Post-Interview No. 1
Apparently, I have a typing speed of 15300 ksph (that's keystrokes per hour) or 51 words a minute. Although it goes down to 42 words per minute when you factor in typos.
Heh. 42.
So, I managed to get down to the place I was having the interview despite the snow - in the end I just dressed in my brand-new 'interview' clothes, which consist of a pair of dark brown formal trousers and a blouse-pullover combo (one of those ones where the bouse is actually sewn into the inside of the pullover) in white and tan, and walked into town in my sneakers because they had better grip. Once I was there I changed into my 'work' shoes, which are black, have no heel whatsoever and are actually comfortable because they're in that new 'ballet shoe' style that's apparently sweeping the nation.
I got snowed on the whole way there and nearly went snowblind on a couple of occasions, but it wasn't all that bad, just really really cold and windy.
Interview wasn't that bad either - just got asked a lot of the same questions you get asked at any interview - "What are your strengths?", "What kind of job are you looking for?", that sort of thing. The guy didn't have the faintest idea what CFS was, so I had to try to explain it to him while, for possibly the first time ever, trying to make it sound like it wasn't as bad as it could have been.
Anyway... Turns out the job is for Royal Mail, and if I got it I'd be working Customer Service for them, taking enquiries and complaints over the phone, that sort of thing. I get the idea that they might be a little desperate for workers, as I'm going to an assessment with them tomorrow morning despite the job brief saying that it's essential for clients to have had at least 3 months' experience in the Customer Service industry. Also, the guy I saw today said they were focussing less on qualifications and more on what people were like, which is another sure sign that they're desperate for workers.
Had to do a typing test, which is where my score came from (incidentally, the minimum requirement for the job was 3500 ksph, which now seems pretty damn slow to me), and apparently tomorrow I'll have to do some sort of spelling/grammar test, a postcode lookup test and a mock phonecall (the latter taking me back to my Nightline days...) Then I'll be told right there if I've 'passes', and if I have I'll then be taken into the Customer Service floor to observe and listen in to some actual phone calls.
There was only one snag - at one point the guy giving me today's interview said "And make sure you dress for an interview tomorrow - wear a suit or something formal like that". I think I managed to make my face stop falling just in time, but I guess that mans my new 'interview' clothes just aren't formal enough... which is a bit if a problem as I can't afford any more and didn't have any time to buy any anyway. So I guess I'll just have to hope there...
Heh. 42.
So, I managed to get down to the place I was having the interview despite the snow - in the end I just dressed in my brand-new 'interview' clothes, which consist of a pair of dark brown formal trousers and a blouse-pullover combo (one of those ones where the bouse is actually sewn into the inside of the pullover) in white and tan, and walked into town in my sneakers because they had better grip. Once I was there I changed into my 'work' shoes, which are black, have no heel whatsoever and are actually comfortable because they're in that new 'ballet shoe' style that's apparently sweeping the nation.
I got snowed on the whole way there and nearly went snowblind on a couple of occasions, but it wasn't all that bad, just really really cold and windy.
Interview wasn't that bad either - just got asked a lot of the same questions you get asked at any interview - "What are your strengths?", "What kind of job are you looking for?", that sort of thing. The guy didn't have the faintest idea what CFS was, so I had to try to explain it to him while, for possibly the first time ever, trying to make it sound like it wasn't as bad as it could have been.
Anyway... Turns out the job is for Royal Mail, and if I got it I'd be working Customer Service for them, taking enquiries and complaints over the phone, that sort of thing. I get the idea that they might be a little desperate for workers, as I'm going to an assessment with them tomorrow morning despite the job brief saying that it's essential for clients to have had at least 3 months' experience in the Customer Service industry. Also, the guy I saw today said they were focussing less on qualifications and more on what people were like, which is another sure sign that they're desperate for workers.
Had to do a typing test, which is where my score came from (incidentally, the minimum requirement for the job was 3500 ksph, which now seems pretty damn slow to me), and apparently tomorrow I'll have to do some sort of spelling/grammar test, a postcode lookup test and a mock phonecall (the latter taking me back to my Nightline days...) Then I'll be told right there if I've 'passes', and if I have I'll then be taken into the Customer Service floor to observe and listen in to some actual phone calls.
There was only one snag - at one point the guy giving me today's interview said "And make sure you dress for an interview tomorrow - wear a suit or something formal like that". I think I managed to make my face stop falling just in time, but I guess that mans my new 'interview' clothes just aren't formal enough... which is a bit if a problem as I can't afford any more and didn't have any time to buy any anyway. So I guess I'll just have to hope there...