Interview in review

I had an in-person interview for a sales position at another medical supply company.  It lasted about an hour and twenty minutes and, overall, it went well.  At the same time, there were a lot of weird parts and parts that I just didn't like about the job/interviewer.

1) I'd be paid entirely based on commission.  A lot of people, including some friends in sales, have told me to steer clear of any position where all of your income is based on commission.  Yeah, you can make a good amount of money, but you can also end up 100% fucked.

2) An hour into the interview, the interviewer said that he can always tell within three or four minutes of meeting someone whether they will be good at sales and a good part of their team.  Since he spent over an hour talking to me, I'm assuming that means he liked me, but he didn't follow up that comment with anything.

3) He asked me how long I could continue to be unemployed from a financial standpoint.  I suppose it's a legitimate concern if all of my pay would be based on commission and I'd be making dick for the first few months, but I thought it was a sort of inappropriate question.

4) Of the hour and twenty minutes, I probably talked for ten minutes.  The guy was a talker.

5) He wouldn't give me a straight answer to any of the questions I had.  For instance, I asked him to describe an average day in the position at the beginning versus six months in.  This prompted him to go into a ten minute discussion of what I'd be earning.  After a lot of prodding, he eventually told me that I'd be knocking on doors for the first couple of months.  I imagine doctors must love that.

The company where my dad's sales rep works still seems like my best bet.  I just don't have a good feeling about this place.

Interview in review

I just had a phone interview about a corporate compliance position in a hospital.  The HR lady said she would be scheduling an in-person interview for me regarding both the position I applied for and a second, random position for which she thinks my skills would be a good fit.  I think it's safe to say I'm getting better at phone interviews.

I don't want to sound too pessimistic, but corporate compliance sounds like it sucks.  Sit around all day working with hospital rules and regulations?  If possible, that sounds more boring than law.  I'm really hoping one of the medical sales jobs comes through.

Interview in review

Today, I had a phone interview with some guy from another medical supply company.  This guy seemed either retarded or way too busy to care about a phone interview.  He basically droned on about the company for about half an hour while obviously doing other work in the background.  I would occasionally throw in a "That sounds great!" or "I think that would be ideal for me!" but that was pretty much my only input into the conversation.

I have an actual interview next Thursday, so either my half-assed responses appealed to him or he seriously wasn't paying any attention to what was going on.

Interview in review

Yesterday's interview had some pros and cons.  Just to bring everyone up to speed, the interview was for an entry-level position with a company that sells medical devices.  My dad is good friends with his sales rep and he helped get me the interview.

Pros
1) The interview went really well.  The owners had a conference call with my dad's friend later in the day and he even texted me to let me know how well I did in the interview.  I may not have many skills, but I excel at interviews. 
2) The job sounds like a great way to gain experience and eventually work my way into an actual sales rep position.
3) They offered to let me shadow one of their sales reps for a day.  That way I can get a feel for what the job is like and if it's something I really want to do one day.  I thought that was very cool of them.

Cons
1) The job is extremely entry-level.  I'd basically be packing boxes and delivering them to hospitals.  I imagine the pay is just as entry-level.
2) I'd need to buy a car.
3) Most importantly, they're not sure when the job would start.  I guess this position is currently being created, but they want to reconvene in a month to give me more definite details.  That leaves me unemployed for at least another month.

Overall, it sounds like a great opportunity.  Unlike a lot of other jobs that I've had, I'd be working in an area that interests me and there would be opportunity to advance within the company.  It stings a little to be 28 years old and only qualified to do entry-level work, but I'm coming to terms with that fact. 

Interview in Review

Today's interview was unremarkable.  It was a small firm that does a lot of commercial and construction litigation.  I'm pretty sure my interview was with the only three lawyers that work there.

The outcome was about the same as the rest of my interviews.  I got along with everyone, but my lack of experience is an issue.  As usual, I'm just hoping that they want someone brand new and trainable.

Now that I think about it, there was one amusing part.  The main guy asked me why I applied to their particular job posting and, for lack of a better response, I said, "I have no idea.  It was a blind posting, so I don't even know which one it was." 

I looked unbelievably retarded for a split second until one of the associates confirmed that I would have no way of knowing which job posting got me this interview.  Thanks for that, whoever you were.

Interview in review

Let me start by saying that this firm was very far west on Belmont.  For those of you who don't know Chicago, let's just say it's an interesting area.  Because I need a job and I thought it could be a diamond in the rough, I decided to go on the interview anyway.  It was no diamond, but I did get an interesting story out of it.

After a twenty minute cab ride, we pull up in front of the firm.  Well, that's not entirely correct.  Technically, we pulled up in front of a garage.  At which point, the cab driver said, "I think this is it" and started laughing at me.  Thanks for that, asshole.

You'll be happy to know that the cab driver was wrong and the law firm was not located in a garage.  It was in the ramshackle house across the street from the garage.  There's a big difference.

So, as instructed by their email, I let myself in through the side door.  The inside was pretty much what you'd expect for a firm run out of someone's ramshackle house.  A couple of computers, files everywhere, a taped up piece of paper designating the bathroom and baby stuff everywhere b/c one of the lawyers just had a kid.  All in all, pretty fucking sweet.

The interview was pretty standard except for one part.  The guy said to me, "Most of your work would be for one of our bigger clients.  She's an Eastern European land owner who's business is worth a little over a billion dollars."  To which I was tempted to respond, "That, sir, is not even a believable lie."

And there you have it - another one of my adventures in interviewing.  Even if I get this job, I'm not going to be able to take it.  It's pretty apparent that I'd need to have a) a car; and b) even lower self-worth than I currently have.

Interview in review

Today's interview wasn't bad.  It was pretty standard except for a couple of odd points.

First, it was apparently for a part-time position which would transition into a full-time position.  Now, I have no problem with this - I'll take just about anything right now - but, I do have a problem with not knowing this before the interview.

The guy had this quote, "...as you know from the Craigslist ad, this is a part-time position, transitioning to full-time."  No, actually, I had no way of knowing that.  Craigslist ads are anonymous, so I don't have any idea which ad got me this interview.  Funny how anonymity works, sometimes.*

Second, it was a pretty sparse interview.  All the guy did was tell me about the firm and then ask me some very superficial questions about my resume.  Seriously, he would look at part of my resume and then go, "Oh, you worked at _____.  What was that like?"  That was pretty much it.  If I get a second interview, I'm really curious what criteria that decision is going to be based on.

*I wouldn't even mention this were it not for the fact that this is like the fourth time an interviewer has referenced their anonymous ad.  Thanks, guys.  That's really helpful.

Interview in review

This morning I had my 2nd interview with the insurance defense firm.  Overall, the interview went extremely well.  But, experience is still an issue.  Here's a quote from the main partner that sums things up quite well:

You have a great presence, you're eminently likable, I have no doubt that you're going to make a great attorney and, if we were looking for a brand new associate, we would have snatched you up immediately.  But, 

What?!?!  How can there possibly be a "but" at the end of that sentence?  Did you listen to yourself?  You just used the phrase "eminently likable!"

we're looking to fill an associate spot with a pretty high degree of responsibility that you just don't have the experience for.

On the bright side, they all loved me.  Also, the decision rests in the hands of one attorney from the first interview.  I guess I'd mostly be working for him, and he obviously liked me enough to invite me back for a 2nd interview.

On the not so bright side, I legitimately don't have the experience they're looking for.  Experience in depositions, arbitration and discovery?  Nope.  Can't fake that.

So, things could go either way.  I'm going to send them all emails thanking them for the interview, and send a particularly ass-kissing email to the partner I'd be working for.  As usual, fingers crossed...

Interviews in review

A lot has been going on over the past week.  To bring everyone up to speed, I have interviewed with three different firms, which I'll refer to as "Sole Practitioner," "Foreclosure" and "Insurance Defense."  Here's where I currently stand regarding each firm:

Sole Practitioner
Oh my god does this job sound like it sucks.  I've had two interviews at this place and I really don't like what I see.  Granted, I'd get more experience than I'm getting now, but the pay is the same, there are no benefits, and the office manager's office is so creepy I thought I was going to get murdered by some sort of crazed clown.  You probably had to be there, but that actually makes sense.

I think I stand a pretty good chance of actually getting this job, but I have to decide if the experience is worth the ridiculously shitty pay and creepy environment.  I'm currently leaning towards taking it for the experience, but I really hope one of these other jobs pulls through.

Foreclosure
This is my second choice.  The job is with one of the bigger foreclosure firms in the state (which seriously narrows things down if you're trying to figure out the firm).  The office is a little creepy, the practice sounds kinda boring and similar to what I do now, but I think the pay would be decent and I'd get courtroom experience. 

Not my dream job, but definitely a lot better than what I've got now.  I think my chances are pretty good, and I have a second interview this afternoon, so we'll see what happens.

Insurance Defense
Definitely my best option.  This place is a pretty serious firm and that's what I'm really looking for.  The pay would be decent, I'd get benefits, lots of experience, and, solely based on my impression of the partners I interviewed with, a smart group of people to work with. 

I think the first interview went well, but my lack of experience is, of course, an issue.  I'm supposed to hear back later this week about a second interview.  Fingers crossed...

Interview in review

Yesterday's interview went well.  It's a solo-practitioner who does a lot of general practice work.  He seems like a bit of a dirt-bag, but it looks like A LOT of hand-on experience, which is exactly what I need right now.  I'm pretty sure he said that I already have a second interview, so my hopes are high.

Best quote of the interview, after I asked about his areas of practice: "You'd be surprised what you can learn how to do if the money's right."

In other news, I have ANOTHER interview Monday morning.  I'm on fire this week!

Interview in review

The interview had some ups and downs.  Here are the highlights:

Me: [assorted statements about my job]
Interviewer: Hang on.  You're making this sound really good, but, is this all 'fill-in-the-blanks' bullshit?
Me: Um...
Interviewer: How many complaints, which have required actual thought, have you done?
Me: ...technically, none.  Unless you think filling in blanks takes a lot of thought, in which case, thousands.
Interviewer: Yeah...everything around here required actual thought.  Let me ask you some more direct questions...

Interviewer: How many depositions have you done?
Me: None.
Interviewer: How many times have you cross-examined a witness?
Me: Never.
Interviewer: How many cases have you brought to trial?
Me: None.
Interviewer: Wow.

Interviewer: I've got to hand it to you.  Your resume, while technically accurate, is extremely misleading.  I thought you had way more experience than you actually do.  But, hey, it got you in here.  Points for that, I guess.

Interviewer: I'm going to be honest with you - you interview extremely well.  You look good, you're personable, well-spoken, interesting, you answered all of my questions well and I had a good time talking to you.  But, you effectively don't have any experience doing anything worthwhile.

I'm not saying it's impossible I'm going to get this job, but it doesn't seem likely.  I just have to hope I was personable and interesting enough that he'll want to hang out with me every day; even if it means having to teach me how to do everything.  Fingers crossed...