Interview Preparation

[AJ]

Well just to follow on from Fergals thread.


How do you prepare for interviews. What clothes do you wear, what questions you want answering, what questions you expect to get asked and how do you prepare the answers for them. Do you get any info on the company and where do you get it from. Transport, arrival time, do you take your certs/qualificaions with you. How do you handle yourself in the interview room, lots of eye contact, handshake etc. How do you handle the interview if there is a panel or just 1 or 2 interviewers. Do you take a pad and pen in with you.

Have you any good tips that you would like to pass onto everyone else.

I'll post my fav tips later

[ScoobyDoo]

I'll attempt to answer some of your points & hopefully others will do the same allowing you to build up a picture.

How do you prepare for interviews.
>> Learn about the company /job / industry.
What clothes do you wear
>> Play it safe: collar & tie with conservative suit & polished shoes.
what questions you want answering, what questions you expect to get asked and how do you prepare the answers for them.
>> Questions asked will try to assess your personality (fitting in/ getting on with people/ trustworthinessetc); how much you know technically etc.
Do you get any info on the company and where do you get it from.
>> Internet // phone their marketing people
Transport, arrival time,
>> Allow plenty of time - remember traffic jams, trains run late etc. Don't get harrassed
do you take your certs/qualificaions with you.
>> Yes
How do you handle yourself in the interview room, lots of eye contact, handshake etc.
>> Yes - look the questioner in the eye. It shows sincerity.
How do you handle the interview if there is a panel or just 1 or 2 interviewers.
>> Answer each person directly - look at the questioner.
Do you take a pad and pen in with you.
>> Don't see the point.

[AJ]

Sorry guys forgot about this one. Heres my thoughts


How do you prepare for interviews.
Try to find out the company either from their web site or from Companies house

What clothes do you wear
A suite - always

What questions you want answering, what questions you expect to get asked and how do you prepare the answers for them.
Basically any info they are going to tell you that you haven't got/need - it is up to you to decide this and what info you really need. Preparing answers for the questions you a likely to get - read the advert and job pack you should then think what they are likely to ask in a IT way. Other question you are likey to get asked can be anything, but if you've thought about them then you should get through them OK.

Do you get any info on the company and where do you get it from.
See first question, web site, company house, google search, library, local council, phone them up and ask the receptionist for a leaflet/info pack.

Transport, arrival time
Just what Scooby said.

Do you take your certs/qualificaions with you
Yes but only the relivant ones

How do you handle yourself in the interview room, lots of eye contact, handshake etc
Look the interviewer in the eye but don't stare, firm handshake but only if offered, sit down when asked to and if one of the interviewers comes in late and you are introduced then stand up to shake their hand, again if offered. Sit straight, don't sloutch, hands on lap or resting on the table.

How do you handle the interview if there is a panel or just 1 or 2 interviewers.
Always reply to the questioner. After answering I always think it's nice to glance at the others in the panel just to reinforce your point and to give the panel the chance to ask any follow-up questions.

Do you take a pad and pen in with you.
Every time. I have a folder that I keep my certs in and it also has a pad and pen in it. I write my questions into it and bullet points on company info. If they tell me something that I need to remember then I find it better to write it down (I have an aweful memory). I do, however, ask the interviewer first if they mind if I write things down.

Anyway there's my thoughts. Thanks for replying Scooby.

Lets have some more interview thoughts Guys.

[SiFor]

Found this on another site I've used in the past.

Seven Ways to Impress

• Be a good listener. Let your interviewer know that you're listening attentively by nodding, using facial expressions that make you look interested, leaning towards the interviewer, picking up on key words they've used and asking them to expand on subjects that genuinely interest you. But never interrupt your interviewer.

• Be honest. If you don't understand a question, ask for an explanation. If you're faced with something you really can't deal with, be truthful about it - it's more impressive than pretending to have the answer to everything. Use get-out phrases like 'that's something I'd need time to think about' or 'that's outside my present experience' to give yourself a bit of a breather.

• Be consistent. Many interviewers ask the same things in different ways as a means of checking you out. Listen to yourself as well as to them. If you feel you've made a mistake, put things right by saying, 'going back to what I said earlier about...what I really meant was...'

• Avoid the temptation to talk too much. If there are awkward silences when you've finished saying what you want, don't fill them with nervous chatter. Some interviewers use silence to see how you'll react. Pass the lead back to them by pleasantly saying: 'Does that answer your question?' Also, stick to providing the answer requested - don't inundate the interviewer with information they don't need.

• Be aware of your body language. Stillness is reassuring and fidgeting is a distraction. Looking your interviewer in the eye is essential, but don't overdo it - take your cues from the interviewer. A smile sets everyone at ease, but a constant grin is unnerving. Try to sit up straight. Leaning forward makes you appear attentive and enthusiastic - being slumped conveys boredom.

• Be positive. Even if your last job was the pits, if asked for your reasons for leaving, don't let a negative word pass your lips. Never say anything unfavourable about your colleagues, boss or job - it'll just make you look bad. Instead, say: 'I genuinely enjoyed my last job, but I'm eager to move onto a different challenge and use the skills I've gained'. Then, impress them even more by stating how those skills match the job you're after.

• If you're not asked about something that you feel is important, raise the subject yourself. This is your one chance to sell yourself, so don't waste the opportunity.

[AJ]

Come on Guys this is info for all of us. surely someone else has something to offer. Anything to help others to get into IT will be great. That's what we are all here for. if you agree or disagree please post so that we can build info for others

ps like the post Si loads of great info there Cheers

[tripwire45]

Ok, ok. I'll jump in.

Clothes: I always ask ahead of time what clothes would be appropriate for the interview. I know it sounds strange, but if the corporate culture is casual, they might not mind if you came in a pair of dress slacks and a polo shirt. It also would make it look like you fit more into their environment right away. I've felt very out of place in interviews where I was the only one wearing a suit (and having said all that, when in doubt, dress in a suit...it's better to be overdressed than underdressed).

Certifications/Qualifications/Degrees: I'd have to disagree. I'd never actually take those documents with me and I have never been asked to produce them...even when offered the job. Maybe everyone who has interviewed me (including HP) has been very naive in taking my word for it, but if the qual is on your CV or resume', most employers will not doubt it. You can ask ahead of time if it is required if you think they might want to see these documents and if they do, ask if a photocopy would be acceptable. I'd hate to risk damaging or losing a university degree or certification. They aren't always easy to replace.

How to act in the interview: I think this topic has been well covered in the other responses but you also need to remember that part of what they are looking for is someone who will fit into their team. You may not be able to figure out how their corporate culture operates before the interview but you can ask about it when you are there. Your personality and style...even your sense of humor can be fair game for an interview (no, I've never been asked to tell a joke in an interview...but it would be an interesting test of a candidate's character). Be conservative in your responses and your emotional presentation but try not to be a robot either. Most employers want to work with someone who has a little life in them.

Keep in touch if you don't get the job. I guess if you don't want to work for the company or are not interested in what they do, this wouldn't be so important. I originally interviewed at my current place of employment maybe a year and a half or more ago. I didn't get the job...only because I couldn't reconcile my school hours with the hours the job required. I really liked the company and I liked their product and the interviewer agreed to let me check in with them periodically to see if there were any other openings becoming available. When the tech writer position was created and I applied, both the front desk person and the interviewer remembered me favorably from my previous interview. It can help to leave an interviewer with a favorable impression of you, even if they don't hire you...this time.

If you can take criticism (assuming you don't get the job), ask the interviewer what would have to have been different for you to have been offered the position. Most of the time, I haven't gotten back very satisfactory answers, but occasionally, an interviewer has told me something about myself or my presentation that resulted in me turning in a better interview in the future.

[Phoenix]

Heres my take

Dress Code:
Well having pretty much always interviewed in London and the City, suit is essential, even if the company has a slacker dress code, a suit is it for the interview, even if you look out of place during the interview, your are judged on your appearance and the way you present yourself the the interviewer

Qualifications:
I'm going with trip on this one and saying I have taken, nor had to present my qualifications for a single position i have been for / got, even my new role in the Civil Service, which was one of the more formal processes I have been through, Remember, if your seen to be pushing your certs at the interviewer they may ask why, and may think your trying to get by just on that slip of paper, and not on skills and experiance, present them if asked, but never flaunt them about like they are the be all and end all

Preperations:
I do visit the companies website and find out as much about it as i can, does the company do something i would be interested in? what recent milestones have they reached? do they have any awards? how long have they been operationg, all this is valuable information, and dropping some of the company statistics occasionaly in an interview shows you have done your homework and researched what you needed, don't ofcourse over do it

Travel:
Again as mentioned above, be there early, but not too early, in the busy world your appointment may well be squeezed between 2 others so being too early can be a bad mark against you in some respects, dont walk in dead on time, and definatly dont be late!

The Interview:
Always speak clearly and at a level that everyone can hear, do not mumble, and do not fidget, dont talk your self up to much, but dont be hard on yourself, dont talk down your current/previous employer out of turn, speak and direction your answers to those who presented them, but try not to loose touch with anyone else in the room

and as Trip says, if the company really does shine in your eyes, and you missed the job through no fault of your own (you usually get informed of this in feedback, either it was your fault (they didnt like you) or it wasnt (someone else had more bang for buck) in which case, keep in touch, perhaps even go out with a drink with your interviewer, this shows your interested in the company and the people, not just the role, and they will look favourably on that when future positions open up

[Gaz 45]

I do as much preparation as possible:
research the company, their products and/or services
look at things like quality of their website/stuff they've sent you
find any questions about the company/position
remember what you wrote in your application!

Then I walk into the interview room and completely forget everything i've done.

Including speaking English

I don't recommend the last two steps

[tripwire45]

Originally Posted by Gaz 45

Then I walk into the interview room and completely forget everything i've done.

Including speaking English

Which language do you switch to, then?

[cazzam35]

Being a supervisor, I'm maybe on the wrong side of this
discussion really, but apart all the very positive points above
always be prepared for the unexpected, I always throw a
spanner in the works, to judge the reaction from people.

I work at present in a very tolerant public involved job and
you need to be able to think "on hand" and be at the ready
at any time....

The most pressure anyone can be under is the interview
situation (apart from marriage that is) and if you cope with
a situation under those conditions then your ok?

I tend not to really take notice of specific qualifications, but
as to how the people react and talk, that to me is the most
important part of teamwork/teambuilding and overall working
enviroment.

Apart from the obvious qualifications to do the job, they
need to feel part of the team and the team be part of them,
this in turn increases productivity within the workplace.

Any short falls within the qualifications level can be learned in
job or over time.

You'll all be aware that virtually every job your in never uses
your full knowledge or capability to do it.....

but working well with other people takes everything you
have, after all we all spend hours doing the job.

Remember you work to live - not live to work.

Happiness at work brings happiness at home ( mostly?)

[AJ]

Thanks for your input Callum, much appreiciated

[cazzam35]

Another point,,

I always try to calm the situation as most people before they
come in have been totally panicing.

I try not to judge anyone, but realise the pressure they are
feeling.

I would much prefer someone say " they were really panicing"
than to fluff lines and make stuff up and panic more.

If anyone has taken time to address the codes above, then
they have an equal right to emplyment.
I usually do second interviews too, which you see a more
relaxed light, as they have met you once and feel better in
your company.

I must be doing something right as the last three people
I've took on recently have really made great input to the
team i have, they've really fitted in well, and the standards
of our work place have increased two-fold..

It's hard to do, but try your best to be yourself, nothing more
and nothing less, try to act natural, but truthful

You may not get "that" job you want, but if you have to
pretend to be something your not to get in, then is it really
worth working there??

Something to think about really....Callum

[Gaz 45]

Which language? C++

[law123]

I have not had many interviews in the past as I suppose I have been lucky enough to be selfemployed for a number of years. But as I am looking at changing into a new career there is one thing I remember about interviews. That is when the interview is almost finished and the question comes up do you have anything to ask or add. How is best to respond to that question? As in the past I have had no clue what to say.

[Jakamoko]

If I really haven't any questions for them at the end, then I am honest and say something like "actually, you've covered everything I was going to ask". However, I do at least try and pick up on some things mentioned during the interview and ask more about them, but NOT just for the sake of filling in the silence - I think that that is really obvious.

I've found that researching the company beforehand usually leaves you woth a few questions - but I guess each situation is different.

IMHO