Terrible work interviews

[Aori]

She was giving you the scenario.

You would start with:

Hello Madam, how can I help you today?

"I jumped in a pool to save my drowning kid, now my phone wont work."

Oh wow that was very brave of you, are you both ok? Now lets see what we can do about this phone for you...

and so on.


I have done many role plays, from both aspects, you give the person a scenario, in my experience it has always been on a typed document and they are given a short time to prepare (5 mins), they then enter the room and are expected to instigate the event.

In the second interview I was told we were going to do a roleplay, she would be the customer, I would be the representative, she told me when to begin and it played out just fine.

But third interview this lady wasn't responding, she only gave me a scenario. There was no prep time either, it was here is the scenario and then silence. When she gave the second roleplay I ran with it but she never responded to anything.

Both interviews were done via skype btw.

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the thing is though if you give interviews, after a few hundred you can tell people's personality and skill by a few answers, and when you have 100 interviews for 1 position, you do anything and everything to eliminate as many candidates as possible. and given that OP was on phonescreen number 3, they are definitely still eliminating, final selection is almost always done in person. and yes, personality is a very valid thing to eliminate people for.

in this case i would say that they want someone they need to do as little hand holding as possible, with almost no background info, OP was given a scenario, and then choked. they want someone who can immediately run with the problem without needing to ask more questions. OP is not it. but don't sweat it, if your personality and skills don't match what a company is looking for, you probably don't want to work there anyway.

This was the final interview. There is no in person interview for phone support.

[Lightwysh]

Look up the STAR interview format. This is what most recruiters/managers are looking for. Try to be honest, if not you can make something up to fit the scenario. We are looking for how you handle a situation, so don't fumble around, make up a realistic scenario and roll with it.

[rayden54]

"I'm a woman who just dived into a pool to save her drowning child, my phone was in my pocket and it no longer works, will you replace it for me"

I would've reacted the same way. I'm guessing by the answers though that I misunderstood the scenario. For some reason when I read that she'd "just dived in" I took it to mean that the very first thing she did after that was call Apple. I thought "Call 911 dang it, not freaking customer support."

[Endus]

Roleplay scenarios in interviews are just "here's a situation, how would you respond to it?" You shouldn't really be expecting anything above and beyond what she gave you in that first scenario; that was everything you needed (and if you're applying to work for Apple, you should have SOME idea what their policy for replacement due to water damage is).

I know when I worked for Nextel (prior to Sprint buying them up), my response would've been something along the lines of "oh, that's terrible, was the child okay? Unfortunately, your warranty doesn't cover water damage, so there won't be much we can do for you here, but we can go over new phone options for you if you'd like to get a new phone." With an expectation that they might escalate to a supervisor; there wouldn't be anything I could do, as a front-liner (even supervisors wouldn't; that would get kicked over to Retention if she wanted to cancel, and they MIGHT offer her a free (cheap) phone).

[Aori]

I would've reacted the same way. I'm guessing by the answers though that I misunderstood the scenario. For some reason when I read that she'd "just dived in" I took it to mean that the very first thing she did after that was call Apple. I thought "Call 911 dang it, not freaking customer support."

It was an odd scenario, I've seen and heard crazy shit working in the medical field but it was more expecting a roleplay and not getting one. Though by these forums it seems there is another definition of roleplay around that I'm not familiar with.

[Endus]

It was an odd scenario, I've seen and heard crazy shit working in the medical field but it was more expecting a roleplay and not getting one. Though by these forums it seems there is another definition of roleplay around that I'm not familiar with.

"Roleplay" just means "pretend you're in this role". She stated who she was, and who you were; that's all you need.

If you were expecting her to break out the d20s and graph paper, and start using funny voices, then you're expecting way too much.

[Yuna]

Water damage is self inflicted, not warranted. Liquid and mechanical damage is always a out of warranty case ^^

[Reeve]

Water damage is self inflicted, not warranted. Liquid and mechanical damage is always a out of warranty case ^^

Not when you have AppleCare.

[Gamdwelf]

"Roleplay" just means "pretend you're in this role". She stated who she was, and who you were; that's all you need.

If you were expecting her to break out the d20s and graph paper, and start using funny voices, then you're expecting way too much.

Yup roleplay doesn't always mean dnd.

[Independent voter]

When I get fired, laid off or rage quit, I start looking for work. I put out like 80 applications and resumes.

Then I start getting interviews, I always have to relearn how to interview so the first 4 to 6 interviews are throwaways, I'm wasting the interviewer's time but it's training me. I'm always a little nervous when I start interviewing but after the 6th interview, I'm used to it.

So far I've always got a job before the 20th interview.

Unemployment is currently at 5% in the US, that's as low as it every gets. I don't know how you area is for jobs but if you seriously can't land a job, I'd think about moving.

[Pann]

Water damage is self inflicted, not warranted. Liquid and mechanical damage is always a out of warranty case ^^

Indeed, and the OP should have informed her it was god's way way of telling her to put down the phone and look after her fucking kid!

[Aori]

When I get fired, laid off or rage quit, I start looking for work. I put out like 80 applications and resumes.

Then I start getting interviews, I always have to relearn how to interview so the first 4 to 6 interviews are throwaways, I'm wasting the interviewer's time but it's training me. I'm always a little nervous when I start interviewing but after the 6th interview, I'm used to it.

So far I've always got a job before the 20th interview.

Unemployment is currently at 5% in the US, that's as low as it every gets. I don't know how you area is for jobs but if you seriously can't land a job, I'd think about moving.

I can't drive so finding work is difficult and my area is a bad area for employment anyways.

[Forgettable]

Sorry OP but you sound like a terrible roleplayer. What the interviewer wanted was obvious. Instead of her roleplaying as the customer initially, she took the role of narrator to set the scene and expected you to roleplay as response to the customer.

[Yuna]

Not when you have AppleCare.

Nope, sry mate. Warranty extentions mostly prolong the time of warranty or offer on site services etc..

Source: AppleCare (US)

4.1 Hardware Service. The Plan does not apply to:
(ii) Damage caused by (a) a product that is not the Covered Equipment (b) accident, abuse, misuse, liquid contact, fire, earthquake or other external cause, (c) operating the Covered Equipment outside the permitted or intended uses described by the manufacturer, or (d) service (including upgrades and expansions) performed by anyone who is not a representative of Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (“AASP”);

4.2 Technical Support. The Plan does not include:
(ii) Your use of or modification to the Covered Equipment, the Mac OS, Apple TV Software, or Consumer Software in a manner for which the Covered Equipment or software is not intended to be used or modified;


If you ever got a new phone after something like that, it was either cheap or a gesture of goodwill.

[Yvaelle]

"Roleplay" just means "pretend you're in this role". She stated who she was, and who you were; that's all you need.

If you were expecting her to break out the d20s and graph paper, and start using funny voices, then you're expecting way too much.

I do like the idea of saying, "Let's roleplay" during an interview - and the interviewee leaping up to put on their robe and wizard hat before turning quizzically to me still in my chair, "Do you even LARP, bro?"

[Deleted]

So I've been struggling finding work, rarely even get interviews and sometimes when I do they are disastrous.

I've applied to most places locally and really haven't heard back from most. I ventured online and applied for telecommuting positions like customer support. I ended up getting an interview with Apple. Got past the first phase interview, short and sweet. The second was a bit more in depth, went fantastic they set me up for my next interview a week later.

So my third phase interview with Apple. It started off alright, the older lady looked and sounded like she knew as much about computers and technology as my 4 year old. Of course Apple doesn't really care about your technical knowhow in the third interview. We got to a point where she said ok, lets do a roleplay. (I did a roleplay in the second interview as well) I say ok, she begins like this "I'm a woman who just dived into a pool to save her drowning child, my phone was in my pocket and it no longer works, will you replace it for me" Then silence. She is just staring at me. I said I'm sorry, I thought we were doing a roleplay. She said we are, it is your turn. The morbid unnatural nature of it all just dumbfounded me, I couldn't process. I'm pretty sure at the point I had the deer in headlights look.

So shes, well lets try another roleplay, she does the same thing with a different story. I fumble my way thru and she is like ok thats good enough, you'll receive an email in a week or two then hung up. I clearly didn't get the job.

What should I have done? How would you have handled the situation? have you had any similar interviews that just left you speechless?

If you are lacking in the roleplaying department maybe you should spend some time on Moonglade US server (esp. in Goldshire?)

[Reeve]

Nope, sry mate. Warranty extentions mostly prolong the time of warranty or offer on site services etc..

Source: AppleCare (US)

4.1 Hardware Service. The Plan does not apply to:
(ii) Damage caused by (a) a product that is not the Covered Equipment (b) accident, abuse, misuse, liquid contact, fire, earthquake or other external cause, (c) operating the Covered Equipment outside the permitted or intended uses described by the manufacturer, or (d) service (including upgrades and expansions) performed by anyone who is not a representative of Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (“AASP”);

4.2 Technical Support. The Plan does not include:
(ii) Your use of or modification to the Covered Equipment, the Mac OS, Apple TV Software, or Consumer Software in a manner for which the Covered Equipment or software is not intended to be used or modified;


If you ever got a new phone after something like that, it was either cheap or a gesture of goodwill.

Perhaps I should have said AppleCare+, which is the buy up warranty.

The AppleCare+ plan for iPhones and iPads costs $99, but AppleCare+ comes with a bonus: It also covers accidental damage. If you break your device, or even drop it in the pool, Apple will repair or replace the your iPhone for a set fee of $79 or your iPad for $49. You can take advantage of this accidental-damage benefit twice over the duration of your AppleCare+ plan. (Note that if you previously purchased an iPhone AppleCare+ plan, Apple will still honor the $49 damage fee quoted at the time.)

[Darsithis]

If you are lacking in the roleplaying department maybe you should spend some time on Moonglade US server (esp. in Goldshire?)

Don't you mean Moon Guard?

[Deleted]

Don't you mean Moon Guard?

It is Moon Guard then? Sorry my bad then. This server is really popular on this side of the pond.

[imabanana]

She might to be using role play in the strictest sense, but that doesn't mean you can shut down in an interview.

^ Exactly this. We often used this kind of things in interviews to see how candidates would react when facing non-technical persons. Things like "let's say we're your grandparents, have some very basic knowledge and interest in computer/internet use, but zero technical knowledge", then ask the person to explain us something kind of technical that you wouldn't really think about otherwise (like, explain some differences in URLs between websites).

We never had anyone "shut down" after something like that, but that's actually a really good way to see how they react. Wasn't really something that could make you fail the interview (well, unless maybe you had completely no idea what to say and just froze), more about seeing what approach you'd use. But I understand that for a customer-facing job it's not something you want to fail. (the jobs we used these questions could be customer-facing, but not necessarily, depending on candidates)

If you really can't do it (as you did), just say it immediately and find reasons why (not knowing company policy for example, or needing more info about context, or anything else), then keep talking about it outside "roleplay" or get some clarifications and start again.