Story Time!
In November, I applied to work at a bakery near my house. Because the storefront space was still being worked on, I agreed to meet the owner at the Starbucks near by. Our interview was scheduled for a Sunday morning, and I showed up ten minutes early, which is just a general rule of thumb for everything- don't make people wait on you, especially if you want to work for them! So I walked in and ordered a drink, then sat down at a table and waited. I saw a lot of people go in and out, but nobody I needed to meet with. After 40 minutes, I finally asked the man working next to me of he was the man I was supposed to be talking to, and he was not. I gave it 15 more minutes, then called the man. He forgot he scheduled an interview with me, and asked if I would wait there while he finished up at Walmart in the next town over. I gave him the benefit of the doubt, and when he finally showed up, he was very unprepared and the interview was very informal. He asked me if I would go into the store the next weekend to try a few positions to see where I would best fit, and that it would only be about an hour. I went in, and his store manager threw me into working the front, assisting customers on the opening weekend, but only showing me to do half the process, so I couldn't ring anything up. So after I got them whatever they asked for, I was useless. This went on for three hours, with no other positions tried. They called it a "working interview." Don't fall for this if someone bring you in to do this- it's just free labor for them. After a full week, they finally called and offered me a job (probably out of guilt form the interview situation), and I declined. I knew that that was not the kind of environment I wanted to be in, and it just was not worth it after the experiences I had. Bottom line is, you can decline a job offer. It's better to answer to yourself before answering to a job that won't make you happy.
As a very recently, I was given an internship at a fancy company that I'm not entirely sure what they do. But regardless, it's a position that will teach me a lot, and will look amazing on future resumes.
Interview Tips:
- Get connected. Obviously, if you have a connection to the company you're interviewing with, you're already at an advantage. In my case, my aunt is high up in the company, which is great, but she was not involved in the interview or selection process.
- Go for lesser-know positions. Also to my advantage, it was a new position, and I was the only applicant. Simple as that.
- Speak eloquently. If you take your time to think your answers through, you sound better to an interviewer. Bonus points if you can keep yourself from stuttering or saying things along the lines of "like," "um," etc. That just sounds unprofessional and like you aren't taking things as seriously.
- Dress the part, act the part. I was at a fancy business, so I dressed for a fancy business. This will certainly depend on where it is you're applying, but dressier is always better. For the disaster interview, I wore a blouse, blazer, dark jeans and flats. And always act the part- be respectful, thoughtful, someone they won't regret hiring.
- Have a pretty resume. If you have a nice, well-designed resume, you're pretty well-off. My resume isn't that great as of yet, so I make sure to make it look nice to compensate. Bonus points if you have a good cover letter, and even more bonus points if the heading on both of those matches.
- Send a thank you note. If they don't give a business card, ask for one. Then send a thank you email or card (yes, snail mail makes all the difference) thanking them for their time and consideration, and especially if they hire you. Personally, I always do a snail mail card because it's more personal and sincere, and really makes you stand out in the interviewer's mind. Make sure they receive it within 3-5 business day so you stay fresh in their mind while they decide who they're going to hire.
Erin
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