So 2:15 comes and goes, and no call. I'm already freaking out anyways, in spite of a tablet of inderol, and I'm holding the cell phone up to the window, making sure that there is at least 3 bars of reception.
At 2:38 PM, there is a call. No, wait, not a call: a notification of a voicemail message.
I am absolutely livid. I am swearing like an extremely imaginative sailor even as I dive for the landline while pulling up the message.
I speak to the woman who called me, Eleanor. She chides me for missing the call, and I explain what happened. I suspect she believed me. She tells me about the position, the benefits, and points out the fact that even if I'm not hired, if the panel approve of me, I will be placed on a list for employment eligibility for the next year. They are hiring for several positions, so at least I have that going in my favor.
Then she transfers me to the panel.
Three people, all quite friendly. They introduce themselves, and explain that they will be asking 10 standard questions. And they do.
My responses are weak and poorly phrased for the most part. Talking on the phone, I realize so much of an interview is non-verbal: the best interviews I've had, I was able to establish a rapport with the interviewer that had little to do with what I was saying. After every question, there is a pause, that they explained in advance was them taking notes, but that doesn't make it less unnerving. And I'm still antsy from the adrenaline rush of having missed the call in the first place.
Some of the questions I responded quite well: "What is role does technology play in an urban library" -- I mentioned that I worked my practicum in an urban library, and I think my answer displayed my understanding. "What do you do if a patron comes up to the desk looking for a book about art?" That's straightforward enough: you determine what sort of art they are talking about, and what sort of book -- artist biography, critical overview, retrospective monograph? -- they are looking for.
But they also asked questions like "What draws you into public librarianship?" The answer, of course, is that I need a job. This sounds like I would bolt first chance I got, I know, but so many librarians I've heard have said that they finished the program intending to go into one sort of library, only to find their careers going somewhere else. I deliberately kept my studies fairly general, because I didn't want to put my eggs in one basket. And public libraries was always an option, especially in an urban area. This one is in Baltimore, MD: I think the time for secrecy has passed. I would've liked the job.
I should hear back next week. I so wish I had done better in the interview.
Plus my car is making bad metallic noises.
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2 comments:
I think a phone interview with a group of people is one of the most awkward situations that anyone would have to negotiate. I always felt horrible about my phone interviews, but some of them led to on-site interviews so I didn't do as badly as I thought. Hopefully the same thing will happen for you.
I feel a little better about my performance in the cold light of morning. And it is rather chilly. It was just the first interview that I've had since graduating with my MLIS, and I really wanted to make a good impression. I've been sending resumes out since November, and this was the first call back. I know academic libraries process stuff incredibly slow, but this is just ridiculous. I think I'm going to be focussing more on urban public libraries.
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