Reply to: When the guy interviewing you is way below your level......

[WTFH]

I've got underpants older than that!

Yes, but are your pants as arrogant?

[psychocandy]

6 years with an attitude like that? My dog is 6 years old and she's not that arrogant.


Also, it's amusing that the helpful advice I and others have given you has gone completely over your head. Maybe we should say it in more technical terms that you are even less likely to understand?

I've got underpants older than that!

[ironman20]

Lets hope that they don't start testing your ability to use basic grammar as part of the interview technique. And FWIW, you're talking pap.

My sentiments exactly. Thank you for proving the point

[MrMarkyMark]

The phone interview was just to weed out the complete time-wasters before anyone important commits to investing any time in proper interview.

Looks like it worked like a charm, in this instance, then

[SpontaneousOrder]

The phone interview was just to weed out the complete time-wasters before anyone important commits to investing any time in proper interview.

[mdhd]

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."

[DieScum]

I memorably messed up an in interview once by not catching on that the interviewer didn't actually understand the technology he was asking questions about.

It was coming off the back off eight years of never having done a proper interview (just rubber stamp stuff). The day before I'd gone into the normal type of interview I'd expect. A couple of guys who worked with the tech asked me some questions about it and I answered them at length and in detail. They lapped it up, "you'll have to do a training course for us", "best interviewee we've ever had". It's a niche area which I just had some unique vendor experience in which very few people have. So I'd spent years being on project teams, delivering training, writing documentation, conference speaking, etc.

Next day I had another telephone interview with a separate company. Went in with the same confident attitude and a complete lack of self awareness. The bloke asked me questions and I answered them at length - not just going to the core of the question but showing off the depth and breadth of my knowledge by discussing the subtleties of it, pointing out that (and I cringe at this now) "of course, I'm sure you're asking a trick question here because you know that the common approach you see to this is deeply flawed and not many people know of this better way which was introduced in version 4.16 blah blah".

About half way through I cottoned on that the bloke was really just reading off a list and trying to see if I would give the answer on the paper in front of him. Which I did but it was lost in my verbiage. He must have just thought I was waffling and struggling to answer. Which isn't unreasonable. I toned it down and gave simple answers but didn't get a call back.

Complete foul up on my part. I probably wouldn't have accepted the role if that's the quality of the person they send to interviews but I didn't get that choice. It's a game and I messed it up. I took the role from the interview the previous day so no money lost but it's a good reminder to size up the situation properly before diving in.

[LondonManc]

Not bothered about the level of interviewer to be honest. I'd have said if you've got the attitude that the interviewer is too low level for you then it might come across as a bit of a bad attitude.

IMHO, worst types of interviews are when they drag in some random techie who then tries his best to ask the most random, awkward and stupid questions to try and prove to his boss that hes way more clever than anyone being interviewed.

Had a really bad one with an offshore place one. Panel interview with 8 people. All trying to outdo themselves with stupid questions.

As long as you asked the stupidest question, that's the main thing.

[psychocandy]

Not bothered about the level of interviewer to be honest. I'd have said if you've got the attitude that the interviewer is too low level for you then it might come across as a bit of a bad attitude.

IMHO, worst types of interviews are when they drag in some random techie who then tries his best to ask the most random, awkward and stupid questions to try and prove to his boss that hes way more clever than anyone being interviewed.

Had a really bad one with an offshore place one. Panel interview with 8 people. All trying to outdo themselves with stupid questions.

[WTFH]

The interviewer is only interested if we have the skills asked by the client, if we start to ask certain questions, we discover that they are not from IT or maybe from a different area.

It is not the questions you ask or don't ask, but your attitude and professionalism. As for the IT knowledge of the interviewer, a good contractor will be able to communicate effectively with the person opposite them in such a way that both understand what is being said.


Before going to an interview you should learn about the client, find out what they do and think about how your knowledge and experience could be useful to them. Being able to respond with "I've come across similar situations before at xyz where we helped the business by doing abc."


An interview is a chance to show your people skills. When you're working on major projects you need to be able to sit in a room with directors, technical people or end users and be able to communicate with all of them in a way that you understand them and they understand you. If they don't understand you it's not their fault. You should be able to speak to them at their level. If you don't understand them then you need to ask questions until you do.

[FrontEnder]

Now you make me laugh.
You can read it backwards them.

How to write correctly? Can you give me an example with one of my posts?

I think his point is that you can't write correctly. So no, we can't give you an example with one of your posts.

We can give a few examples of you not writing correctly though. E.g. Every one in this thread.

[MrMarkyMark]

FTFY

Be careful there.

Some forum members never reveal their identity though they work out who you are, through your shoddy workmanship.

[SueEllen]

At the end of the day nobody on here has seen my work or experienced working with me, so anybody thinking they can judge me can go screw themselves quite frankly.

Be careful there.

Some forum members never reveal their identity though they work out who you are.....

[MrMarkyMark]

An excuse. of course they could , to technically asses your competency they could, I'm sure you could write a series of challenges that if someone would pass they could do your job I'm sure of it, the questions about fit which most interviews are about is pointless (i think its a UK culture). my belief is delivery is more important.

As you get more experienced the interview is more of a discussion, it certainly isn't about sitting a test.
I suggest you Re read some of the detailed and useful responses on this thread, your first test is to realise which ones are
Also, it's very amusing to me that some posters, on here, like to run down UK culture, but have chosen to be working over here

[greenlake]

At the end of the day nobody on here has seen my work or experienced working with me, so anybody thinking they can judge me can go screw themselves quite frankly.