Atlanta Quality Assurance Association

The Incredible Shrinking Job Market (Part II - Interviews)
René Orlin CSTE

Are you out of work, a victim of layoffs? When you think of your company’s future do you see the pink-slip handwriting on the wall? If you are ready to make the break or have had the decision made for you, the job market pickings are pretty slim. There are jobs out there, but the competition is fierce. You have to make the most of every interview. You don't have the luxury of “winging it” anymore. You can no longer afford to let your qualifications speak for themselves while you sit back smug and happy, waiting for the bidding to begin.

So how can you make the best possible impression at an interview? How can you compete against unseen competitors, some who may be more qualified? Your skills may get you in the door, but don’t underestimate the importance of your personality and the rapport you develop with your interviewers. You may possess every skill on the interviewer’s wish list; however, if you don’t have the other less-tangible qualities, you may not get the job. What other skills are employers seeking? Good communication is critical for success as a QA engineer. Teamwork, adaptability, confidence, good judgment and creativity are keys to success in any organization. How can you make sure that you put your best foot forward at an interview?

First, do your homework. Find out about the company and the available position. Make a list of what they are looking for from a non-technical aspect. You can certainly include the qualities listed above, but what else can you tell about the company from their website or their job description? Is this a more traditional company that emphasizes their 50 years of tradition? Or is this a dotcom that emphasizes exciting leading-edge technologies and innovation? The more traditional company may place more value on teamwork and the dotcom may be more receptive to individualism and creativity.

Second, make a list of possible interview questions. Just point your browser at your favorite search engine and look for “interview techniques” or “interview questions.” I promise you will be overwhelmed. Make sure you include questions that may be specific to this job with this company. An example of a question for a specific job might be, “Tell me about how you have handled personnel problems” if you are applying for a lead or management position. A question related to a specific company could be: “What value can you bring to the XYZ company?” Some questions will be general to all companies like, “Why did you leave the position at the ABC company?”

Now you have your questions; answer them! Do this on paper, so that you can practice and revise your answers. As you answer each question, think about what your answer says about you. How does your answer reflect those qualities you identified in the first step? How can you fine-tune your answers to reflect your commitment to teamwork? What does this say about you as a person? Let me be clear - I am not suggesting that you lie or be disingenuous. It is obvious when you are only trying to tell them they want to hear and it will not be in your best interest. However, you can emphasize the positive!

Let me give you a concrete example of this. Maybe the real reason you left the ABC company is that your boss was an overbearing ogre who didn’t have a life and thought everyone should joyfully work weekends and stay late on a regular basis. But if this is the answer you give (even if you are tactful enough to leave out the “ogre” part) what does this say to me about you? I get the sense that you may be a slacker. You are certainly not a team player. (Everyone else was working those weekends, right?) You may not be adaptable to schedule changes which require late nights and you are looking to place blame on one individual for what may be a business decision. So… how can you turn this around to reflect your true dedicated, team-building self? Try something like this…“The company’s business focus was changing such that more weekend work was required. I worked with my team to meet the changing demands but did not feel that it was something I could sustain long-term, due to my family obligations. I tried to make other arrangements to meet the needs of both the company and my family by telecommuting on alternate weekends and working late during the week. I could not resolve these issues long-term and decided to look for something that would be a better match with my family commitments.” What does this say about me? It says team-player, committed, creative problem-solver, who understands changing business demands. Now that you've tweaked your questions and answers, all that is left is practice! Yes, practice makes perfect, so rehearse these questions and your answers to them. Do this out loud several times before the interview. You will find that being prepared is half the battle. You can be more confident and relaxed if you don’t have to worry about what to say. Of course, don't forget the basics: dress for success and be on time! Be prepared to ask questions and show them that you are interested. Don’t ask about salary. You can do this once they are ready to extend you an offer. Sell yourself! Now is the time to toot your own horn! Make sure the interviewers understand your accomplishments.

Will you get job? After all this work if you don't get the job, don’t despair. See each interview as a learning experience. What questions did you stumble over? Add them to your list for next time. How can you better prepare for the next interview? Remember, if you don’t get the job, it may not be a reflection on you…. It may just mean that the competition was just a little better fit. Do your homework and next time you will come out on top!

For past newsletters, articles and meeting information, please contact AQAA .

AQAA Articles The Incredible Shrinking Job Market (Part II - Interviews) René Orlin CSTE Are you out of work, a victim of layoffs? When you think of your company’s future do you see the pink-slip handwriting on the wall? If you are ready to make the break or have had the decision made for you, the job market pickings are pretty slim. There are jobs out there, but the competition is fierce. You have to make the most of every interview. You don't have the luxury of “winging it” anymore. You can no longer afford to let your qualifications speak for themselves while you sit back smug and happy, waiting for the bidding to begin. So how can you make the best possible impression at an interview? How can you compete against unseen competitors, some who may be more qualified? Your skills may get you in the door, but don’t underestimate the importance of your personality and the rapport you develop with your interviewers. You may possess every skill on the interviewer’s wish list; however, if you don’t have the other less-tangible qualities, you may not get the job. What other skills are employers seeking? Good communication is critical for success as a QA engineer. Teamwork, adaptability, confidence, good judgment and creativity are keys to success in any organization. How can you make sure that you put your best foot forward at an interview? First, do your homework. Find out about the company and the available position. Make a list of what they are looking for from a non-technical aspect. You can certainly include the qualities listed above, but what else can you tell about the company from their website or their job description? Is this a more traditional company that emphasizes their 50 years of tradition? Or is this a dotcom that emphasizes exciting leading-edge technologies and innovation? The more traditional company may place more value on teamwork and the dotcom may be more receptive to individualism and creativity. Second, make a list of possible interview questions. Just point your browser at your favorite search engine and look for “interview techniques” or “interview questions.” I promise you will be overwhelmed. Make sure you include questions that may be specific to this job with this company. An example of a question for a specific job might be, “Tell me about how you have handled personnel problems” if you are applying for a lead or management position. A question related to a specific company could be: “What value can you bring to the XYZ company?” Some questions will be general to all companies like, “Why did you leave the position at the ABC company?” Now you have your questions; answer them! Do this on paper, so that you can practice and revise your answers. As you answer each question, think about what your answer says about you. How does your answer reflect those qualities you identified in the first step? How can you fine-tune your answers to reflect your commitment to teamwork? What does this say about you as a person? Let me be clear - I am not suggesting that you lie or be disingenuous. It is obvious when you are only trying to tell them they want to hear and it will not be in your best interest. However, you can emphasize the positive! Let me give you a concrete example of this. Maybe the real reason you left the ABC company is that your boss was an overbearing ogre who didn’t have a life and thought everyone should joyfully work weekends and stay late on a regular basis. But if this is the answer you give (even if you are tactful enough to leave out the “ogre” part) what does this say to me about you? I get the sense that you may be a slacker. You are certainly not a team player. (Everyone else was working those weekends, right?) You may not be adaptable to schedule changes which require late nights and you are looking to place blame on one individual for what may be a business decision. So… how can you turn this around to reflect your true dedicated, team-building self? Try something like this…“The company’s business focus was changing such that more weekend work was required. I worked with my team to meet the changing demands but did not feel that it was something I could sustain long-term, due to my family obligations. I tried to make other arrangements to meet the needs of both the company and my family by telecommuting on alternate weekends and working late during the week. I could not resolve these issues long-term and decided to look for something that would be a better match with my family commitments.” What does this say about me? It says team-player, committed, creative problem-solver, who understands changing business demands. Now that you've tweaked your questions and answers, all that is left is practice! Yes, practice makes perfect, so rehearse these questions and your answers to them. Do this out loud several times before the interview. You will find that being prepared is half the battle. You can be more confident and relaxed if you don’t have to worry about what to say. Of course, don't forget the basics: dress for success and be on time! Be prepared to ask questions and show them that you are interested. Don’t ask about salary. You can do this once they are ready to extend you an offer. Sell yourself! Now is the time to toot your own horn! Make sure the interviewers understand your accomplishments. Will you get job? After all this work if you don't get the job, don’t despair. See each interview as a learning experience. What questions did you stumble over? Add them to your list for next time. How can you better prepare for the next interview? Remember, if you don’t get the job, it may not be a reflection on you…. It may just mean that the competition was just a little better fit. Do your homework and next time you will come out on top! For past newsletters, articles and meeting information, please contact AQAA .

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