Real World: Job Search #11

At the Conference (Interview Marathon)

Going through interviews at the conference was absolutely one of the most exhausting experiences of my life. But it was also one of the coolest experiences, too.

The first part of the experience, which I highly recommend for those going through this in the future, is the orientation. It’s helpful to know where interviews will take place, where candidates wait for their interviews, and what resources are available to candidates as they wait. Also, every conference/placement does the messaging system between employers and candidates in a different way—it’s good to know how it works! I recommend that you ask questions if you have them. If you are wondering something, chances are, someone else is too!

A word about dress code: don’t ask what you should wear to an interview. You should know this. I know several people that were interviewing candidates at the conference and one of the biggest pieces of criticism I heard was about how candidates were dressed. Business professional. A suit. You can never go wrong with black, dark blue, or gray. At the very least, a dress shirt and pants/a skirt. Don’t wear a skirt that is too short, or a shirt that shows too much. Really tight clothing is not professional. Four-inch stiletto heels are also not incredibly professional (although I made the mistake of wearing them, too). Ties are not necessary, but are a nice touch. And for the sake of avoiding a fashion faux pas, wear a belt that matches your shoes!

Another word of caution: when scheduling your interviews, leave some time in between them. Interview slots are usually 30 minutes, so give your self one interview slot to be on the safe side. Some interviews may go longer than the thirty minutes and you don’t want to be late for next interview. Also, you just might need some time to yourself for a few minutes. Go to the bathroom. Get a drink. Write a thank you card. I am a huge extrovert, but smiling so much, being “on” all the time—well, it takes a lot out of you. I just needed time to decompress between interviews.

I was surprised at the tenseness in the candidate waiting area. When some of the coordinators of the placement came to see how everyone was doing, they were like “SMILE!” One candidate said it best: “We’re saving it for the interview.” That’s the thing about placement; you really do need to be on top of your game. And don’t talk about interviewers or anything negative anywhere someone might overhear you. This includes elevators. I was amazed at some candidates who trashed a school with whom they had interviewed while there were six conference attendees in the elevator. Student Affairs is a small profession. I can assure you that someone on that elevator knew someone she was talking about. If you need to vent, do it in the hotel room. Or really far away from the conference site.

Interviewing: there was a rhythm to the madness. I’d interview, go hide out in the bathroom for a little while, write a thank you note, fill up my water bottle, read over my notes for my next interview, and then go to my next interview. Rinse. Repeat.

After my first full day of interviewing, I was absolutely exhausted. I’ve never been so tired before in my life. I wound up going back to the hotel room, taking a shower, double-checking interview times for the following day, and then going to bed—at 8pm. Granted, I had spent a large portion of time that day walking around the city, seeing the sites, doing the touristy thing. But mostly, it was the interviewing that wiped me out—mentally.

The interview process, while grueling, was a great experience. Meeting people in person, rather than interviewing over the phone, gave you a better sense of the people at the institution. You could see their body language and their reactions to your responses. And things come out in the interviews that might not come out in a phone interview—which may make you question your desire to work at the institution.

It was educational. A few things I learned: if you’re gonna go site-seeing, bring sunscreen. Pack a pair of really really comfortable shoes. Try to see as many people as you can. When some of our superstars in the field of Student Affairs are giving a talk, go. Volunteer. Don’t forget to eat. And take some time out for self and just have fun.

That last one is important. We’re fortunate enough to work in a field that is fun. We get to work with students and work FOR students. That’s the most salient take-away from the conference. Have fun. And everything else is just kinda falling into place.