chidyhels: I was drilled for over an hour for an entry level admin job, they made me come to their office about 5 times just for almost no reason, I travel over an hour to get to their office all these times. Only for the dude to tell me the pay was 20k. Some HR are just heartless. I didn't blame him shaa, na only me waka come.

richarts:


Trust me I was surprised myself to see workforce conducting the test. If you notice the method workforce is using for this test is kinda different. Have you watched the video they sent out to applicants? This is a new method exclusively for UAC maybe they will adopt it for others. But the test should be expected to be different. Too many recycled questions nowadays.

However GRE will always prepare you for whatever test it is you want to do. I do not have the soft copy. Just hard copy which I was lucky to lay hands on then.

EmmyDe25: Lemme relay mine.... After i finished NYSC in february... got a couple of invites which i ended up turning down, reason being that i considered them not too good enough and in order not to block the real deal i just let them go.
To my real interview experience , I got a test invite from a media agency a couple of months back. Getting to the test venue i started seeing people coming out of their various cars, well dressed in suit. I got a lil nervous but i told myself all these things dont matter. Funny enough, Out of all those zillions of people who came for the test only 18 were invited for the second stage - which was a presentation.
I was to present the topic, " The future of traditional media amidst new media onslaught". When i got to the venue and saw the other guys well dressed as always. I just said to myself "Nawa o, these guys no go kill person" being that i was just wearing a shirt and a pant. Although i wasn't perturbed.
The real deal started and a host of them went in and came back relaying how tough the presentation was, especially the questioning segment, where the panel will bombard you with questions you'll be looking up to high heaven to get answers.
Got to my turn, after the instructions were read out, i was given the floor. I started with the Marcus Cicero assertion of every word beginning with a definition blah blah....... before i delved into the subject. In talking about New media, i made mention of how Justin Bieber became who he is today, talked about the Arab spring, and of course how David Moyes got to know about his impending sack 24hours in the social media before he was officially sacked by the club chief executive Ed Woodward. I capped it all with the Roger Fidler Mediamorphosis theory of how Traditional and the new media have been co-evolving and co-existing.
After i rounded-off, the panel started clapping for me and a man was bold enough to say that he's not going to bore me with any question that all he has to say is; i am already in the next round. One said, he's so proud of me, that i simply reminded him of his younger self.
Conclusively, was called up for the final round of the interview with the GMD and some other top notch guys in the coy. After all said and done, i had my medicals early last month and it was good to know that out of the 3 peeps eventually employed; i came out as the overwhelming best candidate. I have since resumed work.
The real lesson is: Try as much as possible to know something about everything and everything about something. This has always work for me.

Inosenduatall: Hey guys, I've seen quite a number of job interview experience threads in the annals of the Job Section of Nairaland and I thought to myself, "why not start a fresh one? A 2014 and beyond thread." With so many Job postings and shortlistings and invites here and there I think we will have quite a number of stories to share.

I will go first.

So I got a call to come for an interview at a major media firm on the Island in Lagos the next day. It was a surprise call because I had forwarded my unsolicited CV to them and forgotten about it. I travelled very early around 6am the next day from Ife in Osun state to V.I to meet the appointment which was scheduled for 11am. I got there in record time and was blown away by the cool AC and the elevator in the premises (forgive me, i'm a bit of a bush man). We were about 20 who were called for the job and most of the guys were wearing suit and tie while the ladies were looking really sophisticated. Na only me waka come o, with long sleeved shirt on jeans with sneakers. I didn't think I needed to wear a suit, no be media industry again? I sat down, and so the wait began. I spent the hours reading the John Grisham novel I brought along with me and ignoring the rumbling in my stomach. Soon it was my turn to enter the conference room. I was faced with a panel of 5 interviewers, all big shots and famous people in the industry. I had only just finished my last paper and hadn't even done my project defense, talkless of NYSC. I began to wonder what I was doing, and whether my coming here was a big big mistake. Still, composure is everything.

"What is your work experience?" I told them, even though they each had a copy of my CV in their hands.

"What are you bringing to the table?" My wealth of experience and my unique personality for the purpose of increasing 'our' fan base and listenership and maximizing efficiency and productivity (something along those lines).

"Have you ever worked at a radio station before?" Honestly, no. But I have an independent programme that has an enviable fan base. Perhaps, I could bring the programme and its fans on your platform when I start work here.

"And who said you are going to work here?" Don't mind me sir, I'm only speaking with faith. I always prefer to see the glass as half full than half empty.

Then I was asked to present a programme on the spot for five minutes which came pretty easily to me.

Followed by tests in diction and emphatic stress in the lines of:

ARE you a he-goat?

Are YOU a he-goat?

Are you A he-goat?

Are you a HE-GOAT?

That was the tricky part but I aced that followed by many other trick questions. Another thing I employed to my advantage was my use of humour. Somehow I always found a way to make my interviewers laugh or smile which endeared me to them. When I left the conference room, one of the interviewers, a big shot in the industry whom I had always admired passively, laughed and called me an opportunist, to which I just smiled and said:

"Don't mind me sir. It's the work of the devil."

Needless to say I got called for the second stage of the interview. This is where my story stops for now. Wouldn't want it to get too lengthy but would post the subsequent part of the story as the thread progresses.

It's 2014! Our year of triumph and endless successes and unbelievable breakthroughs. Kindly state your job interview experiences here so we can enjoy your story and share in your ups and downs, as it promises to be a highly enjoyable and rewarding learning experience for everybody, myself inclusive.

Oya!

beau49: Well I guess I should share mine. A friend asked me to send my CV to him so he can help me forward it to the HR, I did but did not think about it much. Then a few weeks later I got a mail asking me to come for an interview that same week,then was I still doing my youth service and the day of the interview is the same day I was to do my monthly clearance(that is monday). So I had to call and re-schedule for another week,only for me to get another mail to come for the interview the friday of the same week. Well I had to prepare since I had already concluded my clearance but one mistake I made was not acknowledging the interview mail I received*********On the day of the interview I entered the reception and I told the lady I met I was invited for an interview at so so and so time and she asked me to have my sit and wait. Few minutes later I was feeling cold cause of the air from the Ac,coupled with the fact that I was very nervous. Long story short I was called in and I met the HR lady and she asked me 'if whenever I receive a mail I don't acknowledge them?'.....well I can't remember what my reply was but I apologised and she asked me to sit and the interview began. To say the least I did not do that well atleast but I guess I impressed her enough to get invited for the second stage of the interview which comprised of the same lady and another man.****details later***But one thing I would emphasis on is prepare very well before going for any interview.

EmmyDe25: Lemme relay mine.... After i finished NYSC in february... got a couple of invites which i ended up turning down, reason being that i considered them not too good enough and in order not to block the real deal i just let them go.
To my real interview experience , I got a test invite from a media agency a couple of months back. Getting to the test venue i started seeing people coming out of their various cars, well dressed in suit. I got a lil nervous but i told myself all these things dont matter. Funny enough, Out of all those zillions of people who came for the test only 18 were invited for the second stage - which was a presentation.
I was to present the topic, " The future of traditional media amidst new media onslaught". When i got to the venue and saw the other guys well dressed as always. I just said to myself "Nawa o, these guys no go kill person" being that i was just wearing a shirt and a pant. Although i wasn't perturbed.
The real deal started and a host of them went in and came back relaying how tough the presentation was, especially the questioning segment, where the panel will bombard you with questions you'll be looking up to high heaven to get answers.
Got to my turn, after the instructions were read out, i was given the floor. I started with the Marcus Cicero assertion of every word beginning with a definition blah blah....... before i delved into the subject. In talking about New media, i made mention of how Justin Bieber became who he is today, talked about the Arab spring, and of course how David Moyes got to know about his impending sack 24hours in the social media before he was officially sacked by the club chief executive Ed Woodward. I capped it all with the Roger Fidler Mediamorphosis theory of how Traditional and the new media have been co-evolving and co-existing.
After i rounded-off, the panel started clapping for me and a man was bold enough to say that he's not going to bore me with any question that all he has to say is; i am already in the next round. One said, he's so proud of me, that i simply reminded him of his younger self.
Conclusively, was called up for the final round of the interview with the GMD and some other top notch guys in the coy. After all said and done, i had my medicals early last month and it was good to know that out of the 3 peeps eventually employed; i came out as the overwhelming best candidate. I have since resumed work.
The real lesson is: Try as much as possible to know something about everything and everything about something. This has always work for me.

Jenams: talk is cheap! How much do u hav?#nonsense.pride

skillet: I have never and will never work for any man. Thus, i have never been interviewed. Am an ALREADY MADE man.

GoldenDr: To me not having a job means that the only job i have is to get a job, so in looking for a job, putting to use all resources at my disposal is the way. From job sites, to personally dropping off resume in offices, sending unsolicited applications and using friends and family and yes it worked in the space of four months i wrote over 12 tests and with it attended about 10 interviews.
For my current job, i could not remember when i applied; I guess it was one of those unsolicited mails i sent out. I passed the test, but i was not called, so i called them and asked whassup, the funny part is they had forgotten about me. Well after a week i was called for an interview, answered the only way i could, I was so real at a time i even told the guy how i messed up in many interviews and with laughs he told me, 'you are such an unserious boy'. Well in the end i got the job and yeah it’s a great job, crazy opportunities to learn.
My advice to those still in the hunt, put in all you can to get a job, it is never too much, work on your resume and as much as it is possible keep your mind sharp.
As for interviews, be yourself, interviewers can spot it when u r faking it. Read all u can about the company and the role, but don't over memorize it will put u under pressure. Be current, smile and don’t be scared to make mistakes.
All the best.

cc150615:
Sorry this thread is for ppl who have attended interviews so do the needful if I think u have news!

skillet: How many ppl who have come here to say they are self employed have you quoted and replied this nonsense? Jelousy is the root of hatred. And money is the root of all jelousy. Keep beefin.

cc150615:
Na only u I see o. Btw I have no reason to hate you Cos there's no proof that you're better than me,Sorry if that hurts u buh.... dooor!

chidyhels: I was drilled for over an hour for an entry level admin job, they made me come to their office about 5 times just for almost no reason, I travel over an hour to get to their office all these times. Only for the dude to tell me the pay was 20k. Some HR are just heartless. I didn't blame him shaa, na only me waka come.

booqee: pls mods let this thread reach front page! We're enjoying it! Btw I gat to learn one or two things..twill be helpful.

obinoscopy, adewasco2k, 1forall or whoever is the current job section mod pls do the needful.

mezebel: u really deserve to b given online military slap... What was d questions they asked u and ur reply...olodo

nabsprada: #Following...no experience yet,will be back to share real soon#

singlefade25: u got me cracking o

abdulslutsky: Aptitude test is part of interview process. I've had my fair share of experiences with aptitude test. I guess what is being talked about here is oral interview. Hmmm. After series of regret mail from aptitude tests, I managed to scale through the test conducted by one of the big 4 audit firms. I was very happy and overjoyed like I just won a million dollar. Waited for 4 months before I was called for interview/AC. The interview day came and hopes were high. As I wore my suit, I dey see myself as one of the big 4 guys. Quickly, I dashed out of my friend's house and boarded a bus going down to island because the interview was scheduled for 12. The joy of attending interview filled my heart(as per my first time now), I was not even nervous or fidgety. This euphoria made me to miss the way to the venue(just dey waka about one area for VI). I got to the interview venue late amidst sweat and dirty shoes. One beautiful lady directed me to where my fellow interviewees were. On getting there they were all like 'good afternoon'. I responded, as per OAU "aro" boy, I asked them if they were all for the interview of which they responded in the affirmative. Na so I just say "follow me". Oh menh con see as dem respond shaperly .I withdrew and they all laughed. I really got them and it sent a relief of tension into the air. The interview proper. I was interviewed by a four man panel. The interview was going well until one devil asked about my project. Project! I exclaimed. He said yes, na so I just burst into laughter. One lady asked what's funny. "Nothing", I said. I discussed the project ( by lying in some areas though). This devil just caught me red handed in my regression analysis and how those variables fits into the regression. I just dey say "ahm ahm ahm" they caught me( I didn't read it).I never knew the motherf**ker studied econs. Na so the dream of joining that big four end o. Got the regret mail on my way home. Moral. Read your project before any interview.