Interview
Hello...
Today I had an interview with Agilent Technologies UK Ltd at their R&D centre over in South Queensferry (right next to the Forth Road Bridge). My dad was kind enough to drive me there in the morning and come pick me up, which saved a lot of time and hassle getting the train. The interview started at 9.30am and I didn't leave the building until about 1.30pm.
Firstly I was introduced to an HR lady, Carole, with whom I had been in contact previously, got a coffee then was taken into a very small meeting room where the two interviewers were waiting for me. The were both from marketing, although I think they had a technical background. They were very interested in my project at Grundfos and I had to draw a diagram on a flip chart and explain it to them. One guy seemed really interested but I thought the other seemed a bit distant. Finally they asked me the usual HR interview questions like: why I applied, what are my strengths and weaknesses, etc. It lasted about an hour and I thought it went very well.
Next up was an hour of technical questions from two younger guys. They started off with "What is a Watt?" (pull spazy face and make a sound like a demented cow), to asking what a linked list was, C programming questions (including giving me sample code to work out what was wrong), OOP questions, OS stuff. We ran out of time as I was able to answer them all fully. Sometimes even more than they expected and so answered a few of the next questions. There were more questions to come on RF but didn't get that far. So it was a breeze!
Then two other guys took me for a free lunch, had a chat with them (possibly a wee informal covert interview, getting to know my personality maybe) and then they took me on a tour of one of the development buildings. I was quite impressed with some of their test equipment. For example, there is a wireless test instrument that you can set up with different profiles to act as a receiver/transmitter/base station for Bluetooth, Wifi and GSM. That was pretty cool.
After that I met up with Carole again to have an informal chat where she explained to me the benefits of working at Agilent and I had to complete a medical questionnaire.
When I got home I had already got an email that said I was on the shortlist and that I " interviewed extremely well and that [I] presented [my] project particularly effectively and had a good solid technical knowledge". So that sounds really promising.
I think they are looking for around 12 graduates this year and they do not finish interviewing until 18th of April, so I have a bit of a wait!
That means I'll have to keep applying for other jobs. I heard back from ARM, after I had contacted someone I knew from the last time I applied, as there was no word from the agency that now deals with applications, to find out that I was too late for the System-on-a-chip Verification Engineer position and there were stronger candidates for the CPU Design Engineer and CPU Design Verification Engineer. Obviously, I'm disappointed but it's a lot better to know rather than not hear from them.
Next company that I'm going to apply to is Nallatech who have their HQ in, wait for it.... CUMBERNAULD. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing! If your 'naulders are interested the building is next to OKI, right next the roundabout, opposite the Shell petrol station and Little Chef.
At the moment I am busy with uni project work and an assignment. I still have to squeeze in study time as my first exam is in 6 weeks as of tomorrow! :''( As Mariken is going to visit her friend in Liverpool from tomorrow to Tuesday, hopefully I can take advantage of that and put in some studying.
Ciao for now brown cow, (???)
--
mond
Today I had an interview with Agilent Technologies UK Ltd at their R&D centre over in South Queensferry (right next to the Forth Road Bridge). My dad was kind enough to drive me there in the morning and come pick me up, which saved a lot of time and hassle getting the train. The interview started at 9.30am and I didn't leave the building until about 1.30pm.
Firstly I was introduced to an HR lady, Carole, with whom I had been in contact previously, got a coffee then was taken into a very small meeting room where the two interviewers were waiting for me. The were both from marketing, although I think they had a technical background. They were very interested in my project at Grundfos and I had to draw a diagram on a flip chart and explain it to them. One guy seemed really interested but I thought the other seemed a bit distant. Finally they asked me the usual HR interview questions like: why I applied, what are my strengths and weaknesses, etc. It lasted about an hour and I thought it went very well.
Next up was an hour of technical questions from two younger guys. They started off with "What is a Watt?" (pull spazy face and make a sound like a demented cow), to asking what a linked list was, C programming questions (including giving me sample code to work out what was wrong), OOP questions, OS stuff. We ran out of time as I was able to answer them all fully. Sometimes even more than they expected and so answered a few of the next questions. There were more questions to come on RF but didn't get that far. So it was a breeze!
Then two other guys took me for a free lunch, had a chat with them (possibly a wee informal covert interview, getting to know my personality maybe) and then they took me on a tour of one of the development buildings. I was quite impressed with some of their test equipment. For example, there is a wireless test instrument that you can set up with different profiles to act as a receiver/transmitter/base station for Bluetooth, Wifi and GSM. That was pretty cool.
After that I met up with Carole again to have an informal chat where she explained to me the benefits of working at Agilent and I had to complete a medical questionnaire.
When I got home I had already got an email that said I was on the shortlist and that I " interviewed extremely well and that [I] presented [my] project particularly effectively and had a good solid technical knowledge". So that sounds really promising.
I think they are looking for around 12 graduates this year and they do not finish interviewing until 18th of April, so I have a bit of a wait!
That means I'll have to keep applying for other jobs. I heard back from ARM, after I had contacted someone I knew from the last time I applied, as there was no word from the agency that now deals with applications, to find out that I was too late for the System-on-a-chip Verification Engineer position and there were stronger candidates for the CPU Design Engineer and CPU Design Verification Engineer. Obviously, I'm disappointed but it's a lot better to know rather than not hear from them.
Next company that I'm going to apply to is Nallatech who have their HQ in, wait for it.... CUMBERNAULD. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing! If your 'naulders are interested the building is next to OKI, right next the roundabout, opposite the Shell petrol station and Little Chef.
At the moment I am busy with uni project work and an assignment. I still have to squeeze in study time as my first exam is in 6 weeks as of tomorrow! :''( As Mariken is going to visit her friend in Liverpool from tomorrow to Tuesday, hopefully I can take advantage of that and put in some studying.
Ciao for now brown cow, (???)
--
mond
posted by mond at
5:15 pm
3 Comments:
Hey liefsy! Once again: see, they LOVED you (no wonder;)).
XXx
By
Mariken, at 1:44 pm
Hi Neil
That's quite a coincidence you came across my post then! Do I know you? Where are you from?
I think I was going for a Software Engineering role but I'm not really sure as they never confirmed what exact positions they were offering. What about you?
I haven't heard anything as yet. They said to me that no final decision could be made until the week commencing the 18th of April.
Good luck anyway and thanks for commenting.
--
Derek
By
mond, at 5:42 pm
Ah ok, I thought you had been clicking on random next blog or something.
I don't think that the job you get now will determine the course of the rest of your life. At the end of the day it's just a job. There will be plenty more opportunities. It's just up to you to take them.
I was told by Carole that that was the final stage.
--
Derek
By
mond, at 11:10 am
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