Line manager- when they won't speak to you.

floss2

PasturesNew wrote: »

Just try not to do what I did in an interview today .... I used the word "pants" meaning "not good"

I suck at interviews. Brilliant at my job, but suck at interviews.

So, TOP TIP: Don't say pants in interviews. Really.

:rotfl: :rotfl:

Sound advice!

therealdessie

PasturesNew wrote: »

Just try not to do what I did in an interview today .... I used the word "pants" meaning "not good"

I suck at interviews. Brilliant at my job, but suck at interviews.

So, TOP TIP: Don't say pants in interviews. Really.

Oh believe me, I've heard much worse. I had one guy compare a bad situation to "a monkey f***ing a football" (we did actually hire him though, believe it or not, he was good at sales). I once asked an applicant if he had any weaknesses to which he replied "I have a really bad temper, and it goes off at the drop of a hat, I get very angry"; and one guy who when asked why he wanted the job replied "I have a lot of gambling debt I need to clear fast" (he was just turned 18).

So you know, you could do worse

CFC

studentphil wrote: »

I have a lot going for me and I am very hard working and willing to help out on whatever little tasks need doing.

Good man! Now that is exactly the kind of thing potential employers like to hear. They understand you may not have exactly the skills needed right at the moment of interview, but they think...is this person trainable? Same goes for CVs. If yours has a 'personal statement' at the top make sure you get that in, or with the covering letter, or in the application box about 'what you could bring to the job'

A positive attitude
Willingness
Team Player (willing to help in tasks which are 'not your job')
Interested in developing self and skills
Hard working
Integrity or honesty ( you dont sell yourself out and you don't tell lies)

These are all personal qualities which will press an employer's buttons and so few people mention them. Even better when you can back them up with examples to demonstrate those qualities from your personal life or work.

lostinrates

PasturesNew wrote: »

Just try not to do what I did in an interview today .... I used the word "pants" meaning "not good"

I suck at interviews. Brilliant at my job, but suck at interviews.

So, TOP TIP: Don't say pants in interviews. Really.

Not so terrible, unless it made you worry and focus on that.

Everybody makes mistakes, its how you recover.

Here's a couple to make you feel better:

1.DH once decided in an OCD way to hand deliver HUNDREDs of applications so they didn't o missing (he was under loads of stress so was getting a bit paranoid). Going into smart ofices of a top place he smiled handed over his application and turned to leave. Reception told him to buzz himself out using the switch. Phased with an array of unlabled switches he chose one that turned out to be some weird mains switch. He made an impression at least.

2. On a video link interview, the second person was unable to interview him he was told at the end of first interview, so he got up, left the building and called me to tell me how it went. We were on the phone about ten minutes I guess (I like details ). As we hung up his phone rang again....although the second guy hadn't been around someone ELSE was going to videolink interview him.

On leaving the second time he was crushed, destroyed, it was his first choice employer, he'd ballsed up by not listening properly, he was inconsolable. The next day they called and told him he was starting the day after. They are still his employers. They seem to have the impression he is great too:rotfl:

so you can get it REALLY wrong and its how you deal with it that really matters;) :T

PasturesNew

lostinrates wrote: »

Not so terrible, unless it made you worry and focus on that.

No. I was already babbling anyway. And babbled over every question. So it was only later I recalled it and thought "oops!"

And they asked me some open questions that threw me. I don't do open questions.

Oh well. They weren't paying much, hours were long and not many holidays. No flexi-time. I bet they're a "take take take" type of employer (I seem to attract those). Didn't really like the building/office either that much.

Another faux pas (on reflection) was when he asked if I'd ever heard of them (they're one of the leading/largest apparently - and award winners).

I boldly started with "No". Then proceeded to qualify this with a 2-3 minute non-stop babble about how nobody really notices or cares who has provided the service ..... unless they themselves were looking for somebody to provide them with the service. And that their entire industry was completely transparent.

Go me!

Phil would be proud. He can sit there and know he won't make these mistakes!

therealdessie

I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh but I couldn't help myself.... "No". Classic!

I've always found Phil that when an employer has a connection with you, they'll pay little notice to your academics and experience. I have taken on plenty of people with no experience because they had a really good personality and made a personal impact on me as well as a professional one. I once got a very good job in a high profile company by spending ten minutes talking about my holiday - it turned out the prospective boss had been to the same place but hadn't liked it, so I spent the time convincing him to go back and try it again...

Sometimes it's got nothing to do with the job!

studentphil

In my experience you have to 100 per cent and fully meet the requirements of a job to get it. There is none of this if you are nice or you sound happy swings it.

floss2

studentphil wrote: »

In my experience you have to 100 per cent and fully meet the requirements of a job to get it. There is none of this if you are nice or you sound happy swings it.

Hun, I'm sorry to be blunt, but when you have a bit more experience at this lark - like most of the other posters have - then we'll believe you, but until that time, what you just said (to quote PN ) is pants!

You need to get a lot more applications under your belt, then you will have a broader experience of the whole process.

Now go & get on with it!

lostinrates

studentphil wrote: »

In my experience you have to 100 per cent and fully meet the requirements of a job to get it. There is none of this if you are nice or you sound happy swings it.

I disagree. Although its tmpting to see things in black or white they almost never are.

When I was an employer it was important to me that peoples SKILLS were good, that isn't always reflected by qualifications, especially the ones now that you can take over and over again till you get it right: I needed people who got it right on the first go most of the time. When you work with people closely its not important to me that I like them enough to want to be close friends with them, in fact the opposite, but it is important you can trust them and spend time with them without wanting to rip your own ears off. How the person interacts with me is important not because I'm judging them, but because I'm judging how we would work together.

I'm weird because I quite enjoy interviews, sure I get very nervous and jumpy, but I'm that kind of person, once I'm actually in here I relax and have fun, I genuinely see the oppertunty as a way to evaluate the people who might/will want to emply me and see how they cope with being i a powerful position, a tence atmosphere and whether I think they would make good employers (in a small company) or a good environment, in a larger one.:cool:

studentphil

I have applied for another job last night!