Face to face interviews

[Spacecadet]

I don't see anything wrong with insisting on a preliminary phone interview first. Makes sure that neither party is wasting time with a face to face when the contract could be wholly unsuitable

[kevlong]

My experience is that a face to face meeting is mandatory to close the deal. As contractors/consultants we are at the end of the day selling ourselves and it is difficult to do that by remote control and unless perhaps you know the client.

Kevlong

[KevinS]

My experience is that a face to face meeting is mandatory to close the deal. As contractors/consultants we are at the end of the day selling ourselves and it is difficult to do that by remote control and unless perhaps you know the client.

In my third contract now and yet to have a f2f interview.. 1st one, client was in a hurry (started the next day, after talking to them at 3PM and offered at 5PM). Second client knew me from permie job.. Current gig client's lead dev knew me from permiedom..

EDIT: Actually, I did have one, in London somewhere but the job was crap and the commute worse..

[smiff]

In my third contract now and yet to have a f2f interview.

I'm in my fourth contract and never had a phone interview, always been f2f. I would probably be more nervous on the phone now, as I am a pro at the f2f.

Yay, first post after 3 years of lurking.

[Dow Jones]

...exception, not the rule!!

I would never employ a nanny, cleaner, gardener, etc without interviewing them face-to-face, would any of you? Moreover, I would not do that if I paid him £ 300+ a day! Someone in a hurry to get a BOS/jnr posn (not a PM or any snr posn), or someone that knows you from before, fine, doesn't make it the rule. When I interview people, I can tell straight away that they are lying (from their body language), how they talk (irrespective of accent) and how they look/dress (check for hair/dress sense, body odour and other signs of 'maturity'). It's a buyer's market, some of you think you are the bees' knees/dogs balls/etc and you can't be ar s ed to turn up! What is it someone said here before: I have a 100% interview success (having done 3 contracts!), sounds like the guy that was complaining about having a 999(!) in his Credit Report (1 credit card?)

[ratewhore]

It's called 'cost of sale'.

[TheFaQQer]

I would never employ a nanny, cleaner, gardener, etc without interviewing them face-to-face, would any of you? Moreover, I would not do that if I paid him £ 300+ a day! Someone in a hurry to get a BOS/jnr posn (not a PM or any snr posn), or someone that knows you from before, fine, doesn't make it the rule. When I interview people, I can tell straight away that they are lying (from their body language), how they talk (irrespective of accent) and how they look/dress (check for hair/dress sense, body odour and other signs of 'maturity'). It's a buyer's market, some of you think you are the bees' knees/dogs balls/etc and you can't be ar s ed to turn up! What is it someone said here before: I have a 100% interview success (having done 3 contracts!), sounds like the guy that was complaining about having a 999(!) in his Credit Report (1 credit card?)

Not for my skill set it's not!

I'd suggest that for some clients, they insist on a face to face interview for whatever reason. Most people here seem to think this is the norm.

In my experience, it's not. The clients that I deal with get a good enough feel from a phone interview, CV and reputation that they don't need to waste their time and mine with a face to face interview. They are usually so grateful that I'm available and interested in the role that they want to sort the role out quickly before I find something else to do.

[Torran]

To the original poster:

You've led a sheltered life for far too long then. Need to sharpen up a bit and realise how things are in the real world. Another reason that tel/int might not be a good idea is if you've got a heavy local accent which may lose you the contract in some cases.

Mince. Because he's from "Up North" he will have an accent that normal southern people won't understand and this could cost him the job? Total Mince.

Where are you from? Some eco system bubble in the South that only breeds from within.

Personally

10 contracts - 5 telephone ints. 2 Face to Face. 3 recommendations with no interview.

I'm from further North than yow and its got nothing to do with accents. Some banks like to see you, some don't care. Nothing more complicated than that

[PAH]

EDIT: Actually, I did have one, in London somewhere but the job was crap and the commute worse..

Which is why even if a telephone interview is offered first, I always want a face to face before signing the contract. Works both ways. They want to check your 'face fits', stuff like personality and appearance, which is hard to gauge via phone. I want to check they aren't some flea-pit company in the arse-end of nowhere, run by cretins.

I prefer face to face though as I come across better in person than on the end of a phone, or forum.

[Dow Jones]

Nth v Sth!

[QUOTE=Torran;452525]Mince. Because he's from "Up North" he will have an accent that normal southern people won't understand and this could cost him the job? Total Mince.

Where are you from? Some eco system bubble in the South that only breeds from within.
----------------------------
So this has now become a North vs South issue? I certainly didn't make it one. I said 'local' accents.
In your case, you may possibly be right, if you are in Scotland, then chances are they may not easily ask you for a f2f due to time/cost involved.