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Thread: how to handle an interview?

  1. #1
    how to handle an interview?
    alright, so after a year of waiting and going around searching, I finally got well.......not an interview....but a "pre-screen" interview....not really sure what's the difference, but I know it's important, and last year I screwed up cuz I came in just saying whatever that came to my mind..... this time around, I want to make sure that everything comes out right....

    so......any tips?

    also, like, how to do talk you're way out if they ask about like why you're GPA is low or whatever? that's something that I've been asked a lot cuz I got a 2.8 and they want like 3.2 at least and up......so that's been a bitch to handle lately....

    and also, when they ask questions on like scenarios, then how do you prepare for that? cuz basically I can think of a hundred different possible things they can ask for that, and I can't just go about thinking all day....


    and well, is there a good reliable web site that has good info and tips on this stuff?

  2. The Drawing Room   -   #2
    Rip The Jacker's Avatar Retired
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    Just be yourself, but don't say things they wouldn't want to hear.

    If they ask hard questions, improvise, but be quick. At my job interview I was asked "Tell me about a time where you helped others solve their problems." I made some crap about one of my friends stealing a baseball card from another friend, and I convinced him to give it back.

  3. The Drawing Room   -   #3
    yeah, the problem is that I'm trying to correct myself from the mistake I made last year at another high tech company...I came in not prepared about anything, and when they asked a question, I answered it like how I just felt like saying it at the time (when I say that , I don't mean I was using slang talk or cursing)...but more like.....when i think back, I should've thought twice about what was going to come out of my mouth......cuz, you only get one shot at it, and that's it.....and well, I got an e-mail two weeks later saying "we found someone more qualified for our position".....so i knew that either they REALLY FOUND someone better qualified.......OR .......I MESSED UP ON MY RESPONSES in the interview and that pulled the trigger ......

    yeah, I've heard of that scenario question before.....hm......like, this is an e-mail company..so I'm wondering if they're going to be technical with me or test me on my behavior at answering questions......if it's technical, i'm screwed unless I start reviewing starting tonight......

    a lot of the companies these days are killing me cuz I got a 2.8 and they keep asking for at least a 3.0 or 3.2 and up......they just won't even accept my resume.....

    uh.....how do you handle the question regarding the GPA during the interview? like, how do you recognize it as being a low GPA, but turn your response so that it becomes a good thing......if you know what i mean? that's the main problem that I'm trying to think about right now, cuz I'm pretty sure that they're going to ask me about it.

  4. The Drawing Room   -   #4
    zapjb's Avatar Computer Abuser BT Rep: +3
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    Research the company. Ask questions & state facts from your research. Explain how you'll be an asset to the company. State you how know this is a chance of a lifetime (if this is true). State how for the first 6-9mos. of employment you'll put this job 2nd only behind your spirituality or whatever. Arrive early for the pre/interview. Dress nice, at least business casual. Work into the conversation (that's what an interview is) how your always early for appointments. State your strengths w/o being cocky. When asked what is your chief fault. Say something like when I'm assigned a new task. I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so new tasks take longer for me. But after a short while my speed picks up & others (prev bosses, friends etc) apreciate the quality of my work. Make direct eye contact at almost all times. Be polite. Good luck!

  5. The Drawing Room   -   #5
    great!! thanks, ...i've never used or thought of that word "spirituality" much...but yeah, when tomorrow evening rolls around, I'll put up an update of what I remember to see if it matches what you guys all mentioned as a predictability.

  6. The Drawing Room   -   #6
    vidcc's Avatar there is no god
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    I recommend answering questions routing your answer to the company.

    For example:
    If they ask you a question about computer experience don't just tell them what you have done. Tell them how what you have done can be beneficial to them. Don't leave it to them to make the connection for you.

    it’s an election with no Democrats, in one of the whitest states in the union, where rich candidates pay $35 for your votes. Or, as Republicans call it, their vision for the future.

  7. The Drawing Room   -   #7
    OH MY GOSH!! THAT WAS the WORST performance I've ever done at an interview in my whole entire life. Gosh.....where do I begin....okay, well, since yesterday, I went to an interview workshop that I found at school, and basically , they went over everything that you guys said, so that helped out. I went to their website and for like 3-4 hours I read and read and read to know the ins and outs of the company. I spent a couple of hours rehearsing to myself all the possible questions they could ask me, like the ones you all mentioned.

    I come to the place, I greet the receiptionist, and they lead me to a room where I'm all alone. First it was easy, just fill out a screening questionare and that's it. But then, it got crazy. I WAS SOOOOOO EXPECTING TO meet a person to get reach to shake their hand and talk to them, but what do i get? the receptionist gives me a three page handout, and tells me that "this is a placement exam, and you have 16 minutes to do as many as you can"....I look at it when she left, and all I see are math word problems.....like, ........not even SAT type of math problems....something else, where I should've freakin brought a calculator to speed up my time, but I was just shocked at the time cuz I was SOOOOOOOoooooooooo not ready or in the right MIND SET TO think about taking an exam. So I tried whatever I could, skipping the ones I couldn't do. In 16 minutes.....out of the 40+ questions they had...I think I was only able to complete and get to 24 problems. Thenn!! After that! she collects it and theN!!.....she gives me another packet,THIS TIME,....it's a java programming exam, with like 6 problems, all having to deal with coding, some of which were questions where I had to actually write or describe something, then some where like debugging.......

    THe thing is that......I"VE NEVER TRIED OR LOOKED AT any java coding in my whole life........I'm barely new to c++ ....although I saw some similarities, I knew I would be screwed at this, and it sucked, cuz I put so much time and study going into this, and this is the day when it's supposed to happen and I'm supposed to be talkin my ass off, and instead, I get stuck doing exams like I'm in school..... and after I finished those, a guy came in and told me that I didn't do well.....my math is sort of "slow"...and I told him that I didn't know java, so he was understandable....but he says, whether it's java, c# c c++.......it's all the same.....and told me to wait another year and see if I can program like the ones on the exam, THEN come back....

    the only good feedback he gave me was that my writing skills were good.....

    but damn, just got home from it, and I feel sooo bummed out.......gosh........that really sucked.....I can't eat right now.......I've just never put THAT MUCH time into going for a company that I wanted, and now it had to end so quickly and on a bad note like that.........DAMN>..............what can I say.......gosh...well, i learned from it, but still.............I .........I dont' know...just in a lost state of mind right now....

  8. The Drawing Room   -   #8
    zapjb's Avatar Computer Abuser BT Rep: +3
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    Tough luck, shake it off. You're young you'll get over it. It's not how many times you fall down. It's how many times you get up.

  9. The Drawing Room   -   #9
    vidcc's Avatar there is no god
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    what was the job?

    it’s an election with no Democrats, in one of the whitest states in the union, where rich candidates pay $35 for your votes. Or, as Republicans call it, their vision for the future.

  10. The Drawing Room   -   #10
    it was for an engineer intern for the summer......i didn't know exactly what specifically, that's all they gave me at the time before the interview..and in my resume and all, i had made it clear that I was more into hardware, and I put down that I knew c++ and all, but I DIDN"T state java anywhere, so I don't know why they did that....

    well, i found out when talking to the guy that their whole platform was java based (which sucks for me) and that most of the people there were senior engineers..

    oh, and also, they are a startup company that have been around for at least 5 years.

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