Job Interview Woes

[shihtzulover]

Many of you probably remember that I interviewed for a job awhile back, and was waiting to hear back from the company. I finally did, and my interviewer explained that while she decided to hire someone with more experience, she was very impressed with my resume. She recommended me for other possible positions within the company, so I interviewed for one of them, and also for a few other positions with other companies.

I didn't really click with the people at the facility where she recommended me. Actually, I liked my would-be coworkers just fine, but I didn't really like the person that would be my boss - she seemed like she was just being nice because she had to. I also would have had to move for that position, and it was a really bad area. The closest nicer area was still a 30-minute drive away, and even though it was nice, the town was small, with no good restaurants or stores around for easy access. I also don't think that I would feel safe even going to work in that bad area, especially since I would be required to work after dark sometimes. I also don't think that I would ever feel comfortable wearing my new engagement ring there, and I have also been wanting to get a new car - but definitely wouldn't if I lived there. I was supposed to hear on Friday or Monday, but haven't heard a thing. I'm hoping that I didn't get it, because I don't want to have to make that decision.

I interviewed for another position, and I feel like the job description was misleading. This was for a sales support specialist with the opportunity to move into sales, and the ad said 'limited travel'. This isn't exactly my field, but it blends a little bit, because it involved selling medical things. Anyway, I got there, and discovered that they really want the person that they hire to move into sales at some point (it really isn't optional), and that the sales position requires tons of travel, which is not what I want to do. I also got a bad feeling from one of the employees that was already in sales. I asked him to describe his typical work day to me, and he said that it was like being a flight attendant - "hour upon hour of sheer monotony followed by a few seconds of sheer terror from time to time". Of course, I wasn't as nervous, and that interview went the best. They just called because they want my references, but I really don't think that I want this position. I certainly don't want to travel, and while the company is interesting, the position isn't really what I want. I don't want to waste my references' time on something that I don't want, but I don't know what to tell them. That I'm no longer interested? That I found another job? On the other hand, this position was also in a pretty bad area of my current town, but it should be fine during daylight hours, and I'm afraid that nothing else will pan out.

I had another interview, for a position that I didn't have high hopes for - but I walked in and loved the place. Of course, I don't feel that it went extremely well - he thought that I was still at my old job, and I had to explain part of the situation, because he was asking so many questions. I also asked my mom to drive to that interview with me, since I had never been to that part of town and wanted to make sure that I got there ok. After the interview, we went to a nearby restaurant for lunch. When we got out, she was sitting in my car smoking a cigarette (she is a smoker, and I've tried to get her to quit for her health, but she is very addicted), and I was playing on my cell phone. Someone walks out of the restaurant and goes to his car, which was next to mine - and it was my interviewer. Now I feel like he really must not like me, because I'm afraid that he got a bad impression of my mother smoking. It probably also looked like we were stalking him, because we were sitting in the parking lot (I actually had another job interview an hour or so later, and we had time to kill). He had told me that round one of interviews would last for two weeks, and it hasn't even been a week yet, but I just think that I'm out of the running. I sent a thank you email, but he never replied.

I also have another interview tomorrow. It is for a position that sounds great on paper, but I think that it will be challenging because of some difficulties facing the facility. I already interviewed with human resources, so I interview with the doctor tomorrow (this is for a practice management position). I'm nervous, because I'm not sure whether or not we will click. I would not have to move for this job (or any of them except for the first one), and it sounds like it could be great, but I'm not sure - it really depends how tomorrow goes.

I don't know what to do. I am a new professional, and I know that my resume doesn't look the best, because I left my first two jobs pretty quickly. I left the first job after seven months because my mother was sick and I wanted to move closer to home, and the second after five months because the new management was borderline mentally/emotionally abusive - most of my coworkers left, too. It looks horrible, but I really do want to find a job that I love and can stay at for at least a few years. I am willing to move to a new area if the job is good, because my fiance will also be able to move with me (he telecommutes to work), although I would obviously prefer to find something good here.

I just feel like nothing else is really panning out for me, and like maybe I should just suck it up and take the offer (if I get one) from this sales company. We are financially secure right now, but I would like to be successful on my own - and I am terrified that I won't be able to find something, because my resume is so questionable. I made really good grades in school and received many awards and such, and over the past several years (between internships and my past two jobs) I have worked on so many different types of things, which impresses some people, but I think a lot just see that I left my last jobs too quickly. I also hate to have these gaps in my resume.

What do you guys think that I should do? It is a good sign that I got called for interviews for most positions that I applied for, with the exception of a couple - but I feel like once they bring me in and realize that my last position was complicated, they aren't interested. I also know that I don't have that much experience in what I want to do (credentialing or practice management), and that the economy is bad. When they ask why I left, I just explain that I'm looking for a non-hospital setting and that I left before finding another job because of lots of changes in upper management. Is there a better explanation that I could give? I don't want to have to come up with some lie.

Thanks for reading this!

 

[wannaBMrsH]

I think that you can spin these things a bit differently.

Make sure that you explain that you would never have left your first job of your own accord but your mother was sick. It doesn't matter if she was ill for a week, a month or a year. Explain that she needed someone who could be her primary caregiver and because you were the only one in a position to help, you made a very difficult choice. Explain that you loved your boss and your co-workers, but you didn't think it was fair to put them in a position where they had to cover for your FMLA.
Make sure you have glowing references from this job.

As far as the second job goes, don't tell them you quit. If you gave proper notice to your employer, they can't divulge that during employment verification checks. Most states prohibit employers from giving any type of information other than title, dates worked and if you are eligible or not for rehire. Most states require your written permission for the employer to release any other type of information (such as salary, reason for leaving, etc.) If you gave proper notice, you are usually eligible for re-hire.

Tell potential employers that you left due to a company restructure. This is actually correct due to the changes in upper management. Don't advise them that you are financially ok. When they ask, tell them you are "making it work". In this economy it is completely plausible that you were laid off and are on unemployment. As long as you don't actually say it to anyone, you are not responsible for any assumptions that they make.

And be as positive as you possibly can be. Say, "I loved working there as it was an ideal environment in a non-hospital setting. Unfortunately due to a management restructure, my job changed significantly and eventually was restructured as well."

I hope that helps!

 

[shihtzulover]

Thanks for your advice. I have just been explaining that while I really enjoyed the first job, I had to move closer to home because of my mother's illness. I did give proper notice with that company.

The second company was a nightmare. There were eight management team members (including me) when I started there: only two of those eight are still there, and one is looking for another job, while the other one is trying to hold out a year or two until she retires. My first boss was wonderful, but they threw him out because he wasn't meeting budget. I went into it in another thread, but basically, the way that they were treating us was bordering on emotional abuse, and I couldn't take it. Some things happened that were not acceptable, and I just left. Maybe I could have given notice, but it was just too inexcusable to me, and someone had just given his notice the day before, and they told him to just leave anyway. It wouldn't have mattered, because the new management did not like me at all, and made it clear that they wanted me (and the other management team members) gone. I don't think I would have been eligible for rehire regardless - in fact, it seemed like they were doing their best to push us out.

Luckily, my first boss at that nightmare job is available to give me a great reference, as is one of the facility administrators - she acted as somewhat of a supervisor during my employment there (she's gone now too, though). Of the four applications that I've filled out, only one has asked for a phone number for human resources (most just care about my supervisor). Even so, I am still friends with the management team person who is in human resources - we went to dinner last week (along with some of my other old coworkers). She is one of the few original employees left, but she even said that if she told her husband the way that she is treated, he would tell her to quit.

What do you think that I should do regarding the sales position? I'm so scared that I won't find another job, and that I'm now forced to do that.

 

[shihtzulover]

Here is the link in case anyone wants to read about my nightmare job, and why I quit: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/i-quit-my-job-what-now.156207/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/i-quit-my-job-what-now.156207/[/URL]

It is really long, but I just wanted to post in here, in case anyone wants more background. I just re-read it, and I forgot how much that job made me hate my current field. After getting away from the situation and being able to clear my head, I realize that I miss my old job duties a lot, and that I do like my field - just not the insane amount of work at the last company, or the way that I was treated. Like I said, I have spoken with a few of my old coworkers that are still there, and the situation isn't really any better. I was also told that the interim CEO tried to blame my quitting on the new CEO. The new CEO's comment was the last straw, but I was at the end of my rope because of the interim CEO.

We were also treated badly by the interim CEO's favorite employees at her facility (they came in to 'help' us), but the interim CEO refused to believe any of it, even when we had proof through emails. In fact, those people flat-out lied about documentation that they said we hadn't created (they said this in an email to corporate that they didn't copy anyone in our hospital on, but luckily one of us was friends with a person at corporate), even though we had the proof right in front of us that we did have that documentation. We brought that up to the interim CEO, and she just talked around it, saying that there was just a misunderstanding, that her favorite employees are great, and that they would never lie.

Anyway, I'm really glad I got out of there, and that I was able to clear my head. I guess if I had been able to even begin to think straight, i might have given notice - but like I said, I don't think it would have mattered.

 

[iheartscience]

I absolutely wouldn't take the sales job. It's not what you're interested in so it's highly unlikely you're going to like it. And that might lead to you leaving after less than a year again.

Also, since you mentioned your mom smoking in your car I have another piece of advice: I would never go into a job interview smelling like cigarettes because I do think it will leave a bad impression. If you were sitting in the car while your mom was smoking before the interview, I bet you smelled like cigarettes. I'm not saying it's right, but it's 100% possible that a hiring manager wouldn't want to hire a smoker.

 

[shihtzulover]

Yeah, I don't think that the sales position is for me. I would only take it out of desperation, not because it is what I wanted.

I do agree that it looks bad if a hiring manager smells smoke on me. I was trying to tell my mom to hold her cigarette out of the window, and we were actually parked where we were so that the wind would blow the smoke away from me. She doesn't believe that she smells like smoke, or that it's unattractive to many hiring managers, but I know that it is. I don't smoke, and have never had a cigarette in my life, but I know that if they smell it on me, they will think that I'm a smoker.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[shihtzulover]

I just emailed the sales company and told them that I accepted another offer. I thought about explaining that I don't wish to move up into a sales position or to travel, but I was afraid that they would say that isn't required, and still possibly offer the job to me.

Part of me feels horrible, because there is that small chance that it could have been a wonderful opportunity for me. I also feel bad that so many employees at the company took the time to interview me.

Of course, my gut feeling is that it is just not the right position for me, and that I wouldn't be a good fit for the company. I definitely don't want to end up with a job that I hate, or leaving another position in a short period of time.

I know that I just have to take a few deep breaths and realize that it's okay to not just go along with the first thing that comes along. I still do have a couple of other possibilities, because I have another interview tomorrow, and also the other place that I liked hasn't ruled me out yet (even though I don't have a lot of faith that I will be called back).

I am excited about my interview tomorrow, but also nervous. I'm not sure how I will like the facility, since like I said, I was warned that they are facing some challenges right now. On the other hand, it could turn out great, and even if it doesn't, the human resources person said that there are some other opportunities with the company that might work out well for me if this one doesn't.

 

[Cehrabehra]

I wouldn't take a job you don't like or want because then you add yet another short term job to your resume because I seriously doubt you will want to stay there... the current job holder says hours of monotony followed by moments of terror? Oh hell no. I mean it would be one thing if you NEEDED the money, but if you are looking for self fulfillment, why would you subject yourself to less than that?

ETA: haha - if I'd just read ahead hopefully at least my post helps you to feel better about your situation.

 

[shihtzulover]

Thanks so much for your reply. The person that I spoke with wasn't the current job holder, but he was one of the salespeople, which is where they would eventually like for this position to lead. I talked with the other salesperson too, and he seemed very happy and upbeat, but I'm not really sure if that's how he really felt or not.

I emailed them and told them that I accepted another offer, and they emailed me back wishing me the best of luck. I guess my interviewer talked with the CEO though (it's a small company), because I got another phone call from them. They didn't leave a voice mail, so I assumed that it was a mistake, but I later opened my email and found that the CEO had sent me a message, saying that I was the strongest candidate and that they really wanted for me to reconsider. Then, the person who interviewed me tried to call me and leave another voice mail message just now (8 pm).

This makes me wonder if they are really desperate or something, but they also said that they really thought that I am a good fit for the company, and that they want people like me. It sounded like maybe they wold be willing to offer the job to me even if I wasn't interested in moving into sales and/or traveling, so I just emailed them back explaining that those were the deciding factors for me.

They seemed really nice, but like a strange company, with an odd mixture of people. Also, many of the people were from different countries, so I'm not sure if that's just their culture or something.

In any case, I still have another interview with a different company tomorrow, and I still think that so far, that position sounds like a better fit for me. The sales company seems very interesting, and it could also be exciting work, but it also seems risky to me - like it's not really what I set out to do, and jobs more in my field seem more appealing to me. I guess maybe I could try it for a week or so (assuming that they agree that I will not have to travel), and see if it's for me, but I'm just afraid that I will end up with something that I don't want.

Of course, I still would rather see how tomorrow's interview pans out. I have the feeling that the doctor may want to hire someone quite quickly, and I would be able to start immediately, which is a plus. I won't know until I get there, though - I could get there tomorrow and realize that it's not the position for me at all.

 

[texaskj]

SL, a wise woman I knew years ago reminded me that job interviews are not just for the company to figure out if you're a good fit for them, they're for you to figure out if they're a good fit for you. (I walked out of an interview one time because the woman giving it was so rude and I told her why I was leaving. Who wants to work for that?) And if you know you don't want the job, tell them. You're wasting someone's time otherwise.