Interview with a team. help pls

Boro · 3 May 2006, 18:59 (Ref:1600237)

Hi guys:

just wondering what'd be proper attire to wear to an interview? I'm thinking shirt, pants + tie; not a full suit (dont' think it's that formal), and it's not too casual.

any help on this would be great; this is for a summer student position as a jr mechanic / student engineer.

thanks

knighty · 3 May 2006, 19:30 (Ref:1600250)

If I was you I'd wear a suit......go down to your local stationary store get a good looking leather bounded wallet style folder, and put in pictures of all your college/uni/personal projects......perhaps photos of cars you have worked on, re-built engine?......a final year project details, some CAD drawings, absolutley anything technical......this will show 2 things:-

1) your technically competent
2) that you have actually bothered to put a portfolio together and therefore you are the guy that goes the extra mile and are the man to employ.....I can pretty much guarantee you that the other applicants will not have portfolios, and you will instantly set yourself apart from the slackers, and quite likley get the job - need I say more?

best of luck

Boro · 3 May 2006, 19:34 (Ref:1600251)

Wonderful advice

thanks a lot.

graham bahr · 3 May 2006, 20:33 (Ref:1600291)

as someone who has been on both sides of the interview i always put my suit on and would recomend others to do so, dont forget your are selling yourself you should make every effort.

it doesn't matter what the interview is for, it shows you are willing to make an effort, first impressions count for a lot, if you are absolutely equilly qualified in very respect fro a job as the next guy the one who made the best first impression will get the job.

a few years back i was one of 5,000 that applied for 117 vacancies, i got through and became one of the 117, i know for 100% that some of the candiates were knocked back on appearance alone.

Mackmot · 3 May 2006, 23:24 (Ref:1600387)

It depends on the team, if its a big organisation then a suit i a must but a small team in lower formulae, you will look like a moron and the chief mech will probably get you to do something mucky. Thats what we do and other teams i know.

ss_collins · 4 May 2006, 02:08 (Ref:1600410)

indeed suits are overrated. Can you explain why / why not? if not work it out.

Interviews CV's etc should all be tailored to the position, also it depends on you role within the team. But I fully agree with the comments about prenting your past work - don't always go leatherbound though - can look pretentious. Most important is to be comfortable with your stuff if you look awkward it looks really bad. One thing I've seen done is to prepare a list of ideas or a market report relating to the position - one of our staff got her job because of that. And she proved to be excellent.

Mackmot - so evil - so good!

Boro · 4 May 2006, 03:42 (Ref:1600432)

i probably won't do the suit; can't see why i'd need it. it's just a fbmw/star mazda squad and i'm the jr of the jr. Most likely gonna go with my gut and just wear a tie.

well i know my stuff and i know what i don't know; so the comfort level of how i'll fit into their grand scheme is high (on my side anyway). these guys are one of the best in the business on this side of the pond, and i know it'll be a great learning experience for me while providing help for them to make their lives easier.

Lukin · 4 May 2006, 08:47 (Ref:1600498)

I didn't wear a tie to mine. Just suit pants and a business shirt. But I did take a portfolio of stuff (round reports, summary sheets, data printouts, projects I was doing, notes etc) so for a lot of the questions rather than saying 'yes I have done that' I was able to show them what I did and how I did it, which prompted other questions. I don't know if that's why I got the job (considering I had no fulltime experience it might of been) but it probably helped.

***MagnetON*** · 4 May 2006, 09:16 (Ref:1600517)

Wear a suit.

Then decide when you park up whether or not to wear the jacket!

If the office has a glass frontage, a reception desk and laid out parking then keep the jacket on!

If it's a portakabin where the "Garage Security Operatives" are a couple of mangy looking dogs with sharp teeth then take the jacket off

greenamex2 · 4 May 2006, 12:27 (Ref:1600627)

I'd go with the suit, you really can't go wrong.

Be well prepared, enthusiastic BUT don't make out like you know everything, even if you do. Just say you are desperate to learn and speak about your relevant education as a 'grounding' for subsequent learning in 'the real world'.

Good luck.

***MagnetON*** · 4 May 2006, 13:23 (Ref:1600667)

And if you get the job you have to cut Ten-Tenths in for 10% because of all the advice you're getting!

dasc04 · 4 May 2006, 14:28 (Ref:1600692)

A suit everytime, without a doubt.

I can't see someone being turned down for a position on the fact they wore a suit!!!

But people can be turned down for not wearing one and not making the effort.

I wore one to my interview with RedBullRacing and got the job! I think it was the suit that they liked!!!

avsfan733 · 5 May 2006, 13:29 (Ref:1601247)

Yea i agree I have always been taught to default to over dressing as opposed to underdressing. I showed up my first day of my first internship with a tie. the boss said "no need for that" and that was the end of it. But if i didn't have one I would have looked silly putting it on there

littlefarny · 12 May 2006, 17:40 (Ref:1607266)

I'd say wear a suit and keep any overalls in a smart bag or something.

Not been on many interviews, however, any I'd go on I'd deffinately wear a suit. It's the impression, smart dresser, reflects a smart person.

retro_msport · 22 May 2006, 13:34 (Ref:1616302)

Suit... and as said overalls in a bag.. and if your over prepared then thats good..

the 6P's is a well know saying.

Good Luck

Boro · 2 Jun 2006, 02:30 (Ref:1625116)

thanks to all those who typed me a reply.

i started work today

greenamex2 · 2 Jun 2006, 06:37 (Ref:1625118)

Well done. Let us know how you get on.

ss_collins · 6 Jun 2006, 19:22 (Ref:1628734)

did you wear a suit though??

Smokes · 6 Jun 2006, 21:45 (Ref:1628837)

I am looking for work placement but I have no experiance in motorsport.
Apart for racing r/c cars competitivly. How do I find motorsport companies to apply to? Google can be a bit ramdom at finding stuff so any advice would be helpful a mate got a placement at millbrook testing grounds too far for me unless i move.
Any advice would be welcome.

Boro · 6 Jun 2006, 23:33 (Ref:1628898)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ss_collins

did you wear a suit though??

no i didn't.
wore a shirt, trousers and tie for the interview.

Boro · 6 Jun 2006, 23:35 (Ref:1628899)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokes

I am looking for work placement but I have no experiance in motorsport.
Apart for racing r/c cars competitivly. How do I find motorsport companies to apply to? Google can be a bit ramdom at finding stuff so any advice would be helpful a mate got a placement at millbrook testing grounds too far for me unless i move.
Any advice would be welcome.

seeing as u'r in the UK, best first move would be to show up at the paddock for the lower formula races and volunteer your time.

if you're in university right now, do get involved with formula student

it's an awesome learning experience.

Smokes · 7 Jun 2006, 11:55 (Ref:1629183)

Formula student and Sheffield Hallam University = Joke.....
Too many cooks spoiling the broth so to say. They take way too long to design the car... Also really bad design.!!

I could do a better job for less money and in a shorter time period. But really can't arse with these 'wannabe race engineers'

I probably do it in my final year if the new guy can organise it properly.

ubrben · 7 Jun 2006, 18:06 (Ref:1629411)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokes

Formula student and Sheffield Hallam University = Joke.....
Too many cooks spoiling the broth so to say. They take way too long to design the car... Also really bad design.!!

I could do a better job for less money and in a shorter time period. But really can't arse with these 'wannabe race engineers'

I probably do it in my final year if the new guy can organise it properly.

You sound rather arrogant and sure of yourself...

Having been a member of a team through the design and build of three completely different cars and if you think you can do it cheaper and better the only response is; "Do it or shut up"

If the team's badly organised - help re-organise it. If you spend your whole life waiting for the perfect situation you'll die waiting.

Ben

FilW · 7 Jun 2006, 19:28 (Ref:1629449)

Quote:

Originally Posted by ubrben

You sound rather arrogant and sure of yourself...

Having been a member of a team through the design and build of three completely different cars and if you think you can do it cheaper and better the only response is; "Do it or shut up"

If the team's badly organised - help re-organise it. If you spend your whole life waiting for the perfect situation you'll die waiting.

Ben

Perfectly put!!

ss_collins · 7 Jun 2006, 19:37 (Ref:1629457)

Indeed - a badly organised team with a ropey design shouts to me opportunity. I wouldn't slag off wanna be race engineers - isn't that what you want to be?

Best advice is get you hands dirty, do the nasty rubbish jobs with a club racer. skin your knuckles, get cold wet and fed up. Learn. If you go straight into a 'name' team I think you will learn less and progress slower.

And do Formula Student - you can learn a lot by cocking up. I'd rather have an engineer who has done the spanner time, learnt racecraft and made mistakes (and understands why) than middle of the road FBMW engineer...

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