Tag Archives: Interview

By Nancy Mann Jackson

You make it through the final interview with flying colors. The hiring manager all but offers you the job,  but needs a few days to check references and complete paperwork before making you an offer. Then, silence. You never hear from him again.

If this scenario sounds familiar, you might have a bad reference on your resume.

Most people assume that former employers won’t give a negative report when potential employers call for a reference. But that isn’t necessarily true. Even though corporate guidelines may state that only your employment dates and position titles can be confirmed, it is not necessarily illegal for a reference to give negative commentary about a former employee, says Jeff Shane, a spokesperson for Allison & Taylor, Inc., a professional reference checking and employment verification firm.

“References can, and very frequently do, offer considerably more commentary to your prospective employer than simply verifying your employment dates and title,” Shane says. “As a result, many job-seeking candidates who expected a favorable, or at least neutral, assessment from their references unknowingly lose out on employment opportunities that are torpedoed as a result of a negative reference.”

If you fear that a former supervisor may be “torpedoing” your chances for a new job,  you have a few options:

• Pursue Legal Action. Not all negative input is unlawful. It is illegal if it involves discrimination, defamation, retaliation, disparagement or sexual harassment, Shane says. It’s unlikely that you’ll ever know what specific negative feedback a reference gave — because a prospective employer will rarely share the negative reference with a job candidate for their own legal protection. But if a third party can document that a reference gave communication that was wrongful, inaccurate, malicious or illegal, you may have legal recourse. Talk to an attorney about the possibilities.
• Send a Cease and Desist Letter. If a reference’s negative input is not unlawful, but is restricting your ability to get a job, you can typically address the situation by sending a cease and desist letter. This letter must be issued by your attorney to the senior management of the company where the negative reference originated, and the letter is designed to alert management of the negative reference’s identity and actions. “Typically, the very act of offering a negative reference is against corporate guidelines, which normally state that only a former employee’s title and dates of employment can be confirmed,” Shane says. When a cease and desist letter is received, the negative reference will be “cautioned by management not to offer additional comments and, out of self-interest, is unlikely to offer negative commentary again,” Shane says.
• Find out the Truth. If you don’t know whether or not a negative reference is impeding your job search, consider hiring a third-party reference checking firm. Such a firm can interview your references and document everything they say for your review. According to Shane, approximately 50 percent of all reference checks conducted by Allison & Taylor uncover negative input from the reference. And the report provided by a reference checking firm can be used for legal action or to develop a cease and desist letter.

The Glassdoor Team is a small yet seasoned group of individuals looking to provide greater transparency into one of the most important aspects of our lives – our jobs. Contributions to the blog are designed to present a unique perspective on current events, offer commentary on the inside workings on specific jobs at a multitude of companies, and provide details on the latest happenings from within Glassdoor.

Nancy Mann Jackson is an award-winning journalist and corporate communicator who writes regularly about small business, parenting and workplace issues. Since 2001, she has worked as a freelance writer and has written hundreds of articles for publications including Working Mother, CNNMoney.com, Entrepreneur.com, MyBusiness and dozens of others. She also writes and edits annual reports, blogs, and newsletters for companies in industries including finance, technology and construction. Nancy is also a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors.

By Glassdoor Team

Have you locked down an interview for an internship position for this Fall? If so, that’s good news. The bad news is that securing an interview is only half the battle. Now it’s time to prepare. Not only do you need to plan out what you’ll wear, when you’ll need to leave your house to get to the interview just a few minutes early and research who you will be meeting with, you also need to be ready to answer any question an interviewer throws your way.

To help get a leg up during your interview, Glassdoor has combed through thousands of interview questions intern candidates have shared over the past several months to highlight some of the toughest, most difficult and perhaps most unexpected interview questions.

Below is our ten of the Top Oddball Interview Questions for Interns for this Fall:

1. “What was your first AOL screen name?” – view answers. Asked at Red Frog Events. More Red Frog Events interview questions.

2.“How do you rob a bank?” – view answers. Asked at Oliver Wyman. More Oliver Wyman interview questions.

3.“How many ping pong balls fit into Gampel Pavilion?” – view answers. Asked at Aetna. More Aetna interview questions.                                               

4.“How much do women in America spend on haircuts each year?” – view answers. Asked at FindtheBest.com. More FindtheBest.com interview questions.

5.“If you could have lunch with anybody, living or deceased, who would it be?” – view answers. Asked at IMG. More IMG interview questions.

6.“How much would you bet for your answers to be correct?” – view answers. Asked at Jane Street Capital. More Jane Street Capital interview questions.

7.“Describe what happened to cause the financial crisis, in a couple of minutes, as if you were telling it, to say, your grandmother.” – view answers. Asked at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group. More Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group interview questions.

8.“Given 999 distinct numbers between 1 and 1000, find one/two that is/are missing.” – view answers. Asked at Salesforce.com. More Salesforce.com interview questions.

9.“Would you say you learn a lot about a little, or a little about a lot?” – view answers. Asked at Stryker Communications. More Stryker Communications interview questions.

10.“How many people in this city do you know? – view answers. Asked at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance. More Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance interview questions.

Want more? Check out these intern interview questions.

Have you had a recent interview? Share an interview review with your experience and any of the difficult or unexpected questions you were asked.

The Glassdoor Team is a small yet seasoned group of individuals looking to provide greater transparency into one of the most important aspects of our lives – our jobs. Contributions to the blog are designed to present a unique perspective on current events, offer commentary on the inside workings on specific jobs at a multitude of companies, and provide details on the latest happenings from within Glassdoor.

By Debra Wheatman

While there are many differing views on how to respond to the question: “what’s your salary?”  – you should tactfully avoid answering whenever possible. As the saying goes: He who talks salary first, loses.

Of course, there is a fine line. Being evasive might cause some friction between you and the interviewer. However, if you put all your cards on the table, you will have no leverage. It would be better to understand what the position is paying first. This will help you determine whether you should continue to pursue the role or move on to greener pastures.

If you are speaking directly with a company, you can say something like, “I am sure we will be able to come to a fair agreement if the position represents a good fit for us both.” Alternatively, you can state that your required salary depends upon the duties and responsibilities of the role; you will be happy to provide full disclosure once you are further along in the process.

Unfortunately, you may not always be able to skirt the issue. One of the first questions a 3rd party recruiter or hiring manager may ask during an initial interview is “What is your current compensation?”  While this can seem downright invasive, it is an attempt to make sure you are in the right price range. The flip side? Ask what the position is budgeted for. There has to be a budget or else why would you be in an interview situation?

It may be tempting to say that it is premature to discuss money, but this tactic can backfire when dealing with recruiters in particular and hinder you from getting your foot in the door. Any worthwhile recruiter will tell you what they know about the allocated budget.  Keep in mind that most external recruiters are paid based on a percentage of your base salary, so it is to their advantage to have you earn compensation at the higher end of the spectrum.

If you wish to be vague, you can let him or her know that your salary falls within the range stated. If you are probed for specifics, depending upon the situation, you can answer this in a number of ways:

1. If your salary is lower than the stated range, consider quoting the value of your total package.  For example, if you earn base plus bonus and also get insurance and mileage reimbursement along with a 401K match, lump that all into one and state that your total package equals X. The goal here is to make you look more attractive by bringing your compensation history to a higher level without being dishonest. Be prepared to provide actual W2s to back up the base compensation.
2. If your salary history is higher than the range quoted, but you are still interested in the role, let the recruiter know that you are flexible on the base and you are negotiable for the right total package.  This will allow you to keep the door open for perks and benefits. If you are really valuable and the budget permits it, who knows – maybe they will step up to the plate and match your previous salary.
3. If you are within the stated compensation range, but want to be sure to get a bump up in pay, be clear with the recruiter or hiring manager to let him or her know that you are targeting a salary increase and that you also currently get a variety of benefits and perks that are substantial.

Every situation is unique; your preparation will allow you to handle the situation gracefully. Take some time beforehand to sit down and make a list of your actual compensation. Consider the value of your entire package, including things like mileage reimbursement/company car, health insurance, stock options, and 401K match.

While you want to remain flexible and friendly, you do not want to devalue what you bring to a new role. Assuming you have worth as an industry expert in your chosen occupation, you should not accept a salary unless it is commensurate with your experience, skills, and ability to perform.

While you may consider a decrease for a start up that offers stock options, you should not fall prey to a company that thinks they can offer low salaries because of a sluggish economy.  In the long run, this practice will cause high turnover and dissatisfied workers. You may want to think twice if you feel you are being shortchanged. Stick to your guns and remember to share all of the assets you bring with you.

Glassdoor.com is a career and workplace community offering a free inside look at jobs and companies with access to millions of job listings. Glassdoor enables employees, job seekers, employers and recruiters to simultaneously see – for the first time – unedited opinions about a company’s work environment along with details on salaries, company reviews, CEO approval ratings, job interview questions and reviews, and office photos as well as career advice.