The Full-Day Tech Interview Strikes Back

So I went to work on Friday, and I decided to ask my boss for interview tips-not sure if that was the right thing to do- since they’ve got plenty of experience in this stuff. I got some great tips, which I’m going to share with you.

• Buy a book about interviews
  I always thought this was cheating, you know, learning how to “game” the system. But it turns out, the advice they give you in the books is quite valuable.  I havn’t finished reading the books I bought yet, but what I’ve been reading so far is good. It really teaches you what to say, what not to say, or how to say things, such that it is most advantageous to you.
• Ask Thought-Provoking Questions
  Do your research about the company beforehand, including recent news items regarding the company. So this can include stuff like the recession, IT questions (how do you manage your code?), etc… The goal here, is to make them envision you in the role.
• Don’t give “typical weaknesses”
  Things like, “my only weakness, is that I work too hard”, because apparently interviewers hate these answers.
• Dress code
  Find out what the dress code is, and dress one level above it.

A part of the interview I’m going to have, will include a lunch. My boss told me to watch out for this, because people tend to let their guard down, while you’re being watched constantly. Watching how you treat the waitress, how you talk to people, etc… So I decided to research the lunch interview as well! I found this great site that has a bunch of great advice. Let me summarize.

1. Mind your manners
2. Order something appropriate. Avoid messy, smelly and noisy meals.
3. Consume and Converse
4. When done eating, don’t offer to pay, never ask for a doggy bag, and reaffirm your interest!

All these things, I can do well. Except for one… “mind your manners”. I admit, there has been many a times when my girlfriend has been horrified at my eating habits, so I guess it wouldn’t hurt to research that as well:

Interview Dining Tips

• Be polite.
• If there’s lots of utensils, work your way from the outside inwards.
• Liquids on the right. Solids on the left.
• Napkin on lap.
• Elbows off the table.
• Sit straight.
• Don’t talk with your mouth full.

While Eating

• No messy foods.
• Don’t order the most expensive item on the menu.
• Order food that is easy to cut into small pieces.
• When eating soup, spoon away from you.
• Break your dinner roll into small pieces.
• If you leave your seat, put your napkin on the chair.

Drinks

• Try not to order alcohol. If you must, limit yourself to one drink only.

After The Meal

• Put the napkin on the table, next to your plate.
• Don’t forget to say thank you!