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>Mark L. Levinson said:
>>Jim Barrow wrote:
>>
>>I've interviewed with people who were almost sullen...
>
>Aha. That's me. You walk in the door, I'm already thinking "What kind of
>a mistake does it look like to hire this person?"
Hmmm...most of your response draws attention to very valid points. I'm not
sure if the one above was accurate. What I was saying was that the person
interviewing me looked like I was taking up his valuable time, rather than
having the opportunity to hire an asset to his/her company.
>If you start quoting material from the company's website at me, I'm not
>impressed. Why should I be? You haven't learned half a thing from the
>website, compared with what you'll need to learn on the job.
This is a good point, and one that has bothered me during most interviews.
The first questions that I'm usually asked are "What do you know about our
company?" and "What do you know about the job?"
The first question causes me anxiety because, unless the company is globally
well-known, the information that anyone can glean usually comes from the
company's website. And let's be honest, there's only so many pages on a
typical website (About Us, Products, Services, etc.).
The second question is worse. Typically, the only information that I have
regarding a job is some poorly worded description scribbled by an overworked
recruiter. So my answers are very interactive: "Well, since you need a
tech writer for your new B2C portal, it sounds to me like your planning to
offer a service on your website. Am I correct?"
>If you say "I solved a challenge just like this in my previous job," I
>think, "Don't go assuming that this job is like your previous job, buddy."
I guess I don't agree with you as much as I thought. I don't see how anyone
can avoid an answer like this during an interview. All my interviews have
included statements like this from the interviewer: "We need a tech writer
to [insert job requirement]. I see that you did this at a previous
employer. Tell me about that."
>If you exhibit artificial speech or behavior, such as referring to my
>company as "we," I assume that your real personality is something I will
>rue discovering.
Hmmm...you're just a grouch ;^) I think I've used the word "we" only once
or twice, and that was when I was really getting into describing how I'd
handle the project in question.
Artificial speech and behavior is a different subject. I've worked with
people who were perma-happy, and they really got on my nerves. Made me wish
I had a dart gun and an industrial strength tranquilizer. Although I never
got to the point of ruing the day they were hired, I did rue the day they
were given the office next to mine.
>If you send a follow-up note just to say thank you, I resent having my time
>wasted and I infer that you think I'm susceptible to buttering up.
Um...er...you lost me on that one. If one does not say thank you, or
restate their interest in the job, what does one write in the note?
>But I'm told I'm not typical. Put on a happy face and stay away from
>people like me, and you should do fine. Just be aware that we're out here.
Well, one man's atypical is another man's asocial. By issuing the warning
above, you've cast yourself as a human landmine, and not a personality type
that a candidate can learn to communicate with. So what would you like to
hear from a tech writer applying for a job during a standard interview?
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