Preparing for an interview

[Partial]

Just try your hardest to be normal. That's a very rare but very desirable quality in software engineers

Look them in the eye. Emphasize that you are eager to learn.

By the way, I emailed Prof. Clifton to see what he thinks and to see if he has any tips. That guy is by far and away the best professor I have ever had. Platteville's finest.

[Freak Out]

Brown shoes...don't make it.

You'll do fine man. Relax.

[Zool]

The shoes are brand new. What is a power tie? Would it be in my best interest to tell them I only have one semester of experience in java, but I have studied OO programming for three semesters now and I am quick at picking things up and very willing to learn?

Thats about exactly what you should say. Willingness and ability to learn are huge.

Just dont get a generic striped tie. Dont get a tie from Sears. Go to Macy's or even Herbergers has some decent stuff. Kohls has some nice ties from time to time at a reasonable price.

[GoPackGo]

Dress to impress and when they ask you questions about your experiences, turn on the charm and act like you've done it before

[LL2]

1. Wear a suit and tie as mentioned before.
2. Get to know as much about the company and the position as possible
3. If you can find out anything about the individual(s) you will be interview with. Small talk at the beginning is important.
4. I'm not a programmer, but a friend of mine is and he brought samples of his work with him.
5. Study like you would for a test. They are likely to test or quiz you on your technical knowledge.
6. Most importantly maintain your poise and never admit you are nervous (even though you will be).

Let us know how it goes!

[MadtownPacker]

Whatever you do don't pull the race card.

[SkinBasket]

And don't send a thank you card for the interview. That's just fucking creepy. And don't make it sound like ANY part of the job is beneath you. Be positive without being a dork. As tempted as you might be, don't include a soundtrack to your life on your samples disc either.

[MadtownPacker]

Something that companies are doing a lot now is having multiple people interview you. They will be some of the people you will work with and will all give the boss an opinion. Make sure to ask them questions about the job and don't act like you fucking know it all. Just act confident.

I would also recommend taking a leak before you go. Asking where the toilet is at is lame.

[Partial]

I am interviewing with two people. It kind of sucks because the only time they had open is right after a Networks exam. Will they ask for my transcripts from school? And if they do can I say no? My Platteville one is very far from appealing. Perhaps I could explain to them that I was immature then and didn't work hard and wasn't a man. Obviously I can't change what I did there.

[Freak Out]

I am interviewing with two people. It kind of sucks because the only time they had open is right after a Networks exam. Will they ask for my transcripts from school? And if they do can I say no? My Platteville one is very far from appealing. Perhaps I could explain to them that I was immature then and didn't work hard and wasn't a man. Obviously I can't change what I did there.

I see no reason for them to ask for transcripts at this point in time...especially during this stage of the process.

[MadtownPacker]

Maybe you can ask to skip the drug test.

[3irty1]

Is this a co-op or just a summer thing?

[Partial]

Essentially a co-up but it is only 25 hours a week so I'll still be going to school full-time and then working at Sears on the weekends. Should be about 35-40 total hours of work so it's going to be pretty darn busy.

[Partial]

Maybe you can ask to skip the drug test.

You know I don't do that sheez. Only in TJ.

[Scott Campbell]

There is nothing wrong with my glasses!

I did pick up a suit a few weeks back in preparation for this. I will likely be wearing that. I figure i'll go with black and white. It's plain but it will hopefully get the job done.

Black and white is not business attire.

Well, it is a black suit with pin stripes. I will have to try and match a shirt and tie with it today at work.

I think the suit is a bad idea. You're likely to end up overdressed, which is only slightly better than underdressed.

But why leave something like this to chance in the first place? Call the company. Talk to a secretary, and find out what the attire is. Then you can be certain your dressed appropriately. How are you supposed to interview well if you're the only guy in the buiding wearing a suit? For god sakes, your applying as a computer programmer, not an investment banker. They're probably happy if their applicants show up with their flys zipped and they remember not to cuss.

During my interviews, I'm often most impressed by how candidates ask questions - not nearly as much by how they answer them. Remember, you're interviewing them too. Here's a little gem that works wonders - "What do you consider to be the critical success factors for someone you hire into this position?". Once that's answered, you position yourself to fill those needs. Let them know you don't just want the job. You want to be achieve status as a top performer.

You should be doing due diligence on this company now. How many employees? What's their annual revenue? Who are their biggest customers? Who are their competitors? Who's the CEO. What's his background? All the routine stuff. This should also help you decide if you really want to work there. It's not unusual for an interviewer to ask you why you want to work there, and this is a great opportunity to show off some of your research while answering the question.

Lastly, be comfortable. If you're not comfortable, it's hard for the interviewer to be comfortable. And if the interviewer is uncomforable, it's harder to make the hire. There are no babies dying here, so don't let yourself turn the situation into something more prominent than it really is. Its just a job. Its just an interview. If you don't get this one, it'll be great practice for the next one.