What's More Important??? - IT Interview

Hi Guys,
Right now i am searching a job after 1.5 years gap.
I worked for almost 4 years before that in IT.
Since last month i appeared in 8 interviews and couldn't clear technical round.
But seriously today i know many more things which i never needed when i was working last time.
I mean i am going through so many boos, interview preparation and all.
Ok, now my question here is (which i gonna ask in my next interview at the start to make my failure interview count to 9 offcourse...)
But still want to know your views about this.
My question to recruiter is
"What is more imporatant?
Do I know the things which you(recruiter) want me to know
or
what I can do for your team and company?"
waiting for your comments....

I recommend you stop keeping a count of the number of times you have failed in interviews and instead focus on 2 things.
1. When you apply for a position - do you read through the job description provided? The 'JD' as we call it, gives you a deep insight into the person the hiring manager/company is looking for. Read up on the company,that often gives you an insight into the culture
2. Remember - we don't hire just on 1 criterion, but multiple criteria!
I presume you are up to date with the latest in technology innovations?
Best of luck for your next and I am sure you'll get a role soon

Thanks for reply,
Here Jay.K mentioned that
we don't hire just on 1 criterion, but multiple criteria!
My question here comes from real time experience, How a person sitting on 1000 KM on only phone can judge my capabilities just asking tell me about yourself and 10-20 technical questions. he is not at all ready to ask or listen out of the scope of his questions.
One more que.
1. Why HR ask candidates to come to their offices and then conduct telephonic technical interviews?

Greetings,

A telephonic interview have specific question and requires well-framed answers. The HR who takes this round, looks for few particular words, phrases and concepts to measure the candidate. Often, we may have worked a lot in different areas, but we miss to mention those terminologies which can assure our knowledge in that area. Once the HR hears or doesn’t hear these terms, they take a decision on the basis of that. I agree an experience is not dependent on few terms or sentence structure or phrases. Yet when a recruiter has just 10 or 15 mins, these become the deciding factors.

The key to crack the interview is to drop the words and then stay prepared to explain the experience around them. Even during a personal round , the Hiring managers use a lot of non-verbal measures such as not probing a talent on one particular direction , yet asking other questions to figure out the depth of knowledge in that area. The concept is, if you are an SME you will know the concern areas and speak about it, even if you have not been asked. Direct questions are lot simpler to handle. Do add an experience when you answer them.

As shared in your mail, you have attended many interviews. Please share the pattern which you found common in terms of questions and probing.

Let’s resolve this together.

Regards,
(Cite Contribution)

Hi,
This is fine in case of HR asking, I am asking about technical interview.
Where interviewer judges capabilities just asking some random questions from whole of technology.
For example, I am on PL/SQL guy. Its one of the part of oracle database but still i have been through interviewers
who were asking me concepts from oracle. Even i have worked on technology and still have touch with it, I am damn sure that even those guys cant stand my interview if I ask techincal questions to them. Simply its like whatever they have worked on they knew it and what ever I have done I knew it.
And if they are asking so many only techincal questions on phone, i think my experience is in vein.
The best way i feel that i should make any of the fresher who have just completed his engineering and was into
books since last four years to answer these calls. They have all knowledge.
And if this is true then why they are asking for experienced guys.
As a software guys i know how to track code, get what i want from anyone's code, i know how to debug it,
i know how to write new code, i know how to design LDD and HDD, I know what are standards need to be maintained in project and code, i know how to convince my team members to work late or on week-ends. I know how to handle difficult client and many more things.
I have a experience of four years, and tell me how this is judged just by few technology based questions?

If you are talking about HR then i know how to tackle this as in my jobless period i worked as campus Recruitment Trainer and PSYCHOMETRIC behav was my favourite topic. So this is not with HR's point of view directly but indirectly it is.
After all only HR are the people who are responsible for better recruits in their firms.
Isn't it?

Greetings,



Well I agree on the 'Technical Knowledge' front . Often the recruiters read the skill sets and arrange for technical rounds. Which is why situations such as yours happen? They may see HTML , Dot Net ,SQL and other skill sets in your resume and arrange for the interview . Whereas the role is fundamentally for VB.Net and wouldnt require ASP.Net at all ! They may not explain you what exactly would be required in the role and keep asking questions towards the area specific to their need. This would overlook your offerings but then, this is where you need to take over and guide the interview. Please spend no time to understand what they need and decide whether you want to continue with the interview.

Often someone who had worked with Adobe may get interviewed for Adobe Indesign. Or even worse, if a product-based company is hiring, they would hire for development and maintenance, but may not make it clear during the initial rounds which vertical are they hiring for. Hence, if the talent doesn’t probe, no matter how sound their knowledge is, they may still not clear the interview. On the periphery both the verticals may require similar skill sets but will have totally different approach to the levels and the experience.

I agree to your point that recruitment is HR responsibilities. But auditing the Tech rounds may not happen everywhere. When the rate of rejection shoots high, it does bring this issue to the table. Training Techies on recruitment may happen . Yet , at the time of the interview , certain psyches such as 'I know more than you' , 'I don’t want to hear anything what is not related to the job' and 'I already expect , you have understood the job' so reject the moment you utter anything else, are common errors . You have shared that you have worked as a trainer in campus, hence I believe you have learnt lot more than what I am sharing right now. Just keep your expectation to the point and answer only after probing. Suggest you the following to manage the situation:

1. To begin with during your first round when the HR calls up and asks if you are interested for an opening, how much do you probe about the role?
   
2. Secondly, agreed to a point that all HR's may not be able to share the KRA, How do you start you next round? Is it that they keep asking or you ask about the role?
   
3. More importantly how much time do you spend paraphrasing? I know this is a classic trick, but it works as the listener feels you have heard and understood their requirement. Moreover paraphrasing and citing examples from your experience will make them ask a connecting question.
   
4. Finally, once you have understood their focus, spend to no words in any other direction. No matter how good you might be in other areas, keep it to yourself.
   

Looking forward to hear from you.



Regards,

(Cite Contribution)

Hi Sach,
I guess you will find it difficult to find a job, there are tooo many why's? hows? it done than why and how you should prepare .Your are judged as other millions of candidate are judged.find the means and ways to connecting to the interviewer rather than your thooughts..You are concentrated on the world not giving you a fair chance.....This is all you get in life understand and move forward.......

Thanks for all the replies guys...

Yup,LUCK is something i can hope for but my preps are on.

To elaborate i had one more interview on saturday. luckily that went nice and answered most of the interviewer's question.
He was satisfied with my answer, but when he asked me if i do have any que to ask him. I hit the BANG...

Same que"Whats more important"?
He tried to answer me but he was uncomfirtable.
His answer was
1. There priority is technical knowledge, other things can be learn.

I was not satisfied and replied "What ever answers i have given in this interview is only my 10 days preparation, then what about my experience which taught me so many thing which are extremely useful in IT industry?"

I still dont remember his answer, he tried something which i couldn't understand at that time as well as now.

But , I am happy with my self, again big NO and then move on...

Spme one need to change this, Not asking anyone else but surely i'll change this but will take 5+ years to reach to that post....

i will

wish me good luck ...

Thanks for all your support guys....
I found a job in Bangalore but off course not entirely just because of my knowledge and attitude but your suggestions and motivation helped me to keep my morals high.
thanks a lot guys

Greetings,
Congratulations !!!! A well deserved offer earned with your efforts. Thank you so much for sharing the news with us . We appreciate the views and experience you shared with us. More importantly, we value this learning that you have gained. Hence, join you in this celebration !
Honestly , you news made my day ! Wish you all the best .
Regards,
(Cite Contribution)