Re: [Long]First TW interview-request pointers/good questions to ask

[Robert Plamondon <robert -at- PLAMONDON -dot- COM>]

Be confident and gung-ho, don't lie even a little bit, and be a good
listener.  Tech Pubs people love to talk, can't resist a good listener,
and will monopolize the interview if you let them.  The less you have
to say, the better off you are to let them talk!  Ask open-ended,
work-related questions, and they'll go on and on and on.  Having
learned nothing negative about you, and respecting your fine
appreciation of their wonderful stories (simply not interrupting them
to tell YOUR stories counts as "fine appreciation"), you will still
be in the running.

Many HR people are drones.  Display a cheerful, gung-ho attitude, and
listen patiently to their drivel, and you will pass.  Technical people
ignore the opinions of HR drones, anyway.  (I've known some truly
wonderful, hyper-competent HR people, but they are rare, and they
won't give you any trouble, anyway.)

If your head-hunter hasn't misrepresented you to the client, they
understand that you have little experience, and that's already okay
with them, so don't worry.

As far as training is concerned, I would ignore that question for the
moment, unless it becomes clear that trainig would increase your odds
of landing a nice position.  In today's frenzied job market, I'm not
sure that you need to do anything but encourage your headhunter.


        -- Robert

--
Robert Plamondon, President/Managing Editor, High-Tech Technical Writing, Inc.
36475 Norton Creek Road * Blodgett * Oregon * 97326
robert -at- plamondon -dot- com * (541) 453-5841 * Fax: (541) 453-4139