Jones Lang Lasalle

One of the worst phone interviews I’ve ever had happened in April 2014 with this dinky company. I applied for a graphic design job and received a phone call from their HR bimbo. She introduced herself saying she was responding to my application. Her very next question was to sternly demand “what are your salary requirements?” I was a little bit taken aback by the audacity of this question, to be demanding this before even speaking with me about my background or the job (I recall a time when nobody dared speak of salary until an offer was made…ah, the good ole days). I refused to give a figure and said I’m completely open. She practically barked at me, DEMANDING a figure. I finally told her that I had been making $X at Company 1, and before that I made $X at Company 2, and I’d like to not go below what I was making at Company 3 ten years ago which was $X (foolishly thinking this would be a low enough number and should satisfy her). Imagine my shock when she revealed “oh, this job isn’t going to pay as much as that” and the figure she gave me was akin to what I was earning in my first design job back in 2000. I was shocked by this and additionally completely turned off by this woman’s unprofessional demeanor, but I let her schedule a “real” phone interview for us to talk the following week.

The “interview” consisted of her doing exactly what that other HR bimbo at Axis Communications did, i.e., read pointless questions from a checklist (nothing to do with design, no questions about my design experience). She asked something about what I can tell her about their company. I was, like, what kind of stupid question is that? And why am I being interviewed by some dumb robotic HR bimbo as opposed to the creative director or art director? Well, I don’t recall what my response was beyond “you’re a real estate firm” but apparently it wasn’t a good enough answer and she got nasty and snapped “well when you have an interview with a company you’re supposed to research them!” I realize now I should’ve just ended the call, but I continued to play the game, and it just got worse. Her questions got even more and more stupid, like “what do you need to do your job?” (or something vague like that, don’t recall the exact words). I came right out and said I don’t understand this question. Her response was. To. Repeat. The. Question. Slowly. Word. For. Word. Again, I should’ve hung up the phone. (Oh, the question was referring to what equipment do you need, like a computer – jeezus frickin' christ, YES of course I’d need a computer to do this  job!). Needless to say, this led to nothing, not even a formal rejection email.

There’s something very wrong when so many talented skilled professionals like nurses and engineers remain unemployed while someone as useless as this woman maintains a job...