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Re:What I Learned From Blowing An Interview by Beltiras on Tuesday November 24, 2015 @12:39PM (#10622195)
I had the weirdest let-down after an interview this summer. Like the author I thought it had gone fine but something entirely else was going on. The interviewer let me know the reason I was not chosen was that I used agressive micro-expressions and lacked diplomacy. I don't know if my love for technical excellence (a topic broached quite fully during the interview) or my anecdote of an anti-pattern at a previous employer was really presented with toxicity but my takeaway is that sometimes you have just been set up for failure and nothing can be done to salvage your chances.
Re:What I Learned From Blowing An Interview by giaour on Tuesday November 24, 2015 @12:49PM (#10622252)
You dodged a bullet. Any interviewer who judges you based on "micro-expressions" would have been insufferable as a manager.
Re:What I Learned From Blowing An Interview by mixmastamyk on Tuesday November 24, 2015 @01:03PM (#10622328)
What are "agressive micro-expressions" ?
Re:What I Learned From Blowing An Interview by mchu4545 on Tuesday November 24, 2015 @01:09PM (#10622356)
Keeping your arms crossed, moving your head back from the conversation, tensing of the body, etc.
Re:What I Learned From Blowing An Interview by chucksmash on Tuesday November 24, 2015 @01:28PM (#10622493)
If that's what I were worried about then I think I'd just leave it at, "we didn't feel like our personalities meshed well" or "we don't think you are a culture fit" and leave it at that.

"Aggressive micro-expressions" sounds aggressively silly.

Re:What I Learned From Blowing An Interview by seanccox on Tuesday November 24, 2015 @01:26PM (#10622482)
They could also be signs of a defensive response on the part of the interviewee, who may be nervous. It is also a typical response of any person trying to maintain their sense of personal space.
Re:What I Learned From Blowing An Interview by ericd on Tuesday November 24, 2015 @01:29PM (#10622499)
So, being nervous?
Re:What I Learned From Blowing An Interview by nmrm2 on Tuesday November 24, 2015 @01:29PM (#10622504)
In other words, nervousness.
Re:What I Learned From Blowing An Interview by dominotw on Tuesday November 24, 2015 @01:30PM (#10622512)
>The interviewer let me know the reason

I've never had a single potential employer do this, to avoid liability, I suppose.

To this day I have no idea why I didn't get the job at any of my failed interviews.

Re:What I Learned From Blowing An Interview by akurtzhs on Tuesday November 24, 2015 @02:53PM (#10623166)
I've noticed I'll get more feedback when there's a recruiter between me and the employer. But yes, it's quite frustrating when all you get is "not a good fit" when as far as you can tell the interview went well. Was it a technical problem, or a personality issue, or what?

If it's any consolation, I know exactly why I didn't get the position at a few interviews, and it's because it went poorly - they wanted experience with X and didn't feel Y was a good substitute, or I didn't solve the brainteaser, or other obvious issues.