Reply to: Blew off three interviews already this year.

[dang65]

I made such a dumb mistake yesterday that I'm basically sitting here smacking myself round the head.

I went for two separate interviews for different teams at the same company. One interview in the morning, one in the afternoon.

Anyway, first interview went really well. Got on with both project manager and technical lead and they ended the interview by asking when I'd be available to start. Good signs all round. Unfortunately, as we were walking out, as smalltalk, I went and mentioned that I had this other interview later on. What the hell was I thinking?

The big problem you see is that the other team use written technical tests, which the first interviewer didn't. So he immediately latched on to that and said, "Oh great, be interesting to see what result you get in the test!"

So, I went and did the test and thought it went ok, but I've just heard back from that team that I didn't do well enough for them and they won't be taking things further. The other team (the good interview) is trying to get hold of the test I did to see where I went wrong and decide if it matters. So, I'm left hanging here waiting for that to pan out. And kicking myself. If I'd never mentioned the other interview then there's a good chance I'd be off the f***ing bench right now.



The only hope I'm clinging on to is that I'm pretty sure the mistakes I made were minor and not at all critical, from what I can remember from the test and have cross-checked since. I think the technical test interviewers are really picky about who they hire. Just praying that's the case anyway, and that the other guy is more about personalities and fitting in to the team rather than pure technical faultlessness.

Sample question answered wrong:

I wasn't sure about CSS list style and chose "list-type: square" instead of "list-style-type: square" from the options offered. Daft mistake, just haven't used it for a while and chose wrong. But that's a point off the score. On the other hand, I correctly answered several tricky JavaScript questions about arrays, the ternary operator, childNodes and so on, which I would have thought should carry more weight really.

Ach, who am I kidding.

[norrahe]

Everyone seems to be massively dragging out the recruitment process at the moment, as well. I don't remember doing more than one interview for a role before, and then it was often just a phone interview and decision within a couple of hours top. Now I'm doing at least two interviews for every job and not hearing back for ages, even when it's a positive response.

It's either dragging it out or posting jobs before they've even had sign off.

The insurance market is panicking about solvency II atm and are panic recruiting for positions they shouldn't even be thinking about till their implementation plans have been reviewed and approved by Lloyd's, which isn't for another month or so.

[Mich the Tester]

Blowing off is indeed a good way of ruining a good interview. I've turned good people down for bringing flatulence to work with them.

[cojak]

I've got five bloody roles going through the process at the moment. I'm thinking of making a video of my spiel and putting it on YouTube, so they can watch it while I go and make a cup of coffee. I've gone through it that many times.

Don't be so quick to throw that idea away - I working on this at the moment (though not for youtube consumption).

[dang65]

I really struggle to judge interviews a lot of the time. I did a couple of really smooth interviews before Xmas and didn't get either job. Then I did a couple of unimpressive phone interviews last week (both for the same client) where I didn't get any feeling of warmth or confidence from either of the interviewers, only to be told by the agent that they both thought I was really good and want to see me face-to-face, and will pay for flights and accomodation to get me to the interview.

Everyone seems to be massively dragging out the recruitment process at the moment, as well. I don't remember doing more than one interview for a role before, and then it was often just a phone interview and decision within a couple of hours top. Now I'm doing at least two interviews for every job and not hearing back for ages, even when it's a positive response.

I've got five bloody roles going through the process at the moment. I'm thinking of making a video of my spiel and putting it on YouTube, so they can watch it while I go and make a cup of coffee. I've gone through it that many times.

[RichardCranium]

Blew off 3 interviewers and still didn't get the job? Can't be very good can you?

He was only supposed to blow the bloody doors off.

[Scary]

Blew off 3 interviewers and still didn't get the job? Can't be very good can you?

Oh. I misread the title...

[RichardCranium]

That is how ungrateful IT knowledge has become these days.

"These days"? Nobody wants my COBOL, C-CP/M-86, DRX, VME and a dozen other skill sets. It has ever been thus.

I am at the end of the queue after all you English lot.

Don't you believe it.

[BolshieBastard]

Three phone interviews, I delivered top-notch performance at all three , one of the agents even told me I was going to get one of them .... and now few days later I am still sitting here back to square one.

How would the agent know you were going to get one of the roles, if it wasn't a conference call telephone interview?

IME it pays to only think you've got the job when you step on site. In my contracting career I've been told by three clients at different times that I had the job in the interview only for each to fall through.

Keep on plugging away!

[newblood]

It is indeed annoying and frustrating. I even got a provisional start date at the end of an interview a few months back.

Still, every interview is good practice for The Perfect Gig interview when it comes.

Since these were telephone interviews, it means the client wasn't ready to commit. They weren't sure what they wanted, or did not have authorisation to recruit. They certainly didn't want to put someone out to attend face-to-face. So don't blame yourself that those gigs never came to fruition: they probably recruited nobody.

Also, getting three interviews in this market is great confirmation that you have a really good CV and your application process is working well for you. So well done on both of those.

You are winning, newblood, even if it doesn't feel like it right now. You're jumping the hurdles and clearly out ahead, now just keep going on that straight to the finish line.

Thanks for the advice ,This newblood nickname is suggesting to people I am complete starter and I am not . I have been contracting for 3 years now , 14 months out of which being benched haha.

My hurdle is different, First Sharepoint Infrastructure has gone tits up now and my experience there seems to be common knowledge these days. I see hundreds of Sharepoint development contracts but without real development projects on my CV it is hard to compete in this arena.

The reason I am very weary of 24 hours a day C# / asp.net crash preparation is just that: I have studied infrastructure for 10 years and what do I get now ? Nothing. That is how ungrateful IT knowledge has become these days.

Sure it is development that is still hanging in but this will follow infrastructure , I don't doubt it.

The only reason I am still after a contract is to give me time to move out of this ungrateful knowledge IT market thing.

On a different note , I am from Eastern Europe and this has two implications , first permanent jobs are out of my reach due to visa status , second I am at the end of the queue after all you English lot .

[BoredBloke]

[QUOTE=RichardCranium;1045189Still, every interview is good practice for The Perfect Gig interview when it comes.
[/QUOTE]

The perfect gig is the one that comes along after you have signed on the dotted line for a not so perfect one!

[newblood]

But that's an example of why one should never break off the chase until the contract is signed and in the bag. It's so easy and tempting to fall into that trap though, and waste two or three days.

I am paying for my stupidity to tell agents I am interviewing with other too. What a stupid mistake. ( I know , I know it is not this exclusively to blame , it is just a rule I
won't be breaking again )

[suityou01]

If you can't use correct emoticons what do you expect?

() ------->()

HTH

Feeling bad about the whole emoticon thing.

Good luck. RC is right, you're getting nibbles. Something will be along soon, when you least expect it.

[Drewster]

I am positive I am the tulipiest contractor out there and I bet I am last on all metrics: starting with 14 months on the bench now , although actively looking for only 7.

<snip>

Since these were telephone interviews, it means the client wasn't ready to commit. They weren't sure what they wanted, or did not have authorisation to recruit. They certainly didn't want to put someone out to attend face-to-face. So don't blame yourself that those gigs never came to fruition: they probably recruited nobody.

Also, getting three interviews in this market is great confirmation that you have a really good CV and your application process is working well for you. So well done on both of those.

You are winning, newblood, even if it doesn't feel like it right now. You're jumping the hurdles and clearly out ahead, now just keep going on that straight to the finish line.

Listen to Mr C........ and ease up on yourself!

There will be enough people out there eager to give you a kicking with out you starting on yourself.....

It aint always easy to stay positive... but stay positive!!!!

[RichardCranium]

Three phone interviews, on all three I delivered top-notch performance , one agent even told me I was going to get one of them .... and now few days later I am still sitting here back to square one.

It is indeed annoying and frustrating. I even got a provisional start date at the end of an interview a few months back.

Still, every interview is good practice for The Perfect Gig interview when it comes.

Since these were telephone interviews, it means the client wasn't ready to commit. They weren't sure what they wanted, or did not have authorisation to recruit. They certainly didn't want to put someone out to attend face-to-face. So don't blame yourself that those gigs never came to fruition: they probably recruited nobody.

Also, getting three interviews in this market is great confirmation that you have a really good CV and your application process is working well for you. So well done on both of those.

You are winning, newblood, even if it doesn't feel like it right now. You're jumping the hurdles and clearly out ahead, now just keep going on that straight to the finish line.