Horrible Interview Experience.
I want to share my awful interview experience to show how rude and wrong some employers can be: I had an interview with a company called "Don Pezzuto Lighting & Electrical" located in Sacramento, CA, a family owned business. Now, I'm very observant by default and was excited to have this interview hoping it would lead to something positive. Once I walked in, I noticed the office was very small and not cleanly at all. It's was a run down office, unorganized and stuffy.
Anyway, I also noticed there were other candidate there for the interview as well, and their tiny office was overcrowded. You first had to fill out an application, and attach your resume while waiting, and their interviewing process was unrealistic in my opinion. Nevertheless, I stuck it out from beginning to end to maintain my professionalism. Each candidate interviewed played musical chairs to meet with three different people:
(1): The current employee who's position a new candidate would be replacing. (2): The wife of the owner. If she liked you, she would pass you onto her husband. (3): The owner (husband) himself.
Each candidate would meet with each of these people which would take minimum 45 minutes-1 hour (ridiculous, but okay). Once I was called up next, I met with person #1 (the soon-to-depart-employee), she asked me a few questions, communication was clear, and all was good to proceed. I go back into the small non-existent lobby, and wait 45 minutes - 1 hour to meet person #2 (the wife of the owner), once I'm in her office, she reads my resume and application and asks me one honest question: "where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?". I answered honestly just as anyone would answer this question "If I had the opportunity, I would love to own my own photography studio someday" (I am also a photographer btw). Her instant response to me is "I don't think this position is for you because I see that you have future goals, and I just don't think that someone like you would take this position seriously. I'm not going to have you meet Don (the husband/owner)." At this point, I felt completely blindsided and treated unfairly by this person assuming that I wouldn't take their position seriously just based on my an answer to a question. My response to this was "I'm sitting in front of you today attempting to interview for this position, putting my best efforts forward because I believe you can benefit from my experience, and I'm confident I can do the job but I feel that your automatic assumption stemmed from an answer does not reflect my professional intensions, and for you to automatically deny me the chance to give you a strong interview is unfair to me as a candidate". Her immediate response was "I'm sorry if I misjudged your true intensions. My mistake". At this point the interview with her ended, and out of pity, she allowed me to meet person #3 (her husband). once I meet him, he shakes my hand, reviews my resume and application and his first form of communication to me is "well, I'm not going to pay you $x.xx per hour, that's for certain".My instant, defensive (but professional) response was "I'm not sitting in front of you demanding to be paid $x.xx per hour. Pay is something that can be negotiated if I'm given a fair chance and/or selected for this role. My first priority is finding the right fit with a respectable company who can benefit from my experience in combination with new experiences". At this point, he was silent, had nothing to say regarding pay, and proceeded with the interview. This was his conversation with/towards me:
** asks me a question ** (I attempt to answer it, but he interrupts me) - This process is repeated several times throughout the interview.
In the middle of the interview (while showing me what the position duties are), he asks me the following questions:
Owner: How old are you? ** mentally knows he shouldn't ask these questions but answers anyway ** Me: 34
Owner: Do you have kids? Me: No.
Owner: Are you married? Me: No.
Owner: So you started working at xxx when you were 22? Me: Uh, yes. ** where is he going with this? **
Owner: Wow, so you're in your mid-thirties, you're not married, you don't have any kids, how have you been able to get this far in life by yourself without a partner? Me: ** Did he really just say this?? *** Well, I've always been an independent and capable person. And just because I don't have a family of my own doesn't mean that it should stop me from wanting to be successful.
At this point, the interview ended because he cuts me off, and says "We will follow up with you if you're selected to move forward. Thank you for coming in." I left feeling like I just came out of an interrogation while being insulted repeatedly. Needless to say, I wasn't selected, and it's for the best.
To other job-seekers, observe your surroundings, and the people you encounter. You learn a lot about someone just by observing them. You never know how any interview is going to turn out these days, but they should never be like this or make you feeling like you're fighting for a chance.
#awfulinterviewexperiences #interrogation #donpezzutoisrude #sacramento #theysaidwhat #rudeapproach #mistreated #nofairchance
Wow is all I can say , I wonder how there still in buisiness
8179419452
Hi Veronica, For starter, the company is not worthy of your time and efforts. They obviously were disorganized with the way they conduct the interview process and the way they conduct their selves in front of applicants. The moment he started to asked unprofessional and personal questions, you should have excused yourself and stated that you decided not to pursue the job right there and then as you were talking with them it is not a good fit to what you are looking for, this is to give them a lesson that hiring is a two way process that they learn from you as well as you are learning from them if you want to work for them. Best of luck in finding a better company that suits more your professional qualifications.
Consider yourself lucky not to work for this company. You would not be happy there.
I get a phone interview next week for a warehouse job.i have never had a phone interview can anyone tell me what they talk about.i hope I get the job.
this is illegal questions from the employer
That is insane. You're too good to work there. The husband probably would have ended up sexually harassing you at some point. And I have never heard of an exiting employee interviewing. Maybe that's something with small businesses where people have been together for a long time. But you are Blessed to not be working there. Something more suited towards your talents and interests will present itself soon. Just continue to be patient and never give up hope. And I don't know if you are a believer, but prayer NEVER hurt anybody. May God be with you and bless you and your future endeavors.
BTW...I have always hated that "where do you see yourself in 5 years question?", I mean, It's hard for me to decide what to eat 5 hours from now sometimes, never mind where I see myself in 5 years. lol What do they expect you to say? "Oh, working long hours here for minimum wage, no benefits, and you sexually harassing me." Com'on. Do away with that question already! lol
MS: Jefferson, the first thing you did wrong was to say that you wanted your own business in five to ten years the next time an interviewer ask you that say something like if given a chance I see myself learning and growing with your company even if you don't mean it but they don't hath to know that they use tricky question like that to eliminate the unfaithful employees and angle it's not against the law not to hire you that why they sent you and others through that as far as your age you are not old enough to be discriminated against. Don't let this stop you keep applying for jobs when you align with the right job it won't be so difficult it will fit like a glove keep it moving!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yes they are rude but jesus is with you.
The questions that were posed to you concerning marital status, children, age, etc are illegal. The prospective employer, by law, cannot EVER ask you as question that doesn't pertain to the job you are interviewing for, the exceptions being after you have accepted a job offer and/or the job is considered "hazardous", in which you must be 18 or older to be covered by liability insurance. If this happens to you, file a complaint with the Fair Trade Commission (ftc.gov) for discrimination..