"So, I went to a job interview..."

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(By Drew Beamer on Unsplash).

Unless you're handed one on a tray, you might go through many applications and a few interviews to get yourself a new job.
I haven't had any luck for a while and have been unemployed for four months now. Four months and no interviews... until about two weeks ago, I finally got my first invitation from somewhere I didn't think I'd ever get one from.

Well, during these four months I've applied to many different positions in different companies, some smaller and less known, some bigger. The main requirement I set for a job was that the working hours should be Monday thru Friday, 9AM to 5PM.

I haven't much prior work experience but about 7 months in a grocery store and a couple of years as a guard, nor any higher education but graduated high school. I've gone to a 168-hour long web application development course, and have taken 2 other MOOCs, one on AI and one on the Fundamentals of Digital Marketing. So, when I sent my application to an IT-Specialist / local helpdesk position at a bank, I never thought they'd actually find me as a potential candidate.

A cringey little mix-up



(By Sean Pollock on Unsplash).

For a whole week prior to the interview I was as if programmed to think "the interview's on Tuesday, the interview's on Tuesday, the interview's on Tuesday..." I couldn't sleep the night before and I postponed my alarm clock for about two hours. I felt like a zombie, and coffee didn't really want to go down. And when I was about to leave for the interview, I couldn't find my earbuds, so I couldn't even listen to any music while commuting there.

When I finally reached the building, I first went in from the wrong door (which led to the banking section, instead of the office building part). As I realized my mistake and wanted to go back out, I failed to understand a simple sign on the door with an arrow to the left, and kept pushing out from the very door, until my brain stopped loading and I turned to the right one, facepalming.

Once I got up to the 17th floor, put my coat in the closet and sat down to wait for the interviewer, I overheard a confusing little phone call between the office assistant and the interviewer about someone being here for an interview, so I decided to check the invitation confirmation e-mail and the current date. The interview was set to Thursday. I felt so embarrassed, apologized to the interviewer and left. (She didn't make a fuss out of it, laughed it out and said "see you on Thursday". I cried a little in an empty bus stop, bought a new pair of ear buds, grabbed a coffee and went back home).

The Interview



(By Helloquence on Unsplash).

And so came Thursday, the actual inteview day.

The interview itself went so-and-so. There were 2 interviewers, one male and one female. I got asked a lot of different questions, some on a personal level (about hobbies, what kind of movies I like, what kind of video games I play, what kind of sense of humor I possess), a bit professional ones (since I have no prior work experience in the field, on what level I have actually experience with the stuff, etc) and some typical job interviewy ones (what do I find are my strongest features, what are my values...).

The more personal questions went very well, I could see at least one of the interviewers was really enthusiastic and shared a lot of the same views and hobbies with me. Then kicked in the typical nervousness and anxiety. I couldn't put the right words together and express myself clearly when it came to the professional and job-interviewy questions. There were so many things I regretted saying (like how I am so nervous, using the word ''IT-ish'' or ''techy things'' and so many things I should've said but didn't come to my mind then (like how I actually enjoy solving problems, digging through information to find ways to make things better / work, etc). Oh, and I did the mistake of not asking them any questions. I just couldn't think of any. (Luckilly they told me I could call or write to them if I have any, and I did).

And even though they did so well trying to make me feel more comfortable there and take off the ''there are only correct and wrong answers'' mask from job interviews, I still couldn't relax enough and be my true self.

And it's a damn shame, because I REALLY want that job. Not only do I need the job, I genuely want it. And not only because of the great perks they offer, but I actually want to know the people who work there more, I want to solve technical problems, I want to learn more about cybersecurity, advance myself and make things work the way they should.

They told me I should get an answer in about a week or two. I can't get the job out of my mind, I can't wait to hear the answer, I want it to be positive so bad, but I'm afraid that won't happen. And I'm having a hard time keeping my expectations low, not thinking about the job or accepting the fact I'm most definitely not getting the job.

When was the last time you went to a job interview? How did it go?



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10 comments
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To listen to the audio version of this article click on the play image.

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Job interviews are scary, hands down. Can't recall my last one, guess it was something of a 15 years ago, but I was probably shitting bricks as well. Hope you land your dream job either now or when the time is right.

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15 years, huh? So either you've landed your dream job or haven't needed to go through interviews to get a job?

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I am self-employed, which means my money flows aren't fixed and sometimes have to stuggle more for money than 9-5'ers, but that has allowed me to gain a bit more of the most valuable asset, time.

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Interviewer -"So what do you see as your weaknesses ?"
Kristves - "Anything starting with 'd' like dates and doors...."

Stop worrying , they will admire your determination to teach yourself and if you had no chance , you wouldn't have even got an interview.

Nice team Estonia back in business :-)

Posted using Partiko Android

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perfect, smooth post. that's what steemit should be like.

fingers crossed!!!

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Lol! I had an interview once too, I received an email that I need to show up on Tuesday 12midnight (that was a call center company, so graveyard shift), which was about 8 hours from when I received the email. I thought WTF! Later already??? but then again I need to follow them and I should be the one adjusting to the interview and since I got free time and so...

I showed up 8 hours later and they were confused. They later told me I was supposed to be scheduled on Thursday, but the one who sent the email thought it was scheduled for Tuesday lol. They thanked and appreciate me for showing up though with very short notice and we had the interview that night.

I hope you get the job!! If I were the interviewer, I would understand the nervousness and stuff like that so I wouldn't worry much about that... Hoping for the best! Go get it!!!

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Wow! :D
Was it worth it? Did you get the job? Did you like the job (if you got it)?
Thanks for the support! <3

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I didn't! During the interview it was all positive with the designers team. But I think the company didn't accept me because of my history though - I had immediate resignation a year before! lol. Like I just passed a letter and went straight home and didn't show up. I applied at the same company because I know the culture there, they were pretty fun. I just had to resign that time cos I was having bad anxiety and that my solo exhibit was coming near and I haven't finished my paintings yet... Haha, I understand why they wouldn't accept me again though. But it was a nice experience :D

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