Andy Lester the author of “Land the Tech Job You Love“ will be giving his talk “Effective Interviewing from Both Sides of the Desk.”  After the presentation Andy will be giving away a copy of his book and we will join TechThursdays@OfficePort, a weekly get-together where entrepreneurs, developers, new media types—and just plain people—can connect over a beer.

About the Presentation:

Interviews have too long been treated like interrogations, probing and testing candidates like they were fruit at a grocer. Effective interviewing reframes the interview as what it really is: the candidate’s first day on the job.

For job-seekers, topics include:

• How to prepare an effective portfolio that says more than words about your skills.
• Your primary goal at the interview.
• Using the power of stories to tell what self-description cannot.
• Understanding the process through the interviewer’s eyes.
• How to turn the interview into a working meeting.
• Five dreaded questions you must be able to answer, and how to answer them without fear.

For managers, you’ll learn:

• Effective pre-interview research
• How to increase your chances of choosing the best candidate.
• Increase your odds in judging cultural fit.
• Why you must ask the dreaded questions like “Where do you want to be in five years,” and how to ask them without asking them.

When: Thursday, January 21, 2010 – (lecture) 5:45pm – 7:00pm  (TECHThursdays) 7:00pm-8:30pm

Where: OfficePortCHI – 9 W. Washington, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL

Cost: Free – You must RSVP

SocialDevCamp Chicago is the unconference for social application and platform developers, evangelists, and enthusiasts.  SocialDevCamp Chicago is for anyone passionate about the development and implementation of social applications, platforms, APIs, mobile, identity management, and new media. This year’s event includes two days of developer-centric sessions surrounding trends in social applications, platforms, APIs, apps, business cases, and social culture.  SocialDevCamp Chicago is also featuring a Hackathon Contest, encouraging developers to construct their own social app over the weekend, either solo or as a team.  Prizes will be awarded by a panel of local judges near the conclusion of the event.  Join some of the brightest minds in the Midwest for a weekend of fun, learning, and coding!

SocialDevCamp Chicago is a participant-driven event held in the spirit of BarCamp.  Attendees are expected to contribute in some manner – whether speaking, coding in the Hackathon, volunteering, fostering discussion or spreading the word.

When: November 7 & 8, 2009 – 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Where: Illinois Institute of Technology, McCormick Tribute Center – 3201 S. State Street, Chicago, IL 60616

More Information: http://barcamp.pbworks.com/SocialDevCampChicago