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[Amerigo Vespucci]

13. I worked in a company where this technique was the standard for a while

This may or may not help you, but please read it, consider it, and know that it is the 100% gospel truth: What they did to you was [font color="red"]deliberate[/font], they do it to [font color="red"]everybody[/font], it was not [font color="red"]personal[/font], and it is in no way a reflection of who you are and what you have to offer.


There used to be an actual "buzzword" to describe this interview style...I don't remember it, and it really doesn't matter...something like "confrontational," but that wasn't the word.

The intention is:

1). Begin by placing you at ease, which makes you vulnerable

2). Once the interviewer sees that you are relaxed, the motive is to push your buttons, knock you off base, rattle you, and see how easily you might "lose it" under pressure

3). The purpose is to expose your "weaknesses," which you're not going to give up voluntarily. It's a job interview. You're there to put your best foot forward, to discuss what you have to offer, to back that up with your past accomplishments. They don;t give a shit about any of that. They want to see how quickly you'll fold under pressure. They want to have a look at the skeletons in your closet. They want to see "what's wrong with you," before they hire you, because if it's big enough and bad enough, they're not your mom and they're not your dad and they only want your labor, the sweat of your brow, and not your baggage.

That said, shake it off, go back and read my first paragraph again, and immediately schedule another interview in another company as soon as you can. The more you let the unfairness or unpleasantness of this situation sink in, the less likely you will be to perform well on your next interview. Forget these people, get busy on setting up your next opportunity.