Job Interview~ the Good, Bad, & Ugly

Now I’ve never claimed myself to be an expert in any area, and I’m not about to start. While I may not have “expertise” in the area, I definitely have experience! My college days were filled with glorious internships and cake side jobs that paid the bills. An outgoing person by nature, interviews never stressed me, I’d simply put on my most professional outfit, go over the answers to questions in the car on the drive over and usually ace the interview. I never understood the “nervous” feeling people got. I also had never really been turned down from something I eagerly wanted. There were of course the few bumps in the road, but nothing devastating. Flash forward two years…

I’m a college graduate. Mix with that great personality and confidence mentioned above. Now I had a piece of paper basically telling people to hire me. I packed my bags and headed to a new city. I was in for the shock of my life. Not only did I not even get the first interview, when I did, no one and I mean NO ONE wanted to hire me! After six weeks of unemployment; waking up early checking the daily paper, Craigslist, Monster, Career Builder, and any other website I could think of, I’d then try and rework my resume and cover letters, I’d sit at my computer refreshing the screen and staring at my cell phone willing an employer to call.

During that six weeks I probably sent out over 500 resumes and cover letters. I tried every approach; email, fax, hard copy in a beautifully flat manila envelope. Few interviews were scattered in this six week period, if I estimated on the higher end I’d estimate 5 interviews. 5 interviews out of 500 resumes sent out! Are you kidding me?! This was not the reaction or course of action I was used to taking. I was panic stricken.

After that gruesome six weeks was over I landed a job managing a retail outlet. Their name shall remain nameless. I took the job as it was the only offer on the table and figured while working a retail schedule I’d still have time for interviews and time to re-work the resume…just one more time. For another year or so I’d work my eight hour shift, head home to check the websites and local newspapers. I’d schedule interviews on my day off or after an opening shift, or before a closing shift. I’d make it through the first round, send a thank you, do the follow-up call, then…nothing. It was heartbreaking.

I can now say after being beaten down, drug through the mud, discouraged, helpless, and confused, I now have a job that I really love! They say hindsight is 20/20 and it’s true, every time I put myself out there it was one more tally mark in the experience column. So after being yelled at, rejected, and encouraged here are some interview tips I’ve picked up along the way.

If You Are There For the Interview They’re Genuinely Interested:

Interviewing is a drain on resources. It takes time from the interviewer, the company and Human Resources. So if you’ve made your way in and your sitting in the chair, Congratulations! They have a genuine interest in you based on your resume alone. Now what you say and how you act are what is being judged.

by Miranda Shaft