Interview Advice

[realityhack]

I have an interview today, the first one since benchtime a few days ago. Having read the spec more carefully and after a little initial research, I'm not sure I really want the gig, but as a point of pride I still want to do well at interview and turn it down rather than failing.
Pros

• Highest rate ever so far.
• Just around the corner from home (a 10min commute).
• Long term contract.
• It's interview practice.

Cons

• It sounds like a highly stressful role, and I just had a year of that.
• The company is "famously difficult" to work for, most contractors (I hear on the grapevine) don't renew after the first 3 months.
• Even the agent said the place is a political minefield.
• I have another interview lined up tomorrow for a gig I really want.

I have a few hours this morning to prepare for the interview, so far I've done very little apart from put some work examples together.
Anyone else here ever been in this situation? Going for an interview half-hearted, mainly for practice? Any advice?

Friends have said 'go for the practice' and 'not every dept in a notoriously difficult company will be rubbish - this might be a nice one' and 'the job description may well be overwritten and deliberately more 'impressive' than the job'... What's the congregation's verdict?

[BrilloPad]

Personally I never go for an interview unless I want the job. As if you turn a role down your name can get noted. If you do turn up then make sure you make it clear that there is a comptetitor role which they just lost out to. Important to keep reputation up.

[d000hg]

You don't know how tomorrow's interview will go so why not cover your bases and try to get the offer on today's?

[realityhack]

make it clear that there is a comptetitor role which they just lost out to. Important to keep reputation up.

Yep that's what I intended to do.
You never know - today's interview may surprise me, I've seen many hyped job specs before and their reputation may be out of date.

[realityhack]

You don't know how tomorrow's interview will go so why not cover your bases and try to get the offer on today's?

Yep that too.

[MarillionFan]

Mods. Can you please move this to professional where NorthernladUK and Malvolio are waiting....

[Zippy]

Go for the interview. It's only 10 mins from home and it might be interesting (even if you don't want it).
Spend some time thinking about plausible reasons for turning it down.
Good luck with them both.

[norrahe]

Go for it, as you say it's practice.

Also see how tomorrow goes and then make your decision, as BP says make sure that they know there is a competitor involved if you need to turn it down.

Good Luck!

[SimonMac]

I would take an obscene amount of tulip for a good rate and close to home, no matter how stressful a job is coming home to my own bed and seeing my kids every day would de-stress me everytime.

Could you highlight your concerns in the interview, perceived reputation etc and see how they react, if they are honest and say they have had problems in the past and are looking to put things right then fair enough, if they mumble saying bad apples spoiling the reputation you know its not gonna be easy.

As in all its up to you, but if it was me I would go for the interview

[Barley]

When back looking for work ill usually go for an interview or two, for contracts I probably dont want. Yes it can be half hearted but for me its like sharpening the knife and getting back into interview mode following the previous contract. This could hold you in better stead for the interview tomorrow.

Also, there's no telling what will come from the interview, you could get some useful information re the company, project role or future roles? You can even find the the role is more suitable than you think etc etc.