Talking to “real” people
Today worked out pretty well. Both my scheduled appointments were on the same college campus, in the same building, and on the same floor. But 5 hours apart. So instead of waiting around (which would have been dumb), I did some stuff in between.
What I did
My first appointment of the day was in an office where I recently applied for (and didn't get) a job. After I called the office and set up an appointment yesterday, I emailed the person I was going to meet with and let him know that I was coming and what to expect. Because of this, he was able to review my application and tell me why I hadn't been chosen for an interview. It turns out, I was close, but was a little lacking in education (I'm still working on my Master's) and experience (I haven't worked specifically on a college campus). He gave me all sorts of other helpful information, which was good. I had a list of questions to ask him, but most of them were answered in the course of the conversation.
My next stop was at my church's employment service. If your religious organization has an employment service, I highly encourage you to check it out. Unlike some for-profit employment agencies, there was no hidden agenda there. The man I worked with gave me some very good city-specific advice, as well as some general job-hunting information I already knew. But if you are looking at this blog to find out how to get a job, reading information online doesn't compare with talking to someone face-to-face.
The final interview was back on the college campus with another advisor. I never felt like our conversation got into a smooth rhythm, and I went through all my questions quickly. It was a little awkward, and I'm still not sure why. Basically, it was a repeat of the earlier conversation – if I want to work on a college campus, I need to already have experience working on a college campus. Oh well, I've still got a week and a bit left. We'll see if I can't get an answer I like better.
What I learned
Get an interview with a company that already rejected you. They can tell you exactly why you weren't selected.
You're not going to click with every person you meet. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with either one of you; it could be a cultural difference.
It's possible to be doing “everything right,” and still not find a job.
Make sure to have enough time in the morning to pack a lunch, and enough time to find a parking spot, allowing for detours.
If you have time between interviews, make sure you have something to do (like a list of companies to cold call). Otherwise, go sightseeing.
Get a watch, so you know how much time has passed, so you don't overstay your welcome.
If you're going to take pictures of yourself, try to time the shots between rainstorms, or bring one of these.
How it went
Interviews - 3
Cold Calls - 0
Friend reunions - 3 in the works, 1 planned
Mood - Worn out, a little frustrated, but still hopeful.
Your attitude toward people will open many doors for you. Everyone can tell intuitively that you like them. You will make friends in these colleges Paco. And they will remember you.
ReplyDeleteI like your advice about the rainstorms. That's what will happen if you get a job in Oregon.
ReplyDeleteGetting an interview with the people who didn't give you the job--that's brilliant.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lia, I never would have thought to go to a place of employment that had decided not to employ me and find out why. Yet they would have the info that you need when trying for the next place. Wow, that is indeed brilliant. Good luck with the job hunt, may you find someone intelligent enough to realize your intelligence.
ReplyDelete-Jeremy
So, what kinds of questions did you ask them in your interviews?
ReplyDelete@Lisa
ReplyDeleteGood question. Let me finish this week's worth of interviews, and I'll have a clearer picture.
@Lia & Jeremy
I figure the least they could do is tell me why they didn't hire me. I mean, what do I have to lose? It's not like asking them will change their decision.