Interviewing for jobs

[stiltman]

[rant]
Is it good for a 1 hour interview to last for 3 hours? The guy and I talked all about IT, we are more or less his equals, but applying for a less job?
Plus, this job is a 10pm to 8am schedule......sucks! but I have to work or my wife my just shoot me, but that's a different thread

I did have an interview where it was a bunch of people (6) asking me all sorts of tech questions. I nailed all but 2 of the questions in less that a minute and the 2 I didn't were right but not striaght to the point in my way of thinking ( I googled the questions and answers when I got home). I thought I had the job, but they choose someone else....

Interviewing realy sucks these days for IT folks....they want a very experienced person to work for nothing....
[/rant]

[Faustus]

I once went on an interview gauntlet with a company for a position on their IT team. 5 different people interviewed me. I was asked questions from laser printers to SCSI configurations. All answered with a min. of difficulty.

They went with someone else, I think it was because I was 20 at the time.

[shelbyGT]

I'm interviewing in the Marketing arena, and it doesn't get any easier. I sat and talked for over an hour about work and business in general. I thought we hit it off great, but it wasn't meant to be. Let's hope my interview on Monday goes my way!

[VideoTechMan]

I hate job interviews....the last several weeks I applied at several different places and some of them I was interviewed....talked to like several people that took like an hour. Afterward, never heard from them since. I hate people and employers that waste my time and then dont get offered the job. Its like they ask stupid questions like "Why should I hire you?" Like DUH! I have bills to pay just like you do! Then asking questions that they hope you mess up on or answer wrong so that they wont hire you. Bastards.

I even applied at Target for a seasonal position as a night stocker (almost a no-brainer job), went through the tedious interview process, and thought I would have a better chance of this job since it didnt require alot of experience. Got a card in the mail a few days letter and it said "Thank you for applying at Target...blah...blah......at this time we are not able to offer you a position. If we have something in the future we will contact you....blah blah".

My interpretation of that was they wont contact me...so i tore up that card and threw it in the trash. F*** them. Dont bother to contact me in that case.

I guess former truck drivers are considered stupid and uneducated in the normal-type job world.

And what of these personnel tests that some of the companies make you take, like morality questions and math questions equivelent to the SAT's? I think they rig those tests on purpose to figure who they want to hire, and if you answer too many wrong questions, then they wont bother with you.

I can understand why some people arent motivated to find a job, because its too much of a damn hassle. Unless you know everything and have like 750 years of experience in something, most employers consider you worthless. Wish now I knew more about starting my own business and stop depending on other people for anything.

Job interviews. What a joke.

VTM

[redwudz]

I have the other side of the table most of the time. I have interviewed about ten people in the last week. The three of us doing the interviewing have about 30 minutes to ask questions to decide their fate.

Still I'd rather be on my side than theirs. We usually ask questions that delve more into personality and how they work with others. These are entry level jobs in the public sector and these virtues are more important than their experience and training. They will have to work within a small crew and be able to get along with each other and the public.

The ones we hire will have a one year probation to see if they will work out.

It seems when you interview a group of, say six; One will stand out, one will fail to impress anyone, two will be good and two will be fair. The problem is that any one of them might be the best employee you will ever find. It really puts them on the spot to perform and appear at their best.

Good luck. It's not easy to get a good job.

[offline]

I nailed all but 2 of the questions in less that a minute

What were those two questions, out of interest?

[Faustus]

I nailed all but 2 of the questions in less that a minute

What were those two questions, out of interest?

whats a keyboard, and there is no picture on a computer, there is no lights on on the monitor what do you do.

[offline]

@ redwudz

So what are some of the most common mistakes people
make during an interview? What makes a candidate stand
out in terms of their ability to work in a team?

@ Flaystus

We are not hiring any Mac people today :P

[sacajaweeda]

I think I've heard of this job thingy before.

[vitualis]

I hate job interviews....the last several weeks I applied at several different places and some of them I was interviewed....talked to like several people that took like an hour. Afterward, never heard from them since. I hate people and employers that waste my time and then dont get offered the job. Its like they ask stupid questions like "Why should I hire you?" Like DUH! I have bills to pay just like you do! Then asking questions that they hope you mess up on or answer wrong so that they wont hire you. Bastards.

People don't want to hire you because you have bills to pay. If that is your attitude, then I find it hardly surprising that there was somebody else who applied for the same job who did better and hence GOT THE JOB.

If you want to do well in an interview, you should first know what the job is about, who the employers are and what they want from their future employees. Its a competition between you and every other person applying for the job. If you despise your potential boss before you even have the job, then chances are, you won't get it, and rightly so too.

Regards.

[Capmaster]

The last time I interviewed for employment Jimmy Carter was the president, inflation and unemployment were both double-digit, disco was just finishing its last death gasp and men were wearing long sideburns and still wearing their hair real long

So I'm a bit out of touch with what it's like these days

[VideoTechMan]

People don't want to hire you because you have bills to pay. If that is your attitude, then I find it hardly surprising that there was somebody else who applied for the same job who did better and hence GOT THE JOB.

If you want to do well in an interview, you should first know what the job is about, who the employers are and what they want from their future employees. Its a competition between you and every other person applying for the job. If you despise your potential boss before you even have the job, then chances are, you won't get it, and rightly so too.

Regards.

I do understand your point. The majority of jobs I have done in the past were only driving based jobs, being a semi-truck driver and all, and dont have much experience in working with others because im hardly around other people to begin with. Thats why i felt it seems hard for a former truck driver to find a job other than driving because of lack of ppl contact.

To me, it seems like employers want too much nowadays. I cant remember the last time I even done a resume--most trucking companies dont even require one. But I guess for now im just not motivated to find anymore jobs at this point, since i spent a month trying at different places with no luck. And im tired of competing with other people, which is unfortunately how most job markets run these days.

VTM

[pacmania_2001]

My first and only job interview involved having a friendly chat with my now manager about the latest movies.

[stiltman]

I nailed all but 2 of the questions in less that a minute

What were those two questions, out of interest?

How does DFS play a role in active directory and explain how it works.

The other question had to do with a proprietary database that they use in combination with their routers for security access for MAC addresses. Basically, it's centralized access list. Funny thing is, I asked if they controlled and configured it, and they said no....Then why ask me if I knew how and what it was?


BTW, I have only interview for 2 jobs in my life. One job I interviewed for I never got. The second one I interviewed for it 3 times over 1 year and finally got the job...They were both within the same company. Was with the company 7 years

Prior to that, I just walked in and asked if they were hiring and got a job, but those 2 jobs lasted 15years

[NamPla]

I went for an interview, and passed that and went on to a group interview, passed that and then went on to another one-on-one. Passed that.

It was all for a F#%KING SUPERMARKET job.

I worked my guts off, unloading containers, setting the place up, all by myself in the docks...

Then I got told I wasn't working hard enough, so I punched the c&nt out & walked home & got pissed.

I've had it with dickhead bosses. You gotta work for yourself.

INTERVIEWS ARE DEGRADING!!!!

JOBS ARE DEHUMANIZING!!!

Personally, I couldn't possibly imagine being a "boss". I'd feel absolutely ridiculous, telling everybody what to do all day... What knobheads!

[Capmaster]

I've had a taste of directing people's activities, but not hiring and firing. I'd be no good at it.

I've led our production and engineering team at our fab facility in Kansas City, but only the technical aspects. Never HR stuff.

[NamPla]

Y'know, engineering & science etc interests the hell outa me. I could definitely work in a team like that. But I don't have the "qualifications". I wish everything was structured differently...

[Capmaster]

Y'know, engineering & science etc interests the hell outa me. I could definitely work in a team like that. But I don't have the "qualifications". I wish everything was structured differently...

It's never too late to go back to school and get those credentials

[NamPla]

It's never too late to go back to school and get those credentials

I'd love to, Capmaster. But it's too expensive here in Australia.

Tertiary education used to be free here. Not any more.

OK, now go away coz I'm gonna play my violin & have a sob...

[Capmaster]

It's never too late to go back to school and get those credentials

I'd love to, Capmaster. But it's too expensive here in Australia.

Tertiary education used to be free here. Not any more.

OK, now go away coz I'm gonna play my violin & have a sob...

[redwudz]

Sorry, it took a while to find this. It's a copy of 'Interview Hints' that I got a few years ago from our personnel department. A lot of the hints are pretty obvious, but still good to review, especially entry level. http://members.cox.net/sredwudz/interviewhints.rtf

The most common problem I see when doing interviews is not being convinced by the person that they really want the job. They may not do a a good enough job selling themselves. To see how they may work well with others, we try to ask questions on how they deal with problems with other employees, how they handle stress, and ask them to relate situations that involve these problems and how they handled them. As I said, the recent interviews were entry level and for some of these people, this would be their first real job. It's interesting when they are selected again for an interview, how much they improve. Takes practice.

I'm sure it's different with work like stiltman is interviewing for. Undoubtedly much more technical questions and a higher level of expertise and professionalism would be required.

For me, as an interviewer, I look for how a person enters the room, how they approach us at the table, how they shake hands and acknowledge the introductions, whether they have a wedding ring, if their hands are calloused, soft or sweating, just a hundred items. I don't really base my ratings on any of these. I would only use my observations for a tie breaker when two candidates are equally qualified.

I would tell anybody that my best advice for an interview is to be prepared for the technical questions and be confident and relaxed. The last two are the hardest, but most important, IMO.

[lordsmurf]

I learn things by "doing" and from repetition.

Therefore, I likely don't know anything about your company, and unless I start to work there, I really don't care. I can cram all week long, but when "test time" comes, I still won't know much about your company. Let me work there for a month, I may get a good idea about what it is, and how it runs. This is such a pointless interview tactic.

Having a job is solely about money.
Having a career is about providing for yourself AND doing something you feel as being productive in society (and are either good at, or enjoy). I do NOT eat, sleep and breathe to work. I work to maintain the ability to eat and live. My life comes before the company, and I won't even pretend otherwise. I will do my job, and do it well, but that is all you can expect from me. As far as I'm concerned, that had better be enough.

[VideoTechMan]

The most common problem I see when doing interviews is not being convinced by the person that they really want the job. They may not do a a good enough job selling themselves. To see how they may work well with others, we try to ask questions on how they deal with problems with other employees, how they handle stress, and ask them to relate situations that involve these problems and how they handled them. As I said, the recent interviews were entry level and for some of these people, this would be their first real job. It's interesting when they are selected again for an interview, how much they improve. Takes practice.


For me, as an interviewer, I look for how a person enters the room, how they approach us at the table, how they shake hands and acknowledge the introductions, whether they have a wedding ring, if their hands are calloused, soft or sweating, just a hundred items. I don't really base my ratings on any of these. I would only use my observations for a tie breaker when two candidates are equally qualified.

I would tell anybody that my best advice for an interview is to be prepared for the technical questions and be confident and relaxed. The last two are the hardest, but most important, IMO.

This method of interview is to me too much of a hassle, when they ask you a ton of questions like that. Its too much to have to cut your arm open to someone else like that and hope that it wasnt in vain. I've dealt with several interviews like this method, and have always ended up in failure. Thats enough for me to just throw in the towel because thats just too much darn work to get a job.

Like LordSmurf mentioned, I learn alot by doing also. You dont really know anything about the job or position until you actually work in it and continue to do it for awhile. And because of the fact that some people have not been around others that much, especially those involved in the trucking industry as truck drivers, have little or no people contact so therefore its hard to answer alot of those questions because of the fact that truckers arent around people day in/out. I can kinda see why alot of drivers stay driving because its too difficult to get a job outside of trucking just for this reason.

I will do my job also and will do what it takes to get the job done, but personally im tired of the psycological games these employers be playing on people who really need to work, but can't get it. Thats why some dont bother looking for work because its too much hassle to get them in this method.

VTM

[stiltman]

OK, I lost out on the latest job. She said, "we've picked someone that has more experience"...BS, I am WAY over qualified for the position!!! I asked her to elaborate, but she has'nt responded. I have a 3rd interview with one pre IPO company tomorrow. 1st was a group (4 ppl), 2nd was with 2 ppl, tomorrow is with the CIO of the company. My hopes are level headed after the last set of interviews....too damn hard to tell what they want to hear anymore.

[stiltman]

Sorry, it took a while to find this. It's a copy of 'Interview Hints' that I got a few years ago from our personnel department. A lot of the hints are pretty obvious, but still good to review, especially entry level. http://members.cox.net/sredwudz/interviewhints.rtf

The most common problem I see when doing interviews is not being convinced by the person that they really want the job. They may not do a a good enough job selling themselves. To see how they may work well with others, we try to ask questions on how they deal with problems with other employees, how they handle stress, and ask them to relate situations that involve these problems and how they handled them. As I said, the recent interviews were entry level and for some of these people, this would be their first real job. It's interesting when they are selected again for an interview, how much they improve. Takes practice.

I'm sure it's different with work like stiltman is interviewing for. Undoubtedly much more technical questions and a higher level of expertise and professionalism would be required.

For me, as an interviewer, I look for how a person enters the room, how they approach us at the table, how they shake hands and acknowledge the introductions, whether they have a wedding ring, if their hands are calloused, soft or sweating, just a hundred items. I don't really base my ratings on any of these. I would only use my observations for a tie breaker when two candidates are equally qualified.

I would tell anybody that my best advice for an interview is to be prepared for the technical questions and be confident and relaxed. The last two are the hardest, but most important, IMO.

I hear ya on all fronts..... I was a Director of IT

Now moving to a new town and a new start it realy sucks. I've interviewed a bunch of ppl and in different styles (group and one on one) The thing is, I haven't been to one Dir / Mangt position yet. Most have been entry level positions and highly technical. I can deal with them, but i would rather have others do it

Of the positions I've applied for, not one has asked for a SWOT...now that sucks!! what are these ppl thinking? I mean come on I got these tools at least use/test them...No...they want the technical crap you can memorize from any book...Lame

[vitualis]

It's never too late to go back to school and get those credentials

I'd love to, Capmaster. But it's too expensive here in Australia.

Tertiary education used to be free here. Not any more.

It's still essentially free... or at least very cheap. You don't have to pay upfront... the amount you have to pay back is probably only about a tenth to a fifth of the actual cost of the course, the government will pay you to be a full time student (which actually just about balances off the year cost of the course, not counting cost of living) and you pay back through your taxes (HECS debt is indexed to CPI so it can be considered a zero interest rate loan).

Not as good as it once was but if you are truly interested in tertiary education, you should go for it.

Regards.

[northcat_8]

During the interviewing process there are only 2 rules to remember.

#1 - appear to be a company man...IE, you want to work for that company because it is great.

#2 - if you cannot facinate them with facts, baffle them with bullshit.

[Capmaster]

#2 - if you cannot facinate them with facts, baffle them with bullshit.

Also a useful dating technique

[pacmania_2001]

Don't go overboard with the bullshit though. Claiming you were the first person to walk on the moon is likely to draw attention that you are bullshitting them, tell them that you were the 5th.

[VCDHunter]

Don't go overboard with the bullshit though. Claiming you were the first person to walk on the moon is likely to draw attention that you are bullshitting them, tell them that you were the 5th.

Just ensure its bullshit you'll never have to prove or use. The second one being very important - you'll only have yourself to blame if you tell them you speak fluent Russian and find yourself working with Ivan in Moscow.