As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
We're funding a new Acquisitions Incorporated series on Kickstarter right now! Check it out at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pennyarcade/acquisitions-incorporated-the-series-2

Penny Arcade: The Series, Episode 11: THE NEW HIRE

1568101125

Posts

  • Robert KhooRobert Khoo Registered User, ClubPA staff
    edited March 2010
    I thought it was very interesting to see how PA runs interviews. I regularly interview candidates for my company (mainly software development) and it's quite a different process. The joke would probably be an instant disqualification, though no doubt it would get a lot of laughs in the debrief after the interviews were done.

    Robert, if you happen to read this, was this standard procedure for PA interviews, or is it different every time you want to bring someone on? Also what - if anything other than general personality - are you hoping to glean from the rorschach tests?

    There are six rounds.
    1. resume (and in this case portfolio) pruning
    2. Written test
    3. Phone Interview A
    4. Phone Interview B
    5. Phone Interview C
    6. Final Round (and this is what is shown on PA:TS)

    The Final Round is more about "fit" than anything else, and trying to get them in as many different "interaction" scenarios as we can is our goal. There's only so much rounds 1-5 can tell you - 6 is where we figure out whether or not you as a person and we as a company are the right fit. It's a stress, personality, and creative test all rolled into 3 days, starting at 9 AM and rolling into the night, only to start over again in the morning.

    Robert Khoo on
    Some guy.
  • scsscsscsscs Registered User regular
    edited March 2010


    There are six rounds.
    1. resume (and in this case portfolio) pruning
    2. Written test
    3. Phone Interview A
    4. Phone Interview B
    5. Phone Interview C
    6. Final Round (and this is what is shown on PA:TS)

    The Final Round is more about "fit" than anything else, and trying to get them in as many different "interaction" scenarios as we can is our goal. There's only so much rounds 1-5 can tell you - 6 is where we figure out whether or not you as a person and we as a company are the right fit. It's a stress, personality, and creative test all rolled into 3 days, starting at 9 AM and rolling into the night, only to start over again in the morning.

    What kind (technical, PA related, etc.) of questions do you ask on the written test?

    scsscs on
  • A Dabble Of TheloniusA Dabble Of Thelonius It has been a doozy of a dayRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    What if Mike told you to go fuck the copier while sucking the fax machine? Respond in essay format. 3500 word minimum.

    A Dabble Of Thelonius on
    vm8gvf5p7gqi.jpg
    Steam - Talon Valdez :Blizz - Talonious#1860 : Xbox Live & LoL - Talonious Monk @TaloniousMonk Hail Satan
  • KalTorakKalTorak One way or another, they all end up in the Undercity.Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I thought I saw a few shots of the written test in the episode, do they do another one during the in-house interview?

    KalTorak on
  • bombardierbombardier Moderator mod
    edited March 2010
    vsove wrote: »
    Interviews, particularly when it's for a place you really want to work, are hard.

    Of course the ability to overcome that nervousness and come across as a charismatic individual definitely does not hurt. It is an important skill to develop.

    Four person interview panels are the devil, too.

    Yeah the huge desire for the job is the worst. I felt that way applying for my school course since it is a pretty competitive process.

    It really sucks not getting a job you really want, but getting offered a job on the spot for something you really don't want and only went to the interview because it was good practice for that really good job.

    bombardier on
  • GorajaGoraja Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    vsove wrote: »
    A duck! wrote: »
    vsove wrote: »
    Interviews, particularly when it's for a place you really want to work, are hard.

    Of course the ability to overcome that nervousness and come across as a charismatic individual definitely does not hurt. It is an important skill to develop.

    Four person interview panels are the devil, too.

    Pff, try 11. The New York State Education Department loves to fill rooms with people, and I've had interviews of 6, 7, 9 and 11 people. I'll never figure it out. No other state agency ever had more than three.

    Jesus.

    Four is bad enough. Four requires you to try and figure out what each of those four people wants to see in an interviewee.

    I can't even imagine eleven. That's ridiculous.
    I would have settled for eleven strangers over a peer in direct competition with me sitting on the board which reviewed whether I should be kept on the tenure track at the university. *vomit*

    Goraja on
  • scsscsscsscs Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    KalTorak wrote: »
    I thought I saw a few shots of the written test in the episode, do they do another one during the in-house interview?

    Write a haiku about your favorite videogame.

    What's the craziest thing you have ever done?

    What's best Christmas present ever?

    Are the three questions shown in the video. Plus one about how you would fit in.

    scsscs on
  • Viscount IslandsViscount Islands [INSERT SoKo HERE] ...it was the summer of my lifeRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Putting $20 on Ericka.

    Viscount Islands on
    I want to do with you
    What spring does with the cherry trees.
  • ZoelZoel I suppose... I'd put it on Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    job interviews are only difficult when you actually try hard for the job in question

    I only managed to get a job at my agency because it was right where I lived in high school and I didn't really want to go back, so during the interview I cited my World of Warcraft raiding experience as leadership experience and completely explained the four horsemen encounter which yeah I probably wouldn't have done if I treated it as a serious interview.

    Zoel on
    A magician gives you a ring that, when worn, will let you see the world as it truly is.
    However, the ring will never leave your finger, and you will be unable to ever describe to another living person what you see.
  • FaricazyFaricazy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    A duck! wrote: »
    vsove wrote: »
    Interviews, particularly when it's for a place you really want to work, are hard.

    Of course the ability to overcome that nervousness and come across as a charismatic individual definitely does not hurt. It is an important skill to develop.

    Four person interview panels are the devil, too.

    Pff, try 11. The New York State Education Department loves to fill rooms with people, and I've had interviews of 6, 7, 9 and 11 people. I'll never figure it out. No other state agency ever had more than three.

    Well NYS/NYC education boards don't actually spend their time on anything good or productive, so they need to dick around somewhere.

    Faricazy on
  • KazhiimKazhiim __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    oh man

    poor matt

    Kazhiim on
    lost_sig2.png
  • BogeyBogey I'm back, baby! Santa Monica, CAModerator mod
    edited March 2010
    Poll added. :P

    Bogey on
    Fitocracy: Join us in the SE++ group!
    XBox LIVE: Bogestrom | Destiny
    PSN: Bogestrom
  • ZoelZoel I suppose... I'd put it on Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Matt is the dark horse; he's gonna turn this around

    He's gonna be the guy

    Zoel on
    A magician gives you a ring that, when worn, will let you see the world as it truly is.
    However, the ring will never leave your finger, and you will be unable to ever describe to another living person what you see.
  • ButtcleftButtcleft Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I really want to know what the joke was.

    Buttcleft on
  • ÄlphämönkëyÄlphämönkëy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Bogey wrote: »
    Poll added. :P

    Dear PA Staff reading this thread,

    trap.jpg

    You can see who voted on a poll.

    Just sayin'

    Älphämönkëy on
  • KabitzyKabitzy find me in Monsbaiya Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Matt's the dark horse, and I always go with them:
    Darkhorse.jpg

    Kabitzy on
    W7ARG.png Don't try and sell me any junk.
    Bother me on steam: kabbypan
  • KazhiimKazhiim __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    Matt's the dark horse that got me through college

    Kazhiim on
    lost_sig2.png
  • FaricazyFaricazy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    He may be the dark horse but he is no Bad Horse.

    Faricazy on
  • KazhiimKazhiim __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    so like, if penny arcade ever goes in to structural design, someone let me know

    Kazhiim on
    lost_sig2.png
  • FaricazyFaricazy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Kazhiim wrote: »
    so like, if penny arcade ever goes in to structural design, someone let me know
    215226244_sKmWK-L-2.jpg

    You have your work cut out.

    Faricazy on
  • KazhiimKazhiim __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    They don't make steel stiff enough to handle those loads

    Kazhiim on
    lost_sig2.png
  • BedlamBedlam Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    oh a poll

    this appeals to me

    Bedlam on
  • UsagiUsagi Nah Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    you and me Kaz, making Fruit Fucker robots a reality

    Usagi on
  • FaricazyFaricazy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    You'll have to use wangtanium.

    Faricazy on
  • KazhiimKazhiim __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    you guys YOU GUYS

    I'm eating Oreos. I just bit one of the chocolate disks off, revealing the middle cream intact. Then, I used my front teeth to scrape the cream off.

    But it came off in one solid chunk

    I HAVE AN UNDEFORMED DISK OF PURE OREO CREME ON MY TONGUE WHAT DO I DO

    Kazhiim on
    lost_sig2.png
  • DrIanMalcolmDrIanMalcolm Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I haven't had an oreo in so long

    DrIanMalcolm on
  • SupraluminalSupraluminal Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Kazhiim wrote: »
    you guys YOU GUYS

    I'm eating Oreos. I just bit one of the chocolate disks off, revealing the middle cream intact. Then, I used my front teeth to scrape the cream off.

    But it came off in one solid chunk

    I HAVE AN UNDEFORMED DISK OF PURE OREO CREME ON MY TONGUE WHAT DO I DO

    Ascend to a higher plane of being?

    Supraluminal on
  • HunteraHuntera Rude Boy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I think part of the hilarity of the joke, is the mystery surrounding it.


    Also the expression on Jerry's face. That too.

    Huntera on
  • KazhiimKazhiim __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    Man, it still blows my mind that G&T&K managed to turn this whole thing into a business that needs to hire people

    Kazhiim on
    lost_sig2.png
  • ASimPersonASimPerson Cold... and hard.Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I like how Khoo has voted in the poll.

    Is that who won? Or is it a red herring?

    Where's that "it is a mystery" gif when I need it?

    ASimPerson on
  • BedlamBedlam Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    what kind of wizardry do i need to employ in order to see who voted?

    Bedlam on
  • UsagiUsagi Nah Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    ASimPerson wrote: »
    I like how Khoo has voted in the poll.

    Is that who won? Or is it a red herring?

    Where's that "it is a mystery" gif when I need it?

    emot-iiam.gif

    Usagi on
  • FaricazyFaricazy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Bedlam wrote: »
    what kind of wizardry do i need to employ in order to see who voted?

    click on the vote counts

    Faricazy on
  • Arden CaneloArden Canelo Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Guys Khoo is looking at the thread right now.

    Arden Canelo on
  • JordanthehuttJordanthehutt Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    This is def the best episode yet. I'm actually watching it again.

    Jordanthehutt on
  • DeShadowCDeShadowC Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Guys Khoo is looking at the thread right now.

    And laughing at us all.

    You have to wonder if they told Lexxy to stop posting for the last month until the winner is announced.

    DeShadowC on
  • ArtreusArtreus I'm a wizard And that looks fucked upRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    It was me. I got the job. I am the 4th candidate they aren't showing.

    Artreus on
    http://atlanticus.tumblr.com/ PSN: Atlanticus 3DS: 1590-4692-3954 Steam: Artreus
  • FaricazyFaricazy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    DeShadowC wrote: »
    Guys Khoo is looking at the thread right now.

    And laughing at us all.

    You have to wonder if they told Lexxy to stop posting for the last month until the winner is announced.

    THE IP IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE OFFICE.

    Faricazy on
  • DeShadowCDeShadowC Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Faricazy wrote: »
    DeShadowC wrote: »
    Guys Khoo is looking at the thread right now.

    And laughing at us all.

    You have to wonder if they told Lexxy to stop posting for the last month until the winner is announced.

    THE IP IS COMING FROM INSIDE THE OFFICE.

    Damnit. Can I borrow mod access for a few minutes? I won't destroy the forums and hit the merge all button.

    DeShadowC on
  • BusterKBusterK Negativity is Boring Cynicism is Cowardice Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I'm voting on the assumption that the winning side is the one with Khoo on it
    This is how I make most decisions

    BusterK on
    Visit http://www.cruzflores.com for all your Cruz Flores needs. Also listen to the podcast I do with Penguin Incarnate http://wgsgshow.podomatic.com
    Amazon Wishlist: http://www.amazon.com/BusterK/wishlist/3JPEKJGX9G54I/ref=cm_wl_search_bin_1
This discussion has been closed.