I didn't make it past the first face to face interview...should I be upset?

I didn't want the job, especially after reading all the stuff on this site, but I figured an offer wouldn't hurt me in my job search. I have a liberal arts degree from a tier one university, but I've been out of school for two years and have worked for the state government for that time. The interviewer made a face when she heard I went to the college I did because they gave me the best scholarship package and it went downhill from there. She didn't like that I wasn't in a sorority, she didn't like that I hadn't done any group projects in school, and didn't ask me at all about what I do in my current position. Also, I asked her about the turnover rate based on the number of company employees and the number of people they claim to hire right out of college. She actually said that 10% of their staff retires every year!

Anyway, even though I didn't want to work for the company, I wasn't prepared for the outright rejection. Are they really that picky about who they hire?

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I didn't want the job, especially after reading all the stuff on this site, but I figured an offer wouldn't hurt me in my job search. I have a liberal arts degree from a tier one university, but I've been out of school for two years and have worked for the state government for that time. The interviewer made a face when she heard I went to the college I did because they gave me the best scholarship package and it went downhill from there. She didn't like that I wasn't in a sorority, she didn't like that I hadn't done any group projects in school, and didn't ask me at all about what I do in my current position. Also, I asked her about the turnover rate based on the number of company employees and the number of people they claim to hire right out of college. She actually said that 10% of their staff retires every year!

Anyway, even though I didn't want to work for the company, I wasn't prepared for the outright rejection. Are they really that picky about who they hire?

They don't want independent intelligent people at Enterprise, so being from a top tier university doesn't help. They prefer sheep. Asking about the tunrover rate showed the recruiter you were a thinker which again Enterprise frowns upon.

They are not picky about the people they hire. Looking around at the "winners" that they just hired here in my region of group 32 proves that.

Be thankful you didn't get past the first interview. It is the best thing that ever happened to you.

[time2go]

Coming from state government you would have had a very rude awakening the loss of all those wonderful days off that government workers get. No more Columbus Day, Veterans's Day, the day after Thanksgiving, President's Day, etc. Not to mention kissing the 9-5 day goodbye. Hell, I left ECRAP to work in state government just for the additional time off.

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I didn't want the job, especially after reading all the stuff on this site, but I figured an offer wouldn't hurt me in my job search. I have a liberal arts degree from a tier one university, but I've been out of school for two years and have worked for the state government for that time. The interviewer made a face when she heard I went to the college I did because they gave me the best scholarship package and it went downhill from there. She didn't like that I wasn't in a sorority, she didn't like that I hadn't done any group projects in school, and didn't ask me at all about what I do in my current position. Also, I asked her about the turnover rate based on the number of company employees and the number of people they claim to hire right out of college. She actually said that 10% of their staff retires every year!

Anyway, even though I didn't want to work for the company, I wasn't prepared for the outright rejection. Are they really that picky about who they hire?

Ok, let me get this right:
1. Didn't like the fact that you WEREN'T in a sorority
2. Made a face that you made a smart business/educational decision by going to a school that offered the best scholarship package
3. Didn't at all ask you what your current job duties are
4. Outright lied to you about staff "retirement." (hmmm...is retirement the new code word for getting fired? Because we all know turnover is WAYYYYY higher)

They aren't picky. The recruiter was scared you had a brain, and even worse, you may actually use it. Having a mind really isn't a requirement at ERAC. Take it from someone who committed two years to this life draining company: they did you the biggest favor in the world.

A couple of things in the original post don't make sense to me. You didn't want the job, but you figured an offer would help you in your job search. How does that help you? Does it give you some kind of bargaining chip when you interview with other companies? Potentially working for ERAC helps your job search? Why go through with it when you have no desire for the job before you even interview?

Also, you say you weren't prepared for the rejection. If you didn't want it, and you would have turned down an offer, I doubt you gave your best in the interview. Knowing you didn't give your best, why does it surprise you that you didn't get past the first interview, much less an offer?

Understand, I am no ERAC apologist, and I am a former Area Manager, but I doubt you didn't get far because of what you claim. When I was hiring, I loved having someone from a top tier university interview with me. I disagree with what the other posters have said about how ERAC doesn't want free thinkers. ERAC wants smart people and people that can think for themselves. They will no doubt put their stamp on people, but they don't turn away smarter individuals just for the sake of it. They need smart people to solve problems on a daily basis because of the situations the company puts its' employees in each and every day. There are many decisions made quickly each day which will impact the business greatly.

The biggest thing that jumps out at me is you have been in the public sector for 2 years and there would be major questions as to how you would handle the jump to the private sector, especially in a retail setting such as this.

2 years out of school with no sales experience could have really hurt you.

ERAC looks for leaders, so when they ask about sorority and group project involvement, they are asking for you to demonstrate a time when you were in a position of leadership. If you were involved in the other things (social club, group project, etc.), the next question would have been what position you took in those settings. Believe it or not, what would have hurt you more is if you were in a sorority and not been President or Vice President. The question then would be, "You had the opportunity to be in a position of leadership, and you chose not to. Why?"

Also these things show a person's aptitude to multi-task (everyone knows how much multi-tasking is involved at ERAC). If you were going to school full-time on an academic scholarship, were you able to balance school and other activities outside of school?

Those are all legitimate questions I would ask even not interviewing for ERAC. They are common 'behavior oriented' questions which are the standard in the job market currently.

Just on the thumbnail sketch you have made here (and I know it is not everything on your resume), I would say coming from the public sector hurt the most. No sales experience 2 years out of school hurt a lot. And finally no positions of leadership that were spoken of hurt as well.

[FailingEnterpriseAdmin]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

A couple of things in the original post don't make sense to me. You didn't want the job, but you figured an offer would help you in your job search. How does that help you? Does it give you some kind of bargaining chip when you interview with other companies? Potentially working for ERAC helps your job search? Why go through with it when you have no desire for the job before you even interview?

Also, you say you weren't prepared for the rejection. If you didn't want it, and you would have turned down an offer, I doubt you gave your best in the interview. Knowing you didn't give your best, why does it surprise you that you didn't get past the first interview, much less an offer?

Understand, I am no ERAC apologist, and I am a former Area Manager, but I doubt you didn't get far because of what you claim. When I was hiring, I loved having someone from a top tier university interview with me. I disagree with what the other posters have said about how ERAC doesn't want free thinkers. ERAC wants smart people and people that can think for themselves. They will no doubt put their stamp on people, but they don't turn away smarter individuals just for the sake of it. They need smart people to solve problems on a daily basis because of the situations the company puts its' employees in each and every day. There are many decisions made quickly each day which will impact the business greatly.

The biggest thing that jumps out at me is you have been in the public sector for 2 years and there would be major questions as to how you would handle the jump to the private sector, especially in a retail setting such as this.

2 years out of school with no sales experience could have really hurt you.

ERAC looks for leaders, so when they ask about sorority and group project involvement, they are asking for you to demonstrate a time when you were in a position of leadership. If you were involved in the other things (social club, group project, etc.), the next question would have been what position you took in those settings. Believe it or not, what would have hurt you more is if you were in a sorority and not been President or Vice President. The question then would be, "You had the opportunity to be in a position of leadership, and you chose not to. Why?"

Also these things show a person's aptitude to multi-task (everyone knows how much multi-tasking is involved at ERAC). If you were going to school full-time on an academic scholarship, were you able to balance school and other activities outside of school?

Those are all legitimate questions I would ask even not interviewing for ERAC. They are common 'behavior oriented' questions which are the standard in the job market currently.

Just on the thumbnail sketch you have made here (and I know it is not everything on your resume), I would say coming from the public sector hurt the most. No sales experience 2 years out of school hurt a lot. And finally no positions of leadership that were spoken of hurt as well.

Now this is the kind of well-written response I like to see here on the discussion board. Clear thinking, good writing, and didn't confuse disagreement with verbal assault.

I was scheduled for a face-to-face interview at the Pittsburgh office shortly after I graduated from college. At the time I was a very recent college graduate with no professional job experience. I called the recruiter the week of the interview to cancel because I had received another job offer that week and because I would have had to drive two hours to their office for the interview.

I spent several years working in the property and casualty insurance industry when I decided to reapply to ERAC in Pittsburgh. This time, I was trying desperately to move closer to Pittsburgh. (I still lived several hours away.) I had two professional insurance designations and a state license to sell insurance, as well as four years of professional work experience behind me. When I applied the second time, I had a phone interview but wasn't even invited for a face to face interview! A few months later I was offered a job in Pittsburgh (in the underwriting department of an insurance company) with a salary of $37,000 and a 40 hour workweek.

If you're looking for a field with opportunity, cosider a career in property and casualty insurance. I started in the field with very little business knowledge (my bachelor's degree is in Public Relations with a minor in business). I worked hard and made an effort to study insurance principles on my own time. I don't think anybody in my office studied insurance in college.

I just interviewed with erac and was offered a position. I wasn't in a sorority (but I did haold a student gov't position), I went to a good uni, and I had no sales exp.

I have a feeling that your attitude is what hurt your chances.

[gp65:(]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I just interviewed with erac and was offered a position. I wasn't in a sorority (but I did haold a student gov't position), I went to a good uni, and I had no sales exp.

I have a feeling that your attitude is what hurt your chances.

awwww.

Barely an MT and already blaming.

You're a natural!!!