Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Question of the Day #182

Interviews. Whether on the phone or in person, they're nerve racking. My usual charm somehow seems to dissipate into babble or stumbly mumbling. Or sometimes I feel like I'm rockin' it. Like the whole gig is a slam dunk and then BOOM, somebody else gets the project.

What are your interview experiences like? Have you ever had an interview that you thought was dooming your career but ended up scoring you a dream job?

xoxo,
Suzanne

9 comments:

  1. My interviews, like my jobs, have been all over the map. Mostly good, but a lot of times, the results didn't come until much later. Like I'd have what I thought was a great interview, but then someone else would get the job, but then the person ended up giving me the next job they had available, not the one I'd originally applied for.

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  2. I haven't interviewed in ages, but I remember being VERY nervous each time. I think I do okay, but am so glad when it is over each and every time!

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  3. I was between jobs and hoping to get an interview with the company my sister worked for. The phone rang and a high-pitched nasal voice on the other end asked me questions about my qualifications and my availability for an interview. Thinking it was my sister playing a joke (surely no one in real life sounded like this), I responded in the same high-pitched nasal voice...then realized it WAS NOT my sister. I kept up this tone for the remainder of our conversation so she wouldn't think I was making fun of her. It ended up being one of the best jobs I've ever had!

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  4. One summer I was interviewing for a job with a property management company and during the interview, the hiring manager (which happened to be the mother of a girl I went to school with)stopped to answer the phone...I sat there observing her conversation with a tenant (since I was interviewing for the job of answering phones)and gasped out loud when I heard her say, "Ok sir, so you live at Oakhill CONDOMS?" instead of condominiums...I told her what she said when she got off the phone and she refused to believe me. She looked at me like I was so highly inappropriate to say that...I decided to cut my losses and joined "the team" at Red Lobster instead serving cheesey biscuits while celebrating "Lobster Fest" - It was actually a great summer job!

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  5. I went on a practice interview once. Took 4 hours and they offered me the job at the end of it. Negotiations took 2 weeks. 1 year later, I got laid off and wound up with 3 1/2 months of paid vacation. Awesome job!

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  6. It has been so long since I had to interview for a job, but I usually did pretty well and got the jobs I wanted. They are extremely nerve wracking! I think I'd like the job Sarah had!

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  7. It has been ten years since my first interview. Boy was I nervous at that time! Luckily I got the job. Helping my parents in a family business, now I'm on the other side of the interview from time to time. Let me tell you a secret: Boy was I nervous the first time interviewing someone ;). Have a great day :)

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  8. I only have a negative one. I went for this interview and it was a group interview. One of the girls doing the interviewing kept flirting with me and I felt very uncomfortable. I think I blew that one because I didn't get a call back.

    Best line I heard at an interview;

    Question: Why do you want this job?

    Answer: Because I can live with my mother and save lots of money and go to the beach a lot.

    (this guy showed up for the interview in a shirt covered with flowers, blue jeans and flip flops.) Do I need to say it? He didn't get the job.

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  9. It's been so long ago that I attended an interview. Must have been nervous and guess the nervous enrgy helped to get me the job!
    Now I give tips to my children how to tackle an interview :))

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