4 ms·

"As a hiring manager myself I really hate it when candidates slag off their current/former employeer. It's a real put off. However if you can turn a negative ex

by gdy 7y ago

"As a hiring manager myself I really hate it when candidates slag off their current/former employeer. It's a real put off. However if you can turn a negative experience into a positive then it shows that you're not just bitter and/or a bad team player but rather that you use all experiences to help enhance your capabilities as a productive employee." What's wrong with being bitter when you are wronged by your manager or employer? "and/or bad team player" Sounds like blaming a victim to me. Seriously, imagine you got robbed, beaten and humiliated how would you feel listening to someone telling you that being bitter about that is bad and it's your own fault?

taberiand 7y ago
The company doesn't care about you and your sad sack stories, it's not your therapist. All it wants to know is if you'll produce more value than you cost (and hopefully more than the other people they're comparing you against). Being bitter about past employers is a sure fire way to fail an interview (from my personal experience) because a mopey employee is a poor performer, but it's also a lame way to go through life regardless.
- gdy 7y ago
  "The company doesn't care about you and your sad sack stories, it's not your therapist. All it wants to know is if you'll produce more value than you cost" Then maybe it shouldn't ask questions like 'why have you quit your previous job?' and focus on applicant's skills? What I don't like is presumption that a conflict at previous job is an employee's fault. Quite a long time ago, when I used to work for a local company, I did some hiring as a team lead and tried hard to avoid prejudice.
  - deleted 7y ago
    [deleted]
  - ohyes 7y ago
    I mean, it’s like asking someone “How are you?” And them going into detail about their spastic colon. In a interview you’re trying to paint the best possible picture of yourself, anything that detracts from that is wasted effort. Why would y’all talk about your shitty previous employer when we can talk about something else that is interesting.
    - gdy 7y ago
      I don't think you can treat that question like 'how are you'. Otherwise I agree with you.
  - blaser-waffle 7y ago
    > Then maybe it shouldn't ask questions like 'why have you quit your previous job?' and focus on applicant's skills? As a hiring type, I absolutely want to know why, in your words, you left. I also want to see how that lines up with what your references and what former HR people say, and possibly even compare that to something like Glassdoor reviews (if you're a strong candidate, mind you). It is important. I want to see how they describe the situation they're leaving/left because it allows me to evaluate their ability to comprehend and communicate social/political/team dynamics. Statistically you're not staying with us longer than five (5) years, which means at some point you're going to have to explain why you left me -- and I don't feel like dealing with a shit talker. Plus an honest, direct answer is different from being blunt. I need workers who are willing to tell me direct, honest truths sometimes. I.E. "I never really clicked with the team, and found I was struggling personally and professionally to keep up with their changing demands," vs. "They were elitist assholes who changed things on a whim because they thought they were fucking geniuses".
    - gdy 7y ago
      And I agree with all that. What I don't like is presumption that an applicant who gives the first kind of answer, is a bad team player and if he doesn't put the blame on himself he is 'bitter' (which is bad).
jacekm 7y ago
Think of it as complaining about your ex-partner, when you are on a first date with someone you've just met. No one says that your previous company (or ex) wasn't bad and that you are to blame. It's just that people are not interested in your past but more in the future they are going to have with you. If you have 1 hour, you better spend it on advertising yourself and your skills instead of bashing others. You can complain later after you get the job, the new team get to know you better and trust you (and your stories) more.
- gdy 7y ago
  Okay, I didn't have in mind a situation when an applicant volunteers such information without any need for that. In the setting you've described I agree with you.
  - ghaff 7y ago
    My assumption was that this was volunteered information. No, I normally wouldn't ask someone why they left/are looking to leave their current position. Not sure I ever have. It's not really relevant and I wouldn't really expect a straight answer in any case (given that I would mostly not give one).
    - gdy 7y ago
      I've never asked that either. I guess we won't be having an argument today :)
ghaff 7y ago
Feel free to be as bitter as you want with your friends over beers. But a job interview is probably not the time or place. Furthermore, there are often two sides to a story. It's entirely possible that I'll read your complaints as reflecting more about you than your current/former company.
- gdy 7y ago
  Yes, there is always two sides of the story, I just don't understand where presumption of an employee's fault is coming from.
  - ghaff 7y ago
    I'm not sure it's a presumption. But if someone, say, volunteered that "no one at my company sufficiently values my contributions," it at least raises the thought that maybe your contributions weren't nearly as valuable as you thought they were. More generally, raising gripes about teams/managers/work mostly don't use your interview time to raise positive aspects about yourself and your work even if they aren't necessarily negatives.
    - gdy 7y ago
      And I agree with that too.
craftinator 7y ago
Not bad-mouthing a former employer shows much more class. I'm interested in hiring someone who can take the world as it is, turn disadvantage in advantage, and keep a positive outlook on tough situations. It also shows that they have good communication skills. Example: "my last employer screwed me and it was an awful place to work." vs "my last job taught me a lot about the pros and cons of workplace culture, which is why I'm interested in your company now". They are both true statements, but one indicates the prospective employee is upset and holds grudges, while the other shows they are ready to move on to a better job. Over time they can probably share more about why they left, but with the limited time in an interview it is best to show what they are focused on. Focus on old employer and anger doesn't sit well, while focus on a new potential job and lessons learned is very impressive.
- gdy 7y ago
  Well, the GP comments says 'don't hide them either' and I suppose it implies answering to the question about leaving previous job. The first answer in your example is honest, the second one, while technically true, triggers my bullshit detector.

by gdy 7y ago

taberiand 7y ago

The company doesn't care about you and your sad sack stories, it's not your therapist. All it wants to know is if you'll produce more value than you cost (and hopefully more than the other people they're comparing you against). Being bitter about past employers is a sure fire way to fail an interview (from my personal experience) because a mopey employee is a poor performer, but it's also a lame way to go through life regardless.

gdy 7y ago
"The company doesn't care about you and your sad sack stories, it's not your therapist. All it wants to know is if you'll produce more value than you cost" Then maybe it shouldn't ask questions like 'why have you quit your previous job?' and focus on applicant's skills? What I don't like is presumption that a conflict at previous job is an employee's fault. Quite a long time ago, when I used to work for a local company, I did some hiring as a team lead and tried hard to avoid prejudice.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
- ohyes 7y ago
  I mean, it’s like asking someone “How are you?” And them going into detail about their spastic colon. In a interview you’re trying to paint the best possible picture of yourself, anything that detracts from that is wasted effort. Why would y’all talk about your shitty previous employer when we can talk about something else that is interesting.
  - gdy 7y ago
    I don't think you can treat that question like 'how are you'. Otherwise I agree with you.
- blaser-waffle 7y ago
  > Then maybe it shouldn't ask questions like 'why have you quit your previous job?' and focus on applicant's skills? As a hiring type, I absolutely want to know why, in your words, you left. I also want to see how that lines up with what your references and what former HR people say, and possibly even compare that to something like Glassdoor reviews (if you're a strong candidate, mind you). It is important. I want to see how they describe the situation they're leaving/left because it allows me to evaluate their ability to comprehend and communicate social/political/team dynamics. Statistically you're not staying with us longer than five (5) years, which means at some point you're going to have to explain why you left me -- and I don't feel like dealing with a shit talker. Plus an honest, direct answer is different from being blunt. I need workers who are willing to tell me direct, honest truths sometimes. I.E. "I never really clicked with the team, and found I was struggling personally and professionally to keep up with their changing demands," vs. "They were elitist assholes who changed things on a whim because they thought they were fucking geniuses".
  - gdy 7y ago
    And I agree with all that. What I don't like is presumption that an applicant who gives the first kind of answer, is a bad team player and if he doesn't put the blame on himself he is 'bitter' (which is bad).

jacekm 7y ago

Think of it as complaining about your ex-partner, when you are on a first date with someone you've just met. No one says that your previous company (or ex) wasn't bad and that you are to blame. It's just that people are not interested in your past but more in the future they are going to have with you. If you have 1 hour, you better spend it on advertising yourself and your skills instead of bashing others. You can complain later after you get the job, the new team get to know you better and trust you (and your stories) more.

gdy 7y ago
Okay, I didn't have in mind a situation when an applicant volunteers such information without any need for that. In the setting you've described I agree with you.
- ghaff 7y ago
  My assumption was that this was volunteered information. No, I normally wouldn't ask someone why they left/are looking to leave their current position. Not sure I ever have. It's not really relevant and I wouldn't really expect a straight answer in any case (given that I would mostly not give one).
  - gdy 7y ago
    I've never asked that either. I guess we won't be having an argument today :)

ghaff 7y ago

Feel free to be as bitter as you want with your friends over beers. But a job interview is probably not the time or place. Furthermore, there are often two sides to a story. It's entirely possible that I'll read your complaints as reflecting more about you than your current/former company.

gdy 7y ago
Yes, there is always two sides of the story, I just don't understand where presumption of an employee's fault is coming from.
- ghaff 7y ago
  I'm not sure it's a presumption. But if someone, say, volunteered that "no one at my company sufficiently values my contributions," it at least raises the thought that maybe your contributions weren't nearly as valuable as you thought they were. More generally, raising gripes about teams/managers/work mostly don't use your interview time to raise positive aspects about yourself and your work even if they aren't necessarily negatives.
  - gdy 7y ago
    And I agree with that too.

craftinator 7y ago

Not bad-mouthing a former employer shows much more class. I'm interested in hiring someone who can take the world as it is, turn disadvantage in advantage, and keep a positive outlook on tough situations. It also shows that they have good communication skills. Example: "my last employer screwed me and it was an awful place to work." vs "my last job taught me a lot about the pros and cons of workplace culture, which is why I'm interested in your company now". They are both true statements, but one indicates the prospective employee is upset and holds grudges, while the other shows they are ready to move on to a better job. Over time they can probably share more about why they left, but with the limited time in an interview it is best to show what they are focused on. Focus on old employer and anger doesn't sit well, while focus on a new potential job and lessons learned is very impressive.

gdy 7y ago
Well, the GP comments says 'don't hide them either' and I suppose it implies answering to the question about leaving previous job. The first answer in your example is honest, the second one, while technically true, triggers my bullshit detector.