“You know,” he told me as I sat in front of him in a glass covered cabin at a remote Tennessee Location. “We are not happy to offer you the position which we are interviewing“. Trying to regain my composure, I wondered why I travelled so far just to listen to this stupid guy.

The man was dynamic and blessed with pleasing personality. He was the hiring manager and after 15 years of experience in the field, all that I could avoid is such a blatant statement to a person who hasn’t opened the mouth yet. They had my resume, my credentials and why on earth some companies should spend money on calling a person if they are not interested to hire. Was he under pressure to interview me or was he facing some personal stress which he was venting on me.

Just like a Hyperlapse Video by Instagram, this went through my mind at 10x speed. This was unbecoming of any company and lacking basic courtesy and decency to a person who attempted to reach the venue with great difficulty.

Wait a minute. What did I say? Reach the venue? Yes, I think I did make some major decisions on the way and the major one was to dissuade myself from returning midway. At New York airport, I made a mild decision not to attend the interview but since basic decency dictates that I should follow a certain protocol, I made it to the plant.

A week back, one fine morning, the phone rang and on the other end was an HR representative who explained me detailed information about a company and asked me if I am interested. Initially I hesitated but later nodded affirmative. The next day I had a telephonic conversation with the Hiring Manager and the Director of this company. But I found I may not fit into the senior position that was under reference. But they insisted that there are one down positions and I should consider visiting the plant for an interview.

After a rickety ride from New York Airport, the HR warmly received me. And this happened thereafter. “Oh Hello. Even I am not interested. I had made this clear at the first instance itself. It was you who insisted I should come. And now this?” I responded to the hiring manager’s stupid remark. I could not believe we sat for 30 minutes thereafter and I don’t even remember what conversed between us. I was keen to get out and catch the first flight back home. I was pretty sure I would not be part of this company.

Though this was my first experience, I don’t know if similar experience is common in the United States. But since I had decided I would never even apply to this company in future, I had a lot of fun mocking the hiring manager. Obviously he was not happy because I was shooting more questions to him rather than the other way round. He was soon joined by two junior level analysts – I believe. I expected the standard John Travolta type of questions from them and they did not disappoint me.

“Why do you want to join the company,” how many times have you heard this question in any interview and I find this jarring and so substandard that the House should pass a law to ban this question from any interview any further.

“Hey, did I say I am joining this company?,” I countered. “On the contrary, I was discussing with him why I am not interested to be here,” they were shocked and in disbelief. “Are you joking baby?” I felt they were asking this to me silently.

Looking at the New York skyline, I was laughing unto myself till I realised my co-passengers would take me off the plane for being a lunatic.

Photo Courtesy : Jonas Nilsson Lee