Interview with Hewlett Packard

PGstudent

I have a telephone interview with HP coming up for their graduate programme.

I am in a strange position in that Im not your average graduate candidate, Im 29 for a start and I have been working in IT for a few years now. I went back to college to do a masters to move out of systems admin and into consultancy- during the first term we had the usual graduate recruiters and I applied for a few of them just to give myself the option. Some of the feedback I got from places was that the grad programmes were for pre experience candidates and I was therefore unsuitable.

HP, however, rang me up and I have a phone interview with them coming up. Im just wondering if people have any experience with the HP interview process, their grad programme and if they think this would be a good move for me or a step backwards (if I get it of course)?

helimachoptor

It depends really on where they want to place you, I/you should hope they recognise that you've been around a few years and not a wet behind the ears grad aged 21/22.

I presume after the phone interview they'll have an in person interview which will be where you'll need to speak with them about putting your experience to good use!

Best of luck

PGstudent

helimachoptor wrote: »

It depends really on where they want to place you, I/you should hope they recognise that you've been around a few years and not a wet behind the ears grad aged 21/22.

I presume after the phone interview they'll have an in person interview which will be where you'll need to speak with them about putting your experience to good use!

Best of luck

Yeh I defintely want to be able to apply my experience. I assume in salary terms it will be a big step backwards.

Ive just realised this might be in the wrong forum- if a mod wants to move it to the jobs forum

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

Stheno

I worked in HP Consulting and was a teamlead to the grad programme consultants that were there when I was.

If you want to pm me I'm happy to give you any info that I can.

CallieO

A telephone interview?

Step away from the keyboard now!!!

If they can't offer a better option than that??


Seriously shaken - I thought Dell were bad...yes I have the record to prove it:rolleyes:

the_syco

Most decent places to a phone interview if you live a good bit from where the interview is held.

PGstudent

nouggatti wrote: »

I worked in HP Consulting and was a teamlead to the grad programme consultants that were there when I was.

If you want to pm me I'm happy to give you any info that I can.

Dammit, I only saw your post just there, I would have defintely pm'd you but I had the interview this morning. I'd be very interested in tips for the assessment day though (assuming I get that far of course).

Anyway just to update this thread incase anyone else comes across this and needs tips or is just generally interested: The interview lasted about 50 mins altogether and was basically split into 2 parts: What do you know about HP/why do you want to work for HP and questions about yourself.

I dont know if this is against the charter of this forum but basically if you check out this website on interview processes and questions it is almost word for word what I was asked. The interview is actually known as a competency based interview: http://www.wikijob.co.uk/wiki/competency-based-interview (I seriously cannot recommend this site enough it was bang on).
Obviously check out HP's website, wikipedia and and any articles about them and the current trends in their industry and global trends (when I mentioned the economy the interviewer seemed pleased)

For my prep I charged my phone (duh!), got a quiet place- told nobody to disturb me. I wrote down answers to all major competency questions such as communications/teamwork/leadership and information about HP- historical, business functions, competition, objectives etc and then put them all out on the table in front of me.

The interviewer said it went "excellent" and seemed pleased. She said she would contact me should I be selected for the assessment day. We then had a little chit chat which was relaxed and she complimented me on my ability to communicate tech stuff in a non tech way which she said was impressive as she is a non tech person and she said it was a great skill for solutions consulting.

All in all I am happy with it- but you never know with these things so fingers crossed. I wont find out for a couple of weeks

PGstudent

CallieO wrote: »

A telephone interview?

Step away from the keyboard now!!!

If they can't offer a better option than that??


Seriously shaken - I thought Dell were bad...yes I have the record to prove it:rolleyes:

Really? Its the first time Ive done a phone interview but I can see the reasoning behind it. Plus there may be alot of candidates (especially in the current economic climate).

I believe the interviewing process works like this:
Telephone interview to do a quick assessment of your suitability/knowledge of the firm/idustry and intrerpersonal skills.

If successful move onto an assessment day at the assessment centre which basically consists of tasks, presentations and meetings with managers, to see how you work with people and communicate.

If successful move onto interview with senior management (hopefully that would be the final?)

Dont quote me on that.

Im not sure if the interview process is different for specific job applications though.

How do Dell do it?