Job interview tomorrow more nervous than usual

draught

I've done a lot of job interviews this last month and a half. One consistent point is I've never let it get to me much and I just hold the mindset if not this interview then the next.

This time though I'm interviewing for a contract to hire after 3 months Desktop Engineer role. The phone screen was different instead of usual BS I was directly asked technical questions. I really didn't know the answers off the top of my head and I had to think quick to answer but they liked my answers.

It's a 5 person panel interview. Maybe that's why I'm nervous because I'm worried I'll be asked a question that I can't answer. The stakes are a bit higher because I got this through a recruiter which means less competition and it's a Friday afternoon interview.

I'm still debating on less important points if I should wear a suit or not. The recruiter was on the fence as well about that too but didn't think it would hurt. The company I'd be working for is an MSP but their key client is a large conservative company and the interview is at the regional HQ of that company hence my thought wearing a suit is probably a wise idea. Normally in this field a suit is really overdressed which is why I'm having to think about it.

Anyway my real fear is I'll be asked something about windows server or exchange that I can't answer.

Regardless will hopefully get feedback by the end of the day tomorrow that would be great either way.

scaredoftests

Wear a suit, relax and bring your own questions. Try to blow off some steam beforehand and exercise. Smile. Good luck..

Tekn0logy

draught wrote: »

I'm still debating on less important points if I should wear a suit or not. The recruiter was on the fence as well about that too but didn't think it would hurt. The company I'd be working for is an MSP but their key client is a large conservative company and the interview is at the regional HQ of that company hence my thought wearing a suit is probably a wise idea. Normally in this field a suit is really overdressed which is why I'm having to think about it.

Anyway my real fear is I'll be asked something about windows server or exchange that I can't answer.

Wear the suit. Do they have a website with social media pix of their employees that you can get an idea how they dress? Its a one day one shot deal to make an impression.

IMHO, there are way to many links to free video training for Microsoft tech to be unprepared for an interview.

cyberguypr

The only wrong time to wear a suit is when they specifically tell you not to. Eveything else is fair game.

I worked for a dot com type startup and many would wear “epic fail” tshirts on a daily basis. People who googled us came to interviews like that and it was always frowned upon.

MeanDrunkR2D2

Unless they specify to not wear a suit, wear it. Just relax and you'll nail this interview. If they ask you a question that you aren't certain on the answer, it's perfectly fine to say "I don't know" or something similar. Just make sure that you follow up that with what you would do to find the answer for it. I went into an interview a few years back and they grilled me on SQL questions, which I was completely unprepared for. It was part of their culture to have a little fun with grilling people to see how they'd react. I rolled with the punches and even with basic questions about it that I didn't know I did say "I honestly wasn't prepared for SQL questions, so I'm a bit rusty on it, but a quick google search for me would get me the answer." I didn't let it shake me at all. I got the job and even though that style of interview (was a panel) it was a great and fun place to work at where they treated us all great.

tedjames

cyberguypr wrote: »

The only wrong time to wear a suit is when they specifically tell you not to. Eveything else is fair game.

I always ask them how I should dress for the interview.

draught

I think the interview went well despite a few snags. The hiring manager was hard to read, but it was good that he was mostly talking about the role and no difficult questions this time. Both the hiring manager and the lead were joking about another candidate who couldn't answer simple questions about outlook troubleshooting so I guess that's good that I got to be "the good example" and the other candidate be "the loser". That's probably the best sign.

I did wear a suit but noticed when I got there that the damn buttons on the jacket were lose and one of them flew off so kept my folder in the way to hide it. (I just bought the damn thing last year too).

I also screwed up with different gradation dates on the resume they had vs what I gave them but I wasn't pressed so I guess it's ok. Lastly I forgot to put my phone on vibrate and ended up getting two calls. I put it on vibrate after the second call. A little embarrassing. I normally always put my phone on vibrate before an interview but I was in a major hurry. I checked later who called and it was of course the same recruiter that's has called me 6 times today as well.

That was the bad but I don't think I make any killer mistakes just dumb minor things like I've mentioned. I did ask the hiring manager if he had any hesitations about me and his concern was that I'd get nervous working with VIPs. I explained I've done it many times that when I do I just stay professional and get the job done.

Even if I don't get the job that is really good feedback to hear because I always tell the same VIP time sensitive story and I had no idea it could create the perception I'd be nervous working with VIPs. I countered the worry that I've worked with many VIPs and though I might get nervous internally. Externally I am professional and always get the job competed without any problems.

I'll hear back Monday not today like I wanted. In the meantime I'm going to get Red Dead Redemption 2 and cease thinking about jobs for the rest of the weekend! It will be funny if I get this job because I'm being hard on myself for the minor errors I've made and not being "perfect".

nole07

I would dress more business casual unless its for a management role. Suit is usually overkill. Get some nice shoes, khakis and a good polo shirt.

ThePawofRizzo

You were best to wear the suit. Really, being overdressed is better than looking too casual, even when many businesses are moreso going the business casual way. It gives the impression you care. We recently had someone try the "business casual" look with khakis...except the khakis had baggy, lumpy, cargo pockets on them, and it only made them look tackily dressed due to their poor selection. First impressions do matter.



When I've been involved in interviews and asking "technical" questions, usually I'm not looking for someone who remembers step-by-step how to get around in Outlook or Server 2012, or knows the exact Powershell cmdlet syntax. Rather, I think a lot of interviewers are moreso seeking someone who seems to present that they have a mind that can troubleshoot. For example, if I ask a candidate "A user reports that they are unable to print from Word. Walk me through steps to fix the problem." I don't expect them to tell me each specific step to get into Control Panel, Devices and Printers, etc. I want to hear them say they verify network connectivity, verify the printer is on, try printing from other software, etc. to know they they think about how to narrow down the problem.

draught

I thought last Friday was the their last day of interviews. That's a good day for an interview and to get hired and that's why I was extra eager but apparently that wasn't the last day of interviews like I assumed. Never assume anything is a good rule.

What I gained from this experience though is that I need to work a bit on making sure everything out of my mouth sounds positive. Also I got my suit jacket buttons fixed so I think I'll wear suits every time. My impression of suits in 2018 is that tech companies viewed them as outdated but it's interesting to hear otherwise.

The recruiter is keeping updated but I have another job interview tomorrow at a different company. Never put all your eggs in one basket is my number 1 philosophy.

draught

I did another interview today that went pretty well I think. I never wear suits to interviews but I wore one today and was complemented by both interviewers. I will definitely wear suits to interviews from now on unless I know it's a startup run by 3 people or something.

cyberguypr

See? The suit thing is settled. Good!

UrbanBob

Nice, I'm the opposite I would feel better in causal and that would make me less nervous. In semi professional I wear red to give me more confidence. Every time I worn blue things didn't go well. It's true about how colors effect your mood.