(Permy - ick) Interview

[nomadd]

No they bloody wouldn't, you illiterate fool.

[MaryPoppins]

That should swing it

The old cough into my hand and splutter 'I've got no knickers on' trick?

[nomadd]

The old cough into my hand and splutter 'I've got no knickers on' trick?

Second cough followed by '...but I do have a thong.'

[mudskipper]

Second cough followed by '...but I do have a thong.'

Thongs always make me think of:

a) large lady I used to work with who described them as bumfloss
b) David Beckham wearing Victoria's.

Neither image is sexy.

[MaryPoppins]

Thongs always make me think of:

a) large lady I used to work with who described them as bumfloss
b) David Beckham wearing Victoria's.

Neither image is sexy.

+1

Tee hee. I wholeheartedly agree. Big comfy pants all the way.

[Gentile]

So I've somehow managed to get myself an interview at ClientCo, for a role I'm not entirely sure I can do, with some key people I already work closely with.

Gawd.

The interview process is daunting, to say the least. I haven't had a permy interview for years, and I've certainly never had this sort of interview. (Two stages - the first with a 15 min presentation to very senior stakeholders, and the second a panel interview with those senior stakeholders).

I'm completely terrified. I'm not sure of what, but I think it's of making a fool of myself and having to continue working alongside these people.

So can you all please tell me how to get through it unscathed...?

When I did a formal instructors' course back in the '90s, the thing that stuck with me was that they made you do your talk without a watch on, and it had to be 10 minutes plus or minus 30 seconds or you failed. The one thing that made you do was practice, practice, practice. Everything you say, from throwaway observations to bullet points read verbatim to any comedy asides, need to be scripted and rehearsed.

We were always told to do a talk in three stages: tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you've told them. In other words, give a brief outline of what your talk will cover and note you'll take questions at the end, give your talk, then briefly summarise what your talk covered at the end. That gives you three chances to get your message across.

As for practicing to an empty room until you know exactly what you're going to say and exactly how long it will take: you'll find that beneficial when you're up there and your mind goes blank through pure nerves. If you rehearse it like a play, you won't need to think of anything to say when you're under pressure; you'll just 'read' your own internalised lines from memory.

Good luck with it. I'm looking for a permie role myself right now since the market's proven so quiet this year. However, I binned a first interview that a permie employer asked for last week, specifically because it contained some elements such as those you've described, such as a presentation on an abstract subject and a psychometric test that I considered to be irrelevant to the role. Looks like it's more common now for companies to trot out unnecessary steps for permie roles now, though.

[MaryPoppins]

Thanks G, I will do that. Practice, practice.

[d000hg]

Definitely. Mrs. d000hg had to do a 5min presentation for a teaching interview. The difference between when she thought she knew it, and 10X later when we made her do it without notes, was night and day.

[nomadd]

However, I binned a first interview that a permie employer asked for last week, specifically because it contained some elements such as those you've described, such as a presentation on an abstract subject and a psychometric test that I considered to be irrelevant to the role. Looks like it's more common now for companies to trot out unnecessary steps for permie roles now, though.

Contract roles too. Binned yet another this morning: "Your c.v. is a perfect match! Will you come in and take our test?" My reply went something along the lines of, "Well, I've been doing the job 27 years. What about you? No? Well maybe you could come to my premises and take my test?" Click.

[tractor]

I don't know. I have read, and re-read the spec and I think I can do it. The salary and grading are what scare me, to be honest.

I can do confident and articulate. I reckon. If I can get through it without dry retching I will be v proud.

You'll be fine, knock em dead, don't even think about the grade or salary etc, focus on delivery and good luck