Interview Woes

My first interview was with for the position of recruitment consultant. I was asked into an office and waited 10 minutes for a manager to interview me. Smiles all round his face he subjected me to a 'relaxed' interview where the only answers he wanted were about my hobbies and interests. 30 minutes past and I seemed to have convinced him I wanted the job. He said I'd be contacted for a second interview within the week.

Bearing in mind I was in Lancaster and the position was in Slough, you can imagine I wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of traveling the length of the country yet again for what could be a pointless chat! Instead I met the previous bloke's boss, a woman who as she walked into the room I could tell she wouldn't think twice about branding herself 'top dog in a dog eat dog world'. She sat, I sat, we began talking about my ambitions, my skills, my availability. I was ticking all the boxes. She then asked me about my sales experience; I had already told her I had no work experience, to which she frowned. ok, one box wasn't ticked. I asked her about the importance of being a salesman in a recruitment position... she said it was very important, and then criticised my general appearance/attitude/approach to life by saying I couldn't possibly interact with my colleagues if I was always shy.

I explained this was my first interview, and that I was naturally the kind of guy who smiles and takes things easy instead of jumping round the room with excitement, and maybe knocking a few heads in the process. I told her about my previous experience leading various teams and providing positive results. She said the people I would work with were always 110% all the time and I would be expected to go out to the pub for drinks every Friday. I quietly thought 110% is 10% more than possible, and I want a job not drinking budding who sounded like pricks.

The final stage of the interview was a test. Apprentice style. I had to think of a product in 6 minutes and detail the marketing and sales budget. She came back in with a guy holding a calculator. I gave my presentation. She was not impressed, she asked me if I thought of the inflation that applied to the cost of renting factory space in China... whatever.

She had clearly chosen the right candidate before my interview, the questions had nothing to do with recruitment, and she didn't take into account the fact I had NEVER done this before!

Recruiters beware! I'm on to you!

Party Time

I've already missed a day of my blog! Doesn't look promising, but I'll keep at it whenever I can. Tonight I hosted a party, mainly for my friend's 21st birthday but also for my handing in my final essay.

Funny thing happened: I was washing up a jug and found the bottom inside half was green, not your average spinach and broccoli green, this was fluorescent. I turned to my girlfriend (who cooks while I wash up) and caught her attention. Thinking ahead of what I was going to say and what tone. In all seriousness I said 'Why is this orange?'. So if any of these words I'm writing make absolutely no contextual sense whatsoever I apologise in advance. I think it's the sudden lack of work, although I do have exams soon, that is making my brain either shut down or say random words. Later today I have a job interview; just a little thing for my last 10 weeks of university... fingers crossed!