---[SECOND UPDATE 3/14/09]---
This actually happened yesterday (Friday), I'm posting about it now. So on the interview night (Wednesday), I felt so down from assuming that I butchered it (PM telling me flat out I'm not technical enough), my GF took me out to dinner and drinks. It was that bad. I actually went out after making this OP.
Well, on Friday during lunch, I got a voicemail + email from the company's staffing consultant mere TWO days from the interview. The email reads:=
Hi Clair de Lune,
Dan xxxxx (director) was very pleased to meet you and we would like to setup a time for you to talk with Andy xxxxx, the hiring manager for this role. Can you please send me some days and times you are available for a 30 minute phone call?
When I got this voicemail, I literally yelled out a BIG SCREAM! Oh man. I even got so nervous with butterflies, I felt like throwing up at my coworker.
I guess it paid off to keep composure for other interviewers after the first PM pretty much told me off. Turns out the key decision maker is actually the director whom I rather did quite okay with. I remember mentioning about the company's merger and he even asked me how much I made and how I was within the position's range.
I was so blinded from the first interviewer's heartbreak, I totally dismissed other aspects where I apparently did far better than imagined.
So I called the consultant back to be interviewed with Andy on coming Monday at 12:30pm.
I don't know what stage I am in. I THINK the director liked me so he wants me to talk directly with my would-be boss, Andy (i.e. hiring manager). I may be already in the bag.... OR I'm merely on the next round with other candidates... WHO KNOWS.
The HR rep during the interview did tell me this was rather quick to make an offer immediately or reject right after the one-time interview...
We'll all find out on COMING MONDAY.... WISH ME LUCK!!!
---[UPDATE 3/11/09]---
I just got back. It was 5:30-8pm. It was a legit open-house style interview where I saw about 15 candidates show up, much smaller than I expected.
They gave me a folder with bunch of paperwork and open positions. I saw a whopping 25 positions open, out of two open nights. And tonight had 15 people. However my position showed only 1 slot. Great.
In the big cascading lecture room, CIO gave us a 20-min presentation of the company. Then they set up tables in the cafeteria where you would be having FOUR sessions of interviews. It was all bit silly. Even my first interviewer joked that it's kind of like speed dating.
I interviewed with 2 PMs (my would-be peers), Systems Architect & Director. Man, from the get-go, the first PM told me while my PM experience is excellent, it's simply not technical enough for this position. He paused, and sighed greatly as he said this, followed by a very awkward good-bye.
Great, 3 more to go and my spirit was already beaten the shit out of me. Why did you guys bring me in anyway? You saw my full resume. I had to hold my head up high.
The next I /met the director. He gave me more conceptual questions and I think answered them well. I think it ended with the positive side.
The third was a systems architect. Now, he and I got along GREAT. There was the connection I felt and he even said I answered Qs very well. We laughed, and talked about more personal things etc. Then I found out, he was an impromptu interviewer while he was visiting this branch. This means, he's not a key decision maker. Ugh.
The fourth was another PM. It went bit mediocre, and by this time, you could tell he was exhausted. It ended only on an okay note.
I drove home bit depressed. It's obvious I didn't get it. The two key decision makers (the peer PMs) weren't so hot with me and even looked much older than me (mid 30s). I don't think I'd fit in with this position.
They said they'd let me know early next week. I have a dumb tendency to get my hopes up despite how bad it is. I'm not holding my breath.
------[ORIGINAL POST 3/5/09]--------
A recruiter called me and did a questionnaire on behalf of the employer.
I apparently passed it and she says the next step is to attend the company open house.
The open house is held by ONE company and is invitation-only. It'll be held over two nights of 3 hours each. Recruiter says it's a massive hiring fest where they're looking to fill 40 positions. WTF? I"m expected to see about 150 people attend.
I will be having (3) 20-minute interviews with 3 different hiring managers, also VPs & uppermgmt will be there.
So it seems legit. I've just never heard of this kind of format done by ONE company.
Wish me luck! I guess the good thing through a recruiter is you know what the pay is up front. If I get it, it'll be 70k-80k!
This actually happened yesterday (Friday), I'm posting about it now. So on the interview night (Wednesday), I felt so down from assuming that I butchered it (PM telling me flat out I'm not technical enough), my GF took me out to dinner and drinks. It was that bad. I actually went out after making this OP.
Well, on Friday during lunch, I got a voicemail + email from the company's staffing consultant mere TWO days from the interview. The email reads:=
Hi Clair de Lune,
Dan xxxxx (director) was very pleased to meet you and we would like to setup a time for you to talk with Andy xxxxx, the hiring manager for this role. Can you please send me some days and times you are available for a 30 minute phone call?
When I got this voicemail, I literally yelled out a BIG SCREAM! Oh man. I even got so nervous with butterflies, I felt like throwing up at my coworker.
I guess it paid off to keep composure for other interviewers after the first PM pretty much told me off. Turns out the key decision maker is actually the director whom I rather did quite okay with. I remember mentioning about the company's merger and he even asked me how much I made and how I was within the position's range.
I was so blinded from the first interviewer's heartbreak, I totally dismissed other aspects where I apparently did far better than imagined.
So I called the consultant back to be interviewed with Andy on coming Monday at 12:30pm.
I don't know what stage I am in. I THINK the director liked me so he wants me to talk directly with my would-be boss, Andy (i.e. hiring manager). I may be already in the bag.... OR I'm merely on the next round with other candidates... WHO KNOWS.
The HR rep during the interview did tell me this was rather quick to make an offer immediately or reject right after the one-time interview...
We'll all find out on COMING MONDAY.... WISH ME LUCK!!!
---[UPDATE 3/11/09]---
I just got back. It was 5:30-8pm. It was a legit open-house style interview where I saw about 15 candidates show up, much smaller than I expected.
They gave me a folder with bunch of paperwork and open positions. I saw a whopping 25 positions open, out of two open nights. And tonight had 15 people. However my position showed only 1 slot. Great.
In the big cascading lecture room, CIO gave us a 20-min presentation of the company. Then they set up tables in the cafeteria where you would be having FOUR sessions of interviews. It was all bit silly. Even my first interviewer joked that it's kind of like speed dating.
I interviewed with 2 PMs (my would-be peers), Systems Architect & Director. Man, from the get-go, the first PM told me while my PM experience is excellent, it's simply not technical enough for this position. He paused, and sighed greatly as he said this, followed by a very awkward good-bye.
Great, 3 more to go and my spirit was already beaten the shit out of me. Why did you guys bring me in anyway? You saw my full resume. I had to hold my head up high.
The next I /met the director. He gave me more conceptual questions and I think answered them well. I think it ended with the positive side.
The third was a systems architect. Now, he and I got along GREAT. There was the connection I felt and he even said I answered Qs very well. We laughed, and talked about more personal things etc. Then I found out, he was an impromptu interviewer while he was visiting this branch. This means, he's not a key decision maker. Ugh.
The fourth was another PM. It went bit mediocre, and by this time, you could tell he was exhausted. It ended only on an okay note.
I drove home bit depressed. It's obvious I didn't get it. The two key decision makers (the peer PMs) weren't so hot with me and even looked much older than me (mid 30s). I don't think I'd fit in with this position.
They said they'd let me know early next week. I have a dumb tendency to get my hopes up despite how bad it is. I'm not holding my breath.
------[ORIGINAL POST 3/5/09]--------
A recruiter called me and did a questionnaire on behalf of the employer.
I apparently passed it and she says the next step is to attend the company open house.
The open house is held by ONE company and is invitation-only. It'll be held over two nights of 3 hours each. Recruiter says it's a massive hiring fest where they're looking to fill 40 positions. WTF? I"m expected to see about 150 people attend.
I will be having (3) 20-minute interviews with 3 different hiring managers, also VPs & uppermgmt will be there.
So it seems legit. I've just never heard of this kind of format done by ONE company.
Wish me luck! I guess the good thing through a recruiter is you know what the pay is up front. If I get it, it'll be 70k-80k!
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