Topic: Job interview - Tips

[Draex]

Downtones.. Always finish a sentance with a downtone. Makes you far more likeable in an interview and you come across really well.

[Crosby Nick]

Downtones.. Always finish a sentance with a downtone. Makes you far more likeable in an interview and you come across really well.

Alright Petula Clark.

BRdispatch. Don't beat yourself up too much. Sounds like worst case it'll be great practice for your other interview. It's been a few years since I had to go through this. I ended up having 4 interviews (at different companies) before getting the job. At the time I felt each interview had gone fairly well and the general feedback was good but there was always a 'but...'. By the 4th, maybe without even realising it I was a lot more focussed with my answers and probably delivered them a lot more confidently.

Take some lessons from what didn't go well and turn that to your advantage in the next one. At the least you'll be more prepared for those sorts of questions so try not to let anything faze you.

[Draex]

Alright Petula Clark.

BRdispatch. Don't beat yourself up too much. Sounds like worst case it'll be great practice for your other interview. It's been a few years since I had to go through this. I ended up having 4 interviews (at different companies) before getting the job. At the time I felt each interview had gone fairly well and the general feedback was good but there was always a 'but...'. By the 4th, maybe without even realising it I was a lot more focussed with my answers and probably delivered them a lot more confidently.

Take some lessons from what didn't go well and turn that to your advantage in the next one. At the least you'll be more prepared for those sorts of questions so try not to let anything faze you.

No idea who she is But what you've said is correct, took me 4-5 interviews to get my current job and by the time that interview came round it just felt nailed on, everything flowed.

I think it's always best to remember if you are asked what you did.. Always reply with "I" never move to a collective, "we" or the "company" they want your experience and how it affected you etc. If you've not got a direct example (which is best) use a hyperthetical one and how you'd deal with it. Don't waffle either, keep to the point and don't disgress.

Best of Luck!

[RideTheWalrus]

This thread got bumped at a good time. I have two interviews tomorrow, one's for some call centre or something, the other one's for a law company. They gave me a list of questions 'to expect' so later tonight I might write down some answers and go over them in my head. The one thing I've learned from interviews in the past, is if they shake your hand give them a bloody strong one

[Chakan]

Never take any coffee offered to you. Also if they offer you some bottled water you can take it but sip it. You can easily get into a situation where you are now busting for loo break and have to sit there answering questions. Specially since you are nervous already and your insides tend to be twisted up.

Also if you are nervous and lift the coffee cup and your hands shake its a bad sign. So rather not put yourself in that situation.

Always do a little research on the company, visit their website, see when they were established, what exactly they do. Write it down if you have to.

[MrGrumpy]

Always do a little research on the company, visit their website, see when they were established, what exactly they do. Write it down if you have to.

I have given my thoughts on this in previous threads. Having interviewed people for jobs in the past, here's what I would expect any candidates to do

1, Dress code: Suitable for the environment you are in e.g. smart jeans for an Old St Tech firm, suit for a bank. There is no harm in phoning the company in advance to ask about the  dress code.

2, Research: Read up on the business and the role you are going for. Employers want to know why you want to work for them and why you want the role

3, CV: Know your cv and be prepared to explain any gaps.

4, Don't slag off previous employers: In the modern age, employers know that things will not work out in every role you do, getting nasty makes you look deranged.

5, Eye contact: Keep eye contact on the person you are taking to

6, Questions: Have questions prepared for the interviewer that will demonstrate enthusiasm and suitability for the role

7, Have a wash: Most modern offices are open plan. If my team and I are going to be sitting in close proximity of you for 8 hours per day + it needs to be a not unpleasant experience. If you have had a wash before the interview, it figures you will have one before work each day. I have turned down interviewees because of poor hygiene in the past and would do so again.

[RideTheWalrus]

What type of questions would you ask to a law firm though? Been thinking for days in advance but can't think of many

[Jookie]

In my experience, all them points from MrGrumpy are great pieces of advice. Same with Chakan's advice not to drink too much that you p*ss yourself in the interview!

The only piece of advice I would have is to speak slowly and clearly. Particularly if you have a different (and strong) accent to your interviewers. As a Liverpool lad getting interviewed by people from other parts of the world (UK, EU and US) I've learnt the hard way that you need to speak clearly and slowly for them to understand you. Harder said then done in an interview situation when you are likely to be nervous.

[Chakan]

What type of questions would you ask to a law firm though? Been thinking for days in advance but can't think of many

What projects will I be working on? Who do I report to? What is the dress code?

[Crosby Nick]

What type of questions would you ask to a law firm though? Been thinking for days in advance but can't think of many

What's the role?

You could ask about what areas of law they specialise in? I presume it'll say this on their website but you could ask further questions around it?

[JTK]

I've pasted in the text from the documents our agency send out to people who need help with interviews.

It's pretty basic stuff, but I hope it helps.

Interview Advice

1.   Learn about the company you are going to attend for interview at. Look at their website so you have a good awareness of what the company does.

2.   Dress smartly for the interview. Appearances count for a lot so make sure you are well presented and that you appear professional.

3.   Allow yourself plenty of time to get to the interview. Last minute rushing will only add to nerves and stress. If you need any help a consultant will be happy to give you a map and directions of where you need to go. Make sure you have a note of the name of the person you need to ask for when you arrive for your interview.

4.   When you speak to people at the interview make eye contact and shake hands with the interviewer(s).

5.   Listen carefully to any questions you are asked and answer them without going off the subject.

6.   Many interviewers will ask ‘competency-based’ questions. These are questions used to test for real life experience of using a certain skill so always give a true example of your experience to answer this type of question.

For example -

“When have you had to handle a customer complaint and how did you deal with it?”

“Give an example of when you met an obstacle at work and how you overcame it”

7.   A useful method to use when answering questions is the PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE technique.

For example –

“In my last job I looked after x which gave me experience of x which is relevant to the position of x.”

8.   Turn negatives into positives when answering a question.

For example –

“I haven’t held the position of manager before, however in my last role I deputised for my manager in their absence, and prior to that was in a Team Leader position.”

9.   Towards the end of the interview, when you are asked whether you have any questions, take the opportunity to find out anything else you need to know about the position. It is best not to ask about salary and package details at the end of the first interview unless the question is raised by the interviewer. Usually, salary is discussed at second or final interview stage. A good way to gauge how the interview’s gone is to ask “Is there anything else you want to know about me?” If the interviewer has any reservations address them at this stage if given the chance.

10.    At the end of the interview, if you want the job, tell the interviewer! If you are keen and enthusiastic then the interviewer may choose you over a similarly skilled applicant. Ask what the next stage of the process is so you have an idea of what to expect. Shake hands again when you leave.

Typical Interview Questions

Have you looked at our website?

(A pretty standard first question so take time to research the company before your interview. If you don’t have web access ask a consultant and they’ll arrange for you to see the website)

What do you know about the company?

(Similar to the question above. If the company doesn’t have a website then ask a consultant for information or a company brochure)

What are your strengths?

(Make these relevant to the job you’re applying to. E.g. if it’s a management role emphasise your leadership strengths)

What are your weaknesses?

(A difficult question to answer, so make sure your answers don’t make you sound incapable of handling the job in question. A good answer could be that when working on a project you get frustrated if your work is delayed by something out of your control. Or if you’re in a leadership position it could be that you don’t always delegate enough work to others. Just make sure the weaknesses wouldn’t affect your ability to do the job.)

What would you bring to the company?

(Relate your skills, qualifications, personality and experience to the job/company and resell those points. This is often a recap of what’s already been said in the interview, however, if it becomes apparent that the ideal candidate will have a certain set of skills this is a perfect opportunity to match yourself to that person specification as honestly as possible.)

Why do you want the job?

(Relate your answer to the job/company. This is a good time to reiterate that you understand what the company does and that you want to be a part of it. Reasons such as progression from your last role, wanting to work for a market leader, joining a forward-thinking company are all fine. Don’t say “For the money”!)

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

(This is a standard interview question designed to test whether your ambitions are in line with the plans of the company. Answer according to the role. If the company can offer progression then it is reasonable say “I’d like to progress through the ranks if my performance warrants it”. If the company has no career path as such, and you’re not looking for promotion, it’s perfectly reasonable to say “I’d like to be working here and to be happy and healthy”. Do not say anything irrelevant like “On Top of the Pops” or “Centre forward for England”!

How would your last manager describe you?

(This needs to be positive. Phrases such as flexible, team player and proactive are all good.)

How would your friends describe you?

(Again, this needs to be positive. Phrases such as friendly, loyal and good humoured are all fine)

Give an example of a time when you ...   

- Worked in a team
- Faced your biggest challenge
- Exceeded customer expectations
- Worked to your own initiative
- Met an urgent deadline
- Changed procedures and improved the system
- Dealt with an irate customer
               
(Questions that require examples are known as ‘competency-based’. You will usually be asked to draw on your previous experience to give a real life example if how you dealt with a particular situation. Have some examples in mind before the interview as it can be difficult to think of an answer under pressure.)

[RideTheWalrus]

What's the role?

You could ask about what areas of law they specialise in? I presume it'll say this on their website but you could ask further questions around it?

its only a business admin role so imagine i'd be doing asswork

yeah thats what I thought about asking, i looked on the website, but i don't want to seem uneager about it and ask them a basic question like 'what areas of law do you specify in', but I guess I could mention I know what they specify in, then ask something more specific about it

cheers fellas

[RideTheWalrus]

For the 'what is your biggest weakness' question, I always say public speaking. It's a normal thing for people to be bad at, and most jobs don't need much public speaking. After it you can say you've worked on it, and can do it better now though etc.

[Claire.]

Why do you want the job?

... Don’t say “For the money”!)

I can confirm that this is indeed a sure-fire way to ensure you don't get a job offer.

[Chakan]

I can confirm that this is indeed a sure-fire way to ensure you don't get a job offer.

Although absolutely truthful. No-one wants to hear the truth though.

[Crosby Nick]

Why do you want the job?

"Because it's the only concrete offer I've had." Nikica Jelavic

[JTK]

For the 'what is your biggest weakness' question, I always say public speaking. It's a normal thing for people to be bad at, and most jobs don't need much public speaking. After it you can say you've worked on it, and can do it better now though etc.

I personally wouldn't say anything that hints at anything making you sound like you lack confidence mate.

I know it's good to be truthful, but sometimes it's best to just treat interviews like a game.

I can confirm that this is indeed a sure-fire way to ensure you don't get a job offer.

Haha. It's amazing what some people actually say in interviews!

[RideTheWalrus]

I personally wouldn't say anything that hints at anything making you sound like you lack confidence mate.

I know it's good to be truthful, but sometimes it's best to just treat interviews like a game.

Haha. It's amazing what some people actually say in interviews!

What weakness would you say mate?

[JTK]

What weakness would you say mate?

A good answer could be that when working on a project you get frustrated if your work is delayed by something out of your control. Or if you’re in a leadership position it could be that you don’t always delegate enough work to others. Just make sure the weaknesses wouldn’t affect your ability to do the job.

That's what we've said in the past. It is a difficult one, but basically something that has positives attached to it too.

For example the two above both show that you are a keen & hard worker.

[Malaysian Kopite]

DevJobFail: The worst game job applications ever

Develop readers share their horror stories of awful CVs, terrible interviews and inexplicable portfolio art

We put a callout this morning for the worst job applications you've ever dealt with – and boy did you lot deliver.

People are still tweeting examples of poor interviewees, mistake-ridden CVs and more via the hashtag #devjobfail, but we've collected the best so far for your to enjoy.

A massive thanks to all who have contributed so far – and if you haven't, send them in. If we receive enough, we'll publish a second compilation later this month.

Let's start with...

THE CV & APPLICATION

Stewart Gilray, Just Add Water:
We had a 2 page CV sent to us by an experienced artist. The trouble was …
a) It was graphic designed
b) There were around 8 different fonts used
c) There was a LARGE “selfie” of the person in question on it.
d) There was NO phone number.
e) There was NO email address.
f) It had the line “Don’t contact me, I’ll contact you for my start date”.

Dan Kenny, Eyesodic Games (@Dansodic):
Being threatened after telling someone we weren't hiring is always a sure sign to not keep a cv.

Robbie Cooke, Rebellion (@RC_ephemeral):
Don't send a genuine, thoughtful application question from a twitter profile with "Professional Pervert" as its description.

Firefly Studios (@fireflyworlds):
We once had an applicant who claimed he spoke 8 languages, had been a Senior Programmer since he was 13 & read 3-5 books a week.

Lewis Brown, EA (@InsideGamesEA):
Writing in the third person is always slightly concerning and bizarre profile pics on CV's.

@Dannyish, Cyclosion Games:
"Had a candidate who not only used curse words on her CV but also described herself as amazeballs."

Keith Judge, Pitbull Studio (@KeefJudge):
We got a letter from asking for £25k for a coding job. The CV was full of retail work with zero programming. No homebrew coding, training or any relevant experience at all.

Richard Ogden, Red Phantom Games (@RedPhantomGames):
Came across a few like this over the years: "Hire me. I'm brilliant. You won't regret it."

Alberto Belli, Storm In A Teacup (@eldacar79):
"Hello i'm a Junior Programmer and would like ti apply as Senior Programmer"

Tamsin Nunley, Jiggery Pokery (@nunnersT):
Headstrong once had an application from a young lady that offered her bum up for slapping among other things. Go, feminism!!

Still want more? Click here to read a truly shocking email chain between Lionhead and an aspiring artist, courtesy of JiggeryPokery's Matthew Wiggins (@wiggo). WARNING: Contains swearing.

THE INTERVIEW

Sam Watts, Makemedia
I was advertising for games testers and QA specialists to work at a global MMO publisher/developer and received a number of applications.

One guy had an impressive CV, lots of experience in games QA for various companies, different genres across many years but was currently out of work (so had plenty of time to make sure his CV was top notch etc).

The trouble was that I spotted 25 mistakes in his CV, even as far as he worked in the AQ department at one company. But he had really relevant experience and I still wanted to interview him at least, so when he came in, I made sure he completed the “attention to detail” test as part of the process.

Rather than give him some text with mistakes in, I gave him his own CV, 20 minutes to find the mistakes and a pen. Unfortunately he only found 14 of them and didn’t make it through to the next round.

Oh yes, there was also the NVQ candidate who had a picture of her in her bra and knickers bent over the knee of an old man dressed as Father Christmas spanking her ass, as a Facebook profile picture (coz all good recruitment policies involve checking social media!). Yes, I did invite her in for an interview.

Michelle Senior, Ripstone
When I worked at Disney, we were interviewing for a PR Assistant, and a girl turned up at reception and asked for 'Michelle'. She couldn't remember my surname or what department of Disney I worked in. This was at the Disney head office in Hammersmith, which is pretty huge with a good few thousand people working there – and more than one person named Michelle.

The poor receptionist had to ring round all the Michelles in the building to find the right one (me). So the interviewee managed to annoy the receptionist, as well as everyone named Michelle in the building. And all this meant she ended up being 30 minutes late to the interview – not a good first impression!

Mastertronic Games (@Mastertronic):
"I couldn't remember if it was at 3pm or 4pm, so I thought I'd come at 3.30pm". It was at 3pm.

Andrew Eades, Relentless (@andreweades) :
Me: “Why would you like a job here?” Interviewee: “I don’t really. My tutor told me to come.” Me: “Let me show you out.”

[Crosby Nick]

What weakness would you say mate?

Eczesma.

[MrGrumpy]

What type of questions would you ask to a law firm though? Been thinking for days in advance but can't think of many

Generic questions for office environments

1, What will I be expected to achieve within the first few weeks then first few months?

2, What sort of person would fit in well here?

3, What is it like to work here?

Finish your questions with

Is there anything you feel you would like to go over again or that you did not ask in this interview?

[MrGrumpy]

But basically something that has positives attached to it too.

This is the right answer, a good weakness could be

I find it difficult to say no to work

Adding in a harmless if jokey weakness also helps e.g

I am addicted to coffee

or

I am a sucker for a Twix.

[Draex]

A few questions I usually ask :

What's the office environement like? Do you do anything socially after work such as 5 aside football etc?

What's the route to progression? Are there supported courses? I'm interested in completing/learning X/Y/Z etc.

and in regards to a weakness, I say determination - I work hard and will always finish the job at hand even if it requires staying late and that can sometimes impact my home life etc.

[BRdispatch05]

Thanks for the replies! 

I do think the main factor was my confidence level going in, and lack of recent interview experience. Although I sincerely want to work for this company, I put it on a pedestal for days and would go to sleep nervous, wake up nervous, think about the interview all days before, so I doomed myself before I set foot in the door.

Had a good read through the tips posted. I researched a few articles but it is nice to hear from actual interviewers, and others who have gone through a few interviews. I do look at the interview I had as a positive experience, though I most likely will not get the job, and even if the interview tomorrow doesn't go perfect there are plenty of other places and I can chalk it up as more interview experience.

About to head to the current job but thanks again for the tips . I will most definitely be visiting this thread a few more times before my interview.








Update:
 So nothing is confirmed yet, but my first job interview that I thought I blew, I received a follow up email saying "the next step in the hiring process is to fill out a background check form"  could be a formality so not getting my hopes up, but I was certain the only email I would be receiving was the rejection letter.

The second interview I had was this afternoon over the phone. I felt it went a bit better, my answers were more clear and I listened to "Lose Yourself" by Eminem about 6 times before receiving the call (she was ten minutes late). I was still nervous and it probably showed, but the end of the call was that she would like to schedule the second interview!! It's face to face, so will be more difficult I'm sure, but I have another week of prep. I also used some suggestions from the replies, such as having prepared questions to ask them to show my interest, and just the response I received in here with others prior experience with these was a large confidence boost. Thanks again! Like said nothing is confirmed, but both jobs look more promising 

If all else fails

[AB LFC]

How do people do about getting a new job when they're currently in a job? I'm trying to look for one but won't they send a reference request? Obv don't want my manager to get a reference letter when I haven't even been offered a job yet.

Also, how do people attend interviews for jobs when they already work full-time? Lady at my work left last week after she found a better job but I honestly can't think when she would've gone for her interview as she never took a day or half-day off.

[paddysour]

They only check the references once you have been offered the job as far as I know. And just ask them to arrange an interview outside of your working hours if possible

[Claire.]

You go at dinner time, after work or even before work. They usually only ask for a reference after an interview, and normally after making an offer but it's not strictly the case as I've had companies call referees prior to offers. If you want to keep things quiet, make sure you tell the person who's interviewing you.

And definitely put 'References available on request' on your CV, if you give the details, they'll just contact them.

[henry]

for the weakness question, i always use the Con sides of my strength and answer it as "since i am X, Y occurred and i would said Y is my weakness, however, this is how i will deal with that when occurred" 

[Jimmy Two Times]

Every telephonic interview I've ever been in, I've managed to fuck up. The worst was when I had a really good chance at a BT management graduate programme in London. They really liked my profile and previous work, and my educational background was strong. The interview though - my god! I find it impossible to do well in telephonic interviews because neither am I in the interview 'atmosphere' nor can I see the interviewer.

[Crosby Nick]

Every telephonic interview I've ever been in, I've managed to fuck up. The worst was when I had a really good chance at a BT management graduate programme in London. They really liked my profile and previous work, and my educational background was strong. The interview though - my god! I find it impossible to do well in telephonic interviews because neither am I in the interview 'atmosphere' nor can I see the interviewer.

Yeah phone interviews are tough. Always easier to make a good impression in person with my dazzling charm.

The worst phone interview I had was when I was at uni, interviewing for a Placement Year role. A guy rang up out of the blue on our crappy communal house phone in the middle of the afternoon, ruining my 15 to 1 viewing and I was completely unprepared for it, trying my best to think of answers with my housemates making obscene gestures in the background.

I didn't get the job.

[Jimmy Two Times]

Yeah phone interviews are tough. Always easier to make a good impression in person with my dazzling charm.

The worst phone interview I had was when I was at uni, interviewing for a Placement Year role. A guy rang up out of the blue on our crappy communal house phone in the middle of the afternoon, ruining my 15 to 1 viewing and I was completely unprepared for it, trying my best to think of answers with my housemates making obscene gestures in the background.

I didn't get the job.

The worst part about it all was that I was fucking well prepared. If it'd been in person, I have no doubt I'd have done well and got the job.

[MrGrumpy]

How do people do about getting a new job when they're currently in a job?

1, Set up a second email address from your personal email for the purpose of applying for jobs. Check this on your phone at set times of the day

2, Keep a copy of your cv stored on your smart phone/second email address should you need to send it out quickly

3, Set asside some time just before and just after your working day to talk to prospective employers/recruitment consultants.

4, If you get an interview, the prospective employer is likely to be flexible on time or even do a phone interview.

5, References are only chased after the job has been offered. Your current employer can not give a bad reference unless you have had formal warnings from them about performance or discipline.

[MrGrumpy]

Phone Interviews

1, Make sure you are somewhere quiet where you will not be disturbed. If you drive to work, your car is ideal. If you don't a cafe that work mates don't go to much is also good.

2, Prepare in the same way you would do for a face to face interview.

3, Make extra effort to speak slowly and clearly

4, Do your research on the interviewer, Linkedin is good for this.

[Thush]

I've got a trick about overcoming nerves before an interview. I've used it in the past and it definitely had a calming effect on me.

Sitting or standing, doesn't matter. Push the base of your palms together in front of your chest, fingers facing forward. You should feel your chest tighten. Exhale deeply for a few breaths, then relax your hands. You should feel your chest loosen up and you become a little calmer.

It's handy because you can even do this whilst sat waiting to be called into an interview room and it doesn't look that odd if other people are around watching (if you can just casually look around).

Apparently, this was based on a trick from Yul Brynner to combat his huge stage fright. He would lean against a wall before starting to act and push hard, which develops a similar chest tightening to the method described about.

When I've interviewed, I've not been worried about having a notebook with some questions in and also some notes about the company/role. I don't think it is seen as a negative, just that you have prepared.

I set up a separate job hunting email that I put on my CV. Just use "work" in the email address along with your name.

[Spanish Al]

Got a telephone interview tomorrow morning. Anyone had one of these, Ive never heard of them! Bit gutted as I wanted to get the suit out as Ive only worn it once

[Chakan]

Got a telephone interview tomorrow morning. Anyone had one of these, Ive never heard of them! Bit gutted as I wanted to get the suit out as Ive only worn it once

The telephone interview is precursor to an actual face to face interview. I always take my telephone interviews walking around. It releases the nervous energy. Do your research or have their webpage open to reference what they do. Also have a copy of your CV with you for reference purposes.

[Spanish Al]

The telephone interview is precursor to an actual face to face interview. I always take my telephone interviews walking around. It releases the nervous energy. Do your research or have their webpage open to reference what they do. Also have a copy of your CV with you for reference purposes.

Yeh walking around seems a good idea. Thought it would be an initial interview before a main one too. Cheers for the reply mate. Hopefully I get the chance to get that suit on!

[Chakan]

Yeh walking around seems a good idea. Thought it would be an initial interview before a main one too. Cheers for the reply mate. Hopefully I get the chance to get that suit on!

Also take the interview in a quiet room in the house. Doesn't help when kids run in and tug on daddy's shirt (I assume as I don't have kids).

Thing to remember is they can't see what you are doing, so if you are nervous take a deep breath and relax, if you need to wipe your hands or rub your forehead or towel some sweat, do it, they can't see that. So do whatever you need to do to relax yourself (apart from a few things ).

[paddysour]

Wear the suit btw, it will help put you in the interview mood.