When in Wonderful Winchester…

4 June 2008
Winchester is one of my favourite places to visit, primarily because the Cathedral is amazing, and is home to the sculpture Sound II by Antony Gormley, and the coffee served in the refectory is more than passable. The day I was there, I was by some margin their youngest customer, and I’m no spring chicken. My interview, earlier in the day with the Design group who boasted that they were exceptional, extraordinary, magnificent, and outstanding, had seemingly gone well, so I opted to celebrate with refills of refectory coffee. After checking out the shops in the high street, I made for home.

If I got a second interview, we as a family would have to seriously consider the feasibility of relocating.

19 June 2008
For the second stage interview, a fortnight later, I needed to complete a set task. The design brief was emailed across and I set to working on the ideas that I would be required to present to a panel of three including the Chairman.

It was good to have my brain challenged in this way again. I worked hard to answer the brief and submitted some branding and campaign items too and hoped they would be impressed with my efforts. A challenge of another kind also remained, a second tie was required, the selection criteria here was critical (well, almost!) I determined that for a second stage interview a new tie was worth the extra expense and effort. Another trip to M&S.

Punctuality is vitally important when facing an interview situation, but, as we all know, even the best laid plans can go awry. My interview was, I judged just on 1.5 hours away by car, so with this in mind I built in an extra hour extra travelling time as contingency. Just as well.

I really had no intention in being interviewed in my t shirt and combat trousers, but It very nearly ended that way. The roads I thought I knew well but were slow and heavy with traffic. On a clear stretch of road, Mr Honda in front seemed to be enjoying his morning drive at a steady 20mph. If I was late, I would of course be holding Honda man personally responsible. Even once of the motorway, It soon seemed highly likely that it was going to be touch and go whether I arrived on time, I of course stuck to the legal speed limit.  I forewarned my interviewers of my possible late arrival and also sent an APB Bulletin to some christian friends to pray for my journey. Prayer worked, and I got to my destination with 10 mins to spare.

I now had time to freshen up and slip into my suit. My Windsor tie knot in the rear view mirror looked impressive, hopefully others would agree. I entered the foyer with an air of confident in my creative solutions, and was aware that prayerful friends were lifting me up in prayer.

My presentation to the panel was well received, and the creative solutions presented prompted a lively discussion between the four of us, then amongst themselves! This was vaguely amusing, and I felt pleased to have made such an impact. Surely this was going to be “the One” – wasn’t it?

The email arrived a week later on the Thursday… and the blow hit hard. It appeared I had not got the job but there again the job advertised had been ‘changed’ overnight. I tackled the HR dept on this and they went quiet on me. What a waste of my time and effort. The job was not my destiny after all. Mrs W put a consolatory arm on my shoulder as I sat at my computer and we were in silence for longer than usual. I permitted myself a weekend in which to be particularly grumpy and feel sorry for myself. Clearly they weren’t exceptional, extraordinary, magnificent, and outstanding after all. Pretty much the opposite. When Monday came I would start looking again in earnest. Blast! (Or words to that affect!).

Dress to Impress

My first job interview came in October 2007…

On sliding open our wardrobe and after having a quick look at the clothes hanging limply on hangers, it soon became blindingly obvious that new clothes were in order. If I was to dress to impress at interviews, I had to make some changes. The smartish shirts that I’d relied on for the previous 3 years or so were no longer in the best of shape, and when it came to the suit “You can’t wear that!” spoke my conscience. Mrs Workhope, my wife, was right, it was over twelve years since my brother got married, and though the suit might still fit (in the sleeves at least) it was no longer deemed fashionable.

True, many of the roles I was applying for were Senior ones, which would require the postholder to meet with clients, present work and present the right image. Stubbornly, I tried the suit on. “Ok, you win” – I conceded.

M&S, I knew had good quality suits and with the right colour shirt and tie combination I was sure to achieve my goal. Thankfully I found what I was looking for early on, it was stylish, worked well with bright colours and was in the right price bracket – (cheap) value for money. The next and most frustrating phase was to select and purchase a suitable tie. The local store didn’t have my size in the jacket and with two days till my first employer interview, it was, (as the kids show Me Too might say) a “Race Against Time”.

I few phone calls later Marjorie had put one fitting my description by for me in the Kingston store. When I got there, I tried it on and got the in-store suit-and-tie-co-ordinator-expert to give me his valuable input. In just over an hour I had tried on three different suits, half a dozen ties, and got a free Windsor knot tie lesson in the bargain. Tired after my exertions I retreated to the Cafe for a cup of froth, mis-sold as coffee.  “I’ll knock ‘em dead with the suit and colourful-yet-carefully-considered tie, even if they’ve doubts over my portfolio” I mused.

When the interview for the Design Management position came it was after a two hour drive into Hampshire, and I arrived in the company car park just in time for the thunder and lightening. So, there I was about to enter my first interview, in torrential rain. Was the good Lord trying to tell me something? Did the tie offend?

With an air of confidence, rather than arrogance, (hopefully) I took to the interview process without too much nervousness, answering honestly and when prompted, asked pertinent questions regarding the role up for grabs. My two interviewers both seemed likeable and on the table behind, lay a copy of the Good News Bible. I smiled to myself, maybe this was a sign from above, maybe just maybe, this job would be THE one!

As I left the building, I called Claire, (Recruitment Agent) with my feedback and waited for the official response. I had liked them, and thought they had warmed to me and my work. Claire was sympathetic in her tone when she told me the news. Boo.

I’d now succeeded in registering my first failure (?) My rain sodden go-get-em-suit, would soon be carefully returned to the wardrobe – ready for another rainy day…