Why we should be worth to a new employer

Question I received in an interview: why should I hire someone from a failing company like Sears? Answer (it wasn't exactly the following but something along the lines of):I have been set targets and exceeded them, I have implemented projects on time and under budget, I have obtained all the results within the deadlines set for me and done in a collaborative way. This has all been accomplished while working for a failing company, where there is no morale, where no one cares, where there is no budget or support. Accomplished while leaders are absent and while peers leave taking processes with them that I need to help get my work done. Along this journey I have had to inspire my depressed peers and directs who I need the help of to get the work I need done. Sears has been the most valuable experience of my life because it has proved to me that not only can I get results for successful companies I can also get results when everything is stacked against me, you will not get that from someone at Google who would need a lifetime of experience to match the challenges I face at Sears in a month" this was a top company and I knew when I provided the answer they liked what I said...please use it for yourself, not only use it embrace it because it is true.

Repost from @M0JVlat-tpr . Thanks, OP. True #GOLD post

Comment! It's anonymous!

6 replies (most recent on top)

Usually it's a huge mistake to bad mouth a previous employer in an interview, but this is an unusual situation. The ongoing failure of SHC is one of the most widely known business disasters in history. Everybody knows what's going on, either from personal experience as a customer or from the news. The interviewer here obviously knew the score, and the OP came up with a good response. Claiming things were good at Sears would be an obvious lie.

@ppe Interviewer opened the door using the term failing company. This person simply stated that he or she could make things happen in a challenging environment. When it is more difficult but the person rose to the challenge.

Hopefully you're capable of that yourself.

Bad mouthing the company is blaming the company for your failures.

To M0ncTBs-ppe I think the only people to care so much to make a comment like that is either the CEO, or HR which one are you?

@ppe i got the job

"while working for a failing company, where there is no morale, where no one cares, where there is no budget or support. Accomplished while leaders are absent and while peers leave taking processes with them that I need to help get my work done."

Use a line like that and you'll never get hired. You're bad mouthing your former employer AND your peers, using the woe is me attitude.

As someone that has interviewed potential employees and upon hearing that phrase, your interview would have been ended within 2 minutes

Good post. The trick is getting the positive out of a bad situation. Avoid making it personal, vindictive, or overly emotional. You learned from the experience and now is the time to move on.

Thread regarding Sears layoffs

Why we should be worth to a new employer

6 replies (most recent on top)

Post a reply