Won’t you be my neighbor?
Interview number one is down. I’ve had more articulate, less scattered moments, but it went ok. I get nervous and then suddenly I can’t remember how to speak English and my hand gestures become more frantic than normal. Hopefully someone will find it endearing, or assume I’m some sort of eccentric genius. Fat chance.
Interview number two occurs this Friday. It’s a long day of orientations and interviews. I’m gonna need some serious down time after this next one.
A quote from my new Mister Rogers desk calendar. “Isn’t it mysterious how so many wonderful things in life come to us seemingly without our planning? We start traveling down one street, and we find ourselves interested in something we never expected on a side street; and, as we explore it, the side street becomes the main road for us.” I often feel that I’ve had a great deal of dumb luck in life, stumbling upon great opportunities, people, mentors and academic interests. But there is no luck. Sorry. There’s curiosity and exploration, and there’s waiting expectantly for the surprises God brings. Ten years ago, I was a high school junior. I think I was getting ready for SAT’s and wondering where on earth I’d go to college. Four years of Bible college and two great mentors later, I’m working on an advanced degree in psych. Accidents? No. Everything and everyone came when needed. And once again, I wait to see what happens. God’s faithfulness turns up at each of these life junctions, as does my own sense of doubt and uncertainty. Perhaps someday I’ll learn to trust, or at least learn to enjoy this process.
January 11th, 2006 at 8:58 am
Here’s my interview mentality that has helped me in many interview processes, and maybe you already use it, being the psychologist. Or I could be completely wrong, but either way it helps me. I figure that most interviewers are trying to impress either themselves, other interviewers, or you with the questions they can come up with. SO, whether admitted or not, they are as interested in making an impression as you are, which puts you in a position of judgement, too. If, while being interviewed I am rating the interviewer in my head, it makes me much more relaxed about my own impression.
Once, I was interviewing in front of a promotion board in the Air Force, a panel of eight Senior NCOs. One of them asked the most drawn out STUPID question, obviously going overboard in the best question contest. The rest of the panel just turned and stared at him while he tried to disappear in his chair. That’s when I knew I had it in the bag.
So rate your interviewer. It’s just the right amount of distraction to take some of the edge off of your anxiety without taking the clarity out of your thinking.
Works for me, anyway.
January 11th, 2006 at 11:30 am
You’re absolutely right, and its something I’m generally reluctant to do, or just plain forget to because I’m nervous. I did have one rambling, 7-pronged question and one enthusiasm dampening interviewer. I need to remember they’re not just interviewing me for a job, I’m interviewing them for the job of boss as well! A dash of judgment as an antidote to anxiety–I’m gonna have to develop this idea into a clinical tool…
January 13th, 2006 at 8:14 am
Good Luck today!
January 13th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
yes, good luck!
January 13th, 2006 at 5:20 pm
Let us know how it went. Then go have a cosmo.