Foot in the door - looking for interview advice

[Yegolev]

She's not suppose to *see* them. Just the results.

Hey, you're posting to the wrong person here.

[Lantyssa]

She probably assumes you'd wear them on the outside.

[jgsugden]

For the most part: Interviews don't really get you in the door these days.  If you're relying upon an interview to get you in the door, you're going about it wrong.  Most of the interviews that happen today are perfunctory - they've already decided who they're hiring and they're just interviewing to meet quotas.  If you're not the one they've already decided to hire, you might make a good impression and they might think of you down the road the next time they're hiring... but that isn't what you want.  You want the people that are hiring to have decided to hire you before they meet with anyone else. 

Find the people that will be in or near the hiring process at the places you want to work and find ways to get to know some of them outside of work.  Professional organizations sometimes help, but you can make these contacts entirely outside the job world.  The best contact I ever made was at a gaming store.  I've put people's names forward after meeting them gaming, at a bar, and at continuing education events. 

Focus on being the person they want to have on their team.  There are usually a lot of people that can do the type of job you said you want - make sure you're the guy they want doing it in the cube next to them.  People focus too much on proving their qualifications and experience, but don't spend enough time showing that you can be part of the team.  Showing leadership potential is wonderful, but there are not many jobs where you'll get hired if they don't think you'll be a follower too ... and the places that hire people that don't fit in are not places you want to work. 

Finally, don't stop looking for your job once you find it.  Keep meeting people in the industry.  Keep building that network.  When you relocate, the first offer you get is often a necessity to take.  However, it isn't usually the best you can do.  If you spend the first 18 months building a network inside and outside the company, you can start to crack open doors and have people think of you when a better opportunity opens up.

[Viin]

Hmm my experience has not been what you describe above. Usually I send my resumes in later (3-4 weeks after job posting) and they interview me because all the other resumes they've gotten are mostly crap. The interview then locks in the deal. I've only been passed by on 1 job that I interviewed for (not counting another where they decided not to hire anyone and closed the position).

Edit to add: Your experience sounds like department changes/lateral moves within the same company vs other companies that have no idea who you are.

[Trippy]

Yes jgsugden is full of shit. Ignore him.

[Merusk]

The people I know who've had that attitude typically interview terribly, oversell their skills, or are nutters.

Not that contacts don't matter as they've gotten me my last 6 interviews. However, nothing was decided until I was in that room and sold myself to the guys across the table. I wasn't a fit for one studio at the current place, but they recommended me to another. This wouldn't have happened if I went in assuming I had the job because of my contacts and decided I didn't have to prove anything.

Nobody in my primary field cares if you're a fit on a team. They care if you know how to build a goddamn hotel, restaurant or tenant finish without getting the firm sued. 

[jgsugden]

I'm an AVP at a large bank. I work in California and hold a position that sits between the front office, legal, compliance and operations. I've hired about 10 people in the last year.  Feel free to discard my advice.

[Chimpy]

That's nice.

[Viin]

I'm an AVP at a large bank. I work in California and hold a position that sits between the front office, legal, compliance and operations. I've hired about 10 people in the last year.  Feel free to discard my advice.

Everyone is a VP at a bank. That aside, I would bet the folks you hired are mostly people who already worked at the bank, right?

[Signe]

I have absolutely no xp whatsoever in interviews.  Most of the jobs I've had involved wandering in some interesting looking place and asking if I can have a job.  In fact, there a new tattoo/piercing shop opening not far from here.  I'll be wandering in there at some point.  This is obviously not good advice for the sorts of jobs you guys want.  I have to admit that when I started working in artist management it was a definite plus having xp with Unix.  I got my first computer in 1977.  I had no choice but to learn it.  But, bragging a little, they didn't know that until after they hire me.  Personally, I think it was the T.S.O.L. t-shirt and the Pantera jean jacket I won from some radio station.  But all that is ancient history.  These days you have to wear a tie and have a smart phone.

[Yegolev]

In my experience both looking recently and in participating in interviewing contractors, I don't know anyone in their right mind who would continue interviews if they already decided on their candidate.  Of course, scheduled interviews aren't necessarily cancelled but the position is closed ASAP so that everyone can get back to doing something else.  No one likes the interview process.

I'm able to position myself as a team player with leadership skills.  People seem to like that.

[Tannhauser]

My last three interview experiences.

1.  Interview in a town I hate and then see the shitpile of a building.  Go in anyway because I committed and it would be a good interview experience.  Fastest interview I've ever done.  She must have sensed my dismay at the place or she didn't want me either.
Lesson Learned:  Research the place, make sure it's a town and workplace you want to be at.

2.  Interview with a competitor (I have no non-compete).  Great location, new, state of the art building.  But they seemed suspicious and on edge, I think they thought I was a spy or something. Also, not my best interview, really liked the place and got nervous and had a couple of bad answers. I didn't get the job.
Lesson Learned:  Get your shit together and bring your A-game to every interview.  Set the interviewer at ease.

3.  Interview with a place two co-workers used to work at.  Ok location. But no one smiled there, everyone seemed tense, like rubber bands stretched too far. They were wanting me to work six days and (68hrs a week) 'for now'.  The manager and I did hit it off, and he all but offered the job right there, even suggesting nearby apartments where he lived to move to.  But another manager came in and berated him while I was still there interviewing.  Case closed. 
Lesson Learned:  Be willing to be flexible, but be willing to walk.  OK I'll work 68 hours 'for now' but a place that, quite frankly, seemed loaded with hostility?  I'm already taking a 'pay cut' per hour on my salary.

[Paelos]

LOL never take a job that says you'll be working more "for now." Never take a job that promises a change in your status with no written guarantees. That's the hallmark of a company that is desperate and willing to take on anybody to bail out a bad situation.

[Yegolev]

Yes, #3 was desperate to find suckers to work there.

Research the company and I'd really suggest picking places based on if the company is good or crap.  Use Glassdoor, LinkedIn, or other contacts who know.

I've messed up interviews before, but the main way to avoid that is to be prepared.  You can anticipate at least some questions, so go ahead and write out a response and have it ready.  Don't read it during the interview, obviously, but you want to be able to pop off a story about how awesome you are at what they are asking about, and you want to be able to tell that story confidently and succinctly.

Another important thing is to ask questions yourself.  These should be written down in advance so you don't forget to ask something important, like one of my favorites: "Why is this position open?"  I think I listed some earlier in this thread, or maybe the job thread.

[Hawkbit]

Some of it is out of your control as an interviewee, but any chance you can get to turn the interview into a back-and-forth discussion will usually work in your favor. I know there's exceptions to the rule, but for the most part it leaves a much better impression.

The trick to success then is not to use your rehearsed answers to answer expected questions, but try to relate your accomplishments to the conversation. It's harder, but has worked pretty well for me in the past.

This does not work well on tech screens, of course.

[Paelos]

Another important thing is to ask questions yourself.  These should be written down in advance so you don't forget to ask something important, like one of my favorites: "Why is this position open?"  I think I listed some earlier in this thread, or maybe the job thread.

I like the question, but I'd probably phrase it like, "How did this opportunity open up?" The first option might seem more a skeptical interrogation phrasing.

[Soln]

Anyone able to confirm if this book is any good? 

Cracking the Coding Interview

[brellium]

I'm an AVP at a large bank. I work in California and hold a position that sits between the front office, legal, compliance and operations. I've hired about 10 people in the last year.  Feel free to discard my advice.

Everyone is a VP at a bank. That aside, I would bet the folks you hired are mostly people who already worked at the bank, right?

Everyone important at my previous bank was a director. At this one, everyone (not necessarily important) is a VP.

[Hawkbit]

Anyone able to confirm if this book is any good? 

Cracking the Coding Interview

It is used for tech screens in a few offices in Seattle, can confirm.

Is it good? Well it wasn't really a fun read, but our CTO straight up told me to buy a copy and study it because that's what he uses for interviews. He likes to ask algorithm questions, and he likes to put twists on the questions in the book to throw people off.

[Yegolev]

Another important thing is to ask questions yourself.  These should be written down in advance so you don't forget to ask something important, like one of my favorites: "Why is this position open?"  I think I listed some earlier in this thread, or maybe the job thread.

I like the question, but I'd probably phrase it like, "How did this opportunity open up?" The first option might seem more a skeptical interrogation phrasing.

Right, you'll need to adjust for the mood of the conversation or how you want to present yourself.  I've been working on "pleasant guy who loves his work and expects excellence from his team" and I've had success with phrasing that question exactly as written.  If they don't like me asking this, then I'm already putting red marks on the position notes.