Interview for tech position

[BuzzKillington]

Ok, so it's a Staples tech position but it sure in the hell beats Toys R Us.

I'm just curious what you guys would be sure to brush up on prior to the interview.

I plan to go over the visuals of being able to pick apart PCI, PCIe, AGP, ATX from BTX, 184, from 240, yada yada. I kind of lost that memory since I haven't been too into repairs for a while.

How about a top symptom list to review? I know my local Staples probably doesn't even go that far into it but it'd be good to study in case they give me a pop quiz.

Thanks guys. :bunny:

[Oneslowz28]

I thought the only requirement to be a repair tech at one of those kind of stores was having a pulse? I know a few who solve everything with a format or adding ram. They never dig and find out what the real problem is.

[BuzzKillington]

That's what I was told by a current employee there actually... they simply add RAM, maybe upgrade hard drives... woopty do, though I would imagine they are trying to extend that to be more competitive with Geek Squad. Every time I call them they answer, "Thank you for calling Staples, We fix computers, this is ______. How can I help you?

[x88x]

I would say brush up on any common hardware and software problems. At least then, on the off chance that they do actually ask technical questions, you'll be prepared. I can't really speak much from experience...the only time I ever interviewed for a similar position, I didn't realize I was in an interview until it was almost done :P

[Oneslowz28]

I was just messing with you. Good luck with the interview.

[Mark_Hardware]

know the difference between a Swingline and a Stanley.

[Airbozo]

Impress them with your mad people skills.

[slaveofconvention]

An interviewer asked me "What do you think you can bring to PC World?"
I replied "Do you want the truth or should I tell you what you want to hear?"
He replied "Be different, tell me the truth"
I answered "A clue, because lets face it, your staff are trained to sell computers - most of them havent got a clue ABOUT them other than being able to sell them!"

He looked at me as if I'd asked to sleep with his mother....

He also called me 2 days later and offered me a job....

I don't think I'd recommend that technique, despite its ONE-TIME effectiveness - they may have just been desperate for staff lol.....

[Luke122]

An interviewer asked me "What do you think you can bring to PC World?"
I replied "Do you want the truth or should I tell you what you want to hear?"
He replied "Be different, tell me the truth"
I answered "A clue, because lets face it, your staff are trained to sell computers - most of them havent got a clue ABOUT them other than being able to sell them!"

He looked at me as if I'd asked to sleep with his mother....

He also called me 2 days later and offered me a job....

I don't think I'd recommend that technique, despite its ONE-TIME effectiveness - they may have just been desperate for staff lol.....

HAHHAHAHAHAA... awesome.

I was once asked, "Where do you see yourself in 3 years?"

My reply: "What's your job?"


As for tips for the Staples interview, I'd just brush up on new technologies and read up on some common troubleshooting.

[x88x]

I was once asked, "Where do you see yourself in 3 years?"

"Not working here." ..whoops...

[Airbozo]

An interviewer asked me "What do you think you can bring to PC World?"
I replied "Do you want the truth or should I tell you what you want to hear?"
He replied "Be different, tell me the truth"
I answered "A clue, because lets face it, your staff are trained to sell computers - most of them havent got a clue ABOUT them other than being able to sell them!"

He looked at me as if I'd asked to sleep with his mother....

He also called me 2 days later and offered me a job....

I don't think I'd recommend that technique, despite its ONE-TIME effectiveness - they may have just been desperate for staff lol.....

Love it!

I have had similar interviews. My best ones seem to be for jobs I don't want. The worst one was being interviewed by the HR lady I just gave the finger to, for cutting me off without a signal on the highway. That was a comfortable day long experience. Turns out she told everyone that interviewed me to just go through the motions since she had no plan to offer me the job. The manager called me before I got home and made me an offer.

Another piece of advice. Before the interview, walk the store and become familiar with the computer and parts inventory and do a little research. Dress nice. Smile. When shaking hands, don't throw out a dead fish (that always ruins it for me).

[x88x]

Another piece of advice. Before the interview, walk the store and become familiar with the computer and parts inventory and do a little research. Dress nice. Smile. When shaking hands, don't throw out a dead fish (that always ruins it for me).

This is a good point. Especially at a place that sells computer parts, they might value knowing what you can sell a customer to fix a problem more than how to fix it without selling them something.

[TheGreatSatan]

I thought the only requirement to be a repair tech at one of those kind of stores was having a pulse? I know a few who solve everything with a format or adding ram. They never dig and find out what the real problem is.

Then you've never been to Office Depot when Satan was working.:up:

[Bopher]

I answered "A clue, because lets face it, your staff are trained to sell computers - most of them havent got a clue ABOUT them other than being able to sell them!"

I remember one time I had all 6 of the Computer Salesmen at Circuit City asking me for help. They had a Sony Viao on its side open and all had a look like duh on their faces. So they came to me and I was showing them what everything did on the motherboard. Probably shouldn't of done that cause then I could never get into that section after that but they still wanted suggestions if a customer wanted to do this or that to their computer. Though when they passed off one customer to me because they couldn't understand how to install a video capture card I got to go out to the college and install in in a soroity house computer:whistler:

[TheGreatSatan]

And all the college girls wearing just bra's and undies cheered when you finished!!

[Bopher]

I had to settle for sun bathing in bikinis outside while I worked but even that was worth it. Didn't even charge her anything extra to go out:)

[BuzzKillington]

Totally bombed it. I was up all night puking again and ended up getting to sleep around 7am only to wake up at 9am. I'm starting to think I caught a flu of some sort at the same time the diet pills messed me up? Though zero coughing, sneezing, runny nose. Just puking, the squirts and insane dizziness and adrenaline-rush type feelings...

Anyway, I screwed myself over because I was talking quietly and when they asked about my comfort level on the sales floor I was a little too honest. I told them I didn't have too much experience but I am capable of it. They asked how I was slinging extra product and I told them "ehhhh, like most retail, we have to do similar stuff like suggesting batteries, protection plans etc but it just seems a lot of people say no." Why did I have to add that last part? TELL ME!

It's not the end of the world but I'm still pissed at myself. I need to learn when to fake being enthusiastic.

I also kept forgetting words I wanted to use so I'd start my sentence then forget the word I set the sentence up for so I'd either be stuck at an "uhhhhhhh" for a couple seconds or I'd have to use a similar word. bvhcdsvdcs

They gave me a flier for the services they offer and they told me to study it and think about the position and they would do the same. At first I was supposed to call back Monday to schedule a second interview with another manager but it turned out he was free at the time so I kind of got two interviews in one. I guess I'll call back Monday anyhow and see if they're willing to give me a chance despite my poor presentation.

[Mark_Hardware]

I hope it goes well for you man! Try not to beat yourself up too much, they know you are nervous....
I try to tell myself that I'm not the first person they've seen nervous and screw up, and they've probably seen worse. That really seems to help me.
Actually, it helps me when I'm at the doctors office, too.... But I digress.... :rolleyes:

[slaveofconvention]

Might be worth dropping them a short note to try to make up a little - if you genuinely think you blew things at the interview, you have nothing to lose. Just something short and to the point saying "I'm very good at what I do - what I do is fixing computers - I'm just not good at interviews. I'm still very much interested with working with you and hope my nerves at the interview don't prevent me getting the chance to show you what I'm capable of...."

[Mark_Hardware]

Might be worth dropping them a short note to try to make up a little - if you genuinely think you blew things at the interview, you have nothing to lose. Just something short and to the point saying "I'm very good at what I do - what I do is fixing computers - I'm just not good at interviews. I'm still very much interested with working with you and hope my nerves at the interview don't prevent me getting the chance to show you what I'm capable of...."

Not a bad idea... However you don't want to look like you're grovelling. Maybe a thank you note. It sounds dumb, but it's a tip I got from a site that helps people with resumes and such. They said a note thanking them for their time, and the consideration. In your case, maybe a footnote apologizing for your bad form.

[slaveofconvention]

Yeah - the whole grovelling thing is why I suggested making it a short note, not a big begging letter - but I agree completely with the other comment - use a thankyou note to disguise the explanation - why not - if nothing else should score you a point or two for politeness - never a bad thing in a customer service role....

[TheGreatSatan]

When's the interview?

[BuzzKillington]

It was today.

[Liquid_Scope_99]

Man i hope you grt it when i called the staples i wanted that job at she said they already had someone but i could apply anyway im going to and hope the guy goes somewhere else . Hope you get it man

[TheGreatSatan]

Tell us about the interview and questions

[XcOM]

I had an interview at PCWORLD at bedford, but i got turned down because i was over qualified apperently, when they came out with that bullsh*t excuse i let rip into the manager that was at the front of the store,

"Look over there, the tech guys are rubbing PCI cards and memory modules on the FLEECE jackets to clean the dust from them, that screams of antistatic damage, Then the tech guy on the floor doesn't know what an 80 Way IDE cable is, what 802.11 stands for, I asked for a cooler for a socket 754 and he looked at me and said is that for an Intel or AMD, I asked for a 1GIG module of DDR3200 and he came back with a SD-RAM module, This place is a joke, if I was in your position most of these would be trained up on course's with recognised bodies so they know what there doing, and if not they would get replaced, simple."

A few days later he rang me and offered me a job there not as a tech guy, but as a consult to get the store into shape, I turned him down, said I didn't want to work there and I had a second interview at Maplins

[Mark_Hardware]

hey man any update?

[TheGreatSatan]

Ditto!

[BuzzKillington]

They were some extremely easy interview questions...

"explain what you do with computers"
"explain your last clients computer and how you fixed it"
"explain what you do at your current job"

I did fine during those but when the other manager came in and asked how I was on the sales floor I froze and didn't seem confident (which I'm not) I hate pitching sales and despise harassing customers to sign up for credit cards and such. My interview took place in the back of the store using one of their floor model desks and a couple floor model chairs so I was talking quietly which also probably put a few strikes against me.

I was supposed to call Monday to set up my second interview with the other manager but because we managed to fit the two into one I didn't need to. Of course I called anyway but the hiring manager wasn't in.

I planned on calling today but didn't because I'm currently looking into another job and since it's unclear whether I'm supposed to call them or not, I feel I can probably put it off another day or two.

[Xpirate]

I planned on calling today but didn't because I'm currently looking into another job and since it's unclear whether I'm supposed to call them or not, I feel I can probably put it off another day or two.

If you still want the job, you should definitely follow up.

[si-skyline]

I did fine during those but when the other manager came in and asked how I was on the sales floor I froze and didn't seem confident (which I'm not) I hate pitching sales and despise harassing customers to sign up for credit cards and such.

best thing to is to create a script and have all the correct things in. read it again and again before a interview. It wont sound like a script when it comes flooding out of your mouth because yo wont remeber it all.

It just helps ease the load. and your mind is only thinking of speaking. not thinking, construct a speech, speaking it and making sure everything else is in check.

A script will aslo give a conferdence boost and relaxed aproach as you know it inside and out

[simon275]

I have worked in retail in a few places. One of them was a electronics store. Computers, television etc think circuit city but in Australia. I hated it so much having to con customers into buying overpriced cables and having managers berate me constantly for not selling enough crap.

The most rewarding retail job I had was working in a hardware store. I only worked on week days so I didn't have to deal with DIY'ers just tradespeople who know what they wanted and I would point them in the right direction. Also trades people have the best jokes to share.