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I have an interview coming up in the next coming days and I am dreading it. I know I should be grateful and I am trying to focus on that but having difficulties. I have been unemployed for the past couple of years while finishing up my degree. Along with many other grads I thought I would find a job using my degree. So far nothing. It also doesn't help that where I live the market is limited. I am very fortunate that my spouse has been able to support the family on his income alone but I would like to ease the burden. I saw a job that somewhat related to what I went to school for. Its for a large company but its retail. Its a somewhat creative position and the job description is something I could handle and might enjoy even though it is retail.
I have heard the hiring process can be grueling IF you attend one of their seminars. The email reply I got from my resume was more of a one on one interview at the store (which this company does also). I replied I was interested. I got a second email telling me the specific time and place of the interview and it is not a one on one situation. It is indeed one of their hiring events where they bring in mass amounts of people at one time. After speaking online with many people that have gone through this seminar, I wish I would have never applied or said yes to the interview.
It consists of standing up in front of 50+ people, giving a speech and then partaking in a skit. For the record, my degree is not in drama. They give you a moment to look over an index card of some sort of situation and you are required to play it out in front of everyone. I am told being a stand out in this regard is the goal for getting hired. "Drink the Kool-aid" one anonymous employee told me. For someone like me that is shy and an introvert, this is what nightmares are made of. I barely made it through my speech courses in college. Now I'm suppose to sing and dance for a job that doesn't even pay that well? I want to puke. Years ago I had a part time job at another retailer and every morning us employees were supposed to do a cheer. I hated it. I always felt like a damn fool. Management was serious about this crap and one time I had a talking to about not displaying enough enthusiasm during the mini pep rally. Forget that I was the highest producer in my dept. Forget that I had customers learning my schedule just to do business with me. I never understood why companies do this crap. Do they really think this sort of thing boosts morale? Ugh...thanks for letting me rant.
I have an interview coming up in the next coming days and I am dreading it. I know I should be grateful and I am trying to focus on that but having difficulties. I have been unemployed for the past couple of years while finishing up my degree. Along with many other grads I thought I would find a job using my degree. So far nothing. It also doesn't help that where I live the market is limited. I am very fortunate that my spouse has been able to support the family on his income alone but I would like to ease the burden. I saw a job that somewhat related to what I went to school for. Its for a large company but its retail. Its a somewhat creative position and the job description is something I could handle and might enjoy even though it is retail.
I have heard the hiring process can be grueling IF you attend one of their seminars. The email reply I got from my resume was more of a one on one interview at the store (which this company does also). I replied I was interested. I got a second email telling me the specific time and place of the interview and it is not a one on one situation. It is indeed one of their hiring events where they bring in mass amounts of people at one time. After speaking online with many people that have gone through this seminar, I wish I would have never applied or said yes to the interview.
It consists of standing up in front of 50+ people, giving a speech and then partaking in a skit. For the record, my degree is not in drama. They give you a moment to look over an index card of some sort of situation and you are required to play it out in front of everyone. I am told being a stand out in this regard is the goal for getting hired. "Drink the Kool-aid" one anonymous employee told me. For someone like me that is shy and an introvert, this is what nightmares are made of. I barely made it through my speech courses in college. Now I'm suppose to sing and dance for a job that doesn't even pay that well? I want to puke. Years ago I had a part time job at another retailer and every morning us employees were supposed to do a cheer. I hated it. I always felt like a damn fool. Management was serious about this crap and one time I had a talking to about not displaying enough enthusiasm during the mini pep rally. Forget that I was the highest producer in my dept. Forget that I had customers learning my schedule just to do business with me. I never understood why companies do this crap. Do they really think this sort of thing boosts morale? Ugh...thanks for letting me rant.
fallingwater, I sympathize with you and I'd like to make a suggestion. Think of yourself as someone else. Sounds silly, I know, but as "someone else", you can be as ridiculous as you want, knowing it isn't "you."
When I was in my 50's, I was dragged kicking and screaming to an audition for a community theater play. (Not important as to how that happened) During the audition, I "became" someone I had never met, and proceeded to tear the house down. And when I finished, I couldn't remember much of what I had done. It just might work for you in this interview situation.
BTW - I got the part, and I've been acting ever since.
Break a leg!
The crap I have done to get and maintain employment could fill a book of corporate "Eat it, and Like it".
I once had to go to a "team building seminar", with people I could not stand, and do all these "bonding" activities, the only "bonding" I wanted to do with one co-worker would have involved super glue, duct tape, and rat poison. Ugh! It was possibly one of the worst weeks of my life, made only tolerable by medication, illegal drugs, and alcohol each night. I still remember that week, clear as day--wish I could forget--it was 20 years ago.
Part of employment is sucking it up. We don't all have the luxury of choice.
The crap I have done to get and maintain employment could fill a book of corporate "Eat it, and Like it".
I once had to go to a "team building seminar", with people I could not stand, and do all these "bonding" activities, the only "bonding" I wanted to do with one co-worker would have involved super glue, duct tape, and rat poison. Ugh! It was possibly one of the worst weeks of my life, made only tolerable by medication, illegal drugs, and alcohol each night. I still remember that week, clear as day--wish I could forget--it was 20 years ago.
Part of employment is sucking it up. We don't all have the luxury of choice.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Afraid you will either have to play their game or keep looking. I'm not cut out for retail but even if I wanted to get into it I'd have the same problem. I can keep up with the best of them in a business meeting discussing controversial management issues, but when it comes to that "rah rah" company cheerleader stuff I'd be like a fish out of water. If they are requiring this to get the job, I'd expect more of it on a routine basis once employed there,
so you shoud really think about it.
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Location: A Yankee in northeast TN
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fallingwater
I never understood why companies do this crap. Do they really think this sort of thing boosts morale? Ugh...thanks for letting me rant.
You know those folks got to where they are by being good little "yes" men, they are drunk on the kool-aid and many of them really do believe. The rest are putting on a helluva good "Yes!" act.
Take the job. I'm introverted ( or maybe just a misanthrope ) and I can fake it just enough to get by, although I'll never be employee of the month, LOL.
If worse comes to worst you quit, and the only thing you've lost is a few months of your time and a little bit of your sanity.
Afraid you will either have to play their game or keep looking. I'm not cut out for retail but even if I wanted to get into it I'd have the same problem. I can keep up with the best of them in a business meeting discussing controversial management issues, but when it comes to that "rah rah" company cheerleader stuff I'd be like a fish out of water. If they are requiring this to get the job, I'd expect more of it on a routine basis once employed there,
so you shoud really think about it.
I agree. This speaks volumes about the work environment.
Since your spouse is working and you're getting by I would pass on this one and keep looking.
It sounds awful.
And sorry to the person who is comparing this to auditioning for a play, people who do that want to be on stage and play someone other than themselves.
People who audition whether it be for pay or for fun, want to be the center of attention.
This is about just getting a job.
It's not even a real interview.
Last edited by seain dublin; 09-25-2011 at 07:13 PM..
Reason: typo
That's a toughie. I understand your pain I am very shy myself and I had to really step out of my shell for a receptionist position here (all for $12 less a hour then what I was getting before I was laid off last year) so having to talk to customers, dress up (no jeans look pretty - ugh). But I keep telling myself I need to be grateful that after all I do have a job in this horrible economy so I try not to complain.
Interviews are hard and many times the interviewer can be a jerk. Good luck with things, you can always do great get the job and keep looking this way you will be working again and not in that dreaded unfair "not working file" that exists nowadays.
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I never understood why companies do this crap. Do they really think this sort of thing boosts morale? 
Ugh...thanks for letting me rant.
