Feeling Like You Could Nail The Interview If You Had Your Time Over?

[Leigh 87]

Never nervous on dates.

 

I have mild asberges syndrome so I might give off an off vibe or a less than desirable vibe. Thing is, I have worked really hard to overcome the social problems I once had and they are now obsolete. I definately have none of the trouble I once had with people, because I worked very hard for years and I am generally very self aware.

 

I think I just don't come across as the most desirable candidate because I can't entirely relax and just be myself and I do things like look or act nervous or tense, you know the look if someone who suddenly goes from being theirselves, then suddenly switching to a Les pleasant and less polished and competent individual due to nerves?

 

 

 

As self aware as I am, I could simply be answering questions wrong despite my extensive research from recruiters and their favourite and least favourite answers.........

 

 

 

 

GemmaUK, do you feel like a professional recruiter can help me? Maybe one session with her can help me for not just my retail interviews but for other professional jobs in the future?

 

I don't think it's the asberges anymore, I think I just act less pleasant when I'm nervous and also, I may give a less than desirable vibe that cannot be changed

 

 

 

 

I don't get that nervous in interview, I do actually enjoy them. I think I really need a professional body language coach and someone who can teach me to just be more desirable!

[GemmaUK]

Never nervous on dates.

 

No, I didn't think so.

I think you can use that skill to your advantage for interviews hugely though!!

Shift the nervous feeling and when you go for an interview, on the way there and while you are there adopt the mindset that it is a date and that it is only as important as a first date.

That and the ideas in those videos could all help.

 

I have mild asberges syndrome so I might give off an off vibe or a less than desirable vibe. Thing is, I have worked really hard to overcome the social problems I once had and they are now obsolete. I definately have none of the trouble I once had with people, because I worked very hard for years and I am generally very self aware.

If you can do all of that then you can combat nerves and learn tricks so that nerves don't control you.

 

I think I just don't come across as the most desirable candidate because I can't entirely relax and just be myself and I do things like look or act nervous or tense, you know the look if someone who suddenly goes from being theirselves, then suddenly switching to a Les pleasant and less polished and competent individual due to nerves?

Yes, we use the phrase 'rabbit in headlights'.

Your driving along a road, a rabbit is crossing and the rabbit turns to look at the headlights and instead of running stands still and stares with eyes wide.

Drastic yes...but similar!

 

As self aware as I am, I could simply be answering questions wrong despite my extensive research from recruiters and their favourite and least favourite answers.........

Favourite and least favourite answers are good but also I wonder whether you just answer more naturally on your phone interviews (as I mentioned in my last post) and maybe you hold back a little before answering face to face which then gives your mind too much time to think of negatives(eg the info in that third video).

 

GemmaUK, do you feel like a professional recruiter can help me? Maybe one session with her can help me for not just my retail interviews but for other professional jobs in the future?

It could help, but don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Try other things as well. Rome wasn't built in a day and wasn't built with just one brick.

Like you posted before..it's all about refining. Refining ourselves is a constant process but it's also made up of so many little things.

 

I don't think it's the asberges anymore, I think I just act less pleasant when I'm nervous and also, I may give a less than desirable vibe that cannot be changed

 

Nah! I disagree with you, you have got jobs before. You said earlier in this thread that you were able to be 'more you' with 'less nerves' and got the job.

Back then you put less importance on finding work (subconsciously) and now you want/need that job so much so you need to balance it out with tricks (easy. learnable, repeatable ones) to help beat the nerves to the same level as the desire you have now for the role you want.

 

I don't get that nervous in interview, I do actually enjoy them. I think I really need a professional body language coach and someone who can teach me to just be more desirable!

 

Body language will help, controlling facial expressions will help.

One moment you say you do get nervous and then you say you don't.

Where are we on a scale of 1-10 here?

 

Date nerves out of 10?

Face to face interview nerves out of 10?

Telephone interview nerves out of 10?

 

and also. for each one of those what are your nerves out of 10 from when you wake up on the day of each?

 

Plus a question that will seem random. how much tea or coffee do you drink?

[Leigh 87]

GemmaUK, I have gotten two jobs two years ago where I was given the jobs at first site.

 

One was for an upper class china and glassware company. I didn't drink or party and I was a good girl so the older manager took an instant liking to me because I was polite and keenly wanted a job!

 

The other place was a small cafe where I just sold myself really well and the lady liked over the top sellers. Don't ask lol.

 

Regrettably, I had a relapse and couldn't hold the jobs. It's awhile regret as they were local and now I have to travel two hours each way just to get a darn job.

 

So I have been that right person at the right time.

 

I was just able to be must at the time in that moment, I did that thing where I got in the zone and nailed those interviews. I just told myself " you can do this. Be yourself, if the job is genuinly the right fit for you, you will land it"

 

Something just clicked then that hasn't for some time but I'm getting closer to it.

 

My family last night is surprisingly kind abouty unemployment. My two aunties from wealthy families said that they really admire me for looking for work so.hard every single day inspire of rejection lol. They said they would definately take a few days to re group after even one or two failed interviews.

 

They are always really interested in me andy like and my family has never thought I was less valid or somehow less interesting due to being unemployed. I am quiet lucky.

 

I am the one who is hard on myself because as a child I was fiercely ambitious, I was wanting to win everything, be in the most advanced level math and English groups, I was the fastest runner etc.

 

The child in my is still horrified that I am not a successful doctor or lawyer, if I knew I couldn't even get a job in a mall and then, I probably would have topped myself.

 

I have a lot of talent within me and drive that I am still deeply upset about it not being used in a professional sense.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I looked for only five jobs today lol. I do tailor each cover letter to each job. I normally look for 20 to 50 jobs per day on average.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh. I have some savings and I got my eye brows tinted and threaded. This always males me more confident as my eye browns look so thick and just..nice

 

I saved up for months to afford botox of my frown line too. I work at events once per week, often less during quiet tomes of the year.

 

I have to say the minor botox has done wonders. I didn't opt for a full treatment, I opted for the cheapest and lesser of all the treatments. Literally just my from line and one or two forehead lines.

 

But yeah the eyebrow tint and botox has left me feeling fantastic and I am admittedly vain and I feel more confident when I look my best.

 

Here's hoping my mini makeover will score me the job due to me feeling a little more confident!

 

Only one interview tomorrow! I am excited about it,I get excited about interview and enjoy them! I just feel dejected when all my friends are earning so much money and can do whatever they want when I have to save for months from my casual event work in order to get one or two treats every four months or so, my friends earned the 200 my botox cost in one day, where as I worked for months one per week on order to afford it.

 

I want the freedom my friends have. They not only save towards a future but they buy new outfits every week. I save.my benefits towards a car and have done for months, and spend all my earnings for my casual job towards beauty treatments that make me feel way better.

 

I get upset at night mostly when I see a friend posting about her weekly new outfit. Before and during the interview I enjoy myself and I feel very excited due to the possibility.

 

Each interview feels like lotto. I get all excited that I could win a lotto of sorts but an easier to attain lotto. It does feel like a big competition I have lotto chance of winning but not as obsolete as a lotto win lol given I am not hideous or totally unemployable.

 

 

 

Fingers crossed I enjoy the interview tomorrow as u usually seem to ( besides the times I get too nervous and get an unkind interviewer, which isn't often).

 

He was a male and he's an optomostist. He didn't sound very out going over the phone.

 

I prefer employers that aren't too out going and loud but that just stick to business and are fair and reasonable. I am not a perky bubbly retail girl but I am definately outogingyand I love talking to people!

 

 

 

I'll respond to GemmaUK s post properly tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

Wish me luck all I feel confident. My dad got me a new outfit because I spilt pink lemonade on my white interview pants and it looked like I hady period lol! He works and earns a lot lately so he took me into a leading department store and I bought a very nice interview dress and pants.

 

I am wearing the new interview dress tomorrow, which will make me feel a LOT more confident when combined with my new face hahahahaha.

 

Again, a new dress I love plus my ahem, recent beauty treatments will definately make a light difference in how confident I feel. Being a self concious person and all.

[amaysngrace]

I feel so isolated when I am amaysngrace around groups of people who all get to work for a living. I feel like an elephant in the room.

 

[Leigh 87]

Well, maybe if you has good interviewing skills you could have landed your dream job.

 

 

 

The scary thing is, even if I manage to overcome my poor interviewing style, even good interviewees miss out on jobs.

 

There competition is too fierce due to more and more people out of work. Some hiring managers encounter several very high calibre interviewees.

 

It isn't just a matter of being good or bad when it comes to interviews. For retail, the jobs I'm going after due to compatibility with college next year, have 400 applicants per job opening.

 

 

In retail, you don't need advanced skills or qualifications ( although retail is hard work) you need no formal qualifications. They simply want most applicants to have had experience in customer service.

 

Any job with no qualifications required as a prerequisite, is going to have a very large pool of applicants to choose from.

 

It's not unusual for retail positions to interview literally 50 people in groups of two or three in order to save time.

 

A lot of the interviewees are probably quiet good in the interview, but if only one or two people can be selected, then the number three and four performer out of 50 interviewees are going to be unsuccessful.

 

I am sure the number three or four performers out of 50 were not bad, and we're in fact, pretty decent to have been one of the too performers. Sadly, even the top performers sometimes miss out if only one or two jobs are on offer.

[Leigh 87]

Hey guys, I just had what I thought to be the best interview yet!

 

 

I felt comfortable talking to the optomostist. He was Asian and his personality was much more compatable to mine.. He was more.softly spoken and not ultra outgoing and we bonded over medical style degrees. He thought podiatry was a great choice. I asked him about his job.

 

Even if I'm not successful, I definitely did better in this interview than I have prior interviews!

 

This would definitely be an ideal job. It's literally at a train station, and I'd much rather work in an optometry store or a pharmacy than I would a retail outlet!

 

 

I'll be so stoked if I.got the job.

 

 

 

 

I'm.dressed nicely so I'm going to print my resume.off and go on a hand out spree while I'm out and about.

[Lani]

Hey guys, I just had what I thought to be the best interview yet!

 

 

I felt comfortable talking to the optomostist. He was Asian and his personality was much more compatable to mine.. He was more.softly spoken and not ultra outgoing and we bonded over medical style degrees. He thought podiatry was a great choice. I asked him about his job.

 

Even if I'm not successful, I definitely did better in this interview than I have prior interviews!

 

This would definitely be an ideal job. It's literally at a train station, and I'd much rather work in an optometry store or a pharmacy than I would a retail outlet!

 

 

I'll be so stoked if I.got the job.

 

 

 

 

I'm.dressed nicely so I'm going to print my resume.off and go on a hand out spree while I'm out and about.

 

The hell is a optomostist?

And what does it matter that he is Asian?

[Leigh 87]

I'm on my smartphone so mistakes happen.

 

The optometrist was not as outgoing as the retail managers I've previously interviewed with. In all of my group interviews thus far, Asians were more reserved and not as out going, in the whole. Of course this isn't a given. Also, having lived in Asia for a number of years, Asians were definately more reserved and not as outgoing as other Aussies, generally speaking. I've met outgoing Asians too obviously.

 

 

 

I handed out my resume and I got an interview on the spot as the hiring manager happened to be interviewing that day.

 

It was for a nice jewellery store. I've previously worked in a jewellery business and have a good reference for it also.

 

The other two girls before me didn't get the role play. After our interview, she asked me to come through to the store to do a role play where I just acted liked I worked there and sold her some jewellery.

 

My two interviews today were definately better than my prior interviews.

 

Is it a good thing that the manager wanted to do a role play with me? She said the applicant's before me weren't as experienced as me in retail and I didn't get the impression that the interview before me went well so I am praying that it's a good sign that she did a role play with me but not the other two interviewees??

[Leigh 87]

After the optometrist interviewed me, at the very end of the interview he told me that they were starting in November. He asked me if I'd be happy with that.

 

Of course, it doesn't mean I nailed it! However, I don't think an interviewer would ask a bad interviewee if they were available to start at a certain time, if they were not at all considering the candidate!

 

It's normal to discus availability at the beginning of interviews, which means they are obviously going through the motions with every candidate.

 

I felt I " could have" gone well today but I don't think I totally nailed it just yet!

[GemmaUK]

Sounds like you've had a good day!

 

The actual job situation is and number of applicants etc is the reason why to refine, banish nerves etc.

There is nothing you can do about the competition except for do things for yourself to make you the best version of you you can be.

 

Both signs there sound good - the mention of November and the role play and also the fact they asked you right away for an interview.

 

Have you found out their deadlines for when they will be making a choice?

 

Just another thing is, make sure that you express an interest in wanting the job at the end of interviews.

If, by any chance you didn't actually say 'I would be very interested in this role' then it may not be common practice over there but you could try writing a thank you note and expressing it in there.

Just a short simple note would do.

 

If I were you..for these two interviews I would do it. In fact I would do it whether or not I had expressed to them that I was interested in the job.

I would do it today too.

[Leigh 87]

Sounds like you've had a good day!

 

The actual job situation is and number of applicants etc is the reason why to refine, banish nerves etc.

There is nothing you can do about the competition except for do things for yourself to make you the best version of you you can be.

 

Both signs there sound good - the mention of November and the role play and also the fact they asked you right away for an interview.

 

Have you found out their deadlines for when they will be making a choice?

 

Just another thing is, make sure that you express an interest in wanting the job at the end of interviews.

If, by any chance you didn't actually say 'I would be very interested in this role' then it may not be common practice over there but you could try writing a thank you note and expressing it in there.

Just a short simple note would do.

 

If I were you..for these two interviews I would do it. In fact I would do it whether or not I had expressed to them that I was interested in the job.

I would do it today too.

 

 

I sent a thankyou text to the optometrist before I even read your suggestion he never provided candidates with his email, he stressed that we were to contact his mobile if need be.

 

He also sent a text to us all today reminding us of the interview location.

 

As for the Jewellery store...it's Saturday tomorrow so no snail mail will be sent until Monday anyway, even express

[Leigh 87]

Yes I did tell them that I was interested and excited about the role and that it sounded like something I'd enjoy in those words, more or less.

[GemmaUK]

Good!

 

Snail mail is fine..or you could see if they have a website with a contact mail.

If they do you could title your mail ' A thank you note' - we are all more drawn to something which looks personal and is likely to give us a feel good factor within a list of unopened mails.

[Leigh 87]

Good!

 

Snail mail is fine..or you could see if they have a website with a contact mail.

If they do you could title your mail ' A thank you note' - we are all more drawn to something which looks personal and is likely to give us a feel good factor within a list of unopened mails.

 

 

 

Definitely. If I were an employer I would feel "good" opening a thankyou note

 

Thanks again for how much you have helped me. You have obviously become good at interviews, but you act like you/other pro's didn't necessarily start out that way. Makes me feel less " defective":lmao:

 

Um I am not comfortable sending a snail mail thankyou note to the jewellery store because quiet simply, I feel it would be creepy if I were to get their store address somehow, without their consent?

 

I have worked as a style advisor for a jewellery store before as I am very into anything fashion lol. For that reason alone - she simply wanted an introduction and then she wanted to immediately take me to the store, in order for me to show her how I would sell customers the Jewellery.

 

 

 

 

 

She asked me " what is the secret of making sales?"

 

 

 

I was honest. I just told her " well, I don't know of any ground breaking secret, I always went after jobs where I was genuinely passionate about the products, and I combined that with excellent product knowledge: so in short, I enjoyed learning a lot about my product, and I genuinely loved the jewellery I sold and so sales just came hand in hand with that"

 

 

She said " yes, I agree"

 

 

She said " I agree" a lot after each thing I said?

 

 

I actually had an interview with the same company two days ago! But it was a group interview due to the large number of applicants.

 

 

I spoke highly of the other manager. I said ' yes, she was lovely" lol. It is good to be positive about other people when in an interview.

 

 

Anyways, fingers crossed. One thing is for sure; I will be SO grateful once I get the next job!

[GemmaUK]

OMG! I have had good interviews and totally dire ones! I've got into jobs which turned out to be horrendous and been really disappointed not getting jobs I hugely wanted.

So have most people I know. Think of all those now successful actors who went for audition after audition. OK it's specialised but even so it happens to us all.

 

I love the job I have now but in the beginning it was hell. We had a supervisor who was simply a bully. I thought it was just me it was focused on in the beginning and over a long time I became aware that wasn't the case.

I almost resigned on a few occasions - what helped was realising that it wasn't just me.

We all need support and we all need encouragement sometimes. We're human!

 

It's all sounding good...

Did you realise that it was the same jewellery place? I'm guessing it took a while to figure that out.

You have seen both interviewers and the last one picked you for the role play..that's really good!

I think you could leave that where it is with no thank you note (however, they are a business and you have visited the site so finding their address would not be intrusive) - you have already seen both people and expressed an interest so it's just a waiting game (which can be as bad as an awful interview! ).

 

I hope you're going to have a weekend where you get to do some fun things and relax a bit. You've had a tough week!

[Leigh 87]

It is Saturday here and my bf and I are going to the local mall so I can hand out my resumes to jewellery stores.

 

It is late, lunch time nearly, so I had a sleep in and I am by no means working "too hard" lol. But I do prefer to look every day besides a Sunday.

 

I have also decided to relax, stop preparing for interviews beyond researching the role and going over why I want the job and how my skills match. I figure, being myself and relaxing will provide me with more chances.

 

I have reached a point where I feel I can 90% relax and be myself during interviews, with 10% of nerves thrown in due to wanting the job so badly.

 

I believe I can switch "off" and just stop caring so much about the hopeless job situation for retail and other industries at similar skill levels.... since I know how hard it can be for some people to get jobs; one very pleasant woman I know has not been able to find work for four years, she is talented, has been able to draw her own art since age 5 (high fashion pics), has advanced embroidery skills, yet after high school no one would hire her. She dresses very professionally yet... too many applicants apply for each basic job on offer.

 

This woman ^^ is SO much more pleasant in my opinion than many of the young staff I also know, who party and drink every weekend and are SUPER two faces and gossipy - the 24 year old I speak of who has not been able to get a job in four years, is more mature, she comes off as more professional, and she is just.... so much more talented and pleasant to me, than the others who always seem to get the job over her. She does fantastic art, designs clothes, and is super talented at a lot of artistic things - the other young people that get the jobs over her usually have no talent, no special things about themselves, but they have "perky, retail" personalities and physical looks that match retail.

 

When are retail managers going to start giving people with more depth, maturity and more real talents than the young people who "get" the retail jobs?

 

My parents complain ALL THE TIME about the young retail staff who don't have the slightest clue about delivering customer service! They just don't know their products because their managers stretch them so far due to understaffing so these poor young people have NO chance to learn the products since they are pulled in so many other directions which all stem from the managers and companies being consumed with greed and wanting to cut corners in order to make a profit for share holders.

 

It is a travesty. That poor 24 year old I recently met is such a respectable, decent women. She is attractive, mature and just a very remarkable, naturally talented individual. She is the type who would actually spend the time helping customers out! So yeah, I know there is a good chance I will still be in this position in years to come; simply not able to get a job despite daily searching and regular interviews.

 

I should just relax and try my best - long term unemployment can happen to anyone - not just the destitute or undesirables.

 

In three years time, I will be a qualified podiatrist and will much more easily be able to get jobs, since 200 applicants do not apply for each podiatry opening, since FAR LESS people have done the hard yards and gotten a difficult degree. Besides from city jobs, there just aren't enough podiatrists around to send 200 applicants to every podiatry firm asking for a job.

 

So, if I don't get a job in the meanwhile, too bad I guess.. I am still so eager to work and will continue trying.

 

I feel a lot more relaxed now as I know long term unemployment just happens to plenty of decent people, no need for me to be nervous at all during interviews, being myself and having solid answers to questions which I already am well versed in is all I can provide.

 

 

 

I really, really hope that I am not long term unemployed three years from now:(