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25/06/2008

Weird interview...

that lead to something even stranger

Yes the last 24 hrs have been somewhat strange, but I can't actually complain about the way it turned out.

Yesterday my mobile was ringing and I figured it would be someone contacting me for a job, as everyone else I know is at work, and would call me at home. So I answer it and it is a job I applied for. They wanted to know could I come in in 4hrs time for an interview. Not a problem says I, and off I go on the bus/walking to find exactly where it is, and how long it will take me to get there. I like to be prepared for these things.

So I return home with a little time to spare before I have to actually be there. So I get ready, iron my shirt (I loath irioning!), have a bowl of cereal, brush my teeth, and run out the door.

I get there and have to fill in a paper with all the regular details. Then the interviewer comes along, and we start.

Now the interview was really strange, with strange questions that I have never been asked before. We'll see what I'm talking about in a minute!

I tell the woman when I'm able to work (full time summer, part time during Uni term) as I'm doing my post graduate in veterinary medicine. So she starts to tell me about her dog who had chemotherapy, which was interesting, and good developing some connection between us.

Then I get asked the usual questions of "why do you want to work here" and I give my honest answer, which she didn't seem to be interested in. I was wondering what I was supposed to say, since whatever I just did, didn't seem to work. Then I get asked "Why do you live in Edinburgh" "ahhh it's home???" I went on to explain that I was born here, but grew up in Canada, but here is home. I don't plan on leaving any time soon.

So my accent is right dodgy. I sound to Canadian for the Brits, and too British for the Canadians. I can't win. My friend told me before that if there was ever a country in the middle of the Atlantic, everyone would sound like me. Too bad there wasn't cause at least I'd fit in better. I find sometimes that because of this I get treated like a foreigner which is really annoying. Hello! I'm Scottish with a foreing accent. This in all honesty puts me at a disadvantage sometimes as I have had dealings about it in the past.

So she asks me a few more questions, and I answer. Again, nothing I said seemed to be at all interesting or scoring me any points. At this point I was pretty much sure nothing was going to come of it. I was asked did I have any questions, and I asked 1 question with two parts. Now the interviewer herself, actually didn't answer either of my questions. To which point I was wondering did she understand what I asked, or did she not understand because of my accent. She asked if I had any more questions, and rather than repeat what I had just asked her which would have ended up making her look like a right plonker, I said she answered everything I had thought of.

So that was it. Total bad feeling about this at it took less than 10 minutes, and after I put my coat on, and put my hand out to say thank you for your time, she was already walking away from me. Since I did have my hand out, she had to turn around, and sort of come back. Like I said one strange interview.

I went to eat tea with one of my mates and his family last night. Conversation came around to this interview. I said to Johnstone and his wife that I was sure I wasn't going to get this job because my answers didn't seem to be the least bit interesting, I was asked some really strange questions that didn't really have anything to do with the job, again my answers didn't seem to be appropriate, and the interviewer pretty much walked away at the end. Totally resigned myself to the fact that this job was a practice run for other interviews. I was convinced it was either she was really busy with things behind the scene to be focussing on me (give her the benefit of the doubt), or I had done one lousy interview that was actually strange and painful at the same time.

So this morning up I get to go to a job fair that is in town, and to run some errands. I'm waiting at the bus stop, just about to get on when my phone rings. If I want that job I can have it starting tomorrow!

Will wonders never cease. Makes me wonder how badly the other interviewers did! So yey for me, I'll be starting to make money which will come in handy, you know paying rent, bills, food etc etc.

I guess yesterday taught me a lesson in weird sometimes is good.

5 comments:

Tracy said...

Congratulations on the job offer. Does it allow for knitting. ;)

I knew some people here, he was scottish, she was from utah, they lived in Scottland for 15 years or so, she comes back to the states sounding not American, which is odd, because SHE is. I guess she found it easier to fit in if she sounded scottish, while living there and starting a family....

Shera said...

Funnily enough it does! I work evenings for the next few days, not sure about next week though.

I have plenty of time to test knit for you, that was one of the requirements of my job I told them I had to have!

Unknown said...

Congratulations but be careful. Remember an interview is just as much a time for them to see if they want you as it is for you to see if you want to work for them. I'm pretty sure this strange behavior will present itself again, but for now enjoy the paycheck.

Tracy said...

Wow, cool for you! Yay.

I have missed seeing you on Ravelry though.

Sally said...

Congrats on rejoining the world of the working! Now, really you know that money you earn is going to come in most handy for buying more yarn ;)