Yakkstr

Interviewing

So in this whole looking for a job saga I've had one interview so far. It was with a limo company. When they talked to me about it I was like "cool!" and not much bothered by the idea of working for a small company.

I dressed respectably, polished my fangs, printed up a couple of extra copies of my resume and headed out. The company was on a frontage road to the main highway. I had to park about a block away in a residential area. Which was a pain because I wore heels. I had a hard time finding the front door since it appeared to be totally surrounded by metal fencing. When I did make it inside I was "underwhelmed" to put it lightly. The office was dark and incredibly dirty and shabby. People behind the counter seemed to be running around aimlessly. Eventually I was shown inside and given an application to fill out. I patiently filled it out and then waited while I was being ignored. The co-owner took me up to his office on the second floor, which lead me past more dingy, dirty rooms and steep stairs. The interview it's self went well I thought. He had a few questions and I had answers ready for him. His office looked as if someone had gone beserk in, with papers in no particular order or in stacks. I'm pretty sure they had not been introduced to the concept of organization. I thanked them and left a little relieved because I knew my salary requirements would automatically exclude me from the position.

Roll forward about a month and now I'm starting to think I should have pursued that job. I've been putting in applications to jobs further and further away from where I live, but still within the bay area. This morning I got a call from a gal who wanted to schedule an interview for another admin position I had applied for. She seemed very unsure of herself and not at all sure what more than pinning down a day and hour for the interview that she needed to do. I took pity on her and asked the pointed questions that would yield the most basic of information. Address of the business, person to speak to, name of company, etc.

After lunch I looked up the company. I had to do a few neat tricks to figure it out since I have applied to dozens if not a hundred or more positions. The company seemed to indicate a national company that was publically held. The job description was pretty standard. When I googled them I had to laugh. It was basically the civilian management company responsible for administering the corrections facilities in many US states!!! Only I could manage to find the one job that includes bars and guns! I'm going to go to the interview on tuesday, if only for practice, but I'm not at all sure I want to get into this field of work.

I hope things improve in my search. If these are the best options offered, it's going to mean either a long wait until the next great job comes along, or a lifestyle change and taking a much less compensated job in a less desireable company just to make ends meet.

[sigh]

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starchini said over 1 year ago ...

Good Luck Uni, sounds like you could show the Fairy Job Mother a thing or two : )

Take it easy on the small limo company, its hard to find good help and often the owner wears far too many hats... Our office used to be kinda like that at the other location, but when we moved we really simplified things, even still it seems its all I can do to keep tempered glass shards off the office floor were the customers come in ;) Im far too busy to be bothered with vacuuming. Psh... lol...(vacuums dont like picking up glass, weve gone thru 5 or so this year).

Thats prolly the toughest thing about small companies, busy enough to stay afloat, but not busy enough to afford extra help... You could prolly really help'em out : P But they couldnt afford you : )

uniquely-learning said over 1 year ago ...

star - that they were busy was great, but if you want to grow a business past the small stage you need to pay attention to things like customer service and image. I know how hard it is to keep those things top shelf, I ran a business myself for a few years. Yeah, I could have dragged their asses kicking and screaming into the next level, but only if the compensation was right. I got bills to pay.

starchini said over 1 year ago ...

You ran a business yourself....how come you dont do it again? Self employment is the bestestestestest...

uniquely-learning said over 1 year ago ...

star - I ran a locksmithing business, but I don't have the actual license to do that work by myself. Personally, it was too much work and sacrifice for too little reward.

hegemone said over 1 year ago ...

I hope it goes well, and the way you want/need it to. It can be defeating to feel as if you're 'stepping down' from where you once were, but security in your home, ability to keep Flores on your back and food on the table is sometimes what you have to go with. At least you can always keep looking, since I've always heard that you never should stop looking just because you landed a job.

uniquely-learning said over 1 year ago ...

hege - I think if you're not completely happy with what you do you should definately keep looking. Even if you are happy I think you should continue to improve your skills. I'm taking a "wait and see" attitude with this interview. I've discussed it with a friend and they seem to think I might do well in a corrections environment. (not sure that was a compliment)

starchini said over 1 year ago ...

It would be exciting to be n a corrections environment...would you be at the facility or would you be in a giant building off grounds somewhere?

uniquely-learning said over 1 year ago ...

star - I'm hoping to be in a giant building off grounds, but all remains to be seen. I'd have to actually GET the job first. Another factor is that it's in a town I'd rather not spend time in. The crime rate is horrendous, but then, if I'm working for corrections chances are I'm MORE safe than most people.

torrentdeheart said over 1 year ago ...

I too am on the job hunt, I think perhaps we've know that we're on this similar path before. There are so many interesting little nuances. I too had to 'help' out the person interviewing me the other day. It was funny. Good luck to you. Charge on!

uniquely-learning said over 1 year ago ...

torrent - the synchronicity of our lives is a little eerie but fun :) Isn't it just a little bit TOO fun when you find yourself doing the interviewers job and yours?

torrentdeheart said over 1 year ago ...

ha, a touch eerie... that is funny. Yes, I felt like I was doing the interview and also that I had done much better interviews myself at my last job. I was ok not getting that one. Take care of yourself - the parallel female version of me. : )

uniquely-learning said over 1 year ago ...

torrent - I will, and you must take care of yourself as well. Otherwise my yin will lose it's yang. ;)

wombat said over 1 year ago ...

Hello, Uni....love your approach to interviewing....for practice. That's a great way to go about things, I think. You know you are only going to take a job that's right for you! I've always done interviews (on a smaller scale for me, though) with the thought in mind----"I am interviewing YOU to see if I want to work here!

My best to you and hope you and yours are all doing well out there.

uniquely-learning said over 1 year ago ...

wombie - I used to approach each interview as a do or die. The stress was not worth the energy expended. It's hard to be more laid back, it's not in my nature, but it is much healthier.

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