The interview process varies depending on the company. I have been through several different interviews over the past two years and have found they tend to follow a pattern:
1) A 35-45 minute face to face interview. This will usually be with a director and senior team member, and the purpose is for them to ascertain how well you present yourself both physically and verbally. They may want to determine whether you could represent the company off-site during a collection and talk to the client in a suitable manner. If you're scruffy and have poor verbal communication skills, they may think twice about hiring you. There will be discussion about your background, relevant skills and what you want to achieve at their company. As previously mentioned, research on the company and their activities will prove useful, if you say you wish to branch into E-Discovery and the company do not offer that service then you might be shooting yourself in the foot. The company has to be right for you, and you for it!
2) If you are successful at the first stage interview, you will be invited back for a second stage interview, which are usually more technical based, with questions aimed at determining whether the qualifications you have on paper are worth the paper they're printed on. I have been asked to look through printed Hex dumps and identify the file based on the header, or you may be asked some questions about current legislation that you might expect to encounter in the course of an investigation. For example, CPA 1978, CJA 2003, PACE 1984, CJIA 2008, CPIA 1996 etc...
3) Third stage interviews are for the senior management team to get a feel for you and determine whether you'd fit the dynamic of their company environment. Generally a short 30 minute conversation and discussion about your intentions with the company.
I've also had interviews that consisted of EnCase tasks, written tests and logical assessments.
One thing I cannot stand to hear is the use of "ummm", "eerrrr" or "like" every third or fourth word!! Listen to the question, take a second to think of a concise answer and present it. If you answer a question "well errr I think I'd like do really well like in the company because eerrr I like get on well with like all types of people, ya know!" it just makes you sound moronic IMHO. People tend to use umm and like as commas in conversation these days.
Best of luck with your interview, let us know how it went!
Simon
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