When your awkwardly sitting in the job interview waiting room with your competition... (The other candidates)

Anyone ever was in a waiting room sitting next to people waiting to interview for the same job position as you?

Did you talk to those people about the job? Did you talk about your strengths and why you are better than them? Did you try to sabotage them somehow? Did you try to make a connection?

What would you do if you knew that the only person between you and your dream job was the person sitting next to you?

 

I'd just make small talk. Normal things like asking what school or what program they're from, wish them good luck, and other lighthearted stuff like that.

Think of it as warm up before you have to go in for the interview and act friendly and personable to the recruiter.

 

Despite this being broken English this is absolutely correct. It's a positive sign when your interviewers see that you're a normal person as social skills are important. Plus, you never know. Maybe that other person gets the job or gets a job elsewhere and you apply there one day and you can be like "hey, remember when we had that interview together". It's a relationship business so it's always good to make a connection with people.

 

A year ago, I had an interview with Fitch Ratings. The interview was scheduled for 9 am and of course the MTA never fails to fuck me over. I was stuck on the train for like 20 mins or so. The worse part was I was underground and did not have any service to call the hiring manager to let him know my situation.

When I finally got to the office, it was 9:15. Waiting on the security line to tell them I got an interview, there was a girl in front of me and I overheard that she was interviewing for the same role at 9:30am. We rode the elevator together and I asked what role she was applying for, just to confirm my hearing. And began to ask what school she goes to. It turns out she goes to the same school as me too. Although her interview was schedule at 9:30, the hiring manager interviewed her first and told me to wait until 10 am.

A week later, I was told I got the role and when I finally arrived at the office, I asked my manager how about the other girl. Unfortunately, there was only one more slot for the role, and I was chosen instead of her.

In conclusion, even though I knew she was applying for the same role as me and wasn't LATE to the interview, I did not treat her with any type of attitude. Like the comment above, just spoke to her like a regular human being. I also wished her good luck before she began her interview. Maybe I jinx her with my good luck. Oh well lol

 

We made conversation and he talked about all the interviews he’d had already and how he got an offer for Moelis but decided to come to this superday still. I mentioned I was waiting to hear back on a superday from BAML. He prodceeded to shit talk BAML and every other bank he could think of, and I just nodded and went “mhmmm” every so often

 

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