Longest Interview

[Bod]

I've just got confirmation for an interview at a very large retail chain and the whole process is going to take about 3 hours.

1) 45 Minute aptitude test
2) 2 hour interview

on top of that they want two references prior to interview and want me to bring my training certificates.

I have confirmed twice with the EB that this is a contract role as the longest I have ever been interviewed for a gig is an hour with the best being a 15 minutes phone call which turned into a 3 year gig.

Am I being unreasonable in thinking 3 hours for a contract gig is excessive.

I'm getting an uncanny Deja Vu from this description. In what (approximate) area is said retailer geagraphically based ?

[ruskithebear]

I'm getting an uncanny Deja Vu from this description. In what (approximate) area is said retailer geagraphically based ?

HQ is in a town just off A1M (Junc 4) other big office located just off A1M (Junc 9)

[XLMonkey]

Worst was a panel interview from a group of civil servants who appeared to split into two groups:
Group 1: Firmly fixed on not doing any work themselves, they wanted to make sure that they got someone who would do the work of two people and make them look good.

Group 2: Jealous of contractors and keen to protect their position, they wanted to make sure that they got someone who wasn't going to be a threat and (by inference) wouldn't do too much.

3 hours of grilling - it was like being mugged by a bunch of refugee's from The Muppet Show.

I got offered the contract, turned it down. It felt very good.

[TheFaQQer]

Longest was probably an hour and a half.

But most of that was chatting rather than anything about the role - more "have you worked with this guy?" kind of natter.

[Bod]

HQ is in a town just off A1M (Junc 4) other big office located just off A1M (Junc 9)

ok, deja vu has passed. The retailer I was thinking of used the same process for permies. However, when the took on a contract web dev they put him through the same 'process' he was most traumatised by the whole unseemly episode.

Sounds to me like they're not very contractor savvy.

[Spacecadet]

Longest was probably an hour and a half.

But most of that was chatting rather than anything about the role - more "have you worked with this guy?" kind of natter.

always a winning tatic, steer the interviewer off the sheet of questions and into a normally structured conversation, usually about something technical but something technical that YOU want to talk about, not the other way round

[Clippy]

always a winning tatic, steer the interviewer off the sheet of questions and into a normally structured conversation, usually about something technical but something technical that YOU want to talk about, not the other way round

Yup, sure sign of a poor interviewer.

[51st State]

Yup, sure sign of a poor interviewer.

Or of a very good one.

[Jaws]

Training certificates? Are you seriously expected to keep these?

[SueEllen]

Training certificates? Are you seriously expected to keep these?

Yes that's why they give them to you.

You just shrove them in a box and put them in the loft/attic.

I just recently found my GCSE certificates.....I obviously need them after passing A level's etc