Yes, I rank S&T, or Missouri Rolla as us olds know it, as a fine engineering school, completely on par with A&M, and if I wasn't biased I might call it better. I have had several S&T grads work for me, and have worked with a bunch of others. All impressed me and until the other day I had never met one I thought was out of touch with reality. I usually say every school has their idiot graduates, this guy was one of S&T's I guess.
Bad interview stories
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Last: 7 days ago by Cromagnum
Geeze. That sales role with Agilent I got cut from on 2nd round just finished their final round and decided they dont like anyone enough to give somebody a chance. So they re-posted the role and are starting all over. What a waste of time trying to find a unicorn.
Cromagnum said:
Good grief. That sounds like it sucked to go through. I really hate the state of things right now and how badly job seekers are getting jerked around.
If it makes you feel better, lots of AI interviews in China are entirely AI now. You get sent a list of questions and have to livestream video yourself to an AI agent that doesn't respond to you at all. If you want to get in a big company in a good role right now I think the toll fee is RMB 10,000.
My worst interview, I showed up to an in person interview where the boss (who did the interview)"we don't hire race traitors like you". They also immediately halved the pay offered upon the interview.
How.. did he know that you are a race traitor?
swimmerbabe11 said:
How.. did he know that you are a race traitor?
She asked a few questions which I responded to in English, and if I needed authorization to work in the US and I said no. It's one of the methods Chinese companies/bosses discriminate. They write Mandarin required, and basically only hire H1B/OPT training folks at ~half the price of what they state publically. Happens all the time. Some of those companies (this one likely was, given her attitude) are also fronts for "Dragon(snake)-heads", triad human trafficking orgs. If I knew the owner was Chinese I wouldn't have even bothered.
These days I just report similar exchanges to the DOL and ICE and move on.
Up to 75 rejections for PhD level jobs, with maybe a 6-7 % conversion rate to an interview.
Small analyzer company closing in on 3 weeks since on-site interview and has gone completely silent since. Not looking too hot.
Ecolab's Quality Director did message me last night saying they did get approval to fund a project I discussed with them, so I should get some more consulting work at least. Hopefully I can convert to a full-time if I can impress them enough. Can't celebrate until a contract is signed though, and I haven't seen one yet.
Small analyzer company closing in on 3 weeks since on-site interview and has gone completely silent since. Not looking too hot.
Ecolab's Quality Director did message me last night saying they did get approval to fund a project I discussed with them, so I should get some more consulting work at least. Hopefully I can convert to a full-time if I can impress them enough. Can't celebrate until a contract is signed though, and I haven't seen one yet.
Cepe said:
On a different subject I signed up for unemployment last year. What a headache for the little bit they provided, although I'm glad to get it.
First, it took me weeks to set up because someone stole my account back in Covid. They didn't believe who I was so had to spend a lot of effort proving who I am. Also, had to go in person to get my account reset. I still have a weird user id that some dude in Cuba or somewhere set up.
Next came the audits. First was a fairly basic one in January. Fine. I sent in the job searches I did with the paperwork.
Then a detailed audit from someone in Austin. Haven't heard from them in weeks. I had promptly submitted the questionnaire and supporting documentation. Now I get a call that they are missing information and if I don't get it to them by tomorrow I'm in trouble.
I swear - they spend more time hassling me than going after the scammers.
Sorry, had to vent a bit.
I applied for unemployment 3 months ago, as did 2 of my bible study buddies. Everyone of our accounts had been stolen during Covid. WTF. How much government waste is there?
Cepe said:Cromagnum said:
Congrats !
The full time job of jobseeking sucks. Even if you get unemployment, the pay sucks, and there are no benefits. The stress is also really bad.
Hoping everyone looking lands something good.
It's truly amazing. My full time job was educating myself on how to find a job. I researched and learned new skills in resume writing for ATS, how to optimize my LinkedIn profile for the new LinkedIn Brew360 algorithm they launched this year, used AI to research company interview programs and practiced verbally going through mock interviews with ChatGPT, keeping Indeed as an active searcher by changing and saving something in my profile ever 2-3 days, and many other skills.
And then - everything I learned wasn't needed any more and will probably become obsolete in a few weeks.
But if anyone needs advice at the moment I can help out in these areas.
Can you expound on all of this a little more?
Congratulations on the job!
For the ATS, AI can really help here. But, be sure to tell it to be an expert resume writer specifically for ATS enhancement. Then give it the job description and your resume. Have it ask you about your experience if it doesn't see it in your resume for key parts of the role. It would ask me questions that it didn't know my experience. A lot of times I didn't have the exact experience but something close it could use. Then, I'd tell it to make me a custom resume for the job application. If I just let it go without asking me questions it would generate a resume that said I had all this experience but I didn't want it to lie. And it did a pretty good job.
Also, I would tell it to generate the resume to maximize the "F" scan. Recruiters only spend 15 seconds or less looking at your resume. They scan the top line, half the the next section and then down the page on the left making the F pattern. Gone are the days of resumes with centered formatted text and lines for visuals. Just use a basic font ATS likes - I used Aptos - but times is even better. Have everything left justified. Take out any weird characters like ~ or %. Spell everything out. I avoided parentheses and dashes too. I didn't want anything to gum up the scan.
For LinkedIn the profiles used to rely on heavy keywords. Now they've rolled out a new algorithm called Brew360 or something. Ask AI about it. Basically, your profile gets a "completeness " score on how it flows. The higher your score the higher you show up in searches. So, your headline, the first 220 characters of your About Section and your experience must align. For example, if you put account manager in your headline, accounting professional in your about section and account supervisor in your experience job title it will give you a lower score and you will not be high in searches. Make them match especially in the first 220 characters of your About section and not later. Also important is to put the experience tags on your about section and for each job as this add to your score.
I had paid for LinkedIn premium for a few months. It adds nothing to the job search other than vanity of who's looked at your profile so don't pay for it. You can still get contacted without it and apply for jobs. The In Mail credits allow you to message people but I can count on one hand how many people responded to the hundreds I sent out.
Indeed is actually quite a bit better than LinkedIn for actual job searches. I had several companies reach out to me through there and the company I am working for now I applied through there. The trick with indeed is that they give weight to active profiles. So go in every day or two and change something. I would go in my about section and delete the last period and save it. Then a few days later go in and save it back. That tricks the system that you are actively looking.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Also, I would tell it to generate the resume to maximize the "F" scan. Recruiters only spend 15 seconds or less looking at your resume. They scan the top line, half the the next section and then down the page on the left making the F pattern. Gone are the days of resumes with centered formatted text and lines for visuals. Just use a basic font ATS likes - I used Aptos - but times is even better. Have everything left justified. Take out any weird characters like ~ or %. Spell everything out. I avoided parentheses and dashes too. I didn't want anything to gum up the scan.
For LinkedIn the profiles used to rely on heavy keywords. Now they've rolled out a new algorithm called Brew360 or something. Ask AI about it. Basically, your profile gets a "completeness " score on how it flows. The higher your score the higher you show up in searches. So, your headline, the first 220 characters of your About Section and your experience must align. For example, if you put account manager in your headline, accounting professional in your about section and account supervisor in your experience job title it will give you a lower score and you will not be high in searches. Make them match especially in the first 220 characters of your About section and not later. Also important is to put the experience tags on your about section and for each job as this add to your score.
I had paid for LinkedIn premium for a few months. It adds nothing to the job search other than vanity of who's looked at your profile so don't pay for it. You can still get contacted without it and apply for jobs. The In Mail credits allow you to message people but I can count on one hand how many people responded to the hundreds I sent out.
Indeed is actually quite a bit better than LinkedIn for actual job searches. I had several companies reach out to me through there and the company I am working for now I applied through there. The trick with indeed is that they give weight to active profiles. So go in every day or two and change something. I would go in my about section and delete the last period and save it. Then a few days later go in and save it back. That tricks the system that you are actively looking.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Small analyzer company ghosted me for a month. Too bad.
Ecolab finalized the consulting opportunity with me, and I'll get a minimum of 20 hours a week for the rest of the year, and a chance to earn a full time spot if I impress them enough. Already have lots of global travel lined up to support the project they have in mind. They have manufacturing sites in Philly, Romania, and China that all do things their own way today. They want me to assess and get everyone on the same page as part of the quality team.
Ecolab finalized the consulting opportunity with me, and I'll get a minimum of 20 hours a week for the rest of the year, and a chance to earn a full time spot if I impress them enough. Already have lots of global travel lined up to support the project they have in mind. They have manufacturing sites in Philly, Romania, and China that all do things their own way today. They want me to assess and get everyone on the same page as part of the quality team.
Congratulations! Go showcase your value and earn that full time gig!
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Cromagnum said:
Small analyzer company ghosted me for a month. Too bad.
Ecolab finalized the consulting opportunity with me, and I'll get a minimum of 20 hours a week for the rest of the year, and a chance to earn a full time spot if I impress them enough. Already have lots of global travel lined up to support the project they have in mind. They have manufacturing sites in Philly, Romania, and China that all do things their own way today. They want me to assess and get everyone on the same page as part of the quality team.
Have you checked out the SpaceX jobs in Bastrop? The commute would absolutely suck between there and GT, but they do seem to have some Leadership positions that may fit a chemistry education.
I've looked but nothing made sense to me to pursue. Would absolutely have to relocate because im not making that kind of commute anymore, especially not on top of the kind of hours Musk companies expect out of people.
TxAggieBand85 said:
Missouri S&T is a fine Engineering school, I would rank equal or better than A&M.
I've been observing that many of our youth now has zero work experience or how to find a job or present their-selves.
But still need to be better dressed, presentable camera presence and know general follow up questions.
No. Just no. A&M's engineering school is among the best in the US and Missouri S&T may be good but not in the same category. Disclaimer, I have a degree from A&M's engineering school.
Everything else, I agree, I feel that schools these days don't care about guiding kids into the new work world. In my day Koldus did a lot and I made many mistakes but learned with practice and watching others. My son's engineering school which is in many aspects ranked higher than A&M just doesn't do it as they expect Youtube to do the job. I was horrified when my son did a video interview with Palantir in a T-shirt. He didn't get the job and we don't know why but it could be his attire. Luckily subsequent interviews he wised up and now is in the team matching round with Google. Fingers crossed that he gets a team that wants him.
Proper mentorship is important and universities don't care anymore as resources are out there.
Exposing Hypocrisy - one CEO at a time
Cromagnum said:LeftyAg89 said:
You serious Cro??? Wow that's messed up!!!
Yep. They rejected me at first, then it was the one where they turned around and asked me to fill out this 20 something question assessment which took a few hours, then rejected me again. Then a month later ask me if I have anyone I could refer for that role. ****...that.
Yeah screw them.
Some months ago, I applied to a job, and got rejected. No interview either. Then a few days later, they send me a happy bouncy email asking me to answer their questionnaire on how they can improve. F them.
I don't even waste my time responding to restaurants who want feedback... UNLESS I get a free entree or even a cookie or something! My time is not free. Potbelly for example has free sugar cookie for a 2 min survey. I avoid cookies these days so my kids have it.
Exposing Hypocrisy - one CEO at a time
Job market is still terrible. Especially in tech.
I am in a role right now where I make the money I made in..... 2005! 21 years ago. 50% pay cut. Yes, when my kid was a year old. All my experience and it's come to this. But I am working. It's not all bad, my boss is amazing, team members are great (mostly white, mostly women). I am so fast at my work that I am working on projects planned for 2027. They got a very experienced pro for entry level wages. But I spend the afternoons learning new AI stuff for a move I want to make when the market turns.
Now my kid is joining a famous company in the Bay Area and he will make numerically more than I do. He just has internship experience.
The country won't survive with this logic. Companies will thrive but society will suffer.
I am in a role right now where I make the money I made in..... 2005! 21 years ago. 50% pay cut. Yes, when my kid was a year old. All my experience and it's come to this. But I am working. It's not all bad, my boss is amazing, team members are great (mostly white, mostly women). I am so fast at my work that I am working on projects planned for 2027. They got a very experienced pro for entry level wages. But I spend the afternoons learning new AI stuff for a move I want to make when the market turns.
Now my kid is joining a famous company in the Bay Area and he will make numerically more than I do. He just has internship experience.
The country won't survive with this logic. Companies will thrive but society will suffer.
Exposing Hypocrisy - one CEO at a time
Really wish I hadn't opened this thread. In between jobs now, deliberately took about 4 months off to travel/decompress.
Just started job hunting last week. Sincerely hope im not posting here 3 months from now.
Just started job hunting last week. Sincerely hope im not posting here 3 months from now.
It's really bad out there. Wishing you good luck in your search!
I am currently employed but have my Linkedin open (no green circle) so I signal to recruiters to contact me. It's almost dead. Not many calls, and it has further reduced in the last few months. Applications I put in don't get replies and just sit there for months.
Everything is broken.
My salary is sheet and embarrassing but the work is good in GenAI and company is good too so I am hanging in there.
Everything is broken.
My salary is sheet and embarrassing but the work is good in GenAI and company is good too so I am hanging in there.
Exposing Hypocrisy - one CEO at a time
Started my new consulting gig yesterday and got my workstation delivered today. Going through all the corporate on-boarding stuff, and have my project kick off meeting tomorrow. Likely starting international travel in 2-3 weeks.
Congratulations Cro!
Exposing Hypocrisy - one CEO at a time
Excellent You are in the game.
I so hate on boarding, but guess it is necessary to check the boxes.
I so hate on boarding, but guess it is necessary to check the boxes.
The biggest hurdle/road block in getting jobs in my eyes is being employed or not already.
So that alone opens new doors
So that alone opens new doors
I just found this thread, but a few years ago, i interviewed for this position at a hospital, this was a 1 up interview, i had already passed the hiring manager, and the team fit interview. This one was with a CHRO who mid interview moved the interview to the window and asked if i like the view, it was a nice view of the bayou. I said "yeah," asked why i choose A&M, he was a sip, and shared his children are too. Asked if i had made any black friends at A&M....somehow the conversation landed onto if I had or had not watched Hamilton, i shared i have, he didn't believe it, and then told me that one viewing doesn't do it justice. and then a few other illegal questions..I see on linkedin that the person hired was the same race as he was. I should've opened an EEOC claim and owned that hospital.
My new role is rocky right now. Some of the interview decorum (or lack of) is starting to show itself on the job. New VP logs off at 3pm most days because she works 5am-3pm and that's east coast time, so she's off 2pm my time. She started a huge chain of GSlide and GSheet reporting the month before I started that I inherited now and it's a manual mess. Meanwhile she keeps telling everyone I'm here to help automate with AI, define KPIs, and improve our planning process, but we are doing non-stop GSuite work since I started. Starting to lose my mind a bit.
TxAggieBand85 said:
Excellent You are in the game.
I so hate on boarding, but guess it is necessary to check the boxes.
Its not too bad. Its 99% the same as the material I've seen in other corporate jobs, but with a blue paint coat instead of red. Just had the formal project kickoff meeting today and its a large project, even bigger than I thought going into it.
Edit: Just found out today my buddy who got me introduced got approval to give me a 2nd project, so I'll basically be full time, as a consultant for a while.
A bit disappointed right now.
In my company an email went out a few months ago about a new AI team pushed by the big boss himself. I thought it was a think tank and so did my boss and she asked me to sign up. I did. Someone called me from the team and said it was an interview and if I got the job I would be transferred. My boss didn't know it and neither did I. Interview went well, my experience is well suited etc. He even talked to my manager.
Just got a message that they are not offering me. Reason he says is that I am too important to my current team. Now that is nice of him to say but maybe he is bs'ing and letting me down easy. Or maybe my manager vetoed it as she really needs me right now as the previous person in my job screwed it up and I am righting the ship. I am over qualified for the job and paid peanuts and title is also lower but something is better than nothing.
Oh well. It is not about not getting the job but I feel my title/salary is stuck. I took a 50% paycut to take this job and I hope they recognize and up me again. But then why will they get me back to my "real" salary level?
Ridiculous. My new grad son makes more than me!!!
Thank God I make money in the market. But it is a big blow to my ego that after good schools including A&M, I am languishing.
Edit 7/10: I am over it, I informed my current boss and she said she was "relieved" that I am staying. Nice to hear. The team has a lot of high profile AI projects in flight and not enough experienced people to manage.
In my company an email went out a few months ago about a new AI team pushed by the big boss himself. I thought it was a think tank and so did my boss and she asked me to sign up. I did. Someone called me from the team and said it was an interview and if I got the job I would be transferred. My boss didn't know it and neither did I. Interview went well, my experience is well suited etc. He even talked to my manager.
Just got a message that they are not offering me. Reason he says is that I am too important to my current team. Now that is nice of him to say but maybe he is bs'ing and letting me down easy. Or maybe my manager vetoed it as she really needs me right now as the previous person in my job screwed it up and I am righting the ship. I am over qualified for the job and paid peanuts and title is also lower but something is better than nothing.
Oh well. It is not about not getting the job but I feel my title/salary is stuck. I took a 50% paycut to take this job and I hope they recognize and up me again. But then why will they get me back to my "real" salary level?
Ridiculous. My new grad son makes more than me!!!
Thank God I make money in the market. But it is a big blow to my ego that after good schools including A&M, I am languishing.
Edit 7/10: I am over it, I informed my current boss and she said she was "relieved" that I am staying. Nice to hear. The team has a lot of high profile AI projects in flight and not enough experienced people to manage.
Exposing Hypocrisy - one CEO at a time
Cromagnum said:TxAggieBand85 said:
Excellent You are in the game.
I so hate on boarding, but guess it is necessary to check the boxes.
Its not too bad. Its 99% the same as the material I've seen in other corporate jobs, but with a blue paint coat instead of red. Just had the formal project kickoff meeting today and its a large project, even bigger than I thought going into it.
Edit: Just found out today my buddy who got me introduced got approval to give me a 2nd project, so I'll basically be full time, as a consultant for a while.
Were you able to get a good pay or did you have to settle? If you got parity that would be awesome./
Exposing Hypocrisy - one CEO at a time
I charged 2.5x what I was getting at my last gig because no benefits and they accepted it, then surprised me by making it a W2 role so I'm not even paying the employer taxes like I would have been if I were a 1099. Im actually making out like a bandit. It's even more incentive for them to flip my badge to full-time salary exempt because even with benefits it would be cheaper for them.infinity ag said:Cromagnum said:TxAggieBand85 said:
Excellent You are in the game.
I so hate on boarding, but guess it is necessary to check the boxes.
Its not too bad. Its 99% the same as the material I've seen in other corporate jobs, but with a blue paint coat instead of red. Just had the formal project kickoff meeting today and its a large project, even bigger than I thought going into it.
Edit: Just found out today my buddy who got me introduced got approval to give me a 2nd project, so I'll basically be full time, as a consultant for a while.
Were you able to get a good pay or did you have to settle? If you got parity that would be awesome./
Holy smokes
Cromagnum said:infinity ag said:Cromagnum said:TxAggieBand85 said:
Excellent You are in the game.
I so hate on boarding, but guess it is necessary to check the boxes.
Its not too bad. Its 99% the same as the material I've seen in other corporate jobs, but with a blue paint coat instead of red. Just had the formal project kickoff meeting today and its a large project, even bigger than I thought going into it.
Edit: Just found out today my buddy who got me introduced got approval to give me a 2nd project, so I'll basically be full time, as a consultant for a while.
Were you able to get a good pay or did you have to settle? If you got parity that would be awesome./
I charged 2.5x what I was getting at my last gig because no benefits and they accepted it, then surprised me by making it a W2 role so I'm not even paying the employer taxes like I would have been if I were a 1099. Im actually making out like a bandit. It's even more incentive for them to flip my badge to full-time salary exempt because even with benefits it would be cheaper for them.
Fantastic!
Looks like luck has turned your way!
Exposing Hypocrisy - one CEO at a time
infinity ag said:Cromagnum said:infinity ag said:Cromagnum said:TxAggieBand85 said:
Excellent You are in the game.
I so hate on boarding, but guess it is necessary to check the boxes.
Its not too bad. Its 99% the same as the material I've seen in other corporate jobs, but with a blue paint coat instead of red. Just had the formal project kickoff meeting today and its a large project, even bigger than I thought going into it.
Edit: Just found out today my buddy who got me introduced got approval to give me a 2nd project, so I'll basically be full time, as a consultant for a while.
Were you able to get a good pay or did you have to settle? If you got parity that would be awesome./
I charged 2.5x what I was getting at my last gig because no benefits and they accepted it, then surprised me by making it a W2 role so I'm not even paying the employer taxes like I would have been if I were a 1099. Im actually making out like a bandit. It's even more incentive for them to flip my badge to full-time salary exempt because even with benefits it would be cheaper for them.
Fantastic!
Looks like luck has turned your way!
Thanks. So, finishing out 2026 with the rate I set should put me slightly above where I would have been had i not been unemployed for 8 months. The projects are both so big they will easily span a couple years, but I can't fathom that they would keep me on at these crazy consulting rates when they could just hire me, assuming they like me.
My former Dow colleague has been here for almost a year and got me introduced to this group and already has me well-connected.
infinity ag said:
No. Just no. A&M's engineering school is among the best in the US and Missouri S&T may be good but not in the same category. Disclaimer, I have a degree from A&M's engineering school.
I have been hiring, training and mentoring engineering college new grads for 20 years. I have hired 40+ Aggies, and maybe 10 from S&T. I'm an Aggie engineering grad and a huge maroon homer. But I stand by my statement. S&T is as good if not better at preparing students to work in engineering. Their US World & News or whatever rankings do not reflect that they are A&M's equal, but the real kids I've hired and trained prove otherwise.
I love A&M to the core, but as a Mechanical Engineering student at A&M I welded about 3 inches of plate one time, cast some silly trinket once, and I don't recall ever using a mill or lathe. S&T students get more hands-on without sacrificing learning the theory too.
Of the 10 S&T grads I hired and trained, and the 50 or so more I have worked with, I've never met a bad engineer. They have all been good down to earth people that were incredibly skilled engineers with great work ethics. I can't say the same for A&M. I've met and even hired a few that must have spent even more time at the Chicken than I did, because they missed a lot of concepts, and I've had lazy ones too.
But fear not, my experience with Texas Tech grads lives up to the stereotype. I will try to avoid hiring any Tech grads ever again if I can help it. Hired one who was also a Navy vet from a nuclear sub. Guy was stupid, full of shi!t, and fairly slow and lazy. Worked with plenty of other tech grads that didn't impress me either. They are definitely a class below the top tier schools. A glorified junior college as Tom Brady said
Every school has their geniuses and idiots. But I haven't met any S&T idiots in 30 years in the industry.
Maybe they just won't fix the glitch.
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