Day 5

A long drive for . . . whoops!




A word to the wise: when setting up an interview, think of the unintended impressions you may be giving.  I ran into a situation that didn't turn out as nicely as I would have hoped.

What I did
After 15 months, I don't have much faith in getting an interview just by sending in a resume.  When I discovered an opening at a school I hadn't talked to yet, I figured I might as well talk to them, as well as send in an application.  I mean, it couldn't hurt, right?  Maybe they would be impressed when meeting me in person and seeing that I was serious about wanting to work in the advising field, in that office.

Well, I think I blew my chances with that school.  I'd set up an interview with the advising office before I applied for the job, but my interview wasn't until the application end date.  No problem.  I just applied, and waited for the interview date.

So the morning came, and I started driving to my appointment, which was 2.5 hours away.  Unfortunately, Google Maps was off in its estimate of how long it would take to get there.  From my house to the campus, including finding a parking spot, finding the building, and then finding the office, took closer to 3 hours.  Consequently, I was about half an hour late.  Not the first impression you want to send.

The person I was interviewing was gracious, though, and we started off the interview.  About five minutes in, the supervisor called the person I was interviewing out of the office.  When she returned, she told me that since I was a candidate for the position, she couldn't actually talk to me.  Uh-oh.

I had no idea that this was a policy.  I wasn't trying to be sneaky or unethical; I just wanted to know if I would be a good fit for that office.  But I think it came across as me trying to pull a fast one.  So, after 3 hours of driving, I sent the message that I was unreliable and underhanded.  Oh yeah – they're going to want me on their staff.

So, after talking to one other person on campus for five minutes, I started heading home.  On the way back, I stopped in at a community college and had a pleasant chat with someone in an office I hadn't applied for, and she was very pleasant and encouraging.  So it ended nicer than it started.

What I learned
Be mindful of setting up an interview after applying for a position.  You may send the wrong impression.

Double and triple check how long it takes to drive from point A to point B.  Give yourself extra time.

If you're going to set up an interview 3 hours away, don't make it too early in the morning.

How it went
Interviews – 1 positive encounter, 1 neutral, and 1 negative
Cold Calls – 0
Friend Reunions – 0
Mood – A little frustrated and shaken confidence in my approach.