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Friday, November 02, 2007

Friday Five - All About the Interview

This week's Friday Five is about interviews.

1. What was the most memorable interview you ever had? Well this is a challenging one... Would it be the time that the manager of Waldenbooks asked me if, since I had worked at a church camp, I would be disturbed by having to sell Playboy? Or would it be the time the call committee expected the Bug Man to participate in the interview and actually asked him questions? Or maybe the one when I fully expected that there would be at least an hour of questions and instead they offered me the job.

2. Have you ever been the interviewer rather than the interviewee? If so, are you a tiger, a creampuff, or somewhere in between? I tend to be a creampuff during the interview but a tiger when I'm looking at resumes.

3. Do phone interviews make you more or less nervous than in-person ones? Phone interviews seem to be less intimidating but there was a time when the interviewer completely spaced the call and I waited for an hour. This was followed by a comment from a loved one that this "was probably a sign..."

4. What was the best advice you ever got to prepare for an interview? How about the worst? Best advice... being nervous will give you an edge. Just be yourself. Worst advice... can't think of any.

5. Do you have any pre-interview rituals that give you confidence? No. Just the usual self doubt and nausea.

2 comments:

RevHRod said...

Papa Joe emailed his best advice about a job interview. Such a good teacher, he is! And he's hired A LOT of people.

Write down any questions you might have.
Use mouthwash.
Turn off your cell phone.
Come early, but explain to a receptionist that you know you are early.
Put all your important papers like your resume in a nice binder.
Be confident but not overconfident.
Be sure to say thanks.
Dress modestly.
Go to the bathroom before you get to the interview.
Try to think of all the questions and be prepared.
Smile.

Dr. Laura Marie Grimes said...

Thanks Heidi and Papa Joe too!

I had a phone interview that was actually an offer once (for a visiting professor gig). I forgot that till I read yours.