Help me, o my network of far-flung friends
Tomorrow, I have an interview. I really, really want this job. Really, a lot.
My boss is going to give me a nervous breakdown if he keeps trying to prepare and coach me. Yesterday's suggestion was guided meditation. Last week, he told me to google for information on MSFT interviews. And he keeps asking me over and over again why I want to work here. I know the correct answer is not benefits. So I give him the other true answers, about helping people and making a difference. About how excited I am about security and usability. About my ideas for a brave new future of more targeted documentation. And yet he keeps asking. aaaa!
So here are the things I am doing to prepare: I am writing out answers to The Big Question, I am writing a list of innovative goals and ideas, and I am writing a list of questions to ask interviewers. Um, help?
What is the best interview question someone has asked you?
What would you do if you could change Windows documentation?
Why do I want to work at Microsoft?
My boss is going to give me a nervous breakdown if he keeps trying to prepare and coach me. Yesterday's suggestion was guided meditation. Last week, he told me to google for information on MSFT interviews. And he keeps asking me over and over again why I want to work here. I know the correct answer is not benefits. So I give him the other true answers, about helping people and making a difference. About how excited I am about security and usability. About my ideas for a brave new future of more targeted documentation. And yet he keeps asking. aaaa!
So here are the things I am doing to prepare: I am writing out answers to The Big Question, I am writing a list of innovative goals and ideas, and I am writing a list of questions to ask interviewers. Um, help?
What is the best interview question someone has asked you?
What would you do if you could change Windows documentation?
Why do I want to work at Microsoft?
Because Google doesn't need tech writers? Mmmm, perhaps not that one.
Because you're tired of consulting hired-gun work and are looking for job stability? While not exactly true, it sounds good to interviewers.
Why do you want to teach here? Because I love teaching and want to help students learn to write.
It's a mediocre answer and it won't get me hired.
Why do you want to teach here? I love making my students curious about the world around them. I want them to come out of my classroom seeing the world in a completely different way. My students know how to read and write, what they need is to practice their analytical thinking skills and apply those strategies to their papers and their lives. I want to teach here because I am passionate about teaching and students. I want to teach her because I know I can make a difference in my students, in my colleagues, and in my community.
See the difference?
The questions are always the same, it's how you answer that makes you stand out. Be passionate. Really think about what the job is and why you REALLY want it.
You are going to kick butt! I got faith in you!
My biggest problems were not being calm and focused, and slipping up on details. So my advice to myself was to go over my stuff carefully the night before, and then sleep ell. The interview questions that I liked best and that I liked to give to candidates were programming related brain teasers. I don't think that'll apply so much, though.
I do think that the biggest problem with security is people failing to use it, rather than with the technical challenges. The net is constantly on the verge of being overwhelmed by spammers and hackers. So it is a very important social service. How's that for a why?
What do you think of your current boss or manager?