The IT Industry has become an elitest society

steve13ad

I checked DD's previous post and he seems half way reasonable (but you never know though).

I am going to go out a limb and say that he would be over qualified to be a shelf stocker!

Excellent1

DoubleD wrote: »

YES I turned the interview down because of that. Im not a show person I dont give shows, I dont want to stand on a stage. im an IT technician end of. I wont give a power point show I voted with my feet and didnt go.

If you ARE being serious, I will only say that these days most companies aren't looking for someone to be the "computer guy". IT is more and more an equal part of a business and all facets of IT have to be able to communicate effectively with management. No, you don't have to give 30 minute presentations every day, but most companies DO want you to be able to articulate yourself in a professional manner.

Don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone a little bit. It's necessary these days for all of us.

DoubleD

Excellent1 wrote: »

If you ARE being serious, I will only say that these days most companies aren't looking for someone to be the "computer guy". IT is more and more an equal part of a business and all facets of IT have to be able to communicate effectively with management. No, you don't have to give 30 minute presentations every day, but most companies DO want you to be able to articulate yourself in a professional manner.

Don't be afraid to leave your comfort zone a little bit. It's necessary these days for all of us.

Yes I am serious it happened its true I was getting offered interviews left right and centre I had to turn a few down and one of them happened to mention powerpoint presentation and like I said I turned it down.
If im honest Im not really much of a people person I dont take to interviews very well I will admit that im not great or comfortable in front of people its not my nature like i said you wont see me on a stage its just how I am. People skills aren’t what im about
I have better qualities and I hope they can shine through.

a mate of mine also told me that he went to an interview and it was like a group interview then after that they went off on to one to one interviews and one of the things they asked him was sing me a song? WTF ? was that all about?
He said he just said bar bar black sheep as his answer. I dont know how I would of reacted to that question I certainly wouldn’t sing. But honestly some of the things they do at interviews are unnecessary.

Excellent1

DoubleD wrote: »

a mate of mine also told me that he went to an interview and it was like a group interview then after that they went off on to one to one interviews and one of the things they asked him was sing me a song? WTF ? was that all about?
He said he just said bar bar black sheep as his answer. I dont know how I would of reacted to that question I certainly wouldn’t sing. But honestly some of the things they do at interviews are unnecessary.

I think your mate was having a go at you, my friend.

If I ever get asked to sing at an interview, I'm going to rock some Nessun Dorma and knock their sox off. Either that or get hauled off to jail.

DoubleD

Excellent1 wrote: »

I think your mate was having a go at you, my friend.

.

dude Why cant you believe any thing people say?
i believe him as ridiculous as it sounds its true and thats one of my points to say that they try to make you do ridiculous things at interviews some times
just looking on the net heres more proof that it happens...

What is the most awkward job interview you ever had?
Best Answer - Chosen by Voters
They asked me what my favorite song was (at the time, it was Cape Fear by He is Legend), then asked me to sing it. Despite my horrible singing, I still got the job. I'm sure it was just a test of how confident I am though

another one...
Another said: “During this interview I was asked to sing my favourite song.

“I declined as I was not being interviewed for a music position and felt that the request was humiliating. I did not get the job.”

AND ANOTHER ONE...
Prepare to sing for your supperSome employers like to toss graduates an unusual challenge, right from the outset, as Andrea Wren reports

Prepare to sing for your supper | Money | The Guardian

Bloody hell its an inteview not XFactor!!!

broc

I think you need to realise that a lot of (most?) companies are looking for someone who will be the right fit for the team. The technical skills are important of course but they will get loads of candidates with the rights skills and they need to make a choice using other criteria.

Getting on well with you colleagues is such an important factor and asking this kind of "ridiculous" questions help in determining whether you will get on well with the rest of the team.

It doesn't matter if you are looking for an role without any client interaction, you will still have to interact with your colleagues.

eMeS - quel est le problème avec le foie gras et la brioche ? Veux-tu dire que les français sont élitistes parcequ'ils apprécient la bonne cuisine ?

Psoasman

DoubleD wrote: »

Well it is elitist cos I went for a job interview at asda for a shelf stacker and they where elitist you had to do a group interview and do various tasks like build a tower from newspaper and other tasks then after that if they liked you you where invited to a second interview one to one interview. So if that’s what you had to do just for a shelf stacking job I thought what the heck. So if elitism exists in an asda job how much more does it exist in the IT Industry? I had an interview and turned it down cos they said they wanted me to give a 10 minute powerpoint presentation as part of the interview tasks I was like sack that I want to be a IT Technician not a spokes person for the world.

Some interviewers just want to see how you'd react to a situation. A 10-minute powerpoint presentation wouldn't be that hard to do and if you did it well, it could get you the job, OR they may offer you another, better job. I did an interview a few years back and was offered a different position in the same department, which I ended up liking better than the one I had applied for.
It is becoming as much about good people skills as technical knowledge. You can be the best tech ever, but if you are a jerk, the users will complain and you may lose your job.

DoubleD

Psoasman wrote: »

Some interviewers just want to see how you'd react to a situation. A 10-minute powerpoint presentation wouldn't be that hard to do and if you did it well, it could get you the job, OR they may offer you another, better job. I did an interview a few years back and was offered a different position in the same department, which I ended up liking better than the one I had applied for.
It is becoming as much about good people skills as technical knowledge. You can be the best tech ever, but if you are a jerk, the users will complain and you may lose your job.

yeah im no means a jerk at work im popular have friends get on well with every one a good team player.
But Im not very well spoken, one of my bad points, just that really not well spoken not really that great at interviews but willing to try and improve. Willing to work hard if you give me the chance then you will not be disapointed. Just get past the nervous Dan you see at the interview give me a chance and it will pay off. its easyer said than done cos most hireing reps wont want some one who looks like a nervous wreck!!

Excellent1

DoubleD wrote: »

yeah im no means a jerk at work im popular have friends get on well with every one a good team player.
But Im not very well spoken, one of my bad points, just that really not well spoken not really that great at interviews but willing to try and improve. Willing to work hard if you give me the chance then you will not be disapointed. Just get past the nervous Dan you see at the interview give me a chance and it will pay off. its easyer said than done cos most hireing reps wont want some one who looks like a nervous wreck!!

I understand where you're coming from. I typically hate the social scene, because my general nature is to keep more to myself and a few close inner core of friends that I have. Let me tell you a secret: everyone else is just as nervous as you are during their first few interviews. Do what everyone else does--fake it. That's right, suck it up, put your game face on, and go in there and give it your best shot.

See, here's the thing- that interview you blew off? You could have gone in there and gave that powerpoint presentation. Would you have sucked at it? Maybe. And maybe they would have seen someone that was outside of his comfort zone and respected the fact that you gave it an honest effort. Even if they laughed at you and told you to get the hell out, guess what? You would have come away from that experience a little bit more confident. You would have a better idea what kinds of questions they were asking, how to handle yourself a little better, etc.

The first time you worked on a PC, you weren't God's gift to IT. You had to LEARN it, and interviewing / social skills are no different. You don't learn by reading posts like this (well, you can get an idea), you learn by doing it. Take those opportunities you're blowing off and get some experience, even if it's not something you enjoy doing. I'm speaking from experience. I've had some interviews that I bombed when I was younger, but I learned from them. Thing is, you know you won't get the job if you don't interview, so look at it from the standpoint of it not mattering either way how you do in the interview process. Even if you bomb the interview, you still take away that experience that boosts your confidence. That's worth stomach churning nerves, my friend, I'm being honest with you.

And if they ask you to sing? Sing something with a big, cheesy-arse grin on your face so that when and if they laugh, they can laugh with you and not at you. More than anything, people want to know if you can handle the unexpected with poise and humor--and being able to chuckle at yourself is always a good thing, especially these days.

Anyway, yeah, that's just the opinion of a random guy off the internet, but I'm telling you the truth as I see it.

cisco_certs

I dont know but for me a group interview is normal. I even had an interview that 5 people were in the conference room throwing some questions. Its a great experience but you need to move out of your comfort zone. Interviews are easy and having a people skills is a MUST when it comes to I.T.

However, its weird that they want you to make a presentation. Although, I wouldve made the best presentation if they asked me to. I guess its just me that Im so used it. I used to be a Business System Analyst. I used to drive system projects, meeting new people everyday and talking to them were a daily thing for me.

it_consultant

Chris:/* wrote: »

BTW these blunt comments are typical with what you will see in IT, Security or Engineering be prepared for them because most professionals do not have time to daisy step around the issue.

You will appreciate this when you have to work with non-IT and non technical people *like HR* that don't do this.

chmorin

Excellent1 wrote: »

I understand where you're coming from. I typically hate the social scene, because my general nature is to keep more to myself and a few close inner core of friends that I have. Let me tell you a secret: everyone else is just as nervous as you are during their first few interviews. Do what everyone else does--fake it. That's right, suck it up, put your game face on, and go in there and give it your best shot.

See, here's the thing- that interview you blew off? You could have gone in there and gave that powerpoint presentation. Would you have sucked at it? Maybe. And maybe they would have seen someone that was outside of his comfort zone and respected the fact that you gave it an honest effort. Even if they laughed at you and told you to get the hell out, guess what? You would have come away from that experience a little bit more confident. You would have a better idea what kinds of questions they were asking, how to handle yourself a little better, etc.

The first time you worked on a PC, you weren't God's gift to IT. You had to LEARN it, and interviewing / social skills are no different. You don't learn by reading posts like this (well, you can get an idea), you learn by doing it. Take those opportunities you're blowing off and get some experience, even if it's not something you enjoy doing. I'm speaking from experience. I've had some interviews that I bombed when I was younger, but I learned from them. Thing is, you know you won't get the job if you don't interview, so look at it from the standpoint of it not mattering either way how you do in the interview process. Even if you bomb the interview, you still take away that experience that boosts your confidence. That's worth stomach churning nerves, my friend, I'm being honest with you.

And if they ask you to sing? Sing something with a big, cheesy-arse grin on your face so that when and if they laugh, they can laugh with you and not at you. More than anything, people want to know if you can handle the unexpected with poise and humor--and being able to chuckle at yourself is always a good thing, especially these days.

Anyway, yeah, that's just the opinion of a random guy off the internet, but I'm telling you the truth as I see it.

I'll push this as well. Excellent has very good advice here. Going through life thinking you can get a job purely because of your skillset is ignorant. Companies, especially IT, want to see an INDIVIDUAL. They want to see if your personality belongs on their team. Because anyone can get your credentials, but only YOU can be a part of their team. Savvy?

I speak from experience. My credentials got me the interviews for the job I'm in now, but my personality got me the actual job. Once I pass their tests of technicality, I'm expected to belong with their team. If I can't do both, they can find someone else who has the same resume as me, and you, I promise.

erpadmin

The last interview I had was a group interview. My future boss asked me to describe what my last coworkers thought of me. I wanted to give an honest answer without making myself look like I was "God's gift to IT" [LOL], so I gave them a stall answer "They think I'm a nerd." It got the laughs I wanted while I thought of and gave them the real answer based on that last statement "They have found me dependable, willing to give a helping hand, we get along fairly well, blah blah blah." When it was over, I was very sure I landed the job and even had the date down as to when HR would give me the phone call. (it was +/- one day--after awhile you just know... )

Now you have interviews that are called the 360 degree interview...where you'll have subordinates interviewing you...not even peers, straight up subordinates who you might be supervising if you get the job. The group thing is pretty common at my current job, and I think it'll be more and more prevalent.

erpadmin

chmorin wrote: »

I speak from experience. My credentials got me the interviews for the job I'm in now, but my personality got me the actual job. Once I pass their tests of technicality, I'm expected to belong with their team. If I can't do both, they can find someone else who has the same resume as me, and you, I promise.

+1 to you and His Excellence...you have to be a good organizational fit to get the job today...you could be the best IT guy on the planet...if your personality sucks, you won't get the job...so if you gotta sing off tune, do it with a smile on your face and call it a day....

I would SOOOOO pay money though if anyone of you belts out Sir-Mix-A-Lot [Baby Got Back] [and can prove it!] when asked to sing a song...if nothing else, it shows testicular fortitude...

neocybe

My 2 cents.

At the end of your next interview, close by simply asking if there are any areas of concern they may have that you are not a good fit for the position - but listen to, no just hear what they say.

I suspect this will uncover your challenges.

someuser23

DoubleD wrote: »

The IT Industry has become an elitest society
aftr weeks of searching for a job ive now come to the point where some jobs are turning round and saying im over qualified!!!
i have a years voluntry at my old collage , 3 months contracting , and obviousley personal experiance but they dnt take that in to consideration, also to backup my customer service i worked at an asda store for a year The IT Industry has become an elitest society agree?

I agree in a sense.

I would say the IT industry is more suited towards people who do things the "correct" way rather than those who just wish to jump into it and make money. The IT industry is still one of the harder industries to achieve stability in and it's much harder to "start off" in than other industries.

Starting off young, getting training by ways of college (which isn't certain anymore that will lead to jobs anymore) or military (which is actually better imo), taking low jobs, gathering certs, meeting the right people will allow a person to achieve but not always.

The IT industry is NOT for everyone and in my opinion, it's not a stable career field for those who didn't follow a certain path.

Definitely if I can go back 10 years I'd taken another route but my school loans won't disappear.

jamesp1983

mikej412 wrote: »

Entry level IT skills are a commodity. Every May/June a new crop of AAs and AAs roll out of Community Colleges -- and are willing to work cheap to score that first elusive IT job and earn that coveted IT experience that may some day get them the BIG BUCK$

And a lot of the entry level help desk jobs don't even really need an Associates Degree or Certifications -- just people skills.



How many jobs did you apply for in those weeks? And how did you find those jobs? What were the jobs? And exactly what is your work experience?

Pretty much anyone who expects to make $40K doing basic racking and stacking or basic read-a-script help desk is "overqualified."

People who dismiss interview questions as trivial or act as if their intelligence is being insulted during interviews (think eye rolling, snorting, snide comments, etc) tend to be "overqualified."

People who spend the interview talking about what they'd like to be doing down the road -- rather than focusing on the technical interview questions for THIS job -- are usually "overqualified."

And people who don't/can't demonstrate people skills during an interview are definitely "overqualified."

On the off chance that you really are overqualified (or interviewing with Elitist Jerks) -- sorry for all the Tough Love you're getting as responses.

amen. That is perfectly worded.

ssampier

In a sense, yes. There are many hard-working capable professionals who are seeking a job. Employers are being demanding.

I find many interviews demeaning and some are just plain dumb; designed to test for those willing and able to jump when they say, "Jump!"

The worst was the 2 hour math and reasoning test I had to take online. I could have cheated since I took the test at home, but I was honest and did my best. I didn't get the job. If they really want a math wiz to answer a phone and do basic Linux sys admin they got it, I guess.

undomiel

A quote I ran across the other day was something along the lines of, "We're all in sales." In an interview you're selling a product which is yourself and your skill set. Saying you're not a people person is not going to cut it. At the end of the day they'll be more likely to buy the skill set with the better pitch. I would also recommend practicing your spell checking and sentence structure. Sure, this may just be a forum but it can still spill over into your professional life. Especially if a potential employer can track you back to some forum posts.

it_consultant

ssampier wrote: »

In a sense, yes. There are many hard-working capable professionals who are seeking a job. Employers are being demanding.

I find many interviews demeaning and some are just plain dumb; designed to test for those willing and able to jump when they say, "Jump!"

The worst was the 2 hour math and reasoning test I had to take online. I could have cheated since I took the test at home, but I was honest and did my best. I didn't get the job. If they really want a math wiz to answer a phone and do basic Linux sys admin they got it, I guess.

Thanks for posting this, I walked out of an interview once halfway through a logic test that I found stupid. Looking back I should have just googled the answers because truthfully, google is the bible to us tech guys. I was asked once how I felt about being paid salary and working 60 hours a week. I told them that sounded like a terrible deal and I would feel abused in that position. I didn't get that job, not surprisingly. I knew I wouldn't take that job when I walked into the interview room and I noticed they were trying to hard to be a 'cool startup' and I wanted nothing to do with that BS. Then I noticed all the interviewers were dressed worse then I was. Big no no in my eyes.

The point, I guess, is that you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.

MentholMoose

it_consultant wrote: »

Then I noticed all the interviewers were dressed worse then I was. Big no no in my eyes.

I don't think I've ever had an interview where this wasn't the case. One time an interviewer even commented that I was the only person in the building wearing a suit who wasn't a lawyer.

it_consultant wrote: »

The point, I guess, is that you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.

Good point, and it should not be forgotten when interviewing.

erpadmin

it_consultant wrote: »

Thanks for posting this, I walked out of an interview once halfway through a logic test that I found stupid. Looking back I should have just googled the answers because truthfully, google is the bible to us tech guys. I was asked once how I felt about being paid salary and working 60 hours a week. I told them that sounded like a terrible deal and I would feel abused in that position. I didn't get that job, not surprisingly. I knew I wouldn't take that job when I walked into the interview room and I noticed they were trying to hard to be a 'cool startup' and I wanted nothing to do with that BS. Then I noticed all the interviewers were dressed worse then I was. Big no no in my eyes.

The point, I guess, is that you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.

Reminds me back in the days I had casual dress. Whenever we saw a suit, we always knew he was going to an interview.

Thing is though, you're going to wear a suit no matter what, even if you did homework on a company that demands casual Friday everyday... When one goes to an interview and doesn't wear a suit, he shouldn't be surprised when he doesn't get the job. And for those who are going to be cute and say that you got a job (that didn't involve saying "do you want fries with that") without a suit, that's more of an exception than a rule. The rule is to wear a suit to any job interview, period.

Having guys dressed worse than I would be isn't a deal breaker...it's more or less a company/departmental philosophy/culture and how that fits with me (and of course, the $$$ and benefits.) In my younger days, such things wouldn't have mattered, but as I got older and more polished, I got to pick and choose who I'm working for. Because you're right in that regard; you are interviewing them just like they're interviewing you.

One other thing, no matter how stupid I might find something during an interview, I'll at least entertain it. That shows, if nothing else, that you're a "team player" . I may think it's a huge waste of time, but at least if I put in effort, even if it's for a job I may not take. I'll never know when I might run into them again somewhere down the road.

howiehandles

DoubleD wrote: »

The IT Industry has become an elitest society
aftr weeks of searching for a job ive now come to the point where some jobs are turning round and saying im over qualified!!!
i have a years voluntry at my old collage , 3 months contracting , and obviousley personal experiance but they dnt take that in to consideration, also to backup my customer service i worked at an asda store for a year The IT Industry has become an elitest society agree?

My .02. Volunteering at your old college is better than nothing, but depending on the job your're applying for, it doesn't equal corporate experience. Part of getting the interview is not only a solid resume, but an even better cover letter. Perhaps its your personality during the interview that is off putting? Long gone are the days where if one could turn on a PC that they'd get a job.

The I.T. industry isn't necessarily elitist. Its just become more picky. No longer is one able to b.s. their way through an interview. Companies now are looking as much for technical skills as a fit for their environment.

DoubleD

erpadmin wrote: »

The last interview I had was a group interview. My future boss asked me to describe what my last coworkers thought of me. I wanted to give an honest answer without making myself look like I was "God's gift to IT" [LOL], so I gave them a stall answer "They think I'm a nerd." It got the laughs I wanted .

I thought about Throwing in that at an interview never tryed it but was thinking of saying something like
Im a bit of a Geek!! and thats a good thing cos you need to be a geek in this sort of job.

erpadmin

DoubleD wrote: »

I thought about Throwing in that at an interview never tryed it but was thinking of saying something like
Im a bit of a Geek!! and thats a good thing cos you need to be a geek in this sort of job.

That's why I said it...being a geek/nerd in IT is considered a good thing. Keep in mind that I was very relaxed, because while I was looking to leave my other job, I wasn't under the gun to do so. So I had nothing to lose by adding a little levity.