I'll never again laugh at Sarah Palin...

[Jamie123]

I've just come out of a promotion interview. I'd like to say I've never talked so much utter drivel in my life, but sadly that's probably not true. This is an extremely busy week and I've not had much time for interview preparation, but even if I had I don't think I'd have expressed many honest opinions about "Led by Learning", supposedly the university's new motto (I kept getting it wrong and calling it "Life by Learning") and what changes should be made at School or Faculty level to facilitate this new way of thinking. I'm interested in algorithms and protocols....not mottos or high-level university policies. Then they asked me about the greater administrative responsibilities which would come with promotion, and (with perfect honesty) told them they would be a necessary evil because "research is fun", "teaching can be fun, depending..." but "administration is just boring paper-pushing". (And this is probably not the best thing to say to four high-level administrators, including the dean.) Then they started asking me about "leadership", by which time I wanted to go home and hide under the duvet. Instead I droned on and on like a broken record, churning out meaningless Palinesque tripe, listening to myself and thinking "what is that idiot talking about?"

Edited March 23, 2012 by Jamie123

[Blackmarch]

I've just come out of a promotion interview. I'd like to say I've never talked so much utter drivel in my life, but sadly that's probably not true. This is an extremely busy week and I've not had much time for interview preparation, but even if I had I don't think I'd have expressed many honest opinions about "Led by Learning", supposedly the university's new motto (I kept getting it wrong and calling it "Life by Learning") and what changes should be made at School or Faculty level to facilitate this new way of thinking. I'm interested in algorithms and protocols....not mottos or high-level university policies. Then they asked me about the greater administrative responsibilities which would come with promotion, and (with perfect honesty) told them they would be a necessary evil because "research is fun", "teaching can be fun, depending..." but "administration is just boring paper-pushing". (And this is probably not the best thing to say to four high-level administrators, including the dean.) Then they started asking me about "leadership", by which time I wanted to go home and hide under the duvet. Instead I droned on and on like a broken record, churning out meaningless Palinesque tripe, listening to myself and thinking "what is that idiot talking about?"

ugh. now im going to go have to find an appropriate dilbert comic XD

[Vort]

That's what you get for telling the truth. Let that be a lesson to you.

[Guest]

You need to learn the art of interviews...

You don't have to answer the question that is being asked - just go ahead and answer the question you wanted them to ask.

For example:

"What is your view on the proper way to teach a Civics class?"

Answer:

"I am a great teacher and I believe that this fine institution and its Civics offering has vastly benefited from my unique skills. Therefore, I believe, that because of my wonderful skills in teaching Civics, I should be promoted and offered a higher pay commensurate to the distinctive quality of my skills."

:)

[sixpacktr]

What does Sarah Palin have to do with the fact that you got caught up in trotting out trite little phrases? Where did that come from?

[mikbone]

It wasn't this bad was it?

[Jamie123]

What does Sarah Palin have to do with the fact that you got caught up in trotting out trite little phrases? Where did that come from?

1. I didn't say anything about "trite little phrases". I was talking about pointless monologues which fail to address the issues under question.

2. Where did that come from? Well an example would be the time Palin was asked about her experience of the Russian nation, and she replied (as though this were relevant) that parts of Russia are visible from the Alaskan coast.

Sounds amusing enough, but it's just the sort of stupid thing I'd likely blurt out myself if put under stress. I've some empathy for the millar in "Rumplestiltskin" who instead of remaining silent "said the first silly thing that came into his head" ('My daughter can spin straw into gold').

King Solomon (either in Proverbs or Ecclesiastes - I forget which) warned "...the less you talk the less likely you are to say something stupid." Silence is golden, but unfortunately there are times when silence is not an option....

Edited March 23, 2012 by Jamie123

[Jamie123]

It wasn't this bad was it?

LOL not quite! Not far off....but not quite!

[beefche]

I don't think Sarah Palin said that. Tine Fey, in a skit as Sarah Palin, said it on Saturday Night Live.

snopes.com: I Can See Alaska from My House

[the_last_gunslinger]

I don't think Sarah Palin said that. Tine Fey, in a skit as Sarah Palin, said it on Saturday Night Live.

snopes.com: I Can See Alaska from My House

It's true, Sarah Palin never made the comment "I can see Russia from my house." She did say, however, in an interview with Charles Gibson, who was asking her what insight she can offer in regards to Russia, and she answered, "They're our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska."

It's not quite the same thing, and I think it was said more tongue in cheek, but it has similar implications.

[beefche]

It's true, Sarah Palin never made the comment "I can see Russia from my house." She did say, however, in an interview with Charles Gibson, who was asking her what insight she can offer in regards to Russia, and she answered, "They're our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska."

It's not quite the same thing, and I think it was said more tongue in cheek, but it has similar implications.

I've tried finding an unedited transcription of that to see what was actually said. The ones I've found are from obviously conservative websites which I believe most would say is biased or that the transcript isn't correct.

But, these transcripts show that she did answer the question in full. Several paragraphs of answer rather than a one sentence sound bite.

Agree or disagree with her, but I absolutely hate when people/media/entertainment misrepresent anyone.

[Guest]

I completely get the Sarah Palin connection.

Interviews are sometimes not intended to gauge whether you're good for the job or not but simply to see if they can trip you up.

I was asked by an interviewer once, "Do you have at least 5 years experience in Java programming?"... well, it was 1998, java hasn't been out more than 3 years.

And I felt that was really all that Sarah Palin was hounded by the media for - to see how they can trip her up.

[Mahone]

You need to learn the art of interviews...

You don't have to answer the question that is being asked - just go ahead and answer the question you wanted them to ask.

For example:

"What is your view on the proper way to teach a Civics class?"

Answer:

"I am a great teacher and I believe that this fine institution and its Civics offering has vastly benefited from my unique skills. Therefore, I believe, that because of my wonderful skills in teaching Civics, I should be promoted and offered a higher pay commensurate to the distinctive quality of my skills."

:)

Sounds more like how a politician would have answered the question.

[Mahone]

I completely get the Sarah Palin connection.

Interviews are sometimes not intended to gauge whether you're good for the job or not but simply to see if they can trip you up.

I was asked by an interviewer once, "Do you have at least 5 years experience in Java programming?"... well, it was 1998, java hasn't been out more than 3 years.

And I felt that was really all that Sarah Palin was hounded by the media for - to see how they can trip her up.

Although in that case, it could have been a method of determining your honesty, or simply a mistake on the part of the interviewer

What was your response?

[bytebear]

Sarah Palin is not eloquent in any sort of high society way, but that doesn't make her points wrong. Similarly, the most eloquent speaker can be very wrong, and more manipulative to boot. I won't comment on current politics, but I think there is far more propaganda out there than truth.

[Jamie123]

Agree or disagree with her, but I absolutely hate when people/media/entertainment misrepresent anyone.

Heaven forbid that anyone who supports God and family values should be accused of lacking the gift of the gab. Mrs. Palin is certainly an intelligent, moral and very able woman. But there's no doubting that her replies to some interviewers' questions got her into trouble and added grist to the Democrats' mill. Anatess is right: these guys are out to trip you up, and in Palin they unfortunately found easy meat. My point was not to diss Palin, but to say (from experience) how easy it is to wind up in the same position yourself.

[Guest]

Although in that case, it could have been a method of determining your honesty, or simply a mistake on the part of the interviewer

What was your response?

I told the interviewer, Java hasn't been out that long. That was my answer. I was young, no kids, I was in a cushy job already. I just wanted to get out of the mainframe. And, at that time, I had zero industry experience in Java. LOL.

[MarginOfError]

Sarah Palin is not eloquent in any sort of high society way, but that doesn't make her points wrong. Similarly, the most eloquent speaker can be very wrong, and more manipulative to boot. I won't comment on current politics, but I think there is far more propaganda out there than truth.

I'm going to be nit picky here--propaganda isn't necessarily false. The anti-smoking ad campaigns and the pro-seat belt campaigns were propaganda. The Church employs propaganda very effectively (think Mormonads). Propaganda can be very useful in changing public policy and public opinion.

[Guest]

I'm going to be nit picky here--propaganda isn't necessarily false. The anti-smoking ad campaigns and the pro-seat belt campaigns were propaganda. The Church employs propaganda very effectively (think Mormonads). Propaganda can be very useful in changing public policy and public opinion.

Oh good! For a while there I thought my English was failing me! I made a post a while back about propaganda - it was a thread about the Lorax movie - where I used that word to refer to the Lorax movie and I had some folks upset with me for being "anti-environmentalist". I'm like... how did my statement that Lorax is heavy on propaganda mean I am against the message the movie was promoting? So I thought it's another one of those words that got hijacked by the urban dictionary.

[MarginOfError]

Oh good! For a while there I thought my English was failing me! I made a post a while back about propaganda - it was a thread about the Lorax movie - where I used that word to refer to the Lorax movie and I had some folks upset with me for being "anti-environmentalist". I'm like... how did my statement that Lorax is heavy on propaganda mean I am against the message the movie was promoting? So I thought it's another one of those words that got hijacked by the urban dictionary.

It is kind of hijacked. Generally, when it comes to propaganda, if the viewer agrees with the message, they think of it as a public service announcement (GOOD), but when they disagree, they think of it as propaganda (BAD). It's a silly connotation because PSAs are, almost by definition, propaganda.

[NeuroTypical]

Interviews are sometimes not intended to gauge whether you're good for the job or not but simply to see if they can trip you up.

I'm a big fan of interview horror stories, on both sides of the desk. I've been both the interviewer, and the person interviewed plenty of times. Surely, there are plenty of goofy stories about bad interviewers (like your guy who didn't know Java had only been out 3 years). But in my interviewing experience, starting in the early '90's, I must say that I've never conducted an interview intended to do anything but see if someone is good for the job.

Seeing if I can trip you up, isn't for my own enjoyment. I've asked the hard questions with no good answer, not because I like to see you squirm, but because I was in a similar situation just the other day at work, and I want to know if you can deal with such things in good ways. It's not about a power trip or humiliation games, it's about having to leave my job for 4 hours, to go talk to 4 strangers, and see if I think any of them could contribute.

Some of my funny stories:

* At 'learn to interview' training in 2002, one guy was asked to give an example of a bad situation he encountered at work and how he overcame it. He gave a rambling and bitter answer detailing how he had been accused of harassment at his last job, and how many meetings he had to attend because of it, and how hard the HR department was to work with, etc, etc. At no point in his answer, did he ever actualy indicate that he was innocent, and it was pretty apparent that he hadn't overcome anything. We helped him practice a better answer.

* I worked in a candy store, and we'd hire high school kids. I recommended we fire one kid, after he'd keep picking stuff out of his shoes with the same knife he'd cut chocolate with, and after he'd refuse to do his job. His reaction - somehow, by firing him, we had broken foundational laws of "what it meant to be human".

[annewandering]

Still I wouldnt give up the right to laugh at Palin's comments.

[bytebear]

I don't really have any funny interview stories, but I do remember a recruiter saying how exciting it would be for me to put the company on my resume. I politely reminded him that I was currently working for a Fortune 500 company.