Me: So, you had a job interview this week. What can I tell the people about it?
Mother: If you find out, let me know.
Me: Find out what?
Mother: About the job.
Me: Wait. What? I’m asking how the interview was.
Mother: It was my first so called structured interview and it was very confusing.
Me: In what way was it confusing?
Mother: It’s the first time I have sat with people and talked about my work, which I get very passionate about, and have zero feedback. No words, no expressions, no body language. Nothing. So it left me feeling clueless.
Me: Am I allowed to say that it was a federal job?
Mother: yes, go right ahead.
Me. Ok. It was a federal job interview. So that might explain the robot-esque interview, right?
Mother: Well their point was that each candidate would be treated exactly the same and I guess that left no room for feeding back differently.
Me: What happens now?
Mother: They continue to talk to people this week and they hope next week to mull over their decision and make their choice. They said I would be informed that they made a choice once they knew. But nothing was said as to whether I was going to make it or not make it.
Me: Can I interject for a moment?
Mother: help yourself.
Me: I would just like to acknowledge how adorable W is being right now.
Mother: Please do and let me use this to point out that even W would have gotten no feedback from the panel.
Me: That’s cold.
Mother: Yup.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Ouch.
Sending good job vibes your mom’s way!!
Here’s my feedback from the internet panel:
I love this.
My wife got a job today, she’s been on the hunt for a while! Finally finally finally. So maybe spring has sprung and your whip-smart, totally patient, amazing mom will get one too. With her working for the Feds, I’d be HAPPY to pay my taxes. As long as it’s not the defense department.
Too cold for W? ROBOTS!
I will keep my fingers crossed.
That is so weird- I’ve never heard of this kind of interview. I hope the robots hire her!
You have a brave mother!
Your mom rocks and they are STOOPID if they don’t hire her.
Cold, perhaps, but so so true.
Go your mom!!!
Well, I have to say that it’s better than the last interview I had for a federal job…I was interviewing with two people I knew. I trained for my current job with them. One of them cordially detests me (and I him), and I couldn’t remember the other girl’s name even though it totally rhymes and I should have easily remembered it. Once I figured out who else was interviewing (two other employees from my state system), I knew there was no chance in hell that I would get the job.
Much luck to your mom! I hope she gets the job, even though she’ll have to acquire a poker face.
Yikes. That sounds incredibly intimidating. Wishing much luck though that the job is hers!!
I have heard of other people talk about these kinds of interviews. Totally Intimidating!!! I wish her all the luck!! I have to start applying for jobs soon and I totally don’t look forward to the interviewing part. Good LUCK!
please tell you mom i love her and send her hugs!!!
and dude, that IS cold that the adorableness of W could not melt those robotic hearts of stone. sheesh.
love you all!
Those sorts of interviews are rough! I have endured them for college teaching positions, and it’s tough sitting there nervous already but excited to sell yourself only to get blank stares and note scribbling in return. I wish your mom oodles of luck!
Hoping for you all . . .
We interviewed admins recently and I could tell that our favorite (the one we hired because she was obviously intelligent) thought she didn’t get the job whereas another one seemed to think the job was obviously hers since she had specific experience. I wanted to tell them both that they were wrong, but, of course, couldn’t. So I think you never can tell, especially with robots. Just remember that all of the other interviewees got the same robotic treatment as your mom, and they are undoubtedly just as confused.
Clearly the feds need to read “Outliers” so they’ll realize that “fair” isn’t. Unless it works for your mom… in which case, perfect!
Good luck to your mother!!
I’d like to add that my husband is a Government employee. And it took FOREVER for him to hear back after his first interview. I think it was two or three months between first interview and actual hire. So, they may take their good old time mulling over the decision, and she shouldn’t let that get her down. (Although, she’s such a trooper, I doubt it would!!)