Foo - First interview

My engineering instructor today told me about an internship opportunity at a machine shop. They do a lot of CNC work, a major interest of mine. So of course I am interested. I guess they are looking for juniors who "Have aptitude and are motivated to learn". I am definantly interested, I call the guy up. He starts asking me questions like
"What kind of classes are you taking, COllege prep?"
"Turning any handles?"
"Taking any industrial courses?"
All of which i was able to answer yes. So he asked that I come in tommorow, that is, Saturday Feb 11 for the aussies who are several hours different!

Okay well this will be the first interview i have been too. My last job was just one guy knowing my mother and asking if I want the job. Can folks give me some advice? Should i bring anything i've made?

Can folks give me some advice?
be confident, go into the interview like you have nothing to loose, because you really dont.


Should i bring anything i've made?
thats a pretty good idea, just make sure its not a pile of junk!!

My wife works in human resources for a local company that hires a lot of people your age for summer help. The ones that don't get the job. 1) have poor people skills, or 2) have a criminal background. Keep in mind this is a warehouse job where they're basically just packing boxes.

So, if you want to impress the person interviewing you 1) look him (her) in they eye, when they talk to you & when you talk to them. 2) show signs of being interested; ask how the whole place works, ask about what you'd be doing, ask if you'll get training or be a go-for.

Ah, thats all I got right now. But make sure they know you can speak in complete sentences & are interested in machining. Why do you want the job? Make sure they know that too.

My engineering instructor today told me about an internship opportunity at a machine shop. They do a lot of CNC work, a major interest of mine.


This wouldnt be the Vermont Hi-Tech program would it ?
On the border of NH and Vt.
I was signed up for it but a family situation made me wary of
whether I could follow through with the commitment or not,
so I backed out as to not waste the instructors time.

Dress like you mean it, as in snappily. Do this even if you'll be working with heavy tools and grinding, etc. This will impress your wannabe employer and make an excellent first impression which says, "I want to do this job, I'm serious". And please, please, put your tie knot next to the collar, not hanging down 2 inches. That looks SO awful.

A quick little tip I learned from my english teacher about looking people in the eye...

If you can't look people in the eye (although its something everyone should be able to do) You can look right above their eyes at their forhead. If you go to someone and look at their forhead and ask if you are looking them in the eye, most of the time (unless they can really tell the diff.) they will say yes.

Next biggest thing is a strong, sturdy handshake. Hopefully it will be easier for you then it is for me, being as I'm 5'5 and on the not quite petite side.

Next biggest thing as was already mentioned is confidence.

And probably the next biggest thing, albeit something that you take away fromthe interview is remember everything about that interview. Analzye what you did wrong, what you did right, etc. The quicker you can learn to do this, the fewer interviews you have to go

It would be a good idea to take your "made" things with you especially if you have prints & tolerances you were following.
In interviews i have been handed prints & asked to "cut"(machine) things from prints & then asked to weld up things in tolerances given,which is not uncommon. Sometimes it is Just handing possible applicant a simple set of prints with a little bit of everything on them & "transfer" paper to solid product.
I wouldn't worry to much about it though ,it will just be a personal "like you or not" thing between him & you.Once you get some experience try jumping from shop to shop & keep good "air" between as many as of them as you can .That way you get FAR more experience(in more than one way) & you might have something to fall on when things get slow elsewhere.It's a "gypsy" trade(for the most part) make the best use of your tools.
Good luck. :)
STD

Take a pencil and pen with you. Where I used to work, if the person came in to fill out an application and did not have a writing instrument we would give them one and when they were gone throw the app in the trash can.

This may sound simplistic but as a high school librarian I know that students come in all the time to take tests and are not prepared.

Haha Yes. Very excellent point :D

Haha Yes. Very excellent point :D
:roflmao:

Can folks give me some advice?

- don't do what i'm doing tonight (hosting happy hour at the hacienda)...

:-)

- good luck and God bless... i hope you get the job!

(this is coming from someone starting a *third* career!)

I just had my first real interview in my area of study last week. Talk about nerve racking, just be confident and search the internet for questions they'll likely ask (cause they probably will), and have some answers on the back burner.

well i've talked to the guy on the phone already, but it was for 10 or so munutes only. I've heard that interviews go best in the morning, so i opted for around 8:45AM

Wonder if there is such a thing as being too early in the morning :p

Actually i asked the guy, he said they are open at 8.

i didnt really read any other posts so i might say something that was mentiond already.

-dress nice, make sure you are clean(teeth, hands, etc.)and dont look tired.
-alot of people go into interveiws and over-do it, they are too full of themself.
-dont slouch in your chair, act like you have a spine and be alert.
-asking an interveiwer to repeat a question is not a good thing.
-get there early, but not a half hour early, if it was at 8:45 i would show up around 8:30
-the hand shake, dont make the dude feel like there is an quake. but dont shake his hand like you have no muscle on you.
-dont take your phone with you, or if you do turn it off.
-dont start picking you fingernails, or anything like that

good luck

missed the pen :p and looking inthe eye :p

Don't stress too much about it. You seem pretty well qualified based on the job description and your projects. Follow the basic advice people have given about being polite and dressing reasonably nice, but don't nitpick over anything.

He'll no doubt have some questions about stuff you've done. Is there anything you're particularly proud of that you've made or done in school? Do you remember screwing something up pretty bad, and if so, how did you fix it?

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Rehearseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!

Dress like your ready for work to get down & dirty,not a "pencil pusher" :)

collect all 3 and you win
noonononon
come there with a suit
and a tie
:p
carying some contraption you've welded together. The scrappier the device the better the contrast :D

Dress like your ready for work to get down & dirty,not a "pencil pusher" :)

The guy who got me hired for my first job (he was the boss of the person who conducted the interview :D ) recommended that you should dress nice no matter what the job is, but always take a spare set of clothes with you so you can begin work right away if needed.

heh. that might be more disastrous then intended :p

neener neeener neeener
But it does bring to mind an excellent question. What should one wear to the interview. Don't wanna know up under dressed and sometimes don't wanna show up overdressed.

Take a full wardrobe attire in a big garbage bag.Get there about an hour early Wear just panties when you get their ask him what he would like too see you in then go & dress accordingly in car. :D

:roflmao: That is one heck of a way to make animpression :D

nothinto good for Mr.bosssman.. :roflmao:

You will do well. Good luck to you and try to relax. Like someone said earlier, you have nothing to lose. If you don't get this job, you will only be in same place you were at this time now. But you will be okay. :) ;)

Be sure to tell us how things went. :)

Go preppie.

Nice jeans, a white or blue oxford shirt, a jacket and sensible shoes. This says you are mature and care about your appearance and first impression yet practical minded too if you've got to show your hand with the equipment. Just take off the jacket, roll up your sleves put on a shop apron and your ready to go.

Well how did it go????????

I am hired :). The only thing now is that since I am not 18 yet, I have to get a form from the school for hte state saying "Phantomcow2 has recieved machine tool training, passed safety exams, etc."
So until that goes through, i will be doing simple things

Congrats! :beer:

Congratulations

Way to go mate! Root :beer: (you're underage!)

Way to go. :beer:

I am hired :). The only thing now is that since I am not 18 yet, I have to get a form from the school for hte state saying "Phantomcow2 has recieved machine tool training, passed safety exams, etc."
So until that goes through, i will be doing simple things
:beer: When you're pushing the broom watch what people are doing. There are a lot of "non-book" tricks you can pick up. Also try & get to be buddies with a machinist there,pick his brain & watch. :)

Congrats

:beer: When you're pushing the broom watch what people are doing. There are a lot of "non-book" tricks you can pick up. Also try & get to be buddies with a machinist there,pick his brain & watch. :)

And don't run the cutting tool into the chuck on the lathe. That's generally frowned upon. ;)

And don't run the cutting tool into the chuck on the lathe. That's generally frowned upon. ;)
Heh, actually they said i will be doing a manual operation very rarely. ALl of what they do is CNC

And don't run the cutting tool into the chuck on the lathe. That's generally frowned upon. ;)
& i thought the cutting tool went into chuck :eek:

Heh, actually they said i will be doing a manual operation very rarely. ALl of what they do is CNC
Are they running a high production run?

& i thought the cutting tool went into chuck :eek:
Shows what you know :D The work goes in the chuck, the tool goes in the :eek: tool holder.

Shows what you know :D The work goes in the chuck, the tool goes in the :eek: tool holder.
Ooops! Well i tried :(
:eek: < ummm

Should i bring anything i've made?

Yes! A friend of mine did an interview for a Graphics Design and they never asked him to bring his portfolio, but they asked him for it at the interview. Even if they don't want to see anything, it'll show something employers like--initiative and a willingness to take risks. At least that's something I like to see as a manager.

one time a couple of years ago i took my "homemade" SS power Bong into an interview & the employer wanted to try it out & see how it worked.

Are they running a high production run?

Well i've never seen another actual industrial shop. But i believe they are running high production here. I saw often they would put 10 pieces of stock in one CNC mill, and it would crank out 10 parts. I sure would not want to get caught inside that 25HP spindle...

Well i've never seen another actual industrial shop. But i believe they are running high production here. I saw often they would put 10 pieces of stock in one CNC mill, and it would crank out 10 parts. I sure would not want to get caught inside that 25HP spindle...
Yeah,i would think not. Be careful with yourself there. :)

Should not be that bad, all of the stuff is 100% enclosed.