We all do it at times I guess. I am great at talking about myself and relevant experience but when it comes to explaining the technical stuff I just seem to waffle a big pile of rubbish. Made myself look like a total newb in one earlier. Out of uni two years but couldn't hardly know how to explain oo programming, .net v php comparison/contrasts, whats polymorphism, and explain in detail what compilers are! Only had the weekend to prepare but really made a hash of it! Anyone else do this often and how does it affect the confidence afterwards? I am already in a job so it doesn't make any odds. Just wanted to keep the interview skills up, but i think they got worse that before!
Making yourself look like an idiot in interview
- Thread starter ringo747
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Caporegime
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I've only ever had 2 jobs. In university full time at the moment but for my previous two jobs I found that practicing in the mirror helps. Even if it is only your own reflection it still helps to develop your speech skills. Even better is to know what kind of questions the employers are likely to ask and then get a friend to ask you them, although that sometimes doesn't work, it depends how seriously you can take your friends.
I can do all the personal skills and business speel ok but non technical. I have no problem wording myself, I just don't know my technical uni theory no more! I just dug myself into so many holes and then they would pick up on words and just keep saying "and then what" until I ran out of stuff to say. Wasn't fun! It was a development/engineer role and its been a year since I have done anything like that but I don't think I have a chance. The first hour was great but the 2nd hour of technical waffle wasn't pretty! Was always going to be a hard choice if i was offerred it but i think that choice has been made for me!
I have only ever had one formal interview [didn't get the job 
] and it made my heart stop when they asked a question which was just beyond my experience/comfort zone. As it was I was told I had a good interview [so my blagging must have been pretty good] but someone better qualified got the job. Gits.
] and it made my heart stop when they asked a question which was just beyond my experience/comfort zone. As it was I was told I had a good interview [so my blagging must have been pretty good] but someone better qualified got the job. Gits.I wasn't even sure if I wanted to work for the company after hearing feedback from a friend who used to work with them but thought it would be good to keep interview skills sharp every year or two. Confidence dinted but im sure next time be better.
I once borrowed a friend's CV to copy the layout and changed all the skills/work experience etc. Unfortunately I left a paragraph in at the end saying I was a massive science fiction reader (which I'm not) and the guy interviewing me was a also huge science fiction fan and started chatting to me about books I didn't even have a clue about. 
It was the most uncomfortable I've ever been in an interview and totally threw me.
Luckily before I heard back from that job I was offered my current job which was 1 mile away rather than in the city so I phoned the agency and said thanks but no thanks.
It was the most uncomfortable I've ever been in an interview and totally threw me.Luckily before I heard back from that job I was offered my current job which was 1 mile away rather than in the city so I phoned the agency and said thanks but no thanks.
Lol, classic. That wouldn't be a nice moment. Its the reactions of the panel that are most off putting. You think you have just unleashed a massively deep and technical exposition and they look like you have been talking complete nonsense.
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Soldato
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Here's a laugh for you , during an interview for a web developer I forgot my own bloody URL. I had to Google my own site, not my best day I can tell you.
Soldato
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I'm the opposite I can "talk tech" every second of the day, but business "speak" is impossible for me.
Not sure. My answer was I don't know!
Soldato
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Was it an interview for an AntiVirus company by any chance?
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the interview itself I do fine, the tests that come with them I just totally forget everything. I mean everything. even how to do a php query or write a date in php. It's ridiculous though, I never got tests in education on programming, what would a test show them? heck they even left the room!
Nope. We don't have such companies in NI.
You just have to say to yourself that although it was rubbish and embarrassing, how likely are you to ever see those people in your life again assuming it went badly enough that you would not get the job? Ok if it was an internal one then...oh dear! But honestly, it happens. Interviews are cringe worthy at times.
My worst ever was when this guy literally laid in to me in an interview criticizing basically my life and the way/order I had done things. "distinct lack of commitment" was used to describe my lack of following up IT training with actual exam results by taking the exams at the end etc. I was quite inexperienced and didn't really stick up for myself and it really knocked me confidence wise until one day, in my current job I got talking to a mate who practically described this interview from hell identical to one I had had. I took the chance mid conversation there and then to ask if it was company X and a t0sser interviewer named X, and my now colleague basically said yeah that's the one. I then realized that he was obviously like that to most people he interviewed.
As Jay Z would say.... "On to the next one...."
My worst ever was when this guy literally laid in to me in an interview criticizing basically my life and the way/order I had done things. "distinct lack of commitment" was used to describe my lack of following up IT training with actual exam results by taking the exams at the end etc. I was quite inexperienced and didn't really stick up for myself and it really knocked me confidence wise until one day, in my current job I got talking to a mate who practically described this interview from hell identical to one I had had. I took the chance mid conversation there and then to ask if it was company X and a t0sser interviewer named X, and my now colleague basically said yeah that's the one. I then realized that he was obviously like that to most people he interviewed.
As Jay Z would say.... "On to the next one...."