These are the few things I have learn't to do and to be aware of.
1. The handshake, there should be a handshake at the beginning of the interview and at the end of the interview. It is important to have a firm handshake, make eye contact with the person and to connect the corners of your thumbs. But also take note of how the interviewer does the hand shake, from the 5 interviews I have noticed the bigger more professional companies and interviewers the handshake was firm, all of the hand and at the beginning and end of the interview. I had two interviews one at a really small place, they literally touch the tips of my fingers and another (the charity) first hand shake was quick and there was no second hand shake at the end of the interview even though I tried to wait to see if they would offer.
2. A professional person should not and will not mention that there are interviewing other candidates, if they mention that 9/10 times it's an subconscious sign that they don't really like you for the job and they have already crossed you of off their list. Or maybe this is their way of giving you little signs that you probably shouldn't get your hopes up. (but you never know you might get the job if the people that come after are worse than you or they don't turn up)
3. Always be 15/10 minutes early, dress professionally, wear a white plain shirt (blouse) apparently that shows you are organised.) Make eye contact, try not to move your arms as much when speaking.
4. If there is something about you or your application that is a disadvantage try to mention it before they ask you. For example, with me I have been unemployed for a year now and to an employer they start to think why is there a gap? What happened? So, I decided that when I start talking about my work experience I will mention that I was unemployed for this long and explain the reason. For me it was because of personal health reasons. If you say that it's honest and I highly doubt that the person will ask for more questions but there was one interview that I did go into further details with and they were fine with in.
I was planning on writing about my experiences with all four interviews but I am crying right now and I can't stop. Because it hurts, I went to the volunteering place today at a charity which deals with mental wellbeing for a finance position and I could tell from the second she saw my black fat self that she had already ruiled me out because of the way I looked. The handshake was very rushed, those ones that barely touch your hand that's it and then when I sat down. I believe that 3 or 4 times she made a reference to how she had other interviews lined up or how many people she was going to interview for this position. She even said if you are working with you will see this and then she corrected herself and said if it even is you that works with us.
Then when we were talking about the job role and I mentioned about the other admin duties I did at my old job she was like you should have applied for the admin position that was opened at the position in another department. It was very obvious she didn't want me to work with her but in my mind I remember thinking at one point in the interview to smile, to ask questions, listen. Learn from this experience. And when she had finished her questions we ended up talking about the city she lives at and housing prices. That was probably my first informal small talk at an interview but at the end there was no hand shake and that was a big sign.
I have stopped crying now and I feel a bit better. It sucks that at a job someone isn't basing their judgement on weather you are suitable for the role because of your skills and experience but more so because of the color of your skin or the way you look. And it hurts because they are people like that and this is still the world we live in but I need to be a strong black woman. I need to learn from this experience because it will make me stronger.
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| I love this quote, I applied and I went to that interview, I tried. I put myself out there and even if I get rejected 5/10 more times. I will carry on trying until I get something because I know for a fact that something great is waiting for me. |
The biggest thing for me right now is to carry on applying for jobs, right now I am in a kind-off limbo situation where I went to an interview for a really company and compared to the interview I just today, the person was so professional. The levels of both women were incomparable. The professionalism for the woman at the big company and the one at the charity was crazy.
Sometimes you meet people like that and if I can take one thing from that experience it is that if I am ever in that position of interviewing people I will not act like that and also when I do get a job I will be faced with situations where I will be around people who will judge me because of the way I look especially in the finance industry. I'm going to have to grow tough skin than what I have now.
Also, I have to do more when I am applying. I need to make sure that they can find no faults, that my application, answers at interviews, online and real life tests are perfect. I also want to be able to have another skill, to make money with something else even if it for my mental well-being (the irony that the place that helps mental well-being has people like that working there).
But Happy thoughts, let this push you further. You will be amazing.
