Recruitment Policy

[AdamV8V]

Was interviewing a candidate for a role in my team today:

35 minutes of general, boring interview stuff - experience...blah...skills...blah...biggest challenges...blah blah blah

Then as we're wrapping up...

Me: I notice on your CV you've stated "Cars" as a personal interest. Do you drive anything interesting?
Candidate: Yes, I'm actually lucky enough to own an Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

HIRED!!!

[Charvet]

Great.

But not sure about the "lucky enough" part. Sounds weird.

[KarlFranz]

That probably falls under the category of things that we are not allowed to ask during an interview here in the US. Also, if I was asked during an interview, I would never volunteer what type of car I drive as I prefer to keep that sort of thing private. FYI we are also not allowed to ask if they are married or have children or if the attend church or a myriad of other personal things.

[jonby]

Charvet said:

Great.

But not sure about the "lucky enough" part. Sounds weird.

If it sounds weird to some I can;t argue - only you know how you feel. But I sometimes use that expression - for me, it's just a case of trying to be modest - IMO if the candidate was for a £100k p.a. job, it's different to if they were applying for say a £30k job in terms of being comfortable admitting to owning that kind of car

[MagicalTrevor]

I'd imagine that the interviewee wanted to appear humble, in case the OP was the jealous type

[Charvet]

"Lucky enough" = found money on the street and bought it? Inheritance? Lucky that he is a Rausing?

Clever would have been "I have worked like a dog and worked my ass off and saved a lot of money" if the candidate wanted to avoid OPs envy.

"lucky enough" sounds fake-modest. For be it belongs in the same category as " 'er indoors" or "settee".

[Bincenzo]

Charvet said:

"Lucky enough" = found money on the street and bought it? Inheritance? Lucky that he is a Rausing?

Clever would have been "I have worked like a dog and worked my ass off and saved a lot of money" if the candidate wanted to avoid OPs envy.

"lucky enough" sounds fake-modest. For be it belongs in the same category as " 'er indoors" or "settee".

So there is no element of luck as to why you are in the position to own an Aston? Everything down to your own personal hard work? What a load of bks - we're all lucky. Adam, I'd have hired him - and not been tempted to give him a lecture on how to express his wealth/luck/magnificence. How's that beautiful car?

[yeti]

Charvet said:

"Lucky enough" = found money on the street and bought it? Inheritance? Lucky that he is a Rausing?

Clever would have been "I have worked like a dog and worked my ass off and saved a lot of money" if the candidate wanted to avoid OPs envy.

"lucky enough" sounds fake-modest. For be it belongs in the same category as " 'er indoors" or "settee".

'Lucky enough' he didn't get you interviewing him then eh?

And your 'clever' bit would have had me laughing, patting you on the back like the great mates we now are, thanking you profusely for your time and putting your CV in the bin

All different it seems aren't we...

I'm with you Adam

[Neil1300r]

KarlFranz said:

That probably falls under the category of things that we are not allowed to ask during an interview here in the US. Also, if I was asked during an interview, I would never volunteer what type of car I drive as I prefer to keep that sort of thing private. FYI we are also not allowed to ask if they are married or have children or if the attend church or a myriad of other personal things.

Yep, we can't ask if they are married, attend church etc in the UK either.
However, if they tell you they must attend chuch every Wednesday (can't work late) and will not ever work Sundays they may find they dont get the job.
Having to attend a Mosque every Friday lunchtime may have a similar effect.
Women of child bearing age - don't even get to the interview stage.

Owning an Aston - not a problem.

[KarlFranz]

Charvet said:

"Lucky enough" = found money on the street and bought it? Inheritance? Lucky that he is a Rausing?

Clever would have been "I have worked like a dog and worked my ass off and saved a lot of money" if the candidate wanted to avoid OPs envy.

"lucky enough" sounds fake-modest. For be it belongs in the same category as " 'er indoors" or "settee".

I guess fake modesty is better than real arrogance. However, I still think it's best to just leave the whole thing out of the resume in the first place and avoid the discussion being brought up.

[Agent57]

I recon that's all you need to ask in an interview:

What car do you drive and explain how you went about choosing and buying it?

The response will tell you all you need to know about the person.

[michael gould]

Agent57 said:

I recon that's all you need to ask in an interview:

What car do you drive and explain how you went about choosing and buying it?

The response will tell you all you need to know about the person.

Not sure about that......I owned a Smart car a couple of years ago

[V12woollie]

michael gould said:

Not sure about that......I owned a Smart car a couple of years ago

Exceptions to every rule

[KarlFranz]

Over here, if you drove a Prius or an early model Buick, I probably would not hire you.

[AdamV8V]

Wow, this all got a bit serious!

It was really only meant as a light-hearted reflection on a Friday afternoon on the fact I had just interviewed somebody who happens to have the same car as me. He's also called Adam

For the record, we haven't made an offer to him and I had made my mind up about him way before we got talking about cars (which was as I was showing him out of the building having gone through the formal interview process).

And yes, his use of "lucky" was very much to come across as modest / not a wker, and it worked for me. I often say something similar when asked what car I own, as I genuinely do count myself fortunate to be in a position to own an Aston Martin. I'd suggest it's an over-literalisation to think saying I'm "lucky" means I (or others) am suggesting some random series of events has led me here.

@Bins, the car is almost ready. It's taken longer than anticipated but that's for another thread! Hoping for collection next weekend when I'll give the details and share some pics

[GingerMunky]

I use the "lucky enough" rather than the truth that I worked my ass off in my twenties, because the term "working hard" has been hijacked by those that don't and won't have a clue what hard work or graft was if it slapped them in the face. For example some spokesperson defending a department saying "we have been working very hard to correct mistakes previously made, blah blah blah", when in actual fact they just work nine to five or as in adequately as they always have done.

So to say I worked hard can possibly engender resentment because others may perceived that they also worked hard and didn't get an Aston, not seeing that they didn't actually work hard and not realise such. Perhaps I'm just to cincical.

Also I have been genuinely exceptional lucky on numerous occasions

[Charvet]

Everyone is forgiven! I just remembered why I dont like the word "lucky" - it makes me think of Gladstone Gander (Donald Duck's antagonist).

[snuffy]

AdamV8V said:

Candidate: Yes, I'm actually lucky enough to own an Aston Martin V8 Vantage Roadster

I've never understood why people use the word "lucky" when referring to their possessions. People often do it when talking about holidays they have been on as well. What's lucky about it ? You hand over an amount of money, and in return you own x, y and z.

Did you ask them why they consider themselves lucky ? Did they win it in a raffle or something ?

[snuffy]

And do people still put their hobbies and interests on their CV ? Why would you do that ?