The FastDay Forum

[Debs]

So it's 1am and I'm sat up with a hot milk contemplating tomorrow. I have a job interview, in Perth. The equivalent of flying London to Cairo and back for an hour of interview!! As a result my brain has gone into meltdown thinking about possible questions and answers to the inevitable, 'so, what is your greatest weakness?'. And the only answer I can think of is chocolate and peanut butter!!
It is for a job I really want which is why I can't sleep; unfortunately I am flying back on an overnight flight so I am going to be doubly knackered!! And my fasting plans for the week have gone out of the window!
Anyone else had any daft interview questions?!

I'm an interviewer, here are a few:

What is the greatest misconception about you?
Tell me about something you did that made you very stressed/proud
Tell me about a time when you were asked to lead a piece of work/do something that took you out of your comfort zone.

Always give examples. It brings your story to life. But be succinct and answer the question.
Tell the truth always and above all.......
BE YOURSELF.

Best of luck for tomorrow. Relax and enjoy. Don't forget to have your own questions ready for them but you will only be given airtime for two or three of them.

Now go to sleep. Plenty of time to prepare on the plane. Or alternatively, you can sleep on the way! Good luck!

[Debs]

Thank you, now you've given me even more to think about!!!! I wish I didn't want it so badly, then I wouldn't be so stressed!
The upside is, there is a great English food shop there, Walnut Whips, Mini Cheddars and Wotsits here I come!

Oh and strengths can sometimes be double edged, eg they have a downside, so the reverse it true of weaknesses (I prefer to call them areas for development). Does that help? So to answer a question about development/weaknesses you can say you get very passionate about new ideas for eg...... Xxxxxx (but don't say choc and peanuts), this makes you very focused on getting things done but sometimes it means it takes longer to absorb competing ideas.

Using the hand you write with, pinch together the pads of your thumb and first finger in the meeting (relax with your hand in your lap) and breath deeply. Keep them pinched together when you get anxious. You will stay grounded. Try it now. OR pinch the area between the two about 2cm into your palm. Massage the area, or pinch for 3 secs firmly and repeat 3 times. it stimulates the adrenals and releases stress hormones aka reflexology. I think the first one is an old emotional freedom technique. Can't remember.

You can buy yourself a crate of walnut whips on the way home.......

[Debs]

Yes it certainly does thank you. I shall contemplate these, especially the new ideas on the plane tomorrow. I have enough work experience to be able to come up with something. Most of my interviews are long distance over the phone so this is a novelty being face to face.
I can't even curl up on the sofa as Dog has taken it over for the night!

Wow, thank you for that tip, hopefully I'll fall asleep in the chair with the sound of the frogs going mad outside!

great questions Rawkaren!

You are probably asleep now Debs but for something as big as interstate travel for a job interview, screw the diet for a week. You dont need to worry about that side of things ... theres always the end of the week or next week. I may be wrong but going into an interview on anything but a well nourished stomach is a bad idea.
If i have any big appointments I just delay the fast day.

All the best Debs!

Hope all went well.

Just spotted this. Hope it went well for you Debs

We have all been called into County Hall and will hear tomorrow whether we will have to be interviewed for new jobs under a restructure. Don't know what restructure will look like or what role will potentially be, but will know by this time tomorrow.

This is turning out to be a heck of a week, what with my Mum's 80th party as well. I will be wearing new size 12 Boden skirt and cardi.

Good luck Debs. Or has it already happened?

[Debs]

Thank you Karen! No three hours to go. Those comforting walnut whips are calling me!

Good luck Debs - and enjoy at least one walnut whip whatever happens

Good luck Debs - fingers crossed for you

How was it?

[Debs]

Hey there! Just sat in the airport lounge with bubbly waiting for the overnight flight home and looking forward to snoozing on the sofa in front of the cricket tomorrow!
Bizarrely they didn't ask any of the questions I expected, it was as though they had made their decisions already based on LinkedIn and cvs and just wanted to meet the 'real' person, not the one providing stock answers.
They spent a lot of time discussing the challenges of the job and the type of person they expected, and them asked for me referee numbers and said they would contact one of them. Trying not to get my hopes up at this stage, may hear tomorrow. Sill had a lovely walnut whip, bag of mini Cheddars, bag of quavers and bag of cheesy Wotsits. Was that too much?!

Thank you to you for your advice and concern and all the others, I really appreciated having people on the spot as it were as the time difference meant that OH was in bed last night when I needed moral support!