高登國際鐘錶股份有限公司

None

Position applied for: 101 SHH Salesperson

The salary listed on 104 is NT$30,000–35,000.

The salary isn’t high, but I’m interested in sales, so I decided to apply and give it a try. Not long afterward, I received a message from HR inviting me to an interview.

Here’s the outrageous part:

I specifically made time to attend the interview, but as soon as I sat down, the store manager told me that I wasn’t suitable because I had no watch industry experience. My work experience (customer service manager and luxury goods sales) was already clearly stated on my résumé. Why ask applicants to waste their time just to be dismissed after five minutes? Is it so difficult for HR and the manager to read the applicant’s résumé carefully beforehand? This is extremely disrespectful! We are not only job applicants but also customers, and the quality of this brand is truly terrible!

Anyone planning to interview with this company should think twice!

Gordon Watches＿Senior Digital Marketing Specialist - Digital Marketing Executive

Job Description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. In charge of digital marketing campaigns to gain high brand exposure.

2. Official website and social media platform management.

3. Develop advertising and media strategies and execute marketing projects in line with HQ and brand partners.

4. Coordinate public relations activities including event planning and execution.

5. Plan and execute in-store VIP events and VIP recruitment programs.

6. Develop marketing materials and optimize brand visuals.

7. Maintain relationships and good communication with the media.

After taking a few weeks to process everything, I decided to write about this extremely unpleasant interview experience after all.

Because when I was preparing for the interview at this company, there were no interview reviews online at all. More than 30 people had applied for this position at the company on 104, so I thought I would share my interview experience.

I decided to wait a few weeks because I hoped to write this with as little emotion as possible (which shows just how unpleasant it was). I thought it might help other job seekers understand what their future supervisor might be like—or at least prepare themselves mentally! The following account may include some personal background and experience, so I hope everyone can view it from the perspective of universal values.

I applied for this position proactively. I saw that my application had been read on 104 that same day, but I did not think much of it and simply waited.

At the same time, I also applied for positions at other companies. Roughly speaking, I applied for about two positions a day (I received the interview invitation about five days later, including the weekend). Since I had listed my salary expectations for each job on 104, partly I hoped HR would see them first and understand my expectations. Using the same logic companies use when screening candidates, I also screen companies based on the experience and compensation listed in their job postings.

I have Who’s Call installed on my phone, so when the caller ID showed Gordon Watches while I was at work, I knew I should avoid drawing attention and went outside to answer the call. Once I picked up, the conversation was already somewhat uncomfortable...

The woman asked: “Is this a convenient time to talk?”

(I was walking outside.) “Yes, please go ahead.”

Woman: “You applied for our position. Could you explain what this position involves?”

(I did apply, so I guess it was my fault that I could not answer the call completely and had forgotten the details of the positions I had applied for over the past five days...)

I replied: “Yes, I applied last week. Sorry, I’m currently at work. I only apply for positions after reading the job descriptions. Could you briefly introduce this position instead?”

Woman: “Can you introduce it?”

I replied: “...It’s digital marketing, right?”

Woman: “Yes. I’d like to arrange an interview time.” (She then asked why there was an overlapping period in my work experience.)

I replied: “Oh, that was part-time work while I was studying abroad. I listed it on my résumé!” (I wrote ‘freelancer’... huh? Was that unclear?)

Woman: “Okay, I’ll send you a company résumé form and the interview time. Please send them back to us.”

I replied: “Okay. When should I return them?”

Woman: “By noon tomorrow. Please wear formal attire to the interview.”

＿＿＿Sharing the contents with everyone＿＿＿

Our company is interested in your qualifications. We are currently recruiting for the position of {Senior Digital Marketing Specialist} and would like to invite you to our company for further discussion.

The interview schedule is provided below. Please arrive on time. Thank you.

1. Time:

2. Location: 9F, No. 97, Songren Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City

3. Contact number: (02) 8780-5088 #15x Eileex

4. Interview duration: approximately 2 hours

The personal information form is attached. Please complete and return it.

*Please be sure to fill in your expected salary and references (supervisors from previous jobs).*

Thank you. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us. Thank you!

This résumé form was also difficult to complete!

Every question felt stressful, even when I read it. Besides the basic information, here are some examples:

1. What is your favorite watch brand? Model?

2. What are your strengths? What weaknesses do you need to improve?

3. What do you most enjoy doing in your free time?

4. Do you have any illnesses requiring long-term treatment? Have you ever had surgery? Committed a crime? Had a criminal record? Been involved in an ongoing legal case? Declared bankruptcy? Can you provide proof of creditworthiness? A certificate of good conduct? Are you pregnant? Do you have a part-time job?

5. Do you agree that your start date will be treated as a probationary period? If your performance is deemed unsatisfactory, you must accept the company terminating the contract.

6. Expected salary (I wrote above that I would fill this in after learning more about the company’s benefits system.)

Some foreign companies do not pay year-end bonuses and offer only performance-based bonuses. Alternatively, if the benefits package is very good, I would also be willing to accept a lower salary.

Therefore, regardless of where you interview, when asked about your expected compensation, I basically recommend that everyone first understand the company’s salary and benefits structure before revealing their position (right? You would not compare a traditional-industry compensation system with that of a foreign company; the same principle applies to salary and benefits).

The interview location was the building opposite the Apple Store. I arrived about 10 minutes early, but still ended up waiting for 10 minutes. A woman (probably from HR, and not the person who called me) gave me a personality test (10–15 minutes). After I finished it, she gave me an English short-answer test (5 minutes). The questions were something like... I do not remember them exactly... but broadly similar to these:

1. What achievements do you hope to accomplish in your career? What achievements do you hope to accomplish in life through your work?

2. What problems have you faced at work, and how did you solve them?

3. What was your greatest achievement in your previous work?

Everything was basically normal up to this point. The abnormal part was the moment the supervisor came in and sat diagonally opposite me. I was genuinely stunned. Is that proper interview etiquette?

Environment: a meeting room of approximately one ping, with a table seating six in the middle—two seats on each long side and one on each short side.

I sat on the right side of the long side facing the door, so I could immediately notice anyone entering and bow in acknowledgment. I assumed the interviewer would sit either in the single seat on the right short side or directly opposite me on the other long side.

Unexpectedly, she walked in and sat at the farthest diagonal seat from me. Without introducing herself, she said coldly, “Introduce yourself first.” As I spoke, she did not look at me even once; she just kept looking at the materials in her hands (my résumé and personality test). It made me wonder: Did she really want to get to know me? If not, why invite me to an interview?

Her manner of speaking gave me a sense of contempt. For example:

1.

Interviewer: “You didn’t write your expected compensation? So how much do you want?” (in a very aggressive tone)

I replied: “I’d like to understand your company’s benefits structure first, because some foreign companies do not offer year-end bonuses...” and so on.

Interviewer: “Just give me your annual salary! How much do you want annually?”

(She continued in a very aggressive tone and did not look at me once. Throughout the conversation, she looked at the materials in her hands while I looked at her and answered her questions.)

2.

Interviewer: “So do you really like Panerai? Or did you just research it in order to write that?” (in a very contemptuous tone)

Me: “I really do like it. When I was studying abroad in Florence...” [story]

3. Interviewer: “So, are you very familiar with watches?”

(I may not have answered well here. I thought I was being modest, but it instead led to more sarcastic comments later.)

Me: “I really like watches, but in terms of familiarity, I may not know them as well as fashion brands. However, they are all luxury goods, so I have been exposed to the relevant knowledge through my studies in luxury brand management.”

4. Interviewer: “So you don’t understand watches. Why did you apply?”

Me: “Huh... I didn’t say I didn’t understand them...?”

Interviewer: “You just said you didn’t understand them.”

Me: “I meant compared with fashion brands...” (Did you see the watch on my wrist?)

Interviewer: “Exactly, so you don’t understand them!”

Me: (Okay, I’m not going to argue with you. I do not want to work here anyway.)

After that, it was my turn to ask questions. By this stage, I already knew with about 78% certainty that this interview would not lead anywhere.

Whether because of the interviewer’s attitude or because I could not imagine working with this person, it did not matter. If the company culture was not a fit or the supervisor and I were not a suitable match, that was simply part of the process: You are interviewing me, and I am interviewing you. Therefore, this interviewer really did not need to adopt such an attitude.

However, the most unpleasant part came from the questions I asked afterward.

I asked:

1.

“What personality traits are you looking for when hiring someone?”

“You need to have ‘XXX,’ and you must also be very familiar with watches.”

Because this and that, therefore this and that; because this and that, therefore this and that; because this and that, therefore this and that; because this and that, therefore this and that......

(The ‘XXX’ happened to be the weakness I had written on my résumé!)

At that point, since she had made it so obvious, I decided not to hold back on my final question!

2. “Are you working here because you were already very familiar with watches, or did you only learn about them after joining?”

Dun-dun-dun-dun!!!!!!

When the interviewer heard this question, she finally—finally—looked up at me!

Then she said, very hesitantly, that she had only started learning about watches after joining and had been fortunate to meet a supervisor who wanted to hire her. Naturally, she had not let the supervisor down... She sounded extremely guilty. (I really was not trying to provoke you. I simply wanted to know how impressive your background was, given how dismissive you had been toward me throughout the interview, so I asked this question.)

3. “So you are looking for someone who is extremely familiar with watches, rather than someone like you who is very willing to learn?”

Dun-dun-dun-dun!!!!!!

Interviewer: “...Yes... That is my preference...” (You were the most guilty-looking person in the room.)

Finally, I smiled at the interviewer and said, “I have no more questions.”

The interview itself lasted about one hour, although the notice said to allow two hours. I guess that after I failed the interview with the manager, there was no need to proceed with the HR interview.

Honestly,

when you interview someone, they are interviewing you too. It is simply a matter of mutual choice, so there is no need to put on airs.

Also, take a clear look at your own past and remain open-minded.

I have been an interviewer myself, so I understand that many people who come for interviews may only be invited to take a look and may not necessarily be a good fit. That is perfectly fine!

But this experience at Gordon Watches—and this short-haired female supervisor with small eyes wearing a fleece jacket—really made a lasting impression on me! I hope she remembers why she started, rather than looking down on others after achieving success.

After writing and sharing this, I discovered that I was not the only one who felt this way.

Other people on Interview Fun also described this interviewer in a similar way.