Phone interviews..

[kerssens]

I have a phone interview in a bit. This is only my second phone interview, my first being with an investment bank so I was asked a lot of techincal questions. I've heard that most phone interviews are weighted more towards weeding out candidates with personality type questions, does anybody have experience with phone interviews? What kinds of questions were you asked? The job is a financial analyst at an insurance company.

[jakethebake]

Yes. And i think that's right. They're just looking to save some $$ by not flying in people that are definitely not real prospects. The questions were all loosey-goosey, softballs like what are you looking for? what are your interests? why are you a good fit for this job? they give more detail about the position, etc. in one of my phone interviews i actually removed myself from the running. i just said, you know i dont think this is a good fit for me. just try to sound enthusiastic and halfway intelligent and you'll be fine. i think standing up and moving around some while talking helps to sound enthusiastic on the phone. maybe that's just my thing though.

[zaxx19]

I know they grade on like general demeanor and friendliness as well as content so.......keep that in mind.

My dad use to do ALOT of hiring of IT types for a big Company.

[bd8802]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a phone interview in a bit. This is only my second phone interview, my first being with an investment bank so I was asked a lot of techincal questions. I've heard that most phone interviews are weighted more towards weeding out candidates with personality type questions, does anybody have experience with phone interviews? What kinds of questions were you asked? The job is a financial analyst at an insurance company.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would suggest dressing up like you would for an interveiw. Even though you are on the phone, I think being in that state of mind and feeling like it is an IRL interview helps you sound like you are actually a professional rather than someone sitting in boxers and a t-shirt playing poker all day.

I am leaving for an interveiw as we speak. Good luck on yours. Let us know how it goes.

/bd

[Paluka]

In my experience you will get asked math/techincal questions over the phone. Here is what I got in my phone interview for my current job:

There are 10 pennies in a jar. 9 of the pennies are completely normal, but the tenth penny has 2 heads. You take a penny out at random, and flip it 5 times. All 5 come up heads. What is the chance it was the 2 headed penny?

[mason55]

[ QUOTE ]

I would suggest dressing up like you would for an interveiw.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just go through the typical interview BS. They just want to make sure you're not a crazed psychopath who's going to kill everyone when you come in for a real interview.

[housenuts]

i applied for a grocery store once when i was 17. it was a friday afternoon and me and my buddies had been drinking at my place since about noon. i was about 9 beers under when they decided to call me for a phone interview. i must not have said anything too ridiculous because i got the job. good luck with yours

[chaas4747]

They really asked you this crap?

[Boris]

off the top of my head, ~97.2%?

[Paluka]

[ QUOTE ]
They really asked you this crap?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep.

[chaas4747]

I really don't see the purpose in asking a trick question in an interview. I guess it could prove that you can focus on the important facts and not worry about stuff that does not impact your job.

To the OP, good luck, just be calm, act confident, and friendly.

[Paluka]

[ QUOTE ]
I really don't see the purpose in asking a trick question in an interview. I guess it could prove that you can focus on the important facts and not worry about stuff that does not impact your job.


[/ QUOTE ]

The penny question is not a trick question. It is a math question. Math/probability/statistics have a lot to do with my job.

[Boris]

How is it a trick question?

[chaas4747]

What does the fact that you hit 5 heads in a row have to do with which coin you chose. Aren't your chances still 1 in 10 reguardless?

[Paluka]

[ QUOTE ]
What does the fact that you hit 5 heads in a row have to do with which coin you chose. Aren't your chances still 1 in 10 reguardless?

[/ QUOTE ]

You would not have done well in this phone interview.

[housenuts]

[ QUOTE ]
In my experience you will get asked math/techincal questions over the phone. Here is what I got in my phone interview for my current job:

There are 10 pennies in a jar. 9 of the pennies are completely normal, but the tenth penny has 2 heads. You take a penny out at random, and flip it 5 times. All 5 come up heads. What is the chance it was the 2 headed penny?

[/ QUOTE ]

can someone go through the answer for this. if it was a regular coin there is a 1/32 chance of that happening, correct? where do i go from there?

1 - 1/32?

[Voltron87]

What is the answer, something like 3% that it is a normal penny? I would guess the chances of a real coin coming up heads 5 times is 1/32... something along those lines.

[Paluka]

I can go through the answer later, but I'll given someone else a chance to get it.

[housenuts]

what about - 1/10 * 1 - 9/10 * 1/32 = .071875 = 7.2%

we are looking for the chance it is the 2-headed one, so that would be 100 - 7.2 = 92.8%

[schwza]

i got 32/41 it's double-head.

flip all 10 coins 32 times. the fake comes up 5 heads 32 times, each of the other 9 comes 5 heads once, so we're looking at 41 possible ways to get 5 heads, 32 of which are the double-headed coin. that's not a great explanation, but i think it's right.

[Paluka]

[ QUOTE ]
i got 32/41 it's double-head.

flip all 10 coins 32 times. the fake comes up 5 heads 32 times, each of the other 9 comes 5 heads once, so we're looking at 41 possible ways to get 5 heads, 32 of which are the double-headed coin. that's not a great explanation, but i think it's right.

[/ QUOTE ]

absolutely correct, and I think your explanation is great. This is Baye's Theorem.

[housenuts]

makes sense. i can see why his is correct. why is mine incorrect?

[i wanna be me]

Probability any single one-headed coin will perform 5 heads in a row: (1/2)^5=1/32
Probability that the two-headed coin will perform 5 heads in a row: (1/1)

In a 10 coin jar:
Probability 5 heads in a row is one of the 9 one-headed coins: 9/32
Thus the probability that it is the two-headed coin is: 1/1-9/32=23/32

That seems absurd.....that can't possibly be right.....

Edit: OF COURSE NOT - the absurd part is the bolded line (the assumption is wrong)

[Paluka]

[ QUOTE ]
Probability any single one-headed coin will perform 5 heads in a row: (1/2)^5=1/32
Probability that the two-headed coin will perform 5 heads in a row: (1/1)

In a 10 coin jar:
Probability 5 heads in a row is one of the 9 one-headed coins: 9/32
Thus the probability that it is the two-headed coin is: 1/1-9/32=23/32

That seems absurd.....that can't possibly be right.....

[/ QUOTE ]

It isn't right. It is (32/32)/((32/32)+(9/32)) which is 32/41.

[chaas4747]

I learned something today. Thanks Paluka.

[i wanna be me]

thanks Pakula - I just figured that out! stupid hiatus from math.....

[kerssens]

I did well in the interview. I was asked the standard "tell me about a time when..." questions, some questions about my background and resume and my future plans, etc. There were only a couple financial questions, he said I was the only one to get one of them right and there was one that I realized that I knew only after he told me the answer but overall I feel that I had a good interview, at least I didn't hurt my chances....Chicago here I come.

[jakethebake]

good luck.