I got tripped up...

I got tripped up. My second interview was going pretty well. I had a good rapport going with the interview board (five people) and I get one of those dreaded questions. “Think of a failure you’ve had at work, what was the outcome?” Chirp, chirp… I sort mail for a living. The worst thing that can happen is I put a piece of mail in the wrong mailbox. It comes back the next day and I try again. Not very spectacular. So, I came up with an answer. Probably not the best answer but it was better than nothing.

Interviews are hard. I went in as prepared as I could. Left the rest up to God. I did not get the job, not because of my answer but because someone had more experience. I understand that. No hard feelings. It wasn’t meant to be. I was told that I interviewed very well and that they want me to apply again in the future when there is an opening.

Chalk it up to experience. Now I have time to take some courses that will help me if I apply again. I can go in even more prepared. Don’t take not getting the job as a failure. It is a learning experience. It is motivational. Better yourself for the next time. I bet they make a book, “interviewing for dummies.” I will have to look.

So, the key is to not panic when you get a difficult question. It is okay to take a moment and think of an answer. A well thought out answer is better then a quick response. I had to really dig but I thought of a time when I had an issue with a coworker. It was a failure in teamwork. All was resolved and the coworker and I ended up good friends. I learned about better communications. It is more about what you learned about the situation, than the situation itself.

I still can’t think of a better answer then the one I gave. I’ve racked my brain. It’s not that I don’t have failure at work it just isn’t monumental when it happens. I might meter a piece of mail at the wrong price. I make the adjustment, tell myself to pay more attention to what I’m doing and move on. Maybe I would have felt better about the question if it was worded as a mistake rather than a failure. I make mistakes all the time. Kick myself in the butt and move on.

Interviewing is just an experience. Good or bad, it helps you grow. You learn about yourself just as much as the interviewer learns about you. Have confidence in your abilities. Take pride in what you have accomplished. Go in and prove why you are the best person for the job. If you don’t get the job, climb back on that horse and do it again. Never stop learning and experiencing life. As always, live life to its fullest.