My First IT job interview

[Jimboy]

Hi Guys, 

 

I had my first IT related job interview today and it went horrifically wrong and I don't know whats wrong with me. I've studied IT in school and college and have achieved good qualifications in both, I've built more PC's than I've got fingers and toes and more importantly I watch the WAN show every week! I basically surround my life around tech because I love it. 

 

I had a test to do before the actual interview, it was a multiple question test with standard IT questions on it, I'm not sure what happened but for some reason my mind went blank until I handed in the test and realised that I had made some serious, obvious mistakes. I know the answers to these questions but for some reason I put the incorrect answers down. 

 

For example:

 

1mb is...

 

A. 1000 bytes

B. 1024 killobytes 

C. The amount of ram every computer has. 

 

I know the answer is B but for some reason I put A, while laughing at option C in my head. 

 

I also made a very stupid mistake when choosing an option which best describes what an IP address is.

 

 

 

I guess my question to you guys is, do you guys think I should give up on the idea of getting a job in IT ?, it has been 6 years from when I finished College and this is my first IT job interview. Or do you guys have any advice for me in regards to finding a job in IT or advice for IT related job interviews?

 

 

I kinda feeling a bit angry with myself right now, so please be kind with replys 

 

 

Jimboy

[Panda of the Shadow]

You shouldn't give up only because you screwed up one time. 

[Vitalius]

It sounds like you have test anxiety. Not the "Oh God, I'm going to fail." kind, but the "Lol what is this. I don't even..." kind. 

No, I don't think you should give up. I think you should just tell them the truth. Ask to retake the test (with different but similar questions preferably). 

See, I had that issue too. Back when I was even more antisocial than I am now. Any time I am asked to talk to strangers, I can't think. My mind draws a blank until I'm back in familiar territory. 

Also, just an FYI, the right answer wasn't available, so that was a trick question. 

1 Megabyte is 1000 Kilobytes. 1 Mebibyte is 1024 Kilobytes. 

Windows calls Mebibytes Megabytes though, and it's wrong. It's just never been fixed. 

The fact you had that question with those answers is a bit sad to be honest.

[nsyedhasan]

[Osmium]

Who the hell would hire someone based on whether they know a MB is 1024 or 1000?

 

Anyway don't give up. You know the answers and the fact you know that is what matters. You can do whatever it is they would gave given you so just keep that in mind when you apply next time. 

[Denned]

What kind of job was that? It sounds extremely weird the way you were interviewed?

[3DDude]

You should change your avatar first

and Second It is important to go on another interview (another company of course)

 

Also be sure to tell you are a junior -> If you dont know how to resolve a problem -> you will ask your colleague.

It is important to tell the person who's giving you a job (your to be employer)
That you are not there to 'create issues / problems' but to resolve them.

 

Also be sure to tell them your somewhat ambitious and want further education to develop yourself in your career path and all that .

 

The last thing is a personal thing:

Your personality -> Do you always say "yes" to someone? Or are you critical?

They dont want someone that agrees with them ALL THE TIME.

And they dont want someone that disagrees with them all the time.

 

Be sure to tell you are trying to find a reasonable balance between these things

[helping]

Sounds rough

 

You just need to calm down with the nervousness. This might not work for everyone, but have you considered a very small shot of alcohol and a breath mint? Usually helps me get over most social anxiety 

[Panda of the Shadow]

Who the hell would hire someone based on whether they know a MB is 1024 or 1000?

 

Anyway don't give up. You know the answers and the fact you know that is what matters. You can do whatever it is they would gave given you so just keep that in mind when you apply next time. 

It's probably some kind of an elimiantion test. Just to elimante the ones that know nothing. (And or the ones that have a black out) 

[renz62]

damn, I hate those kinds of test anxieties. I'm a college student that's studying IT and I also get those crazy anxieties on simulated job interviews. Scares the shit out of me especially if I know what to say but you keep forgetting them.

[Jimboy]

Sounds rough

 

You just need to calm down with the nervousness. This might not work for everyone, but have you considered a very small shot of alcohol and a breath mint? Usually helps me get over most social anxiety 

 

Haven't had a drink in years. My flat mates would go out drinking while me and my friends would stay at home and set up a 4 wan lan party playing total annihilation.

 

 

In regards to the job, it was an IT help desk / PC repair job for the council, servicing schools and colleges. I really basic IT job but I saw it as my way into the IT industry. 

 

 

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[Nrøjbrot]

Well, if you really want to work with it and know your IT stuff, don't give up!

[Nallown]

Dude, don't give up. Just because you failed once doesn't mean that you'll always fail. I'm pretty sure that not everywhere they take a test before letting you into the interview for example I managed to get a job as a web dev without taking a test or any qualifications relating IT. I got in because of my self taught experience and since you even got the qualifications this means that more then likely you should be able to prove your experience easier.

[Jimboy]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I think I did panic at the interview or I had a brain fart, one of the two. 

 

As weird as it might sound, my dream job would be building systems all day every day. Building custom computers, I took photo's of my PC to make a build log on the forum but due to unforeseen bills I only had the pc for 3 months before I had to sell it and never got around to making the post.

 

I guess I'll keep going for the IT jobs, thanks again guys

[Vitalius]

Thanks for the advice everyone, I think I did panic at the interview or I had a brain fart, one of the two. 

 

As weird as it might sound, my dream job would be building systems all day every day. Building custom computers, I took photo's of my PC to make a build log on the forum but due to unforeseen bills I only had the pc for 3 months before I had to sell it and never got around to making the post.

 

I guess I'll keep going for the IT jobs, thanks again guys

Please tell me you know about Singularity Computers. 

He lives your dream job. So I'd imagine it'd be fun watching his videos. 

[Jimboy]

Please tell me you know about Singularity Computers. 

He lives your dream job. So I'd imagine it'd be fun watching his videos. 

 

Yeah I know about Singularity Computers, I'd love to be able to do that for myself but generating enough cash to get going would be hard. But more to the point, how many computers would I have to sell to have a livable wage. I would assume that boutique sellers still work on rather small margins.

   

[Vitalius]

Yeah I know about Singularity Computers, I'd love to be able to do that for myself but generating enough cash to get going would be hard. But more to the point, how many computers would I have to sell to have a livable wage. I would assume that boutique sellers still work on rather small margins.  

 

Probably. I'm sure the Youtube money helps a little bit.

[DLM_012]

Dude don't sweat it. A lot of cert tests ask useless questions tbh. I took a practice A+ exam and it asks 5-10 in-depth questions about printers. Not once have I seen an IT person at my job screw around with printers outside of occasionally fixing connectivity problems in a domain or replacing toner. These tests evaluate your book smarts. If it makes you feel any better, I can guarantee you a lot of people who are good at what they do have learned from experience in a hands on environment, not from retaining words and terms in their heads from a textbook. 

 

Keep working hard at it. Some employers prefer raw talent over your raw knowledge. I do recommend finding a middle ground between the two. You can understand how to build and fix a computer without in depth-technical knowledge but knowing those things gives you a better understanding of the bigger picture.

[Altecice]

Well... if you wanted to go all tech on them. 

 

What you said WAS correct 1 kilobyte is 1000 bytes. its a misconception that's its 1024. so you where correct!

 

the fact is the question was not specific enough. 1KB could have stood for kilobyte or kibibyte.

(assuming you are counting it from decimal and not binary... yet again question isint specific enough)

 

1 kilobyte = 1000

1 kibibyte = 1024

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibibyte

 

@Jimboy

[Jimboy]

do you think linus would give me a job if I moved to Canada? I'm completely open to being fired and abused on a daily basis. 

 

Also @Altecice the question was 1 megabyte is:

 

Misconceptions aside I'm still trying to get around my head why I went into meltdown mode. 

[Vitalius]

-snip-

1mb is...

 

A. 1000 bytes

B. 1024 killobytes 

C. The amount of ram every computer has.

Also, just an FYI, the right answer wasn't available, so that was a trick question. 

1 Megabyte is 1000 Kilobytes. 1 Mebibyte is 1024 Kilobytes. 

Windows calls Mebibytes Megabytes though, and it's wrong. It's just never been fixed.

do you think linus would give me a job if I moved to Canada? I'm completely open to being fired and abused on a daily basis. 

 

Also Altecice the question was 1 megabyte is:

 

Misconceptions aside I'm still trying to get around my head why I went into meltdown mode.

Ninja...

Maybe. Depends what you'd be good for . 

You were probably nervous. Most people are when applying for their first "real" job.

[Jimboy]

Ninja...

Maybe. Depends what you'd be good for . 

You were probably nervous. Most people are when applying for their first "real" job.

 

I'm good for making coffee and building pc's while linus hurls abuse at me.

 

I shouldn't have been nervous being that this wasn't my first "real" job. my last job was running a printing company with my stepdad, we were both franchisee owners from jan to nov last year but we ran out of money personally and couldn't afford to pay our self's more money so we were forced to shut down the business. Its kinda ironic that I used to conduct the interviews in the business.