Face to face interviews

[Ruprect]

I got my current one on just a telephone interview. I had worked at ClientCo before though and got a ref of one of the directors - kinda swung it in my favour.

Eddie Stobart

[hotpot]

really ***** off

Long time reader, first time poster sorry! Felt I should post something here because of my experience.

You are right not to travel that far if you are unsure, at least get a phone interview first and I would recommend even getting a second phone interview if you can. I tried to get second phone interview, but they wouldn't budge and they 'had' to see me!

Maybe this sounds pedantic, but I have just had a really bad experience where I did a 600 mile round trip to the south (after 1 telephone interview) for f2f on Friday. All feedback was good until just found out today that I didn't get it with no proper feedback apart from that I haven't got the right kind of handshake! I'm infuriated and considerably poorer, not to mention loss of a day's money. Never again, I have learnt my lesson now.

[Turion]

I would not do a F2F interview now, unless it was very close, and would not take time off work to do one. Fortunately in my sector (Specialist SAP Apps) I have been offered roles soley based on telephone interviews for last 5 years, with rates up to £700pd. On several occasions the contract was offered based on CV only without a TI, but in these cases I always telephone the client to assertain exactly the suitability of the role.

My advice to contractors is to avoid F2F where possible, always insist on TI first, and then if that was successful try to persuade the agent/client to take you on the basis of the TI. To make it more palatable offer a (reciprical) zero notice termination period during the first week to make it easy for them to bin you if you turn out to be useless.

[PAH]

All feedback was good until just found out today that I didn't get it with no proper feedback apart from that I haven't got the right kind of handshake!

Bloody freemasons.

[topgun]

In my last contracts, I didn't have any f2f interview, even C/C++ test. On contrary, when I had f2f interview, even got C/C++ test 100% correct, I still failed to land a contract.

[gadgetman]

Last two contracts were both offered after phone only, current one (for a bank in London) was after a single F2F. Don't think there's any hard and fast rule.

Personally (having been on the other side of the fence many times) if you come across well by phone and the CV is good then I don't think F2F is a necessity.