Interview Nightmare: How I Was Humiliated and Disrespected at XXXXX Datamatics

Interview Experience at XXXXX Datamatics

I attended an interview for the position of Content Writer at XXXXX Datamatics located in Taramani, Chennai, last week. Please excuse me if I sound rude, but it was the worst humiliation I have ever experienced. The HR representative asked for a briefing of my profile and was absolutely wonderful and professional. After that, I was put through a briefing with the Senior Manager (Ms. YYYYY), who proved to be unprofessional and prejudiced.

I'm an experienced candidate with over 6 years of service in the industry. While discussing my profile, she elaborated on the job description but constantly probed into my personal life. She kept insisting, "This is a blessed place where girls get married once they join the organization, so longevity is questionable." On top of that, she violated the code of conduct. When asked about my expected CTC, I mentioned I expect 6.5 P.A. She started negotiating the package even before I was put through any basic test required for the position. Then, I was made to wait for about 30 minutes, left in the dark.

Firstly, how is a Senior Manager supposed to discuss someone's personal life or salary? The worst part was what happened next. While I was waiting at the reception, the security called out my name and bluntly told me, "They asked you to leave."

No professional deserves to be humiliated or treated so poorly. They wasted half a day of my time without conducting the basic test and just humiliated me. I really wish to take action against that Senior Manager, and I don't care about revealing her name. I might be looking for a job, but people like me cannot be taken for granted. She doesn't even possess fluent communication skills. I post this here because I don't want any other candidate to go through what I've been through. If someone is looking for a decent career and wants to save their self-respect, please don't accept any call from XXXXX Datamatics for an interview.

Regards, [Username]

What has happened to you is unfortunate. Let us analyze the event.

Company Culture and Interview Experience

The incident reflects the company's culture, which seems outdated. Gone are the days when job candidates were desperately looking for a job. Now, it is a candidates' market, and finding the right skilled person is very difficult. Against this backdrop, companies need to strive to maintain their brand image in the job market. However, the company owners have yet to realize the current job market scenario and are following a culture that is out of sync with the 21st century.

Interviewer's Role and Training

Part of the problem lies with the interviewer, who appears to lack training in interview handling skills. A job interview is not just about asking questions and testing the candidate's knowledge or skills but also about providing a complete feel of the company's environment. This company could be from the SME category, where employees are often rewarded for their length of stay rather than their professionalism. Such employees, having earned the trust of their "boss," may try to become the de facto boss.

Handling Inappropriate Interview Questions

During the interview, there were two things you could have done. When she started asking questions about your plans for getting married, you could have said you were confident of providing value that would outweigh any absence, making it a minor concern. Secondly, when she started negotiating the salary, you could have politely suggested deferring this discussion to future rounds, as it was too early to discuss at that stage.

Considering Legal Action

Regarding suing the senior manager who conducted your interview, I understand you are upset because you got the short end of the stick. However, my suggestion is to ignore the incident and move on. Life comprises both good and bad events. As far as litigation is concerned, you need sufficient evidence. Did you record the interview? Without evidence, how will you proceed? Even with evidence, this incident may not be worth the time and money for litigation.

At best, you may write a letter to the MD of the company about the unfair treatment you received. However, please be professional in your writing. While you have criticized the interviewer for not possessing "affluent communication," your English also needs improvement. It is better to refer to a dictionary and verify the correct usage of words.

All the best!

Regards, Dinesh Divekar