Author Topic: Very stressed about recent job interview  (Read 4713 times)

FiguringItOut

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Very stressed about recent job interview
« on: November 10, 2017, 07:38:24 AM »
I interviewed for a new job this past Monday and now have been sitting on pins and needles ever since to see what will happen next.

Initially recruiter said to follow up with her today since they are interviewing all week.  This morning she said that they still have 4 more people scheduled for next week and to follow up with her next Friday.  She also said that they told her that they liked me, but that's it.  I have one big negative tick against me - lack of certification that they would prefer though.  Though during the interview they said that it's a preference and not an absolute requirement. However, I have a feeling that it is a very strong preference. I am so stressed about this.  I did manage both people who interviewed me to specifically say to me that they are looking for skills set and fit and not just certification and that they both thought my skill set would fit well within their group and the position (I always ask for a little feed back from interviewer while I'm there).

I loved the company and the people I spoke with. It is a great opportunity to change my field a little while staying with the same industry.  The new skills would be much more transferable in the future to other jobs too.  It would be about 17% bump in salary, plus more vacation days, 100% employer paid medical (I am paying $700/month right now), 401k match, annual bonuses and raises.  Commute would be a little longer, 1.5 hrs vs 1.25 right now, but it's all public transit so shouldn't be huge deal.  Much better location for lunch time walks.  Much better hours.  Low turnover.  The position I interviewed for is a new position.  People who interviewed me have been there for 18 and 4 years respectively. 

My current place sucks.  Low morale.  High turnover.  Been here for 1.5 yr and no raises/bonuses.  Worst medical insurance I've ever seen (both cost and coverage).  Only 10 days vacation.  No 401k match. Zero flexibility. 

I've been looking for new job, but haven't seen anything really interesting.  Plus my lack of certification is a big question mark anywhere in the industry, so that's a problem.  The certification is at least a 2 year process. And I've tried to take exams in the past, but I am really bad at taking tests and I haven't been able to pass.  This is the most shameful thing for me that I can't pass these stupid tests. 

Anyway, I wanted to send a note/email to the people I interviewed with to reiterate how interested I am in the position, but my recruiter said that if I do, I should send a note to her and she will forward it to them.  I am not sure about this, but people at this place seem to be a bit hands off as far as interviewing process.  They even have recruiter put interviews directly on their calendars instead of them selecting best days/times themselves.  When I showed up for my interview on Monday, the person didn't even remember that I was scheduled, but then checked his calendar, grabbed my resume from his desk and was ready to go.  And he did explain that they are very informal and basically let recruiter run this process in terms of scheduling.  He said I was 3rd or 4th person they interviewed and they have 3-4 more this week.  And today recruiter said they have at least 3 more scheduled for next week.  At that point they will make a decision to either make an offer or do a second round with short list candidates.

So, do I send an email for them to the recruiter?  And what do I say in?  I am really bad at composing cover/thank you letters.

And how do I calm down my nerves for the time being?  And later deal with disappointment if I don't get an offer? 








FIRE 20/20

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #1 on: November 10, 2017, 08:38:34 AM »
Everything you described in your 6th paragraph (Anyway, I wanted...) sounds totally normal to me.  That's how my current company works. 
I would send a note for them to the recruiter.  If possible, have a friend who has worked as a hiring manager read the e-mail before you send it.  And if you do send something, proof-read it a bunch of times.  Bad grammar and spelling will only hurt your chances.  I recommend keeping the note very short - no more than about 3 sentences.  I'm sure you can find recommendations online for what to write; my only comment is that the hiring managers don't want to read anything too long.  They're probably doing their >full time jobs plus interviewing, so they don't have time to read a novel. 

As for calming your nerves, I don't have much to offer.  To be blunt, if there are more than 2 total candidates (and it sounds like there are), the odds just aren't good.  To make the odds work for you you'll need to apply to a lot of jobs.  I would expect that you won't get the job and move on to working on getting the next one.  This isn't a comment on your qualifications but if there are N total candidates, with an absence of other information your odds are 1/N.  You've done everything you can now, so I would try to focus on what you can control which is getting your certifications so you're a better candidate for the next position you want.  What is the quote - Fortune favors the prepared mind?  Even if you really want this job and don't see any other opportunities, I promise that there will be others that look just as good in the future.  The question is - will you be better prepared for them?  Work you do today will set you up to get the position tomorrow.  Start the 2 year process to get the certifications you need.  Start taking practice tests so you pass next time.  Study so you know the materials on the tests better.  Find a group where you can practice your interviewing skills.  Maybe join Toastmasters to practice public speaking so you're better prepared for the next interview.  Develop your network so you hear about openings before they're posted and someone will recommend you.  A bad strategy is to put all your hopes and dreams on this one opportunity.  A better one is to realize that there will be more opportunities in the future and to do the hard work to be ready to seize the next one when it arises.  There will be disappointment if you don't get this job - no way around that - but it will be tempered if you know you're taking active steps to get the next one. 

Good luck. 

wordnerd

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2017, 08:56:19 AM »
Good luck! I've heard anecdotally that thank you notes don't help (I think maybe AMA has weighed on the issue), so maybe don't send especially if they seem hands off? It sounds like you handled the interview well. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

Crease

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2017, 09:03:10 AM »
Best advice I can give is to send a thank you note then just assume you're not getting an offer and continue hunting. You may think it's the best opportunity you're going to get. It's not! Keep going.

Getting a job is, to an extent, a numbers game. The more submissions the better. Make it a ritual. Perfect your resume and cover letter and get it out to as many jobs you like as possible. Worst case you get called in for a job you're not all that interested in and it's an opportunity to practice your interview skills. I had a couple of job hunt heartbreaks over the past few months and thought I was never going to exit the current bad situation. That's morbid though and almost never true. The key though is to keep pushing forward. Below is a sample thank you note that works for me:

Dear ______,

Again, thank you for giving me some of your time yesterday. I enjoyed learning more about the role and appreciated the opportunity to meet with you and _____. I remain excited about the possibility of joining the team, so please let me know if I can provide you with additional information that would aid the selection process.

Very truly yours,

__________
« Last Edit: November 10, 2017, 09:06:34 AM by Crease »

FiguringItOut

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2017, 09:07:55 AM »
Thank you for responses.

I'm practicing my zen breathing till next Friday.

zinnie

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2017, 09:12:07 AM »
Best advice I can give is to send a thank you note then just assume you're not getting an offer and continue hunting.

Getting a job is, to an extent, a numbers game. The more submissions the better. Make it a ritual. Perfect your resume and cover letter and get it out to as many jobs you like as possible. Worst case you get called in for a job you're not all that interested in and it's an opportunity to practice your interview skills. I had a couple of job hunt heartbreaks over the past few months and thought I was never going to exit the current bad situation. That's morbid though and almost never true. The key though is to keep pushing forward. Below is a sample thank you note that works for me:

Dear ______,

Again, thank you for giving me some of your time yesterday. I enjoyed learning more about the role and appreciated the opportunity to meet with you and _____. I remain excited about the possibility of joining the team, so please let me know if I can provide you with additional information that would aid the selection process.

Very truly yours,

__________

Seconding this advice. I would just add something specific that you discussed with them in the interview--either something you really liked about the company or that you discussed with the people you talked to. The point of the thank you is to remind them you exist and reiterate that you are very interested in the position. I've interviewed people before and came out of it not quite sure that they really wanted the position. A thank you with specifics about what they liked about the team or company did always give them a leg up in my mind.

It is bizarre that the recruiter told you not to send notes to the interviewers. How did that even come up? I feel like usually you just get the interviewer's contact info while talking to them and write them on your own. I'd respect their wishes on this--maybe they are getting a huge number of applicants and want to avoid burdening everyone with a lot of contacts. In the example above, you could perhaps address one note to all of the people you met and send to the recruiter so she can forward on to them.

Good luck!

pk_aeryn

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2017, 11:58:46 PM »
I wouldn't wait more than 24 hours to email a thank you note- some hiring managers don't care but you don't want to upset the ones who want them! 

cchrissyy

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2017, 12:16:01 AM »
good luck! while you're waiting I highly recommend reading www.askamanager.org

Lmoot

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2017, 04:23:03 AM »
Is there a way to tell them pursuing the certification is an eventual goal of yours? If you're in an industry in which that certification might be helpful, it might behoove you to get it...and definitely to let them know that's in your plan as part of your personal growth. Hire-ups LOVE hearing about the future...and growth. They subsist on it.

Papa bear

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2017, 05:42:43 AM »
Internal recruiter or third party recruiter telling you to send the thank you to them? 

Big distinction here. 

If it's the third party recruiter, go ahead and send that thank you note to the interviewers. If it's an internal recruiter, only send it to them.

I have only had 1 client ever in my career that did NOT accept thank you letters to the interviewers.  Found out after we gave the interviewee all the manager contact info for a follow up. No harm done though, just an odd policy.


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MrsPete

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2017, 09:13:42 AM »
First, no point in stressing about the interview.  It's done.  Whether it was good or bad, it's done.  Worry changes nothing.  Often interviewers say, "I'll make a decision within a week", then it's longer -- these decisions aren't all that easy.

Second, yes, you should've sent a written (not email) thank you note to the person with whom you interviewed literally within hours of interviewing.  Regardless of what your recruiter said, the note should've gone directly to the person with whom you interviewed.  It should've been no more than half a page and should've said thanks for your time, very interested in the position, particularly interested in /looking forward to ___ about your company, reiterate your contact information, goodbye. 

Having not sent the note promptly, is it too late now?  It's not ideal, but I'd send it.  You have nothing to lose. 


LeRainDrop

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LeRainDrop

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #12 on: November 11, 2017, 10:06:09 AM »
I've heard anecdotally that thank you notes don't help (I think maybe AMA has weighed on the issue) . . . .

Ask A Manager says:  "Now, if you're not the best candidate, a thank-you note isn't going to change that. No one is going to hire the lower-tier candidate just because of a thank-you note. And if you're the undisputed top candidate, the lack of a thank-you note probably isn't going to stop you from being hired. However, when the decision is close between you and another candidate, a thoughtful note can tilt the scales in your direction—especially if the note isn't just a perfunctory "Thank you for your time," but contains substance that builds on the conversation you had during the interview."  https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2012/06/27/how-a-thank-you-note-can-boost-your-job-chances

LeRainDrop

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #13 on: November 11, 2017, 10:13:05 AM »
Second, yes, you should've sent a written (not email) thank you note to the person with whom you interviewed literally within hours of interviewing. . . . 

Ask A Manager says:

"Email is totally fine for interview thank-you notes — in fact, in most cases it’s better . . . . And most of the time, email is actually preferable these days. That’s because:

  • It gets there faster. If you stick a note in the the mail, the hiring decision may already be made by the time it arrives.
  • Even if it arrives reasonably quickly, it may sit unopened for weeks. These days, because so much more business is done by email than postal mail, many people don’t check their physical work mailboxes that frequently.
  • It’s business correspondence, not social correspondence. People who send thank-you’s by mail usually handwrite them … which you really don’t need to do for business correspondence. There are still people who like receiving handwritten thank-you notes from job candidates, but I think they’re quickly becoming the minority."

http://www.askamanager.org/2017/01/should-you-send-job-interview-thank-you-notes-through-email-or-postal-mail.html

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Linea_Norway

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #15 on: November 11, 2017, 10:50:42 AM »
Try to "occasionally" run into one of the people you interviewed with. Maybe you can chat with them and make them more well known.
I once ran into my present boss on the train, sat next to her. She remembered my application. Next time they had a vacancy I received an email from her, asking me to send in my application.

Case

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #16 on: November 12, 2017, 06:07:30 AM »
I interviewed for a new job this past Monday and now have been sitting on pins and needles ever since to see what will happen next.

Initially recruiter said to follow up with her today since they are interviewing all week.  This morning she said that they still have 4 more people scheduled for next week and to follow up with her next Friday.  She also said that they told her that they liked me, but that's it.  I have one big negative tick against me - lack of certification that they would prefer though.  Though during the interview they said that it's a preference and not an absolute requirement. However, I have a feeling that it is a very strong preference. I am so stressed about this.  I did manage both people who interviewed me to specifically say to me that they are looking for skills set and fit and not just certification and that they both thought my skill set would fit well within their group and the position (I always ask for a little feed back from interviewer while I'm there).

I loved the company and the people I spoke with. It is a great opportunity to change my field a little while staying with the same industry.  The new skills would be much more transferable in the future to other jobs too.  It would be about 17% bump in salary, plus more vacation days, 100% employer paid medical (I am paying $700/month right now), 401k match, annual bonuses and raises.  Commute would be a little longer, 1.5 hrs vs 1.25 right now, but it's all public transit so shouldn't be huge deal.  Much better location for lunch time walks.  Much better hours.  Low turnover.  The position I interviewed for is a new position.  People who interviewed me have been there for 18 and 4 years respectively. 

My current place sucks.  Low morale.  High turnover.  Been here for 1.5 yr and no raises/bonuses.  Worst medical insurance I've ever seen (both cost and coverage).  Only 10 days vacation.  No 401k match. Zero flexibility. 

I've been looking for new job, but haven't seen anything really interesting.  Plus my lack of certification is a big question mark anywhere in the industry, so that's a problem.  The certification is at least a 2 year process. And I've tried to take exams in the past, but I am really bad at taking tests and I haven't been able to pass.  This is the most shameful thing for me that I can't pass these stupid tests. 

Anyway, I wanted to send a note/email to the people I interviewed with to reiterate how interested I am in the position, but my recruiter said that if I do, I should send a note to her and she will forward it to them.  I am not sure about this, but people at this place seem to be a bit hands off as far as interviewing process.  They even have recruiter put interviews directly on their calendars instead of them selecting best days/times themselves.  When I showed up for my interview on Monday, the person didn't even remember that I was scheduled, but then checked his calendar, grabbed my resume from his desk and was ready to go.  And he did explain that they are very informal and basically let recruiter run this process in terms of scheduling.  He said I was 3rd or 4th person they interviewed and they have 3-4 more this week.  And today recruiter said they have at least 3 more scheduled for next week.  At that point they will make a decision to either make an offer or do a second round with short list candidates.

So, do I send an email for them to the recruiter?  And what do I say in?  I am really bad at composing cover/thank you letters.

And how do I calm down my nerves for the time being?  And later deal with disappointment if I don't get an offer?

It’s normal to get excitd amd worried about a job you really want. But, your post wreaks of desperation, as well as being young, inexperienced, and unfamiliar with what is normal in various workplaces.  Its hard to tell if you came across that way to them since i wasnt there, but somethings in your post do suggest that.  I think you need to spend some time getting a grip on yourself, and yes, meditation is a great start.  Sorry if this is harsh, but its best you hear it on random internet forum than from an interviewer (for example).  You want to come across as confident and well composed.

For interview letters, i dont think they matter all that much, so if you do it, keep it short and simple.  “It was great to meet you, i really love the company, i hope this works out”.  The end.  Maybe a simple line to connect to the covnersaton you had.  Thank you cards have a lot more potential to mess up an interview than to do great stuff.  If they really want you, you fill get an offer.  A thank you card can only help if its a closecall or there were tons of forgettable interviewees.

What is the certification?  Is it important enough to spend money on a course to improve likelihood of passing?  Sounds like a lot of employers want it from you.

Case

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Re: Very stressed about recent job interview
« Reply #17 on: November 12, 2017, 06:20:05 AM »
Second, yes, you should've sent a written (not email) thank you note to the person with whom you interviewed literally within hours of interviewing. . . . 

Ask A Manager says:

"Email is totally fine for interview thank-you notes — in fact, in most cases it’s better . . . . And most of the time, email is actually preferable these days. That’s because:

  • It gets there faster. If you stick a note in the the mail, the hiring decision may already be made by the time it arrives.
  • Even if it arrives reasonably quickly, it may sit unopened for weeks. These days, because so much more business is done by email than postal mail, many people don’t check their physical work mailboxes that frequently.
  • It’s business correspondence, not social correspondence. People who send thank-you’s by mail usually handwrite them … which you really don’t need to do for business correspondence. There are still people who like receiving handwritten thank-you notes from job candidates, but I think they’re quickly becoming the minority."

http://www.askamanager.org/2017/01/should-you-send-job-interview-thank-you-notes-through-email-or-postal-mail.html

This is correct.

Also, think if you did some interviews. Do you care whether or not someone sends a note at all?  I sure as hell dont.  I care about whether they were a good match for the job, which was determined at the job interview, not in the letter afterwards.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!