'She looked insulted ... I didn't get the job'
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Dear J.T. & Dale: I recently went on an interview at a large corporation. When I went to the restroom to freshen up, a couple of ladies were in there, and I noticed that one left without washing her hands. It was evident from passing the stall that she had "done serious business in there." To my surprise and horror, she turned out to be my interviewer. She put out her hand to shake, but instead of shaking, I put my hands behind my back and nodded hello. She looked insulted. What should I have done? By the way, I didn't get the job. — Janice
DALE: And here I thought our topics had descended as far as they could go when we were discussing the armpit-sweat stains that someone referred to as "baloneys."
J.T.: Hmmm ... well, Janice, with the benefit of hindsight, I'm sure you could come up with some excuse for not shaking hands, such as, "I'm fending off a cold right now and wouldn't want you to get sick, too." Regardless, don't you think it would be hard to work with the woman if you got the job? It would be one of those things that would always be in your mind.
DALE: When it comes to a job interview, what your mind should be is open. Get the job and then decide. Force yourself to assume the best — in this case, perhaps the woman was simply in there adjusting her clothing, or giving herself an insulin injection or whatever. Assume the best, get the job; then, before you accept, ask to meet some future co-workers. That will give you a chance to spend some time at the workplace to see if it's an environment where your career can thrive, or if it's a place where the only things growing are microorganisms.
Dear J.T. & Dale: I am currently in my first year as a teacher. Many of the things I was assured would happen during the year did not transpire. On top of that, my position is being eliminated for next year, so I had to start looking for a new job, both in this district and in others. I was one of two final candidates for a job in my current district. When asked by the principal during the final interview if I would say "yes" right away if offered the job, I hesitated. The next day, I found out I didn't get it. I was crushed. Should I have handled it differently? — Carolyn
J.T.: I know it hurts to be turned down, but I honestly think they did you a favor. You weren't happy there, and next year sounds like it would have been more of the same — the same players yield the same results, right? I'd look at what transpired as an opportunity to focus on other districts' opportunities and get excited that you're going to get a fresh start with a new set of colleagues.
DALE: Yes, but in searching for those new opportunities, you may well face a similar interview situation. For many years, my sister chaired a large department at a large high school, and her hiring decisions were always complicated by transfers, seniority, quotas and so on. One decision impacted several others in the chain, and sometimes one or more decisions had time pressure. The point is that you may again be pressed for an immediate answer. The solution is to increase your level of preparation. You do your research and go into the interview knowing whether it's a job you really want.
J.T.: Yes, your first year has allowed you to learn a lot about what you do and don't want in a job, and that simplifies your research. Looking back, I think you answered the interview question as well as you could have on the spot. Your unresolved feelings were going to come through, regardless of what you said. So Dale's right about knowing ahead of time what you really want — when asked for a decision, you'll be convincing when you are convinced.
Jeanine "J.T." Tanner O'Donnell is a professional development specialist and founder of the consulting firm jtodonnell.com. Dale Dauten's latest book is (Great) Employees Only: How Gifted Bosses Hire and De-Hire Their Way to Success.
