How I Had An (Unsuccessful) Interview
You know that feeling that you’re going to have the interview at the company once you had a job offer from, but you denied it, regretted it, applied again after a few years of sorrow, and finally got another interview for the same position?
Probably it rarely happens. But it happened to me.
I am an aircraft mechanic. Well, now the aircraft maintenance supervisor, but still mechanic, as my powerplant and airframe certificate is saying. For years working for a regional carrier with small regional jets, I dreamed about working for a bigger company with wide-body jets.
One day I did a stupid thing. I had a job offer from a big company but decided to stay with a regional because they bought me: offered a promotion and I became a supervisor though I never been even a senior mechanic. Usually, you should take that step before becoming a supervisor. And I still think I wasted so many years because of denying their offer. Though I was supervising a small group of amazing individuals, and we will talk about every single one of them later if you keep reading my posts.
But they invited me again. For all 47 years of my life, I had so many job interviews (and interviews where I was asking people questions, but we’ll talk about it sometime later) that I stopped being nervous at all. Always relaxed, assured that they will like me just because I am smart and know what I am doing. Wrong!
So, on the day of the interview I was on time at the place I was invited to. With dozens of other candidates. Some people were visibly nervous, some were on their phones, the others were trying to talk to their future co-workers (doubt that is going to happen).
I was called one of the first and I entered the room with two gentlemen. One was a ‘good cop’ – HR representative, always smiling, friendly, trying to make your relaxed and comfortable. The second – maintenance management (MM) representative – was ‘bad cop’. The guy, whose face was telling you ‘I do not like you, and I do everything possible you do not like me too’.
So, we started the interview. I got the questions from HR guy: you know standard modern interview – what the situations were when you were feeling you have strong sides, what do you think your weaknesses are, what would happen if you’re alone and have two planes to yourself with no wings (just kidding) …
The HR guy was taking short notes, but the MM guy was SO responsible that he was taking notes seriously – we were waiting for half a minute or more after every single question because he was still writing. He was not asking anything and at the end of the first part of the interview refused to ask me anything.
But the second part of the interview started – maintenance (technical) questions. And MM guy got his revenge.
“Can you tell me about the stall warning system?”
Simple question for the aircraft mechanic. But, it’s not about what he asked. It was about how he asked.
“I am sorry, sir, could you please repeat your question?”
“Can you tell me about the stall warning system?”
“I am sorry, sir, I still can’t understand what you’re asking me. I do sorry”
“STALL WARNING SYSTEM”
“What system, sir?”
“S-T-A-L-L”
“Oh my god. I am really sorry I did not understand you at the first time”.
And it happened on all three questions he asked me. On the third one he gave up and told me that I can go hypocritically shaking my hand and wishing me luck.
I believe you have questions to me and the main one will be – what the hell, Roman, why you were not able to understand him?
As you already understood, while reading this text (which I appreciate so much), I am not native English speaker. I have that I would call OK level of English, that most of the times allows me without any issues communicate with many people from different levels of our society. Because I personally have quiet noticeable Russian accent (not as strong as Russian characters have in Hollywood movies) it was easier for me to understand people with different accents here, in the United States, even in situations when Americans whose native language is English had difficulties to understand those people.
But this MM guy had such a thick accent that I was not able to understand him. He was probably offended by the fact that I doubted his English language skills. Trust me, I was not. I was feeling bad, so I couldn’t understand and asked what he was asking again and again. He was visible pissed off and I was not able to explain to him that it is my fault, not his.
After that, I had a practical test. And me, frustrated and sleepy (had a night shift before the 3.5 hours flight with fragmented naps onboard) passed it without any issues. I saw the guy who was desperately trying to finish his task when the lead already sad “Time is up” and he was begging the lead to let him finish the task.
No offence, but it looked sad. Man, it’s a job, not your life on the table. Yes, you can desperately want it, but still, does it mean you should embarrass yourself like that? You did not finish a task. So what? It’s not the end of the world. Move on. Try again next time. Life is short, but it doesn’t mean it ends on this undone safety wire or untorqued nut.
HR lady told me “You failed your interview, but the good news you passed the practical test”. So, she suggested applying next time without the necessity to take practical test again.
This is how not my, but somebody else’s accent, did not let me get a job I really wanted.