Hacker News Reader

> Lastly on the way to a conference room on the second floor I walked a fair amount through the office and what was notable to me was that I didn't see anybody smiling or even anyone who looked like they might be enjoying what they are doing

Please don't ever make this assumption. I referred an acquaintance from school to my workplace (he was a great project partner, and I was the first of us to get hired after graduation, so why not?), and apparently when he passed through everyone was just... doing work. That was a telltale sign that everyone was grumpy to him.

I had to explain that we basically don't work at all on Friday afternoons because we're too busy drinking, we play pingpong religiously, frequent out of office events on the weekends, and in general it's just an enjoyable crowd. Random conversations happen all the time.

But nope, that one time he came through the office, everyone looked unhappy. Because they were working, I guess.

[...] frequent out of office events on the weekends [...]

That sounds ... very strange. Weekends aren't generally speaking "office hours", and more importantly also not "working hours". Having an "out of office event" in my world is when you're doing work, i.e. it's during normal working hours, but you're not at work.

Having frequent work-related "events" on weekends sounds like a total bummer.

Depending on the work culture, out of hours event is a minefield. At the very least, you should have an opt-out possibility and not looked down upon if you do opted-out.

Totally voluntary. Work just pays for them. A number of people opt out and no one judges them.

How do you know what your coworkers think?

Because everyone that works at Netflix thinks the same way. They ensure that with their hiring practice that alienates anyone that thinks differently.

I had to explain that we basically don't work at all on Friday afternoons because we're too busy drinking,

This also sounds like a major bummer -- aside from the fact that does smacks (way too heavily) of bro culture, it's incredibly off-putting to anyone who doesn't drink (or who does, but thinks drinking in the office -- or drinking heavily in the afternoon on any kind of a regular basis -- is basically pretty stupid).

If people are either happy or working then that's actually a problem. You don't apply to a company to spend Friday afternoon drinking beer, but to work, right?

The point is that it's not either/or. People who are working can be mistaken for people who are unhappy, simply because they're busy. It's an assumption that should be avoided.

First of all don't tell people what the should or shouldn't think. Not only is it condescending but its ridiculous. Also this wasn't an assumption it was an observation. This wasn't people with their head down working, this was eye contact I made with many people in different states of being at work and none of them could muster a friendly smile. That's completely different.

> First of all don't tell people what the should or shouldn't think.

But it's okay to tell them what to do?

I scowl fiercely and curse a blue streak when I'm coding. Doesn't mean I'm not having fun :-)

Not only gross, but wildly disrespectful in many cultures.

Anything can be wildly disrespectful in some culture

Being that its Netflix whose office is in California, it is American work culture we are talking about so yes this is considered disrespectful.

I find the "standard (American) work culture" wildly disrespectful. I mean, expecting people to wear standardized clothes and having them clock in and out? Are we in prison?

>I mean, expecting people to wear standardized clothes and having them clock in and out? Are we in prison?

Um, neither of those are true in any companies I worked at in the US except for a job in high school as a cash register attendee.

Work culture varies hugely from company to company. If that's considered ok at Netflix that's their choice, if the the guy doesn't like it just don't work there.

There are a finite set of cultures. "Can be" isn't a particularly productive claim.

I would argue that Netflix has it's own culture, a company culture. Perhaps if the commenter was really put off by this he would not be a good fit and it would not work out for either of them. I know there are a lot of protected characteristics you can't use to make hiring decisions but this does not seem like one of them - seems like Netflix hires form all sorts of cultures and only people who are not offended by other cultures choices.

The owner of the company I work for rarely wears anything besides flip flops and his feet are kind of gross. But who cares? It doesn't impede our ability to build cool stuff, make money and have plenty of fun. It sounds like you might be just as stuffy if not more so than the people you observed on your walk through Netflix.

I would have quite enjoyed the opportunity to try a recommended interview tactic here: "Mimicing the interviewers body language".

I have a question about your choice of words re the person who insisted on sitting with their feet towards you.

Did you suggest that you would feel more comfortable if they sat differently?

This doesn't make any difference for me personally but I understand why some people would prefer that the person not sit like that. However, if you did not express an objection with regards to how that made you feel, I don't think "insisted" is a fair choice of words there.

One of the meanings of "insist" is "persist in (doing something)". That's presumably the meaning intended by grandparent.

A common usage for "insisted" (in American English, at least) is "did so with no apparent consideration of the effect," in a generally passive-aggressive context.

"He insisted on chewing with his mouth open, I mean, ew. Gross."

The offender is generally expected to read non-verbal, and often non-expressed, communication of the offended's opinion.

Maybe that in itself was a test to see of people had personality or just put up with anything without much protest.

If so, seems like kind of a BS test to me. Job interviews are stressful enough without that kind of social experiment nonsense. There are a set of expected behaviors in an interview that don't necessarily reflect how a person would act in day to day life.

True. But all kinds of people play little power games. They know you probably won't say anything, unless you don't care and call out the emperor. Tough to say though, but someone selfaware should know this projects some kind of power 'play' and would avoid that manner.

Your suggestion that this is my fault for not objecting to the way my interviewer chose to conduct themselves in a professional setting is a joke. You must either work for them or be the person who was crass enough to behave like that. As another commenter said, that is a correct use of the word "insist." Look it up.

There is no talk of blame or fault. All the poster is doing is presenting an opportunity that you could have taken, and hopefully you may attempt if a future situation occurs, that could have improved your experience. People cannot see inside your head and that is why we communicate

The person conducting an interview is in a position of power. The interviewee shouldn't have to ask him to stop behaving inappropriately. It's the same reason prison guards get arrested for consensual sex with inmates.