Interviewing for a job with a close friend as your interviewer...

[ajayjuneja]

Hey everyone,

So early Nov., I will be having an interview with a *large software company* (leaving name out on purpose) and I have a very good friend (also leaving name out on purpose) who works there, and we're very close. I just found out that said friend is going to be interviewing for the position I'm applying for (Program Manager), and will be on campus then. Which basically means, she's going to be my interviewer!

Now I don't know whether to feel elated or a bit freaked out! I told her that there's a high possibility she'll be interviewing me, and she *says* she can give an objective interview, but I don't think it's humanly possible for anyone to focus entirely on what goes on during the "interview" and not all the other interactions we've had. However, most of me says to go for it, and take advantage of the fact that she already knows everything about me, rather than be stupid and ask that someone else interviews me instead. I know if I get rejected, it won't change our friendship.

Opinions please?

 

[Armitage]

Your friend should turn this into a group interview. There is nothing wrong with interviewing friends & associates. But you'll have better buy-in from the team you'll be working with if they participate in the interview process.

 

[Descartes]

I know if I get rejected, it won't change our friendship.

You sure about that?

Will you be working *with* said person? i.e. Will you be in the same department, etc.? If so, I'd be more worried about that than anything else. Making new friends whilst at work is great, but it can be difficult bringing on a friend you've long known. If something doesn't work out w/ said friend, it reflects poorly on the person who brought them on. If something doesn't work out w/ said friend, the friendship will be compromised.

However, if it's a good opportunity...... go for it.

 

[ajayjuneja]

Not a chance that she's going to be in the same dept. as me. This is just for the first round interview, after which there's a second round (site visit) with like 3-4 different departments which is the real important one. So she'll make the decision on whether I should be flown in for the second round or not. She doesn't make the final hiring decision; the groups do during the site visit.

Originally posted by: Descartes

I know if I get rejected, it won't change our friendship.

You sure about that?

Will you be working *with* said person? i.e. Will you be in the same department, etc.? If so, I'd be more worried about that than anything else. Making new friends whilst at work is great, but it can be difficult bringing on a friend you've long known. If something doesn't work out w/ said friend, it reflects poorly on the person who brought them on. If something doesn't work out w/ said friend, the friendship will be compromised.

However, if it's a good opportunity...... go for it.

 

[crypticlogin]

If this is just a campus visit, there'll probably be more than one interviewer (especially for a "large software company"). I think to avoid any problems further down the line, you should ask her to switch off with someone else if she happens to draw your name for the interview.

My $0.02.

 

[kherman]

Originally posted by: ajayjuneja
Hey everyone,

So early Nov., I will be having an interview with a *large software company* (leaving name out on purpose) and I have a very good friend (also leaving name out on purpose) who works there, and we're very close. I just found out that said friend is going to be interviewing for the position I'm applying for (Program Manager), and will be on campus then. Which basically means, she's going to be my interviewer!

Now I don't know whether to feel elated or a bit freaked out! I told her that there's a high possibility she'll be interviewing me, and she *says* she can give an objective interview, but I don't think it's humanly possible for anyone to focus entirely on what goes on during the "interview" and not all the other interactions we've had. However, most of me says to go for it, and take advantage of the fact that she already knows everything about me, rather than be stupid and ask that someone else interviews me instead. I know if I get rejected, it won't change our friendship.

Opinions please?

You are the interviewee, the interviewer, the interviewer. Treat it as a normal interview. Be serious. If you go in laugihng and cracking jokes and being unprofessional, you will not be considered for employment. On campus interviews are basically people that are note takers for the popel that make decisions. You're going to have to give her something to write about!!!

After the interview, on the interviewers lead, you can talk for a couple minutes on a friendly level. The school usually hosts the interviewers on any day to a luncheon, so don't ask to go get a bite.

BLA BLA BLA
REMEMBER: You are not to talk to a friend! You are there to get a job!

 

[Geekbabe]

That's how I got my current job.You need to reassure your friend that you appreciate the opportunity the friendship is offering you and let him know that you'll do everything possible to see to it that you reflect well on him if you are hired

 

[ajayjuneja]

Well, we actually already planned to have dinner, hang out in pittsburgh, possibly get her a speaking engagement with SWE (Society of Women Engineers) here. So I'm not really very worried about doing lunch with her. And I am planning to take this interview seriously, unlike our job fair, which I wore my propeller beanie to Pic.

You are the interviewee, the interviewer, the interviewer. Treat it as a normal interview. Be serious. If you go in laugihng and cracking jokes and being unprofessional, you will not be considered for employment. On campus interviews are basically people that are note takers for the popel that make decisions. You're going to have to give her something to write about!!!

After the interview, on the interviewers lead, you can talk for a couple minutes on a friendly level. The school usually hosts the interviewers on any day to a luncheon, so don't ask to go get a bite.

BLA BLA BLA
REMEMBER: You are not to talk to a friend! You are there to get a job!

 

[Sid59]

remember to wear something sexy for your female friend =)

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: ajayjuneja
Well, we actually already planned to have dinner, hang out in pittsburgh, possibly get her a speaking engagement with SWE (Society of Women Engineers) here. So I'm not really very worried about doing lunch with her. And I am planning to take this interview seriously, unlike our job fair, which I wore my propeller beanie to Pic.

You are the interviewee, the interviewer, the interviewer. Treat it as a normal interview. Be serious. If you go in laugihng and cracking jokes and being unprofessional, you will not be considered for employment. On campus interviews are basically people that are note takers for the popel that make decisions. You're going to have to give her something to write about!!!

After the interview, on the interviewers lead, you can talk for a couple minutes on a friendly level. The school usually hosts the interviewers on any day to a luncheon, so don't ask to go get a bite.

BLA BLA BLA
REMEMBER: You are not to talk to a friend! You are there to get a job!

And I thought I was a geek Nice hat...

I'd sure like to do some work for MS. They have a lot of great projects, but a lot of the people I know who work for them are simply grunt programmers.

 

[308nato]

If your friend works for a company that does things properly, he should not even be allowed to interview you.

 

[ScrewFace]

If the Interviewer is a good friend he/she should just give tiy the job. That's what friends are for.