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Mid-Career Job Interviews

bkk

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At this point of your life, it should be more about having a conversation with the interviewer with some technical/work-related questions thrown in. Relax, smile, and be friendly. As long as you seem knowledgable on the subject matter, you should have a chance.
 

MasterOfReality

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Originally Posted by Rambo
+1

There was a piece in the Journal the other day about the mindbender questions asked by Google and the like. Things like "how many golf balls would fit inside a school bus". They're just looking to see how you can work out difficult problems. The rest of it is making sure you're not a scumbag.


+ 2

The interview I copped for the job I am in now was when I was 8 years out of university.

I did the series of maths, english and aptitude tests and then went for a formal chat with my boss. Laid back, general chat about past work experience etc etc.

A few days later I got a call and was asked to attend a formal interview. My boss was there, and so was another principal engineer. The questions mainly revolved around technical knowledge and ability. Nothing about trying to explain your weakest characteristic, or explaining a situation where you had to deal with a group failure etc etc.
 

hboogz

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anyone have a link to the article; can't seem to find it.

Plus surprisingly, I've gotten the whole explain a situation with a frenzied client, what are your weakness questions till this day. I hate those questions, but i suppose i should come up with a better strategy/gameplan on how to answer them should it happen again.
 

Teacher

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Originally Posted by Rambo
+1

There was a piece in the Journal the other day about the mindbender questions asked by Google and the like. Things like "how many golf balls would fit inside a school bus". They're just looking to see how you can work out difficult problems. The rest of it is making sure you're not a scumbag.


That, and they often want to see if you get rattled easily. A major airline -- I forget which one -- used to ask when the last time you masturbated was.
 

MetroStyles

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Originally Posted by Teacher
That, and they often want to see if you get rattled easily. A major airline -- I forget which one -- used to ask when the last time you masturbated was.

lol that's an easy one.
 

Teacher

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Originally Posted by MetroStyles
lol that's an easy one.

"This morning. Wanna see the picture of your wife?"
 

Don Carlos

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Originally Posted by gdl203
5 years after college is not mid-career. I would probably disagree with Pennglock and others who state that you will not and should not get typical behavioral interview questions. Not to say that it won't happen, it may, but 5 years of experience is still quite junior in most jobs and all interviewing questions / techniques are fair game IMO.
This. Generally speaking, you'll know when you're at a level beyond behavioral ("tell me about a time when...") bullshit because the calls aren't coming from headhunters and, instead, are coming directly from the clients themselves. They'll be "Hi, Metro, it's Bob from Company X. We're about to list a VP job, but frankly, we've done enough business together that I know you're our guy. What's it going to take to get you here?" -or- "Hi, Metro, it's Bob from Company X. We're about to list a VP job, but frankly, I think you'd be perfect for this. I'd love to bring you in to meet [my boss / the ultimate decisionmaker / the team / whatever]." At that point in your career, your network and your accomplishments speak for themselves. That's the day you stop getting asked about a time when you did X or Y, because people have pre-screened for you specifically (or at least you in a very small pool of candidates). They know damned well about the time you did X or Y, and that's why they want you.
 

Rambo

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Originally Posted by Arrogant Bastard
This. Generally speaking, you'll know when you're at a level beyond behavioral ("tell me about a time when...") bullshit because the calls aren't coming from headhunters and, instead, are coming directly from the clients themselves. They'll be "Hi, Metro, it's Bob from Company X. We're about to list a VP job, but frankly, we've done enough business together that I know you're our guy. What's it going to take to get you here?" -or- "Hi, Metro, it's Bob from Company X. We're about to list a VP job, but frankly, I think you'd be perfect for this. I'd love to bring you in to meet [my boss / the ultimate decisionmaker / the team / whatever]." At that point in your career, your network and your accomplishments speak for themselves. That's the day you stop getting asked about a time when you did X or Y, because people have pre-screened for you specifically (or at least you in a very small pool of candidates). They know damned well about the time you did X or Y, and that's why they want you.
Good point but if you've reached that stage isn't the interview not really an interview but a "come meet your new family" type deal? I mean if they've already singled you out and come to you specifically aren't you pretty much in?
 

Don Carlos

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Originally Posted by Rambo
Good point but if you've reached that stage isn't the interview not really an interview but a "come meet your new family" type deal? I mean if they've already singled you out and come to you specifically aren't you pretty much in?
Yes, that's pretty much what I'm saying. There can still be an evaluative component at that stage, but it'll be a personality match evaluation and not a "tell me about a time when..." or "here's a case for you" type of evaluation. Another possibility, depending on how high-level the job is, is being asked to give a presentation or report on your plan of attack for the next X days/months/years.
 

Stu

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Originally Posted by globetrotter
I'd say differently - when you are interviewing for big ticket jobs (and the longer you work the bigger ticket they get) I'd say being able to tell stories about how you actually have perfored is more valuable. you are selling yourself - not so much that you will get questions, the way I see is when you get asked questions you are actually trying to get to a situation where you can tell stories about how your experience has been similar and what you did in those times.

Exactly. Use the question to shift the answer to your home turf. If you ever watch the talking heads that get interviewed in CNN, FOX, etc. often in contentious interviews, they are very good at taking a tough question, turning it around and redefining the conversation. In other words, not answering the question or redefining the question and providing an answer that puts you in a strong light.

The job I have right now is my dream job, and I found out later, even through several rounds of grueling interviews, that what got me the job was the very first question of the very first interview. My now boss asked me what my dream job would be like. I answered: "If you would have asked me that 20 years ago my answer would have been different - I might have talked about a big office, perks, etc., but as you move along in your career you get over the personal rewards pretty quickly, and understand that the real personal career gratification comes in making a contribution to an organization, when people look at you and depend on you for your expertise." Sounds like bullshit, but I really believed it, and it got me the job.
 

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