Topic: For those that have had supervisor job interviews...

[shock]

What are these interviews like?  I've been working at a job for two summers now and I'm applying to be a supervisor there next summer, but I have no managing/supervisor experience and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the interview I have tomorrow.  It's a customer service orientated job.

Any dos/don'ts?  Since I've been there for a while, I can stress my experience/knowledge of how the department works.  Beyond that, I'm not sure what to call upon.

[Quemaqua]

Just be a complete drooling moron.  Showcase your absolute incompetence, unwillingness to work, and total inability to convey information to your subordinates.  Every person I've ever met in any kind of supervisory position has been like that, so I assume those are the top qualities they look for.

[Pugnate]

Think of the questions they are likely to ask you, like your lack of supervisor experience and then try to think of some satisfactory responses. But don't over think yourself into a frenzy...

You are right, you can stress your knowledge of how the department works. That is a plus.

I would put myself in their shoes. Think of what would concern them about hiring an inexperienced supervisor, and then try to think of your qualities that counter those concerns and instead strike confidence.

Your lack of supervisor experience is countered by your personal experience within the organization. You have detailed knowledge of how things work, and can guide those subordinates who need guidance. You are a nice friendly and approachable person, but at the same time you know how to maintain a balanced and respectful relationship with a staff. You know you don't have the experience at a managerial level to show this, but are confident that you can handle the job.

Look, if I were hiring a supervisor, I'd want a confident and honest guy, who wasn't arrogant nor a shit head. If I were hiring a manager for my factory or something, I'd just be happy if the guy wasn't a liability and could do the job.

In the end, just be relaxed and be yourself. Give an aura of confidence but don't overdo it.

[Cobra951]

There's one more unintuitive issue, and that's not threatening the interviewer's security.  You want to be good enough for the job you're applying for, but not good enough to be a slam-dunk for the interviewer's job.  Sad but true.

[Ghandi]

Make lots of references to how you and your good friend "Mr. Glock" (and pat your side as you say this) really need this job.

[gpw11]

I like Ghandi's answer.  Is this for retail?

[scottws]

I have a pretty unusual interview and presentation style:  I wing them.  If I try to prepare too much for them, I psych myself out and get too nervous.  I just act like it's no big deal, if I don't get the job or I get an F, oh well.  Almost Peter Gibbons-like.

I've done pretty well with this approach overall.  A former employer once told me that I was the best interviewer he's ever had after I put my two weeks in after working for him for 2.5 years.  Only once did I not get a job offer from an interview and though it works fine in all of my IT classes, it didn't work out as well for a speech class because the presentations sounded too informal.

[beo]

I have a pretty unusual interview and presentation style:  I wing them.  If I try to prepare too much for them, I psych myself out and get too nervous.  I just act like it's no big deal, if I don't get the job or I get an F, oh well.  Almost Peter Gibbons-like.

same here. if you want to sound natural in your answers, it can't be rehearsed. as long as you've actually got the knowledge to answer any job related questions, you'll come off sounding much more sincere. if you can't answer the questions, well the job wasn't for you anyway.

[scottws]

I got caught off guard on my last job interview.  I've been an IT consultant for small and medium companys for the past one year and three months and I also contract as a lowly helpdesk/desk-side support technician for a large company.  I've been working closely with these people at this large company since February last year and they were really interested after I asked them if they'd consider me for the open position.  So I interviewed with the CIO, the Director of IT Operations, and the IT Operations Manager.  I went in even more laid back than usual.  Well, they asked me what sorts of extracurricular things I do.  I hadn't been asked that sort of thing since my original college interviews, and I definitely didn't expect it to be asked after working with these guys for almost a year.

I got the job.  It really surprised me, because I have no enterprise experience other than what I've been exposed to there, and don't know Cisco stuff very well.  They must like my work ethic or how fast I learn or something, because I'm sure there are other people that interviewed that knew a lot more than I do.  Then again, they know what they get with me whereas anyone else would be an unknown.

[gpw11]

I have a pretty unusual interview and presentation style:  I wing them.  If I try to prepare too much for them, I psych myself out and get too nervous.  I just act like it's no big deal, if I don't get the job or I get an F, oh well.  Almost Peter Gibbons-like.

I've done pretty well with this approach overall.  A former employer once told me that I was the best interviewer he's ever had after I put my two weeks in after working for him for 2.5 years.  Only once did I not get a job offer from an interview and though it works fine in all of my IT classes, it didn't work out as well for a speech class because the presentations sounded too informal.

That's generally what I do.  It backfired huge once though.  DON'T WING INTERVIEWS WHEN YOU'RE ON CONFERENCE CALLS AND YOU'RE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO STUDY SOMETHING BEFORE HAND.

[shock]

Thanks for the help guys (and Que).  I think it went pretty well.  Not marvelous, but nothing really caught me off guard and I was able to emphasize my strengths.

They wrote me an email essentially asking if I was "committed" to the job in its entirety "should you be offered the position," which I guess is a good sign.

I should hear back by the end of the week.

[gpw11]

They wrote me an email essentially asking if I was "committed" to the job in its entirety "should you be offered the position," which I guess is a good sign.

Employers are such clowns with things like this. 

[shock]

Entirely agreed.  I read it and was entirely confused as to what it was asking.  So you want me to write a sentence that says I'm committed and email it back to you?  Ok.  Sure.  I guess I can handle that.

[Quemaqua]

This thread fills me with rage.

[Cobra951]

Of course, I'm committed to the job . . . oh, in its entirety?  No, not that.  I've been sending out enough applications to merit thank-you notes from the post office and my ISP.  I've been sporting the best smiles I can muster in every interview, even the vast majority which I knew would go nowhere.  I've been pounding the pavement until it got sick of me and pounded back.  And now, now that I am almost assured of landing something, finally, after all that pain and effort, thanks to you, now I am going to come clean and tell you that while I am committed to this job, if I get it, I am not committed to it in its entirety.  Because, you see, I am a fucking moron.  Either that, or I like being unemployed.  Only a fucking moron would fail to see that saying anything other than exactly what you want to hear at this point blows the deal.  But then again, only a fucking moron would fail to realize that anything positive I write you at this point is entirely meaningless.  What else would I say, if I really wanted this job, or if I had any brains?

Does that answer your question?

Sincerely up yours,
No One

[gpw11]

Hahahaha.  Brilliant Cobra.  Hit the nail on the head there.

[Cobra951]

 

A couple of roundabout sentences need some cleanup, but thanks.  I think I my feelings about it were similar to Que's.  I just expressed them a little differently.

[Quemaqua]

Haha, not bad at all.  That kind of stuff drives me nuts, too.

[ren]

I got the chance to be an interviewer a few days ago. The biggest surprise to me was people being way too excited and enthusiastic. You may seem qualified but it completely strips the interviewer of any chance to get a genuine impression of what working with you would be like.

Also, eye contact. Figure out where to look. Don't stare me down the entire time, it's tiring and makes it look like you have no social skills. On the other end of the spectrum, don't talk with your head down the entire time.

[shock]

I got the job!  Yay.  Really good pay(for me) and I get to work with a bunch of my friends.  So exciting.

[scottws]

Contrats!

I got a new job too.  Start Monday.  On Tuesday, I'm flying to Boston with the CIO for a few days to do some work at one of the company's small offices there.  So much for getting eased into the position.

[Quemaqua]

Congrats to you both.  Don't be an asshole sup, shock, or I'll come find you.

I still hate my job more than life itself and my good coworker and friend finally managed to leave after a year of persecution at the hands of my idiot employers.  I have a week of vacation, but once I go back, it's going to be hell.  If I don't kill myself, I'll consider things to be going well.