We've all been there. You were a little inexperienced. You didn't know what to expect. You thought you could wing it. When asked to identify your greatest weakness you replied: "I don't have any".
Oh god. Yes this is a personal anecdote and yes I still feel the shame to this day. Since this mortifying display of accidental arrogance however, things have steadily improved for me on the interview front.
I never have been, and doubtfully ever will be, that person who can just stroll into an interview and blow the interviewers away with displays natural confidence and charm. No. I get that rash, you know that one that you get from anxiety, and it creeps up your neck and makes you look like you are literally on the edge of your life. It's not great and certainly not a reassuring visual for professionals. Anyway.
Last week I went for a job interview for a temporary paid part-time role as a Postgraduate Assessor within my university. I went for the role for two key reasons. First, the position would require me to serve as a second interviewer for a careers module in which third year undergraduates are assessed via a mock job interview. As I'm using interviews in my research, I figured that gaining more practical interviewing experience could be no bad thing. Second, the interview required me to prepare and deliver a 5 minute presentation, followed by a 30 minute round of usual interview questions. I'd never had to do this before, so I thought I'd just see if I could. If I didn't get the job, it would feel crap but I'd just have to dedicate the next few days to coaxing my ego back up off the deck/drinking wine and ranting into mirrors to rebuild confidence* and it would be fine.
*she jokes
I should point out here that prior to my interview the optimistic side of me had thought about what a funny blog post I could write when recounting the fresh hell I'd let spill from my lips behind the walls of the interview room.
It really shouldn't be but it's almost anti-climatic. I got the job.
For once in my life, I'd managed to appear (somewhat) cool, (borderline) calm and (convincingly) collected.
Oh god. Yes this is a personal anecdote and yes I still feel the shame to this day. Since this mortifying display of accidental arrogance however, things have steadily improved for me on the interview front.
I never have been, and doubtfully ever will be, that person who can just stroll into an interview and blow the interviewers away with displays natural confidence and charm. No. I get that rash, you know that one that you get from anxiety, and it creeps up your neck and makes you look like you are literally on the edge of your life. It's not great and certainly not a reassuring visual for professionals. Anyway.
Last week I went for a job interview for a temporary paid part-time role as a Postgraduate Assessor within my university. I went for the role for two key reasons. First, the position would require me to serve as a second interviewer for a careers module in which third year undergraduates are assessed via a mock job interview. As I'm using interviews in my research, I figured that gaining more practical interviewing experience could be no bad thing. Second, the interview required me to prepare and deliver a 5 minute presentation, followed by a 30 minute round of usual interview questions. I'd never had to do this before, so I thought I'd just see if I could. If I didn't get the job, it would feel crap but I'd just have to dedicate the next few days to coaxing my ego back up off the deck/drinking wine and ranting into mirrors to rebuild confidence* and it would be fine.
*she jokes
I should point out here that prior to my interview the optimistic side of me had thought about what a funny blog post I could write when recounting the fresh hell I'd let spill from my lips behind the walls of the interview room.
It really shouldn't be but it's almost anti-climatic. I got the job.
For once in my life, I'd managed to appear (somewhat) cool, (borderline) calm and (convincingly) collected.
I felt the fear and I did it anyway.
Kath
x
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