Point being, I am leaving for Chicago again on Wednesday night for more interviews. I'll arrive around 7 p.m. central time, just in time to take a cab over to my dad's abode and watch ANTM (I am obsessed even though Tyra might have actually lost her mind last episode) and proceed to get a good night's rest. Because Thursday I have an interview. I have an interview with a legit awesome company for a job that on paper sounds like a dream come true...except for the fact that it's in the suburbs.
But even though this job has 'reverse commute hell' stamped all over it, I can't help but want it. Badly. And I'm worried that by talking about, writing about, thinking about is going to jinx my chances of getting it (I am aware that blogging about it also lies in this realm of jinx). I'm sure I sound crazy. I sound crazy to myself. But I'm worried that if I want this job too badly that I'm going to jinx myself out of getting it. Jinx myself out of being able to move back to Chicago.
I think my idea of fate is going to give me an early heart attack.
So Working Girls, I'm hoping you can help ease my troubled mind (jinx is making the act of enjoying Gossip Girl very difficult - yes, it's that bad). Have you ever wanted a job so badly and gotten the job? And if you have, did you do anything special to snag it? I am enlisting your help.
P.S. I just googled the word 'jinx' for an image to throw in here since this post was pretty bland in comparison to others and have found that the word 'jinx' is a popular name for goth girls and anime characters with pink hair. Which oddly helped calm my nerves.
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32 comments:
Well I'm not a working girl, But I have tried for and gotten jobs that I really wanted, Then found out that they weren't all that great, good but thats all.So just don't get worked up over it. Remember if it sounds to good iy more than likely is! But could still be a good move for you.
Be confident but gracious -- that has always seemed to help me. When I over think something, I overthink my way out of it! Best of luck :-)
Just be yourself. Be confident, but not overly confident. And don't act like you desperately want the job, but make it known that you would enjoy working for the company.
Good luck!
Two weeks ago I found a job that's perfect for me. I spent an enormous amount of time writing the perfect cover letter and getting together a fantastic portfolio. 20 minutes after sending my all of my stuff, I got a call from the guy...mind you it's 8pm at this point.
He told me that he'd looked at over 50 resumes and hadn't found one person as qualified as I am. We talked briefly and he asked if he could call me the following week after he got back to town. I agreed.
I didn't hear from him for two weeks. He didn't get back to my follow-up. I assumed he had filled the position.
He emailed me today and I had a phone interview at 530. It went amazing. I'm going up for my final interview on Monday. It's pretty much in the bag.
My biggest advice is on the note of salary. I sort of screwed this up. He asked me how much I wanted to make. I am awful at money negotiations...that's why I'm not in sales. I told him mid-30s...it's a good ball park. He told me...he'd offer me 40k. WHAT!! Woo!
I should have asked for 40k from the beginning and maybe I would have gotten 45k. So, have a plan money wise.
whoa...nothing should get in your way of enjoying gossip girl!
i agree with the above...confident but gracious usually works. and definitely wear shoes that make you feel powerful.
good luck!
so you've had your first taste of success, you know what kind of amazing work you're capable of, and you want more. you can almost taste it, and you want that dream job more than anything! go girlfriend! just be confident. but also know that a job isn't everything, our lives are made up of other things too. leave room to pamper yourself and continue to nurture your friend and family relationships. sounds cheesy, but just something to keep in mind.
Ok my trick is to act like you already have the job. Get everything in order as if you already got hired there. It's like you trick your nerves into thinking you have nothing to worry about and it puts out tons of good vibes towards you getting the job! Good luck working girl!
I have a similar view about fate and really, things do tend to have a way of working out. I did snag one job that was amazing and I really didn't do anything special. I wanted it and I think my enthusiasm and knowledge showed through. Of course, there were other jobs that I thought I really wanted and didn't get-BUT I'm actually glad I didn't get them, knowing what I know now.
Good luck on the interview and be glad for the reverse commute problem. I take metra downtown every day and would love to be going the other, less crowded direction.
My first internship, I wanted so badly--and I did the same thing as you, I was afraid to tell anyone for fear I might not get it! I had been on countless interviews before and never got the job, but I went to this one and I was just myself. Easier said than done, I know. I went in there with a "here goes nothin'" attitude, but I relaxed and let my personality shine. It worked, I let how bad I wanted the job come out in my interview (as a "ready and willing" not a "desperate"). Good luck!
Props for finding a way to fit anime into this post. I really enjoyed that part!
Don't think about it much.. try to keep yourself busy doing fun stuff (hitting on random cute guys always helps!). And what's the worse that can happen? You won't get the job?! Life still goes on.. if you go in expecting the worst, you won't get hurt and you won't look desperate to get the job either :)
enthusiasm
be honest about how much you would be thrilled to get that specific job in that specific company. i think enthusiasm is something companies look for in young candidates.
impress
you should also impress the interviewer. he/she should remember about you among all the others. you know better than anyone else what about you, your character, can impress people. so work on that.
don't act
last, but most important of all: be yourself. they must like you for who you really are.
Its all who you know! Is there anyone, anyone at all that your family or friends in Chicago might know someone who works in this dream job place? A friend of a friend....?its worth looking into...I've NEVER had a job without someone who knows someone who helped me get the job. Its the easiest way ever!!!!!!
also look fabulous, and be friendly! Good luck!!!
i too get the same jinxed feeling every now and then i want something badly (with me its more about relationships than jobs..lol)..but in any case the mantra is "you have nothing to loose". Let me explain this one - see, if you get the job you got it because you deserved it, and if you dont get the job, its because you deserve better. Simple. (i no its easier said than done - but try it out)
All the best!!
Good luck with your interview!
Keep us posted!
The job I have now is one I really, really wanted... I called before my interview and made some enquiries about the position & made sure that they knew my name so that they remembered me when I came in for the interview.
And to top it off, when I came in for the interview, my now boss came out and I nearly fell over myself because he's really, really hot.
Hopefully this doesn't happen to you because it made it really hard to concentrate during the interview! Luckily I'm actually really good friends with him now, so it's possible to get past that, lol.
Sending you the very best of luck!! I hope it all goes smoothly for you <33
As a recent graduate, I'm all over what you're saying about wanting something so badly to the point where you don't get it -- I feel similarly about things happening as they're supposed to... Girl, you've got it goin' on -- You'll get the job that's right for you and soon you'll be blogging about how amazing the journey was --
p.s. -- I got the job I wanted... (well, that "fate" knew was mine)
i used to worry about the jinx too... but after psyching myself out one too many times, I have come to the conclusion that what's going to happen is going to happen, no matter if you write the perfect follow-up thank you for meeting me note or not.
p.s. Gossip Girl was great last night!
My former boss (the Editor-in-Chief) always told me that if I truly wanted the job, to ask for it. Just point blank look at the interviewer and say "I want this job" and mean it. Sometimes I've even thrown in, "if there are any obstacles in my way, what are they? I WANT THIS JOB"
I have to say -- this advice hasn't failed me yet. Best of luck to you! We'll all be here waiting to hear how it goes! :)
Look and act the part! That's my motto.
Good luck!
Send a thank you note for the opportunity to interview. I did that for my last job (the one I am at now) and my boss later told me that that landed me the job :)
I simply put that I enjoyed the opportunity to interview and feel that I can handle and would do well with the company and help the company to make more money. I also put that I was confident after meeting them that they would make the decision that was best for the company, and wished them luck in the future.
Hope this helps!
Yes! The job I have right now...I wanted it SOOOO badly. I swear, I wrote a post about not wanting to write a post about it because I was afraid to jinx it. See? http://cjconney.blogspot.com/2008/02/still-here.html
Weird...I thought I was the only one who thought that way.
But, I got the job. I don't know if there is a trick...just believe you're going to rock your interview and show them what you're all about. If they choose not to hire you after getting to know you it is just because they think their company wouldn't be a good fit for you, not because you aren't good enough. IF that happens, think of it as a favor because you want to end up somewhere that will appreciate you for how great you are and believes that you would fit in seamlessly with their organization.
Oh and bring a bottle of water to your interview. And write a thank you note.
You'll be great. I don't feel any jinxes heading your way. :)
oh em gee! I am going thru the same thing waiting for a job to get back to me. They have checked my references and everything and say they are still interested... but the manager is out until mid week (oh yes that is tomorrow) so the decision will not be made until then... AGONIZING! Just pick me bc I want to work for you sooooooo bad!
I feel your pain!
Unfortunately, when in the past I have wanted a job soooooo badly, I just knew it was for me badly, I haven't gotten it. In hindsight, there is always some good reason I didn't get the job. It looks less perfect from a distance. So, no, I can't think of an instance where I've gotten my dream job.
You on the other hand will do fabulously. You'll ace the interview. Snag your dream job. I wish you luck. My best advice is to do your homework, ask them questions about the job and the company. They like to feel like experts and it'll make conversation flow more easily.
hmmm...a company in the suburbs? I am guessing about a publising company I know in the suburbs. A friend worked there before, so I know all about the company and what it's like to work there. If you're interested to know if perhaps that company and this one is the same...let me know, I can email you the inside scoop! (I don't want to badmouth the comp. here!)
And, besides that...I really really wanted the job I have now. And, so far it's been everything I hoped (very different than I thought, but still very good) So good luck-and contact me if you want the inside info!!
I am a highly superstitious person and even have some anxiety about it! I know what its like to want a job so very badly that you almost make yourself to nervous to even get it. I once wanted a job so badly and I had to wait 6 weeks just for them to reject me...it was terrible, but I like to think that everything does happen for a reason, so just relax and let be what will be!
Pink is my favorite color. So that gives you good luck. I went from working at Walmart for minimum wage to working my dream job at $24.00 an hour overnight. And I almost didn't take it because it was only supposed to be for 3 months. 5 years later, and I'm still here. You haven't jinxed it, the job will be yours. Don't know why I feel this way, but I do. Good luck!
I have to agree with a few previous comments... just be yourself. Don't over-sell or under-sell yourself. Let them know you are the Working Girl for the job and put your good karma out into the universe. If you don't happen to get the job, it just means it wasn't meant to be.
Believe me, I've had my share of crappy jobs. I recently graduated with my MBA and got a wonderful job shortly thereafter. Prior to that, I put up with six long years of crappy positions at a particular company. I applied for at least 100 different jobs while with this particular company and my applications were rarely acknowledged. After I graduated, I posted my resume online, and a different company sought me out. I now have a job that I love, but I did have to fight to get here!
Good luck with your interview, and don't be afraid to put your boxing gloves on!
Best advice I ever got about job interviews, ask for the job. Literaly. At the end of the interview instead of "Thank you for seeing me." Say "Please strongly consider me for this position, I want to work for you. Thank you." I've gotten 3 jobs within a day of the interview with that one!
Once I wanted a particular job so very badly, I could almost taste it, and just the essence of it was driving me crazy.
On the day of the interview, I walked into the office carrying a box of homemade cookes, a cooler of cold beer and asked, "What needs to be done, and where can I put these for the guys?"
Needless to say, I got the job.
And, 17 years later I am still here.
Remember, you are also interviewing them to see if you truly want this job and if you will be happy in it. Best of luck!
I did not get a job at my #1 dream job place even though I interned there and everyone in the office loved me.
I ended up getting hired at my #2 place and ended up learning WAAAAY more and getting better experience and opportunities than I would have at #1 place.
I'm still super bitter about not being hired since I know I should have been but don't stress out about fate. It works out in the end.
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