Face to face interviews

[KevinS]

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.

For the one face to face I did do, I knew the company from permiedom, so I wasn't worried about that.. Personally, I will happily do face to face interviews, but it just happens that the clients haven't asked..

[KathyWoolfe]

If it meant travelling over 200 miles for an interview then I would ask about a telephone interview first. I think that if it was the client paying travelling costs then more and more clients would agree to phone interviews when talking to a contractor - or even permie first. That said, I didn't even need an interview for my current contract as I had worked here before (in 2005) and was able to give 2 project managers (both permie) as references.
For the first contract here (in 2005), a phone interview was enough.

[Sausage Surprise]

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.

Absolute racist bullsh it....

Knobhead

I drove from Sunderland to Kent for an interview this time last year and got the gig (Domain Test Manager) I'm guessing the interviewer had no problems with my "heavy local accent".

[PAH]

Not for my skill set it's not!

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.

About the only perk I can think of for being a plumber that specialises in overflowing urinals.

Having a specialist skillset must work both ways, unless you're lucky enough to be in a niche market that's got plenty of demand and will have for the foreseeable.

[Dow Jones]

Read my posts again

I drove from Sunderland to Kent for an interview this time last year and got the gig (Domain Test Manager) I'm guessing the interviewer had no problems with my "heavy local accent".
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Which just confirms the point I made. Plus it shows initiative and taking risk - always a good sign of an enterpreneur!

[TheFaQQer]

Having a specialist skillset must work both ways, unless you're lucky enough to be in a niche market that's got plenty of demand and will have for the foreseeable.

[PAH]

So what's your skillset!?

[TheFaQQer]

So what's your skillset!?

Changing tapes.

HTH.

[Ardesco]

Absolute racist bullsh it....

Knobhead

I drove from Sunderland to Kent for an interview this time last year and got the gig (Domain Test Manager) I'm guessing the interviewer had no problems with my "heavy local accent".

That was sort of his point SS. He was saying that over the phone (which is usually not very clear on a conference call) the interviewer may be put off by a local accent. However face to face they would not.

(I'm not saying he's right)

[PAH]

I drove from Sunderland to Kent for an interview this time last year and got the gig (Domain Test Manager) I'm guessing the interviewer had no problems with my "heavy local accent".
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Which just confirms the point I made. Plus it shows initiative and taking risk - always a good sign of an enterpreneur!

With the migration from north to south, especially for those considered highly skilled, you're probably going to meet more 'foreigners' than locals anyway.

I'm sure I'm not the only one with most of their uncles and aunties (and their offspring) spread all over the south of the UK. Quite depressing really, that people value their 'career' over being close to their family. Which is why I've never permanently relocated south, but willing to put up with the life-draining commute most weekends.

And yes, travelling all that way for an interview must carry some bonus points for showing enthusiasm. More so if you manage to turn up on time, which isn't always straight forward!