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Friday, November 02, 2007

Friday Five: Interviews

Songbird just had an interview for a "vague and interesting" possibility, and More Cows than People is doing campus visits for doctoral programs. There always seem to be a few RevGals applying for new positions, and I just got my first call for this year's preliminary interviews for college teaching jobs at the American Academy of Religion meeting in San Diego coming up in a few weeks. It's for my dream job among this year's offerings, and I am flipflopping between excitement and nervousness. So please keep your fingers crossed and say a little prayer for everyone facing such conversations, and share your thoughts on the wonderful world of interviews:

1. What was the most memorable interview you ever had?

2. Have you ever been the interviewer rather than the interviewee? If so, are you a tiger, a creampuff, or somewhere in between?

3. Do phone interviews make you more or less nervous than in-person ones?

4. What was the best advice you ever got to prepare for an interview? How about the worst?

5. Do you have any pre-interview rituals that give you confidence?

As always, let us know in comments if you play. Post a direct link to your blog entry in your comment using the following formulation:
<a href="the url of your blog post goes here">what you want the link to say goes here</a>
For a complete how-to, click here.

51 comments:

  1. Great questions Laura.

    I think interviews are much more laid back in Finland with a lot of emphasis placed on your education/qualifications though.

    When hubby and I were newly weds we both went for interviews in another town -both nailed the jobs - and turned them both down. So glad we did - being a foreigner in Finland was hard enough at first even in a large town!

    Have a great weekend everyone. We celebrate All Saints Day here in Finland tomorrow -all the shops are closed.

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  2. here we are :-)
    An amazingly timely Five. Thank you.

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  3. As a Rehabilitation Counselor, I've done a lot of vocational counseling. so here goes, with tips for the job seeker!

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  4. Happy National Blogging Month.

    This is my 1st post this month!

    Happy 200th post to me!

    Here is the trifecta!

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  5. I don't think I am going to have time to do this one (sigh) although it sounds great.

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  6. Fun and thoughtful play, Mother Laura. This is my interview!

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  7. I interviewed with style here.

    If you visit... check out the pic in the post right below Friday Five. I'm just saying....

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  8. Thanks, Bishop Laura, I really enjoyed this one.

    (And, I really enjoy addressing you as Bishop Laura.)

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  9. This woke up the brain cells! Thanks for a good F5, Bishop Laura! (This is how I address my Bp, so why not you?)
    I played here. Be sure to check out what follows as well...my NaBloPoMo Gratitude Post #2 and Maggie the Peke's Interview are posted also!

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  10. On my last day of freedom before starting a job, I played!

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  11. I've done enough of these in the past 6 months to be glad to have the monkey off my back. Here's my interview.

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  12. Laura- this was fun, I am away for the weekend- but will enjoy catching up when I get back :-)

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  13. I played here though I'm afraid it wasn't very inspired.

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  14. Since I am dusting off the old resume [it was 8 years old] and seeking a new position of some kind to pay the bills, this is a really timely F5 for me. I will so appreciate everyone's shared experiences when I can this evening.

    In the meantime, I played here. Thanks, Bp. Laura.

    You can also catch up with me on my decision to leave one of two pulpits and keep the other.

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  15. Every time I play Friday Five I remember what a blogging slug I've been lately. So I'm going (try) to post something today!

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  16. This is a very timely Friday Five for me! I played right here.

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  17. I would like to play this but I am doing the paper thang. And then a sermon thang. And then life.

    so I'll come by and read later... I hope.

    deb

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  18. sing along with me to an 80's classic

    yeah so is it bad that i'm thinking i'll stay in the same call forever so i don't ever have to interview again?

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  19. Well-timed, Mother Laura! I interviewed a few weeks ago. Some reminiscence about that and other experiences here.

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  20. excellent preparation, since I also need to be requesting prayers for discernment, etc.

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  21. Great questions. Hope the interviews go well for all those facing them. I played here

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  22. i played just in time to hand off my computer so i probably won't read all of yours terribly soon!

    You can find mine (including a funny interview story) here.

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  23. I played here and added a funny bonus too!

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  24. This my play.

    It is pretty short, my fingers and wrists are a little sore today.

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  25. Sorry, I forgot to put my address. One of these days I am going to learn this link thingy.

    www.foraseason.blogspot.com

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  26. I'm always late, but better late than never, I suppose... I talked about my most offensive interview here.

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  27. Thanks Laura for the interesting questions. I played here

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  28. My dad read my Friday Five and emailed his best advice. If you have an interview coming up, his words are pretty classic. And he's hired a LOT of people. ;-)

    Write down any questions you might have.
    Use mouthwash.
    Turn off your cell phone.
    Come early, but explain to a receptionist that you know you are early.
    Put all your important papers like your resume in a nice binder.
    Be confident but not overconfident.
    Be sure to say thanks.
    Dress modestly.
    Go to the bathroom before you get to the interview.
    Try to think of all the questions and be prepared.
    Smile.

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  29. Oh yeah!
    I always make sure Mugs and Melech are fed well before a phone interview and hope they will be quite.
    Actually, during one interview (before i got Mugsy, Melech sat in middle lf living room and looked t me. It was as if to say, " I am so with you, go get 'em, you can do it"
    Very helpful to have this type of support. Also, for anyone in seminary, if you live in dorms...We always put a sign on our door indicaitng the time nad to please not knock or walk in and say anything!

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  30. RevHod
    love the advice from your dad -especially the go to the bathroom and smile bit :)

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  31. Never be late to an interview, but it's okay to be late to a meme, right?

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  32. You can come visit and count this as a play, since it’s still Friday somewhere.

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  33. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  34. I played: http://anothercountry.blogspot.com

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  35. I played, really late, I know, but here it is,

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  36. Well its Saturday morning, and I am definitely avoiding my sermon writing. So here is my version on Saturday


    Good Friday Five questions.

    I will be praying for you all as you go through your interviewing processes.

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  37. Interview? At a Face to face clergy job fair, my husband and I met with a committee from LA. We walked into the interview room and they had removed the shade on the lamp, to see us better'. First question..Would you preach abortion from the pulpit? no. ok... next question.. finally they asked if it would matter to these southern Louisiana folk that John and I were both born in Ohio.
    "OH my NO! my brother lives in Atlanta."

    we didn't pursue this call any further.
    The scary part was they liked us.

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