The interview
Posted by Rica
I have always been vexed by job interviews. I love going to interviews so much that I’d rather the cosmos make up some weird event where I’ll end up with a really bad back strain so I won’t have to go. But the cosmos, she’s not that generous. So I go. Go with the flow, drown, and then die. I so love job interviews.
This one particular interview with one of the biggest wireless telecom companies (just guess, you have a 50-50 chance of getting it wrong) I went to had me wishing Friday wouldn’t come. My interview was on a Friday, at 10 in the morning. If Ms. Cosmos couldn’t give me a back strain that day (or a concussion), at least she allowed me to become someone else on Friday. The interview with the guy lasted for almost an hour. Imagine me yapping for an hour about what I did in my previous jobs, what challenges I faced as a *insert previous job title*, what I can do for the giant telecom company just in case I get hired, etcetera etcetera — all very abstract things, really. I just wish I could remember all the things I said during that bluff (a.k.a. interview); I tell you, momma would’ve been so proud. I was very proud of that fake feat myself.
There were fun moments in that interview, too, and to balance out this narrative, I should post them.
On career plans…
HR guy: What career path were you on – what jobs were you exploring – the moment we contacted you for an interview?
Me: I actually have an on-going application with GSIS.
HR guy (with matching furrowed brows): GSIS?
Me (beaming): Yup, GSIS.
HR guy (looking at my CV on his desk): Hmm…
Me: It’s weird, isn’t it?
HR guy (with no hesitation whatsoever): Yeah, it is.
Apparently taken aback by his frankness…
HR guy: Um, not weird, just unusual. (Short pause) Why?
Me: I don’t know.
HR guy: Hmm…
On getting the name and the gender right…
I had to reschedule my Wednesday interview to Friday, because of the bad back (which I should add, was not Ms. Cosmos’ gift. And no, she wasn’t doing me any favors by being so spontaneous either). I had to text the HR person about it, and after several texts, I realized the HR person’s name was androgynous, and I didn’t know if I was talking to a guy or a girl. The name’s like “Sam”, whose original form could either be Samantha or Samuel. And his last name’s playing with diphthongs and is a non-Filipino one, so, yeah. Parents should be very careful when naming their children. Tsk. Anyway, when I finally got to meet the HR person, “Sam” turned out to be a guy. And since I’m a curious cat who gets fixated with the most trivial things, I just had to ask him how he pronounced his last name.
Me: I just have to ask, how do say your last name? Is it *insert diphthong-y surname here*?
HR guy: Yeah, it’s *insert diphthong-y surname now pronounced correctly*. It’s U-…. (He continues to spell out his name.)
Oh-kay… I just wanted to know how he pronounced his last name.
It was a really cool interview. The place wasn’t in Makati, really near. Thinking back, I enjoyed being asked random and seemingly important questions, and answering them. And although my backstrain got worse and my feet hurt from wearing leather shoes and walking in them, I liked going to that job interview. I finally figured out Sam’s gender and confirmed that his surname really was spelled that way. Thanks, Sam!
(Credit goes to Googlegoop for the image.)
as a person who enjoys interviews, i think you should treat them as an opportunity to bring out the drama queen in you. it’s fun being someone else for an hour or two. it’s even more fun when you deliberately try to fail said interview.
someone i know got interviewed by a huge multinational company with a street named after it. when the interviewee found out she was being interviewed to be in charge of the company’s internal newsletter, she shackled the urge to run screaming from the building and instead had the time of her life extolling the virtues of playing hooky from a job that was too boring.
it may have cost her the job, but the look of appalled bewilderment on the inteviewer’s face was priceless.
Oh, but I truly enjoyed that one interview. I’m looking forward to the next one! XD
i like interviews too. it’s a chance for my inner extrovert to run wild. she goes, “oh, here’s my chance to pretend i’m sociable, charming, and bleedingly fluent! weeee~”
What about the interview i did with you?
The interview with you was… pleasurable, Kelly. Very. XD
I like it the other way around.
It’s fun to interview people especially when they are pretending to know what they are talking about. I then ask more questions and they squirm in their seats trying to come up with an answer.
The best part is when they give you their answer and it has nothing to do with the question that I’ve asked.
You’re just pure evil. But you should’ve filmed those interviews and let us watch ‘em. That would be fun! XD
“Look at how evil my friends are, ma.”