Job I'm applying for seems like a bad fit

[Blind Bandit]

I recently applied for a job at a local not profit and I thought I aced my first interview this last Wednesday. I was all set and ready to go for my second interview I had this Friday. I started out strong but I felt like they where nicely trying to say I didn't fit the actually position. Even thought I fit the company and I interviewed very well.

See my next post for the short version!

So a little more background before I get into the interview specifics. I'm working with a recruiter who works with the company I applied for and they pulled my interview on their recommendation. Its a payee position, in that you help people with disabilities budget their money and help them maintain benefits by working with social security and others. It was said to be a mix of computer work and working with clients. They wanted a GED and preferable a social science back ground. The pay is not great $11-13 So not great but a start.

So the first interview I meet with the directer, a person from HR, and two people who are payees. I seemed to impressive everyone. The direct though seemed professional and looking back unsure of me. I was supposed hear something today. But instead I got a caled to come in for a second interview. The second interview was with the director again and two people with finance focused backgrounds.... This makes sense as the director is a CPA / accountant.

During the second interview I was asked several times about data entry and told that the job has a huge case load (300-400 clients) and the director kept stressing how high stress and busy this position was and that she didn't want to set anyone up for failure. They had questions that where just landmines. For example what would you do if two agency regulations contradicted each other? They also seemed to think I would a be good fit for other positions. In the end I felt they where trying to nicely tell me I didn't fit.

I'm told I'll hear something Monday. But frankly with the way they didn't seem to think I would fit. And the crazy work load that they expect a very small staff to handle. I'm thinking if I do get an offer I will decline. I don't want to work with people who doubt me and will find any reason to not consider me. It doesn't seem like a good way to start a job. What do you think?
@Kgal

 

[Blind Bandit]

The short version.
Had two panel interviews, first seemed to go well second went bad. They don't seem to think I'll be a fit. Work load is very high and the company doesn't seem to able to hire enough people to make it manageable. If I get an offer should I even consider it?

 

[La Sagna]

Sounds to me like they might be testing you to see how you react to the description of the amount of work and the stress. They probably do it in every interview to see the reaction. It may be a position where they've lost people because of the amount of work and stress and they're looking for somebody who can handle it. You have to consider whether you want or can handle a job that is high stress. Some people work well in high stress situations and some don't.

 

[DonTaushMe]

If the interview itself stressed you out you're not cut out for the job.

 

[Kgal]

I recently applied for a job at a local not profit and I thought I aced my first interview this last Wednesday. I was all set and ready to go for my second interview I had this Friday. I started out strong but I felt like they where nicely trying to say I didn't fit the actually position. Even thought I fit the company and I interviewed very well.

See my next post for the short version!

So a little more background before I get into the interview specifics. I'm working with a recruiter who works with the company I applied for and they pulled my interview on their recommendation. Its a payee position, in that you help people with disabilities budget their money and help them maintain benefits by working with social security and others. It was said to be a mix of computer work and working with clients. They wanted a GED and preferable a social science back ground. The pay is not great $11-13 So not great but a start.

So the first interview I meet with the directer, a person from HR, and two people who are payees. I seemed to impressive everyone. The direct though seemed professional and looking back unsure of me. I was supposed hear something today. But instead I got a caled to come in for a second interview. The second interview was with the director again and two people with finance focused backgrounds.... This makes sense as the director is a CPA / accountant.

During the second interview I was asked several times about data entry and told that the job has a huge case load (300-400 clients) and the director kept stressing how high stress and busy this position was and that she didn't want to set anyone up for failure. They had questions that where just landmines. For example what would you do if two agency regulations contradicted each other? They also seemed to think I would a be good fit for other positions. In the end I felt they where trying to nicely tell me I didn't fit.

I'm told I'll hear something Monday. But frankly with the way they didn't seem to think I would fit. And the crazy work load that they expect a very small staff to handle. I'm thinking if I do get an offer I will decline. I don't want to work with people who doubt me and will find any reason to not consider me. It doesn't seem like a good way to start a job. What do you think?
@Kgal

If the interview itself stressed you out you're not cut out for the job.

DonTaushMe makes a valid point in that if the interview was stressful - you are not meant to do that job.
It's not so much you aren't cut out for it - for I think you'd be great at helping people navigate the huge obstacles disabled people have to go through to get help in their lives. It's more like your intuition is telling you this is not the one for you right now.
I suggest you forget about the pay scale being bandied about to you. Pay is never good for the people in the social services fields. Since they were willing to accept someone with a GED....I'm betting this is more of a clerk's position and not one in which you'd do well. You are not a clerk...and never will be.

Unless you're about to become homeless or something - I would let go of this job.

I love how your intuition is talking to you. I bet you are exactly correct in knowing what they were thinking behind that idiotic facade they maintain when interviewing people.
What about being a volunteer for other agencies?

 

[Blind Bandit]

Definitively this is one of the reasons I will likely not care if I don't get an offer and I might turn it down. The fact that their case load has been increasing per person and they aren't hiring a lot of new people or expanding the office is telling. For example they only have two customer windows.

If the interview itself stressed you out you're not cut out for the job.

Very good point. I think, at some point you have consider if a interview doesn't seem good or reasonable its not a good sign.

DonTaushMe makes a valid point in that if the interview was stressful - you are not meant to do that job.
It's not so much you aren't cut out for it - for I think you'd be great at helping people navigate the huge obstacles disabled people have to go through to get help in their lives. It's more like your intuition is telling you this is not the one for you right now.
I suggest you forget about the pay scale being bandied about to you. Pay is never good for the people in the social services fields. Since they were willing to accept someone with a GED....I'm betting this is more of a clerk's position and not one in which you'd do well. You are not a clerk...and never will be.

Unless you're about to become homeless or something - I would let go of this job.

I love how your intuition is talking to you. I bet you are exactly correct in knowing what they were thinking behind that idiotic facade they maintain when interviewing people.
What about being a volunteer for other agencies?

Thanks K, Ya I wish I would've had more time in between interviews. As I think about it now. I realize the complaint the directer gave to me wasn't we are impressed with your background, or your empathy or my college work. No, it was "your present well." Which is like saying "your nice but," This was made very clear in the second interview. I also noticed they did the fit for the position not with the people who would be working with me but people with a fiance background. It seems the company (other payees and HR) liked a me a lot but the director didn't.

And while I can work with my agencies ( sense I'm visually impaired I get help with job related issues), but who wants to go in to a company where the director doesn't think you can do the job?

 

[Blind Bandit]

@Kgal, I've been looking for volunteer opportunists and its definitely on my radar.

Also thanks for no one offering up the you should just take whatever you can get because jobs are hard to come by. Finding a job is hard and I'm not having much luck. But what good is doing a job I'll likely burn out from in a year.

 

[Kgal]

@Kgal, I've been looking for volunteer opportunists and its definitely on my radar.

Also thanks for no one offering up the you should just take whatever you can get because jobs are hard. Finding a job is hard and I'm not having much luck. But what good is doing a job I'll likely burn out from in a year.

The only reason you might want to take a job where you know you're going to end up failing(leaving) is to get in - and get out - and be able to show the job on a resume'. It's like you have to set your mind straight you're not going in it to succeed....you're going in to learn what you can.

Over the years I've had some doozy jobs and even got canned for one I hated anyway. I learned a LOT from those experiences and am glad I went through them although it sucked at the time.

It all depends on what you think you'll gain.
Still...your intuition is telling you something. I'd listen to it.

 

[Reon]

I recently applied for a job at a local not profit and I thought I aced my first interview this last Wednesday. I was all set and ready to go for my second interview I had this Friday. I started out strong but I felt like they where nicely trying to say I didn't fit the actually position. Even thought I fit the company and I interviewed very well.

See my next post for the short version!

So a little more background before I get into the interview specifics. I'm working with a recruiter who works with the company I applied for and they pulled my interview on their recommendation. Its a payee position, in that you help people with disabilities budget their money and help them maintain benefits by working with social security and others. It was said to be a mix of computer work and working with clients. They wanted a GED and preferable a social science back ground. The pay is not great $11-13 So not great but a start.

So the first interview I meet with the directer, a person from HR, and two people who are payees. I seemed to impressive everyone. The direct though seemed professional and looking back unsure of me. I was supposed hear something today. But instead I got a caled to come in for a second interview. The second interview was with the director again and two people with finance focused backgrounds.... This makes sense as the director is a CPA / accountant.

During the second interview I was asked several times about data entry and told that the job has a huge case load (300-400 clients) and the director kept stressing how high stress and busy this position was and that she didn't want to set anyone up for failure. They had questions that where just landmines. For example what would you do if two agency regulations contradicted each other? They also seemed to think I would a be good fit for other positions. In the end I felt they where trying to nicely tell me I didn't fit.

Although it's a bit unusual to have two interviews for one job in the non-profit work sector, it is fairly common to have two interviews for individuals who work in finance. Typically you meet with HR and the director of the program which seems to be the case with you. The secondary interview would be more focused on the actual finances and the capability that you would need to work at to be successful. I would be concerned if the director did not come back to the second interview because that would indicate that the director did not believe in your ability as an applicant and passed off the dilemma to somone else. So, as far as this goes, this is a good sign

I'm told I'll hear something Monday. But frankly with the way they didn't seem to think I would fit. And the crazy work load that they expect a very small staff to handle. I'm thinking if I do get an offer I will decline. I don't want to work with people who doubt me and will find any reason to not consider me. It doesn't seem like a good way to start a job. What do you think?

I don't think the problem is that you don't fit the job requirements but that the job requirements are extreme in comparisons to the skills needed and the pay given. Although it may be a good break into the non-profit sector, I'm not exactly convinced that this job will work out for you. It seems like too little pay for way more work than you should be doing; it would also appear that it may get worse in the future. I'd trust your gut.

 

[Blind Bandit]

Although it's a bit unusual to have two interviews for one job in the non-profit work sector, it is fairly common to have two interviews for individuals who work in finance. Typically you meet with HR and the director of the program which seems to be the case with you. The secondary interview would be more focused on the actual finances and the capability that you would need to work at to be successful. I would be concerned if the director did not come back to the second interview because that would indicate that the director did not believe in your ability as an applicant and passed off the dilemma to somone else. So, as far as this goes, this is a good sign



I don't think the problem is that you don't fit the job requirements but that the job requirements are extreme in comparisons to the skills needed and the pay given. Although it may be a good break into the non-profit sector, I'm not exactly convinced that this job will work out for you. It seems like too little pay for way more work than you should be doing; it would also appear that it may get worse in the future. I'd trust your gut.

Thanks for the advice. Also good to see you man!

i'm lucky, they decided to go with another candidate. I"m so thankful... many of family are bummed I didn't get. My recruiter is also frustrated. But its clear they need at least 2 or 3 people to do this job(s) right, for example, a case worker to deal with client needs, a payee to do the financial related work and a customer service rep (front desk person) to handle walk in customers. Heck even a data entry person might be helpful. The fact that they wanted one person to do all that is a pretty big red flag.