Interviewing
I recieved a call yesterday from a large bank down here in South Florida about a job I've been waiting a month to hear back from. It's doing financial analysis on large corporations (i.e. number-crunching monkey). I'm really excited to see what the job is all about. Now I just have to schedule a time to go in and interview.
I've never been a big fan of the interview process. To me interviewing is a necessary evil. It's an inevitably long, drawn-out process. Mostly you sit while they ask you meaningful questions like, "Why should I hire you?" or "What qualifications do you have?". I find that the younger the interviewer, the more they tend to ask annoying probing questions like "Define your skill sets", or my personal favorite, "Who are you?" Regardless of the stupidity of their question, you are obliged to answer all of them. Sarcasm usually does not go over well in interview settings. I don't really know why that is because after all, humor releases tension. It could be because interviewers don't really have a sense of humor. They are too busy thinking of their next burning philosophical question.
I think interviews could be shorter and more to the point. A friend of mine had to take a 20 minute written psychological exam as part of an interview. WTF? I have been on some pretty bizarre interviews so anything they throw at me shouldn't be a big suprise. Anyways I will update you with the progress.
links
Move over bass; man catches 124 lb. catfish
86 yesr-old NC woman arrested for harassing 911
Why do people horde 250 cats?
posted by blake @ 10:38 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Good luck with the interview! They are grueling and exhausting. I went through 5, back-to-back, in San Diego a few weeks ago. I got to give a presentation of my work so that was helpful because most questions were based off of that. They were pretty easy to impress. I researched each lab beforehand. They liked how I ask questions. Make sure you have questions for them as well. Feel like you are interviewing them. It exudes confidence. You'll do great! Hang in there.
Thanks! Interviewing is always a little nerve-racking but it should get better the more I find out about it. Uncertainty sucks.
Good luck, Blake! I used to be a recruiter for an IT firm and did phone and in-house interviews regularly. It can be both a stressful situation and an eye glazer if the interviewer likes the sounf of their voice. From my experience, here's my top 5 no-no's in the interview (all true, sadly):
1) Come to the interview nicely dressed. You aren't going to earn points if you talk about how you didn't get any sleep after leaving the bar last night.
2) If you have body piercings, take them out before-hand. Taking them out during the interview is both distracting and a bit gross.
3) If you were fired from your last job don't tell them it was because you couldn't seem to get to work on time.
4) When you answer the question make eye-contact with the person who asked it. Don't look way to their right and start to answer, then mutter to yourself and try to start again. Keep the other voices in your head quiet during the interview :o).
And last but not least...
5) Don't ask if that DUI from last month is going to hurt your chances of getting the job.
Seriously though, good luck and remember that if they ask you any personal questions like do you have kids, do you have a wife, how old are you that's it's against EEO regs. It may seem like a friendly inquiry but they don't have the right to ask. You can volunteer you're a family man who likes to play golf on the weekends after the kids soccer games but they can't ask it.
Keep us posted!
Thanks Shelly! Good advice, especially about making eye contact. I found that really does make a difference when trying to be sincere. I think it also conveys a bit of honesty too...
I find faking confidence really impresses people. Walk in there like you already have the job and are seeing if YOU want it. Shake hands firmly with everyone. Smile a lot. Sit up straight. Body language can say volumes. And sometimes, faking it can actually make it real.
Absolutlely, Rachel! If you walk in and are confident it will show to the interviewers. I know everyone rolls their eyes at the 'Why should we hire you' question, but really it shows whether you have confidence in your own abilities. It's like that whole addage 'if you aren't going to vote for yourself why should anyone else?' If you are hesitant and really can't tell them why you would be a good assett, they probably aren't going to gamble on you. Eye contact is key to making a psychological connection. Another hint...if the interviewer has a hard time looking you in the eye they might be intimidated by you (or people in general) and probably won't be able to handle constant eye contact from you.
Post a Comment
<< Home