Hi

I have had a few job interviews in the past month and I have noticed 2 trends at the end of interviews:

-The companies seem to give out smart (and expensive) looking brochures about themselves and their activities.

What is the point of that??? If I really want information about the company I can look on the Internet...and I doubt that I will be very interested in the company if I don't get hired. So what is the point of giving these brochures out to all the candidates. It seems like a huge waste of paper. The worst is that you can't really say "No thanks, I don't want your brochure" because then you can be sure to have blown your chances of being chosen.

-The interviewers always seem to ask for feedback about the interview.

FFS what are they expecting??? Do they really think that the candidate is in a good position to provide honest feedback about the interview? Of course I could say something like "you spent half an hour explaining some generality about the company without really explaining what I would actually be expected to do" but I don't because at that point I still hope to get the job.

They are selling themselves to you as well. It ain't easy to find good staff in many industries here.

As for asking for feedback on the interview, this is another opportunity to sell yourself. You can show your understanding of the company and the position (having read the large brochure they gave you). They want feedback because they need to know if they offer you the position you are likely to accept it.

job-interviews/international-job-interviews

This seems to be simply the Swiss job-interview technique
I can understand your frustration though, as it all looks quite artificial.

I was asked at my last job to put together departmental information for a small booklet. We then sent it to other departments in an attempt to get more respect, when really, all the company needed to do was earn it the usual way. To add to the department's laziness, we handed these brochures out to anyone who came to a job interview as a way of not having to bother talking about the department: "Here, just read this....now, which football team do you support?".

I'm guessing it's just a trend that has sadly caught on. Anyway, good luck for the interview.

When I attended the Polyinterview (sort of a job fair for ETH students), I came back with two bags full of that sort of crap.
Did not make it home, I kept the relevant bits and recycled the rest at Hbf.

But if it is only a marketing ploy to be remembered by why not give out useful things (well at least stuff that might be used) like a company pen or a block of post-its with the company logo on it?

At least if it is done in cynical, lazy way like in your company it is rather amusing. The companies I received them from seemed to do it in a very serious way...and I suspect some were even expecting me to read them

Thanks