OT - Interviewing Advice

[MacroGuru]

Alright,

Here is the deal, I am starting to interview Business Analyst to bring onto the staff, I am an initial screener for a couple of departments, as I will be working closely with all the additional Analysts we bring on board, they want me to be able to work well with them.

I get the resumes, and I have a specific criteria I am screening through, and I have that.

I have my 1st true interview Thurs, now here is where the advice is needed for those who have done Analyst roles.

1) What kind of questions would you ask an Analyst with Development and Accounting backgrounds?

I have the standard interview questions, I also am going to focus on systems and data knowledge as well, because our system here is a bit different than most systems in the region.

What I am looking for is specific Analyst type questions.

BTW, I morphed into an Analyst here, so I have never had to interview for said position, I have the knowledge, and I know what is needed, those will be asked, but I want to know if any of you have been hit with a few zingers that I may relate to this.

[NoMyths]

Be sure to time them in the 40 and give them the Wonderlic test.

Alternately, describe a situation and ask them how they would deal with it.

[Ksyrup]

If one of them asks you how long the interview is going to last, because their favorite show is coming on in 15 minutes...pass.

One of the guys I went to law school with did this, at a second interview/dinner. Of course, it was Seinfeld he was talking about, but still...

[Desnudo]

I like to ask if they feel sleeping with a supervisor is unethical.

[JasonC23]

Ask if they enjoy watching movies about gladiators. Or if they've ever seen a grown man naked.

[RPI-Fan]

Be sure to time them in the 40 and give them the Wonderlic test.

Alternately, describe a situation and ask them how they would deal with it.

I'd say ask them a question that could not be solved by one person in a short amount of time (i.e. something where you would need to research, ask other people, etc.).

See if they try and BS a solution or if they go describe the process they would use.

Keep us posted on how things turn out!
~rpi-fan

[sterlingice]

And for the sake of all of us out there who are dealing with interviews, a few pointers from a frustrated still-unemployed person who is getting tired of these questions but grins and bears them in every single interview, it seems.

I know you don't give a fuck about where I'm going to be in 10 years, what my greatest achievement in my life is, or how I solved a generic problem where I can just bs my way through it and choose whatever problem I want. If you ask me what my greatest weakness is, I'm just going to say something like "I'm a perfectionist" or "I insist on punctuality" that is a complete and total lie because you know I'm not going to tell you "I procrastinate quite a bit"- were you expecting someone to let it slip that they smoked pot on their last job, continually berate and sexually harass any female within 50' of them, or like to get plastered Sunday nights so they're useless on Monday?

Nah, I'm not bitter at all :p

Seriously, tho. If I were in your shoes, I'd kindof follow the above advice. You only get an hour with these people so don't waste time on useless questions that you don't care the answer to and they don't want to answer. All you'll learn is how good they can lie and how much contempt they can hold back while answering. Give them questions about the type of problems they'll face on the job. Make it much more a technical interview than a "job interview" because you'll know by how they carry themself if they're even halfways competent and everyone can lie about the other half- then it just becomes a contest of "who can sell themself better" which, unless you're dealing in sales, doesn't mean nearly that much.

One of the best questions I heard was at a job interview. It was "what is your computer setup at home". After the little back and forth, I asked in an off-the-record sort of way the purpose of the question (which would have been obvious if I weren't running about a 12 on the 10 point stress meter since it was job fair): anyone can say they're good at computers or like them, but to prove it is another thing altogether.

SI

[MacroGuru]

Here we go....Interview time.....I will post the questions I asked when I get back if I have time, if not it will be tomorrow

[MacroGuru]

So the Interview went well, and I now have a set series of questions of what will be asked. She pegged them pretty well, and for a senior analyst, she was initially shocked at a couple of the questions I asked. We also had one of the lead developers in on the interview and he asked her technical questions as well.

Can you give me an example of a project you were involved with that illustrates your interest and skills in bringing people together?

Are you more energized by working with data or by collaborating with other individuals?

Sometimes it's easy to get in "over your head." Describe a situation where you had to request help or assistance on a project or assignment.

What steps do you follow to study a problem before making a decision.

What process(es) would you use to integrate a vendor/partner into a corporate system. Include programs, documentation, and people you would interact with.

Describe the system you use for keeping track of multiple projects. How do you track your progress so that you can meet deadlines? How do you stay focused?

[Raiders Army]

Are you more energized by working with data or by collaborating with other individuals?

Trick question alert! Any time they ask you to compare two things, it's a trick question. By answering one over the other, you immediately tell them that the other is not important to you. The safest response is to combine the two answers into one, such as: "I use both methods to become energized. When I collaborate with individuals, we look at data to come up with solutions, etc."

[Honolulu_Blue]

Should have went with something along the lines of the following....

1. Can you tell me the difference between a neck flexion and a neck extension?

2. How about the difference between lateral raise and a bent over row?

3. If you had to do sprints as part of a weekly workout routine how many 10 yard sprints would you do? 20 yarders? 40 yarders? Anything else?

4. When working on your calves how many angles should be worked and what are they? Why do we work our calves at different angles?

5. What are three types of sit-ups you should do. How many sets and how many reps per type?

6. What are your thoughts about Instant Messanging at the office?

7. What are your feelings about PokerRoom.com?

8. If the Lions hadn't picked Mike Williams with the 10th pick, who do you think they should have drafted and why?

[MacroGuru]

Trick question alert! Any time they ask you to compare two things, it's a trick question. By answering one over the other, you immediately tell them that the other is not important to you. The safest response is to combine the two answers into one, such as: "I use both methods to become energized. When I collaborate with individuals, we look at data to come up with solutions, etc."

Yeah, it was set perfectly and she did fine with it. Combined them, and it was a solid answer on her end.

[MacroGuru]

Should have went with something along the lines of the following....

1. Can you tell me the difference between a neck flexion and a neck extension?

2. How about the difference between lateral raise and a bent over row?

3. If you had to do sprints as part of a weekly workout routine how many 10 yard sprints would you do? 20 yarders? 40 yarders? Anything else?

4. When working on your calves how many angles should be worked and what are they? Why do we work our calves at different angles?

5. What are three types of sit-ups you should do. How many sets and how many reps per type?

6. What are your thoughts about Instant Messanging at the office?

7. What are your feelings about PokerRoom.com?

8. If the Lions hadn't picked Mike Williams with the 10th pick, who do you think they should have drafted and why?


I just got an FOFC beat down... :(



:D

[Arles]

The most important thing is to ask them a few technical questions on the skills they list on their resume. If someone doesn't understand what they list on their resume, you don't really know how viable their experiences are. That would be my first rule in any interview - make sure the baseline of knowledge you expect by viewing their resume is actually correct.

[Desnudo]

Trick question alert! Any time they ask you to compare two things, it's a trick question. By answering one over the other, you immediately tell them that the other is not important to you. The safest response is to combine the two answers into one, such as: "I use both methods to become energized. When I collaborate with individuals, we look at data to come up with solutions, etc."

Well, I think the better question is, "who isn't energized by working with data?"

[Raiders Army]

Well, I think the better question is, "who isn't energized by working with data?"
Touche

[sterlingice]

Trick question alert! Any time they ask you to compare two things, it's a trick question. By answering one over the other, you immediately tell them that the other is not important to you. The safest response is to combine the two answers into one, such as: "I use both methods to become energized. When I collaborate with individuals, we look at data to come up with solutions, etc." Yeah, it was set perfectly and she did fine with it. Combined them, and it was a solid answer on her end.
This is a perfect illustration of what I was saying above to *not* do, tho. What did you learn from that answer? Nothing except that she read an interview book or two so she knew not to fall for the trap. Last I checked, that wasn't a valuable job skill for what you were hiring for. Even if she had answered one or the other, what would you have learned? If you dismiss her, you're dismissing her because she answered honestly and didn't read "10 interview tips" in some random magazine. Again, not a job skill. You learned that she knows how to sell herself- if you're in sales, that's a useful skill. If you want her for, say, a programming or production job- that's pretty useless. Those people are good at getting out of work and becoming a drain on the company. For a business analyst- won't that make her good at selling her case and make it difficult for you to actually find out what the truth is?

SI

[MacroGuru]

This is a perfect illustration of what I was saying above to *not* do, tho. What did you learn from that answer? Nothing except that she read an interview book or two so she knew not to fall for the trap. Last I checked, that wasn't a valuable job skill for what you were hiring for. Even if she had answered one or the other, what would you have learned? If you dismiss her, you're dismissing her because she answered honestly and didn't read "10 interview tips" in some random magazine. Again, not a job skill. You learned that she knows how to sell herself- if you're in sales, that's a useful skill. If you want her for, say, a programming or production job- that's pretty useless. Those people are good at getting out of work and becoming a drain on the company. For a business analyst- won't that make her good at selling her case and make it difficult for you to actually find out what the truth is?

SI

Actually, in her repsonse to the question, I learned she understands and can write SELECT statements and understands JOINS and other needed SQL Statements as well as the ability to understand the difference between a VarChar and INT.. She has MS SQL and AS/400 knowledge , I also picked up at the fact she would rather deal with developers than with Executives, and that she feels in her element in the area we are interviewing for.

It wasn't the fact she caught the trick question, it was the information she provided for the trick question that helped me learn more about her.