Interview

[girlofprey]

There was going to be a post about the truth about fanfiction and all the random stuff I seem to have acquired over the past few days, but mostly my agency offered me the chance at a permanent job on Friday, and then today called and told me they wanted to see me for an interview. Tomorrow. I got the time off work and they told me they would send me the interview slip and all the details of the job so I could check out the website and do some research. They have sent me NOTHING. I went through the rather embarrasing ordeal of giving them my personal email address because the one on my CV had probably gone inactive, and they DIDN'T SEND ME ANYTHING. Like WHERE THE COMPANY WAS. Or what they do, mostly. And I'm trying to google it, and it's proving VERY DIFFICULT. I think I know where it is and what bus I can get there. But WHAT THEY DO THERE, NOT SO MUCH. Well, it's about computer parts distribution. Other than that, I mostly know that it exists.

It's rubbish. I clearly won't get it. A lot of the stuff the agency described to me about it sounds like stuff I have done before. Even so. Did I mention that I've never actually had a job interview before? Except for ones on a sofa in a bar or the sales floor of Boots. And nothing much came of them. The only successful one I ever had was one with Leeds University, which was apparently mostly a formality. So I have to research interview technique. And this company that is impossible to find. My plan for tomorrow is to put on a clean sweater. Maybe call my agency and screech and do some very quick research at lunchtime in the job I'm currently working at. That's pretty much the extent of it. Where do I see myself in five years' time? I DON'T KNOW.

Comments

[jekesta]

I can't believe they haven't sent you stuff. They are horrible. Probably you will be fine, really. I hope your agency tell you things tomorrow.

I turned out to be okay at interviews even though I mostly rambled for a bit and then went 'is that okay?' at the end of every question. Mostly the thing I was taught was that for every question you should try to bring it round to specific times you did things, so try to make a mental list of good (they don't actually have to be good, just vaguely passable) examples of things like working in a team/with other people, showing initiative, dealing with a difficult situation, working to deadlines, managing your own deadlines, proving you have communication skills, that kind of thing. Those are the ones that have come up most in my - also kind of limited - experience at interviews. Obviously this is easier if you have been sent a proper job specification so that you can guess better what they're looking for. But it's sort of good preparation for an interview because it makes you mentally think about things you've either done well or at least make you lie to yourself and pretend that you're the best person in the world. Not that you're not. Obv.

I love that you had to give them your personal email, that's a bit brilliant. I think they should probably hire you just for that.

Good luck. x

[girlofprey.livejournal.com]

The arrangements were done through the agency, so it was only them I had to give my personal email address too. This current job don't know my shame. It was also the agency who didn't send me anything. Except this morning, an interview slip that told me NOTHING when I called them up, and a job spec that I found in the post when I got home. Bastards.

I got your email this morning when I checked for the interview slip. It was great, thank you. Suprisingly much more help than my employment agency. And the sheets that told me to give answers like "I want to get involved in a growth-orientated company". Mostly I told them how madly stressful it sometimes was working in a reception. She didn't ask me where I saw myself in five years, thankfully.