I'm interviewing for an "IT Field Engineer" position at an IT consulting place tomorrow. what should I wear?
Always and forever... wear a suit to the interview. Even if you look ridiculous it shows you want the job and that you know it is an interview.
There's no way it can hurt you. It does nothing but good.
There's no way it can hurt you. It does nothing but good.
that's what my mom said. I was just going to wear brown dress shoes, khakis, and a tucked in button down. could I just throw on a tie and add a suit jacket to this and be ok? I don't want to wear the suit pants because they make me feel like I'm going to a wedding or something.
I am seriously lacking shirt/tie combos.
is this class warfare?
i say you find out how people at the company dress every day, and then just +1 it. aiming too high could make you seem out of place, which could be bad if your team will having any say in the hiring decision. don't want to seem aloof or "unrelatable"
unfortunately I don't think I can find this out before tomorrow morning. and the only photos on their facebook page are from some awful-looking retreat where everyone is covered in mud.
can I carry a bag to an interview? like a laptop bag. it's nice. for some reason I feel weird carrying it because I never actually need it, unless there's an emergency like everyone is dressed in t-shirts and I need somewhere to stash my suit jacket.
can I carry a bag to an interview? like a laptop bag. it's nice. for some reason I feel weird carrying it because I never actually need it, unless there's an emergency like everyone is dressed in t-shirts and I need somewhere to stash my suit jacket.
khakis are fine. just make sure you're wearing a tie and a jacket.
always bring a pad of paper (legal or notebook) and, if you like, a laptop as well. so yeah, bag is fine.
always bring a pad of paper (legal or notebook) and, if you like, a laptop as well. so yeah, bag is fine.
Yeah good idea to have a couple spare copies of resume as well.
yeah, I was thinking about bringing paper, so I guess I'll carry a bag. I don't think I have any resume copies, but oh well.
Sometimes not necessary but every now and again it makes you look prepared.
hope it goes well asemi
I forgot how much I hate wearing a tie.
I don't even have a suit or anything closely resembling it.
man, looks like i'm gonna have to get some new clothes once i start getting more serious about job hunting.
I definitely need more solid-colored dress shirts and ties. although hopefully I won't be going to any more job interviews in the near future.
You look like you were about to pilot your yacht down to the golf course for tea with high society.
hahaha, khakis will do that.
nah, he looks more like an academic than a sailor
I take that as a compliment. thank you nestor.
Vest and everything. That's quite the outfit, asemi. How did it go, anyway?
I have a similar problem...interview on Friday requiring professional attire. I've never worn a suit in my life, but I bought one today. I spent like two hours trying stuff on. I chose a gray 2-button skirt suit with a silky, dark plum-colored blouse from Nordstrom and black wool pumps from Urban Outfitters.
I can't spend money like this, guys. It hurts. :\
I have a similar problem...interview on Friday requiring professional attire. I've never worn a suit in my life, but I bought one today. I spent like two hours trying stuff on. I chose a gray 2-button skirt suit with a silky, dark plum-colored blouse from Nordstrom and black wool pumps from Urban Outfitters.
I can't spend money like this, guys. It hurts. :\
I don't know how to do my hair. I don't do my hair...
Do I wear nylons? Women's clothing questions...ugh. There are no female bsdlites here to show me the way.
Do I wear nylons? Women's clothing questions...ugh. There are no female bsdlites here to show me the way.
Uhm, etrangere as a guy I feel it is my obligation to be UTTERLY sexist, and wantonly depraved.
Dress hot. Very nice. You get Job. Sexy time.
Dress hot. Very nice. You get Job. Sexy time.
it went pretty well! they made me do this number puzzle and dictate my thoughts while doing it, which was kind of difficult.
That's...weird...
I mean this isn't standard procedure with IT companies, is it?
I mean this isn't standard procedure with IT companies, is it?
Nny, I'm interviewing with a woman. Her name is also Rebecca.
I have no idea what standard procedure is. this is the puzzle/pattern:
1
11
21
1211
111221
312211
1
11
21
1211
111221
312211
Etrangere you don't want to know what's going on inside my head right now.
> 1
> 11
> 21
> 1211
> 111221
> 312211
each line is a verbal dictation of the line before it
> 1
one 1
> 11
two 1s
> 21
one 2 and one 1
> 1211
one 1 one 2 and two 1s
etc!
> 11
> 21
> 1211
> 111221
> 312211
each line is a verbal dictation of the line before it
> 1
one 1
> 11
two 1s
> 21
one 2 and one 1
> 1211
one 1 one 2 and two 1s
etc!
i don't know if you already had the solution or whatever, but i like that problem
yeah, I got the solution after they gave me a couple of hints. if I'd been given more than ~6 minutes, not been at a job interview, and not had to dictate my thought process, I think I would have got it.
problem blew my shit up. but it's a good one, i guess
thought dictation sucks bad
thought dictation sucks bad
I remember one question I had from my interview with HP...
There is a room.
The room has 1 door, and no windows.
The door forms a perfect seal.
Inside the room there are 3 lights.
Outside the room there are 3 switches.
You need to identify which switch corresponds to each light in the room.
But, you can only open the door once. And when you do, you can no longer use the switches and you have to immediately identify the three lights and their switches.
Go...
There is a room.
The room has 1 door, and no windows.
The door forms a perfect seal.
Inside the room there are 3 lights.
Outside the room there are 3 switches.
You need to identify which switch corresponds to each light in the room.
But, you can only open the door once. And when you do, you can no longer use the switches and you have to immediately identify the three lights and their switches.
Go...
can you open the door faster than the propagation of electricity?
turn on switch one for ten minutes then turn it off. turn on switch two. walk into the room.
unlighted warm bulb -> switch one
lighted bulb -> switch two
unlighted cold bulb -> switch three
unlighted warm bulb -> switch one
lighted bulb -> switch two
unlighted cold bulb -> switch three
that's the correct answer.
I like these. More?
I forgot to take a picture of my interview outfit today. opted for dark gray pants and black shoes & belt this time. also wore this tie (with a hint of irony).
Well that was brave (awesome).
new topic: interview questions. I have a short phone interview for a job next Wednesday and need to mentally prepare.
help me list annoying interview questions and also give general tips:
- what is an accomplishment of which you're proud?
- tell us about a difficulty with a coworker and how you handled it.
- give an example of a time when you identified an inefficiency and how you remedied it.
what are some more generic ones? I'm pretty good on the phone (thanks, old job) so I'm not to worried about that aspect of it. I'm also planning to create an outline of my previous IT experience for reference.
help me list annoying interview questions and also give general tips:
- what is an accomplishment of which you're proud?
- tell us about a difficulty with a coworker and how you handled it.
- give an example of a time when you identified an inefficiency and how you remedied it.
what are some more generic ones? I'm pretty good on the phone (thanks, old job) so I'm not to worried about that aspect of it. I'm also planning to create an outline of my previous IT experience for reference.
some annoying "fit" questions from my personal list... these are from investment banking recruiting, might be a little too intense.
- why do you want to work here?
- explain why you chose to do _____? [an item on your resume, like what school you went to, etc.]
- what role do you play in group situations?
- what does this job require / what qualities are important for this job?
- what makes you stand out?
- give me an example of a time you failed.
- how would your best friend describe you?
- what are your greatest strengths / weaknesses?
- what are your goals?
- what should i know about you that is not on your resume?
- why do you want to work here?
- explain why you chose to do _____? [an item on your resume, like what school you went to, etc.]
- what role do you play in group situations?
- what does this job require / what qualities are important for this job?
- what makes you stand out?
- give me an example of a time you failed.
- how would your best friend describe you?
- what are your greatest strengths / weaknesses?
- what are your goals?
- what should i know about you that is not on your resume?
thank you. those are all really good.
When I got hired at HPB, one of the questions I had to answer was, "Why do you want to work in a bookstore?"
My response, "Because it's a fucking bookstore."
Under "greatest weaknesses" I put "the color yellow and fire."
Don't stress too much.
My response, "Because it's a fucking bookstore."
Under "greatest weaknesses" I put "the color yellow and fire."
Don't stress too much.
:)
Charcoal or Blue suit.
Wow. Late to the party.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I've written up what I think are some good and articulate replies to some questions. not too heavy on selling my experience; I think they'll be able to judge that fairly well. but I hope to convey my desire to dedicate myself to a position and to take it very seriously. tell me if this philosophy is way off base.
that was way off base.
I typed up answers to all the sit-down interview questions like "what is your greatest weakness" and he asked mostly about my experience in different areas, what I would consider my expertise, etc.
woops.
still went OK.
I typed up answers to all the sit-down interview questions like "what is your greatest weakness" and he asked mostly about my experience in different areas, what I would consider my expertise, etc.
woops.
still went OK.
I got an in-person interview for this! sent a thank you email this morning and got a reply early afternoon asking to schedule an interview.
also I wish I kept more extensive documentation of my previous experience. I have various blog posts I made and posts on here in the windows system administration thread, but having more specific examples of learning experiences in the field would be supremely beneficial.
also I think I'll ask if there are opportunities for employees to participate in their urban programs. they are an outdoors/camping/hiking organization and I'd be really interested in getting involved.
ttf is acting as my to-do list right now.
here is my outfit today. got the suit yesterday as joseph a bank. they were unexpectedly having a 70% off everything in the store sale, so I got it for $275. I was hoping for a lighter gray (this is charcoal, practically black) but it was the only one that fit properly.
I wish I could have dropped $700+ on a j crew suit, but I really couldn't justify that.
interview went fairly well. it lasted almost two hours, which I think is a good thing among others.
I wish I could have dropped $700+ on a j crew suit, but I really couldn't justify that.
interview went fairly well. it lasted almost two hours, which I think is a good thing among others.
oh and the guy who interviewed me was wearing a short-sleeved dress shirt with no undershirt, shorts, and hiking sandals. I think I overdressed, but we joked a bit about it at the beginning of the interview.
Better to go in with a suit and being serious than to half ass it.
had an interview today. i think it went pretty well, but i didn't prepare nearly enough.
i hear back about a 2nd round (technical interview) by the end of next week.
i hear back about a 2nd round (technical interview) by the end of next week.
agree with gatz, you really can't lose by dressing up in the vast majority of situations.
asemi > next time you buy shirts to go with your suit, try to get sleeves that are long enough to show about 0.25" of cuff when your arm is by your side.
i'd probably wear black shoes with a charcoal suit too, but it doesn't look that bad. they are nice shoes. hopefully your belt matches them.
i forget how tall you are, but you could probably hem a tiny bit off the pants as well if you wanted them to be a bit more fashion forward. they look pretty good though. obviously get a second opinion from a clothes forum / tailor before you anything.
asemi > next time you buy shirts to go with your suit, try to get sleeves that are long enough to show about 0.25" of cuff when your arm is by your side.
i'd probably wear black shoes with a charcoal suit too, but it doesn't look that bad. they are nice shoes. hopefully your belt matches them.
i forget how tall you are, but you could probably hem a tiny bit off the pants as well if you wanted them to be a bit more fashion forward. they look pretty good though. obviously get a second opinion from a clothes forum / tailor before you anything.
I had the sleeves rolled up at that point because it was ~90 degrees outside and my interview wasn't for a couple of hours. I should have rolled them down for the photo. any way, they're a bit too long.
I could have borrowed a pair of black shoes but they're very shiny and I kind of hate them. I thought the brown looked passable, if not ideal. this is part of why I'd hoped to find a lighter gray suit.
the pants do look a bit long in that picture. I'd like them to be a bit slimmer as well.
I could have borrowed a pair of black shoes but they're very shiny and I kind of hate them. I thought the brown looked passable, if not ideal. this is part of why I'd hoped to find a lighter gray suit.
the pants do look a bit long in that picture. I'd like them to be a bit slimmer as well.
better long sleeves than short ones!
yeah, light gray works with that brown, i've done that a couple times before.
really though that is a damn good look for $275.
yeah, light gray works with that brown, i've done that a couple times before.
really though that is a damn good look for $275.
Wow, fancy suit!
Damn barely saw that pic. Fuck that looks amazing. :) Good job asemi!
Makes me want to ditch casual friday.
I did kind of enjoy walking around in a suit all day. especially with sunglasses on.
I've got a second interview in about a week! I've never had one of these. I feel like they want me to prove something.
Well, that is sort of the point of job interviews :-)
Just relax about it, I'm sure you'll do fine. :-)
Just relax about it, I'm sure you'll do fine. :-)
three interviews later... i find out whether i got an offer next week.
i'd be taking a MASSIVE pay cut but i think i'd enjoy the work a lot more and work FAR less.
i'd be taking a MASSIVE pay cut but i think i'd enjoy the work a lot more and work FAR less.
second interview went well. can't think about anything else. aghhh. hopefully I will hear early this week.
yep, got it. more to come.
mabrouk!
it's an position in public equities at a large pension fund ($120 bn AUM, portfolio itself is about $10 bn). invests globally in special situations, interesting mix between activist / passive value / shorts all at various positions in capital structure, so effectively a hedge fund. pay cut would be $75 - 100k from my current job.
need to answer by monday.
need to answer by monday.
that's a pretty big pay cut. but it sounds pretty fun/interesting though. I guess it depends how much so you consider it.
I still haven't heard about this job. my most important reference is on vacation till Monday though, so I hope they're just waiting to talk to her and make sure she is real/doesn't say anything bad about me.
aghh. this week has been excruciatingly ambiguous.
I still haven't heard about this job. my most important reference is on vacation till Monday though, so I hope they're just waiting to talk to her and make sure she is real/doesn't say anything bad about me.
aghh. this week has been excruciatingly ambiguous.
also I should have worn a suit to the second interview.
nestor's potential pay cut is five times my income. i'm impressed.
my friends want me to get my ph.d., do finance, then use the money to become iron man.
that oracle ceo owns fighter jets, for instance.
i'd gladly go solve those problems in syria.
that oracle ceo owns fighter jets, for instance.
i'd gladly go solve those problems in syria.
I think Nestor needs to start a mentoring program. I'm in IB so you know, I can kind of keep up ... I guess ... :(
nestor, what did you decide?
Success! Starting salary is less than half of Nestor's pay cut, but I am infinitely grateful to have a normal adult job again. Benefits!!
awesome! mabrouk!
Damn Nestor is the new fucking metric. I love this dude!
i signed today.
and congrats, asemi!!
thanks! do I ask for a higher salary now? I can't decide. I really have nothing left to sell and think I should take the offer. but I also think that it probably couldn't hurt to ask for slightly higher.
not sure what your labour market is like, but mine is pretty tight and the job is pretty standardized (in the sense that there are others doing the same thing), so i didn't negotiate.
Yea I didn't negotiate unless you can bring something to the table like specialized experience in that field. I would just grind it out and come review time, ask for a signficant raise based on Merit.
What's the funny comment you didn't want to put on facebook? :)
I won't post it here either! the internet is forever.
facebook is over
ttf is forever, too!
Unfortunately, the activity here on TTF is slowly waning and everytime I open my Facebook news feed it's just ignorant statements on top of propangada on top of religious paraphernalia.
ttf is forever
* just checked, i'm over six years as of about a week ago.
* just checked, i'm over six years as of about a week ago.
launchpad is my new social networking site.
> I won't post it here either! the internet is forever.
Can't you use ttf's private message feature to send it to me?
Can't you use ttf's private message feature to send it to me?
I second this emotion. :)
interviewing for jobs when you already have a job is a wonderfully stress-free experience (mostly).
it depends how crappy your current job is versus the one you want.
that's a good point. I am nervously awaiting feedback from this last interview. they weirdly flip-flopped between "you can interview for a lesser job, we guess" after a phone interview and "uhh you're too good for this job let's find some people you can talk with about a better job" toward the end of the in-person interview.
ps - I wore a charcoal suit jacket and navy blue tie with some tan/khaki/yelloey levi's 511s that look pretty sharp despite having jean-style pockets.
does anyone know where to go to get leather shoes fixed? mine are in bad shape. they probably just need a polish but there's also a spot where the leather is torn so I don't know if that's even possible to fix. I should research this more on the internet but it's more fun to ask.
does anyone know where to go to get leather shoes fixed? mine are in bad shape. they probably just need a polish but there's also a spot where the leather is torn so I don't know if that's even possible to fix. I should research this more on the internet but it's more fun to ask.
the lbs equivalent--local shoe repairman
i'd recommend wearing a darth vader costume.
Maybe you can try http://mytailor.com/ ? They should have some cool stuff.