Speak or keep quiet- when lead on hiring panel has wrong resume in front of him on a Teams video interview

[GON]

I was the subject of an interview today. The interview was supposed to be tomorrow but was moved to today. The lead hiring person called me twice trying to lock me in, stated I was a top candidate.

The Teams video interview consisted of a three-person panel, including the lead who was my point of contact.

The lead interviewer kept saying how impressed he was with my experience. I wasn't overly qualified for the position, so his continued comments were nice, but didn't make sense to me. About halfway into the 90-minute interview, I realized he had someone else's resume in front of him. He was the supervisor of the other two interview panel members.

Asked myself what do I do? Challenge the panel leader that he is looking at the wrong resume, so deep into the 90-minute interview? That might make him look bad in front of his team.

I chose to just go along and not correct the leader on the interview panel. Not sure if there is a correct answer to the situation. I default to praise in public, correct / counsel in private.

The job is on the east coast, so I wasn't very motivated for the position. At the end of the interview the leader of the panel showed his hand. He stated that he really thought I interviewed well, and I should keep on eye on the organization's vacancy positing, so if I was not selected for this position, his organization soon will have other opening he thought I would match very well with. I concluded I interviewed poorly and/ or they already selected the candidate prior to the interview, and he thought I was ok and would like to see me work at his organization, but not for this position for one reason or another.

 

[tcp71]

As long as he didn't directly show you the wrong CV in his hand, all his accolades should be interpreted as belonging to you. Mistakes happen and he'll be surprised when Don Cherry doesn't show up for the job...

 

[GON]

As long as he didn't directly show you the wrong CV in his hand, all his accolades should be interpreted as belonging to you. Mistakes happen and he'll be surprised when Don Cherry doesn't show up for the job...

He kept referring how impressed he was that I held a certain very distinct position, a position I never held. That was the final piece of information, allowing me to connect the dots he had someone else's resume in front of him- he was in fact interviewing the wrong guy.

 

[Passport1]

Imagine how awful you'd feel if you secured the jay oh bee because of someone elses misplaced resume.

Imagine how awful you'd feel if you found and cashed somebody elses lost lotto ticket for fifty million.

I'd feel awful if either case happened to me.

 

[ls1mike]

I have sat on a few panels. Not a lead, but if I had the wrong resume I would appreciate the fact the person I was interviewing corrected me.

 

[GON]

I have sat on a few panels. Not a lead, but if I had the wrong resume I would appreciate the fact the person I was interviewing corrected me.

It was a tough call. We were 45 minutes into the interview when I knew without a doubt the lead was reading off the wrong resume.

And my hands are not pure. It was an interview for a job I was not thrilled about, and a location I definitely didn't want. But, if this was the only offer I received, I likely would accept the position, but with the uncomfortable ethical dilemma that I likey would be pursuing other opportunities.

 

[TomYoung]

Are you getting a job offer from someone else's resume, someone else's address, someone else's experience. I would have corrected the interviewer in a non-emotional, non-accusatory way the instant I suspected he was using the wrong document. This is an opportunity to show sensitivity, courage, and problem solving ability.... and the capability to work with people. I would certainly hope for the same if I were conducting the interview. I would not want a job based on wrong background info. I don't think there is much to think about here. On the plus side, you would probably get a longer interview and have the benefit of learning from the preceding discussion, which is now mostly irrelevant to the hiring people.

 

[jhellwig]

I would have said something. If anything it makes you look observant and not just faking it.

The last part would steer me away from them. They have issues.

 

[I<3oil]

I have sat on a few panels. Not a lead, but if I had the wrong resume I would appreciate the fact the person I was interviewing corrected me.

Correkt

 

[GON]

Are you getting a job offer from someone else's resume, someone else's address, someone else's experience. I would have corrected the interviewer in a non-emotional, non-accusatory way the instant I suspected he was using the wrong document. This is an opportunity to show sensitivity, courage, and problem solving ability.... and the capability to work with people. I would certainly hope for the same if I were conducting the interview. I would not want a job based on wrong background info. I don't think there is much to think about here. On the plus side, you would probably get a longer interview and have the benefit of learning from the preceding discussion, which is now mostly irrelevant to the hiring people.

Not sure any decision is good. 45 minutes into the interview, bringing it up might have made the leader look incompetent in front of his subordinates.

If I desired the job, I would reach out to the lead and say that maybe e he was provided a wrong document in the packet for my interview. And I would provide him with the correct resume. But I don't want the position.

 

[TomYoung]

I would have said something. If anything it makes you look observant and not just faking it.

The last part would steer me away from them. They have issues.

Maybe not. Sometimes you can interview many people in a short period of time, and mistakes can happen.

 

[ls1mike]

It was a tough call. We were 45 minutes into the interview when I knew without a doubt the lead was reading off the wrong resume.

And my hands are not pure. It was an interview for a job I was not thrilled about, and a location I definitely didn't want. But, if this was the only offer I received, I likely would accept the position, but with the uncomfortable ethical dilemma that I likey would be pursuing other opportunities.

Come work at Bangor. They are always hiring.

 

[tcp71]

But it will be so much fun when they hire the other guy and expect you to show up. He'll look so different from his interview. Hilarity will ensue.

 

[GON]

Are you getting a job offer from someone else's resume, someone else's address, someone else's experience. I would have corrected the interviewer in a non-emotional, non-accusatory way the instant I suspected he was using the wrong document. This is an opportunity to show sensitivity, courage, and problem solving ability.... and the capability to work with people. I would certainly hope for the same if I were conducting the interview. I would not want a job based on wrong background info. I don't think there is much to think about here. On the plus side, you would probably get a longer interview and have the benefit of learning from the preceding discussion, which is now mostly irrelevant to the hiring people.

The organization not work for is having a super senior person visit with my bosses boss. My boss knows I have contacts at the super senior person's organization, and was asked to reach out to get the inside story on how to conduct the meeting, etc.

The response was easy, simple, and clear from the super big boss's organization. The super big boss not not like to get surprised under any circumstance. Nothing should be discussed, brought up that is not on the pre approved discussion agenda.

I have to make a decision, I chose to err on the side of loyalty. This is in fact a dilemma, correct a senior leader in public, or wait to do it in private. No easy answer from my foxhole.

 

[CKN]

I wouldn't buy a house in Arizona and even waste my time interviewing for an East Coast job- but thats just me.

 

[drtyler]

At the end of the interview the leader of the panel showed his hand. He stated that he really thought I interviewed well, and I should keep on eye on the organization's vacancy positing, so if I was not selected for this position, his organization soon will have other opening he thought I would match very well with. I concluded I interviewed poorly and/ or they already selected the candidate prior to the interview, and he thought I was ok and would like to see me work at his organization, but not for this position for one reason or another.

Of course, because you failed the test. He may have known exactly what he was doing.

 

[GON]

Of course, because you failed the test. He may have known exactly what he was doing.

Could very well be. But he had no reason to add this if that was in fact the result of a failed test:

"He stated that he really thought I interviewed well, and I should keep on eye on the organization's vacancy positing, so if I was not selected for this position, his organization soon will have other opening he thought I would match very well with. "

 

[drtyler]

Could very well be. But he had no reason to add this if that was in fact the result of a failed test:

"He stated that he really thought I interviewed well, and I should keep on eye on the organization's vacancy positing, so if I was not selected for this position, his organization soon will have other opening he thought I would match very well with. "

Could be his standard line to everyone.
Odd situation, for sure.

 

[y_p_w]

I would point it out and not have a second thought about it. Unless someone else has the same name, it would be pretty obvious. Pointing out a gross error is not going to be seen as an insult.

I think that might have come up before when I interviewed, where there were more than one candidate on the same day. But typically someone will come into a room and then pull up the resume and mention the name to make sure they have the right person. But if it's a remote interview, I've almost always had someone mention the name first.

 

[GMBoy]

The way organizations interview now I would wonder if the whole thing was test of your integrity.