Job interview

Some days after the application deadline I received an email inviting me to an interview. I have only had two permanent jobs, and I can't remember being interviewed for those, but for two other jobs I didn't get. Great start! The invitation listed a long row of events during the interview day - yes, a whole day long interview, meeting lots of people in different constellations. The message contained words like "briefing" which I have never understood. Audio-visual equipment was offered for my self-presentation. My, this was serious!

I flew to London the day before, reasonably early in the morning, and went to the Museum of Childhood. I had been there, but this was before I developed a passionate interest for doll houses (see my doll house on the web). I spent three hours at the museum, taking notes and drawing sketches, which was very relaxing and kept my mind from all thoughts - this is incidentally why I started building a doll house. Then I took the familiar train to Cambridge and taxi to the hotel I had found on the web. Remember, if you don't want to pay fortunes for a hotel in Cambridge, it's worth while spending an hour on the web. Then you can treat yourself to a nice meal instead. Which I didn't. Instead, I paced the room rehearsing my self-presentation. "You must give me the job because I am the best" is not a good argument. I had decided against AV since it felt silly.

How did it go? Frankly, I don't remember. I remember a row of faces to which I tried frantically to attach names from the Faculty webpage; I remember that I was asked questions, but have no idea what those were, yet obviously I answered them to everybody's satisfaction. I remember getting in too late after lunch, escorted by someone, to whom I was too shy to remark that we were late. I know I was pleased with myself; I had prepared good answers for every tricky question, and there were no questions I had not expected. The day was over quickly, and Morag and I celebrated in an excellent local pub that I can warmly recommend.

Next day I flew home and pretended it had never happened. But I had already been summoned to the next interview.