Whut?

By what did you say? - 15/06/2016 13:25

Today, I went for a job interview. The woman interviewing me had such a thick accent that I had to keep asking her to repeat herself. She got so frustrated that she ended the interview super early. I don't think I got the job. FML
I agree, your life sucks 13 584
You deserved it 1 200

Same thing different taste

Top comments

I've been there, OP. The trick is to affect an accent of your own until you're able to get her to ask you to repeat yourself as often as you ask her.

I always feel quite embarrassed when I have to ask the Indian subway employees to repeat themselves multiple times. I couldn't even imagine how bad that situation must have been.

Comments

I used to work with a bunch of Hispanic dudes. I couldn't understand a damn thing they said

This same thing happened to me at my most recent job interview. Not only did one of my interviewers have a thick accent, but she was also talking to me over video chat. Thankfully though, it was a panel of interviewers so one of the others was able to repeat her questions if I asked. I felt really bad about it... (I did end up getting the job, after a 3 month search!)

I'm sorry OP. :( I'm foreign living in the U.S and I get a lot of people asking me to repeat myself. This has never bothered me but I guess on some level I can see how it could be frustrating. However I do think that is unprofessional on her side because you not being able to understand her accent (doesn't in my opinion) have anything to do with how you work or the potential you have.

It does if it's a PA type of position, or something where they'll be working closely together. OP may also not have phrased his requests for repetition well, and the interviewer may have thought he was rude.

The same thing happened when I interviewed for my job in the IT department of an insurance company. Thankfully, they had teams of 2 or 3 doing the interviews (3 for the initial webcam interview, 2 for each of the in-person interviews), and for the webcam interview there were 2 people I could understand and 1 with a very thick Indian accent, and for the technical interview there was the same Indian guy and someone I could understand, so whenever I'd ask what the Indian man said, someone I could understand (who had been working with Indians for years and had grown accustomed to the accent) would repeat it so they didn't have to repeat it 1001 times. Very effective system, in my opinion. I've since grown accustomed to Indian accents and have very little trouble understanding them myself now.

Not your fault op, heck i have an accent (southern us) and a lisp, so i would have understood people misunderstanding me. Unfortunately some people aren't reasonable, good luck on the search!

Accents and low talkers - my two weaknesses. I spent most of my life in loud shops with air compressors and tools and grinders, etc beating away and then some Florida guy comes over and whisper talks (the closer I lean in the quieter they get). And, then, when we're really close, he whispers, "Hail Hydra."

ezrajab 22

This made me laugh soo hard! Sorry about that op

The real question is how to avoid accent.. Or there should some coaching to understand accent?