I then googled the company I had applied for, and realised that getting a job with this particular firm is more difficult than getting a place at harvard university ( which is less than 20%). This is not some wild accusation on my part its actually written on google. So with odds at 80:20 against I had nothing to lose. He put me touch with a friend of his that actually worked there. ( see its not what you know its who you know) . He gave me some solid advice and interview preparation.
I had to get through the filtering process and that alone was a challenge unto itself. I was rejected once, the computer decided it would submit my application whilst it was not complete, I still have no idea how it did this , but I gave that email a good ignoring,completed the application and submitted it complete. I emailed the recruiter to inform them of this email and even spoke to my friend on the inside and needless to say I got through the filtering process.
This lead to me being offered an interview. Now everybody knows I now live in the East Riding of Yorkshire, I have just bought my own house so moving is never on the cards..( and I mean never). I was invited for an interview in London, I had prepared the most I have ever prepared for an interview, and I still felt like I needed more. With an interview at 2.30 in the afternoon, I factored in how late the trains were going to be and left at 0825 in the morning. ( OK so cost was a factor too) and I got to London at around 11.30, and got on the tube to make my way to Chancery Lane tube station. 1
Since volunteering at the Olympics , London always kind of feels like home and being on a tube full of Londoners, and having the luxury of standing next to a suited armpit is the best!. It was almost a relief to get off and make my way above ground,but I had to change trains. There were no disruptions on the tube and I did a walk by of where the interview was and found a coffee shop nearby. I had a coffee and watched people come and go, and then thought it would be better to go over some of my notes.
I was in the coffee shop about an hour and 20 minutes ( 2 drinks and a piece of cake ), when i decided that it would take at least 15 minutes to get thru security and navigate my way to the room in the building where the interview was taking place. I was proper nervous when I left this coffee shop, I walked back to the building , checked in and was shown upstairs . I was offered a drink, by the staff on that particular floor and I have always been taught that if you are offered a drink,always take water. If you spill it it will not stain, it if stays on your face they will not see it, it does not cause embarrassing breath issues and lets face it after the coffee I had just drank I needed something to counteract the caffeine.
I have to say when it comes to buildings and interview locations this one was pretty special, it was light and airy and had a magnificent view of the city. I had a good look at the wall exhibits to try and glean any knowledge that may be worthwhile. ( which it was as it turns out, as there were exhibits on how this particular company had assisted the companies on the wall with business, and trying to find out who their clients were was near enough impossible. It is ironic that they asked me what I knew of their clients and why they may have engaged this companies services and this is a question I would have never have known t he answer too so it goes to show that having a look round is not a bad thing).
My Interview was to be split into two parts, a technical based section and a partner section. Technical because I am a sofware test analyst and once a software test analyst, technical tests and interviews become par of the course. The questions were all situation based, but again I had revised the STAR technique for answering these questions , we had a laugh and for me it was odd, i was suddenly aware that I was actually relaxed and not nervous at all.( probably just the caffeine). I felt I had smashed the technical interview but the difficult bit ( thanks google ) is the partner section. It is judged to be difficult because it is questions that picked up on your previous answers and personal stuff so it not like it can be prepared for, but like i said I was relaxed. The long and short of it was the questions were mostly about salary expectations and the fact I lived in Hull and the home office would be in London. The thing is this is not a job, its a career changing move. Yes I would be away 3 or 4 nights a week, if there is somewhere i need to be , I will be there and then another sudden dawn of realisation, I may not get this because of where I live. I had spent a considerable amount getting to this interview and I wanted to think i could be in with a chance. I didnt want them to think I was just going with the flow. I decided to put my cards on the table so to speak and I just said that I wasnt there for a job, I was here for the career opportunity, with all the mentoring , coaching and the increase in knowledge and I was here to do what ever it took to be successful( I'm not going to get another chanceso why not right?) . Well that killed the location based questioning and we moved on to career progression which got me excited. I am passionate about testing and breaking things. I am abitious, sometimes to a fault( i have some family problems at the moment, but this was more important to me ) but short term pain for long term gain. the interview lasted exactly 57 minutes.
When I left, I left knowing there was nothing else I could have said or done differently. I got the train home ( it was late, but that was ok if it had been on time I would have missed it).
10 days later I found out I had been successful, And last friday I put in my notice here and in under 30 days I begin a new chapter and start work as a software Test consultant with Deloitte. This will not be the only part of the job though, as Deloitte are looking to relaunch a Military veterans transition and talent programme to tempt some ex military talent to the business and I cant wait to get started....
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