It's not Safari / mobile Safari compatible! -10 points!
It is supposed to be a PHONE screen after all. ;-)
How to Ace a Phone Screen
51–54 of 54 posts
Re: How to Ace a Phone Screen
#52Earlier quoted context omitted.
The problem isn't with the first part ("it's OK to make mistakes"), it's with the second ("just own up"). When a mistake is made, it's because some part of the benefit coding process failed. I work in an insurance company where 100% of benefits coding changes are put through QC, and then another 25% are put through a second level of QC. The costs of screwing this up are pretty high, and will make people pretty mad. Y…
> I work in an insurance company where 100% of benefits coding changes are put through QC, and then another 25% are put through a second level of QC. For electronic engineering this is a known fault mode of inspection. When the first line inspectors are busy they'll shovel stuff theough with less inspection because there's someone else to do so checking. But now that other person is busy, and they'll shovel stuff thr…
Give the second line guys a bonus for every error caught, and make the first line guys pay?
Re: How to Ace a Phone Screen
#53I like the approach of a small, fun task as "extra credit". But how do you smoothly bring that up in the interview? I guess if you're being asked about CSS technical details, you can mention you built this last night and ask if they'd like to see it. But I'm pretty sure due to nerves, I would make that really awkward. Like I'd answer the phone and shout "LOOK AT WHAT I MADE!"
I imagine you'd:
A. Include it with your resume before hand
B. Bring it up when asked about previous experience tangential to it
C. Bring it up when asked about your outside work activities or what sort of continuing professional development you've been doing lately
D. Mention it when asked about the "coolest/most fun" thing you've hacked on lately
E. Whip it out when asked the usual "what do you think we do here and what can you bring to the table"
Or, when you start asking your questions about the company/culture/ect. (DEFINITELY ask those types of questions), weave it in with a question about what kind of side-project or 20% type program they offer/support.
You could also throw it up on a design site or your blog and drop it in whichever social media channel they may have.
Cultivating a curious attitude (or sincerely making an effort to fake it) will help calm your nerves a bit as well.
Re: How to Ace a Phone Screen
#54Trying to flatter an employer by doing a lot of pointless work is dumb and says something negative about the employers who respond. The "typical" way to ace a phone screen is: 1. be young and just out of college 2. pay more money to the person who wrote cracking the code interview and memorize the problems 3. Scan glassdoor and other sites for interview questions that the interviewers will, as predicted, lazily reuse…
Obviously, this isn't something to do for every place you apply to. However, for those at the top of your list, as is mentioned in the piece, riffing their design or code when you're practicing or wanting to expand your skillset anyway is a great idea. Two birds, one stone and all that.