h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thank you AR1!

It's hard not to feel rather disappointed that I put up such a poor showing for the presentation part of the interview. The truth of it is that I panicked at the time (fishing around frantically in my bag did not help) - the brain shuts down progressively when it is under stress, and that's exactly what mine did, I'm embarrassed to admit. Still, I've learned some important lessons - and who knows, they may still offer me the job!

What I have learned it that I should have started preparing the conclusion to my presentation right at the beginning, so that I could have had something good to finish on and I should have ignored most of the background until the end. Those were the bits I knew.

As far as the meat of the interview was concerned, again, because I was a bit rattled from the presentation, I did not do as well as I otherwise might have. Do you know, I remember someone who I interviewed for a post and she didn't complete the test we set (it was just doing some typing and a quick numeracy test) and she tried to run away from us. We caught her on the stairs and persuaded her to come back into the interview room for her own sake. I wasn't nearly so bad, but I do now have a greater understanding of how she felt.

The lessons I have learned from the other part of the interview was that although I had done some background work on the employer, I should have had it in front of me, so that I could have spoken to it - it's more macho to do it without notes, however it meant that I knew they had targets in particular areas but couldn't remember all of them. I won't be so embarrassed in future.

Roy thinks that the fact I haven't heard from them may be a good thing. I'll just sit tight and wait to hear.

And yes, let's make it the 5th of January. What would little like for Christmas - well I know he would like the Spiderman 2 DVD (he might get it from someone else though - not me) and Night Vision spectacles from Woolworths.

Have a of a Christmas yourself, AR1. Hug duly delivered to little .

and blessings.

Hi,

I have come in on this very late as I have not been on the computer much, I've gpt a cold which has laid me low.

I wonder if you have heard yet? Even if you haven't, and don't, put it down to experience. It sounds as if you have learnt a lot from it already. I am SO glad I am past all that. The way they interview nowadays terrifies me <

Anyway, regardless, Happy Christmas and an exciting New Year. Have a rest too, I expect you are buzzing around all over the place as usual.

Websailor

Hello ZSF

Sounds to me like you don't need feedback; you've neatly summed up where you went wrong.

It's all about preparation, preparation, preparation. And I suspect had you been really committed to getting the job, you would have made sure you did all of that preparation, right?

Thanks, Websailor

Yes, it was a bit scary. I had six pages to read, and a presentation to do to present the material and recommend a course of action - all in 30 minutes. I did a presentation for my current job, although I was given a subject beforehand, so I knew what I was doing and I was comfortable with that. This I hadn't done before and I think I expected to be given a task where I had to summarise in letter form.

Interestingly, I got a cab in the morning, so that I could arrive in comfort and refreshed. He was frenetic, jerky and spent the whole journey complaining. I did not arrive refreshed; I could not read on the journey as I had planned. I actually arrived an hour early, spent a pleasant time having a look round, talking to a road-sweeper.

I think that I would definitely benefit from doing something like the Toastmasters programme, so that I could extemporise at the drop of a hat.

There is a second consideration. If I had unlimited funds, would I still want to do the job - probably not!

Oh, I see that I didn't send this yesterday - I've now heard - I didn't get the job.

FB! I've just seen your post - yes - you're probably right - it was *really* good experience, though and I can learn from it.

Traveller in Time at w**k
"Sorry to hear they have put you down.
Better luck next time and as you have learned from the presentation part this time it was not all wasted effort."

Thanks, TiT

One of the main reasons I went for the job was for the experience of the interview - as I said earlier - it was the first for 14 years. I've done loads from the other side of the table - made a big difference being on the other end of the interview questions.

Now you can relax, enjoy Christmas, and learn from the experience in the New Year.

Are you going to the London meet, by the way?

Oh, I hope you are, ZSF

Thanks G (well done on the weight reduction!) and Fb!

Yes, now I can relax and enjoy Christmas. I need to find some way of practising doing that type of test, so that I'm not caught as flat-footed in future.

I'm also hoping to come along to the January meet. As I'll have little with me, I won't stay for the evening bit, though.