The 2007 Student Affairs Job Hunt

In Medias Rex #5: Half measures

Not quite up to snuff
So the phone interview was okay. Not great. Not burn the sky with your brilliance. Not awecollent ™. Just okay.
This is sort of disappointing. Granted I had never considered the school before they contacted me, but after quite a bit of internet research I really started to envision myself there. I think it would be a great place to work. I think I would be really happy there.
Now, my hopes are not completely dashed. I still haven’t even spoken with my two dream schools yet (those interviews are in the offing). I also feel like having gone through the gauntlet once, I am much better prepared for next time.
Last year, when I was doing phone interviews it took me three or four of them before I hit my stride. About midway through the interviews I really started to understand what people wanted. I became much more confident and comfortable having hour long conversations over the phone with multiple people, and I had thoughtful answers (because going through the other interviews made me think about them).
I prepared for this interview, don’t get me wrong. I looked over practice interviews. I did background research on the school (and found a couple of really cool programs). But there is something about the anxiety and build up of the first interview. I was completely off my game. I think at one point I even said, “This is my first interview. So be gentle.”
When people ask you questions in an interview, they are looking for a specific answer. You can disagree with me reader, but you would be wrong. Interviewers are looking to hire someone who reflects the mission and values of their institution. And they should! Later, on the bus I realized what the interviewers really wanted to hear (or what they needed to hear, I suppose) and regretted some of the answers I provided. It’s not that I gave the wrong answer, but that I gave an insubstantial answer. There are so many things I would do differently.
And in the next interview I will. Hopefully I redeemed myself later in the interview when I really started to feel confident about the interaction. The interviewers were really kind, and so maybe they’ll give me a little bit of leeway when they make their recommendations.
Alright. There’s still five more interviews I have lined up at various placements as well as all the jobs I haven’t even applied for yet.

posted by StudentAffairs.com @ 9:48 AM