jsync | Java Staffing Specialist

Interviewing the Company

05/25/2005

by Dave Fecak

Generally, people look at interviews as a way for a candidate to impress a potential employer. In this edition of Recruiter’s Corner, we are going to flip that around…

Let’s face it – we are still in a buyer’s market. Based on supply and demand for Java talent, employers still have at least a slight upper hand over job seekers. The market is certainly improving, but we are still somewhat at the mercy of an economy that has driven the demand down, taking salaries/rates and the number of available positions down with it. Competition for open jobs is fierce, but the competition for the best talent is just as intense.

An interview is not only a chance for you to wow a potential new employer, but also as a chance for the employer to wow you. When given the opportunity to go inside the company’s offices, it is easy for a trained eye to pick up various characteristics of the firm’s environment, work practices, self image, and even financial state – all important factors when choosing a job.

When you first walk in the door to an interview, take a quick look around the lobby and entrance area. First impressions are important and all companies are aware of that, so pay some mind to what you and all other visitors to the firm will encounter at the gate. Were you greeted somewhat promptly? How ‘professional’ does this company appear to visitors? Most companies will place awards and noteworthy newspaper clippings near the front door, and you should try to notice the dates on these as well. If all of the company’s awards and accolades are from the 80’s, we could be interviewing with a company with a bright past and perhaps a not-so-bright future.

Once you get deeper inside the offices, take notice of what kind of image they portray. Art work and other decorations in the office can often give you some sense of what their culture is or of what they want it to be. Is it an open environment with a floor plan that seems to encourage collaboration or are the developers chained to their desks and locked away in offices? How much light is there? How much noise is there and how much interaction/conversation between employees? What seems to be the dress code? Considering that you may end up in these offices for 2000 hours per year, it certainly is worth spending the time to make sure it is a place where you will be comfortable.

During any interview you should be afforded the opportunity to ask at least a few questions about the company and people. Make the best of this time! Ask the developers how they view their manager – ask the manager how he/she views the development team. Does this seem like a team you can work with and does the manager seem reasonable? Ask everyone you meet what they like best and least about working for the company.

Pay close attention in interviews and you can avoid a nightmare job!

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