Phone and Face Interview Prep: a story, 20 tips, and feeling good without feeling in control

[Aspergirl4hire]

The Penguin suggested that I cross-post.

In the space of 72 hours, I've been recruited (found by a recruiter), phone-screened by a hiring person not in HR, and invited to a panel interview with the team. This isn't the first time it's been this fast. I don't always win these, either. But after wincing over the pain of some of you about how miserable this process has been, I thought a condensed summary for dealing with phone and face interviews would be encouraging. These interviews have been very positive so far. Even if I don't get the job, I'm content. But make no mistake, I do want this job. Even though my aspishness emerges.

I loathe seeing the same data in two places, so here's the summary and here's the 20 tips and the questions you can grab right before the interview in case you don't know what to ask.

That said, if you're new to interviewing, how are you preparing? If you're not new to interviewing, what does your preparation process look like? What's challenging for you? Do you hide your aspie traits? Flaunt them? Just ignore your worries, if you have them? What questions do you want to throw out to the AC community about interviews?

What stories do you want to tell?

 

[Tia Maria]

The Penguin suggested that I cross-post.

In the space of 72 hours, I've been recruited (found by a recruiter), phone-screened by a hiring person not in HR, and invited to a panel interview with the team. This isn't the first time it's been this fast. I don't always win these, either. But after wincing over the pain of some of you about how miserable this process has been, I thought a condensed summary for dealing with phone and face interviews would be encouraging. These interviews have been very positive so far. Even if I don't get the job, I'm content. But make no mistake, I do want this job. Even though my aspishness emerges.

I loathe seeing the same data in two places, so here's the summary and here's the 20 tips and the questions you can grab right before the interview in case you don't know what to ask.

That said, if you're new to interviewing, how are you preparing? If you're not new to interviewing, what does your preparation process look like? What's challenging for you? Do you hide your aspie traits? Flaunt them? Just ignore your worries, if you have them? What questions do you want to throw out to the AC community about interviews?

What stories do you want to tell?

Nothing to add here but a personal GOOD LUCK, you go girl, & kick some A$$!! Making it this far always deserves a Congrats to anyone, so CONGRATS as well. You will have many people sending you positive thoughts & routing for you!

 

[Tia Maria]

Is that link working? I just get an error message. Thanks!

 

[AsheSkyler]

That said, if you're new to interviewing, how are you preparing? If you're not new to interviewing, what does your preparation process look like?
Be well groomed, keep good posture, wear something comfortable. If they have a problem with that, fine with me. I don't want to work for somebody more obsessed with fashion and their vanity than how well the work is done. Which also goes for the people I interview. I do require you be clean and neat, but more importantly I require that you know what you're doing. I don't need a look purty, I need an employee.

What's challenging for you?
Not stuttering. I just pray they think I'm one of those uber-nerds that would be a great asset to the team rather than think I'm defective.

Do you hide your aspie traits? Flaunt them?
Both. I hide my stimming and twitching as best I can, and bring forward my good traits like OCD, research skills, and problem solving. If I'm around the right kind of people, I also try to make them smile or laugh.

Just ignore your worries, if you have them?
Try to!

What questions do you want to throw out to the AC community about interviews?
Does anybody else get really frustrated that all the guides for women require that you wear pantyhose, and men must wear suits? If you interview to work at a hardware store like I do, don't wear freakin' pantyhose and suits, you're just going to look like some fragile thing afraid of breaking a nail or getting dirty. Dress appropriately for the job, which also includes blue-collar interviews.

What stories do you want to tell?
As somebody who technically conducts interviews often at their job, please, take a shower. Body odor is not as offensive as strong perfume or cologne, but it's not pleasant either. Which also goes to heavy smokers. I have nothing against smoking, but if you smell like you marinate in it, I'm not going to trust you to be a reliable person because I'm going to assume all you do is stand around outside and smoke. And if you're bitter about something, find some way to laugh it off. Putting your interviewer in a bad mood isn't going to help your chances of getting hired.
And as somebody who previously worked as the HR rep for one company, put some freakin' work into your resume. Don't send it to me as a TXT file. DOC or ODS please! RTF is pushing it, but acceptable. And if you have a cover letter, do not spend the whole time bragging how awesome you are and how the company will fail without you. The last thing I want to hire is some twit with an ego problem. I want somebody who will feel like they are a value to the company, but I have no interest in a doom-and-gloom drama queen with a hero complex.