well...

Post by **Kaylee** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:37 am

I've been rejected by IBM after spending a lot of time and investment going through their recruiting process... got right through to the last stage as well. Ironically the first stage where someone actually spoke to me in an interview... my application to Microsoft ended just the same way... I seem to lose these things at the point where someone actually meets me and talks to me. All the time it's a paper application it's fine.

It's rather a heavy blow... it was my absolute dream job, and as it looks now I'm going to have to settle for something far, far less... especially since employers (and people in general) seem to dislike the 'me' that I actually am and refuse to put on a mask to fool other people with...

Sadly the person I am here (complete with oblique sense of humour, fullfrontal comfort with speaking my mind and expressing my views and my generally unswerving devotion to the truth) is the same person I am all over... to friends, family, job interviewees. Doesn't really matter. I can't be someone I'm not, so I don't try; it just feels false. Very few actually take to me because of it, however.

So I'm feeling very low right now... especially with being so overworked and lots of other problems. Just had to mention it, as its quite painful now and this helps a little.

Ta.

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:46 am

Can't you just fool the bastards at the interview, and then when they've hired you, you whip out the cool and awesome Karl that we all love and care for?

Also, it would be cool if you pimp smacked them at the same time.

Post by **Kaylee** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 6:59 am

Sadly I can't do it... they ask me something and I have to answer truthfully back- even if I know the answer I'm giving is not the 'business' answer they want. Otherwise I'd be lying, and that's even worse than being myself and answering with an unpalletable truth.

i.e. Are you a leader?

My typical response- I will take the leadership of something provided nobody else desires it and I will lead a team well and effectively. I don't however lust after positions of power for their own sake.

But i don't think it's even something as simple as that... it's just me. My whole attitude. Probably even more so than that my personality in general. In the end, I'm not normal... most people tend to pick up on that pretty quickly either from my body language or failing that after a very short time speaking to me. Most people don't seem to like the unusual, especially when I often seem so distanced, and when I engage with people I come over as even more quirky.

hm. I don't honestly know what to do... I'm overworked from coursework, have exams in just a few weeks I've still not prepared properly for and a hundred and one other imperfections I'm dealing with... or at least living with. I'll be fine. I just really want to curl up in a ball and forget about most everything for a bit. Wishing I had someone to pet me better. That'd made falling down that little bit easier.

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 7:09 am

Post by **Kaylee** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 7:21 am

Hey, it's cool... at least I can talk about it here. that's much better than the alternative of just feeling miserable all by myself.

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 7:53 am

Wii are one happy Transfans family!

I hope you'll find a place to work where they'll accept you for who you are.
It's pretty wiik of them though to not hire you, because of who you are.

Hugs for Karl!

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:19 am

Sorry to hear you didn't get the job Karl.

Karl Lynch wrote: I can't be someone I'm not, so I don't try; it just feels false.

If I'm honest, the person I am at a job interview is never the real me.

Post by **Kaylee** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:44 am

Is it Besty?

hee

thanks ob, dave, it means a lot. i got a good score on my databases assignment a few mins ago though so that's perked me up a bit... my attitude might make me unattractive but at least my abilities are more than sound

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:18 am

It may be that they find you a little green - a couple of years' work changes people and it could be that after some experience in a business environment you'll be exactly the person they're looking for. A proven track record is worth far more in an interview than being able to answer clever questions. If they ask "What would you do in this situation?" it's much better to say "Well, last time I was in that situation I did XXXX and I found XXXX".

Karly wrote:Are you a leader?

It's like the old "Do you have any faults?" trap. No-one is going to answer that question honestly in a job interview: "Yes, actually I'm well lazy, I'm rude to customers and I couldn't give a **** about the work". Also see the end of Ghostbusters..."When someone asks if you are a god, you say YES!"

I usually try to be myself in interviews. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Usually (in my experience) I'm kept on file and the company calls me a couple of months later anyway. That's happened to me three times now, so this may not be the end for you with IBM or Microsoft.

Post by **Best First** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:21 am

Mate

if you can't be who they want you to be then its not really going to be your dream job.

Sadly being an individual is not particularly valued in the corporate world, i think some poeple see it as introducing an unpredicatble element whithin the workplace or people who are less likley to swallow the bull cookie from management.

if you don't want to conform then it may not be for you. I'd suggest maybe looking at smaller organisations - these tend to be less hive like and have more room for different types of people.

good luck and take care.

Post by **Kaylee** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 11:51 am

That's very true. I'd begun to see dimly something like that myself... which just makes me feel rather stupid... I always choose the idealistic route that I might be valued because of my strong individualism. Annoyingly I can't turn it off even if I want to (and I do often). So yes, very sensible advice Paul.

And you're very right Rob, experience is worth a vast amount. Until then I suppose it's whatever you can dig your claws into.

Scraplet · Post by **Scraplet** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 12:49 pm

Sorry to hear about that Karl.
Big organisations tend to have tickbox mentality. If you made it to the last stages, then you ARE what they are looking for. You just have to keep ticking those boxes, which, unfortunatly, means being economical with truth at times.

So when thay ask is you are a leader, tell them how and why you are. If you omitt to tell them that you don't desire it, then you haven't lied. Why allow the job to be given to someone no more deserving than you when the only difference is that they have no qualms about spinning the bulls***?

Post by **Kaylee** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:09 pm

Yar, it's a bit of a muddle... they have agreed to send me some feedback on my performance though so at least I'll know exactly which bits it was which tripped me up. Me being me though it's likely to just make me even more bloody minded and just draw even more emphasis to them next time haha

In the interim I could get a job as a shark wrangler or a grave digger or something.

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 1:43 pm

sorry to hear that Karl!

I'm a bit drunk right now, so no words of wisdom from me, i'm afraid... otherwise i'll likely make a three page post about something that could be summed up in one paragraph, so i'll save you from that!

Best First wrote:if you can't be who they want you to be then its not really going to be your dream job.

Sadly being an individual is not particularly valued in the corporate world, i think some poeple see it as introducing an unpredicatble element whithin the workplace or people who are less likley to swallow the bull cookie from management.

if you don't want to conform then it may not be for you. I'd suggest maybe looking at smaller organisations - these tend to be less hive like and have more room for different types of people.

yes, listen to Best First (for once) you will!

Eline · Post by **Eline** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:12 pm

Job seeking can be really awful, I know.

Erm... all the others have already said all the good stuff, so I can only offer you some hugs. And a nice hot cup of tea.

*hug* *hug* *hug* *hug* *hug*

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 2:31 pm

Karl Lynch wrote:In the interim I could get a job as...a grave digger or something.

You'd never be out of work

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Fri Apr 28, 2006 3:52 pm

Not if my new Immortality Serum takes effect!

Sorry, Karly. The more jobs I work, the more convinced I become that work is crap and I should be homeless. It would probably work if I wasn't so addicted to money.

Good luck with everything. Keep your head clear of bad stuff.

TransFans.co.uk

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