22 year old Olivia Bland was left in tears recently after a torrid two hour interview for a job as a communications assistant with Webb Applications UK. Apparently Craig Dean, the CEO, was so unpleasant and derisory she ended up in tears afterwards.
The interview consisted of him ripping apart the answers to a proofreading test she'd done in a previous round of interviews and seemingly irrelevant personal questions such as 'are your parents still together, as well as Craig Dean scrolling through her Spotify playlist and critiquing her taste in music,
There were also two other female employees present, who did nothing but observe the whole process, possibly there just to make the situation more stressful and witness Bland's humiliation.
Oddly enough, Bland was actually offered the job, but turned it down, outlining the reasons why she didn't want to work for the company, and she posted the rejection on twitter, which got a lot of attention.
A clever way to turn around a bleak situation!
As far as I see it here is one smart young lady really making the most out this opportunity.... in the absence of a job worth taking (I mean who would want to work in such an environment?) why not milk it.... I mean, there's the bullying CEO (with witnesses) who hasn't denied conducting the 'stress interview' and there's here: the delicate young female (she's got the whole 'clean and cutsie' thing going on on her social media profiles) - it's the perfect character contrast for media simplification; then there's the fact she must have known this whole stress interview and machismo in tech land is pretty common - and you've got a story that's probably going to do well.
I'm not surprised it took her less than 24 hours from job offer to rejection letter on twitter - now she's got publicity for profile and apparently a whole load of companies asking her to apply for similar jobs. Quite a turnaround!
Why the stress interview?
Gender scripts aside (and failing to take account of these was a big mistake by Craig Dean).... I'm appalled at the whole notion of the stress interview... it just reminds me that so many jobs are just so full-on, 50+ hour a week affairs that demand such a pace of work constantly... hence the felt-need for said interviews.
And why are so many jobs like this so stressful... it's just down to competition and time pressure I guess: profitability frequently depends on being the first to release something and on rapid communications, which means if you want a high paying job in tech and communications, you've got to be 'on it' for 50 + hours a week.
Personally I'm done with such jobs, just give me simple and stress free and less money from now on please!
My heart really does go out to anyone whose just graduated and looking to get their first job - there's 3 decades of pain ahead of you right there!
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : https://revisesociology.co.uk/stress-interviews/
I had a stress interview in college. The interviewer was a VP and an alum of my college. I remember him asking a lot of gotcha questions, setting me up, letting me take the bait, then putting a ton of words in my mouth. As I watched my interview time slip away, I got fed up and cut him off. I decided I wanted to walk out with self-respect more than a job offer. I was polite, but firmly stopped his rude version of active listening, which involved taking my words, twisting them in the worst possible way, and claiming that's what I meant to say. I learned a valuable lesson, though. You can hold your ground without return the insult.
I knew a girl who had the same interviewer that day. She left in tears.
I just found a buddy and grabbed a beer.
My story ended up different. I got called back and went. I knew people who worked at the company and enjoyed it. My interviewer sounded like an anomaly. The second round of interviews went great with kind, professional interviewers. I ended up accepting a job offer and enjoyed the job. The company was nothing like that initial interview.
I'm glad it worked out. But what's that guy doing in an interviewer role? Sounds like he needs sidelining!
Although I know that's easier said than done.
Hopefully I'll never have to do another interview again.
Posted using Partiko Android
Ours is a stupid way of life in many ways.
Posted using Partiko Android
That sounds unnecessary. It would put me off a job if they were that confrontational. I want to see people I'd be happy to work with.
I know what you mean. 'Unnecessary' is a word that sprung to my mind too. I'm much too much of a snowflake for that sort of environment. I'm offended by the mention of 'hot-desks' - for which I read 'we under-resource our staff and expect them to suck it up'.
I've been fairly lucky to work in supportive environments. That's where people thrive
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