Job interview tomorrow.

I have a job interview tomorrow for an IT entry level position. Is there anything i can do to make a good impression besides getting dressed like im going to a wedding?

Also another question, if they ask me what my salary requirements are what should i say? Considering this will be the first time im working in such a position if i get hired and dont really have a lot of experience working for a company.

give me some advice

edit: the interview will take place in NYC but i think the company is located in NJ, not sure on this.

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Sie

Learn about the company they wont be too impressed if you want to work for them but dont know what they do or where they are based?

but i think the company is located in NJ,

jpeezy55

I agree 100% with Sie. Learn something, anything about the company. Preferably something they may be doing or planning. If they ask you if you have any questions, ask something about what you just found out. They will be thoroughly impressed that you took the time to find something out about them (I did that for my current job and here I am!). Remember, it's an old salesman's trick, the one thing people (and businesses) love to hear you talk about is them. The more you show you are interested in them and enough so that you took time to find it out, will be a great asset to yourself.

Even if you go to their website and just start looking for a page that may not seem important, but it is if they put it on there, so just find something along those lines and try to work it into the interview.

As far as a Salary question goes, DO NOT TELL THEM A NUMBER! Just tell them that it is "negotiable". If you give them a number that is way higher than they feel it is worth, you are done. If you give them one that is far below what they thought, they would agree to it (knowing that is your expectation) and in turn they will get you for less than they planned on and it's more money for them. You may get the job, but you will be underpaid and unhappy and that isn't good for anyone.

Shake every person's hand that is in there to interview, male and female. Look them in the face as you do it (eyes preferably, but if you are uncomfortable with that, look at their nose or forehead, they can't tell you are not looking in their eyes). When answering questions, make sure you look around at each of them as you are talking, once again, just look right past their heads at the wall if you have to. They won't know exactly where you are looking and for the brief time spent on each one as you go around, they'll never figure it out. But you come off looking very confident and relaxed and socially, that is a plus in a workplace.

And of course, dressing like you are going to a wedding doesn't hurt. Actually, long sleeve button-down shirt and a tie is good...(Assuming that you are a guy of course...it's so hard to tell with usernames

)

TheFORCE

I went today to check the location of where the interview will take place so i wont get lost tomorrow or something and the building was located near Wall Street, on broadway. Then i search for the company on google and found their website.

The company as they say specializes in IT consulting, staffing and training. They also have boot camps for the various certifications and is a member of Comptia and microsoft certified educational center and an authorized testing center. They deal a lot with Exchange and windows 2000 server so that would be interesting, ive never used windows 2000 server.

One of the people of their team participated in developing the exam questions for 2 of the seven MCSE 2000 cerifications. Wow im really impressed, i hope i get lucky tomorrow

Transatlantic

Confidence is a key, also depending on the entry level position that you're applying for they may also look at soft skills with people if its desktop or help desk work, especially troubleshooting skills. Otherwise what Sie has mentioned about learning about their company, what they do and in what industries, ask them questions about the corporate culture they have.

mobri09

good luck, just remember most of the time the people / person who interviews you are just as nervous.

kevozz

I could be wrong, but be prepared to be "sold" something. I went on an interview to a place exactly as your describing, and it turned out they wanted to sell training for certifications, then find you a job after completion. But if i'm wrong, good luck!

jpeezy55

There ya go! Use that info you found to ask about them a little if they give you the chance. Especially let them know how impressive it was to read about the guy who helped write the questions...

Good Luck!!!

TheFORCE

kevozz wrote:

I could be wrong, but be prepared to be "sold" something. I went on an interview to a place exactly as your describing, and it turned out they wanted to sell training for certifications, then find you a job after completion. But if i'm wrong, good luck!

It was exactly what you experienced my friend, and im very dissapointed right now.

For an entry level IT position, he got my resume and started asking questions about anything but what i had on the resume. Like windows 200 server, oracle, exchange, C#, networking questions ect etc. Very disappointed with these people.

jpeezy55

Sorry to hear that. Nothing sucks more than going to an interview thinking you got a good shot at something and then they try to sell you something while you are there...don't worry, the right thing is waiting out there!

TheFORCE

They told me, you need Network+, MCP, MCSA, and that the whole package for 11 weeks of training is going to be around $8000. Then they said i could be eligble for goverment grands and that im only gonna have to pay $150 for the registration and $1000 which are not covered by the grand or something. Then they told me theres only one postion left open for the training and i had to register fast, even today. So i said ill need a few days to think about it and that was that.

But now atleast i know what i gotta do, and what companies ask for. So im going to get my hands on some books to study and get some practice trying all the things im learning.

jpeezy55

I'm sure if you ask every other person there, each one was told that "There's only 1 opening left, so you have to decide right now." What a crock! I think it's sad that they pose as a company with a job opening and turn around and try to sucker you into spending $8,000 and there is probably no guarantee of an internship or let alone a job after you get done with them. At least you got out!

Like you said, you now have the experience of sitting through an interview, even if it wasn't actually for a job.

Keep studying and learning and one day it will all work out...

Good luck in future "real" interviews and keep looking!

SRTMCSE

I had a job interview for a company just like that, probably the same one. They were in Manhattan too. Had the interview scheduled and everything, but the day before the interview I get an automated e-mail from the "person" who scheduled my interview advertising there fantastic tech courses. I immediately knew what was up and didn't go. That type of ad shouldn't be allowed to be posted on CareerBuilder/Dice/Monster/etc.

ps- I'm still receiving emails from them for there classes.

kevozz

Glad to see you didn't fall for their tactics. New Horizons also tried this scam.

Make yourself a home lab and start knocking out the tests.

jpeezy55

There is one of these on Careerbuilder.com that I keep seeing. It boasts a $30,000-$60,000 Salary, they mention different certs and the desire to obtain more certs (a clue) and some other stuff...needless to say, when I first saw it, I applied and never heard anything, mostly because I had just finished a 14-month Certification course (probably the same type that they offer). But it is annoying to keep seeing the same ad pop up and know it is not real. Careerbuilder and Monster should do something about those, or make them list them under a category of "Education" or "Training". I didn't know what it was at first, but now I know and avoid ads like theirs if possible...If there is no company listed, then I move on.

strauchr

This scam is not just for IT companies. Before I started in IT (and was actually fit!) I wanted to be a gym instructor and move into personal training.

I saw an advertisement - wanted, gym enthusiasts to be trainee gym instructors, no commercial experience necessary.

I applied, rang them up, was very professional had a good feeling about and got to the interview.

We have a 6 week accredited training course which will cost $2500. Now I'm thinking I don't have that kind of money but if it gives me a job I can find it.

So I asked the question, so how long until I start after the course.

They reply, its up to you. So I said well straight away when he hit me with it, as well as reality hitting me at the same time, we don't have anything going at the moment but you can find a job anywhere as it is nationally accredited.

I remember the feeling that day. I honestly thought this was a great opportunity for me, combining a job with something I enjoy. I was willing to work hard and work for peanuts. But that sinking feeling just really hit my like a sledge hammer deep. In fact I will ever forget that experience.

Luckily I had an opportunity come up in IT which is a much better paying job with better career prospects, just not so good for the fitness

All I can say is let the experience make you stronger and think yourself as more knowledgeable and experienced from it. Getting nearly scammed, which I have a few times, is like an initiation into the working world. Your wiser now, just make sure you don't actually get scammed!

Sie

Sorry to hear it turned out as a sale pitch.

How they get away with it i dont know. I would personally be a little pi$$ed if i had gone and got a new suit / spent on travel / etc etc and turned up to find this.

I wouldnt want to be the other person in the room in that instance!

Kefer

^^WOW. Reading this thread just made me realize that this happened to me like 6 months ago. That really pisses me off. (I also feel like an idiot for not realizing it)

It was a tech support position & just like some posts above, he went through my resume & asked me specific courses I took in college.

When I responded, he replied "see that is the problem with 4 year schools, you never learn in depth Microsoft products...etc..etc" And recommended that I get certified in a bunch of areas and that the company "happend" to offer courses.

So I said If he hired me, I'd be willing to get the certs at the comany's expense provided I complete w/ a passing score.

He ended the interview with "we have other candidates to interview, but I will keep you in mind...yada yada.. my advice to you is get those certs."

smokey79

This scam is really preying on people getting out there and trying to make a living. I don't know how these people sleep at night. I never agree to paying money for anything until I've researched it on the internet. I'm sure they use the hard sell once they have you in that office. They also know at that point the person in nervous and slightly vulnerable. Scumbags !

Nutsacjac

This happened to me as well, I believe the company was IT Solutions Exchange.

http://www.itsxchange.com/

What a waste of a beautiful morning.

sharptech

Same thing happened to me where I live....

Applied for the IT job and the lady called me on the phone and we went through some questions etc..

then we got to the certification part and BAM she hits me w/- well we can not hire you now because you do not have this this or that- however if you join us and pay for our classes then we can hire you after.

Needless to say- I said you called me and now are trying to scam me! I yelled at the lady and lectured her for about 15 minutes on how much bullshit her job was and company... I just had to make her feel like **** for the rest of the day lmao.

BackyardApe

First off, I just want to thank the owner of this forum, the person that started this thread, and all others that contributed to it. I joined this forum initially to respond on this thread, but I see there are other things that are going to be handy for me(info on certifications and professionals).

This is my first post:

For those of you that were scammed by the IT S Xchange or tricked into these cert classes, I would like to say that I am sorry to hear that. But I want to let you know that your post was not useful. And I am going to share my experience so others can learn from it.

I was called in for an interview from someone who represents the company. They said that there is an available Help Desk position Monday - Friday 9:am - 5pm. I was surprised that they called me because I have no corporate experience or certifications. I even mentioned to the person over the phone that even though I know my stuff, I do not have the years of experience that are always being asked (I was fresh out of college). He said I should still come in to interview for this job and he will decide what I know from what I do not know, and see if I can handle the work. So I asked if they can email the information so I would be able to access it easy when appropriate.

I do what I normally do, not only for interviews but for the sake of "knowing." Whenever companies send me information, I use their email address to do more researching. For example, the email address was something like this "douchebag@itsxchange.com." So everything between the @ and .com should be the company name. When I spoke with the person over the phone I heard them say the name was "IT Solutions Xchange" very quickly so I was not too sure about what I heard. But the email said the name of the company is IT XChange.

Please do not confuse ITSXCHANGE with ITXCHANGE. It is two different companies. When you search for itsxchange.com it says "service is unavailable," but the search engine suggest that you might be talking about itxchange.com. So I thought maybe they modified their website name a bit. So I clicked on "itxchange.com" thinking its the company. Itxchange is the worlds largest secondary market computer distributor and other areas of the site said they provide consulting etc.

I got so excited that a huge company like this would see any potential in a person like me who has no experience or certs. Then I thought to myself "Maybe they will give me a starting position and allow me to work my way up." I called my mother to let her know about the wonderful opportunity, then I went to the stores to pick up some clothing for the interview.

The night before the interview I decided to return to the email to verify the company's location. But as I watched the name in the email (itsxchange.com) and the website(itxchange.com) i thought was the company, I kept wondering why a huge company like that would make such a mistake. So I did some heavy searching on itsxchange, which brought me to this site. Someone mentioned how excited they were that they were presented with such an opportunity, then it turned out they were trying to sell you classes and programs. I searched even more, and came across other people who experienced the same thing with them. I felt sad that it was not a job opportunity I was going there for, but a sales negotiation instead. On the brighter side, I was glad that I read the reviews. Had I not read it, I would have gone in willing and ready to sign any paper they might have tossed my way (assuming that it was papers regarding my hiring, and that this huge company wont let me down.)

In my attempt to also help others and contribute to the post, I decided to still go to the interview but to leave with any information that will help the next person. After all, it was information that helped me to "hold my horses."

Notes to help others. Company: Itsxchange, IT S Xchange, not to be confused with ITXCHANGE, or IT Xchange. They are two different companies.

Address: 42 Broadway Avenue, New York NY room# 1136
Telephone: 212-684-1244

Upon entering their office:

-There were other people waiting in the office's waiting area.
-There were no secretaries or anyone to greet me or the others. The front desk had a sign-in pad that asks you for your name, email, recruiter name,date, time etc. -
-I picked it up and started writing my info, then everyone saw that I was signing in, and formed a line behind me to sign in. (lack of customer service I guess)

While waiting in the office:

-There were a few employees that walked into and around the building. None of them greeted us until they were ready to interview us.
-There was another guy who seemed to be in charge, director/manager (maybe). He came into the waiting area and pointed as each of us one by one. The first guy he pointed at was confused, so was the rest of us. He then pointed to a second person. We were all confused as to why he was pointing to each person. Then he asked "Who are you here to see" with a tone that sounded like he was frustrated that we were all watching him in silence. Then he went back to pointing. As he pointed to us, we said the name of the person that called us in for the interview. Then he left without saying anything. A few minutes later, another guy came and asked us if we filled out the papers on the desk, and then told us to fill them out, then he left.

Notes about this paper:

-It asked you to select what you are interested in (Staffing, Consulting or Training) But no one was there to explain what each other them meant. Since I remembered that people were suckered into training courses, I selected everything except for training lol.

The interview:

-I just want to make it clear that it is "only" when you get into the interview that they explain anything that you saw on the paper you had to fill out before the interview. So if you was not clear on staffing, consulting, or training, tough luck because you already selected it.

-They begin the interview by asking what you want to do in-terms of a carreer in IT. What specific field etc.

-The employees are not wearing any name tags.
-The desks has no name tags either.

-They then tell you what the company does claiming that HP is one of their clients.
-They then talk about consulting, staffing, and save training for last. BTW they call it Personal Development.

Pay Close attention

-They then pull out your resume and break it down piece by piece telling you that you need years of experience in order for them to send you to one of their client companies as a consultant because you determine their IT set-up and budget, and that you need certs in order to be sent out for staffing to build experience because some hardware manufacturers void warranties if a none-certified individual attempted to fix or repair it certain parts. So basically you are narrowed down to training.
-It is very clear that the recruiter knew he did not call me in for anything other than to get me signed up for certification classes. We both knew I had no working experience or certifications (from my resume), yet he called me in for an interview for a Help Desk Position that is Monday - Friday 9am -5pm.

-He suggested I take classes for A+ and Cisco certifications, then move on to Microsoft certification courses. So I brought it to his attention that I already took A+ and Cisco courses, and that as an alumni of the CP department, my school will pay for me to take any certifications once. Then I let him know that I came here in an attempt to build some kind of experience and reinforce what I know so that I can take the exams.

-By now, I saw his lost of interest in me as though I was speaking about things he did not care about. So I mentioned that my school never mentioned the Microsoft certifications, then he immediately started talking about how important the Microsoft Certifications are to my career.

I did not sign up for any courses, but I told him I will contact my school to see if they will pay for it. He knew I was not returning and that I was not going to take their courses, that is why he said "Good luck" to me.

I hope this prevents someone from being tricked. By the way, if you google the company name, it shows you their address, location and allows you to write reviews for the company. I am inviting everyone who had an experience with them to write your experience on the google review. Most people use Google maps when planning to go places, and it is a good way to warn them during their planning.

Thank you guys for the warning.

P.S: It seems as though they search for inexperience, and no certificates. So if you have no certificates and no experience, do not expect them to be calling you for anything else other than courses.

y2ed

Hi, I just had the same interview today, same story, 150 to sign up, 1000 for certs. I want to see if anyone actually did it and did they get the classes/cert exams as they said? If they do give the classes and the exams for 1k its not that bad of a deal, the exams alone are about the same price. Even if they don't place me in a job whatever, the certs will help me look for more jobs in the future. Thanks.

y2ed

Talked to guy, its just classes, no tests. Pretty ****.

skrpune

y2ed wrote: »

Pretty ****.

what are you, 12? Dude, drop the "****" thing from your vocabulary, it's archaic and juvenile.

BradleyHU

lol...that had to be New Horizons or something. yo, that same thing happened to me back in Summer 2003. I was going into my last & super senior year of college, and i wanted to do an internship for the summer. i think i had been out of school for maybe a week, and i saw the ad on careerbuilder talkin about internships, and i emailed them. a week later they called me in. i got there, and it was a ton of pplz there, and they were talkin about their certification boot camp, and what not. needless to say, i was the opposite of pleased...

markk2008

What a big scam, they get you in there for an intervew (so they say) just so they can talk about their boot camp, and getting you enrolled on that, that's really unfair.

There are a lot of tales I have heard, like imagining your interviewers naked and all of that rubbish, but the main thing is to just relax and be yourself, remember that they are trying to sell the company to you just as much as you are trying to sell yourself to them.

I hope all of you have better luck in the future with your interviews and jobs.

gonzales_joel

I don’t know what you have seen or heard but people like you are the ones that make people like me look bad. I went through their program and I am happy to say that I am A+, N+ and about to take my last test to become MCSA. I got hired by a medium size company to be their Jr. Network Administrator. At first, I didn’t think of getting my certs or anything like of the sort. Today, I am making more money because of my experience and Certs. People like you that sit there criticize the little that we have and make us feel like we did a poor investment for our future is not Professional. I am very blessed that I had the opportunity to excel and proud to say that I am a Professional in this industry. Certification doesn’t make me any better than the person with 10 or 15 years but my goals were to make something of myself and I did with the little education that I got from them. In NYC you are completing with million of IT professionals looking for the same job. I just made myself noticeable among those that have those IT skills that I someday would like to have but again it’s all about experience and hard work. So please stop the bashing and hating cause before I took those course I was unemployed and trying to support my family with a part time job making ends meet. An opportunity arose and I took it and I am not ashamed to spend my last penny trying to become the best that I can be in this industry. Thank you IT Solutions for that opportunity. They even helped me with my resume and interview skills. Education comes in all sizes and form but it’s up the individual to make the best of that education.

dynamik

Gonzales, I think you deserve a lot of the credit for your success. I'm not familiar with that program myself, but I know of many places that make it seem like it's easy to earn a lot of money in IT. I think he's criticizing deceptive marketing, not people who go through the program. My guess is that you were passionate about the material and excelled as a result of that. Like you said, there are many styles of education. If that worked for you, that's great! How do you think you fared in relation to others involved with that program?

Congratulations on your success, and welcome to the forums!

captobvious

Unfortunately this type of thing is all over the internet. I was interviewed for a company that wanted to hire me for entry-level programming. I have a Computer Science degree and know how to code proficently in more than a few languages.

Only six months of training and they would place me in a job. So I ask the recruiter, If I work for you guys for six months churning out code and take "classes" to become qualified, how do I afford to live? The answer, student loans! Funny thing is they couldn't guarantee me that after six months I would qualify for a job. I'll bet no one qualifies after that time and then your strapped with loans.

Lucky enough I was born at night, just not last night!

markk2008

Hi Mate,

Have you had the chance to search for other jobs yet? Had any more interviews?

Keep on trying, something will turn up.

Good Luck.