Thread: Silly behaviour during a job interview...

We are currently interviewing staff for a position next year, one of the interviewees yesterday is a graduate student, reasonably well qualified, he is fluent in four languages, has just finished a Masters of Science in Biochemistry and has been to universities in Australia and Sweden.

He is Indonesian. Very young and possessing the idealism of youth he said and did all the right things during the interview, until the end when it was his turn to ask us some questions.

He tentatively asked about salaries and do we pay Expat staff differently to Indonesian staff. I saw no reason to lie and replied yes we do.

This then resulted in a 15 minute diatribe how it is not fair, and that expats do not deserve to get paid more than Indonesia, that it is ruining the country and blah blah blah.

Several attempts from us to get him to shut up failed miserablely.

In the end, I said, look I agree with you, in principal, but it aint my decision, and I really dont care to discuss this further now, you have not even got the job yet.

Anyone done anything this silly or worse during a job interview?

Interviews with potential staff are always fun for me. Sometimes though they don't say much, other times they scream there heads off at me. I always hire the ones with the most to say.

Better not employ this bloke KW as he may steal your job!

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

Better not employ this bloke KW as he may steal your job!

Yeah, soon as they find out that I do not actually do any work I'm a gonna !

Originally Posted by kingwilly

In the end, I said, look I agree with you, in principal,

Ah the diplomatic NO!

Originally Posted by good2bhappy

Ah the diplomatic NO!

because he used the phrase

"If two people, expat and Indonesian who were equally qualified were to do the same job"

They aint, there is about 200 teachers at my current school, 75% of whom are Indo. I would rate 2 of the Indonesians as capable, not outstanding, just capable. In the main, they are a complete shower of shit, no two ways about it.

Western expats wouldn't go to that shitty country if they were paid the same as the locals.

not sure westerners would teach here if they were paid the same as Thais
except in Unis

Originally Posted by EmperorTud

Western expats wouldn't go to that shitty country if they were paid the same as the locals.

exactly.

his salary would be about $500 per month. possibly less.

Originally Posted by good2bhappy

not sure westerners would teach here if they were paid the same as Thais

I do know an expat here earning $600 p/m teaching at some school, I think English.

I am aware of some teachers at the Regents earning less than USD1,500.00 per month and when you consider the school fees and the size of the classes they are being ripped off.

Of couse they do also receive living allowances, accomodation etc but it is hardly worth the grief and to teach for that type of money.

I was arranging interviews for a tele-marketing position once.

One particular C.V. came through which looked good enough, and so I called the guy to arrange an interview date and time. I also asked him a couple of questions at which point he asked me "Could I answer these questions at the interview, because I don't feel comfortable talking on the phone"

An unfortunate choice of words given the job he was applying for.

Originally Posted by kingwilly

They aint, there is about 200 teachers at my current school, 75% of whom are Indo. I would rate 2 of the Indonesians as capable, not outstanding, just capable. In the main, they are a complete shower of shit, no two ways about it.

So why didn't you tell him that?

It's quite easy when you get a hot-head asking you why foreigners get paid more. Just tell the truth. They're generally smarter, work harder, can think for themselves and usually have a wider field of experience, plus education in Asia doesn't mean shit.

I interviewed a guy last year and 30 seconds into the interview his phone rang.

I expected and embarrassed look and an apology, easy enough error to make.

Nope, he stood up, left the room and took the call.

He was gone for over 3 minutes.

I terminated the interview when it happened again about 15 minutes in.

The Thai HR girl was horrified and told me off for continuing after the first incence....5555

Originally Posted by kingwilly

"If two people, expat and Indonesian who were equally qualified were to do the same job"

They still wouldn't pay them the same. For the simple reason that all the other "non-qualified" Indos would eventually find out and create hell. In most of SE Asia equally qualified locals need to go abroad where their skills will be better appreciated and rewarded.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

So why didn't you tell him that?

care factor zero.

had this arguement before, incompetent people refuse to accept that they are incompetent,

I a not sure I would teach for 8K bht a month

Originally Posted by Whiteshiva

Originally Posted by kingwilly

"If two people, expat and Indonesian who were equally qualified were to do the same job"

They still wouldn't pay them the same. For the simple reason that all the other "non-qualified" Indos would eventually find out and create hell. In most of SE Asia equally qualified locals need to go abroad where their skills will be better appreciated and rewarded.

As indeed most western Ex-pats do - that's why most of us are here

To the OP:
The fellow probably wrote off your institution as an employer with unfair employment practices & used the time profitably in telling you how to go to hell & enjoy the experience.

I'd have done the same, were I in his shoes.

He may end up in a high position in time & take pleasure in reminding you of the incident.

Originally Posted by good2bhappy

I a not sure I would teach for 8K bht a month

I'm certain that I would not teach fulltime for 8k a month.

Originally Posted by watterinja

To the OP: The fellow probably wrote off your institution as an employer with unfair employment practices & used the time profitably in telling you how to go to hell & enjoy the experience.

He didnt know until he asked. Good luck to him, every single school that I know of in Indonesia, in fact, every school or business that I know of in Asia does the same thing.

He may end up in a high position in time & take pleasure in reminding you of the incident.

How? Life does not normally follow a hollywood scene play...

Originally Posted by mobs00

Interviews with potential staff are always fun for me. Sometimes though they don't say much, other times they scream there heads off at me. I always hire the ones with the most to say.

Don't you run a gogo bar?

No, that's just a nasty rumour. I sell used books.

Used books or used goods?

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

Originally Posted by mobs00

Interviews with potential staff are always fun for me. Sometimes though they don't say much, other times they scream there heads off at me. I always hire the ones with the most to say.

Don't you run a gogo bar?

Must have a good interview technique if it separates the screamers from the starfish

^^ Just easy reading.

^ Yeah well never judge a book by it's cover.

Our HR dept at a copper mine I was working on in Peru interviewed a candidate for a place in the Blasting crew .
It would seem that he certainly knew his stuff re explosives and was taken on.
The week after, while they were doing the paperwork followup, and to renew his licence, his picture was recognised by someone in the police dept .
He was a "Shining Path" terrorist explosives expert who had escaped from prison a year before !!!
What a prat !
The mine was in the same area where he had been hunted for the last year !