A little while ago i got made redundant, not in the best circumstance either with the company i worked for having run out of funds, and not only having insufficient funds to pay even a minimal redundancy payment, they didn’t even have enough to pay me my final month’s wages, for which i have to now go through ACAS/DTi to try and recover !
Anyway i’ve spent the best part of 3 and a bit months looking for a new job, and finally i have been made an offer of employment as a Web Developer – HOORAY !
It has been an interesting few months how ever, dealing with many many many agents, being put forward for many many jobs, and attending many interviews(11). Some interesting points have come out of all of this for me though :
Employment Agents
Many many employment agents out there would fit the descriptiong of “underhanded, SCUM”. I have completely hated the way i’ve been entered into a meat market, effectively being pimped by these people, and all the while they’ve pretended to have my best interested in mind. I swear these people think every one else is stupid !
The amount of times i’ve gotten calls from them, about an employment ‘opportunity’ that they’re calling me about because from what i can tell *one* of my skill keywords matches their job spec ……. and then they wonder why i don’t want to drive 1/2 way accross the country to go for an interview ! The fact is, do they really think i’m that stupid that i dont realise the only reason they want me to go, is just on the slim off-chance i may actually get that role, and make them a fortune …… The more shit you throw, the higher the chance of some eventually sticking !!
Oh, and some of the tactics ……… i even had one a few months ago threaten me !! (i wont name names) But to cut a long story short, one agent submitted my CV to a company with out my say so(which in this country they’re not supposed to do), so when another agent submitted my CV after i had given my permission, the original agent phoned me up claiming rights on it and threatening me over it !! I could not beleive what i was hearing !!
Interviews
Probably about 75% of the interviews i went to, went smoothly and i didnt feel to uncomfortable, although i still have a slight nervous/shy problem around new people which gave rise to a question over my ability to communicate effectively(we’ll cover that under role requirements in a second). One thing i’ve learnt though is that it’s very rare you can guage how well an interview went. Of the 75% that went smooth i pretty much thought on the majority i would be successful and get an offer, but it never was. The interviewer(s) will smile and be nice and let you think you’re doing great, they never seem to give any clear indication of the fact you’re actually doing crap ! This *really* annoys me, if i’ve gotten 10 mins into an interview, and they’ve already made their minds up, why not just tell me ? Why let me continue for another 45 mins, then perhaps have me sit a test for another 45 mins to an hour, instead of just saying they already know i’m not suitable ? Why waste my time and theirs ?
Also, what is it with technology companies ? I’m a developer, and as such all of my interviews have been for developer jobs. Why is it that companies who employ developers are generally promoters of the use of technology, being as that’s what they sell, yet, when it comes to interviewing a potential candidate who may have to travel some distance to get to them, the thought of a VIDEO CONFERENCE never enters their minds ? Some times i wonder if part of the point of an interview is not only to find out weather the candidate is suitable but just how much the company will be able to take the piss if they offer the position to that candidate !
Interview technique is something i’ve never really thought about before, but i think i’ve found out the hard way that telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth is not a good plan. Of all the interviews i’ve been to til now, i’ve always never really prepared for the questions that i might get asked. My philosophy on this is that i want to portray me, as i am, so that if i should be successful in the interview, when i turn up for work, it will be the same person as i portrayed in the interview. To this ends, there should be no nessecity for me to prepare for any questions that may get asked pertaining to me, if it’s a personal question i will know the answer off the top of my head, and likewise if it’s technical and i really *know* the answer.
However …… one of the last employment opportunities an agent emailed me details of, came with a rather good interview guide, infact so good i was some what annoyed i had gotten offered a job a few minutes after reading it ! Armed with this i feel i could have gotten nearly any opportunity that i got an interview for ! After reading through, and going by previous feedback from failed interviews and having thoughts about “telling them what they want to hear”, things began to add up some for me. PREPARATION IS ALL. The guide listed many common questions that interviewers ask, and suggested about 1/2 as many questions that you could ask the interviewer(this is something i am always stuck for) But any way to cut this short, preparation, if you have a pretty good idea what you’re going to get ask before hand, it makes the interview an almost no-brainer. You’re not constantly having to make sure you don’t tell the interviewer something that may well put them off you. Some how i think the whole interview game is not so much about telling the complete truth, nor about lieing, it’s more a case of telling the truth, less any bits that could let you down …… the point being: I’M TOO DAMN HONEST FOR MY OWN GOOD SOMETIMES !!!
One final observation on the interviews i went to, in a few of them it was clear to me that certain interviewers seemed to attempt to assert their ability through rank ……… ie; Some of them were just blatently useless, but knew i was hardly going to get into an arguement with them over the technical things they talked about that they clearly had little understanding of. Yep sure, i could have said something like “i dont think you’re quite right there ….”, but i just know that would eventually escalate into heated developer debate that i really just can’t be doing with.
Role Requirements
One thing that has come through via this whole experience is that of what a company actually wants from an employ. Before i rant on here, one thing to bear in mind is that i express myself and communicate best via writing, i’m not a great talker, and i’m some what shy/nervous around people i don’t know, which i always mention in interviews(yes i know most people are a bit nervous in interviews, but it’s a natural disposition of mine so it comes accross ALOT worse)
Now the general trend in the feedback i’ve had from interviews is that “Kris is great technically, but is a bit lacking communications wise” – What is severely annoying about this, is the fact i’ve taken the time to explain, and been honest about, the fact that i’m shy/nervous around people i don’t know, and that after being around them a few weeks, i’m fine. But even more annoying is the fact that i’m being assesed on my ability as a developer at the interview, weather or not i am capable of writing quality software, to deadlines, and my ability to deliver ……. yet they were knocking me back on my communications level due to a disposition i explained ! Yes i accept that part of development work is the ability to communicate, but despite the fact i’d explained in the interiew that my shy/nervous disposition only manifests it’s self for a few weeks until i get to know the people around me, surely the actual technical ability and programming ability should be taken into consideration more ??
There were also a few interviews where they expected me to be in a shirt and tie every day for work ! WTF i really dont understand these companies, who want to employ a developer, however they feel the need to dictate his/her dresscode for some reason ? My brother once said something to me about a sarcasm he had used when dress code was introduced in his work place, something along the lines of how he was “astounded at the increase in production due to the new dresscode”, which pretty much says it all ….. why why why does a company feel enforcing an uncomforable dress code is beneficial to that company ??
Anyway in conclusion to all this, to all the asshole interviews, and the underhanded scum employment agents(you know who you are and why) i encountered through this :
YOU CAN ALL SUCK MY BALLS !!
I’m quite happy now to have found a job with a 1/2 decent company paying a 1/2 decent wage, it will suffice until one of my personal projects starts to pay off or i find something better. Many thanks to the genuine people(agents/interviewers) though for helping me get back to employment status.
