Went to this job interview other week..

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Went to this job interview other week..

Postby RetroPilot » Fri Jun 08, 2018 11:11 am

And I'm going to name companies and names, but at the end.

Rode to 10.30am interview, 4-5 kms ride, arrived in good order around 10.15am.
Meet manager who is to conduct interview.
Subject of how I came came up somehow as we walked to interview room, casually...I remarked that I did not drive I rode.
Immediate sneering/groaning tone response , I quote

"..spose that means you don't have a driver's license..."

not even merely, 'spose that means you don't have a car " (Toyota ute) but, apparently I was at pretty long odds to have a license even.
Anyway , texture of interview did not improve from there.
I'd hasten to add that position was nothing to do with fkg driving anyway, was a phone-room sales auto spare parts position.All I'd have been required to do was merely present myself there at the appropriate time each day.If I walked on my hands, used PTV, or bounced there on a pogo stick would seem immaterial.
Anyway, this chrome-domed ape's name was [name], can't remember his Yes-man's name but two of them conducted the interview. I'd liken them to being interviewed by a Bond villain and his henchman, but world-domination plot Bond villains would have been more intelligent with more charm.
I would admit that as for Yes-man Gofer, he did flatteringly opine that I was "fitter then he was".
Place is APG,ie, Auto Parts Group, Clayton. Recommend don't apply to work there, and even better, don't buy from them.
Last edited by AUbicycles on Mon Jun 11, 2018 4:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby find_bruce » Fri Jun 08, 2018 12:14 pm

Funny how some people don't realise interviews are a 2 way street & good applicants are deciding if this is a place they want to work.

They did you a favour - sometimes it takes weeks or months to discover the boss is obnoxious, by revealing his nature early they saved you from a bad career choice.

Good luck with the job hunt.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby RetroPilot » Fri Jun 08, 2018 12:21 pm

yes, agree with all that. But it was one of those where it does not fully dawn on you what happened, until later...or else, I could have had a little fun with these two ****s during what was left of interview, and/or on my way out.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby tcdev » Fri Jun 08, 2018 2:18 pm

find_bruce wrote:Funny how some people don't realise interviews are a 2 way street & good applicants are deciding if this is a place they want to work.
Too true!

Many years ago I went to an interview as a contractor (software engineer). At the end of it all they all-but-told-me I was expected at 9am the next day. Internally I was "Woah, hang on a minute, not even sure I want to work here!"

In the end I passed on it; wasn't a particularly inspiring environment from what little I saw and despite what they (obviously) thought I just didn't think it was a good fit for my skill set.
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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby tcdev » Fri Jun 08, 2018 2:33 pm

RetroPilot wrote:yes, agree with all that. But it was one of those where it does not fully dawn on you what happened, until later...or else, I could have had a little fun with these two ****s during what was left of interview, and/or on my way out.
Pity, you could have had some fun.

I was working as a contractor in a small start-up years back. I'd finished the job I was hired for but hung around afterwards to help out as things were looking promising and it was an interesting product. Inevitably the team expanded and they hired a development manager that I grew to dislike over the ensuing months.

Then one day he sits me down for a chat about my next task. I politely explained to him that it really wasn't the type of work that I was qualified to do, and certainly not hired to do, and therefore - to put it bluntly - I was not interested in doing it. All of that was true, but it was also a tediously boring task, so I was having none of it.

The smug look on his face was unmistakable as he told me that I "had no choice."

That look disappeared quite quickly when I told him I would be finishing up that afternoon. (And I did).

FTR, sadly, the product and the company never ended up going anywhere. Never did understand why, it was a great product with many benefits over the existing technology. I suspect it had more to do with politics and poor marketing than any failures of the product itself.
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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby 10speedsemiracer » Fri Jun 08, 2018 4:52 pm

Think you dodged a bullet on this one, bu also think there's 30-40 mins of your life you will never get back.
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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby RetroPilot » Fri Jun 08, 2018 5:02 pm

You're right...
employee reviews for the company on SEEK etc are mostly acidicly scathing -- but mostly refer to it's Sydney operation..

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby Daus » Fri Jun 08, 2018 5:04 pm

I had an interview many years ago which went well until I was shown around the plant, the lack of safety equipment and obvious breaches of Work Place Health and Safety did not sit well with me and after my comments was shown the door in a very timely fashion.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby redsonic » Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:25 pm

All I'd have been required to do was merely present myself there at the appropriate time each day.If I walked on my hands, used PTV, or bounced there on a pogo stick would seem immaterial.
In Queensland, Workcover covers you for your journey to and from your workplace. Given that a road accident claim could increase a potential employer's Workcover premiums, I was careful in interviews not to reveal that I had travelled there by motorbike.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby RetroPilot » Sat Jun 09, 2018 1:01 pm

it's an aspect I had not considered...but whether it was what they were considering or not is doubtful, given the actual slant or emphasis of the question...which seemed not be a question, seemed more like a comment.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby trailgumby » Sat Jun 09, 2018 3:04 pm

Went to an interview with a large private British-owned portfolio business to run their consolidation accounting for Australia. They were only looking at me - it was my job to lose. Australian division turnover was about $1bn.

It was during the middle of year-end and I only had the hour to spare, which I told the CFO. He went to get the CEO. I was waiting for half an hour. The CEO futzed around, took his time getting to the interview and the interview was waffling on and getting close to the time I had to depart to get back for my next meeting. No question "I know you said you only had the hour, can you extend or we get together another time?"he just waffled on.

He started talking about how awesome the culture was, such that they'd never had a single incident of employee fraud.

Now I'd worked for a similar sized operation before, also with an excellent culture, and I knew they had at least one fraud a week, courtesy of my working forensically with the internal auditors on some of their investigations. In a company that size (10,000+people) it just goes with the territory.

Before I really thought about what to say I immediately blurted out "Haven't had a fraud or you're not looking for fraud?"

The shocked look on their faces was... well, shocked. I was a bit angry - the guy was clearly asleep at the wheel. I thanked them for the opportunity to interview and quickly left. Needless to say they resumed their search for someone who was "more of a cultural fit." :lol:

A couple of weeks later news hit the headlines on all the major morning dailies that one of the company's vessels was responsible for a substantial oil spill over the Great Barrier Reef and they were up for tens of millions in fines and many times that in cleanup costs.
Last edited by trailgumby on Sat Jun 09, 2018 9:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby CKinnard » Sat Jun 09, 2018 5:19 pm

Last time I was an employee, they asked me what I wanted to be paid.
I replied 'What do you think my market value is?'
They feigned not knowing.
So I mentioned a figure I knew was low middle, which softened their stony faces.
Six weeks later I gave notice. They asked why I was leaving and I said I'd had a better offer.
They wanted to negotiate then, and I declined saying they already had.

Amazes me that so many 'employers' still abide by the false truism that
"the first to mention a price loses."

I've employed over 20 people in my lifetime, and I learned real quick that if I wanted a sharp and loyal employee, to know what they could earn elsewhere, load it by a suitable margin, and put it on the table straight off the bat. No playing silly buggers.

If an employer doesn't value their business enough to employ anything other than the most ignorant and cheap, then I don't want to work there. In fact, I've known a few people who have set up against old cheap skate bosses, offered better service, and won their clients.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby trailgumby » Sat Jun 09, 2018 9:16 pm

CKinnard wrote: So I mentioned a figure I knew was low middle, which softened their stony faces.
Six weeks later I gave notice. They asked why I was leaving and I said I'd had a better offer.
They wanted to negotiate then, and I declined saying they already had.
You should never accept a renegotiation in those circumstances. The issues that caused you to leave will still be there, trust will have been broken, and they will likely be some bitterness about feeling blackmailed. You will likely leave within a year anyway, either by your own choice or (often) not. You made a wise choice.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby human909 » Sat Jun 09, 2018 10:06 pm

Wow this topic could go anywhere, cycling related or non cycling related. :mrgreen:
RetroPilot wrote:I'd hasten to add that position was nothing to do with fkg driving anyway, was a phone-room sales auto spare parts position.
Curiosity has gotten the better of my (minimal) discretion, please feel free to ignore my question. Why were you going for an interview at such a place anyway? Student?; or just a convenient local full time gig? (I happen to work on the side in a minimum wage retail job and see also see plenty of ex-professionals in the ranks.)



On the topic of workplaces and bicycle commuting I have largely had the fortune of not being in a workplace that has been particularly hostile to it. My current workplace has a culture that in many ways typifies the Australian motoring public. But it is mostly balanced out by respect for fitness and general congeniality.

That said when I arrived at the christmas function in the CBD I was greeted with shock that I rode. And even more shock that I 'made' my partner ride. :roll: My partner chose to ride THANKS. I don't think I could MAKE her do anything she didn't want to. (In their minds cycling to a well dressed event is bizarre enough, let alone for a woman to do it! :| )
CKinnard wrote:I've employed over 20 people in my lifetime, and I learned real quick that if I wanted a sharp and loyal employee, to know what they could earn elsewhere, load it by a suitable margin, and put it on the table straight off the bat. No playing silly buggers.
So true. Occasionally an employer can get by underpaying a good employee. But most cases if they don't pay appropriately then a good employee will move to greener pastures. Better to offer the good ones the green pastures in the first place.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby bychosis » Sun Jun 10, 2018 7:19 am

“Riding keeps me fitter for track days” might have made you a new friend, but sounds like you probably don’t need new friends like that!
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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby RetroPilot » Sun Jun 10, 2018 9:54 am

I have largely had the fortune of not being in a workplace that has been particularly hostile to it.

Had not occurred to me b4 that there were actual cycle-commuting hostile workplaces...I guess if you were going to strike one, a motor-industry focussed place would be one of the best places to look...even if I had considered the proposition b4 hand, I'd have thought, that if it registered at all, it might go down as..

"this bloke was determined to get here for this, left earlier, got here early, all on a bike...this bloke is a bit of an all-round commando, might mean less sickies"

But I really think I struck a couple of all-round Trogs in charge..

At one point, Chrome-dome Callaghan asked me what I knew about his company and what it did.

"Well, I've looked at the website, it seems you are after-market non-genuine parts , front smash and underbody"

He almost ROFL with gotcha-glee ,grinning ear to ear, told me "no, (stupid) we have genuine parts as well!!"

(which I somewhat doubt, what the fwit might have is OEs, which are common enough but not the same in a commercial sense as genuine parts products)

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby CKinnard » Sun Jun 10, 2018 10:21 am

I can understand an employer's apprehension about someone rolling up on a bicycle,
- did the guy lose his driver's license for DUI, hooning, etc
- did the guy not have the motivation to get a license.
- is he so lazy/broke/silly he can't budget to buy a car.
- does he have some mental/physical disability that precludes him from driving.

Nevertheless, these are points that could have been subtly dismissed by an appropriate line of questioning. Once they were dismissed, I'd favor someone who rolls up on a bicycle.

Many years ago I rolled up to several dates on a bicycle. It's a great way to discover the mindset of women.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby RetroPilot » Sun Jun 10, 2018 10:50 am

interesting that someone could be medically precluded from driving but still cycle, but I can see how that's possible, I've always considered both motorcycling and cycling to have a higher physical bar than driving a car, though..

Certainly a motorcycle error kills or cripples you faster and more often than a blase driving error.....so would a bike, if it had a little more power and speed..

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby human909 » Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:00 am

RetroPilot wrote:
I have largely had the fortune of not being in a workplace that has been particularly hostile to it.
Had not occurred to me b4 that there were actual cycle-commuting hostile workplaces...
:D Lucky you! I'm not sure if that is blissful naivety, lack of exposure to the hostility/discrimination or something else. I hope you can keep that up or you might end up cynical and jaded like me. :P :lol:

Unfortunately society a fair bit of society and thus many workplaces are about fitting in. As soon as you are someone different you will be pegged as such. Cycle commuting is certainly something different in most localities in Australia. That said there are also plenty of people and workplaces who are completely open and accepting. But given the nature of society I'd say these are the minority.
RetroPilot wrote:But I really think I struck a couple of all-round Trogs in charge..
Certainly sounds like you did. Trogs over and above expected.
CKinnard wrote:I can understand an employer's apprehension about someone rolling up on a bicycle,
- did the guy lose his driver's license for DUI, hooning, etc
- did the guy not have the motivation to get a license.
- is he so lazy/broke/silly he can't budget to buy a car.
- does he have some mental/physical disability that precludes him from driving.
I can also understand it. But the fact that that list of questions even occurs to you (or others) shows the sad state of cycling in Australia.

I've taken the precaution of parking my bicycle halfway around the block in the CBD just to avoid any prejudgments.
CKinnard wrote:Many years ago I rolled up to several dates on a bicycle. It's a great way to discover the mindset of women.
The vast majority of my dating life I would have been on a bicycle (maybe that's why I was single for so long.. :oops: :lol: ). Now it would be considered pretty normal in my demographic in my inner Melbourne, in fact driving is the outlier.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby CKinnard » Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:29 am

RetroPilot wrote:interesting that someone could be medically precluded from driving but still cycle, but I can see how that's possible, I've always considered both motorcycling and cycling to have a higher physical bar than driving a car, though..
..
these can do it:
neurological stuff - epilepsy, brain injuries, psychiatric conditions.
Sleep and vision disorders
drug dependency
it's up to you and your GP to report it to the government.

AFAIK, there's no laws banning one from riding a bike, and there's no cyclist license for the police to check.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby RetroPilot » Sun Jun 10, 2018 11:32 am

Maybe the bike thing really did play that big a part in the bizarre hostile 'interview' which followed,which, the more i think about it, I can actually see that I stood trial, Wild West style, rather than be job interviewed at all.

I can see that my shock revelation about having a driver's license not only did not make this go away, but possibly if anything made things worse.
For one thing, it made Callaghan ask a salivating grinning rhetorical question, to which the answer was the opposite of the slant of his question..in front of a subordinate. Here was akin to a lawyer asking a question he did not know the answer to, whilst thinking he must do.

I never did go nuclear and tell them I had a motor-vehicle too...
Would the fallout of that have blown back on me as well?

Anyway, yeah...the smart play on the 'spose that means you don't have a driver's license" thing might well have been,
"Hey? naaa, you kiddin?Licenses and cars are for smart rich people, like youse"...

Seems radical...but might that riposte have ingratiated me...should I have just exuded envy and thrown myself disarmingly on their pity...could it have worked..?

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby human909 » Sun Jun 10, 2018 2:15 pm

RetroPilot wrote:Maybe the bike thing really did play that big a part in the bizarre hostile 'interview' which followed,which, the more i think about it, I can actually see that I stood trial, Wild West style, rather than be job interviewed at all.
By your description. Almost certainly. If you have dared read letters, comments and social media posts there are of alot of cyclists haters out there. Sure it might be a vocal minority, but they are out there holding jobs and holding job interviews.

By the sounds of it you had mostly killed your chances at the interview simply by riding a bicycle. But hey why would you want to work in a place with people like that.

Good luck with finding work in a place without closed minded boofs.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby Ross » Sun Jun 10, 2018 5:26 pm

CKinnard wrote:Last time I was an employee, they asked me what I wanted to be paid.
I had this at my interview for my current job (blue collar - minimum wage type job). I thought to myself "what a joke of a question, as if they are going to pay me a cent more than the award wage, same as what all the other people there doing the same job would be getting paid". I was nearly going to make a smart-ar$e comment along the lines of "$100K + company car and 5% stake in the company" but often my humour is misunderstood so thought it best not to say that!

I was aware of what the standard wage was as I had held a similiar position with another company previously. I had come from a govt job that had been paying decent money but had been made redundant in a restructure* of the division so needed an income, any income basically, so couldn't afford to be too fussy. My reply was that "I didn't expect to paid this (but will graciously accept it if you do!) but in my previous job the wage was $XXk PA. I knew the guy interviewing me was probably lucky to be paid this and by the expression on his face when I mentioned the figure I was probably right. I ended up getting the job (no big achievment, pretty much anyone with a pulse could of got it) and, you guessed it, at standard award wage

*restructure has nothing to do with efficiency or streamlining, it is just a senior management type justifying their own position by being seen to do something so other managers more senior see it and think it is efficiency and streamlining (not just saying this because I'm bitter and twisted because I lost my well-paid job, just telling it like it is, many people in the division that weren't made redundant shared the same view)

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby trailgumby » Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:02 pm

Ross wrote:*restructure has nothing to do with efficiency or streamlining, it is just a senior management type justifying their own position by being seen to do something so other managers more senior see it and think it is efficiency and streamlining (not just saying this because I'm bitter and twisted because I lost my well-paid job, just telling it like it is, many people in the division that weren't made redundant shared the same view)
Quite correct.

Steve Covey has some quite scathing things to say about this culture in his books in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People series. I think his critique of this was in Principle Centred Leadership. Basically, the guy responsible for the carnage will leave and go on to the Next Big Thing before his legacy catches up with him, and the poor guy coming after him will have to deal with it. Eventually, though, people wake up. The problem is the damage done in the meantime.

I've seen it so many times. My ex-employer is going through it right now. No surprise they're the cat in the headlights of the current royal commission. Was speaking to one of my buddies on the ride this morning. They're still slashing and burning with no thought to consequences. Haven't learned a thing.

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Re: Went to this job interview other week..

Postby bychosis » Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:56 pm

trailgumby wrote:They're still slashing and burning with no thought to consequences. Haven't learned a thing.
Slashing and burning is often a way to look like cost cutting, then when no one is looking they start rehiring because they can’t do the work after the slashing. Alternatively, slash and burn, then out all that extra work out to contractors who used to work there and now charge 4x as much as a consultant.
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