Interview Tommorow. Getting Prepered

Stinky

Stinky

Stinky

Soldato
Joined
28 Mar 2005
Posts
9,250
As some of you know i finally had enough of being ****** around with my current employeer, so i applied to another agent that was looking for staff.

They sent me a later inviting me to a recuitment day, i then recived a phone call from the direct of the firm telling me not to bother with that and just to attend an interview to my convenience. I said monday or wednesday is best and he asked me what time (bit supprised that he was willing to work around me and my other commitments) anyway, there are 4 positions up for grabs within about 20mile radius of my house, the closest being accross the road :D

there are 2 people that he has called up and asked them not to attend the recuitment day. SO i am hopeful, this looks good does it not??

anyway 5pm tomorrow i have to attend Head Office, so have told work i have a denist appoinment and need to finish early :D ideal.

so going to have a shower, get changed. (this is where SCUZI comes in)

i am thinking of a dark gray pin strip suit, with white shirt and dark gray tie.

im going to get there 15mins early, with my folder i use for work at the moment, with pen and paper to jot things down. and i have come up with 3/4 questions that i want to ask them.

is there anything else i should think about before turning up tomoorow afternoon???
 
Aye make sure the shirts ironed, shoes polished, etc.

I've only ever interviewed one guy who came with a pen and paper. My boss at the time liked it - I didn't. The reason why I didn't was that I was asking technical questions and to see someone consult a pad whilst they were being asked was worrying (especially as they were way off). There's also the option of doodling with a pen which happens a lot when you're stressed so I personally would leave it at home (it's a 50/50 decision though some companies could see it as being prepared others could see it in other ways).

Personally I also think a black suit with grey tie would be better but that's just me.

Good luck!


M.
 
m4cc45 said:
Aye make sure the shirts ironed, shoes polished, etc.

I've only ever interviewed one guy who came with a pen and paper. My boss at the time liked it - I didn't. The reason why I didn't was that I was asking technical questions and to see someone consult a pad whilst they were being asked was worrying (especially as they were way off). There's also the option of doodling with a pen which happens a lot when you're stressed so I personally would leave it at home (it's a 50/50 decision though some companies could see it as being prepared others could see it in other ways).

Personally I also think a black suit with grey tie would be better but that's just me.

Good luck!


M.
Click to expand...

my pad will be blank, its only as i am required one as part of my job at the moment, and for the new job you are required to have one to carry around, basically i think it'll be an idea as i am jot down what is expected, what the hours are holidays etc things like that really.


also i have been asked to come prepered with my Salary Expectations. I dont have a clue on that one :(
 
In that case I can understand it.

Salary expectations is really hard. I guess to say you would be willing to negotiate should you get the position would be handy.



M.
 
i always take a pad into interview.

I only use it for my questions at the end, and then normally i memorise questions and just write the answers
 
i always take a pad, a copy of my cv, the job spec if there is one and a list of key attributes i think are important to the job that i match. i have also gone through and thought of examples for key parts of the job before and noted them down in case i forget.

when i say pad, it's more of a large A4 folder, it looks smart and professional, plus it shows you're prepared imho. providing you don't write reams of notes and read them verbatim instead of talking to your interviewer and answering the question i don't see a problem.

i'd think about questions they could ask you and how you would answer them, working into your answers the key attributes that you've identified in your preparation, for example, determination, commitment etc etc. depending on what it's for, they may ask questions like where do you see yourself in 5 years time, why do you want to work for us etc.

the best advice really is to relax, take your time, answer their questions and try not to mess it up :p

i had 3 interviews last week, got offered 1 (it was a 2nd interview) and invited back for a 2nd in 1 of the others. i'm handing in my notice right now, yes yes YES!!!
 
Stinky said:
As some of you know i finally had enough of being ****** around with my current employeer, so i applied to another agent that was looking for staff.

They sent me a later inviting me to a recuitment day, i then recived a phone call from the direct of the firm telling me not to bother with that and just to attend an interview to my convenience. I said monday or wednesday is best and he asked me what time (bit supprised that he was willing to work around me and my other commitments) anyway, there are 4 positions up for grabs within about 20mile radius of my house, the closest being accross the road :D

there are 2 people that he has called up and asked them not to attend the recuitment day. SO i am hopeful, this looks good does it not??

anyway 5pm tomorrow i have to attend Head Office, so have told work i have a denist appoinment and need to finish early :D ideal.

so going to have a shower, get changed. (this is where SCUZI comes in)

i am thinking of a dark gray pin strip suit, with white shirt and dark gray tie.

im going to get there 15mins early, with my folder i use for work at the moment, with pen and paper to jot things down. and i have come up with 3/4 questions that i want to ask them.

is there anything else i should think about before turning up tomoorow afternoon???
Click to expand...

is this Jon Hills? your fired :mad:










































good luck mate ;)
 
This is going to sound harsh but I don't mean it to be - when a young person has a really strong idea of what they always do for interviews, and masses of interview experience - isn't that sort of a bad sign?

Somehow I tend to manage to be a strong interviewee (going by feedback I've had), and the reasons I've been turned down have included over-qualification, high ambition (i.e. likely to get bored and move on too soon), and generally not being quite right for the job usually because I'm trying to get my foot in the door of the firm (i.e. I was "too creative" for an admin/comms job at Aardman).

I don't really have a good interview technique. I present myself well, turn up a bit early, have a few answers prepared for those daft HR-style questions, and that's about it. The rest just happens.

You know you're onto a winner when you get into a good to-and-fro conversation with your interviewers, and you have to almost force a break in order to crow-bar in the rest of the points you want to make - which you know aren't in your CV and they haven't gotten around to asking you yet!

If they start smiling, joking with you, talking about the social aspect of the group you're about to join, or looking at each other with "Oh, handy!" sorts of expressions, that's also a good sign...

So, I dunno what I do.

But go in, be amiable, get all the good stuff about yourself across (even if like me you have to say "Wait, stop, I've not finished with my bullet-points yet!"), and GOOD LUCK :)
 
sara said:
If they start smiling, joking with you, talking about the social aspect of the group you're about to join, or looking at each other with "Oh, handy!" sorts of expressions, that's also a good sign...
Click to expand...

I got that, but I've not heard from them in nearly a week :p How should I approach it when I come to call them?
 
sara said:
This is going to sound harsh but I don't mean it to be - when a young person has a really strong idea of what they always do for interviews, and masses of interview experience - isn't that sort of a bad sign?

Somehow I tend to manage to be a strong interviewee (going by feedback I've had), and the reasons I've been turned down have included over-qualification, high ambition (i.e. likely to get bored and move on too soon), and generally not being quite right for the job usually because I'm trying to get my foot in the door of the firm (i.e. I was "too creative" for an admin/comms job at Aardman).

I don't really have a good interview technique. I present myself well, turn up a bit early, have a few answers prepared for those daft HR-style questions, and that's about it. The rest just happens.

You know you're onto a winner when you get into a good to-and-fro conversation with your interviewers, and you have to almost force a break in order to crow-bar in the rest of the points you want to make - which you know aren't in your CV and they haven't gotten around to asking you yet!

If they start smiling, joking with you, talking about the social aspect of the group you're about to join, or looking at each other with "Oh, handy!" sorts of expressions, that's also a good sign...

So, I dunno what I do.

But go in, be amiable, get all the good stuff about yourself across (even if like me you have to say "Wait, stop, I've not finished with my bullet-points yet!"), and GOOD LUCK :)
Click to expand...

thanks,

i havent got much interview experience to be honest, when i called up about the position they said they knew me from where i am working now and would be very keen in talking to me.

im hoping that i will come accross well. i have a few years expereience in the line of work now which is obviously an advantage.
 
gumbald said:
I got that, but I've not heard from them in nearly a week :p How should I approach it when I come to call them?
Click to expand...
Now that's the only question I tend to ask for sure: "How long until I find out one way or the other?" Because I can't stand the waiting game.

Ummm, dunno, if you think you might not have got it by now, phone up requesting feedback on your interview. If you think you're still in with a chance, mention that you're keen to find out because you feel it would be a really good opportunity for you...
 
sara said:
Now that's the only question I tend to ask for sure: "How long until I find out one way or the other?" Because I can't stand the waiting game.

Ummm, dunno, if you think you might not have got it by now, phone up requesting feedback on your interview. If you think you're still in with a chance, mention that you're keen to find out because you feel it would be a really good opportunity for you...
Click to expand...

The parting comment was something like "xxxx will be in contact with you in a few days". They've got a folder of project work I gave them, maybe they're still reading it... :)
 
Stinky said:
basically i think it'll be an idea as i am jot down ... what the hours are holidays etc
Click to expand...

I've always thought you shouldn't talk about those in an interview. That's more for the offer stage rather than interview stage. Unless it comes up of course. People may disagree :)
 
nin9abadga said:
i always take a pad, a copy of my cv, the job spec if there is one and a list of key attributes i think are important to the job that i match. i have also gone through and thought of examples for key parts of the job before and noted them down in case i forget.

when i say pad, it's more of a large A4 folder, it looks smart and professional, plus it shows you're prepared imho. providing you don't write reams of notes and read them verbatim instead of talking to your interviewer and answering the question i don't see a problem.

i'd think about questions they could ask you and how you would answer them, working into your answers the key attributes that you've identified in your preparation, for example, determination, commitment etc etc. depending on what it's for, they may ask questions like where do you see yourself in 5 years time, why do you want to work for us etc.

the best advice really is to relax, take your time, answer their questions and try not to mess it up :p

i had 3 interviews last week, got offered 1 (it was a 2nd interview) and invited back for a 2nd in 1 of the others. i'm handing in my notice right now, yes yes YES!!!
Click to expand...

Congratulations.

To me carrying that much stuff around is an accident waiting to happen. As Sara said, an interview should be flowing like a conversation. When you have paper there, as an interviewer (I've only done around 5) waiting for people to scribble down notes and then read, sometimes verbatim, of there is pad is not flowing.

Having a job spec, CV, etc. is prepared but, for me, overkill. You're applying for the job so you should know the job spec and you should know your qualities off hand rather than a list you've prepared for the interview.

Congratulations on the job offers, etc. and I'm sure you interview well but that's just my opinions.



M.
 
m4cc45 said:
Congratulations.

To me carrying that much stuff around is an accident waiting to happen. As Sara said, an interview should be flowing like a conversation. When you have paper there, as an interviewer (I've only done around 5) waiting for people to scribble down notes and then read, sometimes verbatim, of there is pad is not flowing.

Having a job spec, CV, etc. is prepared but, for me, overkill. You're applying for the job so you should know the job spec and you should know your qualities off hand rather than a list you've prepared for the interview.

Congratulations on the job offers, etc. and I'm sure you interview well but that's just my opinions.


M.
Click to expand...

thanks and opinions accepted :)

it's down to what everyone feels comfortable with of course, and the type of job you're applying for. the way i go into interviews (especially as i'm already in a job) is that it has to be the right opportunity for me, so the first interview is as much about me getting to know them as them me (if that makes sense).

i totally agree with your conversation flow comment - reading verbatim is exactly what you shouldn't do! in hindsight, i did make a fair few notes in the first interview for the job i accepted but rarely referred to anything i had pre-prepared :D i suppose my book was a comfort blanket!
 
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