Wednesday's interview
I had an interview Wednesday at a university in Chicago. The Housing office is hiring for an Administrative Assistant. I ended up getting there a little before 9 am - my interview was a 11. But I had to take the train in from the suburbs, plus I didn't know exactly how long it was going to take to get there or where it might be. I found the building, and luckily the student center is right across the street and there were some outdoor tables, so I hung out there for a couple hours.
While I was there, I called my mom (PST there), and worked on some knitting. When I got to my interview, I found that one of the people who passed me once or twice while sitting there is the Director of Housing. At least three other housing employees passed, too; there is a little convenience store in the student center.
I think the interview went okay. I didn't feel quite as good about this one as at the adoption agency, just because it was a more formal interview and not quite as conversational. Additionally, some of the questions they asked were a little more difficult. I spent a half hour with the Director, than another half hour with 5 other people from Housing and Residence Life. Finally, the Admin Assistant took me on a tour of the student center (which I had walked through briefly prior to my interview), and the residence halls.
The Director said they had to check references and stuff, and hopefully their HR department would make an offer within 7 days. After leaving, I wrote them all thank-yous, of course. When I got home and checked my email, she had sent me an email around 5:45 thanking me for coming to see them, that they "are very interested in your candidacy", and "We have processed your Background Release Form. Once this has been successfully processed, you should be hearing from our Human Resources department."
I've talked to a few people about this, independantly of one another, and all have said that it sounds really good. If they weren't interested in me but didn't want to tell me that, she wouldn't have to say they were "very interested in my candidacy". And perhaps I just don't know anything, but I wouldn't have thought that HR would contact every single person that is interviewed with every department. And the Director didn't say that HR would contact everyone, she said they hoped HR would make an offer within 7 days.
Perhaps I'm reading too much into it. I was just really surprised at her email - pleasantly, of course. They have some good benefits; Flex Spending Accounts, Tuition Remission (it said full for eligible children/spouses, so I would assume the same for employees), including 50% for graduate work; and they have a law school affiliated with them - one that does IP Law. So if I was hired there, it's possible I could do law school through them too and maybe for a lower cost.
At any rate, I'm hoping to hear from them. At this point, I'm kind of hoping that one place will want me and the other won't, so I don't have to make a decision. Both of them have really great pros, and some cons, though I think I could eventually make more money with and have more opportunity for advancement with the university.
While I was there, I called my mom (PST there), and worked on some knitting. When I got to my interview, I found that one of the people who passed me once or twice while sitting there is the Director of Housing. At least three other housing employees passed, too; there is a little convenience store in the student center.
I think the interview went okay. I didn't feel quite as good about this one as at the adoption agency, just because it was a more formal interview and not quite as conversational. Additionally, some of the questions they asked were a little more difficult. I spent a half hour with the Director, than another half hour with 5 other people from Housing and Residence Life. Finally, the Admin Assistant took me on a tour of the student center (which I had walked through briefly prior to my interview), and the residence halls.
The Director said they had to check references and stuff, and hopefully their HR department would make an offer within 7 days. After leaving, I wrote them all thank-yous, of course. When I got home and checked my email, she had sent me an email around 5:45 thanking me for coming to see them, that they "are very interested in your candidacy", and "We have processed your Background Release Form. Once this has been successfully processed, you should be hearing from our Human Resources department."
I've talked to a few people about this, independantly of one another, and all have said that it sounds really good. If they weren't interested in me but didn't want to tell me that, she wouldn't have to say they were "very interested in my candidacy". And perhaps I just don't know anything, but I wouldn't have thought that HR would contact every single person that is interviewed with every department. And the Director didn't say that HR would contact everyone, she said they hoped HR would make an offer within 7 days.
Perhaps I'm reading too much into it. I was just really surprised at her email - pleasantly, of course. They have some good benefits; Flex Spending Accounts, Tuition Remission (it said full for eligible children/spouses, so I would assume the same for employees), including 50% for graduate work; and they have a law school affiliated with them - one that does IP Law. So if I was hired there, it's possible I could do law school through them too and maybe for a lower cost.
At any rate, I'm hoping to hear from them. At this point, I'm kind of hoping that one place will want me and the other won't, so I don't have to make a decision. Both of them have really great pros, and some cons, though I think I could eventually make more money with and have more opportunity for advancement with the university.