Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with interviews

How do I rid myself of a bitter "fuck you" attitude I'm now feeling towards ANY future employer?

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 16:41:07 -0800

I am bitter towards companies in general, and that's not a useful attitude to have as (hopefully) a round of January interviews approach. Help me. I was laid off more than a year ago. When I was laid off, I was told -- at some length -- about how the decision was not in any way, shape or form a reflection of how they felt about the job I had done for them. It was strictly based on seniority -- they were cutting many people that day, and of them, they were cutting the two most junior employees in the department in which I worked. I had been there for nearly three years, but I was still the second most junior employee in that department, and thus was shown the door. (Parenthetically, I have an educated guess that the local human resources employees who laid me off that day had next to no slack on who was selected; I am pretty sure the company's central office micromanaged precisely which cuts were made from where with no input from local HR. Some of the people let go elsewhere were bulwarks of that company who, if local HR had any input, would almost definitely have been kept.)

At the job prior to this last one from which I was laid off, I was fired. It was good that I got fired, because it shocked me into realizing a faulty tenet that I had been carrying around until then: that somehow, some inherent sense of justice in the universe meant that I was "owed" a place to go where I could give them my labors and they would give me money in return. I still don't think I did a poor job there, but there were a number of significantly distracting and very large-scale personal issues going on in my life that really prevented me from giving my all, and in retrospect, my firing was understandable, if not kind.

That changed at my next employer. I grew to actually really like that company. I devoted myself to my job, and brought all my skills and talents to it. I went above and beyond; I was constantly given sterling reviews and better-than-the-company's-average annual salary bumps. I was one of those guys that everyone feels fairly warmly towards. I was always willing to offer anyone a helping hand if I could possibly do it. I was never even asked to do it, but I gave them a lot of free overtime, cumulatively, figuring that being asked to stay late 20 minutes or so wasn't bad, especially as the company was equally flexible with the extremely occasional moments I needed a little give.

The tenet I began to form at this employer -- again, subconsciously -- was one I think a lot of people share. If you give an employer your best, and make yourself as invaluable and as good a "buy" for their salary money as possible, then you're a valuable asset and the company will accordingly continue employing you.

Now, it feels as if that can't be relied upon either, and the replacement proposition one might form from my experience is: "An employer will be happy to fire you the moment its bottom line is threatened. It has absolutely no interest in you other than as a cog in its processes; if you're a bad enough worker, you'll break the machine and then they'll fire you. But they don't care if you're a particularly good cog, either. They'll swap you out the moment they want to."

And, to some extent, I know that's true. But it's also a deeply cynical worldview that inclines one to go around each and every day with an attitude of "Fuck you, [employer]!" And not only does that incline you towards being a poor employee, that also is just a poisonous emotion to have in your psyche about the place where you'll spend eight-plus hours of each day. I really don't want that emotional baggage in my head each and every day. Some other stuff has had me a lot happier in general, so I really don't want to be renting brainspace to this emotion for an indefinite lease.

I've not been confronted with the question yet because companies have simply not been hiring for my position for most of the past year, so interviews have been near non-existent. That is already showing signs of significantly changing next month.

How do I do this? How can I go to an employer and interview with them and not feel so deeply hostile towards a company that, as of yet, will have done nothing to deserve it?

What do I do about a bad employment reference?

Snuffman — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:34:08 -0800

What do I do about a bad work related reference? Its not as easy as just ignoring it as its a huge part of my employment history. I've had two jobs in "recent" years. One which I worked at from 2005 to 2008 and my current job that's February of 2009 onwards.

I left my first job (if you must know, cellular provider call centre) after butting heads with my manager at the time. I ended up putting in my two weeks after a particularly bad one-on-one meeting.

My performance, in a call centre metric sense, was never stellar, but not poor enough to get me fired. I was also constantly told by my peers and former managers what an excellent job I did. I'd also get rave reviews from customers writing in to say what a good job I did.

Due to my falling out with my manager, he outright refused to provide a reference. He suggested I go to my former managers but when I did it seems he had talked to them because they wouldn't provide references either, stating they felt it "wasn't appropriate". I did confirm before I left that I was marked as re-hireable.

I was rash in my quitting, thinking I'd just land a job (I did not have one lined up). The market crashed and I found myself taking a retail job. I enjoy it but the pay is terrible and I need to get out on my own again. Since I did the retail job well (and matured at little), the managers are more than willing to give me glowing recommendations.

The problem is, I'm applying for tech support work and they don't care about retail references, they want a reference from my call-centre job. Specifically, manager references.

Up until now I'd kinda "faked" my reference by putting a senior (though not managerial) peer as my reference for the call centre job, as my peers all liked me.

What do I do? I can't just remove a huge part of my employment history by removing the reference. Should I be honest and say I didn't get along with my manager?

Do I call that manger up, a year later, and try to reconcile things in an effort to at least get a reference?

I'm kind of at a loss as I haven't worked all that many jobs and up until the call centre job, my references had always been good.

Uh, my weaknesses are awesomeness and attractiveness. There is no charge for awesomeness or attractiveness.

santojulieta — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:34:11 -0800

What are your best resources or best advice for job interviews for a position you desperately want? I think I've managed to land an interview for a position that might actually suit me within my current company. It's a position that's perfectly suited to my strengths - researching, writing, strategizing. However, a few months ago, I blew an interview somehow for a position that my manager said I had in the bag. I wasn't overconfident and I was well prepared, but it just didn't go my way. And now that other candidate is my current supervisor.

So, I'm just not going to blow it this time, dammit. I've started doing research on the position and what tasks they complete for the company. I'm also researching their subject matter as well, so I can come in informed. But, they're going to ask me strengths and weaknesses and whatnot, and I never know how to answer that. What do you say in this situation? What do you want to hear in this situation?

What else can you point me toward on teh internets? Reading materials I don't know about? And, if you're wondering, I just read this post about being over confident in interviews, and I got a lot of good info out of that. I'm just looking for more.

Finding and interviewing strangers

dayintoday — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:33:05 -0800

How do I contact strangers in higher education to help me with grad school interview projects? I'm frequently required by my grad school classes to interview higher education professionals (faculty, administrators, lawyers, and so on) on various topics. Sometimes the interviews are quick questions, and sometimes they are rather lengthy. It's almost always required that the interviewee is from an institution with which I am not affiliated (my grad school or my employer). Occasionally, the interviews are to be completed on very short notice (a few days).

I generally send friendly emails to several potential interview candidates, or those who can put me in touch with candidates (for example, the secretary of a student affairs office when I need to interview a student affairs administrator). The response is occasionally (OK, rarely) positive and helpful, but often there is no response or one that is too delayed to be of help. The most luck I've had has come from begging friends on Facebook to hook me up with friends they know in higher ed, but I'd rather learn how to do this on my own.

I can understand not being immediately available for such a favor, but is there any way to make the prospect more appealing or target more willing candidates?

(Note: I do not have any such projects on my plate at the moment. I'm not trying to use this question to fish for candidates.)

How to know if your luck has run out?

lslelel — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:45:57 -0800

Five interviews in a three weeks...no offers...Am I doing something wrong or is it 'the market'? Please have a look at this list of experiences and let me know if you see anything odd. I am happy I am getting interviews, but I wonder after all of these ups and downs...Are these companies managing my expectations only to keep me interested?

All of these opportunities were made via Cover Letters and Resumes sent in by email, no personal connections...

1) Web Development Company - Meet 1st level IT admin, relatively cold on me at first, warmed up, and got his boss to talk to me. Got along great with the boss for around an hour, nailed technical questions, went over my and his experiences, generally had a great time...He gets the HR lady to explain to me the next steps. She's walking out and tells me 'We've made some other appointments and have to honor those because it's polite, but you need to meet the VP next and we can move forward." I follow up a few days later by email., but don't hear anything. Get a phone call saying they made an offer to someone else. Kick in the stomach really...

2) Financial IT company - Interview with IT Admin starts cold, but ends great after an hour or so...On my way out he says he definitely wants me to meet the boss the next week, but by the time I get home the 2nd interview is already scheduled for the next day. I go to meet the boss, get a cold look, and the overall meeting lasts three minutes. Never heard a definitive no, but it's obvious right?

3) Hospital - Go to meet the manager of the department I'm working in. Get along great right off the bat, we cover a million bases of what they do, and since my last full time gig was in the industry, so I share similar stories, and how I already basically know what they need. Great humor from her, and we get along great. Most of the time, she's on her Blackberry towards the end trying to get her boss to meet me, she tells me she can't make it and how about Monday. Monday rolls around, no appointment. My primary contact in HR tells me that my email goes unanswered because she was on vacation, and she is waiting on feedback. Nothing since

4) Hedge Fund placement (shudder...yes i wrote that)...THE YOUNGEST PEOPLE IVE EVER INTERVIEWED WITH. No joke...they must have just finished their bachelor's or still finishing it. They were all about logic problems, corporate philosophy statements (think corny Jack Welch/business motivation book synopsis) and some technical questions. I go through a pretty decent grilling, including some attitude testing from the 2nd round person...I finally get to meet with an adult who goes through a series of questions, ends with 'Great, you seem like a good guy. I need you to sit in on a conference call tommorow, call me in the afternoon". I call in around 12, speak to the 1st young kid who tells me 'Things are hectic here. I will get you some feedback later in the day". Didnt hear anything back.

5) Small IT Shop - Great guys. Nothing but positive back and forth and some explicit interest. Have an interview with a VP next week, and I'm still confident about this one. I need this one.

My cover letters and CV can't be horrible because they are getting me interviews. I'm not dumb about interviews. I know how to dress, talk, groom, and 'read' the situation. I've had horrible interviews in the past, and generally have a good sense of how things are going, and know when/how to tell a joke and when to be serious.

So What's Wrong With Me?
31, Male...um...'ethnic'/facial hair

I moved around alot, first due to years of temp/admin work , recent relocations due to corporate restructuring and one move for a girlfriend/greatjob that didnt pan out....the greatjob...not the girlfriend.

Most of the jobs I used to get were one interview, and I knew by the end of the day sort of thing...I'm not used to this back and forth, and honestly, I don't have the stamina or money to wait weeks and weeks.

Any advice? Apologies for the poor grammar above.

Where do I find a suit that fits me?

decoherence — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:45:23 -0800

I need a really nice suit for upcoming law firm interviews. Where do I go for one that actually fits me? I'm 6'1.5", 180 pounds, in my mid-20's. I work out quite often, so I have a thin, fairly athletic physique, though obviously not "jacked" at 180 pounds. I've had a series of suits over the years that I've picked up at various department stores, none of which have fit me very well. Typically the pants are too big for my chest size (I'm a 39 or 40 in the chest, with a 31 waist), and even when altered, the legs are too baggy. I'm tired of lame suits and want a really nice, well-fitting one that I can wear for years to come.

I've found most that American suits don't fit me well. I do like the way British and the slim Italian suits seem to fit on people of my body type -- fairly unstructured jacket (minimal padding), high arm holes, high rise on the pants, etc. What are some designers I should be looking at, and what stores would carry these (ideally, at a somewhat discounted price)? I'm in the NYC and DC areas. I'm willing to spend around $1,000, though I would of course prefer less. Obviously I need a fairly conservative suit for firm interviews, so no crazy high-fashion makes, but rather, just something elegant that actually fits my body type (i.e., no Brooks Brothers "sack" suits).

Note that I'm already pretty well-versed in things like vents, collar style, colors, etc., so I'm really just looking for advice on particular makes and stores, not the whole rundown on what a proper "interview suit" should be.

How do I manage people remotely?

Wilder — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:35:53 -0800

How do you manage a small team remotely? Particular tips when one of them seems to underperform consistently? [subtext, help me ace my interview!] Latest published work and your own experience please! I'm interviewing for a promotion in late June to step up and manage a group of my peers. At the moment we all do the same job just in different parts of the country working remotely. I've managed a small office in the past but never managed people remotely (although it's the job I do so I have a solid idea of what we're meant to be but how we do it has always been very flexible) I've had problems in the past with my nearest geographical colleague who's underperformance has impacted to the extent I've had to find ways of working around her. I've passed the issues up to our Head of Department after unsucessfully trying to resolve them with the colleague. Four sector leads are now being offered. All I know about the interview is it will be 45 minutes of "management scenarios" . With my history with this colleague it is inevitable that managing underperformers will come up. In fact this may be a reason I do not get promoted simply because they may be afraid she'll challenge any definitive decision I make on her employment due to our past history (although I've always been very careful to be as supportive as possible and document issues).

So Mefites, can you point me in the direction of readings on managing underperformers especially remotely? There are really good management readings in past AskMe's that I will faithfully go through, but nothing that deals with this.

Do you have personal experience to offer? Interesting solutions?
thanks in advance...

Field Interview Help

chrisalbon — Sat, 23 May 2009 12:21:03 -0800

Great Books And Resources On Doing Field Research Interviews? I am a PhD candidate (just became ABD on thursday woot!) in political science. My formal training is in quantitative methods (stats), however I am doing nine months of field work (interviews) in Africa in 2010.

I am looking for some great books and resources on doing field interviews properly.

Any suggestions?

Contact Info Help

MTheresa — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:41:41 -0800

How do I get someone's contact info without having to pay a service like LinkedIn for their e-mail address? I am trying to do informational interviews and I am trying to contact a specific person without having to pay LinkedIn a monthly fee, do you know of any services that provide lists of company employees and their contact info? Do you think the library has this info? Or do you suggest I call the company he works at and ask for his contact info?

Correct an impression? Or let it go?

different — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 06:24:06 -0800

I've just found out via email that I didn't get a job that I interviewed for. How to respond? Obviously, I will write a brief response thanking the employer for his time and wishing him all the best. However, in his 'rejection' of me, he wrote that one of my skills was insufficient. My pride wants me to respond (politely) correcting this, but I also recognise that it's most probably just something for him to add to bulk out his email. I don't want to come across as obnoxious, but I do feel like I misrepresented myself. Is it too late to do anything now?

Author interviews

Dumsnill — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:54:09 -0800

What is the best author interview you have found? I don't care about any particular genre, all I care about is: Do you have a favorite author? If yes: Do you have a favorite interview with that person? If so, can you give me a link?

If this is too chatfiltery, remove.

Reed mai werds pleez

Miko — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:23:20 -0800

What does a writing portfolio look like these days? I'm interviewing for nonprofit jobs, many of which have a strong writing component. I also freelance for local magazines and newspapers and have just started doing web content writing. I expect to keep going in all these directions.

But I'm a little unclear as to how writers collect and present their writing today, especially when it's across formats. I'm familiar with the idea of an online portfolio, but I have a lot of work (magazine pieces, grant narratives) that are not linkable online.

What is the best way to go about collecting and presenting my writing, especially for interview purposes? Is it better to make everything into PDF format and host it on your own site as a portfolio? Or is it still worthwhile to bring hard copies to interviews?

Thanks for any perspective you can give.

How to negotiate for flexible hours at the interview?

so much modern time — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:52:11 -0800

How to negotiate for flexible hours at the interview? I have a job interview tomorrow for a company that I'd absolutely love to work for. The only problem is that it's a full-time position and I'm currently enrolled in an intensive university language course (four hours a day in the morning until noon). What is the best way for me to broach this with the employer?

How do you deal with post-job-interview jitters?

Anonymous — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 12:56:35 -0800

I was in an interview a week and a half ago for a job that I really, really want. Is there anything I can do to make sure I don't mess things up? I think I'm really qualified for it but I have no idea if I'm going to get it or not. I sent a thank-you e-mail to everyone I interviewed with, but only heard back from one of them, the one who seemed to like me best, who said they would keep me posted. Since then, nothing. This was an eco-friendly firm so I thought that e-mail would be better than sending in an actual letter, but should I do that too (Is it too late)?

I've heard that now is the time to send a follow-up letter but all the examples I've seen seem like really hard sells, and I'm not sure I want to come across that way.

I tend to say whatever comes into my head and I worry that I somehow messed up the interview by being too upfront at times. What are some dealbreakers during an interview, and if I made them what are some things I can do now to make up for them?

And, like I said, I really, really want this job. How can I deal with the fact that I'm going crazy waiting to find out what happens, and how do I deal with the possibility of not getting it?

help me gain employment in the wonderful world of food service

Anonymous — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:03:08 -0800

What can I expect at interviews for simple restaurant/food service jobs? What things should I be saying to increase the chances I'll get hired? How should I dress? I have no foodservice experience. I know food service jobs are often cited as something easy to get, but I tend to get really anxious in new situations (like interviews), and I've also been having such little success in my job search lately that I'm worried and disheartened.

I'd feel much less anxious if I had some idea what to expect and what questions they're likely to ask me. Pretend I'm clueless (maybe I am?)

I'm especially wondering about open interviews at chain restaurants. (Some offer health insurance, which would be wonderful, and I haven't seen that many ads for those chain jobs, so I really don't want to fuck those interviews up.)

If it matters - I'm in my mid-twenties, done with college, have sort of spotty job history in that I've done temp work but also had some chunks of time where I just veged out (but I've never been fired or left a job on bad terms, I just get stuck in a rut sometimes.) I'm an honest and responsible person, but sometimes I'm not sure how to make that come across, and in the sucky US economy, I'm not sure that's enough anyhow.

Thanks.

Is it necessary to wear a suit to a Private Girls School job interview?

man down under — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:59:00 -0800

Is it *completely necessary* to wear a suit to a Private Girls School job interview? I've just emigrated to Australia sans suit and have a job interview at a private school coming up. Normal practice would of course see me in a suit for this interview, but normal practice would have shot my excess baggage limit!

How much of a faux pas is it to go without a suit jacket to this one?

I intend to wear a rather nice shirt and tie, with shined shoes and a spiffy new hair-cut...

How many more bridesmaid's dresses should I expect to buy?

anastasiav — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:20:29 -0800

How many times do people typically make it to the "finalist" round before they land a job? Today I was notified that I was not hired for a position, after going through an extensive "finalist" process. This is the fourth time this has happened in two months, and its starting to get frustrating, not only because I'm not getting hired, but because the process of not getting hired is making me take a ton of time away from my current job.

Is it typical to be a finalist for several positions before you land a job?

My field is training and development. I've asked for feedback from all four no's and have gotten a different answer each time, so I don't think its something specific I'm doing or not doing. Also, two of the four never checked my references, and those two each talked to different people, so I don't think its a hidden reference problem.

Is it just the current market? Or should I start to look deeper to find something I need to change?

Help! I'm lost without Powerpoint...

finding.perdita — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 12:59:30 -0800

I have a job interview tomorrow and have to do a 10 minute presentation. They rang today to say that there won't be any computer / projection facilities (after saying last week that there would be). I'm a bit lost! How do I give a memorable presentation without Powerpoint? I'm not nervous about giving presentations, and always try hard to engage the audience, but I'm just so used to being able to use visual aids to break things up, so people don't have to stare at me for 10 minutes straight!

I asked if I could bring in a laptop to deliver a presentation (there will only be 2-3 people interviewing) and was told that it wouldn't be fair on the other candidates.

Help! Any suggestions for non-IT visual aids or specific presentation techniques would be welcomed...

Interviewing Risk-Takers, What To Ask?

ISeemToBeAVerb — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:29:48 -0800

If you had the task of conducting interviews with people meeting one or more of the criteria listed below, what kind of questions would you ask them? - People who have dropped their 9 to 5 or a high pay/high stress job in order to follow their passion. - People who have started their own unique small business. I'm thinking along the lines of something progressive and sustainable. - People who live unique lifestyles or combine their lifestyle with their job. For example, a person who turns a hobby into a profession. - People who have beaten the odds to achieve something extraordinary. - People who have taken risks in order to achieve their ideal lifestyle. Thanks!

How do you interview a troubling candidate who has much more experience than you?

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 07:40:11 -0800

I'm looking for advice on how to conduct a job interview with someone much older and with much more experience than me. The problem: his resume is seriously fishy. There's some technical information in here, so input from professional software geeks is particularly appreciated. I'm a web developer, and on Tuesday, I'll be conducting my first job interview, as one of a team of people interviewing the candidate throughout the day. I'm in my mid-20s, and have been working professionally for 1.5 years; he, by the looks of his resume, is at least 40, and has been working in the software industry for at least 13 years. That awkwardness is compounded by the fact that I think his resume suggests very real potential problems and exaggerations.

There's typos all over the place ("strategical", "integeration" and "XML DCD", among others), and it's heavily padded. He claims to be an expert on "Ajax methodology" and "Web 2.0 concepts", but the only Javascript toolkit he cites- in a resume that isn't shy about listing every piece of software he's ever touched- is GWT, which has the distinction of being the only Ajax framework that doesn't require you to write HTML or Javascript (if you ignore OpenLaszlo, which everyone does). Plus, we're a Python shop, and his background is solidly in Java (he says he's leveraged "advanced Java technologies" such as JSP, Servlets and Swing); Python is never mentioned.

My concern is that having a young twerp like me trying to investigate his web development skills could be seriously insulting, and while job candidates have to accept that, if he's hired, it could start our working relationship off poorly, especially considering that we have a very small web dev team (the head of which is also in his mid-20s). But there's really only two people interviewing him (myself and our team lead) who are competent to evaluate him technically, so I can't really pass the buck to someone else.

Anonymous because other coworkers know my MeFi account. Thanks in advance.

How do I prepare for graduate technical interviews in software?

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:50:38 -0800

In about six weeks I expect to have a technical interview for a graduate position with MS. What can I do between now and then to be as well prepared as possible? This is my first 'real' interview - I'm just finishing my degree. I have interviewed for jobs like McDonalds and waiting tables, but that seems qualitatively different. The only other application I have made so far was to Google, and I didn't get past their technical phone screen (I did ask for feedback on how I went, but haven't heard anything from them yet). I do have some pretty good work experience, but the interview process for that was all over the phone and seemed ridiculously easy, I don't think there was much competition.

My biggest issue is that I don't really know if I'm good enough - what are they looking for? What do they expect from me? I have honours grades and a bunch of scholarships, but no open-source involvement and I feel like the really impressive guys at uni just know and understand way more than me, at a completely different level. How do I know what kind of position I should be applying for, or if Microsoft/Google/etc are just out of my league? (This is anon because in real life I never admit to that I might be less than capable of anything. I don't mind if I'm recognizable, I just don't want the angst easily linked to my name.)

Current plans:
-I'm going to do some coding (in C++) to make sure I have all the syntax at my fingertips - it's been a while since I've worked in it.
-I just reread my Data Structures and Algorithms textbook, and I'm taking another course in them now
-I'm working on the Google CodeJam problems
-I've been googling 'Microsoft interview' and variations to find all the available info on the type of questions they'll ask, logic puzzles etc.
-I'm also starting my final semester, and have a lot of work to do, so I don't have unlimited time to work with.

I'm looking for MS-specific tips, but also advice for software interviews in general, as I'm sure I'll be interviewing at other places as well.

How to handle salary discussions before you have a job offer?

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:50:34 -0800

Help with salary negotiations? The standard wisdom -- which I've been trying to follow -- is that you aren’t supposed to talk about salary until after you get a job offer. But the organization began talking about it when they called to schedule the first interview. Suggestions? I applied for a job. They required a salary history. I sent mine, stating that I make, let’s say, $60k (the details are changed here; it’s less than that). An assistant called, saying they wanted to schedule an interview with me, “but [boss] wanted to flag the fact that the salary for this position is in the mid-40s. Would you still be interested?” I paused (a bit surprised, really) and said something noncommittal, like “it would certainly be worth us having more discussion about the position.”

Next, I had a phone interview with the supervisor. The discussion had very few questions about my qualifications (one question). The call’s purpose seemed to be to explain the position and allow me to ask questions. She brought up the salary, and said that they have “authorization” to offer up to $48k, what did I think? I said something like “I would want to consider the salary in light of the full package, including benefits and the opportunities for professional growth.” She explained the benefits package (including a matching donation to a retirement account, which I admitted would close some of the gap).

The job offers a lot of opportunity for professional growth; I'd be really passionate about the work; they’re a great organization; and I could still live on the lower salary (though my ability to save would go way down). If offered the job, I would like to take it. But a 20% salary cut is still hard to take. It’s a much tougher decision than it would be if they could close that gap a bit more.

How should I handle this? Should I start to openly admit that it would be a tough decision for me at their current budget? Should I continue trying to wait until they actually offer me the job (or not)? I’d rather discuss salary once we've decided if I'd be a good fit for the job. But if so, how do I field the question? I think they may have the impression I would consider taking the job at the current salary, because I’ve typically changed the subject to how I’d be very excited to contribute to the organization. I don’t want them to think I’m agreeing to it and then seem to change my mind later. Since they keep trying to get me to say that salary is okay, they may not have much flexibility, but they must have some, right?

How would you handle this?

How do I get from 4th-on-the-list to 'Hired!'?

saguaro — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 02:50:38 -0800

I'm #4 on the eligibility list for a job that I want, and have a 2nd interview in a week. This is the final step in the application process. What can I do to vault myself to the top of the list and land the job? It is a facilities/staff supervisor position for local government. The application process has been long, involving an initial screening, a multiple choice test, a panel interview, and now a 2nd interview. So far every step has been very deliberate and on the impersonal side. For instance the panel interview was conducted from a set list of questions, and my answers were scored. Last week they sent me an email with my score and told me that my place on the eligibility list was 4, out of the remaining 16 applicants (initially there were hundreds). Today they called to set up the interview—it will be less 'formal' and with only 2 interviewers this time—and said that they were only interviewing 4 people from the list. So presumably I'm the underdog.

Like I said, this is a facilities management and staff supervision job, with a public relations facet. Conflict resolution has been stressed as one of the most important issues related to the position, I believe in reference to the public relations/customer service aspect. So I'm prepared for that. I am confident in my qualifications and ability to excel in the position. However, I don't exactly have the strongest resume on the planet^*, and although I'm fairly smooth answering questions I can get rather nervous at the 'Questions for us?' stage of an interview. Any special tips for that? (I have recognized this as a problem though, have two books on the subject, and am preparing. I feel better about it already.)

But what I'm really looking for are ways to appeal to the "Best of the Best" mindset bannered around the HR department. This is a 'famous' community with a high standard of excellence, and they're not hesitant to assert that fact. How can I impress, coming from #4-on-paper? What are my interviewers looking for? For this type of job (entry-level city government), what will set me apart? What can I use to trebuchet to the top of that list? I want this job. I need this job. Help me get it, AskMe!

* No college degree. Meet but do not exceed minimum experience requirements. Plenty of training though, and I was at my last job for 7 years. I'm told that's a big plus, but at interviews so far I've found it means I'm 7 years out of practice.

You hang up first. No you hang up first. No you hang up first...

boots — Fri, 02 May 2008 19:02:12 -0800

At what point in the job interview process is it appropriate to inquire what the salary might look like? I've been doing the job interview thing for far too long now, and I'm getting pretty damn good at it, if I do say so myself. However, there's one point that I'm still unsure about. I was led to understand (from where, I don't rightly recall) that one waited until after a job was offered before even mentioning salary, benefits, etc., let alone negotiating them. My parents think this is absurd. They think that I should inquire what the salary range might look like during first interviews, because "you're interviewing them as much as they're interviewing you." That part I understand, but for some reason salary seems like the exception to that rule.

So, who's right? Do I ask about potential salary before they offer me a job (or bring it up on their own) or do I bide my time and wait until they've made an offer to negotiate like hell?

NYC if it makes a difference.

How can one find military wives?

k8t — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:25:29 -0800

How can one find military wives for a scientific study? I have a friend who is working on her masters thesis on female military spouses. She wants to interview them over the phone.
She's looking for a rather specific sample (wives whose husbands are currently deployed & who have at least one child living at home with them). She's tried posting on Facebook, MySpace, and Craigslist with little luck. Any other ideas on how best to get in touch with women like this? It doesn't have to strictly involve the internet, but that seems like a good place to start.
Or, any MeFites who fit this bill and want to help, please MeFi mail me!