Thread: Job Interview Coming Up

Hello,

This is my first post but i've been reading for a while here now. Just a quick question, not that it's easy to answer but coming up in the next week i have a job interview for a C Programming position. I am still pretty much a beginner in C but have done some assignments and project work in an IT course not long ago. I've found out that in the interview i'll have to sit a C exam(not sure of how difficult), so i was just wondering if anyone here was going for the same sort of thing, what would you quickly read over on in the next few days?
I've heard that the small exam is probably quite basic, like move one line from printing in a program up or move something around so it prints somewhere else in the program. I'm just starting to stress out since I want this job quite bad.

Fun stuff to look at:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconVall...2/cpuz_l1.html
http://techinterviews.com
http://www.cecs.uci.edu/~bbhattac/in...Questions.html

gg

Originally Posted by FillYourBrain

ok, don't stress. No need. You may get this job or you may struggle to get a job, but either way, stressing can only hurt your chances.

When you're first getting started, its probably good to take whatever programming job you can get, even if it is low paying. Keep it for a year. That will have been your first step. A resume history is a good thing. So the low paying job can get you where you need to be and will have been worth it.

I started with a web programming job. It was ASP. Horrible stuff and low pay. It got me started. Found another low pay C++ job. After a couple years of this you will suddenly have all the experience that the real jobs are asking for.

Good luck.

Hello,

Thank you so much for your reply. I'm hoping that this job does come through though because i've waited so long to find something like this and it's pretty much right for me in every way. I'm no super wiz at C or anything but do know the basic structure of how some basic things work so hoping that will get me through the gate.

The programming role I have now is at a small printing company using the language PReS. It's a very basic language and what it does is writes up print scripts that control big printers/lasers/DP's. It is an interesting job but I guess like most people who have studied IT, you want to get into a good language and one which can take you places that you have interest in. I've been in this basic programming role for nearly 12 months now so maybe that will show these people at the interview i'm keen and work well in teams and all that other stuff.

If they were going to sit a basic exam, what would you study up on? It's just hard to know what they'll spring on you...
The position is also in a different city than the one i'm living in at the moment so I hope this shows the people i'm dedicated to wanting to learn and am just an honest person with drive because I feel I am. This job is what i want

I would concentrate more on demonstrating your ability to solve problems and your strong desire to learn and walk the path of self improvement.

If that is seen, then your skill level of a particular languange isn't as important because that can be learned.

Your going to end up doing alot of talking about what you been doing for the past 12 months with "PReS". Be prepared to talk about the programming language itself. Try to mention things you've learned that applicable to C programming. For instance, using functions to make the code more modular and maintainable.

Talking about things you've learned is a great way to show that "willingness to learn and improve".

Also think about goals you've achieved in the last 12 months. Did you come with or implement any PReS scripts that improved efficiency or something along those lines?

Practice interviewing yourself or get friends and family to drill you.

gg

Thank you for your help codeplug. I am willing to learn and will just be honest and myself in the interview because the position sounds really great.


Thank you.