Author Topic: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts  (Read 72836 times)

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Offline Nick

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #105 on: March 18, 2013, 12:45:37 PM »
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Offline rumborak

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #106 on: March 18, 2013, 03:49:17 PM »
Lol, because of the impending snow storm in Boston they cancelled the interview event for tomorrow. Now they want to reschedule for April. I think I will use the opportunity to bow out gracefully. It's not the right career move for me, and it would be a total ass move to desert my group when my boss is already leaving.
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Offline lordxizor

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #107 on: March 18, 2013, 06:24:59 PM »
Lol, because of the impending snow storm in Boston they cancelled the interview event for tomorrow. Now they want to reschedule for April. I think I will use the opportunity to bow out gracefully. It's not the right career move for me, and it would be a total ass move to desert my group when my boss is already leaving.
I wouldn't let that stop you. Everyone basically understands it's every man for himself in the work world. But if it's not the right move, no point in rescheduling.

Offline rumborak

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #108 on: March 18, 2013, 06:46:29 PM »
Everyone basically understands it's every man for himself in the work world.

Yes and No. I'm the first to agree with you that your own career and life is the highest priority in all of this, but there's a danger that screwing over your previous group comes back to haunt you. My industry is very small, and people essentially shuffle between a small set of employers. If you got the reputation as "the guy who screwed over his previous team", that's not good.
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Offline wolfking

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #109 on: March 18, 2013, 06:49:12 PM »
Everyone basically understands it's every man for himself in the work world.

Yes and No. I'm the first to agree with you that your own career and life is the highest priority in all of this, but there's a danger that screwing over your previous group comes back to haunt you. My industry is very small, and people essentially shuffle between a small set of employers. If you got the reputation as "the guy who screwed over his previous team", that's not good.

The thing is, everyone of those people would have no problem doing the same thing if a better opportunity came up.
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Offline snapple

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #110 on: March 18, 2013, 06:51:04 PM »
I'm with rumby. Don't fuck over people who could come around to help you later. Fuck them over only when they no longer serve a purpose.

Offline rumborak

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #111 on: March 18, 2013, 06:53:02 PM »
Just to make sure we're talking the same thing here: I am talking about leaving at the same time your boss leaves. That is an ass move because the remaining team is totally fucked. In the places I have worked the coworkers actually liked each other.
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Offline lordxizor

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #112 on: March 18, 2013, 07:28:34 PM »
I agree that you shouldn't leave without good reason. A big promotion and a 40% raise... no one's going to fault you for that. Moving just for the hell of it... yeah, they might get a little ticked. I think the vast majority of people aren't going to hold a grudge if you move on to bigger and better things.

Offline Perpetual Change

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #113 on: March 18, 2013, 08:18:50 PM »
I dunno rumby. Your work let you take off for a world tour. Sounds like a pretty suhweet place.

Offline rumborak

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #114 on: March 18, 2013, 08:24:32 PM »
That's what I'm saying actually :lol
I only agreed to this Amazon thing because my boss (the one going to Amazon) was all raving about it and the stuff they will do there. He told the people at Amazon my name, and they contacted me. So I figured "what the hell, might as well just show up at their interview and see what they are all about". But then they sent me the benefits they have (with the little vacation), and now the rescheduling because of the snow storm ... and I totally lost interest. I'm not gonna take another day off just to show up to an interview I don't really care about. So, I called it off earlier tonight. No point in wasting either their or my time. And again, it would be such an ass move to leave alongside with my boss. Several projects would be totally fucked.
« Last Edit: March 18, 2013, 08:31:57 PM by rumborak »
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Offline Fiery Winds

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #115 on: March 18, 2013, 08:31:46 PM »
I say do the interview anyways.  Since your boss hooked you up with the interview, I'd do it simply out of courtesy.  You can always decline.  Who knows, they may surprise you.

I applied to a job where they rescheduled my phone interview twice, and I was about to throw in the towel.  When I actually went in for the in-person interview, they really sold me.

Offline rumborak

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #116 on: March 18, 2013, 08:33:56 PM »
Sorry, edited my previous post. I would have to take yet another day off for the new interview. I don't feel like wasting yet another vacation day on something I don't care about. There is nothing wrong with my current job. I make decent money with killer benefits, working at Amazon would mean lousy hours, little vacation and having to establish my worth.
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Offline Fiery Winds

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #117 on: March 18, 2013, 08:37:33 PM »
It always comes down to vacation.  :lol

Offline rumborak

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #118 on: March 18, 2013, 08:38:49 PM »
To me it does. My idea of work-life balance is very different from Americans, and I tend to keep it that way :lol
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Offline Fiery Winds

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #119 on: March 18, 2013, 08:52:10 PM »
I wonder how much is due to the current system in America vs. the desires of the workforce.  I'd love to be able to take a decent sized vacation every year, but employer expectations don't really mesh well with that idea.

Offline axeman90210

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #120 on: March 19, 2013, 03:12:56 PM »
I'm waiting to hear back from Citi, having interviewed with them last week. A friend of mine who works there now (and brought my resume to the attention of HR) said I was basically a shoo-in as long as I could talk about the experiences on my resume and didn't fuck up the interview (which I don't think I did). The interview was on the 5th, and I was told I'd hear from them "early next week". HR emailed me on the 12th asking what my salary was this year and the previous two, and I haven't heard since (and of course my friend is now on vacation). How long should I wait to follow up with them?

I've never been good with knowing follow-up timing.  You did hear from them on schedule, just not with an answer.  Maybe Monday?

So I'm at a week now since they asked for my recent salary history. I was thinking I'd send the HR contact I've been dealing with a short email saying that I just wanted to follow up and see if they needed any further information from me during this process. Thoughts?
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Offline Perpetual Change

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #121 on: March 19, 2013, 06:03:43 PM »
To me it does. My idea of work-life balance is very different from Americans, and I tend to keep it that way :lol

Everyone's should be, I think. I was pining recently on the fact that I have 5 waking hours per day when I'm not working.

Offline millahh

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #122 on: March 19, 2013, 06:04:40 PM »
I'm waiting to hear back from Citi, having interviewed with them last week. A friend of mine who works there now (and brought my resume to the attention of HR) said I was basically a shoo-in as long as I could talk about the experiences on my resume and didn't fuck up the interview (which I don't think I did). The interview was on the 5th, and I was told I'd hear from them "early next week". HR emailed me on the 12th asking what my salary was this year and the previous two, and I haven't heard since (and of course my friend is now on vacation). How long should I wait to follow up with them?

I've never been good with knowing follow-up timing.  You did hear from them on schedule, just not with an answer.  Maybe Monday?

So I'm at a week now since they asked for my recent salary history. I was thinking I'd send the HR contact I've been dealing with a short email saying that I just wanted to follow up and see if they needed any further information from me during this process. Thoughts?

Seems reasonable.  Do it!
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Offline lordxizor

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #123 on: March 19, 2013, 07:08:01 PM »
Completely reasonable. Be sure to reiterate that you're very interested in the position and maybe drop a reason or two why you think you'd be a good fit.

Offline rumborak

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #124 on: March 19, 2013, 07:55:24 PM »
What are good job sites these days? Back in the day I used monster.com. Anything else you guys can recommend?
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Offline Perpetual Change

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #125 on: March 19, 2013, 07:57:53 PM »
I always got a decent yield from Indeed when I was looking, as well as LinkedIn.

I don't trust Monster or Career Builder anymore. As soon as I posted my resume on those sites, my phone started getting spammed with Insurance Companies looking for new salesmen.

Offline millahh

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #126 on: March 19, 2013, 08:03:47 PM »
Most of the recruiters that call me have found me via LinkedIn.  There are a ton of recruiters on there, and most of them are eager to make connections.
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Offline axeman90210

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #127 on: March 23, 2013, 06:33:05 PM »

So I'm at a week now since they asked for my recent salary history. I was thinking I'd send the HR contact I've been dealing with a short email saying that I just wanted to follow up and see if they needed any further information from me during this process. Thoughts?

I emailed my HR contact on Wednesday morning, and about a day later he got back to me to let me know that Citi is preparing to make me an offer, and they're just waiting for everything to be approved. Great news obviously, but that's going to lead to something I've never experienced before, a salary negotiation.

Now, when I was filling out my application there was a spot for "requested salary", and I filled in $55,000, not wanting to put too high a number and freak them out. I was also quite honest in providing my salary history (suffice to say, making a good deal less than 55K). After I submitted my application I got the chance to speak with a contact at another company, and was informed that at that firm, a person starting in the same position would probably make $65-75K a year. Now, I would never go back on my word and ask for more than I put down, but should I be a bit more firm in my number (or coming close to it) given this information?
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Offline Orbert

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #128 on: March 23, 2013, 08:37:45 PM »
Start high.  It's the starting point for the negotiations, not the final amount.  If you shoot too low, they'll just say "Okay" and that's what you get.

I made the same mistake when I took the job I'm in now.  I was at the end of my temp contract and managed to land an offer for a salaried position from another company.  But I would've had to relocate, and I hate moving.  The place I was temping at offerred me a salaried position as well, which was great.  They asked how much I wanted, and I added 10% to the other company's offer.  He said "Done".  Didn't even hesitate.  I knew that I'd aimed too low.  I should've aimed even higher, and if we haggled and ended up somewhere in the middle, then fine, I would've had that much more to start.

Offline nightmare_cinema

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #129 on: March 24, 2013, 11:28:08 AM »
I once interviewed for a security position at a local category C male prison, 400 applicants, 30 people were interviewed and of those, 1 got the job and 14 made a backup list for future jobs. I only made it to the interview stage, which was a panel of three people. I thought it went really well, I knew the answers to 90% of the questions (i.e. I'd researched the occupancy of the prison, its history, who the governor was, what category 'C' meant as opposed to a B or A category jail, which other prisons were in the area etc. etc. but I didn't get a couple of answers right to questions like it's midnight, you're doing a perimeter walk and come across a ladder up against the wall. Your radio is broken. What do you do?'

Anyway I thought it went well and was hoping to make at least the short list, but I didn't get through, so I wrote to the main interviewer for some feedback. He told me I interviewed really well but if they had any advice it was that I came across a little too over-confident. I was pretty confused by this as I did feel confident, but also thought confidence might be something they were looking for as a female working in a male prison (I've done a lot of prison voluntary work and you cannot show weakness, ever).

I bear it in mind for future interviews anyway but most people I spoke to said don't worry too much about it, be yourself and you can't go wrong. Some interviewers will specifically want confident people, and be put off if you don't seem strong enough. So don't try and second-guess how you come across. I try and make sure I don't seem cocky or arrogant anymore, though. I could also have failed because of my medical disclosure which without going into details makes me look unreliable, but they can't obviously say my health is one of the reasons I got rejected.

Not getting that job was a great thing to happen anyway as it meant I was free to take up other voluntary positions in the jail which in turn led to me getting enough experience to get onto my social work Masters course, which is going to make me a qualified social worker and give me way better job prospects than grunt-level work in a prison. But I wrote back and thanked him for taking the time to give me feedback.
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Offline axeman90210

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #130 on: March 25, 2013, 12:05:22 AM »
Start high.  It's the starting point for the negotiations, not the final amount.  If you shoot too low, they'll just say "Okay" and that's what you get.

I made the same mistake when I took the job I'm in now.  I was at the end of my temp contract and managed to land an offer for a salaried position from another company.  But I would've had to relocate, and I hate moving.  The place I was temping at offerred me a salaried position as well, which was great.  They asked how much I wanted, and I added 10% to the other company's offer.  He said "Done".  Didn't even hesitate.  I knew that I'd aimed too low.  I should've aimed even higher, and if we haggled and ended up somewhere in the middle, then fine, I would've had that much more to start.

I guess I worry that by putting down 55K before I found out that the starting range at a comparable company is 65-75K I've cost myself the ability to start high. Should I just then be a bit more firm with the number I put down than I might otherwise?
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Offline Orbert

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #131 on: March 25, 2013, 07:28:31 AM »
Well, if you've already said 55K and it's that much lower than what you'd get at other companies, then I'd say hold firm to it.  They might try to negotiate, but if they really want you, they won't push too hard if you hold firm.  You already know that you can do better, and I'm sure they do, too.  So it comes down to how badly you want the job, and how badly they want you.  If they try to get you to go lower, and won't pay you what you both already know is less than what you could get elsewhere, they don't really want you.  That's where it gets tough.  A bird in the hand.

Offline axeman90210

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #132 on: March 25, 2013, 09:01:05 PM »
Got the call and the offer from them today. Their offer was 50K a year, and the position is overtime eligible. Given that I know the job will in all likelihood involve me working overtime every month I decided to take it. The 12 vacation days per year to start didn't hurt either. I start April 8th :hat
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Offline Fiery Winds

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #133 on: March 25, 2013, 09:11:10 PM »
Congrats!  I might have asked to think about it for a day, and coming back with a "I'd love to accept your offer, but [insert request(s) and argument(s) to back it up], do you think we can work something out?"

Still, sounds like a sweet gig!

Offline Orbert

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #134 on: March 25, 2013, 09:16:27 PM »
Congrats on landing a gig.  It still seems like they lowballed you, but these days, you can't always be choosy.

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #135 on: March 25, 2013, 09:33:38 PM »
Yeah, I mean I thought about doing something like that, but what it comes down to is that I got out of grad school two and a half years ago and I've been working in a restaurant the whole time since, so getting into the field that I actually studied for was more important than anything else. Although, if they had offered less than 50 I probably would have tried to negotiate a little bit.
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Offline Phoenix87x

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #136 on: March 29, 2013, 11:39:17 AM »
So I had a job interview this morning and it was quite different than anything I had experienced before. Instead of the formal, traditional, sit down interview, instead this was a online recorded interview, where I recorded myself via web-cam.

Really wild experience, since it felt more like auditioning for a play rather than a job interview, since I had lines to try and get out without messing up. It took over an hour to record 6 minutes of footage and The funniest part was trying to try and improvise a tri-pod for my laptop:



Anyone else ever have to do an interview like this?

Offline Orbert

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #137 on: March 29, 2013, 11:59:08 AM »
No, but we have those same wooden folding tables.  Did yours come in a set of four, with a stand to hold them?

Offline Phoenix87x

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #138 on: March 29, 2013, 12:01:01 PM »
No, but we have those same wooden folding tables.  Did yours come in a set of four, with a stand to hold them?

They totally did.  :D

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Re: Job Interviewing - Do's and Don'ts
« Reply #139 on: March 29, 2013, 12:01:46 PM »
:tup