It wasn't a disaster.

So, about that interview. I interviewed with a company that does clinical trials on pharmaceutical products. They've doubled in size in the past five years and are expected to double in size again within the next decade. That being said, the position I interviewed for today didn't exist five years ago - it was created to alleviate some of the workload from from the recruiters. More work means a company is profitable. Profitable means room for advancement.

The position is open because the person currently holding it was promoted. She has been there for 18 months and said that was the average rate of promotion.

Concerning my performance in the interview...eh. You know what people in my industry say about people who interview poorly? We suck so badly at it because we don't interview much - because we're busy doing our jobs and not looking for new ones every 6 months.

It ain't like I embarrassed myself. I was mostly prepared and had already created responses for the questions I knew would be asked, but from the get-go, I felt like I was interviewing for a position where there was no way the people interviewing me could gauge whether I could do the job or not. All they had to go on was what I looked like and how I sound.

Those of you who've never met me in person (which is about 100% of you) may not know that I'm better on paper than I am face-to-face. I typically think faster than I talk, so I never really get out what I want to say. For this very reason, I suck arse at giving oral presentations. And what is an interview? Exactly. I just don't sell shit very well, including myself.

The other strike I have going against me is that I don't have one of those voices where it sounds like I'm smiling all the time - you know the type I'm talking about. I sound like my sense of humor - dry. Why waste energy on all that faux happiness? This creates the problem of having people being unable to judge whether or not I'm truly interested in something.

Strike three is that I'm too smart to incorporate witty banter and tell little jokes when I interview. I always fear that the person I'm talking to won't "get" it and I'd have to just sit there sounding dumb. I can't make smalltalk about the weather and shit like that. My programming prohibits that particular subroutine - it conflicts with the Scorpio personality. I'd rather have "Just the facts, Jack" than waste words with pleasantries that you're using just to fill up silence that only you feel is awkward.

So...do I think I could do the job? Yes, in fact the job would probably be heaps easier than the one I have now. The fact that I would have my own (small) office with a door that closes is an obvious benefit. Also, I'd get to be around frickin' scientists!!! How cool is that when you're a geek?!?

Do I think I'm going to be offered the job? I doubt it. The job will probably go to someone who needs far more training and supervision but starts grinning like a damned cheshire cat every time the shadow of a superior darkens their door. Oh well. I need to work on not wearing my poker face all the time.

Posted by Tiffany at February 17, 2006 05:23 PM | TrackBack