Hello,

I recently joined this site after lurking for a while, reading the posts and FAQs. I planned for my first topic to contain well-thought-out questions about finding that first-time job not found elsewhere, but recent developments have changed that, One of the companies I sent a resume to has responded and I have a phone intereview next week.

Now, there are topics about phone interviews, but this position is for a temporary entry-level QA position. The Sloperama FAQs don't explicitly cover phone interviews and since the job is only temporary, most of the general advice found in other threads and elsewhere on the Internet gets thrown out the window. (There's no need to worry about salary requirements or long-term company loyalty).

So for anyone who has done a phone interview for a position like this (as either interviewer or interviewee) what kinds of questions should I expect? What kinds or goals/purpose does the interviewer have? Would there be any technical questions? Or more personal question to make sure I'm not a freak/fake?

Any advice you can give is appreciated.

Thank you, that definitely helps. If most of the games I play are older/retro, would that end up hurting me? I do play some more current games and can talk about those, but if they ask about favorites the older ones are the ones I go to. How good/bad would it be if I mentioned a game(s) made the company I'm interviewing with as a favorite?

Typically, how long would a phone interview for a position like this take?

Thank you, that definitely helps. If most of the games I play are older/retro, would that end up hurting me? I do play some more current games and can talk about those,

Yes it's called genrism and it's huge in the game industry. I have been discriminated against in several interviews because I told them that I like to play tetris. And I am currently suing a small game company in New York for this very issue.

Sometimes I lay in bed at night and wonder why they have to hate? Why do they have to hate me because I was born a tetris fan...I didn't ask to be born this way.

" I am currently suing a small game company in New York for this very issue."

Sorry, you've actually filed a lawsuit claiming discrimination against you because you play Tetris???

Really???

Yikes.

You can mention old games as your favorites (there's nothing wrong with nostalgia). But it should be obvious from what I said above that you have to spend more time talking about current games and the features that work and don't work well in those. Or even bugs you've actually found in current released games.
And you have to research the company, play their games, and be able to discuss those. It's okay to like their games, just don't let it sound like gratuitous and simpering false praise.

Sorry for posting in such an old topic, but I didn't want to leave this unresolved.

I figured that was the case, but individuals tend to have extreme reactions one way or another when old games are mentioned and I was wondering about what would happen in more professional setting. Fortunately, the questions were phrased in such a way that it was not an issue. Unfortunately, the interview didn't go well as I got rather nervous and started fumbling over words and even managed to forget about the four sheets of notes in front of me that I prepared about the company and games I had played. Oh, well. I consider it a valuable learning experience and I'll be better prepared for next time. Thanks for all your help.