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It isn't a resume, or even how well dressed/groomed the prospective employee is, but what he knows.
Learned long ago education doesn't count for crap if the inquisitive mind isn't there or their is a lack of interest on what the company does or what the job is all about.
I've been keeping my eyes open to hire a trainee, someone that can take over my position in the company in 5 or 6 years. There is no real rush for another year or even two but my plan is to slow up at 66, possibly work half time or something, to age 70 at which time I might go part time as needed. The point being is I have four years to age 66 and there would be three years minimum training to be able to leave someone alone on a project.
So I do have my eyes open and I do plan to get serious soon enough.
So a young man comes in, he's dressed OK, no tatts, lip or tongue piercings (that would end the interview on the spot) and he is dressed ok. He's wearing a pair of pressed, clean jeans, sport **** and his fingernails are not dirty.
Dirt under the fingernails freak me out. I'm not freaky about it, don't required manicuring just nails clipped back and clean hands. And teeth, get your teeth cleaned.
I don't care about the education level as long as the applicant graduated high school and still remembers enough to have a well rounded math background.
He answers these questions.
When added together three consecutive even number pages in a book total 204. What numbers are they?
If q=k*p^-5 what's k?
At 12:00 noon a car leaves a gas station traveling east at exactly 56 mph. At exactly 12:22 PM a second car leaves traveling east at exactly 67 mph. At what exact time will the second car catch up to the first car?
Doesn't have to be a wiz, doesn't need to be fast all he has to do is come up with the right answer. Doesn't even have to be the right answer just show me you understand the methodology on how to get there.
A blank look with no idea how to get an answer would end the interview. This is high school basic algebra and if you can't get this then this particular job is no for you.
No trick questions, nothing about "If you could be an animal what kind of animal would you be?" or "tell me why I should hire you?"
What would get you offered a job most likely on the spot?
Know something about the business and the job at hand. Tell me you spent some time on the internet, that you know about the NFPA, the NSFA, what NICET is, that you always thought plumbers did the work never knowing how unique the work was, that you learned there were four basic systems, wet, dry, preaction and deluge, that sprinklers are effective at controlling or extinguishing fires 96% of the time and 92% of the time fires are controlled or extinguished by one open sprinkler head. Doesn't have to be a huge amount of knowledge just be able to spend five minutes telling me something about my business that the general public doesn't know.
If an applicant does that, if he is clean, properly dressed, can answer the math questions, and tells me just a little about the industry in general and a little about the job he is applying for, chances are 99% certain I would offer the job on the spot. To know my business would impress me no end if he acted like it was something he really wanted to do in life it would be a done deal.
Two other things when interviewing with me should it happen.
To answer a text message? I am really trying but I can't come up with anything that would infuriate, or be more personally insulting, than reading a text message much less answering it. Leave your phone in the car.
Wow am I the only one who is sick of all the BS you have to go through to get work.This downturn has made it alot worse.The one thing I hoped obama would do was create huge gov work projects like in the depression.You would show up and get put to work.Confirming your ID would be the only speed bump to go over.No endless credit and background checks.No trying to catch you in a lie on your app or resume.No three interview process with stupid questions like, whats your weakness,what did you want to be when you where growing up and where do you see yourself in 5 years(living on the moon you idiot interviewer).
Wow am I the only one who is sick of all the BS you have to go through to get work.This downturn has made it alot worse.The one thing I hoped obama would do was create huge gov work projects like in the depression.You would show up and get put to work.Confirming your ID would be the only speed bump to go over.No endless credit and background checks.No trying to catch you in a lie on your app or resume.No three interview process with stupid questions like, whats your weakness,what did you want to be when you where growing up and where do you see yourself in 5 years(living on the moon you idiot interviewer).
Well if you want a job you have to lay the job interviewing game, sory
Your ability to make a decision and be responsible for it
Backbone, yes backbone is what I look for. I do not like people that work for me to be scared. Be confident in your actions and choices.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ivorytickler
What makes a candidate stand out?
I'm someone who struggles with going into interviews with pom poms blazing cheering rah rah me. I tend to be a realist. I see my capabilities but I see the areas I need improvement on too and it feels like lying to tell you about one without telling you about the other and I'm sure that nervousness comes through.
What can I do to either turn the ability to see my own shortcomings into a positive or get closer to coming in looking like a cheerleader?
I keep coming in #2 after interviews and I'm certain it's because I'm WYSIWYG while the next guy jumps up and down witn pom poms.
And, seriously, do you really believe these people who come in and tell you how great they are??? Wouldn't you rather have someone who can self assess and knows to work on the things that are lacking?
Terrible, TERRIBLE advice. The interviewer will walk out saying that you didn't seem that interested in the job. Neither of you should dominate the conversation. It should be fairly even. Remember, you're interviewing them just as much as they're interviewing you.
As others have said, confidence is key. Honesty is also important. If they ask to explain your expertise at something you don't know much about, don't try to pretend like you know more than you do. Experienced interviewers will be able to see right through it. If I were interviewing, I'd have more respect for the person who can be candid about his or her weaknesses than try to impress me. When I look back at my most successful interviews, I realize I did my best on the ones where I was willing to lose the job. Some people go into interviews telling themselves, "I have to land this job." If you put that kind of pressure on yourself, you run the risk of overselling yourself. It's kind of like going on a date. If you try too hard to be something you're not, you'll just make a fool of yourself. But if you just be yourself and try to emphasize your good qualities, you'll do a lot better. If the interviewer doesn't ask you to explain your weaknesses, don't offer them. It's not dishonest to withhold that information. It's the interviewer's fault for not bothering to ask.
Terrible, TERRIBLE advice. The interviewer will walk out saying that you didn't seem that interested in the job. Neither of you should dominate the conversation. It should be fairly even. Remember, you're interviewing them just as much as they're interviewing you.
As others have said, confidence is key. Honesty is also important. If they ask to explain your expertise at something you don't know much about, don't try to pretend like you know more than you do. Experienced interviewers will be able to see right through it. If I were interviewing, I'd have more respect for the person who can be candid about his or her weaknesses than try to impress me. When I look back at my most successful interviews, I realize I did my best on the ones where I was willing to lose the job. Some people go into interviews telling themselves, "I have to land this job." If you put that kind of pressure on yourself, you run the risk of overselling yourself. It's kind of like going on a date. If you try too hard to be something you're not, you'll just make a fool of yourself. But if you just be yourself and try to emphasize your good qualities, you'll do a lot better. If the interviewer doesn't ask you to explain your weaknesses, don't offer them. It's not dishonest to withhold that information. It's the interviewer's fault for not bothering to ask.
Interviewee-45% of the talking, Interviewer-55% of the talking
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
39,031 posts, read 23,020,628 times
Reputation: 36027
Quote:
Originally Posted by TVandSportsGuy
Interviewee-45% of the talking, Interviewer-55% of the talking
This would be inappropriate for the types of jobs I've been interviewing for where the panel just asks questions from their canned list and the candidate is the one doing most of the talking. Really, the candidate needs to take their cues from the interviewer as there are different types of interviews and each interviewer has their own style. The candidate does need to be careful NOT to be long-winded in their responses and to ensure that the question asked is being answered.
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