Bite of Advice: Stock up on the sustenance
Julie (the UX diva) and I were discussing some of our favorite interview tips yesterday. (Yes, recruiters have exciting conversations, don’t we?) And we realized that two of our best tips revolve around food, water, and general sustenance. So ....
The Suggestion Kitty says … Be sure to pack nutritional items for your interview adventures, especially if you expect your interview day to last more than three hours (which Microsoft interviews typically do.) Some items to pack in your bag include:
- Bottled water (with a top)
- Power bars / granola bars
- A candy bar (for that boost of energy!)
- Gatorade / Powerade (again, with a top)
At Microsoft, we provide you with all the free drinks you can consume and a free lunch … but when you are nervous, it’s difficult to predict how much you’ll actually be able to eat during an interview setting or how well you’ll deal with those pop-top cans of Coke. :)
Meow!
gretchen
7 Comments
michkap said:
Hmmmm.... can't they get water and such from the fridges in the kitchens? ;-)
(Sorry, my car-ma ran over your dog-ma! The suggestion kitty was too busy laughing about the irony to meow....)
JobsBlog said:
Yeah, we have free water ... but not bottled water. The key here is the top. It's nice to be able to take a sip, put the top back on the bottle, and throw it back in your bag. But yes, you can refill your bottle in the kitchen. :)
And since you haven't actually met the real Suggestion Kitty in person, you wouldn't know that she doesn't laugh. Oh, no. No laughing at all ... :)
The dude said:
Listen to her! I didn't bring anything with me the last time I interviewed at MS. My first interview was scheduled for 11am. I thought that it would be a lunch interview, or maybe the next one would be the lunch interview. Well, the interviewers thought the other was supposed to be the lunch interview. Long story short, I had nothing to eat the whole day and it hurt me bad. By the time I got to the last interview ~5pm I couldn't even remember my name ...
michkap said:
Ok, I stand (well, not really; you know what I mean) corrected.
Of course on my interview day I just went back to my office and picked up sustenance in the form of all of the junk food I have there. Maybe it could be advice for candidates in bldg. 24 for them to ask to see their old friend Michael? :-)
(man, am I a bad influence or what?)
Harsha said:
Hi Gretchen,
I had read about your tip of having power bars. I packed 5 of them feeling proud to be so well prepared. But guess how many bars I ate during the interview? ZERO. I was so involved in the process that I forgot all about it till my interview ended at 7:30pm.
Kind of felt stupid.
PS: I got the job and am coming over on Aug 1.
JobsBlog said:
Harsha - Congrats on the new job!! Hey - at least you were prepared. :)
Harsha said:
Gretchen - Congrats to you too on the new role which you well and truly deserved. Best of luck.