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

I had a job interview earlier this week. It wasn't necessarily going to take me where I want to end up in my career, but it would have been a damn sight better than what I'm doing now, and slightly better paid to boot. It would have been to be one of the blokes that does the statistics and writes scripts for Grandstand and Football Focus. I'd have even got my name on the credits and that.

I'd been for a similar interview about a year and a half ago, and it came in two parts - an assessment comprising of a quiz and two writing tests, and the interview itself. That time, I did a brilliant test and a rubbish interview - i.e. played a great game but just didn't talk one.

I've since had interview training and stuff, and the last two interviews I've had went very well - I got the job I'm doing now as a permanent staff post (that was something of a financial necessity, although having been here two and a half years at that point it was a bit rich I had to apply for it in the first place) and then did almost well enough to get that job in Cambridge, in fact the interview part of that assessment was the best thing I did there.

But for this latest job, I did a great test (again) but didn't do any of the good things I've learned to do in interviews - I hadn't done quite the right sort of preparation and was improvising a lot, and so I was just answering the questions as best as I could on the spot. I didn't sell myself at all well, or succeed in coming across as being the kind of bloke they'd want.

I'm feeling pretty low at the moment. Last weekend was lovely, but it's more or less all evaporated now. Plymouth Argyle might have won a Championship this week, but it seems I'm destined to stay in the lower divisions for the foreseeable future

There's always a next time.

Do you know for sure that you have not got the job?

Often when people think they have done really bad they actually did better than they thought.

That's what happened to me with my English Lit. O level. Completely arsed it up, but got a pass

There'll be more opportunities along the way Six Some of them will be even better than the one you may or not have messed up.

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. Yeah, the interview was Tuesday and they told me for sure on Wednesday. I've tried to be a bit about the whole thing, but to tell the truth I've been on a bit of a downer.

On the plus side, it's the first Friday night in years that I'm not working so I'm off out Up West

In that case Six I say have 10 s and then take it from there.

Hard lines 6. I was up for a promotion at my work. I came in for a 'meeting' about it today, in which I expected to have to make a case for my being given the job.

I was called in, I said hello to the personell woman, who I know, I sat down.

My boss's bos said. "Right we're going to smash the two teams together, and we have 8 team leaders. Based on competancy four of you will be taking those positions, and four of you will be going on to consultancy. (Pre-redundacy) You are not one of those four."

After I'd run this through my head a bit I realised I still had a job, and I'd got 3 extra staff.

Football Focus is scripted???

B

Sorry to hear about the interview, NumberSix, but you seem a bit chirpier now, which is good.

Have a virtual on me!

Jules

It's not in any way your fault if you had an off day after all that interview training. I myself hate interviews - you just can't tell what's going to happen, and then come out feeling all pessimistic about how you did.
Still, things will always sort themselves in the end, sometimes in the strangest ways...

I've got another interview on Wednesday. Assistant Producer for World Service Sport. Hmmm.

Oh, and if you see and Euro2004 final previews between now and Sunday night, I'm the voice of 'Big' Phil Scolari

On News24 only, I should point out

Had another one for the same job last week. It was probably the best chance I'm going to get at it - there were two jobs going and I'd done five days' worth of shadowing up there. I'd written a Sports News desk for Grandstand, and learned how to do a nailed-on set of Premiership preview notes exactly the way they wanted them.

I'd stormed the test part of the interview - a 40-question sports quiz and two writing tests, which I know I did exactly the way they wanted them.

And then fell apart in the interview. It hadn't been going particularly well, and then I had a complete mental blank and had to ask what the weekend's fixtures were. Which type of knowledge is pretty fundamental for the kind of job it is...

So I came fifth. There were two jobs going, and out of 12 people interviewed two people got them, and another three got what's known as 'also suitable'. This means that if another job comes up within the next six months, you get slotted in to it. I'm the third of those 'also suitable's, which is a pretty poor consolation. The chances of three jobs coming up in six months in a team of 5 people are virtually zero.

Coming 5th, given the experience that I had, and the knowledge I've got, and the quality of writing I know I can do, was a pretty abysmal performance. So I'm not particularly happy with myself right now.

On the other hand, being as I've now taken my first tentative steps in the world of radio reporting and football commentary, maybe it was best I didn't get those other jobs after all...

Mind you, the money would come in handy.