No Notebook, REJECTED!
Reading through some of the posts on here made me remember one of my horror stories for an interview process.
About 4 years after college, so 17 years ago, I went to a job fair that was only open to current students and alumni only. It was almost 2 hours from where I lived by this was just after the 08 crash and I needed a job bad. I drove up to the job fair, I "interviewed" at no less than like 10 tables. 1 place seemed to have all of their stuff out together and actually offered me a more thorough follow up interview the next day. I immediately accepted.
Now i wasnt going to drive back home and back the next day. So i called my cousin to crash at his place, I grabbed some food, went to a Macy's to get some clothes for the follow up (a shirt and tie), went to my cousin's place to study up on the company further and prep for the interview. I woke up early, got ready, went back to campus where they were holding the follow ups to prepare more. The time came, I went to the office early and waited.
Had a great conversation with the interviewer, got a ton of good info. We talked about the company, the culture, the area around the office, housing, the department, position, reporting and evaluation. All of the stuff everyone says to talk and ask about. At the end, we shook hands, expressed our interest in connecting more to further the process and I drove the 2 hours home.
Here comes the kick in the teeth. I waited until Monday morning and sent the follow up, thank you, I cannot wait, it was great to get further insight...the works. Radio silence. I wait a few more days and still nothing. I finally get tired of waiting at the end of week 2 and reach out again. I repeat my expressed my interst and impression of our conversation and added a question about when I could expect some type of response positive or negative. That was on the 2nd Friday after the interview (which was a Friday). On Tuesday the following week the interviewer finally sent a reply of thanks but going with a different candidate. I was floored. I took a couple days to process and then responded with a quick question on what I did wrong and how could I improve for next time. He said I wasn't chosen because I didnt bring a notebook to the follow up interview.
A frigging notebook? I was 2 hours from home. I spent money on food, on clothes, on parking, and it came down to a $2 notebook as the reason I wasn't chosen to move forward. No consideration for someone at the job fair from outside the area. Or taking a follow up on no notice. In hindsight I am so very glad I didnt get the job as a notebook being a deal breaker shows more about the culture than any number of interviews and convos with current and past employees. Their turnover was massive and I wouldn't have lasted.