Recently, a friend of mine was upset that she couldn't finish a game of minesweeper while she was upset about something else. For some reason, I find that the reverse tends to happen when I'm upset, and my ability to play Freecell suddenly skyrockets. I tend to get longer winning streaks when I'm upset than when I'm happy. I thought that was strange, but then Pandy told me about how he went into a job interview for a job that he didn't really want. He said that he didn't really care about the interview (other than this hot chick that was there), and so the entire time, he was just really relaxed. Judging from the response from the company (he got offered a job), he said that he thinks he performed better on that interview than on the ones for companies he did care about. MrMan5.5 told me of a time he played table tennis while drunk, and he managed to do so many awesome shots because he didn't really care whether they landed in or not, he just hit it. Plus, there is the whole drunken gaming thing, where you play better because you're drunk and you're too far gone to care whether you win or not (although there is a threshold, because if you're too far gone to even know where the mouse/controller is, that's not very good...).
I guess in a weird way, that makes sense, as when you really want something, you get so focused on performing well that you give off this air of trying too hard. Or you have a prepared list of things you want to say in the interview, and you try and fit as many of those things in during the interview process that you end up answering the questions you think is asked rather than what the actual question was.
"So, tell me a little about yourself."
"Well, first of all, I really, really want this job. It has been my dream since I was just a little girl. Everything that has happened in my life so far has lead me to this job and I can't imagine anything other than getting this job."
"Er.... OK. So what things do you like to do in your spare time?"
"I don't have any. All of my time is dedicated to working towards this job."
"And your social life?"
"I DON'T HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE THIS JOB!"
While that sounds all well and good, how can you go about not caring when you do care? Or how do you not care, but care enough to make them think that you care?
I've never really bothered applying for vacation work, because my grades are terrible, and I figure my chances of getting anything are so low that it's not even worth the time it takes to fill in the application, but Super Chris said that that's just one of the weeding processes those programs have, as people who can't even be bothered applying definitely aren't worth hiring. Though he might just have said that to make me feel better. >_>
My major problem with the entire process is how much of it is based on face value. I know that it's impossible for recruiters to meet and get to know every single person that applies, but listening to some of the stories I've heard from people who have gone through the process, it seems like it's all about saying as much crap as you possibly can with a straight face, and making them believe you. A guy I know from uni lied to an interviewer about all the things he did as part of a club. When he was drunk at a friend's 21st, he was listing a whole bunch of things he claimed were true, and he told me that if I wanted to get a job, all I had to do was make up a whole lot of stories that weren't easy to verify, and convince the interviewer that it was true.
The thing is, I just can't lie like that. I don't like the idea that I was accepted under false pretences. Though from what people have been telling me, that is how you separate yourself from the rest of the pack, and if everyone does it, all you're really doing is levelling the playing field. Then again, a representative from Deloitte was telling us about how a girl lied about being able to speak French, and when she was put with a French-speaking partner, it was revealed that she wasn't able to speak it at all.
There's a battle between my principles, and my desire to get a job. Although I am an arts student (finally doing a proper "arts" subject), even I know that principles don't feed you or pay for a roof above your head, and that eventually I'll have to get a job as I don't want to be living at home forever. Still, I don't think I can bring myself to lie about my life just to get a job. I know it sounds idealistic, and that I'll probably end up doing data entry or something, but right now, I don't care.
I guess in a weird way, that makes sense, as when you really want something, you get so focused on performing well that you give off this air of trying too hard. Or you have a prepared list of things you want to say in the interview, and you try and fit as many of those things in during the interview process that you end up answering the questions you think is asked rather than what the actual question was.
"So, tell me a little about yourself."
"Well, first of all, I really, really want this job. It has been my dream since I was just a little girl. Everything that has happened in my life so far has lead me to this job and I can't imagine anything other than getting this job."
"Er.... OK. So what things do you like to do in your spare time?"
"I don't have any. All of my time is dedicated to working towards this job."
"And your social life?"
"I DON'T HAVE A LIFE OUTSIDE THIS JOB!"
While that sounds all well and good, how can you go about not caring when you do care? Or how do you not care, but care enough to make them think that you care?
I've never really bothered applying for vacation work, because my grades are terrible, and I figure my chances of getting anything are so low that it's not even worth the time it takes to fill in the application, but Super Chris said that that's just one of the weeding processes those programs have, as people who can't even be bothered applying definitely aren't worth hiring. Though he might just have said that to make me feel better. >_>
My major problem with the entire process is how much of it is based on face value. I know that it's impossible for recruiters to meet and get to know every single person that applies, but listening to some of the stories I've heard from people who have gone through the process, it seems like it's all about saying as much crap as you possibly can with a straight face, and making them believe you. A guy I know from uni lied to an interviewer about all the things he did as part of a club. When he was drunk at a friend's 21st, he was listing a whole bunch of things he claimed were true, and he told me that if I wanted to get a job, all I had to do was make up a whole lot of stories that weren't easy to verify, and convince the interviewer that it was true.
The thing is, I just can't lie like that. I don't like the idea that I was accepted under false pretences. Though from what people have been telling me, that is how you separate yourself from the rest of the pack, and if everyone does it, all you're really doing is levelling the playing field. Then again, a representative from Deloitte was telling us about how a girl lied about being able to speak French, and when she was put with a French-speaking partner, it was revealed that she wasn't able to speak it at all.
There's a battle between my principles, and my desire to get a job. Although I am an arts student (finally doing a proper "arts" subject), even I know that principles don't feed you or pay for a roof above your head, and that eventually I'll have to get a job as I don't want to be living at home forever. Still, I don't think I can bring myself to lie about my life just to get a job. I know it sounds idealistic, and that I'll probably end up doing data entry or something, but right now, I don't care.
4 comments:
I don't think I could lie in an interview either, call me crazy :S I want to be accepted on my own merit, not some wild tale of all the amazing stuff I've never done.
I guess I'll have to stick to charming the pants off the interviewers instead :P
There's no real point lying in an interview - because sooner or later you'll get caught out, or you'll discover you hate the job because you were pretending to be someone you weren't.
I find it's often better to answer questions honestly, because at least you won't have to keep up a facade for the rest of your working life. It's not just them selecting you, but you analysing them too. Go for someplace that your comfortable with.
When I was going in for the interview for my current job, Dad was telling me how important it was to think of the answers to all the questions that they might ask you, and work out reasonable responses to them.
After doing this, in the interview I completely forgot everything I had worked through, and answered all their questions in a way that I normally would. After I was hired my boss said to me "That was the most natural job interview I've ever done in my 30+ years of working here."
After seeing what happened to Pandy it sounds like it works better to just be relaxed and be yourself in an interview.
I agree with Olek, I want to get accepted on my own merit. Unfortunately, I don't have his charm. =(
I think there are lies that you can tell that you won't get caught out on. Like if you were on a club committee and took credit for someone else's work, as long as you knew what it was they did, you could get away with it, supposing the person who really did the work isn't applying for the same job - which is what that guy I was talking to did. I don't know about having to keep up a facade for the rest of your working life, because a lot of people will forget what happens in an interview. At work, I've given up on trying to tell people what I'm doing at uni, because they always forget.
Post a Comment