Hello,

I just had feedback from 2 stage interview I attended at a large international company,

Unfortunately I didn’t get the role, the feedback was:

1: Concerns over team fit
2: Concerned that the role wouldn’t be enough to stay long term.

Number 1 really has stumped me – what does that *actually* mean? I met the whole team in a 30 minute Q&A and no one was throwing visual daggers at me.

I guess what it means, is that I don’t posses certain skills the team was looking for. I suspect it means I wasn’t up on the “business lingo” as during the interview stages I was sometimes unclear with the language the interviewer was using (you know how these big companies are with their business language).

As for point 2: I suspect that is a giiiiant euphemism for “You asked for too much money for the role” – would that be correct?

I have asked for feedback from the company but am not expecting any more than confusing evasive corporate bullshit bingo. 😆

Post interview feedback is rarely genuinely honest so is of limited value. It’s a lottery, play the odds and ignore any rejections. In my field it’s just a numbers game (assuming qualified and competent). Make the applications, get some critical mass and the offers come in.

1) We gave it to somebody else
2) We gave it to somebody else who we can pay less, isn’t ambitious and won’t work out we are all crap and leave like the last 3 guys.

I met the whole team in a 30 minute Q&A and no one was throwing visual daggers at me.

Like you say – maybe not about fitting in with the team socially – whether they like you – concern about whether adding you to the group makes the team work as a whole. Maybe you’re too similar in your abilities to people they already have and thats leaving gap in the teams overall capacity.

I have asked for feedback from the company but am not expecting any more than confusing evasive corporate bullshit bingo

Ulitmately – they interviewed you because they thought you were a suitable candidate. They interviewed other people because they thought they were suitable too. They could only choose one and the reasons to choose C over A, B, D and E might actually be pretty fine – they’re required to give a reason there might not be much reason to give.

What they can’t really say, even thought it really needs saying is – you stink and your mum dresses you funny.

With regards to point 2, I had an interview where the bloke stopped me half way through looking at my portfolio, and said…

“Listen… If I gave you this job, you’d be bored rigid in a fortnight, and then you’d leave as soon as something more challenging or interesting came along. And then I’d be doing this all over again”.

I appreciated the honesty. I suspect their thoughts were the same, but they are straightjacketed by the tyranny of management/HR speak

you stink and your mum dresses you funny.

Well I’ll concede to the first point but my mothers sense of dress has always worked me wonders!

“Listen… If I gave you this job, you’d be bored rigid in a fortnight, and then you’d leave as soon as something more challenging or interesting came along. And then I’d be doing this all over again”.

Other people have said that’s genuinely what they meant – I don’t personally think so, unlike you there was no inclination that was their thoughts during the interview stage. I would of much rather appreciated straight honestly like your example..!

Other people have said that’s genuinely what they meant – I don’t personally think so, unlike you there was no inclination that was their thoughts during the interview stage. I would of much rather appreciated straight honestly like your example..!

Best way especially if you were a better candidate (but not a long term proposition)
The other thing is bad managers hate hiring good people – it makes them look bad.

Team fit could mean anything.

One company I worked for only hired consultants that were over 6′. It became so obvious we were known as the basketball team.

1: Concerns over team fit

TBH we did not like you 😉
Could mean anything really – could be skills, could be personality, but tbh what manager listens to their team in deciding who to appoint?

2: Concerned that the role wouldn’t be enough to stay long term.

Lets sweeten it by saying you were too talented to stay here

TBH IME no one gives honest feedback so it does not really matter as it may not be the real reasons anyway

5th – was it a basketball consultancy company?

haha i see, guess i’m going to have to just let is pass and i’ll never know why i didnt get the spot!

The other thing is bad managers hate hiring good people – it makes them look bad.

Whereas hiring bad people makes you not only look bad but look bad at hiring people 🙄

It may be hard for them to explain what they mean by “team fit” but from experience I have interviewed people who were technically good and I know could do a good job but would not fit maybe the “culture” or simply the team that currently exist. Its hard to put your finger on sometimes.

but they are straightjacketed by the tyranny of management/HR speak

I’ve used almost these words to some candidates so you are not that constrained. Sometimes it comes about when a well qualified candidate dumbs down their CV to get into work quickly. Its usually easy to spot them. Hiring an over qualified person is a problem.

Despite what people say on here some managers do give honest feedback and I try to give it as I may be in the same position one day. Feedback should be given during the interview itself as well. If somebody has clearly been economical with the truth on their CV they should be told so, at the time.

Got some feedback tomorrow on a failed interview, so looking toward to that now.

There are so many variables in getting a job I would tend to go with your own feel of how the interview went. You”ll have a good idea. As for getting the job maybe the boss’ son was trying, you just never know.

Sometimes it comes about when a well qualified candidate dumbs down their CV to get into work quickly.

Really – do people do this?

I always thought it was the other way round – people exaggerating the truth?

“Listen… If I gave you this job, you’d be bored rigid in a fortnight, and then you’d leave as soon as something more challenging or interesting came along. And then I’d be doing this all over again”.

‘cos some hiring managers believe that everyone is as over-ambitious as they are…

Wait until you pretty much always get ‘too experienced for the role’… Agree, which means I could do the job right, in half the time of somebody who isn’t experienced enough 🙄

Really – do people do this?

Most people are moving up or sideways so yes they normally claim to have skills and experience they dont have however occasionally people come out of work unexpectedly so need a job as a stop gap until they can find something more appropriate which may take months.
They then sometimes have explaining to do to their new employer!

Sometimes it comes about when a well qualified candidate dumbs down their CV to get into work quickly.

Really – do people do this?

I always thought it was the other way round – people exaggerating the truth?

When you’ve been out of work for a couple of months you bet your arse you do!!

You apply for absolutely everything! If you’ve previously been working at a senior level, then the opportunities at that level are a lot thinner on the ground. If you’ve no income, and bills to pay you ‘dumb down’ your CV, play down your roles, and put in for every single job out there!

‘cos some hiring managers believe that everyone is as over-ambitious as they are…

I have interviewed people who would clearly not be challenged by the role on offer and its obvious they want something that stretches them, its not about ambition they may have limited aspirations but the work still needs to be challenging. Unless they are happy to “wind down” a bit but they may have a convincing job to do!

So interestingly I should cut back on the grandeur during the interview and stress more that the current role looks like the perfect challenge rather than saying I aiming for the biggest challenge possible.

life is so confusing

i) wrong sex, they wanted a blonde with bit t*ts

I recall receiving a photo with a CV a few years ago. The girl was very attractive and her CV was actually very good. I would have interviewed her and if she was as good as her resume indicated she had a good chance of getting the job.
Enclosing a photo meant I had to disregard her 🙁

So interestingly I should cut back on the grandeur during the interview and stress more that the current role looks like the perfect challenge rather than saying I aiming for the biggest challenge possible.

You have to determine this on the day depending on the role, interviewer, organisation etc. They want someone who can do the job now. They may think you have potential for another role but you just have to read the situation.