Job Interviews: Nervous? Not nervous? (employee, debt, applying, job interview)

[MoMark]

I went to my first job interview this evening. I was absolutely calm, not the least bit nervous....and I was surprised at my calm demeanor as well! I haven't really done a cold interview since 1995 as the ones since then the people already knew me and it was a formality. This one was a cold interview.
Here's what is strange about the turn of events so far...

I knew where I wanted to apply since August of 2005 (I moved to Missouri in June of 05), yet I had been enjoying my time away from work and spent half a year finding my home, then I got flattened last year with pneumonia in May 06. That took and is still taking recovery time, so being free was a blessing. I haven't worked since I quit my job in Las Vegas when I came back from my overseas assignment in May of 2005 - almost two years!!! Even I can't believe it's been almost that long!
Then in January of 2006 I got close to applying, but then that ferocious ice storm hit and just decimated everything. I've been fortunate to have had six weeks to deal with it and coordinate with my neighbors.
Then Wednesday I went food shopping and was listening to the local 80's station on FM while in my truck and caught the last part of a commercial that said the company I wanted to work for was holding an on-site open house on Thursday (today)!
I thought ...hmmm..so when I got home I pulled the company up on the internet and could find nothing about this open house. Then I called the radio station and couldn't get through to a live person. Then I went on their web site and it didn't mention the commercial or open house. Then I checked a website that commercials are often listed on by radio station call sign and nothing.
In the meantime, I'd pulled the house apart after I couldn't find my resume!!!! Somehow in the move from Las Vegas through half a year of storage and then moving to Missouri it disappeared. I looked through all the boxes in the garage, in the closets, all those records stored in boxes..etc...Exercise in extreme frustration! It was nowhere to be found
So I went online and found a site and built my resume again. It came out beautifully and now it's got the advantage of being updated as well.
Then this morning I called the radio station again and got someone live. I asked about the commercial and was put through to a voice mail where I left a message. I thought nothing was going to happen by this point and that I'd misunderstood the commercial and about the open house, Thursday, all of it.
Then around 2pm I got a call from the radio station saying that the open house was THIS EVENING between 5pm and 7pm on site!!! I hadn't shaved in days and was Mr. Grunge.
So..into the shower, shave, wash the hair, gel the hair while wet, pull out "dress casual" clothing as I've always worn in the work atmosphere of the type of environment a call center is, polished my black dress shoes, new dress socks...Boucheron cologne (very light)!.. the works!
I got there at 5:30pm and there were no applicants there, just me and Human Resources personnel, a Department Manager, a couple of line managers, and two interviewers from HR. They looked ecstatic to see a live body. They were talking about the severe weather early this morning and asked me if I'd be awakened by the tornado sirens and the thunder and lightning. I honestly told them I slept right through it, didn't hear a thing! I was then given some free gifts and then the group took me on a personal tour of the facility...it's awesome! I was impressed and I've worked in call centers in California, Nevada, and overseas. Theirs is by far the best I've seen. Beautifully designed with each employee having privacy and personal space,etc. They also have employee kitchens on each floor and a huge cafeteria... (I love corporate cafeterias!).
I handed my resume to the Director of HR and then they took me to a room and showed me a film of the company (it's one of the world's biggest financial institutions) and gave me coffee.
When we finally got through with all that, I was asked about my job history (which is financial services management in exactly their industry) and then I was escorted downstairs to the open house area again (this all took about 1.5 hours).
The Director of HR pulled me aside and said.."I see you have lots of experience! I've already turned your resume over to the main recruiter. I need you to do either a formal application online or come in Tuesday and do it here on site. We want you".

I feel almost guided in timing, the luck of timing, that I heard this commercial by chance that apparently stopped playing that afternoon I had heard it (the woman who called me back said that they had pulled it that afternoon that I'd heard it!), and then to show up there and find myself the only person there responding to the open house and getting all that personal attention! There are three positions open that I'm totally qualified for.
I truly think God must have an angel guiding me right now behind the scenes as it's very oddly falling into place and all of these coincidences are leading me straight through the rapids.
I had absolutely no sense of nervousness whatsoever, which I hadn't expected. I thought I'd be in knots and worried, etc. Not a bit.
Clearly I don't have a position yet and no offers were made. I haven't even got a formal application in yet, but I think this one is meant to be!

[JBrown]

MoMark...as the saying goes...timing is everything... good for you.
Do you think your lack of nervousness might be due to the fact that you've been out of the work thing for awhile and you knew it wasn't a "I must get this job" type of thing??

BTW which online resume thing did you use...You might push me to redo mine as well.

Joe

[MoMark]

Originally Posted by JBrown

MoMark...as the saying goes...timing is everything... good for you.
Do you think your lack of nervousness might be due to the fact that you've been out of the work thing for awhile and you knew it wasn't a "I must get this job" type of thing??

BTW which online resume thing did you use...You might push me to redo mine as well.

Joe

I think my lack of nervousness has to do with my situation in some ways. I paid cash for my house when I bought it, so no mortgage pressure and I have substantial savings, even after all this time not working. I also have no personal debt or financial debt of any kind, so I can comfortably live on $600-$700 a month.
But it was more than that...I just felt calm from the get-go. I think I'm being guided.
I built my resume at ResumeimprovedDOTcom. They will allow you to do it for free and use the first format, or you can pay $14.95 and it gives you more options. I did end up paying the $14.95, but after all those format choices, I ended sticking with Format 1, the one that is free, because I liked the layout best. You have to be careful if you pay as they will charge that fee monthly if you don't cancel it. I canceled it after I had the resume downloaded and tested printing it. They give it as an option and make it easy to do.
I then downloaded it as a Large PDF file and sent it to my own email address and also printed it out.
It came out beautifully and looks very professional.

[JBrown]

thanks..good info

And good luck to ya

[seashelly]

Yes, Good Luck to you. It's always good to hear when a plan comes together. (By the way, what did they give you as "free gifts"? Anything good? lol).

[Topo]

MoMark, I do think that this is a work of God, definitely............I also have a question for you, kind of personal but u don't have to answer if u don't want to, or pm me......I too, am thinking of paying cash for a house and not working for a while. My thing is the insurance, how did u work your health insurance? or did u pay out of pocket for dental, doctor, eyes, and that sort of thing? I think being w/o insurance at my age kind of scares me!

[MoMark]

Originally Posted by seashelly

Yes, Good Luck to you. It's always good to hear when a plan comes together. (By the way, what did they give you as "free gifts"? Anything good? lol).

The "gifts" I chose were those big clips you seal a bag of chips with I can use them for those huge cereal bags I buy as I always screw up the zipper lock thing

[MoMark]

Originally Posted by Topo

MoMark, I do think that this is a work of God, definitely............I also have a question for you, kind of personal but u don't have to answer if u don't want to, or pm me......I too, am thinking of paying cash for a house and not working for a while. My thing is the insurance, how did u work your health insurance? or did u pay out of pocket for dental, doctor, eyes, and that sort of thing? I think being w/o insurance at my age kind of scares me!

The health insurance is the biggest expense on a monthly basis. I have had Blue Cross Blue Shield almost all my working adult life. When I left the company I worked for in May of 05, I took COBRA which is a continuation for up to 18 months of the health insurance you have already. It's very expensive because once you take COBRA, the company you worked for no longer pays part of the cost, you get charged the whole thing which for me was $316/month.
There are other expenses you have to pay too of course, like home insurance, car insurance, etc. But those were fixed amounts and I simply wrote checks for the entire yearly bills and sent them out so I wouldn't have to worry about them for a year. The COBRA though has to be paid monthly and the health coverage is exactly the same as what you had at work. Remember also to keep money in mind for the annual property tax bill. When you own the house outright, you'll get the bill directly sent to you, no longer paid bit by bit through mortgage payments. I got my property tax bill in November with a due date of December something and I paid the whole thing immediately too to get it out of the way and not worry about it.
I had considered not taking COBRA because of the expense as I hadn't been in the hospital since 1969 as a young boy with appendicitus and rarely see a doctor outside of skin cancer issues. But then I thought...I'm in my 40's...things happen and I didn't want to jeopardize my paid-for home or find myself in a position where I'd have to take an equity loan to pay for possible hospital or medical expenses.
Lucky I had at least that common sense as I got deathly ill with pneumonia in May of 06, almost died and the hospitalization cost initially was $20,000. COBRA whittled it down to $10,000 (shows you how bloated medical bills are!) and I had to pay $75 out of pocket.
So you can carry COBRA after quitting your job and your employer should have the forms for applying and in your exit interview make it clear to you that it's an option they recommend. You can also then buy private insurance as well. I chose not to.
Good luck on going forward!

[vpcats]

MoMark.. Your stories are awesome. They are like reading a mystery novel!
Good luck on this potential job offer. If it is really what you want to do and are ready to give us up (city-data) :-)), GO FOR IT. It all sounds so good and yes, like all the pieces of the puzzle are in place and the stars are aligned for you.

[I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA]

MoMark, I am so glad it went well for you, I had been wondering what happened.
I'm going start looking for a job soon, I've been laid off for 2 1/2 years. I really enjoy staying home too much I need to find a job. I am lucky that was I was added onto my husband's health insurance. Keep us updated!