This month of June has been a blessing. Not only did I get an interview for a web development career position in Orlando, FL but I also made it through the first round of interviews. I was invited back for a 2nd interview. This is all good news. In this post, I am going to talk about my experience with my latest job interview. Let me start by saying that, in the past, I had been through a few other recruiting companies. So I was well prepared for this interview. So lets go over some points.

• knowing your worth: annual salary

            Do you know what you are worth? maybe? maybe not? Well, you should known your numbers. My advice to you is not to go looking for work when you don’t know your worth. Do you have a Bachelors Degree but no experience? Well, that is what you are worth. At least for now. With a Bachelors Degree and no experience at hands, ask for no less than 45k after taxes. If you have a Bachelors Degree and years of experience then do NOT settle for less than 75k. If you only have experience but your experience is extensive then settle for no less than 60k. If you are an intermediate like me with just an Associates Degree then settle for no less than 50k. That is your worth. Don’t go asking for 80k or 90k when you are not worth that much. Remember, if you claim to be a senior upfront, that’s how you will be seen in the company. Be prepared for some fire when you bottleneck. People who possess important certifications like the: Zend PHP, MySQL and PayPal certifications can ask for close to 70k. The more education you have, the more credentials you get to prove your worth.

• having a good & reliable recruiter is key
  

            Your recruiter is your first contact. That’s the person who will represent you in your job endeavor. So do your research and make sure that you hire a recruiter that you know is professional, respectful and has work ethics. Think of it as if you were hiring a lawyer for a civil/criminal case. Would hire a bad lawyer? Only if you didn’t know better. The same line of thought applies for recruiters. You, the programmer, must do your research and make sure to hire the right person to represent you. Indeed, a professional recruiter will have time to call you often to discuss the position while being courteous. A good recruiter won’t give you excuses like “I am not at my desk, I don’t have your information” or “Call me tomorrow and we will talk”. Those are red flags. That is not professional. A good recruiter will go straight to the point. Do not settle for just any recruiter. Remember, you wouldn’t settle for just about any lawyer. A good recruiter e-mails you back and forth to make sure that you have all the information you need way before the 1st interview. Now, get this, the BEST recruiter will actually tell you the company name. There is no reason to withhold that information because sooner or later you will have to know the company name anyways. Some recruiters choose not to reveal that info until you sign paperwork. Oh well, what is the problem with doing that? How do you know that the company in which you are about to be interviewed is not a scam? How do you know that it is legit? How do you know if that company is what you are looking for? The only way is to Google it and find out everything that you can about the company. Your time is valuable and you need to make sure that a recruiter values it. You are not begging for a job, you are looking for the ideal fit. Also, make sure to be comfortable with your recruiter. That’s the person who will assist you for the next 6-months probation period in which you are hired through the recruiting company not the actual company that you work for. If anything happens, you have to be comfortable to talk to your recruiter.

• your resume

           Your resume MUST NOT contain any lies or exaggerations. You don’t have to list all the companies that you worked for in the past. You can not make up information. Your resume is sort of like a Diploma. You can not fake it. If you do, a simple “background check” will catch any inconsistencies. If you have done side work then make sure to be clear. Your resume is you. Be real! Be original! Be yourself! If you have any questions, ask your recruiter. They are equipped to help you came up with the best looking resume possible. I went a step further and built my own personal website. On my website(http://www.ravigehlot.com/), recruiters can even log in and see an interactive resume with links. From that member section, they can download my most up-to-date resume. I built that site to e-mail me whenever a recruiter signs in. That way I keep track of whom is downloading my resume. I also have this blog(http://www.ravigehlot.net/).

• do your homework

           Got company-name? Google it. Your job is to find out everything and anything that you can about the company in question. You plan to spend your next couple of years working for that company; so make sure that it is what you want. Google is your best friend. If the company has any negative reviews, you will come across it ONLINE. Watch out for companies that are scam. They do exist. A good honest recruiter knows the company they work with. This is where choosing a good recruiter can benefit you on the long run. Do your job, avoid being part of a disaster. Once you know that the company is legit, find out if what they do interests you. Remember, you will spend 40 to 50 week hours working for that company. Do not set yourself up for failure. Make sure that you like what they do.

• be prepared: 1st interview

           Your recruiter found you a good paying job. You have already agreed on the annual salary rate and you know that the company is legit. Now you are up against your first interview. My advice to you is BE PREPARED. If you know that your job interview is in 2 days then make sure to follow up with your recruiter immediately. If your recruiter has not sent you detailed instructions then ask for it as soon as possible. You should have a full job description along with other important information like the interviewer’s location and name. Make sure to be at the location 1 hour prior to your interview. I mean, you should always have 1 hour to work any unanticipated events like heavy traffic, blown tire and etc. You must look and feel your best. So make sure that you dress professionally and that you feel comfortable. Be confident. You are trying to score a job but you aren’t meeting the President. You are meeting an ordinary person like you. There is absolutely no reason to be nervous. Make eye contact.

• thank you letter

          If you made it through the first round of interviews then make sure to take time to thank your interviewer. They will appreciate your acknowledgment. Ask your recruiter to send a thank you letter.

Ravi.