Capítulo II. Características
II.5. Limitaciones de trabajo de campo
After you’ve been in a certain field for a number of years, you develop a reputation. And your reputation follows you from company to company. So don’t be surprised if your interviewer has heard of you, even if you’ve never heard of him. He may know all sorts of details about your former company as well. When there are layoffs, the word spreads even faster than an office rumor. As a general rule, you should anticipate that if you are looking for a new job in your field, your interviewer might have some knowledge about the circumstances that led to your leaving your last job. When he asks, “What really happened?” he’s simply trying to flesh out his own previous knowledge of the
events.
215.
When your department was dismantled, did you try to transfer to another department in the company? What happened?A.
Yes. The company offered to place me, and because the economy was very soft, I decided to take them up on their offer. As you know, I had been in the mortgage-backed securities division. But the only department that needed additional people was the research department. Suddenly, I was expected to be a Research Analyst. I went into it very gung-ho. After all, most of the other guys in my department were just handed their severance packages. And I felt incredibly lucky to have survived the bloodletting. But after six months of working as a Research Analyst, I’ve decided that research isn’t really what I want to do. I’m still working there, but I want to find a company that will let me pursue the specialty that I really love. My friend, Mac Clearwater, told me that your firm has openings in my area of expertise. And I’m keen to explore them with you today.Why This Technique Works
1. Your company didn’t want to lose you, so they made you a generous offer instead. You tried it, and have decided that you’re not a research maestro. No worries, you still come off as a very valuable employee to have on staff.
2. By referring to the person who recommended you for the job, you helped steer your interviewer back to the real purpose of the meeting—which is figuring out if you will be a good “fit” with his company.
216.
Do you attribute your leaving XYZ to a clash with your supervisors about your personality, general working style, or philosophy?A.
Personality. My philosophy is to adopt the company’s philosophy, and I always try extremely hard to embrace it as my own. My general working style is flexible and easygoing, and to my knowledge, nobody ever had a problem with it. Two of my bosses totally loved me, and I have referral letters from them today to show you. My other boss, however, used to drag me into his office and chastise me for “not giving our clients enough of a workout” when it came to collecting bills from them. This confused me, since there was someone on staff whose job it was to do just that.I tried to discuss the situation with all four people—my three bosses (both separately and together) and the “workout guy.” But it was never adequately resolved. My boss really felt that shakedowns were part of my job description. I felt just as strongly that our clients would have preferred to discuss their billing issues with the “workout guy.” What started as a simple disagreement about my duties blossomed into a clash of wills.
Ask your interviewer if giving “workouts” will be part of your job description at this company. If not, your answer is perfect. If they are, rethink your answer to show how you would have handled your boss’s criticism differently, and what you learned from the experience.
217.
How did the company’s merger impact your stay there? Is that why you left?A.
When the company first merged, we were told that no one would lose their jobs, and that our profit sharing of 15 percent would remain intact. After six months, they called us in for another meeting and told us that our profit sharing would be cut to 3 percent, but that no one would lose their jobs. Another two months slipped by uneventfully. Then the layoffs began. Every Friday, they would call a couple of people in and “behead” them. It was torturous. After approximately four months of this, I couldn’t take the anxiety of wondering if I would be the next person to be cut. I kept asking them and I couldn’t get a straight answer. Eventually, in order to protect myself, I decided to walk.Your company betrayed you twice, and so you had no choice but to leave them. Tell your interviewer that you are a loyal employee, and that you appreciate loyalty in others. Back up with a compelling example.