ISYN Bad Interviews, #1

1) I literally just got home from an interview that lasted fifteen minutes, where I was told the position was filled. They are in need of weekend care, and the second I sat down, the mother tells me someone from the center their children attend will be watching them on weekends, and could she keep my information for backup? Fine, although I was ready to walk out. I found out their children attend one of my center's competitors, and the competitor has frequent turnover, poor quality care, less than dependable teachers and has been written up for violations from DHFS, leading me to wonder is the person she hired reliable? My center has been written up, yet not to the frequency of this center. Literally a day after I called her, this other person applies. I contacted her last week; she couldn't have emailed or called me, telling me she filled the position?

I didn't have to drive far, as they live less than five minutes from me. The point is, why have me come over in the first place?

2) I showed up for an interview on the UES (NY) on Monday at 555PM for a 6PM interview. The housekeeper let me in and told me her employers weren't home yet and allowed me entrance to wait. While I was waiting she was preparing dinner. I started making polite chit chat which led to the present childcare situation. The nanny leans in and tells me, "she was a good, good nanny, a good person and they did her dirty, no no no no, I wont never say a bad word about that woman, she was the loveliest." With that, the door opens and "Mom" comes through the door. She is flashy and polite and interested. I answer her questions and the interview seems to go well, but the housekeeper's whispered words and THE SCARED LOOK on her face when she said it and the woman walked in the door haunt me! It's Friday and I have an email from the lady saying she would like me to come and work a trial day next week.  My bank account says yes, even for the one day of pay, but I think that was a sufficient warning!

3) I went from my present job to my bosses apartment in Brooklyn for an evening interview and arrived as a delivery order was arriving. My boss & her husband invited me to join them at a table off the kitchen. They spread out the boxes and stuff and handed me a plate. The interview went nice.  As we ended with promises of a follow up, DB says, "would you mind just tidying up in there, I mean, since you ate, and take any leftovers you want". WTF?

4) This weekend I interviewed with a mother at STARBUCKS. This is something I don't really like because it gives you no feeling for who you are dealing with. She brought her three year old girl. She had told me her children were great and she was raising them 'the Chinese way' and yadda yadda yadda, it was all about respect. It became very clear that the mother was not raising the children at all. The three year old asked no less than 100 times for her nanny. "I want Claudy, where is Claudy". The mother explained 'Claudy' had been with them for about a year and suddenly quit without notice. This for some reason didn't ring true. During the interview the child was allowed to order a cookie, a muffin, a hot chocolate and a Perrier. She ate bites of stuff and squished the other stuff. She squished the muffin right into the mothers chest, all over her shirt. The mother was frazzled but tried to play it cool. You could tell her child was not accustom to relating to her. The child also stood up on a chair and said," Im peeing my pants, Im peeing my pants" and appeared to do just that. The mother said, "Oh, ___, why are you being so silly?" The child also called her mom a "dum dum", told her to "go to work" and told me, "mommy told Claudy to go to hell." I smiled politely as if the child was just being precarious. The mother said, "well I was caught off guard and disappointed to be left in the lurch".  The child also told me my jacket was ugly and my teeth need braces. Other people in Starbucks realized it was an interview and, well even if they didn't, all those around had a look of horror on their face!

5) I interviewed with a family in Bronxville at a very nice house. The parents both met me at the door and told me how down to earth they were. They offered me tea. They sat on the sofa and kidded around the whole time. It seemed real... And then it got to real. He "tooted" and she smacked him on the thigh. Then she "tooted" back to him even louder and more aggressively. He immediately "tooted" back to her. I thought I was going to pass out from the smell and weirdness of it all. They offered me the job on the spot. I told them I had a second interview with a family I was very interested in the next day but that I would let them know.

Share your bad interview experiences! Send them to isynblog@gmail.com 
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