I am currently procrastinating from work and checking LJ, and I see this. First, I'm excited because I can actually see your post on my flist (go you! You fixed the problem). And second, I laugh because I soooooo feel your pain.
Yes, job interviews suck so much. And yes, there is a vast conspiracy to never let you (me) pay off your (my) student loans (I'm looking at you, Sallie-Mae, the government, corporations). I essentially have a small mortgage... and just a piece of paper (okay, actually two pieces of paper) to show for it.
I'm not quite as desperate as your are (yet), since I haven't actually quit my job, but my job ends at the end of the year (Happy New Year to me!) and so I'm trying to get my butt into gear and send in applications and interview places.
Of course, my profession (law... bleh...) was pretty severly impacted by the recession (yes, really), so every decent job gets about 500 resumes. Yeah... try standing out in that.
My other problems:
One, I suck at interviews. Like, totally suck.
Two, I was at an interview last week and realized, in the middle, that I was actually in Hell. The job was literally everything I NEVER wanted to do with my life. Between excessively long hours ("we expect at least 50-60+ hours each week, and sometimes you need to go four days without sleeping") to the actual work (insurance defense... need I say more), I thought I was going to kill myself. So... um... yeah... I'm definitely not taking that job.
Three, interviewers are sadistic bastards who enjoying making you suffer and squirm.
Four, most places and people severely lack a sense of humor regarding the whole interview process. I mean, it's funny, thinking you can ask a few questions and determine someone's entire worth.
Five, I actually don't think I have a five, but I'm rambling. Yeah... interviews suck (or did I already say that?)
I feel your pain.
Seriously, camping equipment? Um... really? I think they're just trying to mess with your head.
1 I essentially have a small mortgage... and just a piece of paper (okay, actually two pieces of paper) to show for it.
I know, right? And here's what's even more brilliant-- I'm going back to school to earn myself another piece of paper and rack up even more debt! Because I'm obviously mentally impared! I might as well just be throwing money in the general direction of the capitol building as I drive past on my way to apply for a job at Taco Bell.
2 I was at an interview last week and realized, in the middle, that I was actually in Hell.
Yes to this on so many levels. This is why I've had so many interviews lately. Once I have that realization I half-ass my way through the rest of the interview, hoping they don't notice my eyes glazing over as I tune them out in favor of singing the theme to the Brady Bunch in my head.
And I agree that you should definitely not take a job that is going to drive you to suicide and/or homicide.
3...so every decent job gets about 500 resumes. Yeah... try standing out in that.
Ouch. And Law school is a bitch to get through and a bitch to pay for, so I totally feel for you there. But it'll work out, I'm sure, and you have a good five months to figure something out :)
4 It's funny because I'm actually good at interviews, as long as it's a position that I really want. I have a three-step process that works almost every time; as long as I can get the interviewer to laugh in the first five minutes then I know I'm going to be fine. If I can't, I'm screwed anyway.
5 The position I was interviewing for was a biological technician position which does involve spending a night or two in the field once a month, so that camping equipment question wasn't completely random. I still didn't have an answer, though.
Anyway, I have faith that both you and I will successfully find jobs that don't make us want to kill ourselves. As for the debt thing, I might end up having to sell my body to the government for science, but at least by then I'll have my second little piece of paper to make me feel better about it.
Ooh... you should definitely go back to school. What's a little more (or a lot more) debt when it's so high anyway? May as well enjoy the school experience. I'll meet you at Taco Bell to apply for jobs there (which you know we totally couldn't get because we're 'overqualified', but whatever....)
And what's your three-step interview process? That sounds promising. I totally think that making the interviewer laugh is a good idea. If they don't have a sense of humor, it's not a place where I want to work.
Good luck with your job searches!
I wrote some more of the EC, btw. I did the Reid and Holmes play chess scene... which I don't really love at the moment. But I have a plan as to where the story is going and a listing of the remaining scenes I have to write. It's just going to need some major editing at some point... um... yeah.... But I'll try and work on it some more today.
The three step interview process relies on the ability to complete step one: make the interviewer laugh in the first few minutes. This is integral. Step two is to answer a question or throw something in that invites a few lines of dialogue not related to the actual interview, furthering any connection between you and the interviewer. Step three is a combination of steps one and two, wherein at the end of the interview when they ask if you have any additional questions you go back to a question asked earlier in the interview to which you gave an answer that you're unsure of or an answer that may have been factually incorrect- at this point you bring the question up and make a comment about your answer that is slightly self-deprecating but mostly humorous, and based on the interviewer's response you make another comment that invites the interviewer to share his/her experience when answering the same question, thus forming a sort-of connection between you. If you don't get the laugh at the beginning, though, it isn't a good sign.
Obviously I rely on humor to help me through most aspects of life, which possibly isn't good, but it's what I'm good at, so. Play to your strengths, you know?
Anyway, beyond that I am RIDICULOUSLY excited for EC. And Holmes vs. Reid chess is automatically awesome because it's Holmes... and Reid. Yes.
And the marriage fic is... stalled... because I can't figure out how it's going to start and (even though I have 2,000 words of the middle written) I can't really work on it seriously until I figure that out. Which will hopefully be soon.
Good luck with the search for a non-god-awful position! I'm thinking happy thoughts for you!
Yes, job interviews suck so much. And yes, there is a vast conspiracy to never let you (me) pay off your (my) student loans (I'm looking at you, Sallie-Mae, the government, corporations). I essentially have a small mortgage... and just a piece of paper (okay, actually two pieces of paper) to show for it.
I'm not quite as desperate as your are (yet), since I haven't actually quit my job, but my job ends at the end of the year (Happy New Year to me!) and so I'm trying to get my butt into gear and send in applications and interview places.
Of course, my profession (law... bleh...) was pretty severly impacted by the recession (yes, really), so every decent job gets about 500 resumes. Yeah... try standing out in that.
My other problems:
One, I suck at interviews. Like, totally suck.
Two, I was at an interview last week and realized, in the middle, that I was actually in Hell. The job was literally everything I NEVER wanted to do with my life. Between excessively long hours ("we expect at least 50-60+ hours each week, and sometimes you need to go four days without sleeping") to the actual work (insurance defense... need I say more), I thought I was going to kill myself. So... um... yeah... I'm definitely not taking that job.
Three, interviewers are sadistic bastards who enjoying making you suffer and squirm.
Four, most places and people severely lack a sense of humor regarding the whole interview process. I mean, it's funny, thinking you can ask a few questions and determine someone's entire worth.
Five, I actually don't think I have a five, but I'm rambling. Yeah... interviews suck (or did I already say that?)
I feel your pain.
Seriously, camping equipment? Um... really? I think they're just trying to mess with your head.
I guess I should go back to work now. Bleh...
Good luck!
Reply
I know, right? And here's what's even more brilliant-- I'm going back to school to earn myself another piece of paper and rack up even more debt! Because I'm obviously mentally impared! I might as well just be throwing money in the general direction of the capitol building as I drive past on my way to apply for a job at Taco Bell.
2 I was at an interview last week and realized, in the middle, that I was actually in Hell.
Yes to this on so many levels. This is why I've had so many interviews lately. Once I have that realization I half-ass my way through the rest of the interview, hoping they don't notice my eyes glazing over as I tune them out in favor of singing the theme to the Brady Bunch in my head.
And I agree that you should definitely not take a job that is going to drive you to suicide and/or homicide.
3...so every decent job gets about 500 resumes. Yeah... try standing out in that.
Ouch. And Law school is a bitch to get through and a bitch to pay for, so I totally feel for you there. But it'll work out, I'm sure, and you have a good five months to figure something out :)
4 It's funny because I'm actually good at interviews, as long as it's a position that I really want. I have a three-step process that works almost every time; as long as I can get the interviewer to laugh in the first five minutes then I know I'm going to be fine. If I can't, I'm screwed anyway.
5 The position I was interviewing for was a biological technician position which does involve spending a night or two in the field once a month, so that camping equipment question wasn't completely random. I still didn't have an answer, though.
Anyway, I have faith that both you and I will successfully find jobs that don't make us want to kill ourselves. As for the debt thing, I might end up having to sell my body to the government for science, but at least by then I'll have my second little piece of paper to make me feel better about it.
Reply
And what's your three-step interview process? That sounds promising. I totally think that making the interviewer laugh is a good idea. If they don't have a sense of humor, it's not a place where I want to work.
Good luck with your job searches!
I wrote some more of the EC, btw. I did the Reid and Holmes play chess scene... which I don't really love at the moment. But I have a plan as to where the story is going and a listing of the remaining scenes I have to write. It's just going to need some major editing at some point... um... yeah.... But I'll try and work on it some more today.
How's the marriage fic?
Reply
The three step interview process relies on the ability to complete step one: make the interviewer laugh in the first few minutes. This is integral. Step two is to answer a question or throw something in that invites a few lines of dialogue not related to the actual interview, furthering any connection between you and the interviewer. Step three is a combination of steps one and two, wherein at the end of the interview when they ask if you have any additional questions you go back to a question asked earlier in the interview to which you gave an answer that you're unsure of or an answer that may have been factually incorrect- at this point you bring the question up and make a comment about your answer that is slightly self-deprecating but mostly humorous, and based on the interviewer's response you make another comment that invites the interviewer to share his/her experience when answering the same question, thus forming a sort-of connection between you. If you don't get the laugh at the beginning, though, it isn't a good sign.
Obviously I rely on humor to help me through most aspects of life, which possibly isn't good, but it's what I'm good at, so. Play to your strengths, you know?
Anyway, beyond that I am RIDICULOUSLY excited for EC. And Holmes vs. Reid chess is automatically awesome because it's Holmes... and Reid. Yes.
And the marriage fic is... stalled... because I can't figure out how it's going to start and (even though I have 2,000 words of the middle written) I can't really work on it seriously until I figure that out. Which will hopefully be soon.
Good luck with the search for a non-god-awful position! I'm thinking happy thoughts for you!
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