Because I did not get the job.
Length of interview process for this particular job: 4 months
Number of initial applicants: 350
Number of finalists at the end: 4
Number of interviews I went on: 3
Number of times I was "unofficially" told I had this job "in the bag": 3
Number of days left hanging after final interview: 5
Method of rejection: email form letter.
I think, perhaps, this one goes beyond a "terrible" interview experience and lands squarely in the category of "devastating." I say that because I don't even have the heart to face-push anyone. Siiiiiiiiiigh.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
In which I am STILL waiting
Great Potential Job Offer Watch, Day Four.
Job offers: 0
Calls from job interviewer: 0
Number of times I have checked my phone for any missed calls: 947
Level of anxiety, on a scale of 1 to 10: 45,000
Amount of sea-salted kettle-cooked potato chips consumed in midst of anxiety: 1 bag.
Job offers: 0
Calls from job interviewer: 0
Number of times I have checked my phone for any missed calls: 947
Level of anxiety, on a scale of 1 to 10: 45,000
Amount of sea-salted kettle-cooked potato chips consumed in midst of anxiety: 1 bag.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
In which I am still on pins and needles
We are now on Day Three of the Great Potential Job Offer Watch. In case you're just joining us, I thought I was going to hear about a super awesome job opportunity on Monday. And now it is Wednesday. And I have heard nothing.
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
Tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock.
If this job has been offered to someone else, and they're taking THREE DAYS to decide whether or not they want to accept it, while the rest of us wait in anguish and would IMMEDIATELY LEAP at this job - rest assured that I will FIND that person and facepush them. And if you don't know what a facepush is, trust me - you don't want to be on the receiving end.
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
Tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock.
If this job has been offered to someone else, and they're taking THREE DAYS to decide whether or not they want to accept it, while the rest of us wait in anguish and would IMMEDIATELY LEAP at this job - rest assured that I will FIND that person and facepush them. And if you don't know what a facepush is, trust me - you don't want to be on the receiving end.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
In which I start throwing furniture
Not really. But I'm THIS CLOSE, internets. THIS CLOSE to throwing a chair across the room, crazy-rock-star-trashing-a-hotel-room-style, provided I have any upper-body strength, which I do not, but STILL.
I just had a third interview yesterday. Third. Interview. All at the same place. For one job. Three interviews now. All of my references were called. All of my references told me that it was pretty likely I was going to get this job. I got very excited. The third and final interview was fine. At the end of it, the interviewers were all, "well, we're going to make a decision today, and finally put an end to this long process!"
"HOORAY!!!" I said. "HUZZAH AND HURRAH!"
Then I went home and waited, clutching my phone.
And waited.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaand waited.
The phone rings! Oh. It's my brother.
Phone rings again!
Arrrrrrrrrgh. It's my other brother. I mean, hooray, brothers, but this is toying with my nerves.
And now...still nothing. No word whatsoever.
WHY? WHY? WHY tell me that you're going to make a decision on a SPECIFIC DAY and then NOT TELL ME ANYTHING AT ALL? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?
I just had a third interview yesterday. Third. Interview. All at the same place. For one job. Three interviews now. All of my references were called. All of my references told me that it was pretty likely I was going to get this job. I got very excited. The third and final interview was fine. At the end of it, the interviewers were all, "well, we're going to make a decision today, and finally put an end to this long process!"
"HOORAY!!!" I said. "HUZZAH AND HURRAH!"
Then I went home and waited, clutching my phone.
And waited.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaand waited.
The phone rings! Oh. It's my brother.
Phone rings again!
Arrrrrrrrrgh. It's my other brother. I mean, hooray, brothers, but this is toying with my nerves.
And now...still nothing. No word whatsoever.
WHY? WHY? WHY tell me that you're going to make a decision on a SPECIFIC DAY and then NOT TELL ME ANYTHING AT ALL? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?
Thursday, February 18, 2010
In which I'm not asked any questions
Hello, internets. Long time no post, no? Well, I've been sort of hesitant to post any stories of recent job interviews I've had because I MAY be close to ACTUALLY GETTING one of them. I know what you're thinking: "HA. FAT CHANCE, FRECKLES MCGEE." (Hah, I have, like, 4 freckles, but that's how Mike "The Situation" described the girl who was the "grenade" on this one episode of Jersey Shore and I thought it was funny and...anyway. Not that I watch it. Nope.)
Anyway, one of these said jobs is a job that I'm pretty sure I'm definitely NOT getting, so behold: the terrible interview story that came out of it.
So, it's yet another interview for yet another communications job at yet another semi-political organization. Yadda yadda yadda. I arrive for the interview.
Interview lady: "Hi, [K]. It's great to meet you. As you know, we're looking to fill this communications position. It's pretty standard - responding to media inquiries, a lot of writing, a lot of pitching, and some social media."
Me, inwardly: I am getting so, so tired of participating in this exact dialogue OVER AND OVER AGAIN, in INTERVIEW AFTER INTERVIEW. My life has somehow become a Groundhog Day-style cycle of job interviews. Ugh...OH MY GOSH. What if I'm IN Groundhog Day RIGHT NOW? I mean, what if what happened in the movie is HAPPENING TO ME RIGHT NOW IN REAL LIFE? I mean, it makes sense - all I do is go on job interviews, have the same inane conversation with every interviewer, and repeat the cycle 9000 times. I'M JUST LIVING THE SAME DAY OVER AND OVER. How did Bill Murray get out of this? He had to, like, change something, or fix something, or save someone, right? THINK. I think I last watched this movie sometime in the late 90s. I vaguely remember him ending up in jail...am I supposed to end up in jail? And then...I wake up with a job? That doesn't sound right. Hmmm. Must look into this.
Me, out loud, to interview lady: "That sounds great."
Interview lady: "Great."
Me: Smile expectantly.
Interview lady: "So."
Me: Still smiling expectantly.
Interview lady: "So...."
Long pause.
Me: "Oh! Uh...soooo..."
Interview lady: "Well...what do you want to know?"
Me: "Erm. Um...well, I guess - maybe if you could talk a little bit more about...uh, job specifics, that...that would be helpful."
Interview lady: "Actually, I think I covered it."
Me: "Oh! Um...well, that's great."
Interview lady: Staring at me.
Me: "Erm...well, I, er, think I would be a good fit, because..." blah blah my experience blah blah Groundhog Day conversation all over again blaaaaaaaaaah.
Interview lady: "Great."
Silence.
Me: Unsure of how to proceed.
Interview lady: Still silent.
Me: "Well...I guess that's...all, then."
Interview lady: "Great! Thanks for coming in."
Me: "Erm...sure. Um, thanks for having me."
The end.
Now, I'm no "hiring manager" or even "permanently employed," but generally the interviewer is supposed to ask the job seeker some questions, no? Whatever. I went home and had a beer.
Anyway, one of these said jobs is a job that I'm pretty sure I'm definitely NOT getting, so behold: the terrible interview story that came out of it.
So, it's yet another interview for yet another communications job at yet another semi-political organization. Yadda yadda yadda. I arrive for the interview.
Interview lady: "Hi, [K]. It's great to meet you. As you know, we're looking to fill this communications position. It's pretty standard - responding to media inquiries, a lot of writing, a lot of pitching, and some social media."
Me, inwardly: I am getting so, so tired of participating in this exact dialogue OVER AND OVER AGAIN, in INTERVIEW AFTER INTERVIEW. My life has somehow become a Groundhog Day-style cycle of job interviews. Ugh...OH MY GOSH. What if I'm IN Groundhog Day RIGHT NOW? I mean, what if what happened in the movie is HAPPENING TO ME RIGHT NOW IN REAL LIFE? I mean, it makes sense - all I do is go on job interviews, have the same inane conversation with every interviewer, and repeat the cycle 9000 times. I'M JUST LIVING THE SAME DAY OVER AND OVER. How did Bill Murray get out of this? He had to, like, change something, or fix something, or save someone, right? THINK. I think I last watched this movie sometime in the late 90s. I vaguely remember him ending up in jail...am I supposed to end up in jail? And then...I wake up with a job? That doesn't sound right. Hmmm. Must look into this.
Me, out loud, to interview lady: "That sounds great."
Interview lady: "Great."
Me: Smile expectantly.
Interview lady: "So."
Me: Still smiling expectantly.
Interview lady: "So...."
Long pause.
Me: "Oh! Uh...soooo..."
Interview lady: "Well...what do you want to know?"
Me: "Erm. Um...well, I guess - maybe if you could talk a little bit more about...uh, job specifics, that...that would be helpful."
Interview lady: "Actually, I think I covered it."
Me: "Oh! Um...well, that's great."
Interview lady: Staring at me.
Me: "Erm...well, I, er, think I would be a good fit, because..." blah blah my experience blah blah Groundhog Day conversation all over again blaaaaaaaaaah.
Interview lady: "Great."
Silence.
Me: Unsure of how to proceed.
Interview lady: Still silent.
Me: "Well...I guess that's...all, then."
Interview lady: "Great! Thanks for coming in."
Me: "Erm...sure. Um, thanks for having me."
The end.
Now, I'm no "hiring manager" or even "permanently employed," but generally the interviewer is supposed to ask the job seeker some questions, no? Whatever. I went home and had a beer.
Monday, February 8, 2010
In which half of my interviews are canceled
All right.
FIRST OF ALL, I hate snow.
SECOND OF ALL, I hate the SHEER PANIC that pervades the mid-Atlantic at the mere IDEA of snow before there is EVEN A FLAKE IN THE SKY.
THIRD OF ALL...half of my interviews were canceled, which means that my day of four interviews became my day of two interviews. Which means I braved traveling through the MASSIVE SNOW BLIZZARD THING for NOTHING. Well, not nothing, but still.
Shall I start from the beginning? OK.
Thursday evening:
"I have four interviews tomorrow!" I say to myself as I skip to the train station. "LA LA LA LA LA four interviews! AND it's not supposed to start really snowing until the AFTERNOON, so I will be able to get them all done in time! La la la!"
Thursday night:
Phone rings.
"Hi, [K]? This is [interview #1]. Just to be on the safe side, I think it's best if we cancel tomorrow."
Me: "Oh - really? It's - I mean, it hasn't actually, um, started snowing or anything, yet, and - "
[Interview #1]: "Well, I think we're closing early tomorrow, just to be on the safe side."
Me: "Oh. OK, well, that's - that should be - "
[Interview #1]: "We'll be in touch, ok? Great." Click.
Hmmm.
Friday morning:
Peer outside. No snow! Not one single flake.
"Hooray!" I yell, skipping downstairs and thoroughly annoying my roommates who are dragging themselves into work. "THREE INTERVIEWS STILL ON!"
Check email. See email from [interview #2].
"Hi, [K]. We're closing at noon today, so I'm going to have to cancel our interview. Sorry about that. Can we reschedule for three weeks from now?"
Stare disbelievingly at email. Begin typing.
"Hi [interviewer #2]! I could actually come in earlier this morning, if that's easier for you all, before you close?"
Hit send. Wait impatiently.
See response come through.
"Thanks for being flexible, but actually, since some of us live pretty far outside DC, we're just...not going to come in at all today."
Peer outside window again. Still complete absence of any kind of snow or snow-like material falling from sky.
Sigh. Type type type.
"Sure. OK. Well...see you in three weeks."
Sigh again.
Send email to [interview #3].
"Hi [interview #3], I just wanted to check in and make sure we'll still on for today. I know some businesses are closing early, so just let me know!"
Wait wait wait wait impatiently.
See response.
"Hi [K] - definitely still on. See you soon."
"YAY," I say, "at least SOMEONE hasn't COMPLETELY LOST THEIR HEADS."
Get ready to leave for [interview #3]. Check email one last time. See email from [interview #4] in inbox. Oh geez.
"Hi [K], I'm not sure what's going to happen with the snow, so I'd hate to have you come in today if we end up leaving early. Do you think we could reschedule for next week?"
Look outside again. NO SNOW. NOTHING AT ALL. NOTHING IS HAPPENING.
ALRIGHT. LISTEN, MID-ATLANTIC, I AM PUTTING MY FOOT DOWN. I AM FROM THE NORTH. AND IN THE NORTH, WE DO NOT FREAK OUT OVER THE SNOW UNTIL THERE IS ACTUALLY SNOW FALLING FROM THE SKY. FOR THE LOVE OF TACOS, LET'S STOP THE MADNESS.
Begin typing.
"Hi [interview #4] - well, I'm already in the city, so it's really not a problem for me to come to your offices early, and maybe we can at least meet before your offices close? I don't think it's really supposed to start snowing until late this afternoon, and the roads are fine right now, so...how about I come in early? This morning? Yes?"
SEND.
Wait. Drum fingers on countertop impatiently. Drum drum drum.
Response comes through inbox.
"Hi [K]. That sounds great. See you then."
SUCCESS.
So. I made it to two interviews, and neither were terrible, so yay. But I would like to note that I could EASILY have made it to ALL FOUR INTERVIEWS and EVERYONE would have had PLENTY OF TIME TO DRIVE HOME as the snow did not start sticking until LATE THAT AFTERNOON and I UNDERSTAND that there was eventually like THREE FEET OF SNOW dumped on DC but I STILL could have made it to my interviews and the fact that I did not has made me all SHOUTY. GAAAAAAAAAH.
FIRST OF ALL, I hate snow.
SECOND OF ALL, I hate the SHEER PANIC that pervades the mid-Atlantic at the mere IDEA of snow before there is EVEN A FLAKE IN THE SKY.
THIRD OF ALL...half of my interviews were canceled, which means that my day of four interviews became my day of two interviews. Which means I braved traveling through the MASSIVE SNOW BLIZZARD THING for NOTHING. Well, not nothing, but still.
Shall I start from the beginning? OK.
Thursday evening:
"I have four interviews tomorrow!" I say to myself as I skip to the train station. "LA LA LA LA LA four interviews! AND it's not supposed to start really snowing until the AFTERNOON, so I will be able to get them all done in time! La la la!"
Thursday night:
Phone rings.
"Hi, [K]? This is [interview #1]. Just to be on the safe side, I think it's best if we cancel tomorrow."
Me: "Oh - really? It's - I mean, it hasn't actually, um, started snowing or anything, yet, and - "
[Interview #1]: "Well, I think we're closing early tomorrow, just to be on the safe side."
Me: "Oh. OK, well, that's - that should be - "
[Interview #1]: "We'll be in touch, ok? Great." Click.
Hmmm.
Friday morning:
Peer outside. No snow! Not one single flake.
"Hooray!" I yell, skipping downstairs and thoroughly annoying my roommates who are dragging themselves into work. "THREE INTERVIEWS STILL ON!"
Check email. See email from [interview #2].
"Hi, [K]. We're closing at noon today, so I'm going to have to cancel our interview. Sorry about that. Can we reschedule for three weeks from now?"
Stare disbelievingly at email. Begin typing.
"Hi [interviewer #2]! I could actually come in earlier this morning, if that's easier for you all, before you close?"
Hit send. Wait impatiently.
See response come through.
"Thanks for being flexible, but actually, since some of us live pretty far outside DC, we're just...not going to come in at all today."
Peer outside window again. Still complete absence of any kind of snow or snow-like material falling from sky.
Sigh. Type type type.
"Sure. OK. Well...see you in three weeks."
Sigh again.
Send email to [interview #3].
"Hi [interview #3], I just wanted to check in and make sure we'll still on for today. I know some businesses are closing early, so just let me know!"
Wait wait wait wait impatiently.
See response.
"Hi [K] - definitely still on. See you soon."
"YAY," I say, "at least SOMEONE hasn't COMPLETELY LOST THEIR HEADS."
Get ready to leave for [interview #3]. Check email one last time. See email from [interview #4] in inbox. Oh geez.
"Hi [K], I'm not sure what's going to happen with the snow, so I'd hate to have you come in today if we end up leaving early. Do you think we could reschedule for next week?"
Look outside again. NO SNOW. NOTHING AT ALL. NOTHING IS HAPPENING.
ALRIGHT. LISTEN, MID-ATLANTIC, I AM PUTTING MY FOOT DOWN. I AM FROM THE NORTH. AND IN THE NORTH, WE DO NOT FREAK OUT OVER THE SNOW UNTIL THERE IS ACTUALLY SNOW FALLING FROM THE SKY. FOR THE LOVE OF TACOS, LET'S STOP THE MADNESS.
Begin typing.
"Hi [interview #4] - well, I'm already in the city, so it's really not a problem for me to come to your offices early, and maybe we can at least meet before your offices close? I don't think it's really supposed to start snowing until late this afternoon, and the roads are fine right now, so...how about I come in early? This morning? Yes?"
SEND.
Wait. Drum fingers on countertop impatiently. Drum drum drum.
Response comes through inbox.
"Hi [K]. That sounds great. See you then."
SUCCESS.
So. I made it to two interviews, and neither were terrible, so yay. But I would like to note that I could EASILY have made it to ALL FOUR INTERVIEWS and EVERYONE would have had PLENTY OF TIME TO DRIVE HOME as the snow did not start sticking until LATE THAT AFTERNOON and I UNDERSTAND that there was eventually like THREE FEET OF SNOW dumped on DC but I STILL could have made it to my interviews and the fact that I did not has made me all SHOUTY. GAAAAAAAAAH.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
In which our guest blogger spends 5 hours in Nova Scotia
To tide you over until I have stories from my DAY OF MARATHON INTERVIEWING (see previous post), today we have another exciting guest blogger!
[UPDATE: Um, my day of marathon interviewing may not even HAPPEN now because of the MASSIVE SNOW BLIZZARD THING that's currently barreling towards the mid-Atlantic. I swear, if I have to reschedule FOUR INTERVIEWS, SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET CUT. THIS IS DEFINITELY AN ALL-CAPS SITUATION.]
Say hello to [J], who, let me tell you, knows only too well the horrors of the job search process. Enjoy.
Greetings Blogdom. It's been entirely too long since I addressed you. I had so much to complain about during grad school. Unemployment - for me - was far less interesting, though no less frustrating. In full disclosure I should let you know that after 15 long months, I found a company willing to employ me. The past 6 months have brought various excitements that come with a new job and a move across the country. Yet while it is true that I have one good interview story, it is also true that I have a myriad of terrible interview stories to share. And since today is my 6 month employment anniversary (as well as a day in which I find myself dreadfully bored), I thought it an appropriate time to piece together one such story. Thanks to [K] for hosting the blog and continually posting humorous - if tragic - interview stories.
When I escaped grad school, I still wasn't sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. I had spent the previous four years studying the combustion of porous carbon particles. Fascinating, no? One revelation I had during those years was that I am passionate about renewable energy. I was especially interested in wind energy as I believe its potential for growth over the next 20-30 years is enormous. The tricky question was, how does one transition from studying coal combustion to a job in a "green" industry? So I started applying to every wind energy company I could find - for any position that seemed remotely interesting.
[WP] was the first wind company to show interest in my talents (whatever those are). This company is actually based in Bristol, England and the job would include an international relocation - something that, quite frankly, at this stage of life would be ridiculously exciting. The interview process began with an international phone interview. Now, it's hard enough to understand foreign accents in person. Attempting to confidently carry on a conversation over a cell phone across the globe is at least slightly more of a challenge. The interview progressed as many phone interviews do. Let me tell you about our company. Tell me about your background. Here's the position we're considering you for. Are you interested? (As if there has ever been an unemployed person who would answer "no" to such a question!?) Ok, well, I'll get back to you.
After the interview I spent the next several days re-examining my every word of the conversation. How did I sound? Was I too enthusiastic? I did my best to resist the urge to day dream about life in the UK. After all, the chances were certainly slim that I'd be offered such a dream job. But then I got an email, asking to set up a second interview, this time with the department head as well as another team member. Holy jeebus! They're actually considering me for this position! I have to learn what the crap it is they're asking me to do. Research time.
The more I looked into the work involved with the position they were discussing, the more fascinated I became. This is the perfect job for me! It's exactly where my background in applied math intersects with the wind industry! I'll be hired for sure. I spent two weeks reading journal publications related to the discipline of wind resource assessment. Then came the interview. I made the mistake of drinking some coffee that morning, so I was good and wired for the interview. Not to mention my stomach was nice and unsettled. As if the previous interview hadn't been difficult enough to understand, this time they took it to the next level and put me on speaker phone. Have you ever tried to understand a British person on speaker phone? It's harder than you'd think. The interview is somewhat similar to the first, though the boss's questions are much more pointed. But I do my very best to assure him that - in the words of B.Rock - "Yes I Can!" (I wonder if [K] will censor that quote haha.)
[Note from [K]: cough ten percent national unemployment cough cough]
I come out of the interview feeling optimistic.
Another several weeks of waiting ensue. It's at this point that I make what would turn out to be a fatal flaw. In the excitement of the interview process, caught up in the illusion of an imminent international job offer, I decide not to continue my job search. I foolishly believe that I've nailed it and this job will be mine. Then the phone rings... they'd like to bring me for an on-site interview. Heck yes! A free trip to.... Nova Scotia? It turns out that flying me to Bristol would be too expensive. So they want me to interview at the next closest office in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Um... ok! I'm free tomorrow. Oh, uh, yes... several weeks from now would be fine.
More waiting. More anticipation. More dreaming of a charming life in Britain. At this point, my wife and I are seriously considering the prospect of moving abroad for a few years. The day of the third interview arrives. I catch an early morning flight from Dulles to Halifax (which is a beautiful city by the way). A half hour cab ride to the office. The interview lasts about three hours. It's the usual fair. I crush it. Afterward it's right back to the airport to catch my flight home. All the way home thinking, surely they wouldn't have spent two grand on plane tickets if they weren't going to offer me the job, right? Wrong.
After three interviews, including one international flight, I am informed that the company has decided it would be too expensive to hire a US citizen. It seems work visa's are quite hard to come by. Therefore they've decided to hire someone less qualified than me who happens to have the advantage of being a UK citizen. I am stunned. I mean absolutely floored. I did not see this coming.
Some of you may be thinking "that's not a terrible interview story". I would reply to you that in all my job hunting, never was I strung on for longer (and only once over a greater distance) during an interview process. And let's not forget: The higher you climb, the further and harder you fall.
Best of luck to those of you still searching. Keep the faith.
[UPDATE: Um, my day of marathon interviewing may not even HAPPEN now because of the MASSIVE SNOW BLIZZARD THING that's currently barreling towards the mid-Atlantic. I swear, if I have to reschedule FOUR INTERVIEWS, SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET CUT. THIS IS DEFINITELY AN ALL-CAPS SITUATION.]
Say hello to [J], who, let me tell you, knows only too well the horrors of the job search process. Enjoy.
Greetings Blogdom. It's been entirely too long since I addressed you. I had so much to complain about during grad school. Unemployment - for me - was far less interesting, though no less frustrating. In full disclosure I should let you know that after 15 long months, I found a company willing to employ me. The past 6 months have brought various excitements that come with a new job and a move across the country. Yet while it is true that I have one good interview story, it is also true that I have a myriad of terrible interview stories to share. And since today is my 6 month employment anniversary (as well as a day in which I find myself dreadfully bored), I thought it an appropriate time to piece together one such story. Thanks to [K] for hosting the blog and continually posting humorous - if tragic - interview stories.
When I escaped grad school, I still wasn't sure what I wanted to be when I grew up. I had spent the previous four years studying the combustion of porous carbon particles. Fascinating, no? One revelation I had during those years was that I am passionate about renewable energy. I was especially interested in wind energy as I believe its potential for growth over the next 20-30 years is enormous. The tricky question was, how does one transition from studying coal combustion to a job in a "green" industry? So I started applying to every wind energy company I could find - for any position that seemed remotely interesting.
[WP] was the first wind company to show interest in my talents (whatever those are). This company is actually based in Bristol, England and the job would include an international relocation - something that, quite frankly, at this stage of life would be ridiculously exciting. The interview process began with an international phone interview. Now, it's hard enough to understand foreign accents in person. Attempting to confidently carry on a conversation over a cell phone across the globe is at least slightly more of a challenge. The interview progressed as many phone interviews do. Let me tell you about our company. Tell me about your background. Here's the position we're considering you for. Are you interested? (As if there has ever been an unemployed person who would answer "no" to such a question!?) Ok, well, I'll get back to you.
After the interview I spent the next several days re-examining my every word of the conversation. How did I sound? Was I too enthusiastic? I did my best to resist the urge to day dream about life in the UK. After all, the chances were certainly slim that I'd be offered such a dream job. But then I got an email, asking to set up a second interview, this time with the department head as well as another team member. Holy jeebus! They're actually considering me for this position! I have to learn what the crap it is they're asking me to do. Research time.
The more I looked into the work involved with the position they were discussing, the more fascinated I became. This is the perfect job for me! It's exactly where my background in applied math intersects with the wind industry! I'll be hired for sure. I spent two weeks reading journal publications related to the discipline of wind resource assessment. Then came the interview. I made the mistake of drinking some coffee that morning, so I was good and wired for the interview. Not to mention my stomach was nice and unsettled. As if the previous interview hadn't been difficult enough to understand, this time they took it to the next level and put me on speaker phone. Have you ever tried to understand a British person on speaker phone? It's harder than you'd think. The interview is somewhat similar to the first, though the boss's questions are much more pointed. But I do my very best to assure him that - in the words of B.Rock - "Yes I Can!" (I wonder if [K] will censor that quote haha.)
[Note from [K]: cough ten percent national unemployment cough cough]
I come out of the interview feeling optimistic.
Another several weeks of waiting ensue. It's at this point that I make what would turn out to be a fatal flaw. In the excitement of the interview process, caught up in the illusion of an imminent international job offer, I decide not to continue my job search. I foolishly believe that I've nailed it and this job will be mine. Then the phone rings... they'd like to bring me for an on-site interview. Heck yes! A free trip to.... Nova Scotia? It turns out that flying me to Bristol would be too expensive. So they want me to interview at the next closest office in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Um... ok! I'm free tomorrow. Oh, uh, yes... several weeks from now would be fine.
More waiting. More anticipation. More dreaming of a charming life in Britain. At this point, my wife and I are seriously considering the prospect of moving abroad for a few years. The day of the third interview arrives. I catch an early morning flight from Dulles to Halifax (which is a beautiful city by the way). A half hour cab ride to the office. The interview lasts about three hours. It's the usual fair. I crush it. Afterward it's right back to the airport to catch my flight home. All the way home thinking, surely they wouldn't have spent two grand on plane tickets if they weren't going to offer me the job, right? Wrong.
After three interviews, including one international flight, I am informed that the company has decided it would be too expensive to hire a US citizen. It seems work visa's are quite hard to come by. Therefore they've decided to hire someone less qualified than me who happens to have the advantage of being a UK citizen. I am stunned. I mean absolutely floored. I did not see this coming.
Some of you may be thinking "that's not a terrible interview story". I would reply to you that in all my job hunting, never was I strung on for longer (and only once over a greater distance) during an interview process. And let's not forget: The higher you climb, the further and harder you fall.
Best of luck to those of you still searching. Keep the faith.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
In which I have 4 interviews in 1 day
Internets! I'm sorry about the lapse in posting; but don't worry.
I'm about to go on FOUR job interviews in ONE day.
ONE DAY. FOUR INTERVIEWS. THAT'S RIGHT.
If that isn't grounds for some exceptionally terrible interview stories, than I don't know what is. I fully expect that by the fourth interview, I'm going to be calling everyone by the wrong name and will be completely unaware of what job I'm even interviewing for. It'll probably go something like this:
Interviewer: "So, why are you interested in this position?"
Me, sleepily, with drooping eyes: "I don't know."
Interviewer: "You...don't know?"
Me, slumping sleepily in my seat: "Mmm-hmm. Oh. Um - I like...writing..."
Interviewer: "Uh...ok. Erm - any other reason?"
Me, head dipping close to desk: "Yesh. Um...exciting...opportunity. Hmm."
Interviewer: "Are you alright?"
Me: "Yesh. I's hard worker...but imma jus take lil' nap." ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
At this point, my interview will likely assume that I'm drunk and I'll be escorted off the premises. Good times.
STAY TUNED.
I'm about to go on FOUR job interviews in ONE day.
ONE DAY. FOUR INTERVIEWS. THAT'S RIGHT.
If that isn't grounds for some exceptionally terrible interview stories, than I don't know what is. I fully expect that by the fourth interview, I'm going to be calling everyone by the wrong name and will be completely unaware of what job I'm even interviewing for. It'll probably go something like this:
Interviewer: "So, why are you interested in this position?"
Me, sleepily, with drooping eyes: "I don't know."
Interviewer: "You...don't know?"
Me, slumping sleepily in my seat: "Mmm-hmm. Oh. Um - I like...writing..."
Interviewer: "Uh...ok. Erm - any other reason?"
Me, head dipping close to desk: "Yesh. Um...exciting...opportunity. Hmm."
Interviewer: "Are you alright?"
Me: "Yesh. I's hard worker...but imma jus take lil' nap." ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
At this point, my interview will likely assume that I'm drunk and I'll be escorted off the premises. Good times.
STAY TUNED.
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