Put the shoe on the other foot and see if you would like it.[/size]
Tommy:
Take your own advice, there.
What if YOU read after the fact that when decision time came, only three of the eight candidates were seriously discussed, if your guy wasn't one of the three? And that only one of the actual designs was discussed -- and that in the negative? Wouldn't you be ticked off after doing so much work on the thing? To me, that's the important takeaway from this story, yet virtually everyone here has missed it.
I don't have any idea how Ron reported everything he did, since everyone is still under a Non-Disclosure Agreement, and since the selection was done in a closed-door meeting. Even if he had a source inside that room, there's no guarantee he'd get the true story. Nearly everyone is prone to spin things for their own purposes. But would it surprise me if Ron had most of those details right? Not at all, because that's how these things are usually done.[NOTE: I had to edit this post because the middle paragraph showed up in 2-point type the first time around. Didn't change anything else.]
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I would agree that nearly all losers in any design interview (even those get to be like a competition) are usually more pissed than disappointed, when disappointed is all they have the right to be.
Of course, every evaluator has their favorite going in, who has some advantage.
Of course, every committee has members who carry more weight than others.......
Of course, after 70 applicants, and 8 finalists, any of those 8 would have designed a fine golf course........and 7 wonder just what it is they thought the other guy did better, because they are usually pretty smitten with the plan or proposals they came up with.
What's worse is 3-4 firms is usually a sign of a more open competition. At 6 plus, you get the impression they are fishing for ideas, too, and give your plan to the winner, asking them to incorporate some of your best - and free - ideas if they can. Of course, that happens.......
In most interviews, most firms do something to turn off the committee. Of course. It may not be really justified, but if you have ever hired someone, think back and you probably eliminated folks by small flaw than selected on big merit. Human nature, of course!
No doubt, its a tough deal. But, we all do it, and live to tell the tale....after our non competes expire, of course.