Re: Interviewing for Tech Write/Contract Positions

[Emmy Aricioglu <EMMY_ARICIOGLU -at- HP-ROSEVILLE-OM3 -dot- OM -dot- HP -dot- COM>]

Item Subject: Re: why I want to Tech Write/Contract Positions

     This thread is interesting and worth indulging in from time to time.
     I've been working full time since 1967 in a number of different
     industries and, thus, have some experience being both the
     interviewee and the interviewor. Also, I should add, I
     started out as a contractor for this company and now have
     a full-time position.

     I work for a huge company. The interview process for technical
     writer position in our group is probably the fairest I have ever
     encountered. Personnel does the background screening. The
     candidate's interview is a day-long process. The candidate is
     interviewed by the manager of our group (a one-hour session) and
     also individually by four other group members (one hour each). At
     the end of the day, the interview team meets for an hour and
     discusses results. When all candidates have been interviewed (this
     could take 2, 3 or more weeks), the group meets again to rank the
     candidates. An offer is made to the highest ranker. Candidates
     from outside the company compete with internal candidates.

     Taking part in this process (on the interviewing end) is
     enlightening. The experience is similar to being on a jury (which
     I've also experienced). It's amazing how different the
     perceptions of the interviewers are! Not only are job-related
     biases brought out (interviewers with engineering backgrounds
     vs. those with liberal arts-writing backgrounds, etc.), but also
     personal biases (interviewers who had difficulty mastering a
     certain skill projected that difficulty onto candidates, etc.).
     Some are concerned about perceived job hopping and others are
     not, etc. A certain fairness, however, applies because one
     team member's biases are smoothed out by another's.

     The interviewers are trying to be fair, but let's face it --
     each of us can only look at others through our own skin. The
     best we can do is be aware of this.

     What this means to me (and this from 30+ years of experience) is
     that there is a certain unfairness to the whole process of
     seeking a job. OK, that's not news. But, knowing this puts
     everything into perspective. For this job, I was perceived
     well and got it. Next time, that may not happen. But I,
     as a person, have not changed. Only the circumstances around
     me have changed. And this I cannot agonize over. The fact
     that this group accepted me but another one won't cannot
     be the driving force of my life.

     I like to think that there is more than one perfect job out
     there for me and for you. I've had some pretty unpleasant life
     experiences -- but I've always gotten a second chance, and even
     a third chance. And this is true for you, too. I've also had
     some luck (fortune, good timing, etc.), and will have some again.

     I see all jobs as learning experiences. But what I'm learning
     for is to have a good life -- not to have a good job. This is
     the advice I mean to pass on to those of you just starting out.
     I wish you good luck because I know you will get it.

     Emmy
     emmy_aricioglu -at- hp -dot- com


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