A few days ago, I applied for a game tester job at Electronic Arts. Today, they gave me a call and asked me to come in to something called an "open house" on the 23rd. Er... this is probably very noobish of me, but what happens at an "open house" event? Is this how EA interviews their potential employees? Also.. I think I'm good at interviews, but I still haven't figured out how to reply to the question: "What are your weaknesses?" Usually, when I hear that question, I want to reply: "Well, I have low Fortitude saves." (D&D joke if you didn't get it.) :-P But seriously, I have no clue what I'm supposed to say to a question like that. People say I'm supposed to make up some bullcrap answers that can actually be interpreted into strengths (ex: I focus on my work too much!), but am I really supposed to be saying stuff like that? Any tips?? --- Also, 8 or so years ago, I ran a very popular community fansite for the EA published game "Fighters Anthology". Since it was so popular, some of EA's employees asked me to help them recruit beta testers for their Janes Online Gaming Center. So I used my website to recruit testers for them. I was never officially hired by EA. We just e-mailed, and I was rewarded with a free EA game of my choosing. Is this kind of factoid going to be at all interesting to the people at EA? Or would I be wasting my time by mentioning it? Thanks for any help! 8)

When asked about your weaknesses, tell them just that. You should know better than anyone what seems that bit harder to do. For example if math is a weakpoint, but your good with everything else, then let them know that you have to refer to documentation while dealing with complex math.

Open House i think is where there are a ton of job candidates all there at once, getting interviewed together. Could be wrong though.

Quote: Original post by Guardian Legend
Er... this is probably very noobish of me, but what happens at an "open house" event?

It means that lots of people go along and get shown around en-mass.

Quote: Also.. I think I'm good at interviews, but I still haven't figured out how to reply to the question: "What are your weaknesses?"

Having a realistic view of your strengths and weaknesses makes you a better employee - having solutions to the problems caused by your weaknesses makes you even better. For example I am bad at time management... so I make extensive use of a diary/to-do system to counter act that.

As for EA open house, go to the igda board (igda.org). There is a thread on EA QA interviews. I think there is a link there about the process (what tests they make you take, about the hiring, etc.). If the link isn't there you can probably google for it. Good luck! And I would say the work you did for EA before is EXACTLY what they are looking for and you would be insane not to put it on your resume and bring it up. This will be a huge leg-up against the other people there.

[Edited by - ChurchSkiz on May 3, 2006 10:15:24 AM]

Quote: Original post by Obscure

Quote: Original post by Guardian Legend
Er... this is probably very noobish of me, but what happens at an "open house" event?

It means that lots of people go along and get shown around en-mass.

Isn't an "open house" event a way to get closer to the public and to create new relations (maybe for possible hiring in this case)? Here in québec (I'm not sure about other french areas) we have the "portes ouvertes" events where companies open their doors to the public to show them how they work. These events are mostly created as a publicity probably to help change or set the image or the company, show the public how they work, somekind of publicity to hire new staff, or just as a mean to sell more (as a way to advertise).

JFF

Quote: Original post by ChurchSkiz
Interviewers will very often ask questions to trick you. Questions like what you didn't like about your last boss, your weaknesses, what you didn't like about your last company. DON'T ever answer the question directly. Yes answering them indirectly is cliche, but so is asking these questions in the first place. Do what obscure says and turn it around, or answer with something that is really a strength. When asked this question I usually respond with, "Well I typically work very fast, so I usually have to ask my supervisor or colleagues if there's anything I can help them with."

I'm sorry, but that's BS. Plus, I don't believe that's what Obscure was suggesting you do.

I had an interview once where I was asked what my greatest weakness was, and I responded that I had a temper that I struggled to control at times. None of this "Sometimes I work so hard that I have to be reminded to eat" grade-school level bull. The interviewer was visibly surprised, and visibly pleased. I didn't get that job because it wasn't a good fit, but I did build an excellent rapport with the interviewer and earn her respect.

If asked for a negative, give a true negative. Then supplement that by pointing out how you are trying to overcome it. People who try to spin positives as negatives are incredibly transparent, and all it tells the interviewer is that you either don't know your own shortcomings, which is a Big Red Flag, or lack the integrity to admit them to others, which is a Big Red Flag of its own.

Quote: If they ask what you didn't like about your last boss or company, DON'T say anything negative. If they really get onto you, say something totally trite like, "Well they had bad breath" or "My boss always smelled like a liquor cabinet after lunch."

Further bull.

Give honest answers, and also realize that you have the right to refuse to answer a question. If, for instance, I was asked by an interviewer what I didn't like about my previous boss, I would simply decline to answer that question. If pressed for a reason, I would point out that, whatever the differences I may have had with my previous boss, it takes two to tango: any substantial problems I had with him/her were a poor reflection on both of us, and my preference would be to learn from that experience - see it as an opportunity to strengthen myself in a specific area - rather than shift the blame.

I had a supervisor at an internship who was pretty much insane. Total drama queen, she loved to harass employers with lower rank than her across the company. One of my housemates at the time, who was a full-time employee at the company (and significantly older than me, so this wasn't some college-aged perspective, and was female) referred to her regularly as "that bitch." My two fellow interns had similar reactions, yet I managed to shrug off the crazier aspects of her persona and even force her to grudgingly respect me because of the quality of work I turned in (I left the company with a commendation as the most productive intern ever in that department, and I was there for only about six weeks).

Now, I would never bring up her name if asked about negative experiences with a previous boss (the fact that I don't remember her last name is completely beside the point). It would reflect poorly on me, and it would tell the interviewer that I would do the same to my bosses as their company. Instead, I would emphasize the positives - my demanding supervisor respected my productivity, I received a commendation for it, I surpassed my co-interns in output and balance.

Spin, but spin with finesse. Interviewers hear so many BS responses every day that they can see right through you. They respect you more when you show integrity and honesty than when you engage in craven attempts to curry favor.

Listen to Oluseyi. I have given interviews and been the interviewee many times. Truth and honesty are the most important things in a interview, and it's obvious (and annoying) when someone is either lying or trying to be over-clever by spinning their positive traits as negative.

Oluseyi I 100% agree with you. It is total Bull. But that's what it takes sometimes. I'm not going to say that I'm right, because just like everyone else that will respond, I am only stating my opinions. My only credentials are life experience. I have never had an interview where I wasn't offered a job. And in fact, I have been told several times from my employer after receiving the job that I interviewed extremely well. On two separate occasions, after meeting in person after a phone interview (with the basic cliche questions) I was told that I already had the job after the phone screening unless I made a total idiot of myself in person. I'm not saying that to toot my own horn, but as a testament to my ability to perform well in an interview. I hate being cliche, I hate doing the basic interview BS. But I prefer to stand out in my confidence and abilities in an interview and not by my refusal to "play the game."

You can take what I say or you can leave it. I have read several Human Resource experts advise the same thing as I do (I will try and post a link to a few). I always like to think of an interview as a first date. Are you being dishonest by not airing your dirty laundry on a first date? You can skirt around the issue of ex's and bad dates by not giving specific details. Either way you go, don't be dishonest, I just recommend not being totally up front about your inability to perform in a certain capability, or with bad experiences you've had with employers.

edit: After rereading my initial post I wanted to clarify a little. I don't mean necessarily say something that is a 100% strength. But if you are going to admit a weakness, make it a small one and emphasize the positive aspect of it. Like what obscure did. Don't ever just admit you have a problem with time management, or working with other people, or with math, always turn it around.

Edit again: I'm removing my original post, It was dumb. I'm sorry. I have a very unique interview style and trying to advise someone else to imitate it would be dumb. If you do it the way I do it can come off very cheesy and fake and certainly make you look like an ass. Here are some links about the issue though that are helpful.

http://www.careerjournal.com/jobhunting/interviewing/20041006-hirsch.html
http://interview.monster.com/articles/biggest/
http://jobsearchtech.about.com/od/interviewquestion1/l/aa031201_2.htm
http://www.faqfarm.com/Q/How_do_you_answer_'What_are_your_strengths_and_weaknesses'

Perhaps it's a locational difference. I went to college for a while in Greensboro, but I'm in New York now. Things that might work in North Carolina will not work in New York - these northeasterners are snarkier, more familiar with spin, and can detect the lack of substance almost instantaneously.

For someone going to interview in California, with a company that sees a huge number of applicants for every position in comparison to even its peers in the industry, I would recommend not "playing the game."

Quote: Original post by ChurchSkiz

As for EA open house, go to the igda board (igda.org). There is a thread on EA QA interviews. I think there is a link there about the process (what tests they make you take, about the hiring, etc.). If the link isn't there you can probably google for it. Good luck! And I would say the work you did for EA before is EXACTLY what they are looking for and you would be insane not to put it on your resume and bring it up. This will be a huge leg-up against the other people there.

I found the thread you were talking about and found it really useful. Thanks for pointing it out! I'm making a "demo CD" like the guy in the thread did, full of video clips of some of my game mod work. I hope it impresses :)

Also, today, I got a second and third call from EA for two other tester jobs o_O
The third job doesn't seem hopeful, but job #2... I got a face-to-face interview set already! Sweet!