{"id":10640,"date":"2010-06-02T14:01:29","date_gmt":"2010-06-02T14:01:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aidanfinn.com\/?p=10640"},"modified":"2010-06-02T14:01:29","modified_gmt":"2010-06-02T14:01:29","slug":"how-not-to-be-interviewed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aidanfinn.com\/?p=10640","title":{"rendered":"How Not to be Interviewed"},"content":{"rendered":"

This morning I joined our MD and a member of sales to interview a new senior engineer to join the company<\/a>.  Our desired skills list is pretty precise and far from a shopping list.  We got in a CV last week which appeared to meet most of it, so an interview was arranged for this morning with the chap.  <\/p>\n

I review the CV a bit more.  It\u2019s now I notice that he says \u201cwe did xyz\u201d a lot in the CV (what is called a resume across the pond).  That makes me concerned at the last moment.  We agree a little system to secretly communicate to each other if we are going to continue with the applicant or not.<\/p>\n

It starts off with the MD letting me know that he\u2019s going to be late.  I know things happen; there are emergencies, traffic jams, etc, so a call ahead is good.  He eventually arrives in about 40 minutes late.  The excuse?  He lost track of time while out running.  Oh dear!<\/p>\n

The MD starts things off.  As technology is briefly skirted over (bad when an engineer is being interviewed) I decide to ask for some details.<\/p>\n

\n

Q) What EMC SAN was used there? (When it was claimed he was a SAN administrator).<\/p>\n

A) I don\u2019t know. (He couldn\u2019t even remember something like the word \u201cClarion\u201d).<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Q) What kind of replication would you use? (When we asked about a fault tolerant design)<\/p>\n

A) The standard Windows one.<\/p>\n

Q) Which one is that?<\/p>\n

A) The standard Microsoft one.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

I almost expected him to follow that up with \u201cyou know; the one \u2026 with the thing \u2026 that replicates\u201d.  Without thinking too hard I immediately thought of 7 replications systems from MS.<\/p>\n

Lots of things were talked about in his experience.  Every time we drilled for details he could give us no specifics.  It was bad.  5 minutes in and I had issued the signal \u2013 he was not suitable.  2 minutes after that and the sales guy sent up a flare.  The MD gave him one more chance, asking about networking.  Semaphore\u2019s were waving almost instantly.<\/p>\n

My opinion is that the guy \u201cwas there when that stuff was done\u201d.  He really should not have submitted his CV.  He didn\u2019t stand a chance when he could not name any specifics.<\/p>\n

It was bad.  I was rooting for him because he\u2019s been out of work for a while.  But is was a no-hoper.  No preparation, no being conscientious about making it on time, trying to fluff his was through stuff he didn\u2019t know.  I never even got a chance to take out the big-gun questions \u2013 they are open ended scenarios to appraise the depth of knowledge on something.  I warn the interviewee that there is no \u201cfix\u201d or right answer.  I figure its better than my cousin who brings in mind-bending puzzles or the even the legendary Microsoft brain busters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you are interviewing then you need to do the work up front.  If you don\u2019t do it then what are the interviewers to think of you?  Here you are at this most critical point and you\u2019re unprepared.  What will you be like at a customer meeting?<\/p>\n

By the way, unemployment reach just under 14% in Ireland last month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This morning I joined our MD and a member of sales to interview a new senior engineer to join the company.  Our desired skills list is pretty precise and far from a shopping list.  We got in a CV last week which appeared to meet most of it, so an interview was arranged for this … Continue reading “How Not to be Interviewed”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t