I’ll Have a Side of Risotto with that Position
Last week, I posted about Extreme Job Hunting where people are using unconventional methods to get the proverbial foot in a company’s door for an interview. It made me recall some of the goofy hoops I’ve jumped through to get a job.
Interviews where they make you do stuff…
In the 90’s, I interviewed for a job with a psychiatric facility. The job was in marketing and was not a clinical position (I’m a licensed therapist), but several of the people who interviewed me were psych nurses and therapists. (There has to be a joke here about a roomful of therapists, light bulbs and/or change.) The interview was a disconcerting mix of touchy-feely therapist type questions and queries about market share, growth potential etc.
In a second interview, they took me to lunch. I realize an interview over a meal serves a purpose – make it seem more relaxed for the candidate, check out their table manners, etc. These folks took me to a “hidden jewel” Italian restaurant. You know the kind – four tables and the chef/owner cooks what he feels like, etc. Fortunately, I’m married to a gourmet cook and am a full-fledged foodie, so I know my way around a fine Northern Italian pasta dish. Evidently I chose the right risotto, because I got the job.
Wait, there’s more – after I was hired, I found out that they also did handwriting analysis on me!
Interviews that last forever…
Once in awhile my self-employment status loses its charm and I long for those regular pay checks. Recently, I interviewed for a counseling position at a liberal arts college. The interview process took seven hours and was conducted by a series of committees. At least they broke up the day by feeding me lunch and buying me an afternoon latte. I didn’t get the job.
Even though the formats may have evolved, the purpose and content of interviews are still the same – you and the company see if you are a good fit, you show off your knowledge and skills and they see if you make the grade. I sure hope you get a nice lunch out of it.
This is a guest post by Nancy LaFever. You can read more from her at the Centre for Emotional Wellbeing blog.
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