Job-hunting horror stories

I had an interview with a large communications company about an IT project management position. The interview went very well I thought.

I discovered quite quickly that the interviewers boss and her boss' boss were both in the same large IT department I had left a few years earlier. Even more in the small world vain, turns out that at my immediate previous employer, my boss(who I'd known from that large IT department and sought out at the previous employer) had worked closely with these people.

The interview went well. I waited impatiently, and then got a call for references. At this point I was assured that it was a formality.

I gave my previous boss's name, as one of the three references. I find out shortly thereafter that my previous boss, and the senior managers at the place I had interview did not get along well.

I left probably six each of voice mails and the same number of emails to the person who interviewed me - no response. I never did hear back from that company.

As fate would have it, I am now employed, and I have the person who takes care of our phone systems on my team. I didn't take a role in our new contract, but I could have stuck my nose in if I had felt a reason - everyone should be aware how small a world it had been.

In another case I went to an interview where the interviewer recognized my previous employer because one of his employees, one that he admired had left his department to go to my previous employer. He had been let go shortly after I started. I had been a part of the senior management team. While I had no part in the decision to let him go, I'm not sure he knew that, and of course, I didn't get the job or a second interview.

James

James

I did a school placement in an IT department. There were three of us students. One kid would never stop embarassing me and my buddy with his rude, unprofessional, and untimely comments. For the entire term, we thought his attitude would directly affect our image.

After the placement was over, the rude guy, went on his job search. For some unknown reason, a local company decided to follow up on his application. Attached to his resume were a list of references, one of which being a guy at the place where we did our placement. The potential employer calls the reference. The reference says "you don't want this guy..you want this guy", and gives the company my home number and name.

I get a phone call - meeting - handshake - I'm working without even applying or providing any reference to my skill.

The employer tells me who gave him my name. I didn't even work with the guy. Apparently, he saw me in the hallway and commented about my polital tact and professional manner when dealing with "weirdos". Since the position was help desk related...well you know the rest.

I still feel a little bad to this day.