Is This Normal or Am I Wrong?
Added 2021-04-20 04:41:19 +0000 UTCSo, I had an interview today with a company, another secretarial type of job from the sounds of it. I applied through indeed, they called me up to schedule the interview and for some reason instead of emailing me they texted me. When I got there, they had me fill out an application even though they already had my resume and the application asked for everything my resume already had on it. If they wanted me to do it on the computer I could have understood to have it in their system but to write it down again was the first red flag. Then this guy comes up to me in a t-shirt and dirty jeans and for a second I thought he was the janitor and needed to clean around the table I was sitting at but instead he was the guy interviewing me and instead of a mask he had a scarf wrapped around his head which was really weird. He takes me up to the second floor and immediately removes it which made me uncomfortable and then hands me a list of tasks to do and calls it a skills test, make copies, file things away, stuff envelopes, etc. He told me that I should take 30 minutes to an hour to do as much as I could and then the interview would continue. Now for the first time I was fully prepared, had my resume printed, references, and even endorsements from the temp job and company I just worked for of the great work I did and skills I had. So, I handed that all to him and told him and if he wanted to know my skill set and work ethic that these should suffice and that I didn't do free labor. If he wanted to offer me something for the work I was about to do, I would happily do it but if not, this would prove my abilities. He looked at me, took the papers and told me he would show me the way out and walked me out the building. Was I wrong?
Comments
Spot on
Ferris Beuller
2021-04-22 02:40:34 +0000 UTCI may do that
Maggie Hill
2021-04-21 04:04:32 +0000 UTCThat's why I didn't do it, these weren't skills, they're work anyone could do.
Maggie Hill
2021-04-21 04:04:01 +0000 UTCIf this was an actual skill test, I would have understood, but making copies and doing tedious work before even interviewing me, sounded like free labor
Maggie Hill
2021-04-21 04:03:29 +0000 UTCYou have to realize that I'm a part of a (much) older generation, but I believe you did the right thing; I would have done the exact same thing. Definitely hold out for a better job that is in keeping with your (considerable) skills!
David Meyer
2021-04-20 14:22:17 +0000 UTCIt all sounds pretty fishy to me. The first thing should have been the flag, if they wanted an application form, they would have sent it to you to prepare at home. You did right and how ever your found this so called job, I would tell them what happened.
Dean Lanouette
2021-04-20 14:09:47 +0000 UTCYou did the right thing.
Doug McMahon
2021-04-20 10:18:49 +0000 UTCNot sure how things work in the US but sounds dodgy to me
Ferris Beuller
2021-04-20 10:08:52 +0000 UTCNot at all. Your response was perfect.
Vince Petrone
2021-04-20 06:44:26 +0000 UTCSkills tests aren't unheard of, but that whole situation seems a little off. Usually an interviewer would appear more professional and less grungy. But while I've heard of skill tests in interviews they usually came after the interview proper and were for "skilled" positions, such as technicians and things like that. Skills tests for clerical work feels shady. You probably dodged a bullet
Morgan
2021-04-20 05:40:13 +0000 UTC