Tag Archives: candidate

Pasadena Roof Orchestra tunes, yellow Crocs, and an unsuccessful job application (Rousse)

Posted on July 30, 2023 by Dreamaticus

On the basis of his sudden disappearance, it was obvious to me that TPR had been lying when he said that all he wanted in life was to have me to himself. I wandered around the Manor House reunion on … Continue reading →

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Job competition (Rousse)

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Dreamaticus

I acknowledged that KA was a stronger candidate for the advertised post than I, but never expected to find her at the University on interview day, super-slim and chic in a smart silk dress, and gearing up to hurl insults … Continue reading →

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Escape from Brexit (Rousse)

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Dreamaticus

It was meant to be a two-hour morning meeting to discuss the requirements of the advertised posts and the candidates to be interviewed in the afternoon. About 45 minutes in one of my colleagues started an irrelevant rant about Brexit. … Continue reading →

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PhD in Middle Eastern history: the mock viva experience (Rousse)

Posted on March 16, 2018 by Dreamaticus

I was completely unqualified to serve as an examiner at this mock PhD viva. What on earth did I know about Middle Eastern history? I had been persuaded to participate on the grounds that I could ask all the standard … Continue reading →

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‘Intelligence calipers’ measure IQs of aspiring spooks (Rousse)

Posted on June 29, 2017 by Dreamaticus

The job advert had read ‘civil servant’ but I knew that the panel members opposite me were assessing my suitability for a role that included subterfuge, espionage, honeypots, and data decryption. I played along answering the standard interview questions with … Continue reading →

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Lucinda Legerwood awarded PhD (Rousse)

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Dreamaticus

BB hosted the viva in his office, HR chaired it, and the candidate – Lucinda Legerwood of BBC Apprentice fame – engaged in conversation with the female external examiner in Wolverhampton by Skype. I was on the beach when I … Continue reading →

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Kings Charles II and Cardinal Wolsey prime candidates for Obama replacement (Rousse)

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Dreamaticus

American President Barack Obama was missing. He could have been assassinated or simply resigned: nobody knew. Whatever the reason, we were now with the crowds on Princes Street to watch the parade that featured Obama’s replacement, the former Deputy President … Continue reading →

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Husband’s mystery trips to Manchester while wife heads north to Inverness by foot (Rousse)

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Dreamaticus

The day that I made the round trip by car to Manchester to fix JC’s blinds I discovered that TPR had made the same trip the day before and had another planned for the next. He claimed that these visits … Continue reading →

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Panel deals drugs at University interview (Rousse)

Posted on July 15, 2014 by Dreamaticus

I had been primed to ask the interview candidate about three publications that he used when teaching the Information Delivery module. One of these was co-authored by me, with the candidate himself. This was just one of the strange things … Continue reading →

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A poor choice of PhD examiner (Rousse)

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Dreamaticus

The second external examiner was a tall, blonde, bitchy New Zealander who arrived very late and immediately laid into the bewildered candidate. This was not going to be an easy PhD viva.

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