Two weeks ago I knew my the anticipated end date of my contract position was near. While at first I had expected it to be extended, I was told with a little less than a week and a half to go due to a decrease in work, my contract and others were not being renewed. So for the first time I experienced interviewing being and looking six months pregnant.
This included screening interviews with recruiters and a hiring manager via FaceTime and Google hangouts. As I typically do, I wore pearls for luck and blue and even though video can wash me out a bit in skin and hair tones, enjoyed the process.
While one recruiter from a single agency has kept me employed since December, I am registered with several agencies. This time many of the recruiters is worked with before had moved on, so their replacements wanted to meet me before we could work together. Luckily, they were able to interview me via FaceTime over lunches. It was good practice for the real thing.
I had one interview that was supposed to be over Google Hangouts that was hands down the worst I’ve had in years if not the worst in my life. For some reason the interviewer could not hear me and we tried this with me on Chrome, Firefox and Safari. So she ended up calling me, instead.
The interview started her describing homework that would be part of the second goad of the interview process. Then she described the ideal candidate having some skills and experiences that were not in the job description, and there were so many that had they been I wouldn’t have applied. I answered her questions as best as I could and it was obvious to us both that I wasn’t the right candidate, especially as she mentioned they’d see if there was even a need to send the homework to me or if it was a waste of time.
I usually send a follow up thank you/job interest confirmation letter, but in this case I didn’t. I not only didn’t get the homwork, I never got a formal rejection. If nothing else it’s a story good for laughs and practice for another interview.
The very same day, my recruiter at the agency that has kept me busy called with a phone interview for me. It was for an Executive Admin position, similar to a role I’d had before. He knew other agencies had sent people, yet I was the only candidate h would send.
I had a good feeling about the interview and I was right. They selected me for an in person interview for the next day. Since the blazers I have don’t button on me, I bought two at a thrift store and of those, Matt thought the blue for best. I ended up wearing the blue to my interview.
Yet, for the first time ever I wasn’t 100% convinced of my interview outfit. I texted Matt this picture and said I might wear my new gray blazer open over a black and white dress.
Matt said that while he liked the dress on me it was too long as it goes down to my feet, a more appropriate length for a night out.
With little time to spare, we discussed it via text and I ended up picking the blue as aforementioned which I understand is a good inteeview color.
Still, in my haste to be on time with time to spare (and getting my laptop and bag, change of clothes after, and things for my doctor’s appointment after work) managed to leave my portfolio with resume copies on it on the arm of our couch, as the light used to take this photo would not have been on, blended together perfectly.
Though I had plenty of time to be there on time with the interview at 8 a.m., there were no places open to print our more resumes or get a portfolio. To my surprise I found first a notebook then a portfolio just like the one at home in my trunk. There were no resumes in it, yet just like every other interview I’ve been to before they had copies, I didn’t need to have one, just appear ready to have one is asked.
I met with the woman who is leaving this position and the hiring manager who was choosing her replacement as a temp role until the permanent person was chosen, which they estimate to be two months. They have not yet started the search.
On my first day, yesterday, I wore an open black blazer over a gray dress.
The dress goes down past my knees and looks like this over my bump.
With the dress code business casual, I don’t have to wear a blazer everyday, and today wore a blue maternity top with ruching over gray maternity pants. I even get to wear jeans on Fridays.
~ Danielle
Over 40 First Time Mom 