It’s wise to prep for job interviews. I’m someone who doesn’t take interviewing lightly, and I believe that you can never be too prepared.
Last summer, I scored an interview with a major TV show not hosted by Tyra Banks or Heidi Klum. I locked myself in the basement for days to get ready. I watched the 20th anniversary DVDs, memorized lines from various guests, took enough notes to fill a whole FiveStar, and had my mom bring my meals to our dungeon of a basement. I only left my job cellar to float on a raft in our pool (I wanted a glowing tan to impress HR)—but I'd always bring a notebook with me so I could keep working while I got some sun.
I bought a typical “interview outfit” consisting of a suit jacket, pencil skirt, and fun but conservative blouse. I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought these items; I must have decided it was time to accept a life of boredom. Or maybe someone told me it's a good idea to wear an oversized blazer that looks like it belongs to your obese mom who has freakishly long arms.
I didn't get the job.
Last Friday, I had a big interview at a place where I truly want to work. To prepare, I came up with potential questions my interviewers might ask, such as, “Why are you a good fit for our company?,” “Tell us about a time you failed and a time you succeeded,” and my favorite, “Where do you see yourself in five years?" (Answer: Hopefully alive.) I also decided it was necessary and important to treat myself to yet another interview outfit. My oversized blazer screamed, "I need a new job so I can afford a blazer tailored to my own body!" or possibly "My arms used to be longer before that freak boating accident!" or "I keep my fingers in my sleeves because I bite my nails and eat them for lunch!" I wanted a zippy new outfit that said: "I am fun to work with! Not only do I approach projects with a can-do mentality, but I have a complete wardrobe and a full life! After a cup of coffee and a quick peek at the morning news online, I am ready for a busy day, full of events!"
I consulted a fashion expert at Anthropologie. He could sense my desperate need for help, and he led me around the store, picking out a playfully professional skirt and a blazer that fit. He threw me into a fitting room, where he kept adding items and items. Before I knew it I had not only spent over $500 dollars on an interview outfit, but purchased must-haves for the completely busy and fancy life I lead in the suburbs with my family. After spending all that hard-earned cash, I felt really confident. Until I made a huge mistake.
When you're prepping for an interview, you hear great advice from helpful people, everything from "dress conservatively" to "make sure you send a handwritten thank-you card." What no one told me was this: never eat a blue gumball before your interview.
So here I am at home, my tongue a blue blaze. My cab is supposed to pick me up in less than five minutes and I look like I just French kissed a Smurf or resuscitated a member of the Blue Man group. Seriously, who eats a blue gumball before an interview? Oh yeah, I do! I try rinsing my mouth with water first, cursing my own name. I try taking a paper towel and scrubbing my tongue. I begin to sweat and become even more flustered, breathing hard and feeling like I should kick myself in the face. But that wouldn’t make for a good first impression either. I use my freshly manicured nails to try and remove the evidence of my lack of judgment. I run out downstairs and chug water from a bottle. Once I get in the cab, I consult the driver and ask him for an opinion. He says it’s really not that bad. But I have him drop me off at a 7-Eleven so I can get more water and WHITE gum, which I'm thinking will absorb the remaining blueness on my tongue. When I ask the girl behind the register to check out my tongue, she tells me she doesn’t even know what I’m talking about. I'm not reassured.
This is exactly why it's important to give yourself more than enough time before your interview. You can never be too prepared, because you never know when something as small as eating a gumball will change the course of your day. Prepare yourself.
UPDATE: Ashley's not sure if she got the job yet. We will let you know when she finds out! —SparkNotes editors
Have you had any interview mishaps?
Related post: The Diary of Ashley Spencer: The Fear and Loathing in Chicago
Topics: Life
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