for the past 7 days, i've already interviewed a total of 4 applicants to join my team. we are ramping up to get at least 5 people in at the end of next week. tomorrow, i am scheduled to interview another 2 applicants. the process of our interview goes like this: an initial interview with HR, then a basic technical interview with me. if they pass my interview, i'll recommend them for a final interview with the US team. so far, so good, so cool.

before, i thought interviewing applicants is much easier than being interviewed by, but no, not in my case. the challenge - i have been interviewing applicants with more working experiences than me and i am likely to flub if they'd turn the table and ask me questions. however, they don't have the guts to since they couldn't speak english well and perhaps they feel intimidated when i start talking. they get nervous especially when i start talking fast, then, when i try to talk slowly for them, unintentionally, my voice is louder than my normal - which would really make them feel MORE nervous and intimidated. LOL. well, i'm just emphasizing what i'm saying and i cannot, for the life of me, even make a serious face for more than 15 seconds, plus, I HAVE A PRETTY & ANGELIC FACE. *wink* so i assume that it's just normal for an interviewee to feel intimidated as being in a hotseat.

this morning, my boss and i were discussing on the phone about the interview schedules. i couldn't help but laugh whenever i start to mention about the schedule. that's because the plan is to hire 20-30 employees for the next 6 months and we are to conduct at least 1 interview per day to get the right people in to the team. with the time difference US and China has, i find it not convenient for my boss to conduct final interviews. but since he wants it so he gets it - this is what makes me laugh. LOL. i also find myself funny being in this position - an inexperienced little junior interviewing good old gurus. seriously, the feeling is funny. i'm not even proud of it instead am scared of what will they possibly ask or say to me. but of course, i always make myself ready and would always make preparations before the interview.

i'd always made it sure that i know what i'm asking or talking about. i would only ask questions that i have experience with and am still knowledgeable of. i would do research about the things that requires deeper understanding. it's as if i'm the one who will get interviewed by because i study the things i want to ask - which i find entertaining. and during an interview, if i suddenly mentioned something that i forget about or i'm not sure of, i'd ask the applicant's opinion and stir it up for a while and come up with an answer from there. it's like a defense mechanism! hahaha. and so the interview would turn out to be a success because both the applicant and i are satisfied with no questions left unanswered - yep, even when an applicant failed to answer my question, i try to explain the answer myself and share my knowledge about it.

it takes me about 40 minutes to finish a successful interview where i'm left with no more questions to ask. after the interview, i find myself calm and satisfied from the fact that i didn't flub a question they asked since they'd never dared to, from the fact that i am able to share what i know of that they had a mistake knowing about, and from the fact that i am able to identify whom i think are the right people to be part of the team. currently, i have recommended 2 out of 4 applicants for the final interview and hope that they'll pass it since it'll be more difficult than mine. ehehe. that's it for my interview experience! nose bleed.