you get here ok etc. Then they ask questions which you answer. You're not there for a chat. 'Oh the sponge is just right!' I don't think so.

Has she got the job op?

OP please come back

I don't think it's necessarily a terrible idea.

If an otherwise bad candidate brought a cake in then, well, yes, it'd be embarrassing.

But if an otherwise good candidate brought it in then I don't think it's too fanciful to imagine it conferring a tiny advantage, or more likely doing no harm.

👀

Did she get the job OP?!

"But if an otherwise good candidate brought it in then I don't think it's too fanciful to imagine it conferring a tiny advantage, "

But this is the problem. It's trying to get an advantage through bribery.

I don't think there are any circumstances where fussing around with a homemade cake at a job interview for a presumably professional position will ever give you an edge.
For me, it would be an instant markdown for not understanding appropriate behaviour in a professional environment, tbh.

Oh dear lord! What was she thinking???

Hope the cake didn't give the interviewers the runs

Did she get the job OP? I have an interview tomorrow, bricking it do I need to get baking tonight??

UPDATE

She hasn't been offered the job yet but she does have a second interview!!

I have been hanging around MN waiting and waiting for you to update OP.
brilliant, she sounds bonkers but pleased for her!

They probably want to see what sort of shenanigans she gets up to this time.

OP, please tell her gently NOT to take any baked goods along this time.

Aww, bless 🙂

Maybe next time she needs to take pie, to show off her pastry skills?

A friend of mine did basically that -- designed a package of cookies, attached her CV and portfolio, and got the job:

futurerising.com/story/self-promotion/crystals-cookies-make-perfect-delivery-platform-for-cv-and-job-application

Maybe they don't know what to do with the Tupperware

Oh my God!!!!

What is planning on bringing to this one?

What about a chocolate fountain?There would be plenty of conversation opportunities while she is cranking it up for them.

Oh no, that's tricky.

Are they hoping she'll recover herself from awkward CAKE-GATE or are they expecting more of the same? But better?

Homemade doughnuts? A Bakewell tart? This is a very complex conundrum.