Interview With an IT Professional

This artifact is quite a bit shorter than the first one, but that is actually very deceiving. For an assignment in my Computing Professionals class (essentially the ITCS version of HONR 1700), I had to interview someone in the field of IT or Computer Science. I chose to talk to an IT guy who works for Goodwill. The interview went on for a while, and I learned a lot, but I only included the answers that were required for the assignment. I chose this artifact because it put me directly in contact with someone in a field I might go into, it had me practice my interviewing skills, and got me to think about the kinds of skills I would need for a job like that.


Photo of network server released under Creative Commons
Name: Darren Harris
Questions:
1. How long have you worked in this job?
A little over six months
2. How long have your worked for this organization?
This is my first job here [six months]
3. What are your major duties and responsibilities?
Make sure the clock-in system and cash registers are working
4. Who is your immediate supervisor? What is his/her title?
Sue [points to woman talking to someone], she’s the back-end/institutional manager
5. What do you perceive to be the major rewards of your job?
I basically get to sit here and do nothing once I run my checks in the morning
6. What do you like most about your work?
It’s easy, yet most people think I am some kind of wizard [laughs]
7. What are the major frustrations in this job?
When someone messes up something easy, and I have to spend a few hours trying to fix the problem
8. What are the most frequently recurring problems in your position?
People who do not know how to follow simple instructions! [throws up hands in exasperation]
9. Is your job better or worse now than it was a few years ago? Why?
Well, I was working at Burger King a few years ago, so this job is a lot better because I’m no longer burning myself with grease [points to scar on arm]
10. What job in the organization would you prefer above your own?
Something with corporate, they pay a lot more
11. Do you have any long-term goals?
I plan to get some more experience here, but until then I don’t have any specific plans
12. How did you become interested in this career?
I had a friend who had just gotten into it and explained how easy it was
13. How did you prepare yourself for this job? How did your education help?
I attended classes at a local community college on Long Island, and the education taught me all of the basic skills I needed
14. What advice would you give to someone interested in this career?
If you get the job, pretend to be busy every time your boss sees you
15. Who else could I talk to in this field?
Uh, I could give you the number for corporate… [he says he’ll text me it later but never got back to me]