Interview Series - Session 1 Questions

[quote="hscottgilbert"]

2. How is the best way to make copies of my index cards that have multiple STAC's listed on the back?

Thanks,
Scott[/quote]

I have an MS Word document featuring 4-up index card size text blocks. When you enter your accomplishments into each block you can quickly print multiple copies.

PM me your email address and I will send it to you.

1. All. You're practicing the delivery template AND the content in each accomplishment. Once you identify the job you're interviewing, narrow the accomplishments you practice.

2. Whatever way suits you, probably.

Glad you're pleased!

Mark

Mark doesn't need any follow up, but here's my take from my experience: Once I had the format, everything else was easy. I knew what I had done, I practiced them, and the format of the questions will always be something that is up to THEM. The format of my response was what made it easy to tailor every answer (whether it was one person or a panel interview) effectively.

Good day all,
I am going to post some experiences that lead to my present situation. Ominous I know but absolutely factual in every detail, much to my chagrin in some cases. If this is posted in the wrong place please help me out and move it to the correct location.

A brief history:
Years of working with UNIX and linux because I enjoyed it. No corporate background, circa 2000. Spent $5000 to get an MCSE because that was the minimum that it took to get a foot in the door. Never used a day of that cert. Hired in as a technical admin by an acquaintance that gave me a shot at an IT career. Six months later he leaves the company leaving me as the only person that knows how all the pieces fit together in a Fortune 100 company. ( hard to believe but true )

I built a team to run company operations based on technical skill only and it developed into a very good team through no knowledge or skill of my own. I base that on leaving the company and spending three years as a software consultant on the road. None of the IT departments I dealt with in that time had the skill that my team had in analyzing business needs and devising ways to accommodate those needs and producing results. A bold statement I know, but I won't back down from that statement.

As a manager, even without the title, I sucked. I had never heard of One on Ones, Coaching, DISC or meeting etiquette. My blunders included inadvertently calling a project manager a b*tch in a meeting with three directors and a managing director. Inadvertently because I did not say it directly but implied it through another comment.

In short I should have been fired every day for the first year and a half I was on the job and at least once a month for the other two years. Looking back I am ashamed and regret my behavior simply because I, and my team, could have accomplished much more if they had a team lead that knew what he was doing. That being said we accomplished a great deal including a full hardware refresh, redesign of successful DR and the design/redesign of batch processing and licensing models that saved the company over six figures in less than two years.

Fed up with what I thought was a stagnant culture I made a call and was in LA, onsite with a customer as a consultant two days later, based on my skill set alone. My education began there and fortunately for my IT career has not stopped to this day thanks to M-T.

I fortunately have a very highly respected and very good friend that once suggested I get into IT and UNIX in particular as a career. The same friend also recommended M-T. He recognized my lack of experience and knowledge of the non-technical aspects of IT. His advice was solid on going into IT so why not hit M-T?

I admit to not reading the forums as much as I should but I do read them at least a few times a month (when you are on the road what else are you going to do?). I listen to some of the podcasts and am intimidated every time I do.

I have attained a small amount of polish in the last few years thanks to M-T, consulting and my friend. Thank goodness or I would be back turning wrenches for a living. A job I was miserable doing.

Finally, the point I am getting to. Through M-T I have started to understand the "soft" skills (absurd that they are called that IMNSHO) that it takes to advance in this field and management in particular. I listened to some of the podcasts on interviewing before premium content and was stunned that they were as in depth as they were. As a martial artist (rarely tell anyone that these days), I recognized the depth of understanding and insight Mark had. I took the casts to heart and followed them.

Fast forward -
In the last 10 months I have interviewed three times. Here are my results:

1) Apologized profusely at the beginning of the phone interview for being forced to do the phone interview from an airport (it was Friday and a travel day for me). Apology accepted, result of the interview, a job offer with everything except the "manager" title that I wanted. I declined with thank you notes.

2) Phone interview with a face to face interview offer within 4 hours. After the face to face a job offer within 4 hours. Accepted the position. I hate the position. Point here is that following the pieces of the series I had resulted in a job offer.

3) Phone interview. Face to face interview scheduled within 5 hours. I chose to buy the Interview Series based on the fact that this job was well worth the small investment compared to the reward. I spent the weekend listening to the casts and had the interview about 3 hours ago. I feel confident that I will get an offer. It may not be what I want money wise but I am confident of an offer.

Mistakes -
1) I did not close the first interviewer.
2) I rambled during part of the behavioral portion - I caught it and came back to the point quickly but still - I rambled
3) Without practice you will not be able to pull the "Accomplishments" questions off flawlessly. I did not practice with a partner. I spoke them aloud in the car to myself. No feedback.

Positives -
1) I closed the second interviewer - the first interviewer's boss, ultimately my director
2) I was coherent and had a reply ready for every "Accomplishment" question
3) Technical questions were all home runs - After all with my history and lack of skill with people and situational awareness I would have never gotten this far! If nothing else I am very good at what I do!
4) Hand shakes were solid if not great

If I had to give myself a grade - ( a B-) -- Better than the average bear but was it good enough? I think so. Or maybe I am over rating my performance. That this is a Big 5 consulting company and it makes it tough to judge because consultants are taught, almost from birth it seems, to never show emotion so they were hard to read.

Even if I do not get an offer, my Thank You cards are written and set to go in the mail tomorrow.

For one of my best friends, and others that I care about - I would pay for their Interviewing Series myself just to give them the advantage.

Best Regards to M-T and one of my best friends, US41 ----

Thanks!
Gerald Bush

Offer received within 24 hours. I will accept in the next 24 hours. I owe this to the Interviewing Series (but I am not sending you a check Mark! - oh wait I did when I purchased the series B) )

Best Regards,
jiin

Gerald-

CONGRATULATIONS! Glad you accomplished the objective!

All credit to you.

Mark

Mark - Mike,
Thanks. I really do owe my career to US41. Without his support I would not have chased the dream. Any advancement from here I owe to you two. I have come a long way since the days of that first big meeting however, being able to look at this from a completely different perspective is elementary school vs. university. I do think you have taken it to that level.

Thanks simply isn't enough. Not just for the knowledge to get an offer, but learning how to communicate and function in corporate America as a high D, while keeping my sanity.

'nuff said -
jiin