I went on a job interview today and I had the strangest meeting with the HR person. She was pretty aggressive and almost rude, like when she asked me why I left my last job. I told her I was laid off and she just stared at me like that was a poor answer. I quickly explained that the company is having financial difficulty and that my being laid off wasn’t because I was a poor performer but rather that they needed to save money. It didn’t seem to impress her and I left with the idea I would never hear from her again.
So my question is - what happened? Was this a stress interview to see how well I handle weird situations? Could it be she was in a bad mood and I just happened to be in the way? Or should I just accept the fact that I won’t be getting this job and move on?
First, wishing you good luck in your search. If this is the type of position where she does a lot of interviewing, it is probably pretty hard to impress her. She’s basically trying to recommend the most likely candidates out of a ton of people who apply for the job.
The question you were asked is one you should be expecting as you continue your search. Some good things to mention if you were laid off are if you survived the first round or two of layoffs but were let go when things got really tough, and to sound like you understand something of the market forces that affected your previous company. A positive about how you did answer is that you didn’t seem to take it personally that they had to lay you off.
While you are interviewing, think of yourself as the salesperson and HR / hiring managers/ receptionists as the customer. The very best HR people will make you feel like a customer, but they won’t all do that, and meanwhile what you want is a job.
We can only offer you our best guesses and opinions. We cannot answer your question factually. Except, of course, if the HR person is a member of these boards. Which, going by your description, she might be.
Please read forum descriptions carefully before you post your next question. This belongs in IMHO. I’ll move it for you.