Much as I hate taking orders from people, a regular job definitely sounds like a safer option. I often end up giving interviews, more out of necessity than general market scanning for my candidature :)
So in one more such attempt to grab my dream job I decided to appear for an interview with a reputed company. But....
The Problem
Unfortunately a day before the interview my PG owner suddenly decided to renovate
our entire flat
Although they had informed us before hand, I didn’t realise that the scheduled interview might clash with day of renovation.
So here I was preparing for the interview sitting right at the center of all the clutter & a upside down flat.
The D-Day
The next day finally dawned with me running around, rummaging the entire house trying to get ready. The interview was scheduled during the first half of the day.
Just as I was about to leave, it occurred to me that something was missing….Oh lord, the Gold Earrings!!
Should I wait & search for it or leave - I was already running late. I hardly did have any other choice than to forget about the earrings & run for the interview, which was precisely what I did.
But the issue kept playing in my mind.
The Goof up
Inspite of my troubled mind, the interview started well. After clearing some of the initial questions I relaxed and so did the interviewer. Then we chatted generally about different company policies and workplace atmosphere. He also started telling me about his own experiences in his earlier companies. By now I had become comfortable with the way the interview was going and thought maybe this is where it ends or is about to end.
But for some reason the guy bounced back with this age-old question “ So tell me, what do you know about our company?”
Ok..so I was prepared with the answer but just as I was about to answer it, his phone rang with a loud shrill. He said “Excuse me”. I said “Sure” and sat there thinking particularly nothing, waiting for his call to end.
While he was busy on the call my mind wandered back to the issue of the earring – Where did I keep it. In the drawer..No…In the cupboard …No..umm..ohh right…the red purse inside my second favourite handbag. There it was. It did finally occur to me but now the question was, where exactly was that favourite purse…oh lord..not again
“ So we were discussing something about the company, ok, so where were we?” the interviewer asked
“umm..err” I faked a smile
He smiled back…though weirdly
“Sir…your company is truly great…it is a well known brand and and..umm err..”
“Well, that is something we already know..tell me something new” he said
“ You provide personalised services to customers and umm err” I fumbled, my mind was blank due to the sudden shift from the earring to the Company topic.
I somehow mumbled something and completed the question. By now, the interviewer had stopped prodding me since it was obvious that I was going nowhere. Although even he was surprised as to what happened to chatterbox Me.
After some uncomfortable moments he told me that they will get back to me shortly. So I thanked him & left kicking & cursing myself hundred times over.
By the end of the day, I was sure of 2 things:
Firstly,I knew that I was certainly not getting that job and
Secondly….I will never again wear that jinxed gold earring..I hated it by now.
I should be so Lucky..Lucky…Lucky
Well, let me tell you one thing, just for the record. I never get a job without messing up the interview…. Meaning I have to truly ruin it, to get that Job.
So as the above Kylie Minogue number goes, I had every reason to call myself lucky. Even with all the pessimistic thinking & negative self analysis, I actually did get the call for the next, final round.
And I guess all’s well that ends well.
Subscribe via RSS feed
