1. An interview history that reveals that you don’t have to wear pants
Narrated by Stan Hanks.
Formally, this was not an interview, but a business conversation with representatives of a New York company, during which the creation of a joint venture was discussed. It was in 1997.
For negotiations, our team flew out to meet with the CEO and some members of the organization’s leadership. During the meeting, the CEO of the New York company became more and more enthusiastic, he talked about the business with great enthusiasm, paced around the room and wrote something excitedly on the board.
After 30 minutes of going back and forth, the CEO simply took off his pants and spent the rest of the meeting in his underpants. He did not comment on this in any way (the team members also did not react to this at all) and simply continued to cut circles around the office in his underwear and answer questions.
In the end, he was called somewhere, and, taking the opportunity, we asked his deputy why he took off his pants. The assistant simply shrugged and said that the trousers of the CEO rustled when walking (they make a sound chup-chup-chup) and this drives him crazy, so he has to take them off after a while.
Everything is clear, the question is cleared.
2. Interview, during which there was a serious earthquake, but we did not pay attention to him
The story of Leo Ballentein.
In the 1980s, I was interviewed at one of the Silicon Valley companies with a staff of 300, led by a CEO with a military background. During the interview, when we were in the office, a strong earthquake began, but the CEO did not pay any attention to him.
All other employees were evacuated from the building, and only two remained in the office with books flying from the shelves and flashing lights: me and my counterpart. The CEO never wavered. I followed his example.
After half an hour, it stopped shaking, people returned to the office and our interview was over. None of us even casually noted the fact that we just survived (and sat to the end) this seismic event. A few days later, the CEO of the company offered me a job.
It seems to me that I got it because of my ability to cope with pressure, stress and tension.
3. The interview, according to which I was named one of the ten most stupid Americans
The story of Rupert Baines.
A few years ago, I flew from Boston to California for an interview - I had a real opportunity to get a good job in a very promising technology company. After an interview with the second parties of the company, I stayed in the lobby waiting for an interview with the CEO. At that moment it was about 4 pm.
I sat and waited. And he was waiting. And he was waiting. After 8 p.m., the CEO finally opened the door and called me for an interview.
At this time, a beep was heard in his telephone. “That means you just missed your flight,” the CEO said, as if all this was part of his plan to demonstrate your power. Of course, it was he who paid for the tickets for the mentioned flight.
The next day, I flew back to Boston. A few days later, this CEO offered me an excellent job in a company with the right to buy shares (the company at that time was changing from private to public by issuing shares to the market). Largely because of his behavior at the interview, I refused this offer.
Do you know how the CEO of the company reacted to this? He wrote me a letter in capital letters, which read: “I have a list of the ten most stupid people in America, and you are on this list. You're an idiot".
With this work, I could make a fortune. And yet I never regretted having made such a decision.
Narrated by Stan Hanks.
Formally, this was not an interview, but a business conversation with representatives of a New York company, during which the creation of a joint venture was discussed. It was in 1997.
For negotiations, our team flew out to meet with the CEO and some members of the organization’s leadership. During the meeting, the CEO of the New York company became more and more enthusiastic, he talked about the business with great enthusiasm, paced around the room and wrote something excitedly on the board.
After 30 minutes of going back and forth, the CEO simply took off his pants and spent the rest of the meeting in his underpants. He did not comment on this in any way (the team members also did not react to this at all) and simply continued to cut circles around the office in his underwear and answer questions.
In the end, he was called somewhere, and, taking the opportunity, we asked his deputy why he took off his pants. The assistant simply shrugged and said that the trousers of the CEO rustled when walking (they make a sound chup-chup-chup) and this drives him crazy, so he has to take them off after a while.
Everything is clear, the question is cleared.
2. Interview, during which there was a serious earthquake, but we did not pay attention to him
The story of Leo Ballentein.
In the 1980s, I was interviewed at one of the Silicon Valley companies with a staff of 300, led by a CEO with a military background. During the interview, when we were in the office, a strong earthquake began, but the CEO did not pay any attention to him.
All other employees were evacuated from the building, and only two remained in the office with books flying from the shelves and flashing lights: me and my counterpart. The CEO never wavered. I followed his example.
After half an hour, it stopped shaking, people returned to the office and our interview was over. None of us even casually noted the fact that we just survived (and sat to the end) this seismic event. A few days later, the CEO of the company offered me a job.
It seems to me that I got it because of my ability to cope with pressure, stress and tension.
3. The interview, according to which I was named one of the ten most stupid Americans
The story of Rupert Baines.
A few years ago, I flew from Boston to California for an interview - I had a real opportunity to get a good job in a very promising technology company. After an interview with the second parties of the company, I stayed in the lobby waiting for an interview with the CEO. At that moment it was about 4 pm.
I sat and waited. And he was waiting. And he was waiting. After 8 p.m., the CEO finally opened the door and called me for an interview.
At this time, a beep was heard in his telephone. “That means you just missed your flight,” the CEO said, as if all this was part of his plan to demonstrate your power. Of course, it was he who paid for the tickets for the mentioned flight.
The next day, I flew back to Boston. A few days later, this CEO offered me an excellent job in a company with the right to buy shares (the company at that time was changing from private to public by issuing shares to the market). Largely because of his behavior at the interview, I refused this offer.
Do you know how the CEO of the company reacted to this? He wrote me a letter in capital letters, which read: “I have a list of the ten most stupid people in America, and you are on this list. You're an idiot".
With this work, I could make a fortune. And yet I never regretted having made such a decision.
Comments
Post a Comment