Applying for jobs and job interviews?

[.Poppy.]

I'm currently in the place where I'm trying to find full-time work or else go back to school and get a different degree.

I've been job-hunting but always over-analyze before I apply for anything because I'm paranoid I won't be qualified or able to do the job properly.

I applied for a job as sort of an organizer for seniors, helping them find services that allow them to remain in their homes. The qualifications for the job listed were a high school diploma (I have a college degree) and some experience coordinating events (I have a bit, not a lot).

I had the phone interview for the job today and went into it nervous, but not terribly so. The guy was really nice, but he was asking me if I had all this experience with various aspects of the job (helping people set goals, working with the elderly, finding low-income housing, etc.). Most things I only had slight or theoretical (through classes) experience with and I started to panic because every answer I had to give was "no, I don't have much experience there". It's so discouraging considering there wasn't even a college degree requirement for the job!

He's passing my resume on to the actual department I applied to and they may contact me in the next week. I don't have high hopes, but even if they do, I'm scared to do an in-person interview and have to stammer out answers right in front of them.

So, I'm just sitting here feeling like a failure and like I'm not qualified to do anything though I know that's obviously not true. But I may end up having to go back to school anyway for lack of anything better. There are people my age (I'm 23) who already have their careers mapped out, and I still have absolutely no idea what direction I'm going in.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Everyone feels a bit this way after interviews Poppy. We start to think what we should have said instead of what we did. It's those negative thoughts patterns 'Should' keywords instead of 'Could' and we end up with 'What If' thinking as well.

Its not productive, but people without anxiety disorders also do it so its not something that comes from anxiety, its natural negative thinking. So, try not to dwell on it too much.

Whats done is done so all you can do is learn from it (be constructive though) and see what happens next.

I take it from your age & education that you are only really starting out in your career so I would expect any interviewer to be taking that into consideration. Its also important to remember that not all employers/sectors value the traditional aspects of a person i.e. qualification or experience, as they may use questioning to determine core values and your abilitiy. Remember that there are plenty of people out there with good levels of education yet are poor in work and there are those with loads of experience that are mediocre. So, whilst both of these factors are important, you still have loads to get across in your values and abilities so maybe you didn't do as bad as you think despite your lack of experience in certain areas?

If you get questions about areas you haven't really covered, you can substitute with experience that demonstrates the same skills. This then shows a prospective employer that you have the ability to perform the role despite needing some time to adjust. If the industry doesn't require specific experience e.g. to be a plumber you need to be a plumber first, then this can still get you the job.

[.Poppy.]

Thanks, Terry.

The more I think about this job, the more I'm interested in it, so I hope they do call back. The things he asked me about weren't listed as requirements in the job description, and I told him that while I didn't necessarily have first-hand experience in those areas I do have theoretical experience based on my college degree. So hopefully they'll call back.

I also got another interview with a company that employs people to help the elderly with day to day chores. I'm not totally sold on that job but will probably go for an interview anyway to see what it's like and the woman on the phone was very nice. They also have flexible scheduling so I could always go back to school and still work there, which logically makes sense.

It's hard to apply for jobs as well because I don't have a massive past resume, so I have to list the same supervisors/references. I'm sure not everyone is calling them, but I don't want to over-burden them with calls or anything but I don't have anyone else to list, so I feel guilty every time I submit a new application.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Thats just how it is for us all when we start out Poppy. In 10 years you will have the opposite problem and wonder how to fit all the refs & positions into a resume!

This new role could always be a stepping stone where you can work on some of those gaps ready for the role you really want.

A lot of the things asked won't be in descriptions as they tend to be much longer in reality than the brief ads. But this means that the interviewer also understands this and knows you are not aware beforehand. Some people struggle more on the spot than others and some people don't give answers that are direct enough, which is something that can be worked in e.g. mock interviews.

Don't forget your human skills as well. If you can come across well, it makes a big difference because the interviewer will like you and be complimentary of your attitude. You don't seem to have any issues in this area from reading your posts as you come across as genuine, supportive of others & caring, if that helps?