Think I did terrible with the phone interview today

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Well, just had an initial phone interview this morning and already invited back for an in-person, so I haven't exactly bombed it yet. However, I was asked a few questions that threw me off a bit. I didn't think I gave great answers and want to see how you would tackle these.

The interview was a lot about things I don't like and my weaknesses. She sounded pretty negative from the get-go..so I don't know if this is just her tactics or what.

Of all the companies you worked for, which has been your least favorite and why?

I did specify a name and gave a very generic reason for being the least favorite...She pressed for detail, I resisted as I tried to be brief. The interviewer didn't sound real impressed though.

How is your current salary broken down?

It's not a direct "how much are you making?" type of question, so I chose to tell her my current employment status and other coverage the company offers...except a number. Would I be better off skid this question until later round?

What could your current company do to keep you?

I cited one of my complaints about the current place and if the company can change that I'd consider staying. Not sure how convinced she felt about my answer.

 

[SaurusX]

Stupid questions. Were they at all interested in what you could do for them?

 

[yllus]

Wow, tough questions - and also sort of dumb questions. "How is your current salary broken down?" is a ridiculous thing to ask over the phone - you can't possibly quantify that on the spot and not sound like you're totally guessing (because you would be).

Never complain about a prior employer, even if it is the truthful reason you're leaving or the question is asked in this context. The one correct answer to "What could your current company do to keep you?" is, "Well, after X years at the company I've really topped out in what I can learn in that role. I have to go elsewhere to get career growth, and I'm particularly interested in area Y that your company is a leader in."

 

[GobBluth]

Might have said that you hadn't had a "bad" working experience with any of the company's you have been employed with. That makes it sound like you're easy to work with.

As for the rest, pretty standard answers I'd say. Salary is a tough one, he who speaks first loses there.

 

[purbeast0]

i dont even know what that salary question means. i would have said "i get paid based on a 40 hour work week - NEXT?" and gone on with the interview.

first one i would have told them my first job due to being micromanaged.

i also woulda said "nothing" to the 3rd question. or something like "pay me a $1 million salary". you are looking for a new job because you are unhappy most likely. doubt 1 small change will make you all of a sudden happy at your current position. i know for me it wouldn't.

 

[bigrash]

Tough questions. But at least you know to be prepared for these types of questions next time.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I've never had a phone interview (or in person interview) I thought went well. That being said, every job I've ever interviewed for I got.

I will say some of those questions are a bit...eh...but it really could be that they have had issues keeping people, and it's their way of finding out if you would like their company (and it's policies) or not and if you would stick around.

 

[Rumpltzer]

I think that questions are sometimes asked not specifically to get an answer, but sometimes to see what you're thinking or how you might get to an answer or what you might say.

I'd have a problem with the "how is your current salary broken down", and I would have asked for an example or clarification. I mean, I get a salary, I get XXXX vacation time each year, I imagine that my company is throwing something in to my health and life insurances, we get a sad little bonus... but mostly I get a salary.

I think that the other two questions are okay. Wants to know what makes you unhappy or what can be done to make you more happy.

I've, in fact, considered the question about what my current company would need to do to get me to stay (if I decided to bail). Doubling my salary would get me to the table... but just to the table... and doubling my salary would be pretty much out of the question. I'd then talk about why I'd leave my current company and what makes me unhappy about them. I think that's what she may have been looking for.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

Maybe I did it the hard way but I always give specific without sounding too negative. I doubt how effective the typical "no, i don't have a least favorite work or company." will go with recruiter.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Meh, try not to dwell on it. What's done is done.

 

[tokie]

The only phone interview I've done I was lying naked in bed.

I actually really liked it and vastly prefer it to in-person interviews. It focuses more on the content and not what color shirt you are wearing.

 

[rcpratt]

If the answers to any of those questions affect your candidacy, that company is terrible.

 

[ShawnD1]

i dont even know what that salary question means. i would have said "i get paid based on a 40 hour work week - NEXT?" and gone on with the interview.

Same here. I get paid based on a yearly salary amount which is broken down into biweekly payments. I show up at X time and leave at Y time. Extra hours are charged as overtime for which I get paid 1.5x regular hourly wage or 1.5x vacation hours. I'm not sure what my exact hourly rate is, but it's on my pay stub somewhere.

first one i would have told them my first job due to being micromanaged.

My worst job was due to constant back stabbing. Everyone was spying on everyone else. It created a very hostile and paranoid workplace where you couldn't trust any of your coworkers.

i also woulda said "nothing" to the 3rd question. or something like "pay me a $1 million salary". you are looking for a new job because you are unhappy most likely.

The current job has no more room for advancement or personal development. I've learned all of the skills and I'm already as high as it goes. It's time to move on. I actually like my current job.

 

[SheHateMe]

It was the complete opposite for me at this Internship I just got. I killed the in person interview with the HR lady..but then had to do a Webcam interview with the IT team and I was really nervous. They asked some really tough questions and I got lost answering a few and asked to start over. However, what I lost in being able to quickly shoot off answers, I won back in personality when they asked "What do you like to see in a Boss or a Manager? What things do you not like to see? Can you describe your current Boss or Manager?"

I got a few laughs from them as I went on to describe my Boss randomly printing jobs to our printer without telling us. The printer is on the other side of the office and we only go over if we need to print something. Often he would come storming into the office asking why we havent done any work and we all look at him confused..because we WERE working. He would then tell us that there are 30 jobs in the printer...and we would say "how did they get in there?".

I also talked about how he doesn't finish he statements before he walks out of the room and we can no longer hear him. A few weeks ago, he comes in and says to me "xxxxx, I need you to go on online and find me a *starts walking out of the door and leaves the room* ......"

Me: "?????"