RE: interview critique

[Robert <http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert>]

Thanks for all this stuff.

I still feel depressed.  I guess I'm having to learn skills I never had
to learn when I was growing up: cold-calling, talking to people, not
being nervous when getting the once-over, etc.  I don't know why I have
such a hard time learning this stuff.  Must be my nature.

--- Lolita <http://www.sbcglobal.net/~fati> wrote:
> Hi Robert
> It was helpful for me being a part of the mock interview as I heard some of
> my own responses in your answers.  So I'm grateful that the group has let me
> join in on the meeting.
> 
> Regarding your attachment there is one item I would caution around using:
> Ask for "interview reset" (re-start interview) if too nervous.
> 
> If this occurs early on in the interview and you feel that your responses
> are not what you're wanting to communicate this is something to perhaps
> request.  However, I think it is a bit risky in that interviewers are
> usually seeing many people, they actually have their own job on which to
> focus and want to get on with the whole process.  So to make this request
> could backfire.  I only told to the story to illustrate how we are all
> people with similar concerns and interests.  The only difference is that the
> person interviewing you already has a job and I'm sure that they are only
> too aware that these days, they could easily be on the other side of the
> interview.  So the point of the story was to just illustrate our own
> humanity.
> 
> Okay, that said, other questions that many find difficult:
> 1. Tell me about yourself?
> 2. What are your strengths and WEAKNESSES?
> 3. What do you hope to do in five years?
> 4. Why are you interested in this company? (this is not the same question as
>    'why should we hire you')
> 5. What would your critics and supporters say about you?
> 
> Many HR folks say that one should always relate interview questions with the
> job for which one is interviewed.  So in answering the above, one should see
> it as an opportunity to further illustrate how you are the "perfect"
> candidate for the position.
> 
> My two cents anyway....hope it helps.
> 
> Best regards,
> Lolita
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert [http://dummy.us.eu.org/robert]
> Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 2004 1:59 PM
> 
> I got really depressed afterwards.  I keep feeling it's hopeless
> trying to get another programming job.
> 
> Also, I was realizing that perhaps the reason why that programmer coop
> wanted to talk with me again was because I wasn't expecting to be
> interviewed!  (I was under the impression that I would just check out
> their set-up in case I wanted to do something like this myself.  It
> was only after about 5 minutes into things that I realized that they
> thought it was an interview.  Thankfully, I had my resume...)  Perhaps
> this made me less nervous.
> 
> Anyway, I typed up the critiques and I've attached it here.  I was
> trying to think about all the questions I had real trouble answering.
> I could only come up with 2 out of the original list I had.  Could
> those who interviewed me please e-mail me back other questions I had
> trouble with so I'll include those at the top of my list?
> 
> Thanks!