interview tips and techniques
TRANSCRIPT
Agenda – Finding a New Gig
Resume
Interview Preparation
Interview
Example of a Bad Resume
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY: Software Professional, having over 6 years of hands on experience in various SDLC levels of Application Development. Strong programming skills in Java, Multi-threaded applications and J2EE technologies. Expertise in architecture/application development utilizing J2EE based technologies, such as Jakarta Struts 1.2, EJB 2.1, Spring 2.5, Servlets 2.1, JSP, JDBC, XML,
JMS, CORBA, Swing, Paypal Integration, Jasper Reports, Hibernate 3.2, Web Services, and SOA. Experience in MVC (Model View Controller) architecture with Struts framework and J2EE design patterns. Proficient in writing and deploying Enterprise Beans (EJB 2.1) viz. Entity Beans & Session Beans. Experience in XML for data parsing using JAXP (DOM and SAX) as well as coming up with the schemas. Extensively worked with Relational Databases MS-SQL Server 2005 /2000, MySQL 5.0, Oracle 10g/9i/8i, DB2 v8.0, Informix 9.0, and MS Access 2000. Specialized in using IDEs like Eclipse 3.0, and IBM Rational Application Developer 6.0, WSAD 5.0, My Eclipse 6.5 Worked on application servers and web servers like Apache Tomcat 5.x, BEA Web Logic 8.1/7.0, IBM WebSphere 6.1/5.0 and JBoss 4.1/3.2 Good knowledge on OSS Architecture, IP Routing, IP Performance Management, and System Engineering. Expertise in HTML and JavaScript. Exceptional ability to quickly grasp and master new concepts and technologies. Experience in Managing build files using ANT and logging using Java Logging using Log4j and used Subversion as version control system. Schedule tasks on a daily/weekly basis. Involving coding and design efforts and integration and customization of the application and databases. Excellent communication skills, creative problem solver, positive listener and team player. Functionally proficient in performing business process analysis, gathering and analyzing requirements, creating design specifications, unit test plans and system test
plans, testing, development, and production support. Technically proficient in module development and upgrades based on organizational needs.
Education: B.S in computer science Engineering 2002, University of Texas, Austin, TX
TECHNICAL SKILLS: Operating Systems: Windows 98/NT/2000/XP, UNIX Languages: Java, J2EE (Servlets, JDBC, EJB2.1, Java Beans, JNDI), RMI, XML, C and C++, SQL, PL/SQL, JUnit 3.8, Swing,
WebServices (SOAP, WSDL), and Hibernate 3.2, SOA, JMS, Jasper Reports, Spring 2.5, CORBA, Shell Scripting. Databases: MS-SQL Server 2005/2000, MySQL 5.0, Oracle 10g/9i/8i, DB2 v8.0, and MS Access 2000, Informix 9.0 Web/Application Servers: IBM WebSphere 5.0/6.0,BEA WebLogic 8.1/7.0, Tomcat 5.x, and JBoss 4.1 Web technologies: Java Server Pages (JSP), HTML, DHTML, Java Script, AJAX, PERL IDEs: Eclipse 3.0, WSAD 5.0, IBM RAD 6.0, My Eclipse 6.5 Others: Rational Rose, UML, ANT, MAVEN, Agile Methodology, Apache Axis v1.3, CVS, Subversion, MQ-Series, Paypal Integration, MS-
Visio
Example of a Good Resume
SKILLS SUMMARY
Web Development HTML DHTML XHTML CSS JavaScript AJAX Dreamweaver XML
Serverside scripting PHP ASP ColdFusion
Interactive Flash ActionScript 2.0 ActionScript 3.0
Database SQL MySQL
Graphics Fireworks Photoshop Illustrator Paint Shop Pro 8
Microsoft Microsoft Word Microsoft Excel Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Access
Email Marketing Responsys
Compliance/Accessibility AccVerify SiteMorse
Miscellaneous Digital photography Content Management SEO/SEM Adobe Acrobat
PROFILE
• Creative and artistic Web/Flash Developer at a Fortune 20 company.• Former entrepreneur of an online based ecommerce business.• Extremely motivated and dependable with exceptional leadership attributes.• Highly trained in achieving goals within a team environment.
EMPLOYMENT
9/07-Present: Dedicated Technologies / Cardinal Health,
Web/Flash Developer• Develop & rebuild microsites of cardinalhealth.com
• Dreamweaver, XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, ASP• Construct promotional and interactive experiences
• Flash & ActionScript• Email marketing/newsletters using Responsys• Use AccVerify to improve quality, accessibility, and usability of • the public site to improve its SiteMorse compliance ranking.• Create web ads using HTML and Fireworks• Build websites that follow Cardinal Health’s branding guidelines• Work with clients to transform ideas into web applications
5/07-Present: Freelance, Web/Flash Developer• Create dynamic websites and interactive applications using:
• Dreamweaver, XHTML, CSS & JavaScript.• PHP/MySQL/SQL• Flash/ActionScript/Fireworks/Photoshop
• Build Content Management Systems
6/07-9/07: Karaoke Warehouse, Web Developer• Maintained and updated ecommerce website
• Dreamweaver, ColdFusion, XHTML, CSS & JavaScript
• Responsible for email marketing• Created 23 HTML mailers / newsletters per week• Monitored sales and stock• In charge of Yahoo Marketing campaigns• Created traceable links to examine sales trends
• Responsible for adding/removing products from catalog• Photographed products and formatted them for the site• Worked to improve shopping cart code and database
• Shipping calculations• Weight variables for shipping cost
• Created spreadsheets using Microsoft Excel to improve organization between departments
Phrases better left out
Note: Please don’t misconstrue my 14 jobs as job-hopping. I have never quit a job.
Reason for leaving last job: They insisted that all employees get to work by 8:45 every morning. Could not work under those conditions.
I have a bachelorette degree in computers.Failed Sun certification exam with relatively
high scores.
So you’ve been invited to interview.
What do you do now?
Hiring managers hirepeople that they like.
Personal Presentation
Body Language
Can we talk?
Education
What were your vocational plans while in college?
If they are different now, what changed your way of thinking?
Personal Characteristics
Tell me about the last time you failed to complete an assigned task within the constraints provided.
What obstacles did you face?
How did you overcome them?
Goals / Motivation
What factors do you believe have contributed most to the success you have achieved so far in your career?
Job History
What was the most valuable experience you obtained from your job at XYZ Technologies?
How could that be of value to Dedicated
?
Attitude / Performance
Describe the most effective supervisor you’ve had.
What were their strengths?
What were their limitations?
Unskilled Interviewer
Have you ever had to deal with a difficult coworker?
My BIGGEST pet peeve?
“No, I think you’ve answered
all the questions that I had.”
Top 10 reasons for a manager not hiring a technically qualified person
1. Didn’t ask questions
2. Condemnation of past employer
3. Inability to take criticism
4. Poor personal appearance
5. Indecisive, cynical, lazy
6. Overbearing, “know-it-all”
7. Late to interview
8. Failure to look at interviewer during interview
9. Unable to express self clearly
10. Over emphasis on money
Suggested questions to ask:
What are the day-to-day responsibilities I’ll be assigned?
Is this a new position? If not, would you describe for me the actions of a person who previously achieved success in this position?
What personal qualities or characteristics do you most value?
Suggested questions to ask:
By what criteria will you select the person for this job?
Now that we’ve talked about my qualifications, do you have any concerns about me fulfilling the responsibilities of this position?
What’s the next step in the selection process?
Questions better left unasked:
What are your psychiatric benefits?How do you define sexual harassment?How many warnings do you get before
you get fired?I suppose that everyone has had the urge
to kill someone in a drunken rage, right?
