a shocking job interview

Currently looking for a job, I was really keen to go to and possibly get hired into a company which everyone, even my Dad, oohed and aahed over.

I guess everyone knows about the exciting pay and benefits one can get in such a job. Also, such jobs are only open to graduates with 'very good' degrees, so it was also an accomplishment for me just to score the interview. The job scope looked like something I could do well (design based), and the position was something impressive as well (it has a 'manager' in the title!)

But the interview was possibly one of the worst interviews I've ever been to. I was shocked and disappointed, and too stunned that I had to write it here.

Having been interviewed quite a number of times, and also been on the other side- having interviewed people as well, I can say that I'm quite objective in this area. My interview with this prestigious organization consisted of 3 interviewees. Since most of them had the brains to be working there, and also the design smarts, I expected to be talking to creative, capable individuals. But their body language indicated that interviewing me was a bore, and they looked so wearied at their job that in the short time I was there I began to feel stifled, tense and uncomfortable myself! One guy who definitely looked very intelligent, took to studying my CV throughout the whole interview with nary a glance at me. He looked as if he was studying for an exam but did not ask me any smart questions about my previous job scope which had been queried to me before by other competent managers.

When I asked them about what the scope exactly entails, the lady told me mumbo-jumbo which no one could understand, I believe she just memorised the scope word for word - and when I asked them about the companies they were involved with (as mentioned on the website), she could not name any... well then, what was the job really about? She told me wearily, that 70-80% of the time spent involved writing reports (which I think no one would read or understand) and little time spent outfield unless they had projects. She also said that they always work OT to finish the reports and because they had many bosses, it takes a long time to get approval for things to be done. In short, she is not selling this position to me but in fact scaring me off.

The other lady just looked at my shoes and my bag. All three were poker faced with no enthusiasm at all.

When I showed them a presentation of one of my ideas on how to integrate a design function of existing technology to provide users with a healthcare experience, which impressed even technology companies and healthcare directors and got them excited, these scholars just stared at it blankly, poker faced. This spells out clearly to me that they can't even tell if it's a good idea or not. (Don't want to press the point, but my idea impressed HP top execs, Healthcare IT directors, my ex-boss that he called to let them know, various head of healthcare who immediately saw how it works and the benefits, etc.)

Immediately, I could see how it works in this company. It's quite sad, if I am a top student who have worked hard to excel in my field, only to be stuck in a job which require only report writing skills and no ability to make decisions, thus rendering me incapable to tell how to and when to approve things. By the way, entering this job also requires an IQ test.

Even though I am probably paid much lesser than them, I had the authority to control my schedule, plan for work areas which I am enthusiatic about because it is something I want to do, and work with people I like because I can. I've been told about the government drones, now meeting 3 of them, I feel I don't want to become one of them! I guess all of us can tell about entering some workplaces, there is a busy, vibrant vibe, or at least a positive vibe in it. When I entered that building, it seems dead, tense, stifling although their job is to creative positive design spaces. I've been to other government buildings to meet with top execs and I can say that it is not like this in other places. I was just too shocked with this interview and the lack of enthusiasm and lack of understanding creativity they employ, that I would believe was essential not only to their jobs but to the whole organization.