• Prepare
• Dress well
• Mobile phones off
• Firm handshake
• If you use glasses, wear them in the interview
• Think before you answer

• Your communication skills
• Your ability to articulate your views
• Your ability to perform under pressure
• Your ability to think on your feet
• Your personality
  

• During the interview keep the following in mind:
• Be confident, but not cocky or arrogant.
• Think about your answers. Do not be afraid to think, pause or ask the interviewer to repeat or clarify a question.
• Use open body language. Open your body to the interviewer, and be sure to give eye contact.
• Answer the person who asked the question. It is tempting to find 1 person to talk to – the one you perceive as the nicest (easiest to convince), but make sure that you connect with the person who asked the question. Interviews find it frustrating when an interviewee only talks to 1 interviewer.
• Do not be afraid to laugh with the interviewers. This does not mean that you should start telling jokes, but there is nothing wrong with being light-hearted if the opportunity is there. An interview does not need to be formal for the entire duration. If you are relaxed and this will rub off on the interviewers
• Ask questions – do not wait until the end to ask questions, if the opportunity arises during the interview ask the question. A flowing conversational interview is easier for interviewers and interviewees.
• At the end of the interview, thank the panel. Try to use their names if you can remember them. Do not be afraid to ask what happens next and when you may hear from them.

• What is testing?
• Why do you feel is testing important?
• Why have you chosen testing as ‘career path’?
• Can you talk me through the different test phases?
• What experience have you had in using automated test tools?
• How did you find the tool?
• What are the differences between the phases? E.G. System -v- UAT
• How would you define ‘negative testing’?
• How would you define ‘exploratory testing’?
• What are you views on exploratory testing
• What is your definition/understanding of the following:
• Test Strategy
• Test Plan
• Test Case
• Test Script
• What is your understanding of white, black and grey box testing?
• When tasked with testing a new application what are the first things you would do? Where do you start?
• Can you explain the V-Model?
• What test metrics have you produced?
• What were they used for?

• What are your main strengths?
• What are your weaknesses?
• Tell me of a time when you did something well that you were proud of.
• Give me an example of time when you had to solve a complex problem.
• Describe a time when you had to make an unpopular decision.
• What strategies do you use to keep abreast of changes in your technical field?
• Tell me about a time when you suggested a new and innovative way of working? What came of your suggestion?
• What part of your job do you find most stressful?
• Tell me about a difficult report you had to write. Why was it particularly difficult?
• Why do you want this job?
• What do you think you can bring to the department?

What is the correct use of jacket buttons? I've never heard of that one.

A few varying opinions but here's my rule of thumb(based on single breasted jacket, if you've got a double breasted jacket it's way outdated and you need to upgrade!!!):

for 3 buttoned jackets:

button up the top two; buttoning up all 3 is overkill

- for 2 buttoned jackets, dependent on the cut you can button up both or just the top button

When you go to sit down, either unbutton the jacket entriley or leave 1 button done up.

You'll notice when you sit down that the jacket will stretch over your gut...give it a go at you desk...if it doens't look like your about to explode out fo your suit, then leave a button doen up, else unbutton entirely.

As regards the firm handshake it used to p*ss me off when I was interviewing people when they used to squeeze my hand hard at the introduction.

Not only did I not appreciate it but I knew they were just using a supposed technique on me.

Never did I think that just because they could squeeze my hand hard that they would make a good programmer or analyst.

I did ask around at work and only the secretary said that she was impressed by a firm handshake.

I would say that the handshake should be unobtrusive, i.e neither firm nor limp.

I don't know how this firm handshake idea took hold.

I onced interviewed a guy who squeezed my hand so hard I felt like kicking him in the nuts rather than give him a job.

"What are your weaknesses?"

I did use to ask this question of interviewees.

However, it was only to work out which ones were naive and not streetwise.

Anyone who was stupid enough to tell me his or her weaknesses could not be trusted to be put in front of clients or users.

God knows what they would say.

It wasn't a complete no-no especially for a techie job, but I wouldn't hire an analyst who was so naive.

I tended to be less interested in the actual answer rather than how candidates avoid this obvious beamer.

Just to add that when I was asked the question " What is your main weakness?" I used to say "I cry at sad Movies".

It tended to break the ice.

If they persisted and really wanted an answer to a daft question I would say that I sometimes got too immersed in my work and sometimes didn't notice when 5 o'clock had arrived.

It was complete bullsh*t, but what the hell, it seemd to work.

When you are at an interview it is like being out with a girl. Lay it on thick. It is amazing how much flattery you can actually give about the firm, the job, the tools they use etc. without being sussed.

Re the jackets thing.

I always thought that the bottom button of a single breasted suit was never done up anyway.

With respect to stretching over your gut - this is one point the OP missed.

LOSE WEIGHT! Like it or not, thin people are perceived as more capable.

UnemployedITer should take note of these points. Perhaps it may help him get off his , most probably, fat and lazy ass and get a job.

Asking people what is their weaknesses, then culling them.

The only problem asking this question is that the interviewee may take another role where the interview questions indicate intelligence.

Take Note UnemployedIter, make sure you you use good eye contect as well.

Also: If you are asked technical questions and make up an answer for each one and it is not really the correct answer, there is nothing wrong in saying im not sure how to answer that, although I am more JAVA oriented, the question that was thrown to me was something about operator overloading, I remember it from a long time ago but didn't know how it worked.

MC

Gerry, if all employers thought like you then young unexperienced people will never get street smart lol! I think I'm simple, straight forward and work at world's largest IT company, on a scholarship for 1 year which finishes this week...and I had no experience as you have indicated...I didnt get rejected, in a fully customer focused role, I have simply "learnt" to be diplomatic with time...and to do that my colleagues and team leader have helped me learn all this, not forgetting client liasing too!

The one point missing from this list of preparations, which I have followed for all IT interviews attended, is how to convince a 20 or early 30 something IT recruiting person to cease thinking that being 50 something is an extreme negative which makes a person totally unemployable. I have sworn off applying for IT jobs for this reason and am working in a different field where the recruiters are from planet Earth. I had little difficulty in getting work in a field I had not worked in for more than 10 years.

Clever country?? Smart State?? The concepts are shafted by Human Resource professionals who are abysmally ignorant of many Human Beings.

Greggy,

That is the most disgusting statement you have said , I think you watch too much big brother and read to many glossy magazines. You are brain washed in thinking every one looks like those people on Big Brother. All these people were hand picked so they end up on TV and the latest FHM or drag mag.

These are fantasy illusions, the real world isn’t like that.

You should be burnt on a cross in puplic.

"If you use glasses, wear them in the interview"

Curious piece of advice. I wear both contact lenses and glasses, though being a vain creature I like to feel confident about my appearance for an interview and usually go with the contacts. Indeed, makeover TV shows always give the recipient laser vision correction as though wearing glasses is a failure to be addressed.

Is the author suggesting that the stereotype still exists that if you wear spectacles then you must be more intelligent and therefore more recruitable?

Crikey... me thinks macca has a weight problem!

No point arguing with me, I'm just stating the ugly truth that losing weight has career benefits as well as health ones.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/Careers/07/08/looks/

You can chose to ignore it if you want - I couldn't care less ;-D

This comment was removed as it contained offensive content.

This comment was removed as it contained offensive content.

Just for the record the correct answer to "What are your weaknesses?" is of course...

..."interviews".

That'll stump 'em.

scm

Hi all,

The experienced recruiter has made some valid points, take a deep breath and be yourself . Answer the questions , dont oversell yourself and direct yoru responses to the role and how you can be a value add to the company/ team.

It seems that IT consultants focus on the technical side of things but there is the cultural fit.

Good luck.

Seasoned recruiter .

UnemployedITer,

I missed that comment, email it to me.

mc

A few people have been in touch and asked about the my comment to 'wear glasses'. So I thought I'd drop the response on here:

Glasses - this is an interesting topic and could be both subjective and slightly controversial.

The basic thinking behind this statement is based on social stereotypes associated with glasses. Although none are true, they are reinforced daily by the media through, film, television, magazines and most obviously advertising. Here are some examples:

* Glasses make you look more intelligent

* Glasses make you look more approachable

* Glasses make you look less aggressive

* Glasses make you look more down-to-earth

* Glasses can magnify your eye making you appear more interested in what is being discussed

Like it or not these stereotypes and preconceptions exist so why not use them to your advantage in an interview or meeting?

Targeted Resourcing