The Interview

I hate the first interview in the job hunting process. You have to remember how to smile, stick to the point, talk about your strengths and weaknesses without smiling, talk about what you liked about your last job without ranting about what an ass your boss was.

Getting Ready
I scheduled this interview on Monday, so I had plenty of notice. I had to do some research about the company and some software packages that he'd mentioned, and I had to prepare a list of questions. The hardest part (for me) was coming up with the 'Interview Suit'. Back in the Day, I had a closet full of power suits,black, navy blue, grey, even a green one and a burgundy one. This was back in the size 12 days and the Cold Winter days as they were all wool. Since I moved from DC to Miami in 1987, those suits are a bit out of fashion. Why do I still have them? I don't know. I still have a few suits I borrowed from a friend when I moved up here. They are large size 10's and 12's and neither one of us will ever wear them again, but I still have them. Anyway, I've had one interview in the last 6 years, and that was last fall. I managed to come up with something for that interview, but I'm now 20 lbs heavier than then. So I threw something together. I had a skirt (yes, a skirt) and sweater that I topped off with a boxy black jacket. It worked, on the outside. On the inside I was stuffed and jammed into horribly fitting (and extremely uncomfortable) foundation garments and yes, I wore Knee Hi stockings instead of full fledged panty hose. Hey, the skirt was long enough! And I didn't roll them at the top like a lot of Old Ladies.

The Interview
I'm pretty good at interviewing, I don't get all mealy mouthed and nervous and can't express myself. My problem is I'm too honest. I've been doing this IT thing for over 20 years and I don't need to put up with Political Sh*t. I will not work with Micro Managers, silly boys who won't share their toys, managers who take all the credit for things and won't recognize their employees or Super Tekkie geeks who don't understand that some folks don't like to play on their computers 24/7. I've worked with them all and then some. I don't have time to play those games any more. So I'm trying to figure a way to ask these questions and read between the answers. I just have to keep practicing, and today was just the first interview. Seemed like a good opportunity, and the location was great, so we'll see.

One for Me
I had some wine with a friend I haven't seen in a while, and we sat and caught up. Seems my opinion of a mutual 'friend' is one shared by many. I've really got to stop beating myself up about conculsions I've drawn based on observations and let it be what it is. I can't like everyone and they can't like me.

More to come...
As things happen, I'll be posting. Thanks for taking the time to read. You're opinions are welcome but if you have to start calling me names, don't bother, I won't read them. As my Dad says 'Opinions are like a**holes, everyone has one.'