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Original poster

This was a test wasn't it?

542 replies

LadyIrisBarclay · 21/02/2018 20:55

And I obviously failed?

Had an interview for a job today. Really, really wanted it as it's my dream role and I so desperately need to get away from current organisation and arse of a boss

It was interview panel of 3 which I had kind of expected but I know my nerves got the better of me.

Anyway, I walked into the boardroom and the 3 interviewers were sat on opposite side of boardroom table. It was quite formal and I was trying not to hyperventilate Grin

On my side of the table there was just one chair plus a notepad and pencil and carafe and glass of water. So this was obviously where I was supposed to sit.

I walked in and we all shook hands and then the lady (possibly a PA?) invited me to take a seat - but here's where it all went tit's up!

My chair had a very large and noticeable wet patch on it. I have no idea what it was, possibly water or a spilt cup of tea? I touched it with my fingers and it was very damp.

So I pointed it out to the panel in a casual way, didn't want to make a fuss but just said 'oh dear, something has been spilt on this chair and it's still very damp'. I was assuming someone would offer to go and get another for me as there were no other chairs in the room other than the three they were sitting on.

But no-one offered so I asked whether a replacement could be found. I was told that none were available and the Manager then just asked whether I was ready to get started with the interview??????

I said that yes I was but I couldn't sit in the chair provided, I was really trying to keep it light and breezy, the manager just said that no other chairs were available. This is the UK HQ of a large global organisation in a state of the art building covering 5 floors. Of course there were other fucking chairs available??

I could feel tears building up at this point as there was no way I was going to humiliate myself by having a wet patch on my skirt after the interview.

So I walked out Sad - I can't remember now what I said but managed to keep it fairly polite still.

What the actual fuck was I supposed to do? Was this a test?

I have read about organisations such as Apple and Google asking really wanky questions at interviews that I just think is a pile of shite. This was a large organisation in the Financial Services sector though.

It did occur to me afterwards that maybe it was a test and I was supposed to show my initiative by using the notepad they'd provided to cover up the wet patch?

I can't be doing with such arsery though - so very fucking upset this evening Sad

OP posts:
HobnobBob · 22/02/2018 12:10

Why though did you assume the woman on the panel was a PA?

The OP has said why. She has a hearing aid and thought that was how she introduced herself. She didn’t assume.

morningconstitutional2017 · 22/02/2018 12:14

Well done for walking out. Why should you sit on a wet chair? If they want good staff they can start by treating people properly. I reckon you missed a bullet.

C8H10N4O2 · 22/02/2018 12:17

Why did you have to bring race into it? S0ph1a didn't mention colour. Wasn't the sexist crap enough for you?!

Having interviewed gazillions of candidates over the years the over confidence of the 'mediocre white man' stands out regularly.

Women and BME candidates rarely show the level of arrogance which is common in white male candidates. However this is a generalisation - and whilst its interesting you cannot interview people based on this or you make the same mistakes.

I do reject candidates who assume I'm an HR interviewer because I'm female or who consistently assume technical roles are 'he'. The candidate who assumed I was the PA and my male assistant was in charge didn't get very far either.

Reading some of the examples here it seems companies don't put enough effort into training interviewers. Its a skill like anything else which needs practice and evidence based techniques. We don't allow people to interview until they are formally trained - its a good policy.

frieda909 · 22/02/2018 12:20

I’m on a long train journey and have been passing the time by trying to figure out - honestly and non-fantastically - how I would actually have reacted in this situation.

I can be quite shy and awkward at times so I’d probably get very flustered and say ‘oh, um, I think the chair is wet...’ and then just dither about for ages until someone put me out of my misery. I don’t think I would have sat down in the chair but I can’t guarantee it. Whatever the ‘test’ was, I would definitely have failed it anyway!

If I was having a particularly good day and was in the right mood I might be more ballsy and say ‘I’m ready to start but I’m afraid I’ll have to stand, unless someone can please find me another chair?’ but I doubt it to be honest.

maddiemookins16mum · 22/02/2018 12:22

If it was a test, then they're a shite company. I bet on your first day they'd have asked if you could go to Facilities for the long stand or something.

Utterly ridiculous way to interview people (This Morning or Jeremy Vine would love to do a story on crazy interviews).

frieda909 · 22/02/2018 12:24

I do reject candidates who assume I'm an HR interviewer because I'm female or who consistently assume technical roles are 'he'. The candidate who assumed I was the PA and my male assistant was in charge didn't get very far either.

Oooh that makes my blood boil Angry

I used to represent my old company at recruitment fairs in a very technical field and people ALWAYS assumed I was in HR. People would wait to speak to my male colleagues, and if I asked if I could help I’d get dismissed because ‘I want to ask a technical question’. One guy was asking me if he needed a certain degree to do the job, and when I replied ‘no, actually my own degree is in X’ he sort of raised and eyebrow at me and said ‘well yeah, but that’s for HR...’ Angry

Not the point of the thread I know but grrrr!

ittakes2 · 22/02/2018 12:25

OP you have dodged a bullet. Whether it was a test or not - if they have so little respect for you in an interview then the company would have been a nightmare to work for. I do like puzzles though - I think if it was a test maybe they had left the pad of paper so people could put paper down on the damp spot. Weird company though!

bakingdemon · 22/02/2018 12:27

I always think it's cock up rather than conspiracy - they probably didn't know the chair was damp and wanted to spend time talking to you rather than faffing with furniture. Why couldn't you have done it standing up? I would go back to the recruiter if it really is your dream job and say that you'll give them another chance

Jux · 22/02/2018 12:31

You could contact the company and tell them that your time is worth more than playing silly buggers at interview and you don't appreciate being treated so disrespectfully.

Riverside2 · 22/02/2018 12:32

baking "I always think it's cock up rather than conspiracy - they probably didn't know the chair was damp and wanted to spend time talking to you rather than faffing with furniture."

if they didn't listen to a candidate saying "hello, wet patch on the chair" they can fuck right off anyway.

HobnobBob · 22/02/2018 12:33

Why should the OP have done the interview standing up? It’s as much about wanting people to work for you and giving a good impression as it is for the interviewee. It would have taken seconds to apologise and find another chair. It’s not your job as a recruiter to be a twat.

C8H10N4O2 · 22/02/2018 12:38

in a very technical field and people ALWAYS assumed I was in HR

Yep I'm in a technical male dominated field. I'm well known within the community as a speaker. Any candidate who rocks up and after introduction assumes I'm HR or PA hasn't done their bare bones homework.

halfwitpicker · 22/02/2018 12:40

Didn't think I'd ever utter these words but... Yohoo, Daily Fail, where are you?

AethelflaedofMercia · 22/02/2018 12:41

I always think it's cock up rather than conspiracy - they probably didn't know the chair was damp and wanted to spend time talking to you rather than faffing with furniture. Why couldn't you have done it standing up?

In the unlikely event it really was impossible to grab another chair from the next room, the courteous thing to do would have been for one of the interviewing panel to give op his/her chair, while s/he stood.

halfwitpicker · 22/02/2018 12:42

Why couldn't you have done it standing up?

^

Why do you think?

HmmConfused

mishfish · 22/02/2018 12:43

I have a disability and can’t stand up for very long. I would have done the same as you regardless though OP. Well done for standing up for yourself

QuiteLikely5 · 22/02/2018 12:47

I would have put some paper on the chair and sat down!

EightAce · 22/02/2018 12:49

If there were no other chairs, I wonder what would have happened if the OP had said "OK then, YOU sit in this one and I'll have your chair".

ememem84 · 22/02/2018 12:59

id say it was a test. my ex employer (big corporate) was like this.

we were to "test" interview candidates to see if they were up to the job by purposely making them wait a minimum of 20 minutes for their interviews. more so if we knew they were on a lunch break.

it was awful. i could never do it. we had to interview in teams of 3 - HR and two client facing - one director and one manager (me). when they brought this ridiculous policy in, I always made sure that I went into the interview room at the correct time, introduced myself, apologised for the lateness (made up something about director/HR being in another interview/another meeting) and offered tea/coffee/water and had a chat with candidate to get to know them a bit. this was frowned upon. apparently we were supposed to make them sweat.

sometimes literally - air con was turned off in the meeting rooms...i always made sure i turned it back on.

i no longer work there thank god.

Sprinklestar · 22/02/2018 13:02

I’d send them an invoice for my wasted time!

Riverside2 · 22/02/2018 13:04

em, so what would constitute passing the test?

it's entirely random whether someone stays or goes - did they have a meeting after, would their boss be the type who knows if they are there or not etc etc.

Lovemusic33 · 22/02/2018 13:05

I would have either gone and found another chair myself or I would have said ‘fine, I will stand up’.

I think it was a test, if it wasn’t they would have just gone and found you another chair. They were testing your problem solving skills. Still a stupid thing to do.

I remember one of my first interviews, I was really anxious, walked into a room with 4 people on a panel and one of said ‘can you sing or dance?’, I was mortified, obviously they were joking and just acting out a factor scene but I wasn’t prepared with a reaction so was just embarrassed.

YesILikeItToo · 22/02/2018 13:19

As a test of problem solving skills, it has weaknesses. The problem presented is: The company I am considering contracting with in an employment relationship of good faith are lying to me about how many chairs they have. What should I do?

BarbraDear · 22/02/2018 13:22

I wonder if any other candidates sat in the chair/stood up or walked out.

Awful to think someone might not have had the confidence to speak up and just sat in a puddle of piss (if that was what it was).

AethelflaedofMercia · 22/02/2018 13:22

we were to "test" interview candidates to see if they were up to the job by purposely making them wait a minimum of 20 minutes

I've been on the receiving end of this. I've also had interviewers who appeared not to have read my application prior to the interview, or had the wrong application in front of them, and started the interview appearing to think I was someone else.

I wondered at the time if they were testing the candidates, but in fact it just made them look rude and unprepared.

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