Difficult Interview Questions and Winning Answers (part II)

[mgna15]

2.) I was 8.5 months pregnant when I was looking for work. I told the HR people that I will only take 1 month of maternity leave, and my present company has no policy on 1 month notice( I can leave immediately )Why do they still refuse to process my application? They tell me to get in touch after my maternity is over.

3.) It is very difficult to look for COBOL programmers today. Now, a friend of mine who is a cobol programmer, was interviewed but wasn't shortlisted. He received a regret email. But the company that interviewed him still kept posting the position, labelling it as urgent on the famous jobsites. Any chances that he will be reconsidered? Should he reapply?

4.) Why do some HR ask you about certain skills when you didn't indicate that in your resume? Isn't it obvious that you don't have that skill? 

If I may add po:
#2 If the position is in demand, the company would probably just look for another candidate for the position na available to start agad rather than waiting for you to give birth. If it's not in demand naman, most company do not want to hire pregnant women because of the government mandated maternity benefits. Regardless kase of the employment status, they have to give the employee 1 month paid maternity leave. So ang ginagawa ng companies is they hire na lang after giving birth. This practice saves the company money. Unless of course the company really, really, really likes you and wants to make sure they will get you, they'd just hire you before you give birth and give you your 1 month paid leave.

Re: start date sa contract, if the applicant is special, meaning gustong-gusto ng company, they can do this. If not naman kase, why would the company exert effort pa to do this kung madami namang iba na andyan na at ready to start? We live in a competitive world and that's just how it is. 

#3 as an HR practitioner, I suggest na your friend doesn't reapply na especially if he/she received a regret letter. If your friend kase has a chance of being reconsidered, yung company na mismo ang cocontact sa kanya and will not post the job opening anymore.

#4 I agree with sis blooming. We ask questions na wala sa resume to see how the applicant would answer. IMO, I ask questions like these sometimes to know kung anong gagawin ng applicant kung wala nga siya ng skill na yon. May future plans ba siya to acquire that skill or hanggang doon na lang ba. It's more like a behavioral interview question for me kase.

[periwinkle617]

#3 as an HR practitioner, I suggest na your friend doesn't reapply na especially if he/she received a regret letter. If your friend kase has a chance of being reconsidered, yung company na mismo ang cocontact sa kanya and will not post the job opening anymore.

hi sis! ask ko lang kasi im on the same position before ako mag resign. kasi nag apply ako mid-nov. according dun sa friend ko na HR na inaapplyan ko nakapasa daw ako sa final interview, kaya lang she told me that they might not hire me kasi alam niya na im 2 months pregnant na and mag aappear din sa medical exam kaya siya na naginform sa rec. team nila about my condition. tapos nung april tumawag ulit yung company kaso im 7mos. pregnant pa nun but they said that they will keep me posted and be in their active file inform ko na lang daw sila pag nanganak na ako. so ngayon na pwede na ako ulit magwork ok lang kaya na mag-reapply ako sa kanila or wag na? iniisip ko kasi baka makulitan na sila sakin apply ako ng apply sa kanila. tia 

[desolate_cat]

If I may add po:
#2 If the position is in demand, the company would probably just look for another candidate for the position na available to start agad rather than waiting for you to give birth. If it's not in demand naman, most company do not want to hire pregnant women because of the government mandated maternity benefits. Regardless kase of the employment status, they have to give the employee 1 month paid maternity leave. So ang ginagawa ng companies is they hire na lang after giving birth. This practice saves the company money. Unless of course the company really, really, really likes you and wants to make sure they will get you, they'd just hire you before you give birth and give you your 1 month paid leave.

Re: start date sa contract, if the applicant is special, meaning gustong-gusto ng company, they can do this. If not naman kase, why would the company exert effort pa to do this kung madami namang iba na andyan na at ready to start? We live in a competitive world and that's just how it is. 

I see your point, but isn't hiring someone who is still currently employed the same as this? Most of them need to give 1 month notice to their current employer, so whats the difference? Lets just say that she will get her benefit from the current employer and not the hiring employer.

[clueless]

^ you're 8.5 month pregnant. assuming i really like you and think you're perfect for the job and i hire you today, you have 2 weeks before you reach your 9th month. and you don't naman give birth exacto on your 9th month. let's say you were 2 weeks overdue, will you cut your maternity leave short of 2 weeks also? or will you still take a month's leave to care for your baby?

possible na matagal akong maghihintay sayo. and i don't know you very well. your technical qualifications may be perfct for the job but i cannot say for sure if your character is the same way. who knows baka when you see your baby for the first time, you change your mind about only a month of maternity leave.

madaming pwedeng mangyari.

now it it's a regular employee giving a month's notice to his/her employer, the chances of that employee starting with the new company in a month is higher.

less risk for the future employer also.

add to that pa what some of the other here have said na some companies favor women who do not have kids, lalo na babies or small kids.

[mgna15]

^i agree. 

hi sis! ask ko lang kasi im on the same position before ako mag resign. kasi nag apply ako mid-nov. according dun sa friend ko na HR na inaapplyan ko nakapasa daw ako sa final interview, kaya lang she told me that they might not hire me kasi alam niya na im 2 months pregnant na and mag aappear din sa medical exam kaya siya na naginform sa rec. team nila about my condition. tapos nung april tumawag ulit yung company kaso im 7mos. pregnant pa nun but they said that they will keep me posted and be in their active file inform ko na lang daw sila pag nanganak na ako. so ngayon na pwede na ako ulit magwork ok lang kaya na mag-reapply ako sa kanila or wag na? iniisip ko kasi baka makulitan na sila sakin apply ako ng apply sa kanila. tia

sis, if the company has been very vocal na they're going to consider you after you give birth, then go. =D Sabi mo nga na sabi nila inform mo sila pag nakapanganak ka na. =D Goodluck!

[periwinkle617]

sis, if the company has been very vocal na they're going to consider you after you give birth, then go. =D Sabi mo nga na sabi nila inform mo sila pag nakapanganak ka na. =D Goodluck!

hi sis! nagpunta na ako kanina. ayun ok naman nakapasa na ako sa exam. final interview ko na. pero di ko sure kung anong position pwede nila akong i-consider. sana sa back office parin. nagtataka nga sila bakit may existing profile ako sa kanila sabi ko applicant ako before. 

[blooming]

Can they not put the start date in the employment contract after she has given birth and finished maternity leave? Of course they will not make her start working before she gives birth.

kahit pa super special ang skills nung tao, no company in the right mind would do this.

sabi nga ni sis clueless, masyado maraming puede mangyari. a company wont be exposing itself to this risk.  siguro kung kilala nya talaga yung employee, at malamang yung employee ay CEO siguro or someone na nasa top management. 

giving birth is a major life-changing event.  puede magbago isip ng asawa, ng nanganganak, depende sa outcome ng baby, depende sa condition ng mother, etc.

 

I see your point, but isn't hiring someone who is still currently employed the same as this? Most of them need to give 1 month notice to their current employer, so whats the difference?

It makes all the difference in the world.  Napag usapan narin, companies are medyo ilag nanga sa married w kids as compared sa mga single, what more pa kaya sa manganganak wherein pati ang health and condition ng applicant aalalahanin nila.

If you are the hiring company and there are a thousand applicants out there, if one is pregnant, don't tell me you will go all the way to sign an advanced contract with the pregnant applicant, and not think of hiring anyone of the 999 applicants who are not pregnant.

[desolate_cat]

kahit pa super special ang skills nung tao, no company in the right mind would do this.

sabi nga ni sis clueless, masyado maraming puede mangyari. a company wont be exposing itself to this risk.  siguro kung kilala nya talaga yung employee, at malamang yung employee ay CEO siguro or someone na nasa top management. 

giving birth is a major life-changing event.  puede magbago isip ng asawa, ng nanganganak, depende sa outcome ng baby, depende sa condition ng mother, etc.

 
It makes all the difference in the world.  Napag usapan narin, companies are medyo ilag nanga sa married w kids as compared sa mga single, what more pa kaya sa manganganak wherein pati ang health and condition ng applicant aalalahanin nila.

If you are the hiring company and there are a thousand applicants out there, if one is pregnant, don't tell me you will go all the way to sign an advanced contract with the pregnant applicant, and not think of hiring anyone of the 999 applicants who are not pregnant.

So I think its better na lang to apply after I have given birth. Thanks for your inputs at least mas naintindihan ko na kung bakit ayaw iprocess ang application ko.

Siguro kung nanganak na ako wala na reason not to process my application if I fit the requirements?

[blooming]

Yes, it is best to apply after you give birth.  Though admittedly, people are 'generally' prejudiced against women with small kids. Ewan ko, call me a pessimist, pero feeling ko kelangan extra effort talaga, na you should prove the employer that you stand out and you have something extra that others dont. Kasi having all things equal, pag ikaw ang employer, what would make you choose an applicant with a newborn baby vs an applicant who is single and has flexible working hours.

[desolate_cat]

Yes, it is best to apply after you give birth.  Though admittedly, people are 'generally' prejudiced against women with small kids. Ewan ko, call me a pessimist, pero feeling ko kelangan extra effort talaga, na you should prove the employer that you stand out and you have something extra that others dont. Kasi having all things equal, pag ikaw ang employer, what would make you choose an applicant with a newborn baby vs an applicant who is single and has flexible working hours.

May full time yaya ako? 

Seriously, mas matured ako kaysa sa mga singles, and I know what responsibility means. Mas serious din ako sa trabaho since a single person ok lang mabakante. Since I have another mouth to feed, I cannot just leave anytime I want. 

[blooming]

^ true.  May mga applicants kasi na parang naglalaro lang kung sumagot (not bec they are single or married or w kids).    Bottomline nasa sa tao parin yun and how the person can impress the interviewer.

But honestly  kasi, based on experience, as I went through the diff stages of my life - being single, then married, then having kids... pahirap nang pahirap mag apply ako ng work.  Pero parang mas dumali nung lumaki na ang mga bata. Pero nung baby pa or buntis ako, parang feeling ko sobra akong behind kesa sa mga ibang applicants. 

another factor din that concerns me is the age. Pero this is another issue naman. 

[tonette815]

pasali ako mga sis ... am still back reading but i would like to get updates na since i will be on a jobhunt soon

[nhess]

Wow may Part II na pala to.. Goodluck mga sis   super okay ang thread na to 

[mgna15]

May full time yaya ako? 

Seriously, mas matured ako kaysa sa mga singles, and I know what responsibility means. Mas serious din ako sa trabaho since a single person ok lang mabakante. Since I have another mouth to feed, I cannot just leave anytime I want. 

What if umalis ang yaya?  It's not always na we will find a replacement agad. And I think subjective ang comparison mo. Single people are not necessarily less matured than married ones. And just because you are married or may anak na, it does not mean na you are more serious/responsible sa isang single worker. And hindi porke't single ka, it's okay for you to be jobless. =)

Anyway, I think we're OT na. lol.

[blooming]

Forgot to comment about the yaya.

Any mom would know, napakahirap humanap ng reliable yaya these days.  That's one of the major hurdles I had to go through in being a mom. Mas mahirap pa nga ata maghanap ng reliable yaya kesa sa manganak or maghanap ng trabaho. lol! 

Pero OT nanga. But lalabas naman sa interviews on how you can convince your employers how you can manage your time well. 
- having reliable help. For me, I had 2.  Para may back up in case magbakasyon ang isa. I also looked hard (during my maternity leave) and well. Nang mahanap ko na yung tamang yaya and maid, I paid them above market rates. 
- o di kaya your mom is also staying with you, so may extra hand din to watch over your kids.
- My pedia and OB is near our house with Mon-Sat flexitime. That way madali kami magpunta on Saturdays.

[sarahsensible]

wow more and more wisdom here,thanks to all of you. Am a fan nung 1st thread sana mabuksan. Andun yung mga basic na tinatanong and mas madaling basahin ang mga sagot dun, napansin ko sa new thread pahirap ng pahirap..but I learned a lot =)

[magic dragon]

^ actually, i PMed the now exmod re the old thread quoting previous posts of sisses hapi_prego and pretty_ava...

good morning sis lelila! i have one little favor to ask you in behalf of the members who want to access the 1st thread of difficult interview questions like the 2 who did post the same message.

i/we hope there's a big chance of bringing it back for public reading.

immediate action will be highly appreciated.

great thanks. 

and the reply...

hi sis, can't do anything about it na, sorry. Ang system na yung nagprune ng old thread, di ko na rin maretrieve. Mas magagawan sana ng paraan if nung kakalock lang ng thread nirequest na  maging accessible sya since pwede ko sya gawing sticky topic.
 
sa current thread, pag mag reach ng 30,  PM me na lang para gawin kong sticky at ng hindi maprune ng system. 

so it's hopeless to retrieve it. 

but here's hoping someone was able to save it on her desktop for her future private reference. sana lang she will be kind enough to share the old posts of 1st thread. i believe she will be blessed someday.

[clueless]

^ that's too bad. but i remember that the mod made a post to the old thread saying it was time to start a new thread kasi 30 pages na and that the old thread would be save (made into a sticky?) for future reference. we should have followed up pala. from that post kasi, i assumed magagawa siya.

[periwinkle617]

to HR practitioners, ask ko lang anong reason kung bakit tinatanong sa interview kung may pending applications and yung status nun? di ko kasi alam kung sasabihin ko ba yung status eh. tia

[blooming]

^ para at least alam ng employer yung status mo. kung meron ka nang offer at naghahanap ka pa ng ibang papasukan; or may pinupuntahan ka pang mga interviews.

sagot naman is to be as truthful as possible syempre.