March 23, 2006
I think I scared him
The guy I interviewed with, that is.
I got a call yesterday. But not from the company I wanted to hear from. It was the company I interviewed with on Monday.
Now first let me just say, I love the fact that the trend seems to be letting people know where they stand. I LOVE that. So - in an anonymous fashion I thank you Company Z.
They wanted to thank me for my time and travel and let me know they were moving ahead in pursuing other candidates.
OK. Hmmm. I gotta tell you, normally that would kick me in the gut. Even though I didn't have a great feeling afterwards. I didn't really like the guy - we never "connected". I didn't like the sound of the job. Didn't want to move into Chicago. Didn't like the future path that company offers. Still - usually, I would think - What's Wrong With Me?
But I didn't. I just opened up my infamous spreadsheet and colored them blue - for bye bye. Then I went back to waiting for the phone to ring.
That was when it hit me. I might have scared him. During our conversation he was asking me about my job search. I mentioned my handy dandy spreadsheet. Explained that I have a tab for each search engine. How I list every job I post for and the details I include. He just sat there with his mouth hangin' open. He slowly shook his head and said he'd never heard of such a thing. I just smiled, shrugged my shoulders and told him that was just the way I do things.
That may have been where I lost him. Old school sales people don't understand that mindset.
And honestly, it's ok. Oh, it sure would have been nice to have hit a home run the first time at bat, but at least I got a little interview practice. AND I know I don't want to work for that company. Not that they are bad - just not the place for me.
But despite that, I still think I'll run through my answers to certain questions again. Just to make sure I don't chase anyone else off.
Posted by Tammi at March 23, 2006 06:39 AMI know you scare me sometimes... ;)
Posted by: Ogre at March 23, 2006 06:43 AMwell, i'm glad you didn't get that one. before you interviewed, you knew you didn't want it, and you don't want to compromise, and you don't want to move into the city. besides, you're going to get the one in Florida.
and yeah, you probably scared him. maybe something closer to "my job search is none of your business" would be less scary than your big spreadsheet! ;-)
Posted by: sarahk at March 23, 2006 07:13 AMIt wasn't the answers - it was the presentation.
Strength and self-confidence only work well with the right interviewer. You have both in spades during an interview. You probably did scare him - but it was with the candidacy of the answers, not the answers themselves.
If you want to adjust for future interviews, I suggest learning to read your interviewer and alter your tone and presentation in order to adapt to the type of person they are comfortable with. Old men like meek women. Women like friendly women. Young men like strong women. There are exceptions, of course, those are generalities. And I'm talking about *interviewers* - not people in general.
Nice idea on the sheet pages. :)
Posted by: _Jon at March 23, 2006 07:14 AMScared him??? Yes -- that you just might be the most successful sales person in the history of that company if you brought the same kind of organizational skills and high motivation to the table. Next time, make the analogy. And don't apologize for your strengths.
Go get'em, tiger!
Posted by: Omnibus Driver at March 23, 2006 09:42 AMDummy. Not you, Tammi. The interviewer.
"Einstein" couldn't make the connection that if you put that much work and detail into finding a new job, that you'd use the same skills not only on behalf of his existing customers, but to land new business for his, too.
You're going to hear something good about the Florida job. I know it.
You just cleaned out a bunch of your Florida clothes, right?
Yep, it's just about guaranteed.
Posted by: Doyle at March 23, 2006 05:01 PMI'd make a comment, but I'm just an irritant.
Posted by: Contagion at March 23, 2006 06:30 PMConsider it good interview practice. You need one to break the ice. Their loss. Really!
Posted by: Bou at March 23, 2006 08:06 PMI wouldn't worry about whether you scared him off or not. It's his loss that he couldn't pick up on the fact that you've been diligently searching for a job and that you have a well-organized syster of getting one. Very good skills to have.
I'm looking for a job myself. It gets me down sometimes, but I have to remember that if there wasn't a connection then it probably wasn't meant to be.
Posted by: Julie at May 11, 2006 03:53 PM