What an Interesting Question, Barbara

Image from somewhere on google...Babs interviewing Carla Bruni

This week has been INSANE!!! Although I can't really complain because it was my first crazy week of the semester, and also because I was a thorough waste of life last weekend.

I had major exams on Monday and Wednesday, an assignment and a job interview on Tuesday, a quiz and a 10-12 page paper due on Thursday. I'm feeling pretty good about everything ESPECIALLY the interview.

I had meant to go shopping for interview clothes over the weekend, because most of my nice clothes are leftover from either high school or my sorority days. So Monday evening in the midst of assignment-doing and exam-studying, I took a break to go Express to pick up something remotely classy.

I'm learning a few things along this job-hunting quest...here's a few:

1. ASK. FOR. HELP. This came in handy at Express when I had under an hour to find an outfit and not a clue how to go about it. The salespeople are there for a reason. In the end, think about what Dermot Mulroney (as escort Nick Mercer) said in the movie The Wedding Date: "If you look people in the eye, they won't notice what you're wearing."
2. Yes, everybody puts LOTS of pressure on making a good impression during an interview: don't arrive too early, don't be late, ask THEM questions, don't interrupt, be informed, don't ask about money, find out more about the position, iron your undies (jk), shake hands, not too hard--not too soft! There are SO many things to think about! Its easy to forget why you're their in the first place! I've eased myself into the experience by pretending I'm being interviewed by Barbara Walters. Just present yourself in your best light, the way you would want millions of tv viewers to see you. Ok, so that seems like it would add pressure, but if you just be YOURSELF, and they aren't diggin' it, you probably won't like being there anyway, no?
3. Take this time to interview them come armed with questions. If not to ask verbally, then to note inside your own pretty little head. You're not the only one who has to pass the test, they need to pass as well.
4. If you don't know the location of the interview, take the time the day before to do a drive-by. If I didn't do this I would have been about 45 minutes late thanks to 2 major exits having detours.

There's more to come, I'll post them as soon as I learn them :-)