5 Days, 5 Interviews
As the interviewing madness draws to a close, we pause to reflect on the people we've met and the impressions we've made. Since I'm sure you are all dying to know how things went, I shall provide a list of the places I interviewed, the position I was applying for, and my feelings towards the job and the interview.
#1 - A Youth Center in Red Hook - Video Instructor - [I mentioned this one in the last post] The big problem with this job is that it is only part-time (3 days per week/6 hours per day) Although I'm more interested in this type of work than the other jobs I've been interviewing for, I'm also the least qualified. I got the feeling they were looking for someone with some experience in instruction.
#2 - An Freelance Photographer - Assistant - This one sounded pretty cool at first. The assistant handles the day-to-day organization, but also travels with the photographer to help out on shoots. But the pay is a joke, $300 per week, and the work week is about 45 hours on paper, which does not include work on shoots the fall outside of those hours including weekends. I was asked something along the lines of "Is photography your ultimate destination in life?" and I responded with something along the lines of "I have no fuckin idea." The interview was essentially over at this point; apparently the correct answer to this question was "Yes."
#3 - A Business Conference Coordination Office - Producer - So you got the whole background story to this interview in the last post, and let me tell you the experience was no less bizarre. When I sit down with my interviewer, she tells me that she doesn't conduct a standard interview where the employer directs the discussion around the applicants experience, and how it would be applicable to the job. Instead, she tells me I am going to be given a sort of personality assessment to see if I would fit into the role well. Fast forward through about a half-hour of me struggling to bullshit my way through her ridiculous questions. Then she tells me that this was only the first in a series of interviews if I decide to pursue the position, and the next step would be a project I would have to complete. I really haven't decided whether or not to move on with the process, I don't really like the sound of the job. Oh, and apparently you aren't allowed to ask about the salary during an interview, although in every other interview, people have been very up front about the pay.
#4 - An Art Gallery - Assistant/Intern - First I spent twenty minutes actually getting to the gallery from the first floor. The elevator was broken, and when I took the stairs, the door was locked. After climbing up and down the stairs a few times trying to find someone who knew what was going on, the elevator started working. When I get inside, I'm really confused because the gallery has no signs of life whatsoever. Then the owner emerges from his office, which I hadn't noticed. During the interview I learn that he is the only person working currently, which is why he needs a full-time assistant to basically be responsible for the entire operation of the gallery. He spoke like an artist, which is really difficult to deal with during a job interview. I also had to get up and ad-lib about some of the work currently showing, pretending to "show" these drawings to an imaginary potential buyer. The strangest part of all was that this owner had trouble understanding that I would have no conflict at all simultaneously being an artist, and having to work at a gallery for other artists. The interview went pretty well, but it's another wait-and-see.
#5 - Rebecca's Law Firm - Legal Assistant - This turned out to be a series of interviews, one long introductory one with the person who does most of the initial interviewing, and then three shorter ones with various people with whom I'd be working. I don't think there's a whole lot to say here. Everyone know what a Paralegal does, and how many hours they work. The interviews were mostly of the informative bent, and everyone pretty much just wanted to make sure I would be comfortable staying late all the time. They are looking to hire someone really quickly, so I should hear back early next week.
I just wrote thank you notes to all the people I met with at the law firm, so I'm sort of sick of typing. Maybe I'll come back later with "Final Thoughts" for this episode. And now a word from our sponsor.
#1 - A Youth Center in Red Hook - Video Instructor - [I mentioned this one in the last post] The big problem with this job is that it is only part-time (3 days per week/6 hours per day) Although I'm more interested in this type of work than the other jobs I've been interviewing for, I'm also the least qualified. I got the feeling they were looking for someone with some experience in instruction.
#2 - An Freelance Photographer - Assistant - This one sounded pretty cool at first. The assistant handles the day-to-day organization, but also travels with the photographer to help out on shoots. But the pay is a joke, $300 per week, and the work week is about 45 hours on paper, which does not include work on shoots the fall outside of those hours including weekends. I was asked something along the lines of "Is photography your ultimate destination in life?" and I responded with something along the lines of "I have no fuckin idea." The interview was essentially over at this point; apparently the correct answer to this question was "Yes."
#3 - A Business Conference Coordination Office - Producer - So you got the whole background story to this interview in the last post, and let me tell you the experience was no less bizarre. When I sit down with my interviewer, she tells me that she doesn't conduct a standard interview where the employer directs the discussion around the applicants experience, and how it would be applicable to the job. Instead, she tells me I am going to be given a sort of personality assessment to see if I would fit into the role well. Fast forward through about a half-hour of me struggling to bullshit my way through her ridiculous questions. Then she tells me that this was only the first in a series of interviews if I decide to pursue the position, and the next step would be a project I would have to complete. I really haven't decided whether or not to move on with the process, I don't really like the sound of the job. Oh, and apparently you aren't allowed to ask about the salary during an interview, although in every other interview, people have been very up front about the pay.
#4 - An Art Gallery - Assistant/Intern - First I spent twenty minutes actually getting to the gallery from the first floor. The elevator was broken, and when I took the stairs, the door was locked. After climbing up and down the stairs a few times trying to find someone who knew what was going on, the elevator started working. When I get inside, I'm really confused because the gallery has no signs of life whatsoever. Then the owner emerges from his office, which I hadn't noticed. During the interview I learn that he is the only person working currently, which is why he needs a full-time assistant to basically be responsible for the entire operation of the gallery. He spoke like an artist, which is really difficult to deal with during a job interview. I also had to get up and ad-lib about some of the work currently showing, pretending to "show" these drawings to an imaginary potential buyer. The strangest part of all was that this owner had trouble understanding that I would have no conflict at all simultaneously being an artist, and having to work at a gallery for other artists. The interview went pretty well, but it's another wait-and-see.
#5 - Rebecca's Law Firm - Legal Assistant - This turned out to be a series of interviews, one long introductory one with the person who does most of the initial interviewing, and then three shorter ones with various people with whom I'd be working. I don't think there's a whole lot to say here. Everyone know what a Paralegal does, and how many hours they work. The interviews were mostly of the informative bent, and everyone pretty much just wanted to make sure I would be comfortable staying late all the time. They are looking to hire someone really quickly, so I should hear back early next week.
I just wrote thank you notes to all the people I met with at the law firm, so I'm sort of sick of typing. Maybe I'll come back later with "Final Thoughts" for this episode. And now a word from our sponsor.
posted by jaggd at
14:17
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