Interview Etiquette

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Uh... reading Trek's. If we're going to "go there"- if it's necessary, yes there are pills available to allow you to mask the presence of naughty no-no in your blood/saliva/urine and I've uh... er... known people who've used it successfully, but why leave it to chance? Fake urine is available at a very comparable price and is guaranteed. Keep the hotpack on the bottle or nuke it for awhile and wear it against the body. Gotta keep it at or around 99 degrees, (hence the liquid crystal thermometer tape on the side of the pee cup)... because varying heat will be cause for failure of the test. These bottles also have an unnerving rate of leaks so be sure to check for that before you go, too.
PM me if mmbr.

Probably a good idea to avoid not only poppy seed bagels before your interview, but also those ever popular Bruegger's heroin, crack, testosterone, peyote (my fave), and morphine bagels as well. I heard the "Everything" bagels just sort of cancel themselves out however.
Another tip: neutral "suntan" pantyhose worn on the arms can diminish unflattering track marks.

[RoadRaven]

Another tip: neutral "suntan" pantyhose worn on the arms can diminish unflattering track marks.

ROTFLMFAO

You really crack me up Lisa!!!
Sssssso funnneeee.....

Thanks my morning smile... now, I'll just go warm up THAT bagel for my post-ride snack!

[snapdragen]

Another tip: neutral "suntan" pantyhose worn on the arms can diminish unflattering track marks.

Got any hints for that pesky "meth mouth"? Not to mention the lesions, so hard to cover with makeup.

[mimitabby]

Got any hints for that pesky "meth mouth"? Not to mention the lesions, so hard to cover with makeup.

eyewwwwwwwwwww gross. what's really tough is hiding the "i slept in these clothes" look.

[Kitsune06]

*shudders* Uh.... yeah. I'm thinkin' if you're doing those things, your interview results would be the *least* of your concerns.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Got any hints for that pesky "meth mouth"?

First, you shouldn't make fun of people with lisps. And the answer to your question is- change the litter in your mouse's cage more frequently.



(JUST KIDDING!!!!!)

[Duck on Wheels]

Defffinitely leave the mouse cage at home, neat or not. I would never take my pet mouse to a pharma research outfit!

[Triskeliongirl]

When I started as a scientist in the early 80s, you didn't see women dressed provocatively at professional meeting, but now you do. That may have been due to the fact that there were very few women in the physical sciences at the time (2 women in a room of 100 men was probably the norm), and most of us were rather odd-balls. Now such a meeting may be up to 20% women so maybe there's just more diversity. Now you see many women at professional scientific meetings in very feminine clothing, and those are mostly the younger women. Personally, I wear what I'm comfortable in (men's Dockers, button shirt, and running shoes) and I'm sure the colleagues who know me would faint if I ever did otherwise.

Yeh, I remember being the only female in my physical chemistry class at Brandeis, the only female in a room of 20 men at lab meetings when I was a post-doc at MIT, also in the late 70s-early 80s. And yeh, dressing provovatively was not an issue then. But, I have had students I advise complain to me that they got more offers for dates than jobs when presenting work at a scientific meeting. So, I ask them, OK, then why did you wear black leather pants and a sheer black low cut blouse for your presentation? What message were you sending by wearing those clothes? I don't wear suits either. In fact, once I was chairing a national meeting at a fancy hotel in DC, and the hotel staff stopped me as if I didn't even belong in the hotel when I was coming back from the rest room.

[Mr. Bloom]

Triskeliongirl: You're right, women have more options and it is harder. Silver will attest that each day I wear:

- a dark grey suit (Brooks Brothers)
- a starched white shirt (Land's End...I have about 30 to minimize trips to the cleaners)
- a stripped tie (I have about 60 or 80)
- Black J&M's or Cole Haan's (same style in black)

To me, it's practical to not have to worry about even what color shirt to wear. Thank goodness I'm a man...I couldn't handle the complexity!

Deb: Frankly, I AM intimidated by a woman dress provocatively (I don't mean feminine...I mean provocatively). I'm not afraid of women...but, in a professional environment, I tend to distrust someone who is using their gender (male or female) to business advantage. It makes me wonder what flaws they're trying to distract me from.

For the record:
- I'm an executive officer in a public company
- I am in an industry with gender balance at the professional level
- and in the last 15 years of managing people, I've allowed ZERO gender disparity in compensation in my units

[snapdragen]

First, you shouldn't make fun of people with lisps. And the answer to your question is- change the litter in your mouse's cage more frequently.



(JUST KIDDING!!!!!)

**groan**

[sbctwin]

It would also be worthwhile to look at "what am I willing to give up for this job". I only say that because at age 51 I thought I finally had the job, the company where to work until I retire. I worked for this company like a dog. I gave it all to them. I worked on this conversion and put in many hours (more than 40, 50, 60 hours per week) and was told that I would be re-trained. I worked when my doctor told me I would get well from bronchitis if I gave myself a "break" and call in sick. I didn't. My health suffered because I wanted to "prove" myself. I made it through the conversion (2 1/2 yrs). I worked to make sure the data converted met the company requirements. The company sent me to 1 class to "re-educate" myself in the "new technology". I was successful in doing the projects assigned me, but was laid off one year after the conversion was completed. I out-performed my male counterparts, yet, I was laid off. I guess I am still angry at the company. My age, my sex, and my religion played a part in why my positiion. No proof because this is a "right to work state" and it is difficult to prove any kind of discrimination. Eight months later, I finally landed a job at 1/3 the salary, but when I look back, I did all I could to be successful at my job, at all jobs I had. At my age, now, I think, "what am I willing to give up for THIS job". I guess I am bitter, but now I make sure I work my hours, and only my hours (no overtime) and I do the best job I can. I am not a slouch. But, I also realize that I make my future, I make my happiness....Sorry if this is melodromatic, but I guess I still feel used...

[LBTC]

sbctwin, I'm sorry for your experience, especially at an age when you should be enjoying the fruits of a long and successful work history.... I have been there before, only to the point of the extra work not be recognized, and being expected, and asked, repeatedly to go well beyond the scope and compensation that my position afforded. Almost a year ago, I managed a miraculous move from a divisional support office in the middle of nowhere, to become the assistant to the Treasurer in the Corporate Office. I love my job now. It definitely is challenging and there definitely is a lot of work, but the atmosphere is fabulous - in fact, earlier this week I was feeling a lot of anxiety over the parts of my job that I simply could not get to - there is not enough time in a month for someone to do this unless they put in those terribly long hours (I'm doing work that 1 full time person, one half time person, and work that one full time person said was 60% of her time, plus an implementation project, which is hopefully nearly at completion). I've recently been diagnosed with Crohn's disease and absolutely refuse to become too stressed at any job...partly because of past experiences, partly because my health has suddenly become something extremely precious to me! Anyway, today I made one simple request and next Monday I'll have someone from the office pool helping me with a backlog of scanning, indexing and filing. This makes me feel like a million bucks!

Of course, I really needed that uplift considering all the conflicting emotions I've felt as I read through this thread! I did a lot of interviews to get to this position at the corporate office and I think I broke most of the rules for what to wear to an interview! I always wear a ring on every finger!!! What would the point be in taking them all off and them thinking they've hired someone they didn't? I was determined to be myself. So my clothes definitely had colour and character, and my jewelry was on the mild side of chunky, I never wore a skirt because it was winter and I didn't have the right shoes and I hate to wear hose, (how did I ever get the job???) but at least I didn't wear perfume or really provocative clothes!!! And even at that I still bought a whole new wardrobe! hahaha

I'm so grateful that they accepted who I am, and how I present myself. I don't think that anyone is at all disappointed in my performance, even though I don't put in 12 hours days - ever. (I've hit 9 1/2 once or twice, but I'm pretty firm on the 8 hour thing). Life is better here!!

And naturally I sent a thank you by email, but it included a photo from my collection.

Cyclechic, you're going to knock 'em dead. Remember all that you have to offer them! BE you! You'll nail it!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[winddance]

I think everyone's covered the "what to wear with what" thing. My only advice is to make sure that your clothes fit properly. A few dollars spent to take in a jacket or fix the length of a hem can go *really* long way.

Good luck!

[Meaux]

I'm not sure if this is too late, however, I was told not to bring a purse/bag into an interview. And don't wear red, it makes you look aggressive. I'm lucky, I've only HAD to wear a suit a handful of times at my job. I work at a VERY liberal law firm. Yay for casual EVERYDAY!!!!

[CycleChic06]

Probably a good idea to avoid not only poppy seed bagels before your interview, but also those ever popular Bruegger's heroin, crack, testosterone, peyote (my fave), and morphine bagels as well. I heard the "Everything" bagels just sort of cancel themselves out however.
Another tip: neutral "suntan" pantyhose worn on the arms can diminish unflattering track marks.

OMG, this is so hysterical!!! I once tried an everything bagel and woke up three days later in a ditch on the side of the New Jersey Turnpike with a bird sitting on my head.

And Kitsune06 - Not like I've ever had to employ ANY of those techniques before, my friend told me the pills work really well

I'm not sure if this is too late, however, I was told not to bring a purse/bag into an interview.

Really no bag to an interview?? Not even a small purse? I'm not sure what I'd do with my car keys, wallet cell phone, planner, etc...that I always carry with me. I can't think of any other alternatives.