Things Not to Say in an IT Interview

We are interviewing candidates for a Help Desk position here, and if the rest of the candidates are anything like the first this is going to be a very entertaining process. In fact, I may have to open another tread about things not to do in an IT interview...

Things Not to Say in an IT Interview:

'I don't really like TCP/IP'

'I still live with my mother'

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Comments

undomiel

What was their follow-up to not liking TCP/IP? Espousing the greatness of IPX/SPX?

KGhaleon

"I enjoy hacking as a hobby."

Anything ****-related.

TryPingingTheServer

"I've never really grasped subnetting"

bertieb

Had one guy who said

'I'm not interested in learning anything new'

*Dr Evil voice* riiighhhhhtttt..........

Mishra

I interviewed for a expert level admin before. I had to interview in front of 7-8 people, mostly HR and the entire IT crew at that location. Well they had 1 title but multiple job duties for each person.

They were basically telling me that they don't support many of the enterprise stuff. And that a woman who had been there for about 3 years was the last one hired. They told her and I can almost quote, that they gave her all the crap jobs because she picked up the slack that needed to be done. And that they were looking to move a lot of those jobs to my position....

So at this point I'm shaking my head and they are TELLING me they are trying to stick it to me. So I asked.

Me: "So what kind of jobs are these?"

Them: "Well like print problems and file server permissions and stuff."

Me: "Yeah? I don't like printers really that much"

Them: "hahahahaha yeah. So you would be doing other things like cleaning up user accounts and assigning computer accounts."

Me: "I see. I don't really like creating user or computer accounts anymore."

lol

Claymoore

undomiel wrote:

What was their follow-up to not liking TCP/IP? Espousing the greatness of IPX/SPX?

Well, the candidate was in his mid to late 30s and his resume listed experience with a few versions of Novell. No certifications though - not even A+.

dynamik

I knew I posted this before:

dynamik wrote:

Here's a Family Guy clip (probably NSFW as well)

I'm surprised you didn't pimp your old thread Mishra. It's relevant!

Kevin10686

claymoore can the candidate work remotely? or do you all have an office in maryland to work from?

cacharo

Kevin10686 wrote:

claymoore can the candidate work remotely? or do you all have an office in maryland to work from?

Interesting question to come out of the woodwork after 3 years with...

cacharo

jryantech wrote:

I won't say neither of those things...

Striiiike one!

Kevin10686

yeah I would only read the forums and than I forgot my password and finally had them send me a new one.

cacharo

Kevin10686 wrote:

yeah I would only read the forums and than I forgot my password and finally had them send me a new one.

Welcome! Nice to finally hear from you!

dynamik

I think you got called out on your double negative

jryantech

dynamik wrote:

I think you got called out on your double negative

I hate English grammar.

And since I'm in the peer group of the "internet age" it is quite hard to grasp anything related to grammar.

But still, I will not say anything like "I dislike TCP/IP" or "I live with my mother" even though both might be true.

gojericho0

jryantech wrote:

dynamik wrote:

I think you got called out on your double negative

I hate English grammar.

And since I'm in the peer group of the "internet age" it is quite hard to grasp anything related to grammar.

But still, I will not say anything like "I dislike TCP/IP" or "I live with my mother" even though both might be true.

You need to make sure you have good grammar in as office setting. Especially when it comes to emailing employees and presentation. When you first start out in a job, everything you do (good or bad) is under the microscope. Not saying you should be fretting about it, but something to be conscious of.

jryantech

gojericho0 wrote:

jryantech wrote:

dynamik wrote:

I think you got called out on your double negative

I hate English grammar.

And since I'm in the peer group of the "internet age" it is quite hard to grasp anything related to grammar.

But still, I will not say anything like "I dislike TCP/IP" or "I live with my mother" even though both might be true.

You need to make sure you have good grammar in as office setting. Especially when it comes to emailing employees and presentation. When you first start out in a job, everything you do (good or bad) is under the microscope. Not saying you should be fretting about it, but something to be conscious of.

Well I try much harder in an office setting, plus I care more about the red lines underneath my words. But on a tech forum. Not so much.

snadam

gojericho0 wrote:

jryantech wrote:

dynamik wrote:

I think you got called out on your double negative

I hate English grammar.

And since I'm in the peer group of the "internet age" it is quite hard to grasp anything related to grammar.

But still, I will not say anything like "I dislike TCP/IP" or "I live with my mother" even though both might be true.

You need to make sure you have good grammar in as office setting. Especially when it comes to emailing employees and presentation. When you first start out in a job, everything you do (good or bad) is under the microscope. Not saying you should be fretting about it, but something to be conscious of.

but its so hard with places like icanhascheezburger!!! to view at will!!!

you should probably avoid any or all references to lolcats during an interview, imo

gojericho0

spelling also counts too

I used "as" above instead of "an"

jryantech

Wonder why I'm saving Freshman Comp 2 until my LAST semester...

Boy nothing demoralizes me more then spending 20 hours on a paper and not being certain of an A.

I mean if I spend 20 hours on a math problem, I KNOW I'M RIGHT.

In English the teacher is bascially dictating when it comes to an Essay.

cacharo

jryantech wrote:

gojericho0 wrote:

jryantech wrote:

dynamik wrote:

I think you got called out on your double negative

I hate English grammar.

And since I'm in the peer group of the "internet age" it is quite hard to grasp anything related to grammar.

But still, I will not say anything like "I dislike TCP/IP" or "I live with my mother" even though both might be true.

You need to make sure you have good grammar in as office setting. Especially when it comes to emailing employees and presentation. When you first start out in a job, everything you do (good or bad) is under the microscope. Not saying you should be fretting about it, but something to be conscious of.

Well I try much harder in an office setting, plus I care more about the red lines underneath my words. But on a tech forum. Not so much.

Yeah, I was just giving you a hard time.

Seriously though, this forum (and forums in general) can be a great place to fine tune your text-based communication skills. There are a lot of very well spoken people to learn from. I for instance, have learned on several occasions that my dry sense of humor does not always translate the best. It again has been proven that it still needs work. I think I may have to start using /sarcasm tags.

scheistermeister

I wouldn't say, "I farted." in an interview... I would just let them find out themselves

Anonymouse

snadam wrote:

gojericho0 wrote:

jryantech wrote:

dynamik wrote:

I think you got called out on your double negative

I hate English grammar.

And since I'm in the peer group of the "internet age" it is quite hard to grasp anything related to grammar.

But still, I will not say anything like "I dislike TCP/IP" or "I live with my mother" even though both might be true.

You need to make sure you have good grammar in as office setting. Especially when it comes to emailing employees and presentation. When you first start out in a job, everything you do (good or bad) is under the microscope. Not saying you should be fretting about it, but something to be conscious of.

but its so hard with places like icanhascheezburger!!! to view at will!!!

you should probably avoid any or all references to lolcats during an interview, imo

I can haz job?

snadam

Anonymouse wrote:

snadam wrote:

gojericho0 wrote:

jryantech wrote:

dynamik wrote:

I think you got called out on your double negative

I hate English grammar.

And since I'm in the peer group of the "internet age" it is quite hard to grasp anything related to grammar.

But still, I will not say anything like "I dislike TCP/IP" or "I live with my mother" even though both might be true.

You need to make sure you have good grammar in as office setting. Especially when it comes to emailing employees and presentation. When you first start out in a job, everything you do (good or bad) is under the microscope. Not saying you should be fretting about it, but something to be conscious of.

but its so hard with places like icanhascheezburger!!! to view at will!!!

you should probably avoid any or all references to lolcats during an interview, imo

I can haz job?

that was good.

dont wurriez, Iz call u bak in fu dayz

Vogon Poet

"I hate it when users ask dumb questions."
"I just went to Defcon and learned some really cool tricks."
"Dress code? Really???"
"A priest and a rabbi walk into a bar..."

other examples: one word answers, no sense of humor, no smile, poor body language

Anonymouse

Another one you shouldn't say:

Interviewee: "Drug test? Ooooh that's gonna be a problem..."

Or:

Interviewee: "Wow that receptionist is smoking hot!"
Interviewer: "That's my daughter."

networker050184

Anonymouse wrote:

Another one you shouldn't say:

"Drug test? Ooooh that's gonna be a problem..."

I was just about to post something along those lines like...

Durg test? Can you give me a few weeks before I have to take it?

oo_snoopy

Anonymouse wrote:

Interviewee: "Wow that receptionist is smoking hot!"
Interviewer: "That's my daughter."

Interviewee: Nicccccccce

mengo17

Anonymouse wrote:

Another one you shouldn't say:

Interviewee: "Drug test? Ooooh that's gonna be a problem..."

Or:

Interviewee: "Wow that receptionist is smoking hot!"
Interviewer: "That's my daughter."

HAHAHAHHHAHAHAH

BradleyHU

oo_snoopy wrote:

Anonymouse wrote:

Interviewee: "Wow that receptionist is smoking hot!"
Interviewer: "That's my daughter."

Interviewer: Nicccccccce

lmaoooooo...

sharptech

gojericho0 wrote:

jryantech wrote:

dynamik wrote:

I think you got called out on your double negative

I hate English grammar.

And since I'm in the peer group of the "internet age" it is quite hard to grasp anything related to grammar.

But still, I will not say anything like "I dislike TCP/IP" or "I live with my mother" even though both might be true.

You need to make sure you have good grammar in as office setting. Especially when it comes to emailing employees and presentation. When you first start out in a job, everything you do (good or bad) is under the microscope. Not saying you should be fretting about it, but something to be conscious of.

Very true, - one of the first days of the job I am at now (been there two years now, moving on though) I sent an email to the staff and I had a grammar mistake - one of the directors emailed me and told me to make sure I had it right the next time - she was really nice about it, but they do look for these things!