Until recently, my career has been a string of long term positions. The only thing wrong with that is a lack of experience in the interview process. I can pretty much handle a question from the interviewer but draw a blank if they turn the table on me. What are some good ones I should have in my arsenal?
I thought about putting this post in the jobs section for the benefit of others on both sides of said table. If admin thinks that a good idea, feel free to move it.
I wish you luck. You can probably get the best advice from some of the young bucks out there who have been through this somewhat recently.
My last interview was over 28 years ago for a part time position at a university. I think they only interviewed two of us and I knew the other applicant. I wasn't worried one bit.
vern, post: 416120, member: 3436 wrote: Until recently, my career has been a string of long term positions. The only thing wrong with that is a lack of experience in the interview process. I can pretty much handle a question from the interviewer but draw a blank if they turn the table on me. What are some good ones I should have in my arsenal?
I thought about putting this post in the jobs section for the benefit of others on both sides of said table. If admin thinks that a good idea, feel free to move it.
Clarify on your experience, with the minds that review this board this could be a pretty fun topic.
Reviewing what you posted, simply be honest, tell them you suck at interviewing but you excel at____________
The word 'honest' cant be said enough. If they are worth working for they will spot bs quick.
Questions to ask aside from basics...
What is yoir basic workflow (focusing on qc and oversight).
Do you support career growth and how?
How much freedom will i have on my projects?
For me, the biggest issue is being on the same page regarding the rules of professional responsibility. If you get into an ethical mismatch it will end poorly.
Good luck, Tom
[MEDIA=youtube]m4OvQIGDg4I[/MEDIA]
I'm in the same boat as HC. I haven't sat in the hot seat at an interview since leaded gasoline was sold on the corner. But I bet there's a few basic components that haven't changed.
I would think you have a better chance of competing with other applicants if your interview is one of the last rather than in the first few. At least you would probably receive a fairer comparison to the others. I would guess the trick is to present yourself and your abilities as concisely as you can. Don't ad-lib and try to 'work on your feet' to give the appearance you're a good pick for the job if you're not. One of the biggest problems with choosing personnel is wading through all the people that need a job so bad they'll tell you anything.
Most interviewers have a predisposed opinion before they enter the arena. If they've already decided on somebody that was lucky enough to get there first; your only hope is to appear as a better applicant than their previous 'choice'. The first two hurdles to make it over are (in no particular order): Can you do the job and does the interviewer find you likeable or personable? If you perform the job description and get the interviewer to loosen up and joke a little with you, there might be a chance.
good luck
For lack of better term, I've used that opportunity to grill them. I really want to find out if it's a bad place to work, who their clients are-do they have enough clients...
Although they may not tell you, try to gage how much profit they make, who they know, etc.
I was once very skeptical in an interview. Company's only clients where municipalities. Which means big jobs, but few and far between and can be dependent upon a lot of factors. They talked about all the work they had. 1.5 years of secured contracts! I knew most of the clients as this area was still a "good ole boy" functioning area. Turns out this company was fibbing, or rather stretching the truth to get me on board. The municipities just had no money. Even more damning, they were starting not to like this firm. Truth is, they desperately needed a surveyor for just 3-4 months.
Ask them 1) What kind of coffee to they have in the office and 2) What brand of t.p. is in the bathroom. If both are cheap, then RUN!
I am going to bring my questions written down next time, it is so easy to forget the basics after going through the interview.
One thing I do know------if you spend all your time telling them you are the greatest thing since sliced bread and routinely walk on water------your credibility is shot. Talking is easy. A story or two of some difficult encounters and how your team handled them may do you far more good.
Joe the Surveyor, post: 416143, member: 118 wrote: Ask them 1) What kind of coffee to they have in the office and 2) What brand of t.p. is in the bathroom. If both are cheap, then RUN!
I like to ask about what kind of equipment they have, when it was acquired, and so on. Then I'll ask about their office software and processes. Those answers pretty much reveal their philosophy, IMO. Then I'd be asking about the experience, skill set, and assigned responsibilities of the other people in their survey department to determine just where I would fit in.
though this may well not get a good response, it may. and if it doesn't, that's a good sign right there.
dead serious, i've done this.
"where do you see this company in 5 or 10 years?"
"where do you see me in this company in 5 or 10 years?"
"what are some of this company's weaknesses, things that could be improved upon?"
"how good is the company with taking direction and/or doing things differently than it always has?"
asked those questions once when i shopped my resume out and got about half a dozen interviews. couple of interviewers clearly didn't appreciate it- either thought i was joking or else put their insecurities on full display (maybe both). a few of them had no problems answering those questions.
guess who the finalists were...
SIt up straight, speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard, and project an air of confidence.
How you deal with an interview should depend a lot on who you are talking to. Is it the RPLS in charge, an MBA administrator, or a Human Resources person? You can try to show your qualifications and establish a rapport with any of them, but some aren't going to understand the nuances of an anecdote about a prior difficult problem so you will have to explain it differently. The questions you ask may also need to differ.
Sidetrack: I've heard people mention a lot of what I consider weird questions coming from the HR types. "If you were a bird, which one would you be?" I guess they are trying to find out how you react and/or analyze things, and how well you deal with the unexpected. Do a search for: weird interview questions
or https://www.themuse.com/advice/13-crazy-interview-questions-that-awesome-companies-will-actually-ask-you
Mark Mayer, post: 416151, member: 424 wrote: I like to ask about what kind of equipment they have, when it was acquired, and so on. Then I'll ask about their office software and processes. Those answers pretty much reveal their philosophy, IMO. Then I'd be asking about the experience, skill set, and assigned responsibilities of the other people in their survey department to determine just where I would fit in.
Yup, Assuming my future boss is doing the interview, my first question is what do the workflows look like for the average civil project? the average alta? the average boundary?
I can tolerate relatively antiquated equipment, software, and workflows. However, if the boss doesn't understand how the product comes together I don't see how he can effectively lead. Not saying he needs to know how to run the rover, rod, or CAD. He needs to have a solid overview of how the deliverables get from start to the point where they leave the office.
After that, I would like to meet the folks I would be working with.
Steve
When / Have you ever laid off employees? Why? Were you able to re-hire them later?
Realizing there's no such thing as a normal day, what's a usual day like?
Have you ever implemented an idea by an employee? What was it? If I see an area will slow teams down in the short term, but will improve profitability in the long term, how willing would you be to implement it?
mkennedy, post: 416216, member: 7183 wrote: When / Have you ever laid off employees? Why? Were you able to re-hire them later?
Realizing there's no such thing as a normal day, what's a usual day like?
Have you ever implemented an idea by an employee? What was it? If I see an area will slow teams down in the short term, but will improve profitability in the long term, how willing would you be to implement it?
Good ones!
mkennedy, post: 416216, member: 7183 wrote: When / Have you ever laid off employees? Why? Were you able to re-hire them later?
I feel like that question, asked just like that, is a bit too blunt. Every employer has laid off people, every employer has outright fired people. It's nobodies favorite thing to do. They may be interviewing to replace someone they had to let go recently and you are risking poking a sore spot.
Inquiring into the longevity of the existing staff will probably get you the same information with less risk.
Mark Mayer, post: 416296, member: 424 wrote: I feel like that question, asked just like that, is a bit too blunt. Every employer has laid off people, every employer has outright fired people. It's nobodies favorite thing to do. They may be interviewing to replace someone they had to let go recently and you are risking poking a sore spot.
Inquiring into the longevity of the existing staff will probably get you the same information with less risk.
Good point, Mark. I left out some other rather blunt questions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solution_selling
I don't know if this will help anyone, or not. Interviews go both ways.
An interview is really just an opportunity to sell yourself and for the prospect to size you up. If the prospect didn't believe someone were qualified to begin with it's unlikely that someone would reach the interview stage. A technique that has worked well for me, though I haven't sat for an interview in a decade, is called the 'Sandler' technique. Essentially boils down to 3 stages that can be applied in an interview setting.
1. Establish a rapport to put people at ease.
2. Identify 'pain'. This can be done in an interview by asking some open ended questions with the intent of getting the prospect to reveal what problems or issues they are dealing with. Maybe along the lines of 'What are you looking for in the ideal candidate and why?'
3. Once you've identified a list of 'pains', or 'needs', you can then proceed to address each one with a proposed solution to the issues, with your assistance of course. If the prospect agrees with the promise of the proposed solutions to their needs, you're more than half way to making an agreement, or 'closing' the deal.
One thing to keep in mind is if you're going to ask questions is to try to go with questions that will lead to a 'yes' answer. Someone who is on a roll of saying no is not likely to switch to a yes when you get down to the final question on whether they have grounds for an agreement.
Cheers! Willy
