Non-English words mean something too

I've been having a bad run with authority figures lately. I got "not hired" at the Hamburger Shack, which is totally funny and a little expected. I really didn't like the manager and usually those things are reciprocal. He was fake nice. He was very easily embarrassed, but obviously angry when he got to that state. If you asked a question he didn't know the answer to he'd be overly apologetic and very flustered, while shooting you death stares for showing him up. So he told me that they'd hired too many people (true) and that it was "nothing personal." Except given he'd known us all about 2 days, it was entirely personal. I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying that. (It reminded me of that, pretty bad, speech from "In Good Company" where Dennis Quaid tells the bad guys not to fire someone by saying "We're letting you go" as though it were a favor.)
This happens to me sometimes- completely horrible interactions with men who can give me a job. Like the time I applied for this summer teaching program and had an absurdly comic interview that went something like:
Interviewer guy: "You know that you talk really fast?"
Me: "Yeah. It happens more when I'm nervous."
IG: Are you nervous now?
Me: No, not really.

IG: Do you think you're 100% responsible for what you're students learn?
Me: I think you have to approach teaching that way
IG: But if you had to say how much was on you, what would you say?
Me: That I'm responsible for what my students do and do not learn.
IG: But how much?
Me: 100%
IG: You sure? It took you three tries to give a straight answer.

IG: Do you know what a nebbish is?
Me: Yes [for some reason I had, unrelated, been using Yiddish words all interview long. I think I was purposely channeling a pushy Jewish woman at this point]
IG: How would you describe it?
Me: Uhm, a nebbish is someone who is physically and personally small, unattractive, whiney, like Woody Allen.
IG: That's so interesting. Everyone I ask that always comes up with Woody Allen. Do you like him?
Me: Yes.
IG: Me too. What do you like the best?
Me: Actually I just saw Annie Hall, and Manhattan, for the first time, a week or so ago. I liked them both.
IG: For me, nebbish means, nit picky, critical.
Me: Alright.
IG: And for this job, you're going to have to let me be a nebbish, criticize you, constructively of course, and for you just to listen. Do you think you'd be able to do that?

IG: Any questions?
Me: No. (Laugh).
IG: What was that laugh about?
Me: I just thought this interview was strangely hostile.
IG: Really?
Me: Yeah, that we got off on the wrong foot.
IG: Really. Well, it wasn't hostile from my end, but you know, I'm the one in charge so...
Me: Yeah, I guess that's it. Thanks

Now I'm teacher training at Kaplan and I have the sinking suspicion things are going down this route with there as well...