Job interview Day tommorow

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Hey guys,

I have an interview for a Junior IT support person in a school tommorow.

I'm a little concerned as it seems to be a little different from the interviews I've had in the past. Basically, when I get there, I will be given an Itinery and given a talk by the headmaster, before being given a walk around the campus. Then... its on to the interviews.

1. ) A panel interview with students

2. ) A panel itnerivew with the headmaster, business manager and an IT guy.

3. ) A panel interview with the deputy head, and a Network guy and campus manager.

Basically, it looks like it's going to be a day event, not something I'm used to. Has anyone else encountered this sort of thing before?

 

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Thats the way schools do things mate, although I've never heard of a techy getting interviewed by a panel of kids before, Teachers yes, but techys?

Usually it is a fairly easy and relaxed day, just make sure that you ask lots of questions and show that you have an interest in education, not just IT.

One of the panel interviews (prob the one with the IT Guy) will be of a technical nature to prove that you can do the job, the second will most likely be more about your personal qualities and how you fit into that type of environment.

 

Cheers Simon, thats put my mind at ease.

The campus is quite advanced with lots of Wireless, a public library and an adult education centre. The kids even get a laptop of nice palmtop issued to them.

It's the interview with the kids thats really going to throw me, I mean, I don't want to try and patronise them, yet I don't want talk in a way that could confuse them.

 

When speaking to the kids simply speak in the same way you would to a teacher, i.e. in simple terms. In a school the kids are the least of your worries!

They may ask you things about what would you do if they were playing games, why would you stop them, etc.

 

Uhm, so I guess joining in wouldn't be the right answer. Especially if it were Runescape.

 

Sorry lud cant offer any advice... but good luck tommorrow and bring back some good news!

 

Well you could say that to get a laugh, but as long as you make sure that they understand there is a time and a place for gaming!

One thing that you are bound to get asked about tomorrow though is prioritisation of work, make sure you answer this one right! for example:

You have a student comes to you saying that none of his class can get X application to work, at the same time the headteacher calls you up and says that his printer is jammed and he needs it fixing urgently. Which job takes priority?

*I will provide my answer if you want*

 

I loveeeeee those little prioritisation ones.

Where I worked before, the Business Manager didn't particularly like me as she was used to getting her own way, and used to being surrounded by yes men.

One day a whole floor lost Network conectivity (later put down to a faulty switch) and while I was working on it, I got a call from her to tell me that the shift button on her keyboard wasn't working and that I needed to 'get up here and fix it now.'

When I explained to her that I was busy and what I was busy with she became quite offensive and told me 'I'm trying to send an important E-Mail!' I couldn't help but smile when I went up there a few hours later, after I'd finally resolved the Network problem, to find she was out of the office and after checking it the shift button was working. I chucked a post it note on the PC telling her I'd checked it, and that it was all ok.

About fifteen minutes later I get an very irate woman on the phone telling me 'You didnt bother checking it as it isn't working!'. I go back to her office and stand next to her and ask her to try it. Watching, I had to stifle a laugh......'See, it's not working!' she barked. 'Uhm..........' I had to word it carefully 'Thats the Alt key............. would you like some keyboard training?'

Lets just say she didn't see the funny side of it. I think her exact words were...... 'If you'd have got up here sooner I could have sent that E-Mail!' I didnt want to point out she could have used the caps lock....

 

Oh, and the answer is..................

The printer, only if the headteacher is HOT. Otherwise it's the class everytime.

 

Good luck

 

Hey AJ,

It's basically an almost brand new School/Campus. It has a primary, a Secondary, Some adult education facilities and a Public library, all roled into the one site.

I think I was considering applying for a job with them when they opened two years ago.

I know what you mean AJ, non technically minded people have that wonderful way of doing the most damaging things and thinking they are ok. like the people that try to clear paperjams with paper clips, accidentally drop some into the printer, clear the jam, then print again.

I think the way i'd look at it is.... the kids comes first as far as priority goes, unless the conflicting need was a) a health and safety issue b) an issue that impeded more people than the issue impeding the children (assuming the issues are of rough equal improtance) C) something that is stopping an extremely important thing from happening.

 

Similar for me when i got my job as a network manager for a school back in 1999 (can you hear the little violins playing?? )

I had a practical test, written paper, interview with a technical guy and business guy then interview with the head master etc etc.

Just keep calm, show your desire to learn and state how you feel the work you do for them will be rewarding.

If the money wasn't so poor i probably wouldn't have left!!

 

We toured the school today, I Sat through the panel interviews (the one with the kids was great) and everything seemed to go very well. During each interview I felt amazingly confident, and the answers flowed.

There were 5 of us in my group, I was the oldest, being 26, and the only person to have any actual IT certs (Except for some GNVQ's).

The school itself was amazing, the whole place was configured with WAP's so that the kids could use their Dell pocket PC's anywhere in the school and connect to the network.

Anyway, I left feeling pretty confident, and was told I'd get a call in the afternoon. At about 6:30 I got a call to say that I was an outstanding candidate and he couldnt stress enough how well I had interviewed and that they had thought long and hard about it, and that it came down to three people, me being one of them. They'd decided to go with someone else because they felt I was over qualified and it would be a step back for me, and Idealy they wanted someone younger that they could mould (It was an IT Junior position).

It's a pity really, in 3 months of really hard jobsearching I've had 1 job interview.... and am told im too qualified.

Oh well, back to the drawing board.

 

Aw bugger, reading that thought you had it!

T'is good experience, though that level of interview.

Keep looking mate.

Liam

 

Hard luck lud! but how are you over qualified? I mean you got A+,N+ and 2 MCP's? did you have any experience on record?

 

ouch!

lol@zimbo. i'm sure you didn't intend to, but that sounded kinda mean to me.
anyway, for certain junior positions i can totally see how lud would already be overqualified now, or how his future certification plans don't fit the job and thus make him not the right candidate.

 

no im actually very shocked... i meant isnt that enough for a Junior position? I mean what will i need to look out for?

 

To be honest Zimbo, they took on an 18 year old who hadn't even finished studying his B-Tec, and hoped to finish it there.

I know A+, N+ and 2 MCP's aren't really much, but unfortunately in this situation, they were little and too much.

 

i think it will all depend on where the "junior position" is advertised... if the people are more IT orientated then they will have a totally diff job spec than one who isnt IT orientated...