Is this UR to be upset about?

[siestakey]

I had a job interview yesterday at a well known travel agents. Made it through initial application then phone interview and yesterday was the face to face including presentation about myself.

I am 20 years old and studied travel and tourism at college aged 16-18 and achieved distinctions all the way through, since leaving college I have also gained a higher education diploma at a higher distinction.

My goal has been to work at this particular travel agents, it's my dream job. There have only been 6 jobs advertised near me since I finished college 2 years ago and this is the first time I've made it through the phone stage.

I spent 2hrs on Sunday preparing my presentation, I dressed smartly, knee length nice dress, black tights, small black smart heels from Clarke's, black blazer and minimal makeup, professional hair. (I always make lots of effort when it comes to professional interviews!)

I arrived at the interview yesterday evening with my presentation on a memory stick and there was another girl there too (group interview), other 3 didn't turn up.

2 positions available and I could start immediately with no other commitments.

I failed the maths test. 10 questions, I got 4 right and you needed 8. They were simple ones too that I got wrong (working out percentages) and I told the lady it's just because I haven't done maths for 2 years and I can easily relearn percentages in 1hour!

Apparently it's policy that you have to get 8 right. They even said before the interview they don't use maths on a day to day basis and if they do it's with a calculator.

I wasn't allowed to show my presentation and asked to leave as I couldn't progress anymore.

I got so upset once outside the shop and really felt let down by the company tbh, I mean, I have great relevant qualifications with the highest grades you can get, relevant customer service experience and I dress nicely, extremely polite, hardworking etc. 4 bloody maths questions ruined it.

AIBU? God I'm so upset and mad at myself. If I'd had known there would be maths (no mention of it beforehand!) I would have gone over basic stuff again. Can't reapply for another 6 months.

I have emailed to say thank you for the opportunity and lovely to meet them (the managers) and that I was thankful for the opportunity, really keen for the job and disappointed that despite having the relevant qualifications I couldn't continue due to 4 wrong maths answers.

Of course it's not unreasonable to be upset, it's heart wrenching (I'm waiting to hear back from a job interview that did not go well but really should have).

It's especially hurtful not to be allowed to continue. I would maybe send a follow up email with your presentation attached asking to be considered for interview in future and then I would work on percentages!

Annoyingly, you failed the test, irrelevant as it is so all you can do is let it go and try again x

They have a recruitment policy and they can't or don't bend it. That's what working for large companies is like.

However, you've gained insight into the interview process and will better prepared next time as a result.

These are the kind of experiences that build resilience.

What work have you been doing since college? Could you broaden your experience with a different job while you wait for another travel agent vacancy?

Maybe you could even take a summer resort job to get extremely relevant experience?

I don't think it's unreasonable to be upset, but also I think it's perfectly reasonable of an employer to expect basic maths skills.

It's likely that in their view percentages are not something that people forget how to do if they haven't used them for a l while as they are considered basic skills used in everyday life.

@IWouldPreferNotTo I certainly haven't used them since leaving college, I've done retail work and bar work previously and never had to use it. We didn't have a calculator either which made it even worse as I can do it on a calculator.

@ColeHawlins I've tried applying to previous ones but they've never got back to me. (Often zero hour/low pay too and I have to pay bills & rent so I've always done retail or bar!)
Thank you

@PrismGuile You're right, thank you, at least i'll know what to expect if I apply again or find another travel agency job.
I'm kind of put off the company now though which is a shame.

Good luck! I'm sure it didn't go as bad as you thought.

YABU.

They wouldn't test on percentages if it wasn't needed. They probably offer percentage discounts in given circumstances so it would be a requirement to be able to calculate them.

Okay, you know how to use a calculator to find a percentage but what if you pressed wrong keys by mistake? I would expect you to mentally calculate the rough amount of the percentage and use the calculator to determine the exact amount. Test it for reasonableness against your mental calculation to know you haven't pressed any wrong keys.

This is very basic maths which you obviously need to brush up on to increase your chances of this type of employment.

I am shocked when you say if you had known there would be maths you would have gone over basic stuff. I can imagine having to revise stuff like Trigonometry but you should really know the very basic stuff like percentages.

Hopefully something will come up in 6 months and that will give you time to brush up.

I can't do maths unless I've done it recently. I was a primary teacher. While teaching juniors I know all my times tables. When I have been in infants for a few months, I forget them all. Not everyone remembers basic skills if they aren't used. I have to refresh percentages, tables, etc.

I’m gutted for you!
In six months time you can reapply and you’ll have your dream job. Can I suggest you do something completely off the wall but relevant for your future career...
3months overseas
Failing the maths test could be the best thing that ever happened to you!

Sorry, but you're being unreasonable. A decent grade in the maths testwhose questions you yourself say were simplewas a job requirement. You failed the test and they would have been wasting your time and yours if they prolonged the interview. Honestly, you've no reason whatsoever to feel aggrieved and I doubt you made a good impression by saying what you did about the test in your thank-you letter

I don't work in the industry so I don't know but given that your travel/tourism studies were two years ago and, given your age then, perhaps they weren't as intense as employers might want, would a job in the fieldhotel work, e.g.not improve your resume? As I said, I don't know but it seems to me it would be more relevant than what you were wearing even if it did take you 2 hours

Whoops '. . .more relevant than what you were wearing.' Full stop there, end of post, finis.

Calculators only help with percentages if you know what buttons to press Im afraid OP - and presumably these were simple 10/15/20% ones which from their perspective is a quick one to weed out.

The company have not done anything wrong Im afraid

Of course you are not BU to be upset. The most important thing about life is not falling apart when you fail, but learning what to do when you have another crack at it. This is what makes us strong and resilient, not always getting what we want. You will find that most jobs will require basic maths skills so there is your goal. Polish up what you know so far and it would be seriously helpful for you to take some lessons either from a class or a tutor. Not only would this be gret for your skill, but also for your CV. Often in interviews, you will be asked what are your weak points (and what are you going to do about it). One has appeared, now attack it and come out fighting. Everything else was going well so sort this one out. You will feel so much better about it and well equipped for your next interview. Good luck

Their recruitment process includes a maths test. You failed it and failed it badly. If you had got 7/10 you might have a case for thinking it was harsh but you got 4 when the minimum required was 8 - that's a bad fail.

It is therefore not unreasonable for them not to let you give your presentation. They could not offer you a job because of your maths test so why waste your and their time sitting through the presentation?

YABU.

It is always disappointing to put yourself forward for a job and not get it, even as a former HR person it's not nice just telling someone they haven't got the job! Understandable that you were upset and disappointed.

Not about the maths test though - they couldn't have employed you on this occasion and it was right to stop the recruitment process there. It's the reason they do the test first! You'll know to improve your maths and I would also advise that while I don't see a problem in sending an email afterwards, I would point out that if you only got 4 out of 10 you got 6 answers wrong, not four - and don't criticise their recruitment process! You'll know for next time, good luck with your next interview OP.

Aw OP I feel for you. This happened to me about 7 or 8 years ago... I applied for a graduate position with an insurance company. I knew the CEO personally who put in a good word for me and I had a couple of years relevant industry experience + an economics degree. Unfortunately I failed the maths test ((it was fucking difficult and even my boyfriend-at-the-time who was very good at maths (he was an engineer) said it was tough)). I wasn't allowed to progress.

I was so upset as I had my heart set on this graduate program. I got over it after a few weeks. Their loss!!

@picklemepopcorn Exactly! Reading and writing is my thing, I've always struggled with maths but can do it if done repeatedly on a day to day basis (like in college).

@CoolJule43 Bit much to be 'shocked' not everyone is great at maths. I wouldn't know where to start with anything like algebra or trigonometry.

Yes it was in relation to discounts but again, the ladies said the computer does it for them and rarely they use a calculator. They don't do maths daily.

I would say having the travel and tourism background with distinctions and studying at a pre degree level for my Higher Education with distinctions would be incredibly valuable for this job and basic maths is something that, like I said, can be easily learnt again within a day!

@Etino Thank you, it really was my dream honestly.

I wouldn't want to work overseas/leave my family, nor could I afford it, but plenty of girls from my college went on to do programmes like that!

OP

I’m a Science Undergrad. I can’t do Percentages on a calculator or in my head But I do a lot of other far more complex Maths... Go figure that one out!

Practice. Practice. Practice. And next time you’ll be fine.

@ushuaiamonamour I said the presentation took me 2hours on a Sunday evening. Not getting dressed.

Unfortunately there are no hotel jobs near me and they often ask for degrees for receptionist work I've found when looking at job descriptions in towns 40 min train ride away.
I have done retail alongside bar and they pay the best at my age (like I said, I have to pay bills and rent).

I don't think you can ask for more than distinctions and higher distinctions in travel and tourism so I'm not sure why a course 2 years ago would be irrelevant now when they're still teaching the same one right now.

@Quartz2208 they weren't simpler ones, I know what 1% 10% etc is of a number off the top of my head.

It was more relating to how much cash customers would get back from their euros to pound with a 2.36% buyback rate etc.

@Confusedbeetle Thank you! You're right, I can learn from it and get much better. I might actually go to uni in September and apply for tourism management as that will help getting a better paid job anyway/up my career options pool.

You should do a maths GCSE and get a good grade on it.

Write the company you interviewed with- thank them for the opportunity, and let them know what Steps you’re taking to improve your math skills.
Ask them for a chance to retake the interview in 3/6months.

@maybelate Thank you! I think a lot of people on this thread are forgetting I'm only 20 and this was the first interview I'd had for a proper role I could see myself staying in forever. It truly was my dream job. The jobs don't come about often around where I live, like I said, 6 in 2 years!

I'm sorry it didn't work for you years ago, you're right, it's their loss

@InsomniaTho aww thank you