For the first time in a while, I've got an interview scheduled for this afternoon. Usually, when you're looking for work, that is a good thing. Especially in this day and age when even "it's not what you know, it's who you know" is rapidly being replaced with "it's not who or what you know, it's how well a computer can find keywords in your resume." I don't know the last time I sent a resume to an actual person's attention. These days I find myself simply emailing attachments to "hiring@[insertcompanyhere]" So even getting to the point of an interview is a good thing. Right?
However - as any of you who have been or are currently unemployed probably know - if they offer me a position at less than my current Unemployment "pay", I'll be stuck deciding whether to stay unemployed (paying COBRA a ton of money every month so I have insurance, watching the employment gap on my resume get longer and longer, and wondering what happens when my savings runs dry), or to take a job with benefits but still not be able to make the rest of my ends meet. Which makes the topic of pay (and the current lack thereof) dilemma point #1.
To make matters more dilemmical (not sure that's a word, but it looks good doesn't it?), the interview is for a job in Retail. I've done Retail. I grew up in Retail (literally - I put in time in my parents' store from about the age of 5), and I'm not bad at sales, but I just SO don't want to do it any more. When I applied with the company, I put in for a managerial position (I'm a good people manager. Really. Ask 95% of the people I've hired/trained/managed/supervised over the years and they'll tell you so. The other 5%?... well... you can't please everyone...). The hiring people were nice enough (no sarcasm intended) to write back and say that "although the managerial positions were filled," they would like to talk to me about other positions. I emailed back and forth about Administrative, Training and Visual Merchandising positions, but today's interview is a dreaded Group Interview, which means we're all going to be assessed for generic position filling. Ugh.
**sidenote** Why do companies, when using Group Interviews, insist that there is no competition involved? I know it may not be intentional, but in a group setting we all compare person A to person B, C or D. It's just what we do. I've conducted Group Interviews in the past. I know that, no matter how hard I tried, I always compared people. So why not just admit it at the outset? **end sidenote**
Dilemma point #3 (don't tell any of the ancient Greeks that I've gone beyond two choices in this dilemma) is that I have to figure out what to wear. I've been told the company is "sophisticated casual," and that I should wear "khakis and a casual shirt" to the interview. But, although that sounds really tempting (especially since I have to go to the grocery store after the interview), I can't get my mind around doing that - especially since I'm hoping for a job off the salesfloor. I guess it's the "dress for the job you want" mindset. Which, considering this is Retail (see point #2), is even more difficult.
But... Well... I seem to be wandering off-topic. May main point of the day is that I'm a tad worried that I'll wear the right thing, that I'll conduct myself with aplomb in the interview, and that I'll be offered a position in Retail at less than my current rate of "Unemployment pay." At which point I'll have to come home and agonize about what to do.
Or, maybe, they won't offer me a position and then I'll have to figure out whether it was something I wore, something I did or didn't do, how I'll survive on my savings, and what in the world to do next.
Or, possibly scariest of all, I'll wear the right thing, I'll conduct myself appropriately, and I'll be offered a great paying position at a good company, where I can work 40 hours per week while attempting to pursue my other life goals in my off-time. After all, if it all works out and I'm still not happy, then what do I do?
Wish me luck. (I'll let you figure out which one to hope for.)
I'll keep you posted.
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