HR is staffed with women, who only want the PERFECT candidate.
Worse, I was once even rejected because I used a comparison, and was told I used the answer to "beat up on my ex." No, I didn't. And you don't even know her. It was an EXAMPLE, and we are friends. They also never asked direct questions, but rather wanted you to answer the question they were THINKING, not the question asked.
I KNEW when I walked in that I was in trouble when I saw the people who were going to be interviewing me.
@RoninGrey Remember: Interviewers are NOT experts at "interrogation" They ask the same questions every candidate. There is no elegance to their job. When they fwd you to your *actual* manager, THEN your competence will come into play. You will have to prove your competence to Him.
@sardonicsmile That's great advice. Thank you!
@sardonicsmile But I didn't think I was confused. They basically asked "What do you do for fun, tell me about it" but really meant "Can you complete tasks when you start something?" I only found out when I asked for feedback. If they'd just asked me to tell them about a time when I tried something new and saw it through I would have told them about my prize-winning attempt at building props and a costume from scratch. I even improvised a way to hang / spray since I don't have a workshop.
@sardonicsmile Anyway, the point is that I got the impression from my interactions with them that they were just LOOKING for a reason to not hire a raccoon with facial hair who carried himself confidently and was enthusiastic and welcoming rather than insecure and apologetic. It always took them a week longer than promised to do a single step to get me in there for the interview. They were terrible to deal with. HR was just as shitty as at my previous employer last year. Outright incompetence.
@RoninGrey ALWAYS ask to clarify the question. Ask, "I'm not sure I understand your question. What *specifically* are you inquiring? Which line item on my resume can I clarify for you?
You see? It puts the ball back in their court. If they are phishing then they are called out and will ask a better question. If they press the issue you can always *answer the question you wish they would have asked*. Word your answer in such a manner that it highlights your positive skills.