I'm preparing for the Interview portion of the NUPOC selection process. I am a little concerned about what exactly they are looking for. The NUPOC Study Guide is essentially a review of every single topic I had in my college Calculus/Phyisics classes, so it is quite daunting considering I'm 4 years removed of school. I am a good interviewer, inasmuch as I can hold a conversation, explain my strengths/weaknesses with examples, and can respond well to almost any type of question without pause or use of 'um,' 'like,' or 'ya know?'. My concern is with the problem solving portion. Are they looking for me to perfectly solve any time of problem on the spot, or are they interested in my methods of probelm solving? If they are looking for correct and perfect solutions, I might be in trouble. If they are looking for my ability to adapt and use logic to solve a problem then I am better shape. I feel like I need to know everything perfectly, which I will not. I'm trying but with 2 jobs it's near impossible for me. Can someone provide some insight to support or refute my line of thinking?
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NUPOC Interview questions
- Thread starter nuls2835
- Start date
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
The technical interviews will solely be based on problem solving. The interviewer may or may not ask you any side questions to break the ice, but they are not evaluating you on traditional interview skills. Admiral Richardson may ask a traditional interview question or two, but you most likely won't be sitting with him more than about 5 minutes.
Your question is tough to answer as written, so I will say this: They care about your problem solving process. If you forget a negative sign or make an arithmetic error, they will forgive you. If you don't know how to properly set up the problem and make reasonable assumptions if the calculations are beyond what you actually know how to do, then you will fail.
Your recruiter will set you up with a practice interview prior to going to DC. If you are invited to interview, remember that the job is yours to lose.
Your question is tough to answer as written, so I will say this: They care about your problem solving process. If you forget a negative sign or make an arithmetic error, they will forgive you. If you don't know how to properly set up the problem and make reasonable assumptions if the calculations are beyond what you actually know how to do, then you will fail.
Your recruiter will set you up with a practice interview prior to going to DC. If you are invited to interview, remember that the job is yours to lose.
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
The past Admiral did not look video games, so people were not advised to mention that during interviews.
You should get 2 tech interviews if you get 3 then you did poorly on one of the first 2, so if you only have 2 that means you passed them both or failed them both.
If the admiral asking why you failed an interview do not tell him you didn't fail an interview, if he says you did then you did, and yes this has happened.
If interviewing for subs do not tell you want to be an instructor instead when talking to him, that makes everyone look like an ASS.
If the problem you are given is missing something make a reasonable assumption, verbalize what you are doing, if you need to make an assumption for the washington monument and you know it is 555 feet, go " I believe it is 555 feet, but for ease of math I am going to round to 600" if he doesn't want you to do that then he will say so.
They want to see your problem solving abilities the interviewers are not there to trick you, sometimes they will give you suggestions, but again you have to verbalize what you are doing.
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
Get in touch with your recruiter and have them give you contact information for any NUPOC collegiates in your area. Assuming you're still living in Norman there's got to be at least 4-5 folks in the NUPOC program at a big school like OU. These folks went through the interviews and can set you up for success.
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
excellent point, I would have my guys that recently passed the interview come in and talk to the guys about to go.
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
Supposedly the new Admiral (Admiral Richardson) is a lot "friendlier" than his predecessor.
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
I'd have them meet up after they've been prescreened. It allows them to discuss their experiences as well as help out during the application/interview process. Who knows, you can even count it as a referral if the new kid gets selected.
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
These are nukes, are they really "friendly"? I wonder what the new guys thing is, the last one had "fluffy" hair, the one before him had a "perma-tan"
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
Better than a commissioned officer telling the Admiral that he doesn't have a job after 6 months of being on the boat. It was cringe worthy.
Just from brief interactions, it's obvious that ADM Richardson is very different than ADM Donald. Mostly in a good way. I only say mostly because I did not enjoy writing semi-annual command self-assessments that ADM Richardson instituted as COMSUBFOR and relating the sub's issues to '5 pillars of submarining.'
Um…is this a real example? Something about the Washington Monument that not even the Masons want us to know?
exNavyOffRec
Well-Known Member
it is, one of the interview questions that one of my NUPOC's had started "at the top of the washington monument" he had to assume a value, he actually estimated 1000 feet but the interviewer suggested he cut that in half.
From personal experience if you have a weak spot on your transcript expect questions there. Both technical and the interview with the Admiral.
Jokes on them, I still don't know circuits and I'm doing just fine.
Jokes on them, I still don't know circuits and I'm doing just fine.
Disclaimer: I went through tech interview in 2012, this may be old info
I wouldn't expect any long mathematical proofs unless maybe you were a math major. I have known people who have had to derive equations for volume and area using calculus. A fellow candidate had to derive the volume of a cone, while I simply had to derive the area equation for a triangle. These were both in the study guide when I went through. If you get thrown a proof or a derivation and you aren't sure, just be sure to talk your thought process over, start with what you know. It's amazing how under stress you have to rely on what you "know" more than what you have memorized.
I had a questionable grade in Thermo, and one of my two interviewers hit me with a couple of intermediate level questions.
Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
Derive the volume of a sphere is a popular question. As a math minor you can expect something significantly more complex than that.