Remember Remember the Month of November: Interviews, Rejections and Hope..??

The beginning of November was pretty fun for me, not only was I going to see my favourite band in concert (Backstreet Boys – please keep your comments to yourself) but I had a few interviews lined up within the first couple of weeks.

The first was an interview with an Insurance company who were looking for Graduates that they could fast-track to become Team Leaders within a couple of years, perfect. This was exactly the kind of thing that I was after, let’s call this Company L (wow, I’m getting through the alphabet pretty quickly). I also had an interview with Company I again but this time it was for a different department, but still an Administrative role. It was just my luck that these two interviews were a day after each other, leaving me with little time to recoup in between.

Company L was up first, the interview was pretty relaxed and involved me just talking around three areas; 1) My previous work experience, 2) My University experience and, 3) My interest and activities. I found this pretty simple to do and the interviewer asked me questions around each one which weren’t too painful. The interviewer did however tell me they had reservations about me; they weren’t sure whether people would warm to me (seriously, they make it sound like I’m some kind of cold-hearted bitch!) and that I was to individually driven – this was the second time that someone had said that to me and I’m starting to question why.... Anyways, as the interview was coming to a close the interviewer said that they wanted me back for a second interview and I would hear in the next couple of days when it would be. So not a total disaster...

The next day I had my interview with Company I (again) and this one went a lot better than the first. I felt that I had a rapor with the interviewer and I answered the questions with ease. Although I felt that this interview had gone well, going on my previous record of interviews that had ‘gone well’, I wasn’t keeping my hopes up.

The next couple of weeks were quiet and I didn’t hear anything from Company L or I. It was in these quiet periods that I found it really hard to stay positive and become motivated to do anything. I tried to get up at a reasonable time in the mornings (9am at the latest) but then found myself starting to question why I bothered getting up early when I had nothing to actually do with my day. I had no money (£86 every two weeks didn’t get me far) and all my friends were at work during the day, it left me feeling very low and my self-esteem wasn’t exactly being boasted either. I can understand how people turn to alcohol and narcotics in order to escape the crappy world that they are living in, no one will give you a chance and you start to take it very personally which can only lead to a downward spiral..

Company L did finally invite me to attend a second interview for the following week, I accepted and was told that I would get an email to confirm and a link to some online tests I had to complete, I could hardly contain my excitement (note sarcastic tone, not to the interview but to ANOTHER round of tests!) The weekend had gone by and I still hadn’t had the confirmation email when the interview was in two days, this wasn’t putting Company L in a great light. They finally emailed me a link to complete an online test, it was more of a personality test so it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.

When I arrived for the interview I had to complete more tests (Company L were slowly going down in my books) but again, they weren’t too hard and were the easiest I had completed by a mile. I then had to go and wait to be called in for the interview. I hadn’t been told a lot about the structure of this interview or who would be interviewing me which made me feel a little uncomfortable before it had even started. Turns out the interview was with the person I had before and his manager. This guy was your typical manager who had lost touch with reality, he had a thick Scottish accent and the worse teeth I had ever seen (I’m sure for the money that he was making he could easily afford to get them fixed, but for some reason decided not to..), he started off by asking me about my previous interview and how I thought it had gone etc which was easier enough to answer but it all went downhill from then. As I said before, the role was a fast-track for Team Leaders of the future and all the questions were around my experience of being a leader, which to be honest, were slim to none. All I can say is the interview was a complete disaster, my answers were rubbish as I had no experience to go on, the Scottish interviewer just kept pushing and pushing and half way through the interview they requested a break and told me to go back down to the waiting area. At this point I was so close to just walking out and not going back for the second half but unfortunately, I have been brought up properly and walking out on interviews just wasn’t good manners. The second half of the interview was no better than the first and I left there knowing that I didn’t have a cat in hells chance of getting the job. The thing that got me the most was that they were advertising for Graduates, who by definition will not have a lot of work experience and all the questions were around experience – go figure! Another thing that doesn’t sit well with me is that they both lied to me face. At the end of the interview I asked if they had any reservations about me (I have been told to do this as when they tell you their reservations, you can defend yourself straight away and try to change their mind, or something along those lines anyway..) they said that they ‘weren’t mind readers and didn’t know what the other was thinking’, um hello you just made me go and sit by myself for fifteen minutes what were you doing, discussing good dentists in the area?!

I know I must sound bitter but I was starting to get pretty fed up with the bull that would come out of the people’s mouths, if you don’t think I’m right for the job just be honest and say so! Looks like Christmas is not going to be filled with laughter and joy for me the way my job hunt is going.