News and Interviews

Well then, some news since last time I updated this blog - it's been a while, though I'm posting daily over at my Photography blog, since I'm doing the daily photo challenge this year. Which is, uh, a challenge...

Anyways, through some miracle, I have been offered a job in a very tough economy, and all by myself too, as I don't have many contacts here to get me work or even put in a good word for me. It has been a tough couple of months, sending out loads of applications and getting very few replies, but it made me realize something: I must interview quite well. See, I don't have a lot of experience. So I've only got 2 interviews out of the whole process. The first one lead to a work trial, that sadly didn't lead anywhere, but I got through the interview on a positive note. The second one lead to a job offer. So that is giving me some confidence. Surprising, sure, since I do get terribly nervous in high-pressure situations. I'm conscious of my nerves, and tried pretty hard to appear confident. So, because I'm an oversharer and love talking out of my ar** about stuff I know nothing about, I'll give you, the reader, some advice you should probably ignore about how I tried to appear confident during job interviews.

1. Dress smart.
OK this goes without saying, but bear with me. I don't just mean wear a smart shirt and businesslike trousers or skirt. Underwear is just as important. NO, not because you get up on the table and do a striptease if things go bad. Because wearing sexy lingerie is a good way of feeling beautiful, sexy and empowered - at least for me. So I would make sure to wear a nice matching set, stockings and suspenders, and a pair of nice looking, but fairly neutral heels.

2. Arrive early.
It just gives them a good impression of you, OK? I usually try to get there 10-15 minutes early, though that usually means get there 20-30 minutes early and wander around a bit because I don't want to be so early it looks like I've got the time wrong... But 15 minutes is good. It gives you a minute to relax and breathe before the interview, and it signals clearly that you are a good timekeeper and, in the future,  will be ready to start working once your shift starts.

3. Accept that drink.
So I'm usually the mousy never-mind-me, i don't want to be an inconvenience, don't want to trouble you type. But I've been thinking - a job interview is already highly imbalanced. They're in power, I bend over backwards to please them. Just accepting a drink at the beginning of the interview makes me feel more assertive, which makes me feel a bit more at ease in the situation. Just asking for a glass of water is no trouble for anyone at all, and i've established my presence.

4. Stop Fidgeting
Yeah I'm nervous. It's natural. I'm supposed to be in that situation. But being conscious about sitting still makes me look more relaxed. So hands down, back straight, posture, posture, posture. And of course eye contact, nod, show understanding and agreement. Be a part of the conversation even when I'm not the one talking. Not to mention having that glass of water in front of me can be a life saver when I really need to do something with my hands!

So that's it, the rest is probably down to luck, but making myself relax and feeling confident does make me feel more comfortable and less intimidated about the situation. Of course the interviewers I've come across have all been super nice, which also helps a lot. I'm not going to say 'this is how you nail that interview' because honestly, I don't have the experience to show that it works every time, and I've never been the one on the other side of that table. This is just what I've been telling myself to get those nerves under control.