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Subject:What do interviewers read? From:"Geoff Hart (by way of \"Eric J. Ray\" <ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com>)" <ght -at- MTL -dot- FERIC -dot- CA> Date:Fri, 16 Oct 1998 10:54:11 -0600
John David Hickey <<...was just thinking about the many interviews
I've sat through in my career, and... When I think about the
interview process, a potential client/employer always asks me to tell
him/her about my work experience. Just before I'm about to speak, I
always think "Didn't they read my resume?>>
I think it's a perfectly understandable question, and perhaps even an
essential one, for several reasons. First, it's a great way to catch
inconsistencies, exaggerations, or outright lies, and to determine
whether you did the resume yourself or hired someone else to do it.
Second, everyone recognizes how difficult it is to condense a career
into two pages, and asking the question gives you room to elaborate.
Third, it gives the interviewer an idea of how your brain works
orally as well as in print; sometimes I find it astounding at how
differently I present information orally and in print. Fourth, it's a
good icebreaker, because no matter how nervous you are, you'll
probably still be able to speak confidently about what you've spent
hours putting into the resume. Once you've gotten talking
comfortably, the interviewer can proceed with tougher questions.
--Geoff Hart @8^{)}
geoff-h -at- mtl -dot- feric -dot- ca
"By God, for a moment there it all made sense!"--Anon.