what are they going to ask? Technical stuff too? This is my first interview. I applyed for programming/testing (an informal mail) so have no idea even about topics we are going to speak.

Thanks

It's common for the first phone screen to be a non-technical one with an HR rep. They'll briefly discuss your interests, background, skills, salary requirements, and availability. The primary purpose is to weed out the people who are utterly unqualified for the position.

A technical phone screen is generally rapid-fire questions -- what's the size of a 'double', how does virtual function binding work, what's the cross product, that sort of thing. It's likewise a method for weeding out unqualified people before the real interview, in particular the ones who lied to the HR rep about their skills. Fairly basic stuff, mostly. If there's something you don't know the answer to, say what you can, but don't dwell on it by audibly agonizing about the tip of your tongue.

what are they going to ask? Technical stuff too? This is my first interview. I applyed for programming/testing (an informal mail) so have no idea even about topics we are going to speak.

Pretty much any question is fair game.

(Well, any legal question is fair game. There are questions they cannot ask by law, such as age or marital status or citizenship status, etc. They shouldn't ask those.)


Always remember that the hiring process is EXCLUSIONARY, they are not trying to look for good things. They are trying to find reasons to get you out of the applicant pool.

What they are really hoping will happen is that you blatantly tell them you are a bad hire, or that you will show them something awesome.


They will likely ask about your background (education, work experience, projects) and clarify things on your resume or application. This is often part of small talk. It is also for simple verification, habit, and to listen to how you react to simple conversation. Some people get defensive at that, "why don't you just look at the resume I sent you?!", which by itself shows some bad traits.

They will probably ask if you have experience with certain technologies. ("You say you worked with Direct3D. Tell me exactly what you did.") They will probably ask follow-up questions to drill down to your level of knowledge. ("What specific challenges did you have? How did you deal with the problem of x?") This will probably include some other small-talk questions ("Do you prefer right-handed or left-handed coordinate systems? Why, or why do you have no preference?")

They will probably ask about things they are considering for your role. ("Have you ever implemented an AI system? Describe it.") ("Have you ever implemented a resource compiler? Describe it.") They want to know if you will fill their need.

They will probably ask a few technical questions to see your reasoning skill. ("How would you do x?") They want to know if you can do any work they throw at you, and if you can think on your feet.

They will probably ask some simple programming questions, and ask for a code sample. They want find out if you actually know how to program.

They may ask many more traditional interview questions that you can find on your favorite search engine.

They may ask you to come in for an additional interview, which is a good thing for you.






All an employer wants to know can be distilled to two simple questions:

Will you do the job well?
Will you fit in?

That's it. That encompasses every question they ask. It includes everything from the first impression about the way you speak and dress, to the way you carry yourself, to the answers to intricate problem-solving questions. That is all they want to know. If the answer to both is a strong 'yes' then you will make the 'hire' pile.

At the same time, you should be discovering two similar questions:

Will I be able to do the job well? (That includes questions like 'do I understand the job description?', 'why are they looking for workers?', and 'how is performance measured?' )
Will this environment suit me well? (That includes details like 'is this something I am passionate about?', and 'what is the work-life balance?')

That's it. You need to find out if the company is a good match for you. If you get three or four different job offers, you need to be able to compare them all.

Keep those simple questions in mind during interviews and you will do fine.

Thanks to both of you for your reply. I can be asked abou everything ok.

Sometime you say an applicant can be asked for more technical stuff on topics about the position the applied for. This of course sounds logical. The problem is i don't khnow what position i applied for Can sound wired but that's the fact.

As programmer and gamer i feel i can enjoy both programming and testing roles if the enviroment and working team are good.

This assumes you're talking about a phone screen (used to thin out the number of candidates who are scheduled interviews) not an actual interview by phone (which tends to be rare unless you're a remote worker or moving and as such aren't local to the interviewers).

Just to clarify, ehe interview will be a phone interview as i am not local to 'em.

So what did you exactly apply to?
What was their actual reply when they wanted to schedule the interview?

Well i have been told the ppl i am going to speak. Looked for em' on the web... it's a programming position.

Always remember that the hiring process is EXCLUSIONARY, they are not trying to look for good things. They are trying to find reasons to get you out of the applicant pool.

This x2.

Just make sure you're awake and alert for the interview. I would suggest shaving and dressing in decent clothes even for a phone interview as it helps prepare you to be in the right frame of mind.

Make sure you have everything regarding your application handy. There will be questions about your resume and cover letter.

Try to answer or call in on a land-line. Dropped calls or static won't help your case.

Have a pencil and notepad nearby and try to get the names and correct spelling of people before hand. If you're unsure then ask! You don't want to be flubbing up people's names.

Finally, keep the computer far away. It's pretty obvious that someone is trying to google stuff during phone interview.

Good luck.

Well i did it. It was for a junior tool programmer position.