Stress and Interviews
After a recent downsizing at my company as a result of being bought out by a new company has left me searching for a new position. I find going on interviews to be so stressful and taxing. Does anyone have any ideas about how to handle stress and interviews. On a recent interview I was asked why I had chosen this particular company. I answered (quite lamely I might add) that I enjoyed the company's sushi bar and that I thought their establishment was clean. In retrospect, I now know that this was the wrong answer. Does anyone have any advice on how to interact in a way that is socially appropriate? I never know what the "right" answer is to anything, I just wish people would be direct. I cannot understand their hidden questions or hidden agendas.
Interviews for me
Interviews for me have always been difficult. I tend to get very nervous and panicky when a person (or people) ask me questions about my self in a forum like an interview. I also get nervous because half of the time I don't know what to expect.
For a example, when I got an interview for my job I was very shocked and shaken. I did not expect a group of people interviewing me and asking me questions that I could not elaborate on very well. It was a embarrassing experience for me. I did get the job (I'm still stuck in it for the last 7 years).
As I learned how interviews worked I became a little more comfortable. It's still a challenge for me, especially that I haven't been on a job interview in a little over a year.
I do find it hard to prepare because you can never really know what kinds of questions will be asked of you, who's going to do the interview and their responses.
By the way, one thing that I try to do at the end of interviews is ask them questions. I try to (before the interview) think of questions about the potential job and place that I might be working for.
Stress & Interviews
I am not sure what the situation is in the US, but in the UK legislation states that you can ask for reasonable adjustments for an interview as a result of any disability.
Explaining why you have a lesser ability to infer, and so would appreciate direct questions, would reduce potential stress, ease the pressure on you and also make the experience more comfortable.
The other option is simply to ask if you don't understand something!
Personally, I have been guilty in the past of not having the confidence to ask people to repeat questions in interviews. There is nothing wrong in doing so or asking for further clarification. Previously I have not done so and it has had detrimental consequences.
I wonder - looking back - if this was a result of my passive or incomplete listening. As is typical for many people with Asperger, I have "top line" listened only and switched off early, meaning that I have only got the gist of the message and not its full or underlying meaning.
I have then responded incompletely which has indicated that I have not paid full attention.
Listen carefully and, if you do fully understand something ask! Most interviewers won't mind and would probably appreciate it.
Stress and interviews
Another opportunity for a p*** take, here. I always did best in interviews when I was either late or completely over the top. Seems that you d best in interviews when you are BIG, memorable, passionate. If you can turn it on at an interview, you're okay. the hard part is keeping the job! Once 'they' find out you're not really very confident and don't know how to handle work situations, it gets tricky. Best of luck.....
Laurie
Being Yourself
I know what you mean about being "up" for an interview, performing , getting the job and then not being able to maintain the act/image.
The three jobs that I have been most successful in - and happy personally - however, have all been secured after interviews when I have simply been myself.
The key reason why I was able to do this was because of the interviewer. I felt comfortable with all of them and able to be myself. Consequently, I came across well and was able to work effectively with them afterwards.
I concluded a long time ago now that the only way to perform in interviews is to be who you are! Remember, it means that our strengths that others don't have will also shine through as well.
If the job is not meant to be its not right for you. My current manager (and the person who interviewed me in the first job mentioned above), all were simply out to find out who I was and what I was about. There were no games.
Those are the jobs and the managers I look for; the others I just let pass.
Interviews
I loathe interviews with a passion as they are simply too threatening. Perhaps a phone interview would be okay as I wouldn't have to look at the other person.
They are looking at different promotion processes where I work. When it was done in-house, there was too much favouritism and patronage. When outsourced, some assessment centres were bungled for instance, one lady said she wasn't allowed to eat all day and got low blood sugar and almost fainted. Plus, because she is middle aged - she was spoken to rudely.
I think the organisation is gradually improving but I'm still not game to apply for a promotion.
I have problems with
I have problems with answering questions innapropriatly or mis-understanding the question they are asking for. In a recent interview I was asked to describe myself. From searching around on the web and reading different blogs I have found that this question is NT code for telling about your professional accomplishments. So as I rattled off my different duties and some small changes that I helped innovate, my interviewer looked increasingly bored. After I had finished, he said, okay, now tell me about yourself. He wanted to know about me personally! Simply to say, I just didn't understand the context of the question. I didn't get the position, which I was very dissapointed with, but it was a learning experience.
However, and this is another topic, would it be okay to ask a interviewer if they would like to know my professional accomplishments or about me personally when given that question? I don't see that going over too well, but I honestly don't know which one they want me to answer.