SO...JOB INTERVIEWS THEN!! Any Stories? Here's mine!!

[foxOneFive]

So he got the job after "doing" a job

 

[Rigga]

I PVRd in 1999 at which time I had my A&C for turbine rotorcraft for 10 years and piston unpressurised fixed wings for 2 years.
No internet in them old days! I was in Harrier ASF at Laarbruch. I wrote 14 letters (with CVs) to ad’s from Flight International and I got 5 replies for interviews. I got all of them arranged for different days in one week and travelled on my own with a suit hanging over the rear seat (Suit & Ties to interviews in those days too) 3x No, 1x maybe and 1x yes.
I made notes about each interview IMMEDIATELY after each…sat in the car parks before I left. This included the type of interview, board members/names and specific questions, etc. Anything I could remember.
Since then I’ve had 6 other management or SMB jobs and I still make notes afterwards…

On the other side of the desk, I interviewed Prince William for one of his jobs…he needed training but was employed.

 

[vim_fuego]

On the other side of the desk, I interviewed Prince William for one of his jobs…he needed training but was employed.

I hope you asked for references?

 

[Late & Tired]

I visited a Factory in 2014 and bumped into the Quality Manager, who happened to be doing a site tour with the overall Factory Manager. In discussion, I asked about the integration and differential of QC/QA, how staff know the differences and what policies and procedures guide their effectiveness. The look of horror on the QMs face was superb. I didn't get the initial role, but went as an intermediate 3rd Party Consultant for 6mths on direct behalf of the Factory Manager to get things in place. We never became friends...

 

[Rigga]

I hope you asked for references?

He had a good CV….

 

[Vushtrri]

Every year without fail, my annual assessment would make note of my looking like a bag of shit. This was a trend that followed me when applying for the local plods when the Chf Insp interviewing me said it had been a very good interview but that I looked like a sack of potatoes. I bullshitted and said my suit didn’t fit me as I had lost so much weight preparing for the fitness test etc. It would appear he bought that but then obviously didn’t see me on the 1 1/2 mile run…
Luckily, every job I applied for whilst in the Police I got, probably because I went into them with the attitude that if I got the job it would be good but if I didn’t it wasn’t the end of the world….and ended up doing some very interesting and lucrative roles. The most unusual interview was one for just over an hour by mobile phone with me on one end at the top of a nearby hill as reception was lousy in the house, and a panel of 5 interviewers on an island in the middle of the Atlantic that at the time could only be reached by boat.
They rang back later and offered me the job which was a two year posting but refused to budge and grant my request for them to contribute towards the Mrs accompanying me..which as I wasn’t going to get off the island for two years seemed pretty reasonable.

 

[Rugby-Jock-Lad]

I visited a Factory in 2014 and bumped into the Quality Manager, who happened to be doing a site tour with the overall Factory Manager. In discussion, I asked about the integration and differential of QC/QA, how staff know the differences and what policies and procedures guide their effectiveness. The look of horror on the QMs face was superb. I didn't get the initial role, but went as an intermediate 3rd Party Consultant for 6mths on direct behalf of the Factory Manager to get things in place. We never became friends...

So L&T.. The QM held under pressure of lights and good cop/bad cop had no Observations or Non-compliances then??????? :-D!!!!!

 

[Late & Tired]

^^^^^^^
Oh he certainly did, especially after my 6 months

 

[Cat Techie]

2019 / 2020 was a massive upheaval for me with a lot to deal with (as I'm sure we all had). One of those issues was leaving the warm embrace of the light blue poorly made shirts and finding a new role in life as I was determined to leave at 22 despite some lunatic in Air Command trying to tell me there was nothing wrong with being a LOS30 CPL and offering to take a further 4 years away from me for a fiscally paltry amount.

1st interview was for a major airline carrier in the role you'd best describe as a combination of the Rects Controller / Scheduler. On offer was double my (at the time) salary and the associated relocating da'an saaf. Apparently down to between 2 of us and I narrowly missed out.

Fresh off the back of this with a massive uplift in my confidence as I got so close to such a high profile and well paying role, I approached the interview for my current role with a general sort of 'meh'. It didn't help that I felt rubbish with some sort of lurgy and had to drive 5hrs to get to the interview but hey ho. Answered the questions well enough and despite my giving off the vibe that I wasn't all that bothered, was still offered the role on the spot.

Had plenty of other interviews for various companies and outputs but then Covid hit and the shutters came down everywhere. The only one to keep the offer open was the one I half arsed the interview for. As stated, I was determined to leave the uniform so tentatively accepted it. Found the team I was embedded within was brilliant, some ex-uniform but overall a huge range of individuals of varying age and experience to work with on projects with some fantastic capabilities being realised. Proper Engineering.

Just interviewed again for an internal promotion which I smashed, decent pay increase but it involves moving teams. Intent behind going for the promotion was so as to become substantive in the high profile role I was acting up in but that's kind of back fired as another area has a higher priority.

Not sure what I'm going to find as my current team covered a lot of my new destinations work off as no one in that team has a clue.

Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me in what is a senior management role as I bring that team around and get them working in the same direction again.

LMC / Maintrol for the first one. You would have hated it. It is a rubbish job in most cases, especially now!

 

[Cat Techie]

Done so many interviews in my industry it is unbelievable! Two at the carrot crunching MRO. Second one got me a weak position that fortunately got me my first LAE job as I could walk. Best actual interview was at Monarch Aircraft Engineering Ltd, Luton. A technical interview with Dirty Harry's mate. Proper interview that tested me. Easiest interview at ATCL SEN. Hello Cat, I am Russ, I am also from your home town and I know you! A different start. Alas my best result was destroyed by Covid before I could start. The Rockstar wage one. Worst ones have been the corporate ones. Some of the worst managers I have faced. Mostly ex JTs on BCAR starts. Management style of house bricks. Had one interview with a fellow ex SNCO whom was a manager and he was professional. Is one of the managers in the empire still. Just don't let him near tools of a rigger as he used to bark. A drill bit doesn't do a 100 degree countersink. Get my drift!

 

[Rugby-Jock-Lad]

UPDATE THEN: Banged CV on LinkedIn to a UK wide company a few months back, that bids for subcontracts for DWP teaching Employability Skills. Told the Line/Hiring Manager at the time that I was busy preparing school learners for exams with Tutoring business. not a problem as he can wait a few months and we will discuss in an interview. He was straight up and explained the pros and cons of the job which I appreciated as it is then my decision to go ahead or not. Went well.

1st week last week. Money isn't great but not bad either and it's teaching/facilitating again with a Learning Management System (LMS) administration thrown in. So topping up the pension with a job I enjoy and enhancing my quality of life. Work from home and go straight to location as required (and I have the option to take the sessional contract or not). COMMUTING TO WORK...What's all that about??? :-D!! Used to be a 2-min walk across the parade square at a certain unit I was based at for 9.5 years with a Cyprus gap in -between???!!! :-D

THAT PREVIOUS JOB that started this thread from a certain well-known Defence Contractor. Back on their website just out of interest and the date of application has been pushed back from May -> Jun -> Jul.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm................

Defo dodged a bullet methinks..............Not a good sign.

Thanks all for your contributions previously on this thread.

Regards.

RJL.

 

[Rigga]

UPDATE THEN: ….. So topping up the pension with a job I enjoy and enhancing my quality of life.

THAT PREVIOUS JOB that started this thread from a certain well-known Defence Contractor. Back on their website just out of interest and the date of application has been pushed back from May -> Jun -> Jul.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm................

Defo dodged a bullet methinks..............Not a good sign.

Thanks all for your contributions previously on this thread.

Regards.

RJL.

“….. So topping up the pension with a job I enjoy and enhancing my quality of life. “
My 1st post-Blue Suit job was in the ”Carrot Cruncher” MRO company where I soon found that they, too, were ‘acccounting for’ my Pension to supplement my wages…when I left there I had a 45% pay rise!

Im assuming that I too worked for that big Defence Contractor for a few years and as far as I’m concerned there were more cultures than you could type on a sheet of A4…and none of them talking to “the others”.