Interviewing

As I go over every question asked and every answer given, I just want to know - do you think they bought it? Do you think they bought it? What? Am I serious? I just had an interview, I am good employee, a hard worker, creative and willing to “go that extra mile”, but how am I supposed to convince them of that in 30 minutes? Seriously, how real is an interview? You know you go over the questions with your close inner circle, they critique your answers and mannerism until they are just right, until they are just like we think the interviewer would want to hear. How is that me? How will they really know what I am about?

I keep remember all these things I am supposed to say and all the things I should have said. How effective really is interviewing? You are asked questions and then you are supposed to answer. Honestly. Like who really thinks the answer to the question What are your strengths and weakness? is really going to produce honest, realistic answers? No, interviews are about how creative you can be, how you can flip the words ever so gently to make them hear what they want to hear. Or more like, what you think they want to hear.

One time I was at an interview in college for this exclusive campus organization and they asked me why I wanted to be a part of the organization. I said that at first I really didn’t, but then something like I started thinking about it and liked what they were about, blah, blah, blah. I think I was out of the running as soon as I opened my mouth and let out my full blown honest answer. Oops. I know what I should have said, but I thought this one time I would try the honest route. I learned quickly. I can be “truthful”, but honesty just doesn’t seem to cut it in interviews.

Now being truthful is a tricky thing. I seriously want to have integrity when I am in an interview. I don’t want to say I did something when I didn’t. I want to be able to back up everything I say. But when someone asks you what your weaknesses are, are they really expecting some answer like, “well I can be lazy, sometimes run late, and really hate people telling me what to do.” Of course not! I am sure my candidacy would end there. What they want to hear is some weakness that really is a strength. Oh dear, what a game.

Unfortunately, I have to continue on this game until I land a job. I am starting learn though that this game is mostly about confidence. Most of the jobs I have interviews for I know I can do and do well. I will just have to continue to work hard to reflect this to the employer in the 30 minutes they give me of their time. And most importantly reflect me.