The One About the Phone Interview

I've never had a telephone interview before. It was definitely a new experience for me and my major concern was the scratchy feeling in my throat when I woke up yesterday morning.

He called at the exact moment he said he'd call and a promised 30-45 minute interview wrapped up at just over 45 minutes.

I did do some 'homework' on phone interviews before I started. Ensured I only took a drink while he was talking (and tried not to slurp over the phone --hehe), cut down on "um's" and "ah's" while I talked. The one thing I couldn't do was sit still. I tried just to sit in the kitchen and talk, but found myself wandering from one room to the other as I answered his questions.

He did say he had one dreaded question: salary expectations. I answered with a record of what I was making previously and therefore what I was "used to," but also that I was looking at this position as the opportunity to get my foot in the door. He replied I'd be pleasantly surprised by the annual salary.

I like surprises.

So, with the interview over, my confidence was through the roof and even his email later about changes to the position only threw me off for a little while. My next interview will be with someone else as the position is no longer his responsibility. That's fine. There was no "thanks and good luck in your job search" in the message, so I'm taking it positively.

Then the good ol' "career advisors" chimed in with another round of job postings: accounting, reception, sales. Sales? Yeah, not only "sales," but working for a guy who used to be at the school as a "career advisor" and whom I had a lengthy argument with at the mid-way point of my program. He hated my work and said I'd never make it in my chosen field (ironically, he's right so far), but for a guy who walked in halfway through my presentation, I don't exactly take what says as 'canon.' I called him a few things afterward because I was so furious with his attitude, all the time dreading this was the guy who was supposed to help me find work. So, you could imagine my pleasure at hearing he was leaving a month later.

So, yeah, the phone interview was great and glad to get it done. My name's out there again and maybe something will happen.

This time.