Posted by TexasChic on March 2, 2007, at 21:52:27
In reply to I need company, posted by Deneb on March 2, 2007, at 17:28:05
I do the same thing. The only thing that helps with that sort of thing is practice, practice, practice. The more interviews you do the better you will get. Its something you have to learn.
I've said some REALLY stupid things in my time. When I was right out of school I had this one job that lasted 3 months before they went out of business. After that I had such a hard time finding a job. Keep in mind I had just learned all this stuff in a one year crash course and hadn't known anything about computers before. Being as young as you are, that's probably hard to comprehend, but I didn't even know how to use a mouse at first. Anyway, during this one interview the guy asked me if we used a desktop or drum scanners. I couldn't remember the difference! So I just went with something and said drum scanner. He asked how many we had. I said we all had one at our desk. Well, drum scanners are huge and you don't have them at your desk, you have the desktop ones. It was a completely ridiculous thing to say. Afterwards I realized I had said the wrong thing simply because of nerves and being new to it and all. I felt like such an idiot! Here I was pretending I knew what I was talking about because I'd been unemployed for 3 months and was getting desperate. Weirdly enough, I got that job and worked there for 5 years - the longest I've ever worked at any job.
So just keep in mind that they know you're nervous and they take that into consideration. They are human just like you and have had the 'wonderful' experience of being interviewed.
Another tip, and I've actually done this, is if you don't get it, ask the interviewer why they didn't choose you. Tell them you want to know what you need to work on. They usually respect this and will tell you flat out. Its very good info to have.
Also send a thank you note to them for taking the time to see you. In that note tell them how interested you are in the job and list the ways that you believe would make you the perfect candidate (hard worker, willingness to learn etc.) It may sound cheesy and like you're overdoing it. but believe me they love it no matter what type of job it is.
Anyway, try not to dwell on it. A good way to do this is looking for a future job to interview for. If it helps, I thought I had found my dream job right before I interviewed for the one I got. I was SO disappointed that I didn't get it!!! But I kept trying and ended up with an EVEN BETTER job!
Anyway I feel like I'm babbling (no pun intended) so I'll stop. But let me now how it goes!
-T
poster:TexasChic
thread:737764
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20070223/msgs/737836.html