Interview skills

[tuoply]

This is a catch-22 though. If it's directly related to your job, you're admitting you're underqualified. If it's not related to your job, then who cares?

I'd like to sharpen and focus my game programming skills so I can get out of web application programming. I'd like to expand my encyclopedic knowledge of design patterns and standard algorithms. I'd like to have a greater knowledge of all the cutting-edge technologies that keep emerging. But I'm sure as hell not going to use any of those in an interview. The first suggests I'm unsatisfied with my career path; the next two say I'm underprepared; the last one says I don't keep up.

I disagree. I'd prefer to have a candidate that can reflect on themselves, rather than someone who thinks that they know everything. If you can demonstrate the aptitude to learn, I'd rather know that. Rarely will you have a candidate that fits the job criteria 100%. Sure, core skills are important, but it's the intangibles beyond the guy who can put his head down and churn out code that is important to *my* organization.

For those things that you'd like to improve, why do you want to improve them? That'd be my response to you if you said that they were growth areas. If your response was to get out of web programming, I'd want to know why you'd want to get out of there... I would want to put you in a position that you want to work at, rather than one where you're not going to be happy. That doesn't help either of us...

 

[bernerbrau]

I'd want to know why you'd want to get out of there...

Nothing wrong with it. It's just the direction my career took, and I'm not unhappy doing it. However, I've always had more fun doing game programming and wanted to make a career of it, but in order to make that switch I need to develop games in my spare time while continuing on my current path.

In other words, there's nothing I can say that won't require a lot of follow-up explanation.

 

[zman]

I was told that when you are asked about a shortcoming you answer is as a positive. take me for instance. I am an IT guy at a Law firm and there is really no room for advancement from this position unless I want to move to Nebraska. The home office prefers to have most of the control in this area. I went on an interview for ****s and grins (due to the economy I am staying put for now). I was asked "what is your area of weakness? " I replied that it was on the server admin end and that this was due to my lack of exposure to the server side of the Network. However, I backed this up with the fact that I have my own windows domain at home and host my own ftp and Web Server and that I am a learn by doing kinda guy and will learn the information any way I can. So while I study for MCSE exams I have at least some practical knowledge. I hope this helps

 

[NJTomatoguy]

I am in the process of selling my house, to move closer to my family. That said, I have been interviewing, looking for a salary job- It would be fraud if I wrote my own loan, so I need to go to a Bank that I am not affiliated with to get a mortgage. I am a mortgage banker. I need a salary-

I interviewed for a job today- Hottie!!!!! was my first interviewer, made it past her. Then get Bertha(BULL DIKE)- Head Of Human Resources- She was tough, Got past her, then get Director of Human Resources- she was ok, we went to the same high school. 2 hours into the process, Hottie!!!!!! offers me the job.

Bernerbits, You can do it!!!!

Hell, I took a salary job offer at half my comission pay just to get a steady income job.
Now doing Quality Control for a nationwide corp. that manufactures plumbing supplies.

Have faith in yourself.

 

[Bedlam]

Okay, keep in mind that I'm a shrink, so I tend to think of things from the neuro/chemical/biological perspective.

For certain, specific environmental events that make someone nervous, I would recommend going to your doctor and asking about a short acting beta-blocker like propranalol (but not if you have certain health conditions. You gotta go to your doctor for this!). Beta-blockers are used for cardiac conditions and for folks with high blood pressure, but are known to block the physical signs/symptoms of anxiety, thereby stopping that mental anxiety to physical anxiety to mental anxiety spiral.

Important note: TRY IT OUT BEFORE THE INTERVIEW. You want to get the dose adjusted so you don't appear drugged or feel groggy.

works like a charm for a lot of folks.

Jill