I just saw a preview for a new series beginning on tv called “The Job Interview” where “someone is going to get hired.” My immediate thought was why? What could this show do to hold my attention? I have never gone to a job interview that I didn’t get so it is hard for me to understand. The preview showed people sweating and falling over in their chairs, things like that.
I was taught in High School how to interview for a job, but that was after I had already had two jobs under my belt. Yes, we actually had a class that made us act out a job interview. Do they not have classes like this anymore? Probably not.
My first job was at a small café in the small town I grew up in just outside of St. Louis. We served mainly quick foods, such as hamburgers and hotdogs, but on Fridays we had the fish dinners and always soft serve ice cream. I remember coming home from summer vacation at 14 years of age when my father told me, I have a job set up for you! I still had to interview which really was short. I think I answered two questions, 1-was I willing to learn and 2-could I work late a couple of evenings when the church across the street held evening studies. Yes, I said as I was taught early to always say Yes, and to think of every good thing about yourself and be ready to tell anyone at a moment’s notice. I was ready to say, “I’m on the debate team, drama team and in choir. I can turn anyone’s bad experience into a good experience by actively listening to them and making the situation right.” I had practiced this and was ready to spout it out at any given time.
I loved working at the café, but once I got the taste of money, I wanted more and wanted discounts-not just all the food I could eat. I started working at a retail store in a town nearby where we got employee discounts off of everything in the store, like a Target or small Walmart. I really had to interview for that job, but it was my best friend’s mom who set up the interview so I thought the stakes were higher. I thought of more promotable things about myself such as I take care of my family, I am responsible and so forth. Now I was 15 and working two part time jobs and going to school.
My father -a single parent himself, taught me early that I needed to take care of myself and earn as much as I could. I never remember my father calling in sick and he worked hard every day to take care of my younger sister and myself.
I have now worked for the same company for 21 years. I tend to still say yes which sometimes gets me into trouble because I am always taking on new tasks, but if you ask me I am still ready to tell you how I benefit the company at any time. I have made it a point to learn as much as I can in every area.
My top 3 Tips to Interview and Keep the Job:
- This has to be the first tip to tell you. Believe in yourself, because if you do not, why would anyone else? Be able to tell me three things about yourself that would make me want to hire you.
- Be dependable. The business has to run whether you are there or not. If you are new to the company, the company is better off finding someone new that can be there. The company is investing in you. Are you investable?
- Don’t date anyone at the company. Believe me I have lived it and learned that this only leads to trouble. Yes, you may know of someone you work with who dated someone and they have stayed together, but believe me, the chance that they will work out is very low and it is not without a lot of drama. Even if both employees stay at the same company, no other employee will look at the couple the same ever again. It’s not worth the drama. Date outside of the company.
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