Much has been said about fresh graduates and their not-so-sterling behaviour during job interviews. We lament about their lack of punctuality, lack of comprehensible English/Malay/Mandarin, lack of proper dress sense and etc. We concentrate so much on interviewees that we completely forget about the interviewer.

If there is anything more horrible than a tardy, rude, obnoxious, arrogant interviewee, it is an equally tardy, rude, obnoxious and arrogant INTERVIEWER.

Here is a story of one who had the pleasure of encountering such a creature. You don’t really have to go that far…just down south will do (in this case, that is).

Nearly one year ago, I was on the hunt for a teaching job in Singapore and got through to the second round interviews at this upcoming and rather prestigious college on the island. Why not go for the interview even though it was just for fun, I told myself. So I went.

The interviewers consist of the Head of Department, Head of Academics and the HR Manager – two of which were really friendly and warm people, the other – the HR guy – was a total pain in the ass.

Never mind that he took his time eyeing me up and down as if I was some specimen on sale at the butcher. Never mind that he was hardly friendly (‘lecherous’ would be the word, actually).

Never mind all those things. I’m a patient person, I told myself then. But you know, even patience has its limit.

And it came soon enough.

He: So, do you guys have anything similar to our CPF here in Singapore?
Me: Yes, we have an Employee Providence Fund in M’sia.
He: Oh really? You must tell me more about it.
Me: (quickly explains the basics)
He: I see. (turns to his colleague) You see. I told you. These M’sians like to copy whatever we Singaporeans come up with. But the thing is this: they suck at it.

O_O

At that time, I was very polite and so I made no move to laugh or insult him back again. He sure lacks tact for a HR Manager (a position that requires good people skills), I thought to myself. I kept my mouth shut and answered whatever questions they fielded. Throughout the interview, I got eyeballed constantly and the worst was putting up with stupid remarks that came from the idiotic manager. The tone he used was derogatory and obnoxious. ~_~

“Why you want to come here and work? M’sia not good enough?”

“Why the change from secretarial studies to mass communication? Girl Friday not good enough?” (the tone was so derogatory!)

“How about we pay you the equivalent of your current M’sian salary?”

I think even his colleagues were embarrassed to be in the same room with him because finally, when I kept quiet after the last remark, one of them apologized: “Oh, don’t mind him. He’s just being naughty.”

But the damage was done already. I walked out of the room telling myself that I never want to work for people like that and that if I did not get the offer, it is just peachy. Sometimes it is better to continue with your search than hope for the same people who insulted you during the interview to hire you.

It’s just not worth it.

Interviews are never the place to play God and insult people about their country, family background, education or religion. They are never the place to be rude, obnoxious and tardy. Interviewers represent more than just themselves and the departments they work in. They represent the company. And if your interviewer is late, arrogant and lack people skills, it hardly speaks well about the culture and environment of the company.

That interview took the cake. I have went through job hunts where I was made to wait for half an hour to an hour for the interview, where the interviewer was less than professional, where the office he/she occupied was a total mess. In all instances, I either 1) declined the job, or 2) was happy to not get an offer. I felt that if the boss was like that, the employees would be as well – after all, ‘leadership by example’ is the motto at most workplaces, no?

While we address the shortcomings of many graduates out there, lets not forget those of the ones who are in the position to hire these ‘fresh’ individuals.

Why should we cut them any slack?