Advice for upcoming job interview

[tenguzero]

Alright, so I had applied for this job with a company that services and supports PCs, networks, card readers, CCTV equipment, etc. -- basically they're a technology supplier with (what sounds like) a heavy focus on small business. I snail-mailed my resume Wednesday, got a callback on Thursday, chatted with the guy for probably 15 minutes, then set up an interview for this Monday (the 28th.)

Now, I've been job hunting for the past couple months, but I was sort of cherry picking because I had a job (they downsized the tech department a couple months back, and I got shifted into production -- and assembly work sucks) nonetheless, I was still working. Unfortunately however, the president of my company is fucking nutty (we call him Skippy.) I don't feel like getting into all the details here, but suffice it to say, he's one of those knee-jerk business decision, my dad started the company and handed it over to me, ADHD types (always making dumb decisions, not analyzing situations, making rash assumptions, etc.) At any rate, the company let me go yesterday (while pacing around and taking deep drags off his cig, my supervisor told me he's pretty sure Skippy is on a witch hunt, and was looking to persecute anyone he could to trim down the payroll and try to make up for low profits and poor business decisions.) Skippy's reason for letting me go? He overheard that I was looking for other jobs (we would all talk about our prospects all the time there, he just singled me out) and he didn't like the method I used to wire a speaker (it had been mounted facing the wrong way, so instead of trying to pry the rivets out and potentially ruin the board, I just ran the two wires over the top of the speaker, which didn't matter because it was going to be screwed inside its case anyways.) This critique coming from a guy who hadn't even bothered sending one of these new units off to the FCC to have compliance testing done before we were already (at that point) a week into production and shipping the units out -- WITH THE FCC STICKERS ON THEM ANYWAYS.

Long story short, between the time I set the interview with this new company on Thursday (and noting to the guy that I was still working at my company when he asked me why I was looking to leave) and the actual interview on Monday, I'm now jobless. So do I tell him up front, and give him my list of references (one being my ex-supervisor who said he would be glad to give me a reference) along with a couple reference names from my previous employer, and let him verify that I am really on the up-and-up if he wants, or do I just not say anything, and give him the old "not comfortable having my company know I'm looking for another job" if he asks about references anyways? I'm opting for that choice (as does everyone I ask about it) but then I would run the chance of having it come back to bite me on the ass, because then I would have I've lied to him already, and I'm still only in the interview process (plus I thought he sounded like a nice guy on the phone.)

Do I fess up right off the bat, or do I let it slide and just not volunteer any information and try to dodge the subject as best I can? Both choices have risks. Anyone here in a position where they conduct interviews for their company? What would you recommend?

[freakray]

cliff notes.....

[2.2 Straight six]

if your dad started the company and handed it over to you how did "skippy" get hold of it and have you shifted to tech/production and then "release" you?

i read all of it, and to be 100% totally honest i didn't understand a single bit of it. you do too much sidetracking/backtracking. none of it has anything to do with a new job. maybe you should just give us the detail of what the new job involvoes/requires and what questions you have, in bullet-point form. because i really don't understnad what you've posted so far.

[00accord44]

I think I understand...

tenguzero's dad didn't start the company, Skippy's dad did and handed it to Skippy. Skippy's a management nightmare so the business is losing money. Instead of changing his thought process and management philosophy, he wants to trim payroll expenses since he doesn't know how to raise income.

So tenguzero was fired after he already had an interview with another company and told the interviewer that he was still working. So the delima is wether or not to tell the guy during the next interview off the bat that he has since been fired, but still has references.

I don't think you have to come in and tell the guy that you were fired. You are on your third interview now which indicates that you have a good chance to land this job. Did you tell the interviewer that the old company was trimming down? If so, don't worry about admiting that you were let go. Wording is important, but honesty is even better. Trying to cover it up won't help you. The fact that you have references from management is a big plus. If the topic of your "current" job is brought up in the interview which it will if they want to hire you, just let them know you had since been let go. Perhaps try to spin it and highlight the positives (you can start immediately, you have references)

Good luck

[fredjacksonsan]

In your situation, just be yourself. Your qualifications speak for themselves or you wouldn't have the interview.

It probably won't come up in the interview, but if it does then be honest about it. Say something like "well I wanted to be up front with you and let you know that....but I didn't quite know how to bring it up". The interviewer will probably respect you for your integrity.

If you're comfortable, and the conversation rolls around to where you could mention it without being hamhanded, you could bring up that you were let go after you set up the interview. But again, your call and it will depend on your rapport with the interviewer.

As far as the wiring, go with the position that you didn't want to risk the company's time and money by taking a chance of damaging the board, and that the nonstandard routing on the wires was safe in your opinion, and would be covered in any event.

In general and IMO, whether you have a job or not doesn't change the fact that you're qualified for the job and have an interview.

[speediva]

Be honest. If the "new" company doesn't respect you for being honest, they aren't worth working for anyway. That doesn't mean you need to go in there with signs and banners saying you got fired. If they ask you to give "a lil about yourself" you could end the story with "And until ____ (date) I was employed with _______ (old company). I have a list of references from _________ (old company) and have no reservation giving them to you"

[Oz]

I wouldn't say anything. If you mention it, he'll be immediately inclined to offer you a lower salary because he will think you're desperate.

If he already feels he has a good idea of where you are employment wise, he might not even mention it.

So...skirt the issue. Don't mention it, but answer honestly if asked a direct question. And make _sure_ you say you'll need to give at least 2 weeks notice.

[tenguzero]

Haha. Sorry if it was a bit convoluted (I had a feeling it was going to end up that way, and was considering just putting in a disclaimer noting that you can skip the long-winded explanation) I appreciate your responses regardless though

00accord44 summarized it correctly: the boss is fruitloops, we're pretty sure he was looking to trim up payroll, and I was the best target for him. I was let go on Friday, after my phone interview with the new company, but before my actual interview late this afternoon. Oz noted one of my big concerns as far as salary -- as soon as they found out I'm no longer employed, they've got a huge bargaining chip. So, in keeping with the general consensus of the group, I'm going to stick with my plan and just skirt around the issue as best I can -- I suppose at this point, I'm technically still employed by the company, because I wasn't let go until the very end of the shift on Friday . At any rate, if worse comes to worse, and he were to offer me the job on the condition that I provide references or something, then I can just get back to hm with my my contacts' phone numbers, and give my recent supervisor a heads-up call to just ask if he might avoid using my job performance compliments in the past-tense

Thanks -- I'll keep you guys (and girls) posted. Maybe someone else might learn some tips from what I end up experiencing.

[Oz]

Dude, stop stressing. It's a non issue.

[WickedNYCowboy]

I say go with OZ, he seems pretty reasonable usually.

[tenguzero]

Originally Posted by Oz

Dude, stop stressing. It's a non issue.

Well, that was pretty much the case. He asked about a few other things I do (did) and I just answered as if I still did them Besides that we talked for almost an hour, I checked out the place, etc. etc. He seemed pretty content with what I offered and what I was looking for salary-wise (they were looking for someone younger with a little less industry baggage.) It's a smaller company, but they're expanding (hence my opportunity) they seem to be a bunch of really smart people -- and no one at the company had been there any less than 5 years, so the retention rate seems very good.

BTW, if anyone's wondering, it's a technical consulting and general IT solutions/managed hosting company -- I'm talking VPNs, CCTV systems, managed hosting, tech support, and Linux-based PC routers. I was only bugging out a bit because this is the first real shot I've had at breaking into the industry (my recent job found me doing phone-based technical support, but between the pay, the lack of advancement opportunities, and the narrow scope of the company's product line, it didn't feel like I was really gaining any ground. Plus the whole downsizing thing. )

They'll be calling me in the next couple days *fingers crossed*

If this doesn't work out, I'm probably going to have to tun my focus to the metro Boston area. There's a lot going on in areas like Lexington, Cambridge, etc. And while I don't like the idea of the commute from where I am in southern NH, after all is said and done it's probably not much longer than it takes me to travel across to Nashua, NH (where I had my interview.) Damn the job hunt

[Oz]

It sounds good mate. I recently got an opportunity for a similar job in the tech field. It's a great industry to work in. Best of luck.