Off-Topic

[ImTellinTim]

re: Off-Topic

I once had an interviewer tell me that could figure out within 30 seconds if the person would work there or not.

With some people it's like that, but I always try to give a person a chance to collect themselves and recover from a bad start.

[pietasterp]

re: Off-Topic

Quick little sidenote: Does anyone else feel like they owe special thanks to GPS? My first goal in interviews is to make it relaxed and get the person out of the mindset of viewing the interview as something of a test. And more than any other thing, GPS stories have fulfilled this role lol.

Do you mean people have funny stories about how a GPS (global positioning satellite) led them astray in some way? I suppose being able to find the interview location can be stressful in itself, so that would alleviate at least some of that stress.

I wish we could interview like that, but we are bound by civil service laws to ask the exact same questions of everyone. (Local government, though I won't be here for much longer )

Yeah, I'm technically not supposed to do it either, but since I don't work in government, it can be a little more 'loose'. HR hates it, but my opinion on HR is un-printable on a forum with community standards of any sort. I mean, I do understand from their perspective they want to be able to say every candidate was treated equally, but to me that doesn't mean you ask every candidate the same set of canned questions. I think it means you do your best to try to engage every candidate to the best of your ability and learn as much as you can about them within the confines of the interview time/structure. Frankly, having been an applicant at least as often as having been an interviewer, I prefer it if they just chat with you and try to get to know you and your style of interaction. As an interviewee, I also learn more about the company that way.

I once had an interviewer tell me that could figure out within 30 seconds if the person would work there or not.

Most people do make up their minds relatively quickly when meeting people, just like you sort of inherently know if you're going to get along with someone within minutes after meeting them. It's not clear that this is a good or bad thing, but I'm always a little unnerved when people verbalize it in this way; even if it's true, it suggests they are ultimately making snap judgments and nothing the candidate says affects their outcome in any way. In which case, why are you wasting everyone's time interviewing them?

[Majingir]

re: Off-Topic

lol, all these talks about job interviews. I can picture some ending up like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4D1hhDWunQ

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U4D1hhDWunQ" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[l3ulvl]

re: Off-Topic

I've never interviewed anyone for anything

Spoiler

[ggsimmonds]

re: Off-Topic

I wish we could interview like that, but we are bound by civil service laws to ask the exact same questions of everyone. (Local government, though I won't be here for much longer )

Depends on where you are. Each state agency creates so many guidelines that it almost necessitates a script that you veer from at your own risk. In other, usually smaller (e.g. less professional lol) towns it is less rigid. Each state agency has its guidelines from which each municipality devises its own interview "rules." If you can, consult with your town's HR head and/or city attorney to try to improve your town's interviewing.

I interviewed for a position (I was the candidate) in Texas and he actually asked point blank if I had a wife. This was shortly after leaving DC/Maryland where the interview script was treated like a bible. My reaction was oh wow, this how you guys do things down here huh lol.

But that is the danger of being conversational. One moment of lacking discipline can lead you in hot water.

Do you mean people have funny stories about how a GPS (global positioning satellite) led them astray in some way? I suppose being able to find the interview location can be stressful in itself, so that would alleviate at least some of that stress.

Exactly. Asking "did you have trouble finding the place?" is my go to icebreaker. Generally no matter what their answer is it allows for a seque to telling them a story of how my gps once had me turn into a junkyard when I was going to a job interview. So yeah, it is a script. But they don't know that lol

Yeah, I'm technically not supposed to do it either, but since I don't work in government, it can be a little more 'loose'. HR hates it, but my opinion on HR is un-printable on a forum with community standards of any sort. I mean, I do understand from their perspective they want to be able to say every candidate was treated equally, but to me that doesn't mean you ask every candidate the same set of canned questions. I think it means you do your best to try to engage every candidate to the best of your ability and learn as much as you can about them within the confines of the interview time/structure. Frankly, having been an applicant at least as often as having been an interviewer, I prefer it if they just chat with you and try to get to know you and your style of interaction. As an interviewee, I also learn more about the company that way.

Government can be just as loose lol
Depends on the government culture and how bureaucratic the municipality is.

[ggsimmonds]

re: Off-Topic

lol, all these talks about job interviews. I can picture some ending up like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4D1hhDWunQ

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U4D1hhDWunQ" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I suck badly at phone interviews. Anytime in the past I was told the first round of interviews were done over the phone my thought was that they should just go ahead and remove my name from consideration then and there lol

[Caulfield]

re: Off-Topic

I've never interviewed anyone for anything

Well you can interview me and I'll even make it easy by going ahead and giving you the answers. You can fill in the questions at your leisure and convenience.






1 blue
2 Worcestershire sauce on a Hershey bar
3 in a parked car at a cemetery
4 Pink Flamingos
5 four times but only once sober
6 it depends on what your definition of ''is'' is
7 dare
8 Big Iron
9 Diane Chambers
10 bunts over punts

[l3ulvl]

re: Off-Topic

Well you can interview me and I'll even make it easy by going ahead and giving you the answers. You can fill in the questions at your leisure and convenience.

Who's my Boy? 1 blue
What do you bring to the company? 2 Worcestershire sauce on a Hershey bar
Where was your last job? 3 in a parked car at a cemetery
What is your favorite movie? 4 Pink Flamingos
Have you commuted to work before? 5 four times but only once sober
What is your name? 6 it depends on what your definition of ''is'' is
Who is your favorite Nigerian basketball player? 7 dare
Tell me your favorite Marty Robbins song 8 Big Iron
If you could become any fictional character in real life, who would you be? 9 Diane Chambers
Is your mother a prostitute? 10 bunts over punts

You're hired!

[pietasterp]

re: Off-Topic

Probably dating myself here, but....

[ggsimmonds]

re: Off-Topic

Any legal minds here?

Saw a video on youtube of dumbest criminals. Cops get called to a bar for a couple fighting. Cops arrive and arrest the guy.

They then search his vehicle. The guy protested (because there were drugs of course) asking them why they can search the vehicle, cops response was because he has been arrested.

Er what? What he was arrested for had nothing to do with the vehicle. The video must have left something out that gave the cops probable cause to search his vehicle right?

[l3ulvl]

re: Off-Topic

I think once an arrest happens he forfeits his option to deny a vehicle search

Now I'm wondering, has anyone ever denied a vehicle search and gotten away with it? It feels like once someone says "no" to a vehicle search the cops go right to the "send canine to my location". I watch too much Cops

[ggsimmonds]

re: Off-Topic

I think once an arrest happens he forfeits his option to deny a vehicle search

Now I'm wondering, has anyone ever denied a vehicle search and gotten away with it? It feels like once someone says "no" to a vehicle search the cops go right to the "send canine to my location". I watch too much Cops

Just because you've been arrested doesn't mean police can rummage through your things though. I'm almost positive they edited out the portion that gave them cause.

A buddy of mine did that about 10 years ago, or so he said. They pulled him over for failing to use a turn signal. Lets just say they had suspicions he was of a certain entrepreneurial mindset. If the canine unit is too far out the police have to justify detaining you while they wait.

[l3ulvl]

re: Off-Topic

Just because you've been arrested doesn't mean police can rummage through your things though. I'm almost positive they edited out the portion that gave them cause.

A buddy of mine did that about 10 years ago, or so he said. They pulled him over for failing to use a turn signal. Lets just say they had suspicions he was of a certain entrepreneurial mindset. If the canine unit is too far out the police have to justify detaining you while they wait.

I feel like the officers can probably use "smell" as justifiable cause in your friends' case, I actually think any suspicious activity from the cops perspective counts as justifiable, but I'd also guess lawyers could fight the hell out of it if the situation is right

hopefully some of our OS officers will see this and weigh in

[ggsimmonds]

re: Off-Topic

I feel like the officers can probably use "smell" as justifiable cause in your friends' case, I actually think any suspicious activity from the cops perspective counts as justifiable, but I'd also guess lawyers could fight the hell out of it if the situation is right

hopefully some of our OS officers will see this and weigh in

Smell falls under probable cause. But that only works when you've been smoking. I don't think any cop would try to claim that they could smell a sealed bag of weed that was hidden in a vehicle.

As for my friend, he wasn't a fool. If he was carrying, he wouldn't give cops reason by being belligerent. And if he had product in the car, he wouldn't be under the influence. So I believe him because basically what he said happened was that the cop threaten to call in the k9 unit, and he asked if they are going to detain him just because he failed to use his turn single. Cop went to his car for a few minutes, came back with the ticket and told him he could go.

Remember the movie line its not about what you know but what you can prove? Most of the time if the cops are worth anything they know who the local players are. But they cannot just search because they "know."

Its like a poker game if you think about it. That cop could have detained him. If he was carrying, cop could have cited suspicious behavior, even if he didn't act suspicious. But if he didn't have anything, well that could be a possible civil rights lawsuit. After that the cops would have to give him a wide berth. So who calls who's bluff?

[l3ulvl]

re: Off-Topic

I wonder why he would ask to search in the first place if there was nothing but a turn signal. Maybe he's been arrested before or had something on his record that would draw the suspicion, but nothing tangible from that specific traffic stop and your friend played his cards right