Job Interviews: A Brief History
I was recently considering my rate of success with job interviews, and how I tend to get an offer for jobs that I get a chance to interview for. After some thought, though, I realized that it’s still probably a 50/50 gamble.
I’ve often heard that I have a Lawson tongue. My family is known for being charismatic. We don’t really try, it just comes naturally. Sometimes that’s a benefit, other times less so. When we need to convince someone of something, it comes in handy. The problem arises in situations when we’re perceived as flirting, when we really don’t intend anything of the sort. My wife understands the gift/curse thank goodness, but that is a downside to be aware of nonetheless.
One situation in which this ability is beneficial is job interviews. Especially when computer science people are normally so quirky and socially inept (sorry guys), having the gift of gab allows me to stand out from the crowd rather easily. I think my skills with software are moderate, but being able to talk myself up and carry on conversation with people goes a long way with the interview process.
With this advantage, I’ve done pretty well with job interviews in the past. I was trying to determine exactly how well I’ve done, though. I haven’t gotten every single job that I’ve interviewed for, but I have gotten offers from at least most. Or so I thought…
My first “interview” was for a summer job as a technology assistant with my high school. It was a group interview with two other people, and I thought we were still in the competing phase. Turns out, all three of us were selected, and we more or less had the job before we ever walked into that room. At the time, I didn’t know that, so I tried my best to make a good impression. In any case, I did actually get that job. (1/1)
At some point between the summer of 2008 and June 2011, I needed some income, so I applied at Aeropostale. I hit Westgate Mall with applications at just about every store, but Aeropostale was the only one that called me back. The interview was a group interview with probably 10 people. They took us into a back room and gave us the conditions. We were to go out into the store and put together an outfit from apparel available in the store, and explain why the pieces worked well together. Anyone who knows me personally can attest that I have absolutely zero sense of style, and the clothes that I wear are a hodge-podge of things that my wife tells me match. Clearly, I have no idea how to put an outfit together, so I knew I wasn’t the right candidate for that job. They never called me back. (½)
After my first job came and went, I served as the head of a committee with my church to select a new youth and children’s minister. We had several meetings to discuss candidates, but nobody really seemed like a good fit. Eventually, another member of the committee asked, “would you be willing to do it?” Long story short, I was willing to do it and they hired me. There were something akin to interviews along the way, but nearly everyone on the committee was in favor of me taking the job from the beginning. It was less of a true interview, and more of a formality according to the church. (⅔)
While I worked for the church, I was also working on my undergrad and looking for a position in the computer science field. I received an email from the chair of the computer science department that a local software company, QS/1 Data Systems at the time, was hiring an intern. An internship would be perfect to give me some exposure in the field. I gave him my resume and told him that I was interested. They brought me in for an interview later with the HR guy and the manager over the position. I’m not sure how many people interviewed, but I got the offer. (¾)
My next interview after QS/1 was with… QS/1 again. I applied for a full time position after I finished my bachelor’s. As an internal transfer, I wasn’t quite a shoe-in, but they favored internal to external hires. I had a good shot, and I interviewed with the team lead and supervisor over that position. I worked my mojo and I got the job (or at least that’s what I’m telling myself). (⅘)
A long period of time went by when I had no job interviews because I didn’t need them. I had a job I was comfortable with, and I wasn’t exactly jumping ship to go somewhere else. That is, until my position was dissolved and I no longer had a job. Then, I had to start looking quickly. I’ve written in detail about my next interview. I didn’t get the job, but it wasn’t a matter of charisma. I just didn’t have the experience they wanted in the technologies they used. (4/6)
I actually had two more interviews before I took the job at System Logistics. One was a company where a previous coworker went. I had a phone interview with them while I was at the beach on a day trip. I wasn’t keen on the job, but I figured I ought to give it my best shot, being unemployed and all. The phone interview went decent enough, but they never called me back. I guess I wasn’t what they were looking for. (4/7)
Besides the phone interview, I did manage to score an interview with Microsoft. They gave me a cursory examination, and invited me up to a group interview in Charlotte. I considered it, but I didn’t trust my ability to stand out against others for a job that was heavily based in SQL. Maybe I should have at least tried, but I genuinely wasn’t interested in the job. Bill Gates is known to criticize “lazy programmers,” and I think that may still be where I am. Let me get some more experience first. (4/8)
After a few unproductive interviews, I managed to get hired on with System Logistics. That Microsoft interview may have actually been after the first steps with System Logistics, and I was much interested in the latter. In any case, the interview did pan out, so we’ll call that a success. (5/9)
Before I got the offer at System Logistics, I actually had another interview at a company out of Charlotte called MUFG Bank. The first step was a coding exercise. Four steps: three basic programming problems and one SQL exercise. I knew that my experience with SQL was lacking at best, so I went all in on the coding. The first two problems were no challenge. The third was tough, but I was making good progress before I ran out of time. I assumed that because I didn’t even reach the last question, they wouldn’t want to interview me, but they did schedule a video call. During the video call, I struggled to understand the interviewers several times, and I stumbled through several technical questions. Even if I did alright on the coding exercise, the verbal interview was trash. Lo and behold, they came through a few weeks later and offered me a job. By then, I had accepted the position at SLC, and I was actually in the office when the recruiter called to offer me the job. I considered it for a time, but I determined that I was comfortable at System Logistics for the time, and declined the offer. (6/10)
After I got hired at System Logistics, I was comfortable for a time. I wasn’t looking elsewhere, but I wasn’t ignoring recruiters either. One contract agency in particular was very persistent. They wanted to talk, so I talked. They liked my background, so they wanted to interview. I wasn’t going to interview, but they said that the job description was sort of a generic document that described several individual positions. I went through the interview, and they decided that they really wanted me. I kept putting off the recruiter, but they eventually gave me a deal that I decided was right for me. Another successful interview (7/11)
At this point, I’ve gotten offers from seven of the eleven interviews that I had. It’s better than half, but not by much. Some of them, I could definitely understand why I didn’t get an offer. Others, I probably should’ve done a little better. In any case, nothing is guaranteed. I still believe that my charisma gives me an advantage in job interviews, but I still have to make myself attractive enough to get that first interview. If I can get a team on the phone, on a video call, or in person, I can make a pretty good case for why the organization needs me. Charisma isn’t everything, though, and I still need the technical know-how to back it up.
I’ve often heard that I have a Lawson tongue. My family is known for being charismatic. We don’t really try, it just comes naturally. Sometimes that’s a benefit, other times less so. When we need to convince someone of something, it comes in handy. The problem arises in situations when we’re perceived as flirting, when we really don’t intend anything of the sort. My wife understands the gift/curse thank goodness, but that is a downside to be aware of nonetheless.
One situation in which this ability is beneficial is job interviews. Especially when computer science people are normally so quirky and socially inept (sorry guys), having the gift of gab allows me to stand out from the crowd rather easily. I think my skills with software are moderate, but being able to talk myself up and carry on conversation with people goes a long way with the interview process.
With this advantage, I’ve done pretty well with job interviews in the past. I was trying to determine exactly how well I’ve done, though. I haven’t gotten every single job that I’ve interviewed for, but I have gotten offers from at least most. Or so I thought…
My first “interview” was for a summer job as a technology assistant with my high school. It was a group interview with two other people, and I thought we were still in the competing phase. Turns out, all three of us were selected, and we more or less had the job before we ever walked into that room. At the time, I didn’t know that, so I tried my best to make a good impression. In any case, I did actually get that job. (1/1)
At some point between the summer of 2008 and June 2011, I needed some income, so I applied at Aeropostale. I hit Westgate Mall with applications at just about every store, but Aeropostale was the only one that called me back. The interview was a group interview with probably 10 people. They took us into a back room and gave us the conditions. We were to go out into the store and put together an outfit from apparel available in the store, and explain why the pieces worked well together. Anyone who knows me personally can attest that I have absolutely zero sense of style, and the clothes that I wear are a hodge-podge of things that my wife tells me match. Clearly, I have no idea how to put an outfit together, so I knew I wasn’t the right candidate for that job. They never called me back. (½)
After my first job came and went, I served as the head of a committee with my church to select a new youth and children’s minister. We had several meetings to discuss candidates, but nobody really seemed like a good fit. Eventually, another member of the committee asked, “would you be willing to do it?” Long story short, I was willing to do it and they hired me. There were something akin to interviews along the way, but nearly everyone on the committee was in favor of me taking the job from the beginning. It was less of a true interview, and more of a formality according to the church. (⅔)
While I worked for the church, I was also working on my undergrad and looking for a position in the computer science field. I received an email from the chair of the computer science department that a local software company, QS/1 Data Systems at the time, was hiring an intern. An internship would be perfect to give me some exposure in the field. I gave him my resume and told him that I was interested. They brought me in for an interview later with the HR guy and the manager over the position. I’m not sure how many people interviewed, but I got the offer. (¾)
My next interview after QS/1 was with… QS/1 again. I applied for a full time position after I finished my bachelor’s. As an internal transfer, I wasn’t quite a shoe-in, but they favored internal to external hires. I had a good shot, and I interviewed with the team lead and supervisor over that position. I worked my mojo and I got the job (or at least that’s what I’m telling myself). (⅘)
A long period of time went by when I had no job interviews because I didn’t need them. I had a job I was comfortable with, and I wasn’t exactly jumping ship to go somewhere else. That is, until my position was dissolved and I no longer had a job. Then, I had to start looking quickly. I’ve written in detail about my next interview. I didn’t get the job, but it wasn’t a matter of charisma. I just didn’t have the experience they wanted in the technologies they used. (4/6)
I actually had two more interviews before I took the job at System Logistics. One was a company where a previous coworker went. I had a phone interview with them while I was at the beach on a day trip. I wasn’t keen on the job, but I figured I ought to give it my best shot, being unemployed and all. The phone interview went decent enough, but they never called me back. I guess I wasn’t what they were looking for. (4/7)
Besides the phone interview, I did manage to score an interview with Microsoft. They gave me a cursory examination, and invited me up to a group interview in Charlotte. I considered it, but I didn’t trust my ability to stand out against others for a job that was heavily based in SQL. Maybe I should have at least tried, but I genuinely wasn’t interested in the job. Bill Gates is known to criticize “lazy programmers,” and I think that may still be where I am. Let me get some more experience first. (4/8)
After a few unproductive interviews, I managed to get hired on with System Logistics. That Microsoft interview may have actually been after the first steps with System Logistics, and I was much interested in the latter. In any case, the interview did pan out, so we’ll call that a success. (5/9)
Before I got the offer at System Logistics, I actually had another interview at a company out of Charlotte called MUFG Bank. The first step was a coding exercise. Four steps: three basic programming problems and one SQL exercise. I knew that my experience with SQL was lacking at best, so I went all in on the coding. The first two problems were no challenge. The third was tough, but I was making good progress before I ran out of time. I assumed that because I didn’t even reach the last question, they wouldn’t want to interview me, but they did schedule a video call. During the video call, I struggled to understand the interviewers several times, and I stumbled through several technical questions. Even if I did alright on the coding exercise, the verbal interview was trash. Lo and behold, they came through a few weeks later and offered me a job. By then, I had accepted the position at SLC, and I was actually in the office when the recruiter called to offer me the job. I considered it for a time, but I determined that I was comfortable at System Logistics for the time, and declined the offer. (6/10)
After I got hired at System Logistics, I was comfortable for a time. I wasn’t looking elsewhere, but I wasn’t ignoring recruiters either. One contract agency in particular was very persistent. They wanted to talk, so I talked. They liked my background, so they wanted to interview. I wasn’t going to interview, but they said that the job description was sort of a generic document that described several individual positions. I went through the interview, and they decided that they really wanted me. I kept putting off the recruiter, but they eventually gave me a deal that I decided was right for me. Another successful interview (7/11)
At this point, I’ve gotten offers from seven of the eleven interviews that I had. It’s better than half, but not by much. Some of them, I could definitely understand why I didn’t get an offer. Others, I probably should’ve done a little better. In any case, nothing is guaranteed. I still believe that my charisma gives me an advantage in job interviews, but I still have to make myself attractive enough to get that first interview. If I can get a team on the phone, on a video call, or in person, I can make a pretty good case for why the organization needs me. Charisma isn’t everything, though, and I still need the technical know-how to back it up.
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