Interview #31: Trust me, I'm not a Doctor!

My 31st interview was actually a week ago! January 21st, 2016. It was for a Doctor's Office, that I had accidentally applied for. See, what had happened was... the previous week from the interview, I decided that I was going to apply for some jobs! But I didn't notice what I was applying to. I was just randomly applying for jobs, without paying attention for what they were for, my only concern was where the job was located. So, I ended up applying for a job that was for a medical receptionist, that also requested working at two different locations. For starters, I'm not a big fan of driving, so going to two different locations that are 30 minutes apart, is not my thing... But also, I am not a fan of Doctor's office's as they give me the heebie geebies!
So, I went on this interview, not wanting the job and not thinking they would even want me.
However, my friend Donna lives 5 minutes away from the interview site, so I figured I would stop by her house afterwards, making the trip there actually worth something. (Since the interview was 40 minutes away from my house).
I got the to the office and I had to fill out paper work for a little while, there were two girls also filling out paper work and I thought "My competition!". I didn't think they would actually want me, so I was a bit honest with certain questions on the sheets.
I was in the waiting room for an hour and a half, and I had noticed that the receptionists were sometimes rude to the patients! I was like, what the fetch?! I work at a store that has some of the nastiest shoppers you could ever imagine and I've never been mean, nasty or rude to them! I'd love to see these receptionist girls in a store! They'd get fired in a heart beat for being rude! But this also got me fired up, thinking if I get this job, I'll be so nice to the patients that they'll love me!

So, an hour and a half later, I am called in and they apologize for making me wait so long (The office manager had to watch an important video that was apparently, an emergency.)
I was interviewed by the office manager, and the manager for their social media accounts.
They tell me that I was exactly what they were looking for, they were not interested in me being a receptionist, but in fact.. they liked me for my Computer knowledge and Graphic Design skills! I was like... say what now!? I was totally shocked! Here I thought I was just one of the 50 people that applied to be a receptionist and thought my fate would be undecided,  and not hired by them.
They wanted me to help them with their facebook account, other social media accounts and even some graphic design!
They asked me a few questions about my skills and background, and I told them that I have a blog and that I have 500 followers on twitter.
They wanted to see my blog and my portfolio, so I gave them my blog link and they told me to send my portfolio link to them via email.. which is weird, because now that I think of it.. I could have told them the link in person.
They wanted me to go on a three hour trial as a receptionist, to see if I like the job or not. I just had to find out when I was free, and I told them I would call them on Friday to see my schedule, when I'm available. They however told me, that the three hour training would be non paid and that if I did take this position, it would be part time. But even though I was looking for Full Time, this was the experience that I really needed!
On Friday, I called them and found out they had already left for the day.... I'm used to people working 9-5, not 8-4.. I called them at 4:30, on my lunch break at work.
I was told by the receptionist to call them on Monday, which would be when the office manager would be back. I called them on Monday 15 times, just to get that dreaded busy tone! At the end of the day, I got an email from the office manager stating she was sorry for not getting back and that she would schedule a meeting soon. I didn't hear anything for two days, and then I got a phone call from another company, about an interview.. so I decided to focus on that company instead, since these guys decided  to drop off the face of the earth! I didn't get that job, but when I got home from interview 32, I found out the head Doctor of the Doctor's Office, added me on LinkedIn! Does that mean they are still interested in me? I have no idea! But I want to wait and see if they will reply to me!

Lesson Learned: Sometimes it's good to apply for jobs you wouldn't want to do, because they may be looking for something that you are skilled in! My old supervisor, when I worked in an office once told me, to apply for places that aren't hiring. This is because, some places are looking for talent, but they just haven't looked for anyone yet! This was basically the same thing, they were looking for someone besides a receptionist, but they weren't going out of their way to find someone!

Interview #28, We'll get you a job, lol just kidding, we don't give a fu..

This post is going to be about my 28th job interview and it's also going to be a warning, because this company is nothing but a scam anyways!!

Okay, so my 28th interview was for the staffing agency known as "Randstad". This is one of those occasions where fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
Apparently, I've never talked about the company before. But around three years ago from the date posted in this blog post... 11/12/2015..I went on an interview with a staffing agency called Randstad.. omg I think I've heard that before, oh yeah, I just mentioned it seconds ago.... anyways. I had went on an interview for whatever it was I applied for, and the guy said that they were getting many jobs in and that they would contact me. It was either a week or a few weeks later, I heard nothing from them, so I was like, well  I guess he was a liar liar pants on fire now wasn't he!

So a half of a month ago to around two weeks... I was on the website Indeed and I found job adds for clerical positions, which is what I was looking for, and it was supplied by Randstad. I figured that since I wasn't applying for the company itself, maybe it would be different this time? Well, I was wrong! First off, they didn't contact me until a week later, but I didn't think anything of it. We played phone tag a little bit and then I finally set up an interview, the lady was telling me they really needed to get this position filled and actually asked if I could come in before work. Where as I was going in at 9:15 that day, she wanted me in at 8am, I told her I had work at nine.
Funny enough, I was running late and they called me, I said I got lost, because that's what you say, instead of sounding like a bum. Anyways, I got there like 15 minutes later. I hadn't been on an interview for a bit of a year, so I was out of the loop. The interview was for a File Clerk  at a University or a Hospital, (Both places are associated with each other), apparently there was also an office assistant position as well. I was a little awkward, but I think I did pretty well, the lady seemed down to earth and friendly. She was asking me questions about how experienced I was with certain things and she asked me to do a skills test online. Everything seemed okay and I just thought it was different this time, especially since it was a different person and a different building. Although, there were certain things that stuck out in my mind. Such as at the end of the interview, she said if she didn't get back to me, to call or email her, but email is preferred. Which is fishy, because wouldn't phone be better?
I waited a week and I emailed her and I got nothing, a waited a few days and realized that she was just as useless as the first time! WASTE OF TIME!! The only good thing is that I got re-familiar with interviews and the area, since it was a 30 minute drive, I got some experience of the surroundings.
I was telling my aunt about the interview and she said, I should look online on the university's website and see if I could get the same job through them, and I would get paid more since staffing agency's take some of the cut.

I had told some people I work with about the company Randstad, and in fact, one girl has tried them and they were no use to her at all. Another woman, who is also a Donna, which is a tag on this blog. Had told me about how her job, actually supplies people from another staffing agency called Aerotek and that I should try them out instead, she couldn't recommend Randstad either!
I do however know two people who did get jobs through Randstad, but they're weird jobs and they don't allow you to have references for the company that they loan you out to. So if you work for a company through Randstad for two years, you can't use a supervisor or whoever as a reference, you're not allowed to!

Later on, I looked up Randstad and I found reviews upon reviews. Looks like "Randstad" likes to pull a fast one on people all of the time, there were so many people that went on interviews and Randstad did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR THEM! Apparently the company has a monthly quota, they HAVE to have a certain amount of people for interviews, but they don't have to hire them for anything, so they waste people's time and money just so they don't get fired from their own job! They pretty much prey on the unemployed, or people searching for something new. But what about that person that has no money?  You just screwed them out of gas money! This company is just a bad company! I don't recommend at all!

This is not only a post about an interview experience, but also a WARNING! Try another staffing agency, I know Robert Half is better, because they actually tried to get me something three years ago.
But for the love of everything, don't go to Randstad!

I was applying for jobs the other day, and I was actually very inclined to put that lady's phone number and email in for a job search engine, so people would call her.. but I didn't. Karma can be a ho' sometimes and I hope it gets her.

Lesson Learned: Sometimes a new dog has the same old tricks! You have to be cautious of applying for a company you've applied for before!

Interview # 22: Closure Closure, you need closure! *Closes door*

Interview number 22 was my third interview at a book publishing company called "Nova".
I was interviewed by a woman named Jo-Ann, I would have been interviewed by Donna 3 if she hadn't been on vacation.
I think I had a very nice interview, I presented myself well and I would jab at anything about the position.
For example, it was about editing and re reading subjects in books and I would make sure everything was correct. So I would go on about how I've used programs like microsoft word and excel.
They also liked me  for my graphic design experience, they mentioned there was someone who had so much work to do that extra help would have been... well....helpful!
I was on the interview for about a half an hour! I really thought that maybe I had a chance... before I left I asked if I could be contact whether or not I got the position or not. The interviewers exact words were "You want closure."
BUT! I never got a response! It's almost been a month since then, it was at the middle of August 2012.
So, it's safe to say I didn't get that job. =_="

Lesson Learned: It can really really seem like you got the job, the person/s may love you... but it doesn't mean you did get it.

Interview #21: You... you... have a PUMA?!?! Can I pet it!?!?! Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaase!!!

The next interview I went for was for a receptionist, but they also liked me because of my Graphic Design experience. It was a job where I would have gotten to do more than one kind of work, like clerical and graphic design.
The place was a social media marketing company.
I got there right on time, but I had a bit of trouble as to which was the right entrance... as it was a square building with like 5 companies and 5 doors. I actually did not know anything about this company as the woman who left a message on my phone talked very lightly, and I could not hear anything but the address and town..
When I got to the building, it looked very nice... and I was seated a few minutes after I filled out an application.
When I got into the interview room, I presented myself well and I think I did well.
A few notable things were.... I didn't know about the company and out of all the companies that didn't ask me what the company was about, this was not one of them... they did ask me about it. So, I told them that I knew a little, but I was eager to learn more about it. They explained that it was an internet marketing company and they went into detail what it was all about.
They also mentioned that one of their workers had a puma that they take to the vet every two weeks, for whatever reason... it stays at their job once or twice a month.
I told this to some of my friends, I told my friend Donna... who thought it was cool.
Some of the ladies at work wasn't sure if I said Puma and wanted to make sure because of how bizarre it is for anyone to have a puma... we were all laughing, and one of the ladies said that maybe it should be a pass if they have a puma.
After the interview, the guy that interviewed me told me that he hoped I get a job soon, if not this one... because I have a "Kind" air to me. Which I think was nice to say; they also said they had about 40 other people to interview! 

Although they said they'd call me whether or not I got the job, they never called.


Lesson Learned: Some jobs are awesome, you can really like the place and the people can really like you. But don't forget, the interviewers probably have lot's of more candidates to interview. It's a very tough battle that not everyone will win.

Interview # 14: Do these glasses make me look smart?

My 14th interview was in an industrial park, it was for a book publishing company we'll call "Nova". This was in the middle of May 2012.

I was contacted by a woman named Donna, which oddly enough... I have a friend with that name. I had actually thought that this Donna was my Donna; which made me hope that I would get hired definitely.
(Note: I actually have two friends named Donna, we all went to the same college.)
Let's call interview Donna, Donna 3. Because my two Donna's get to be Donna, but I don't want to pick favorites by calling one of them Donna one and Donna two. So to be fair, they both get to be Donna, and this Donna is Donna three because she is the third Donna I have met.
So, there's Donna, Donna and Donna 3. I hope you've got a handle of all of this. :P

So, I did research on the company. Which I named, so even you could look it up.
It was a book publishing company that mainly sells very intellectual and educational books for professors and college students.
I was actually really interested in the ones they had about human sexuality.

"Sexual Minority Research in the New Millennium"

Which is a whopping 166 USD. (Holy cow Charlie brown!). Which you can actually also buy off amazon.
Last time I checked, it was more expensive on Amazon, but now it's less expensive.

So, when I got onto the interview with Donna 3... it was a very interesting place. It wasn't amazing, but it wasn't run down and it had a homey feel to it.
The interview with Donna 3 was very nice, I think I presented myself well and I answered the questions nicely. I was also lucky enough to get interrupted by one of the people that works there who had a problem for Donna 3, it was good cause the question she had just asked confused me and I wasn't sure what to say.. so it gave me time to think about what to say.
The interview went well, but it had me worrying about something. Donna 3 had mentioned that once you make up a schedule for when you come in, you can't change it. It was a part time job, so it was only about 5 hours a day, Monday-Friday.
For some reason that made me feel constricted, even though that's how most jobs/careers are.

Lesson Learned: Most jobs do not have flexible hours, sometimes it's good to ask.