Hi guys,
I'm new to the forum so I hope i'm not breaking any rules.
I recently graduated with a Bachelor's degree in computer information systems but I also have 3 years of IT experience under my belt, two of which are mainly in the Unix environment.
I recently got a call to interview for a Unix Sysadmin job and even though I know my stuff and the company seem to be very interested (3 phone interviews in one day), i'm still very nervous. It's the biggest interview i've ever had and the company is HUGE (hires the best of the best), which isn't helping my confidence.
So, I need help from the sysadmins on here. How should I prep for this interview? Will I be asked a million technical question? How long should I expect this interview to last (I will be interviewed by the director, then the manager)? Any advise at all on how to prep for this job?
No one can predict how long the interview will be or how many tech questions you will be asked. Since you know your stuff and the company seems very interested, you need to calm down. You don't help yourself by freaking out. Get some sleep before the interview so you go in rested. If you get the job, great. If not there are other jobs. Don't try to cram any new tech knowledge. But lookup the company on the internet and learn what you can about them.
#!/bin/ksh
Perderabo is bang on. You have to come across relaxed, confident and informed.
Typically the first in-person interview is personality based. They want to find out if you work well with others and are reliable..etc.. The technical stuff is important but not as impartant as your attitude. They usually have different folks visit you during the interview. The director doesn't need to hear technical babble, he/she wants to know that you will fit in with the gang. If a lead/principal engineeer(the managers favourite engineer) comes in for a chat, then the technical babble is more important. This person will have a lot of say about your hiring.
I always pull out the old balancing act spew during an interview. The interview usually leads to how you feel about your needs vs. the companies. This is when you bring it a step further and relay the importance of how your needs, the company needs, AND the customers needs are intertwined - kind of a 3-sided balancing act. They love to hear this.
They always want an exapmle of something you have done/achieved that stood out. Again, the old 3-way balancing act mixed with a little BS about your past acomplishemnt in a particular situation. (i.e. called on a Sunday and went to the office to solve a major customer issue....