I've had more job interviews than i care to think of, and gotten at least a few good jobs in my days, so I'll reiterate some of the advice i've given before.
In my line of work i find that a lot of interviews i go on are the result of a 3rd party headhunter calling me out of the blue. From this i have learned that it pays to spend some time researching the company you are interviewing with. Find out what they do, and figure out how your experience and skills apply to the work they do. You never want to show up having no clue what they do there.
Do not volunteer to discuss your spectrum disorder. Stating this only because people have asked over and over if they should bring it up. Don't. Just don't. Nothing positive can come from it at this juncture. Employers are aware that not everyone is exactly the same, and equally aware that sometimes someone with an unusual personality is uniquely qualified to do an exceptional job for them. They've been through this before. You are not the weirdest person they've interviewed. Don't bring it up.
If for some reason they bring it up or you blurt it out, stress the positives of your spectrum disorder. Like attention to detail.
Every employer, on some level, whether conscious or subconscious, wants to hire someone who they feel will be easy and pleasant to work with.
Put a positive spin on everything you say. Express enthusiasm for the opportunity to work with them. If you think you can do a good job for them, say so. If you want the job they are hiring for, ask for it. Straight up ask for the job. Can't hurt, and might be the thing that pushes you over the top.
Ask questions. You need to express an interest in what they do. Once you know what they do there, think about what questions you can ask about how they do business and how they run the department you'll be working with.
Ask about their history and outlook.
If you take some time to ask them a lot of questions about the company, this will give them the impression that you have other options and want to carefully consider what company you will commit to. That may be total BS - maybe you just need any job you can get your grubby paws on - but you need them to think that you need to know whether they are up to your standards, but without appearing to be aloof or cocky about it.
Do not brag. It will make you look like a jackass.
Ask the interviewer what the best aspect of working for the company is. You'd be surprised how well this works.
On a more job specific level, if you are interviewing in the software industry and they tell you that they don't work late nights and weekends, that means that they work a completely unreasonable number of late nights and weekends. This has been true of every software company i have ever worked with. The ones who say they don't do it are the worst offenders by far.
04 Jun 2011, 11:50 pm
