So tell me a little about yourself....

I had an interview earlier today. Technically, it's a 'skills assessment' where the company wants to hire me, but the government organization wants to verify me against my resume. They asked a few of the bs questions, last book I read, what do I do in my free time, etc, but did ask some rather pointed ones as well.

One question I wish I could re-answer; while asking me about analytical software tools I listed having experience with they asked me to sell them on one I did not like. I picked one that I think is a good program, but not user friendly then sold them as to why I still think it's a good program in-spite of it. In retrospect I wish I'd picked another that I do not like at all and told them how little I thought of it and I refuse to sell them on a program I do not believe in enough to use myself.

 

First thing, I've always thought the "hiring process" is complete and utter bullshit. Reason being, I have never gotten a job by applying for a position, interviewing, etc. etc; not even so much as an offer. Out of the three jobs I've held, two were gained via family connections, and the third fell into my lap while drinking it up at a bar one night. But I have had my fair share of interviews...

Focus: The most recent interview was back in the spring, I went though the process of applying for an assembly line job at this Pepsi plant in the next county up. I aced a handful of tests at the factory they give to applicants, and was thusly invited to interview at an off-site location. Now this job would have set me up for life; close to $40k a year, decent benefits, not an unreasonable commute, I really wanted this job. So I go all out to make a good impression for this people, suit and tie, clean shaven (first time I'd been without facial hair in years), read up on the company in some depth, practiced and rehearsed for any questions that might've been asked. Even took a day off from my current job to prep for this one critical interview.

Well I get to the place and sit for an hour in this room with a handful of jerks wearing jeans, sweatshirts, crocs, and ten minutes before we get called for the our interviews this ol' guy walks in wearing rubber boots with cow shit up to his knees. Now keep in mind I do farm work, I routinely come home covered in shit and mud; but I was the only one there in a suit and tie. Now the interview with the human resources monkey goes decent; about as well as any interview I've ever done. I kinda fumbled when they asked "How do you think your farming experiences would transfer over to working for Pepsi"; I bullshitted through it and thought I did quite well.

I asked what the next step would be, another friggen interview of course, chatted for a moment and left confident that the job would soon be mine. Alas it was not to be...

 

Everyone else covered the weakness question quite well - you want a real flaw, which is not ESSENTIAL to your job, and how you deal with it. 'Public Speaking' is a great go to weakness - everyone hates public speaking! And its not what you're hired for in most office jobs.

ALWAYS have something good to ask for the 'And do you have any questions for us?' at the end. Ask A Manager has some nice examples here. My favourite is "What would a sucessful first year in this position look like?"

 

When I interviewed for my current job it was like an hour of mostly behavioral questions. My favorite was, "Why would someone NOT like you?"

"Tell me about a time that you broke the rules for a patient."

"Tell me about a situation where being a good listener worked in your favor."

When she asked about a weakness she said, "And don't say 'public speaking'! I want a real one!" So have a backup.

I don't know how, but I had like a Rain Man hour of Life and gave great questions. I normally suck at speaking eloquently, especially on the spot. Now that she knows me my boss is probably wondering if I sent my twin to the interview.

In a different interview I had to tell a joke. Luckily one popped into my brain that was work-appropriate, but I thought that was kind of silly.

 

Job interviews are like first dates, within the first few moments most people know how they're going to go. Of everything I've read, and everything I've been told, the one thing that has really had an impact is this, build a rapport, make it seem like its not a big deal.

Think about it, when a company hires a new person, they're not looking for the most qualified or best looking, they're seeking the person who can come on in on Day 1 and not have to think about them again. They're looking for a person who will fit in with their group and be able to work productively within that group.

I've been told many times, if you're the most qualified person, but you have trouble working with others, then thats pretty much a big deal. People will take an under qualified person who isn't an asshole, who works well with others, who fits in with the group, over the guy who is so dam brilliant he can't work with anyone.

 

Honestly, this isn't always true. When I'm interviewing, it's usually college seniors, albeit very bright and well-educated ones. I have the working assumption that their first three months will be anywhere in the range of useless to decent. I'm trying to figure out whether the person can be taught and whether they can think.

That being said, whether it's like that or like toddamus is describing is something that should be obvious with minimal research, before walking in the door.

 

During University I interviewed for a waiting/catering job. During the conversation I picked up the jug of water in the middle of the the table and poured myself a glass of water. Half way through pouring, the handle of the jug broke off and the jug slammed down into the table and shattered. It sent glass and water over the entire table. It soaked the laps of the two people interviewing me. At first I was shocked and really apologetic, but then I just started laughing and made a joke about how there was no way for me to recover the interview after that. The interviewers had a sense of humour and laughed with me. In the end, I think they felt so sorry for me that they offered me the job.

At the end of college I was interviewing for a job at the Federal Attorney-General's Department. It was a full day interview process that involved a group interview, a written exam and a solo interview before a panel. During the written exam session the girl sitting next to me was writing with a fountain pen. She must have been very nervous, because she put too much pressure on the pen and the end snapped and sent blue ink spraying all over me. I had a thick line of blue ink going up from my chest and vertically up my face. Almost as soon as it hit me I got called in to the solo interview with the panel. I didn't have time to clean up, so I just walked in with blue ink on my face and explained what happened. It ended up being a gift, I joked that at least they would remember me and that they know I am good under pressure. I got offered that job and I still use that story in other interviews as a fun anecdote if I arrive early and the formal interview hasn't started yet.

Probably the hardest question I've ever been asked in an interview was "Which fictional character do you think would be the best at this job." I was 18 and it was for a year long internship in Japan. I got the job and at the end of the year when I helped them replace me they said they don't even care what your answer is. They just want to see how you react to such an unexpected question. One girl we asked that question to in a phone interview started crying because she couldn't answer it. Another guy just fixated on it for about 15 minutes suggesting a string of characters.

 

But did the fixation-guy get the internship?

 

I have an interview today, my sixth this month. This whole process is frustrating, and this is the first interview I got from school. We'll see how it goes.