"Trick"question in interview

[AmandaBuffamonteezi]

I had an interview today for a nursery manager role. They literally called me at 2:30 and asked if I could come in at 4. I was able to as I finished work at 3:30 but explained I'd be coming straight from work, so would obviously not be dressed for interview or have anything with me which they said was fine.

Luckily I was able to grab 5 minutes to research the company and realised that the nursery was new and has not been inspected by Ofsted.

At the interview I was asked what I knew about the company and I managed to string a few things together that I'd read online. The interviewer then asked if I'd read their ofsted report and when I said no she looked at me with raised eyebrows and then said "Oh, did you not prepare fully for the interview?" and then I carried on saying that there wasn't a report yet.

She then laughed and said that it was a trick question but I'd be surprised at how many people say they have and then try to make stuff up and how it's a good way to see what people are really like. Both the deputy manager and the area manager who were interviewing me were laughing giving examples of how funny it was seeing interviewers get all tongue tied and clearly making stuff up.

I was a bit shocked that they'd do this but also at how rude she was knowing that I'd literally come from work.

I've just had an email inviting me to a second interview but I kind of feel like I wouldn't enjoy working with these women. Am I being a bit sensitive in thinking they were just being mean about the others?

They sound like absolute knobs and I wouldn’t feel comfortable working there!

I'd expect you to read up on the company when you applied, so coming straight from work would not be an excuse.

I don't see any issue with the question, and they make a good point about catching out liars.

Trust your instinct. It's pretty poor form to give you so little notice for the interview that alone would be a bit off putting for me. The 'trick' question added into the mix would just cement that bad feeling for me I think! If you decline the 2nd interview you might want to consider giving them some feedback on exactly why!

Sorry, should have said they'd seen my CV online and called up so I didn't actually apply for the role.

I wouldn't want to work their either as that's far removed from how I like to treat people myself.

That said, if everything else went well & you think you'd enjoy the job, then ignore that aspect & go back for the 2nd interview.

There, not their!!

I think you need to trust your instincts.

All sounds a bit unprofessional. So 1.5 hours notice, an hour of which you were in work, you hadn't applied so of course you wouldn't know anything and a trick question. No thanks.

I'd trust your gut on that one. Even if the trick question can be justified (I don't agree they should have asked it FWIW), laughing in front of you about other candidates shows they lack respect and professionalism.

I think I'll decline the second interview. It just really put me off. I understand that it's a good way to see if someone will lie but I think the way she stopped me and asked my if I had researched before I finished my sentence was sort of like she was trying to make me feel uncomfortable.

I bet they offer you the job.

I think they should have just moved on after the question. I can see why they asked it but sneering at other candidates is a bit slimey.

So let me get this right, they give you 90 minutes' notice for an interview and expect you to have done preparation even though you explained you were at work for 60 of those 90 minutes. Then they ask you a trick question in the interview and proceed to talk in a derogatory manner about other interviewees.
And you're asking if you're being a bit sensitive?
Hell no. Run away. Fast.

A trick question is one thing, I don't like it, but suppose it does catch out liars. laughing about the performance of other candidates with you was unprofessional - is this the way they would treat you as an employee?

Trust your instinct.

Massively unprofessional.

There are ways to ask that, like "are you aware of our Ofsted history to date?" that obviously allows an honest candidate to say yes, I know you haven't been inspected yet or no, I don't know anything about it, sorry. Dishonest candidates will still try and blag it but you are not overtly lying to your interviewees.

I cannot bear this type of "interview trick" - it smacks of a mediocre David Brent type who fancies themselves as a management whiz. You would never get this type of question in my sector (academia).

You are better than that OP!

The trick question is fine, everything else isn't.

They sound like unprofessional dicks, not the sort of people who would be good to work for at all!

They clearly have no problem giving people short notice, so I would expect last minute shift changes and being called in to cover with no notice if you did work for them.

Plus lack of professionalism with telling lies and laughing at others behind their back. Agree with PP that the question could be asked differently to catch out people blagging it without the interviewer actually lying.

If you’re not getting a good feeling about it, just decline a second interview. The interview process is as much for you to check out future employers and whether you like them/the company/the job as it is for them to assess you.

Wouldn't work there no. Sound awful.

def red flags, wouldn't want to work there!

Go with your gut.

My hunch, honestly, is that the woman interviewing you didn't even know they'd not been inspected - the whole thing sounds shambolic, but I can't imagine anyone claiming 'trick question' unless they'd had the rug pulled out from under them. My guess is that that there's a manager/co-manager who has sent this person in unprepared because she knows she's not coping.

I wouldn’t go any further with this job. They sound nasty and unprofessional.

Interviews should be about encouraging people to give their best and putting them at ease, not asking trick questions and attempting to humiliate them.

They haven’t even tried to conceal their unpleasantness. It doesn’t bode well.

I declined the second interview just saying that I decided that I don't want to leave my current setting.

The area manager called me yesterday to ask if I would reconsider as there was only me and one other candidate for the second interview but she felt that I was the stronger candidate. I thanked her and said that I didn't think their company was for me. She was really nice on the phone and very positive and so when she asked what has made me not want to come to the second interview I decided to be honest and I said that I didn't think I would gel well with her and the deputy and I didn't feel that they were professional laughing about other candidates in the interview.

She thanked me for my feedback and seemed genuinely sorry for making me feel uncomfortable. She then said that if I wanted to take it further I can contact HR and let them know about my interview. I said that wasn't necessary and that I will just forget about it but she said that she will think twice about making remarks during interviews in future. They are opening another nursery nearer to me in the next few months so she asked if she could contact me then to see if I was interested in the manager position and that I would be involved in recruiting my own team. So maybe in a few months I might have another interview with her and see how she is then!

"I'd expect you to read up on the company when you applied, so coming straight from work would not be an excuse."

This is silly. You have to apply for lots more jobs than you get interviews for. Most employers you apply to don't even reply!

Her response to your feed back has actually been very professional and it seems she's taken it on board, so maybe or was misjudged rather than a red flag about the company ethos. Good on you for telling them.

Well done you for answering in a straightforward way, it sounds like it has helped her and maybe shows that they were misguided but have potential, given she took the feedback professionally. Good luck with next chance!