I had my interview on Friday for the new position I discussed last week.  At present, I haven’t heard anything back, and I don’t expect any news until probably tomorrow at the earliest.  Regardless if I get the job or not, I find value in the experience and I’m glad I attempted to advance myself at the College.

I tend to be fairly critical of myself, and the interview was no exception.  While I wouldn’t say it was a bad interview, I felt like I made a few mistakes that were easily avoidable if I were more mindful.  You see, a couple of times in the past, I’ve received feedback on my interviews that I am a tad verbose.  Actually, one friend commented that I’m like a fire-hose when I talk.  I tend to blast the person I’m talking to with all sorts of information.  In some contexts, this is a good thing, but in an interview, it’s better to side with caution and aim for brevity.

Friday was no exception.  I’ll give you a perfect example of this in action:

Interviewer: “Just a few more quick questions – first, does your current manager know you applied for this position?”

Me: “Yes… I was conflicted about applying for the position because of the loyalty I feel to the department and the School of Engineering, so I spoke with my boss about it last week.”

*I look down at the Interviewers sheet of paper and under that question is written one word: Yes.*

*Headsmack*

There were a few other things that tripped me up a bit, but overall it was a good interview in my opinion.  I realize that I’m always critical of myself, and rather than seeing it as a failure on my part, I try to frame the experience as a growth opportunity.

Hopefully I am the right candidate for the job, but if I don’t get the job, at least I know I was good enough to give it a shot.

Stay Awesome,

Ryan