Interview - it's been a while

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so, I've got an interview this afternoon, and it's for a job that i really want. I've got all the obvious stuff (got my suit/tie on, lookin' all smart - yes, it's possible) but I'm wondering if anyone has any interviewey pointers.

Obviously I'm not going to be rude, and I'll be answering all questions fully and trying to enter into discussions where i see fit, but i know some people have magical interview techniques that'll have them salivating at the prospect at employing me; so what are they?!

And if you're a manager/you've interviewed before, what impresses you about potential candidates?

cheers *nervous*

 

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thanks mate

i've not got any questions, other than the mandatory "if i sex you, does that improve my chances?". it's for a junior developer at a web design company, they're redesigning the website of a "well-known pizza restaurant" and they've asked me to brainstorm (or whatever the PC term for that is, nowadays) ideas for functionality of a website, so i've come up with a few ideas and how you'd go about writing/implementing them, but aside from that i've not really done any preparation. i guess that's kinda what i'm looking for.

 

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cheers guys. about the handshake, no-one ever gets away from me with a limp handshake - i can't stand them. i think the only potential problem i'll have is making eye contact. it makes me really paranoid holding eye contact for too long!! i'll practice this morning; everyone will think i've gone mad!!

McD - i think they know i'm pretty keen already...when they sent me the application form, it was terrible, so i re-did it and sent them the template back!! wanting a promotion wouldn't be just for the money for me - i've spent so long doing a job that i hate, just because it's convenient and it pays...this job could lead into the career that i want, so i'm not too bothered about money at this stage, but i'm pretty flexible anyway.

if i'm waffling, it's for my own benefit!!

 

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with the eye contact, is it supposed to be maintained at all times, or prolonged intervals...i never know when it stops being eye contact and starts being staring!!!

Hanky in the pocket to keep the handshake dry.

that's an awesome idea! definitely doing that! i'm also thinking non-sweaty thoughts!

just say to myself they think im pretty

heh, good idea. i'll just pretend that goldilocks is interviewing me...i'll be ace on eye contact then!!

cheers for that search Nix

edit: bloody hell - he must've been bored!!

 

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the worst thing is i KNOW i'm going to need a cigarette before i go in, but i don't want to reek of smoke! and i don't want to smell of deodorant cover-up. maybe i'll have one at lunch, then straight after the interview. it's not even for the nicotine - it's for the nerves!!

 

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Thought you were giving up?

(That dig is for the "frenchie")

i'm not a full-time smoker anymore, but life's to short to begrudge myself pleasures just because they're potentially dangerous. i enjoy driving, but that doesn't mean i'm going to stop just because i might die on the way to work.

new philosophies and all that carpe diem.

frenchie

 

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Have the ciggy, then chew some menthol gum before you go in. The chewing action will flex your throat and vocal chords, you'll come across speaking clearly and comfortably.
Don't sweat too much about the eye contact when you first go in - keep it brief, raise your eyes up to him or her/ shake/ then down again/ release.
At the end of the interview use the shake to ask for the job -WITH YOUR EYES - I don't mean some Mind Meld situation - although if you're able to utilise that old vulcan trick then go for it - I mean just give him/her a level gaze of camaraderie.

Good Luck.

lol, thanks

i did think about doing vulcan evening classes...guess i should've done really!!!

i'll have to get some airwaves at lunch

thanks Karl

 

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good luck with the interview dude

thanks very much. and thanks for getting bored at work...i've written my 5 questions (3 questions, sir!!) and i've made some notes on decent replies for questions that i'd be unsure of.

luckily there was a few open-ended questions on their application form that got me thinking, so they already know how wonderful i am on paper

 

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well i just messed up an exam big time - so you better get the job - otherwise the world is unbalanced

i always feel like that after an exam...what was it on?

i'm so excited, i actually feel sick. i called them earlier to confirm the time. i can arrive anytime i want after 4, apparently. sounds like my kind of company!!

 

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i normally feel like it to - but i really really messed this one up lol - it was on Information Retrieval and Information Visualisation - sounds easy enough, but some of the deeper aspects are a bit :S

ah well - hardest exam tomorrow, 3 in a row suck

you gonna get there for 4 then?

what degree do you do? sounds interesting.

i dont leave here til 4, but my manager's gone now, so i might bunk off a few minutes early and get there on the bright!

it'll probably be closer to half 4! the last interview i went to (for this job) i instantly got on with the manager, started my interview at 2:30, left at 6!!!

 

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have questions, show interest in the job, don't make it seem that you just want the job for the money but that you actualy ENJOY working there etc

that shouldn't be too difficult, i REALLY want to do the work!

Computer Science degree - exam was on things like search engines, web crawlers, indexing techniques, how they work etc... and also how info is shown different methods, rules, etc... they decided it was quite a lot for one course so now are split up - shame they didnt do it last year, its hard studying for 2 things in 1 exam when they dont really link, gets confusing

that sounds really cool...i expect those are some of the things i'll be learning soon. When do you graduate?

 

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thats nothing, its my birthday and I was supposed to be going to the beach

you wouldnt want to go to the beech on a day like this (apart from Weston Super Mare, obviously!)...it's freezing!!!

 

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thanks for the good lucks

the advantage of it being a web design/development company is i did all my research from their site. got stuff to ask them on their training, company aspirations, big clients, potential clients, who they target...that sort of thing. argh, it's getting really close now!! too excited!!!

 

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hopefully it went really well. the company's pretty cool, really relaxed, but a really concentrated work ethic. it's a really small company (i'd be the 5th person) and they're really closeknit...they socialise together, and eat lunch together, and there's a guitar in the lunch room! the MD has, i'd guess, about £40k's worth of guitars!

so yeah, fingers crossed, if they offer me the job, i'll bite their arms off...i'm hoping that spending 35 minutes looking at guitars is a sign that they liked me!

 

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Glad it went ok dude , heres to you scoring the job .

Do you score any disability allowances for the hair?. Some places are funny about that.

that's the only thing i'm worried about. they have an access ramp, and company hats that i can wear so i don't offend the other employees...i've just got to hope that's enough.

 

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now a 5 days break before my next one yay

for lots of revision, i assume?

i thought it went pretty well. he said he liked the way i'd gone about it (can't remember if i mentioned redesigning their application form because it was godawful...but that's what i did!)