Job interviews go both ways (2011)
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Job interviews go both ways (2011)
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Re: Job interviews go both ways (2011)
#2Sometimes. The potential employee is not always in a privileged position. I think with most new grads this is the case (some with significant relevant experience are excepted).
If I were interviewing a new grad or someone that didn't have a recommendation (basically someone I didn't have any context for) and they asked me to solve a technical problem, I don't think I would do it. I would not want to waste what little time we had allotted trying to solve that.
If we did want to make a good technical match I think it would be great to sit down and work on a low hanging fruit bug together.
Re: Job interviews go both ways (2011)
#3Did I ever mention that interview with a whizzo East Coast startup where the interviewer couldn't answer where the company was planning to be in five years time? It's one of those questions where they will squirm like eels, but you have to know, because you are committing your time and future earnings to them. Squirming is fine, but being struck dumb is not acceptable. The experience was epic, it ended with a greybeard apologizing for the HR lady.
Re: Job interviews go both ways (2011)
#4This is why I hate those services that have an automated pre-screen process. The ones where you visit a specific URL and after reading the questions you record a 30 second video with your answer.
The massive hole there is that I don't get to interview anyone the company to see if I feel like its a good fit. I'm sure its saves them time but it wastes mine.
Re: Job interviews go both ways (2011)
#5Did I ever mention that interview with a whizzo East Coast startup where the interviewer couldn't answer where the company was planning to be in five years time? It's one of those questions where they will squirm like eels, but you have to know, because you are committing your time and future earnings to them. Squirming is fine, but being struck dumb is not acceptable. The experience was epic, it ended with a greybea…
I don't think I could have answered that question at any startup I've ever worked at. And, certainly if I had, I would have been wrong in every case.
Re: Job interviews go both ways (2011)
#6I think one reason for this (not asking enough questions) is that usually early on your career, you don't really have that many options or you are in a situation where you need to get your bills paid with any means necessary.
I have really never (yet) been in a situation where I would have really had enough options to say no to any company offering a job after an interview. In those cases, your full focus is getting them interested - not really about knowing what kind of extra activities they do or what they are planning to be in say 5 or 10 years.
Re: Job interviews go both ways (2011)
#7Did I ever mention that interview with a whizzo East Coast startup where the interviewer couldn't answer where the company was planning to be in five years time? It's one of those questions where they will squirm like eels, but you have to know, because you are committing your time and future earnings to them. Squirming is fine, but being struck dumb is not acceptable. The experience was epic, it ended with a greybea…
I don't think I could have answered that question at any startup I've ever worked at. And, certainly if I had, I would have been wrong in every case.
Right vs. wrong isn't what he's concerned about, I think.
Every company/organization/person should have a long term strategy. That way you can weigh potential actions to see if they are moving you toward or away from your goal. If you don't have that goal, or it isn't well communicated, everyone scrambles to optimize for different things, which frequently leads to people pulling against each other.
It's totally acceptable to update the long term goal as you go along, but it's very helpful to always keep one in focus.
Re: Job interviews go both ways (2011)
#8Did I ever mention that interview with a whizzo East Coast startup where the interviewer couldn't answer where the company was planning to be in five years time? It's one of those questions where they will squirm like eels, but you have to know, because you are committing your time and future earnings to them. Squirming is fine, but being struck dumb is not acceptable. The experience was epic, it ended with a greybea…
I don't think I could have answered that question at any startup I've ever worked at. And, certainly if I had, I would have been wrong in every case.
A plan can fail or go right. Parent asked for where were they planning to be, a plan is important.
Re: Job interviews go both ways (2011)
#9This is why I hate those services that have an automated pre-screen process. The ones where you visit a specific URL and after reading the questions you record a 30 second video with your answer. The massive hole there is that I don't get to interview anyone the company to see if I feel like its a good fit. I'm sure its saves them time but it wastes mine.
Well to be fair, they likely get many more applicants than you have interviews scheduled.
And it's just a pre-screen, right? It's not like you have to make your decision right there and then if you do well in it.
Re: Job interviews go both ways (2011)
#10Did I ever mention that interview with a whizzo East Coast startup where the interviewer couldn't answer where the company was planning to be in five years time? It's one of those questions where they will squirm like eels, but you have to know, because you are committing your time and future earnings to them. Squirming is fine, but being struck dumb is not acceptable. The experience was epic, it ended with a greybea…
I don't think I could have answered that question at any startup I've ever worked at. And, certainly if I had, I would have been wrong in every case.
How did you spend your time at work when nobody knew what the company was trying to do? And where are those companies now?