# I blew an interview today **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 29, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218 "2011-06-29T01:17:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/21 "2011-06-30T00:35:58Z")
> [@xoferew](#): > > I guess one plus of video interviews is you don’t even have to bother with wearing pants. Unless you get up to get a drink of water. Or if you have a web cam like mine that perches precariously on top of the monitor and can tumble off into one’s lap. "Yes, one of the reasons I’m interested in putting my skills to work for Company XYZ is NAUGHTY BITS! NAUGHTY BITS! sorry, let me fix that camera, is because you consistently respect the natural environment while still making practical, profitable decisions that make the customer feel good about NAUGHTY BITS! NAUGHTY BITS! NAUGHTY BITS! um, excuse me, let me just quickly slip into some pants… I say NAUGHTY BITS in the middle of every interview - phone or not. I think it makes me sound charming and quirky. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/22 "2011-06-30T05:12:50Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I once was told by the employment agency that I should always wear a suit to interviews. But I also knew that the kind of job I was going for was very casual and relaxed, so a suit would be out of place and overdoing it. > > Against my better judgement, I wore the suit. I looked and felt uncomfortable, and I was right, it was a casual polo-shirt and jeans kind of place, so stood out like a sore thumb. I did not get the job, or even a followup email. > > Ever since, I have trusted my own judgement in interview situations, and it’s never been an issue. It’s also how well you can adapt. “You know, I always wear a coat and tie to an interview and to the first customer meeting. You guys mind if I lose the jacket and tie, and roll up my sleeves?” ---
**Author:** ![Grapefruit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@Grapefruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grapefruit)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/23 "2011-06-30T15:57:16Z")
How you looked on the screen doesn’t matter… what matters is how you answered their questions! I had an interview yesterday too… I think I did okay, but there are little signs that I may not have gotten the job. It’s a little psychological trick we play on ourselves, though. I’m not getting my hopes up because if I don’t get it, I can say “I knew it! I didn’t present myself the way they wanted someone for that position to act, so it’s expected that I wouldn’t get it.” But they tell me they do want me, then I can say “Woo hoo! What a pleasant surprise!” There are other opportunities out there! It might be slim pickings recently, but if you have the skills for the job you want, someone will eventually see it. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/24 "2011-06-30T18:30:43Z")
Friend of mine once told the story of a face-to-face job interview he had. He dressed sharply, groomed himself painstakingly, and selected an attractive, professional-looking briefcase. He sat in the interview, briefcase on the desk in front of him, remaining calm and collected, answering all their questions, and thought he’d nailed it. When he got back to his car, he set his briefcase down on the passenger seat and discovered _an entire smashed Fig Newton_ on the side of the briefcase that had been facing away from him and toward the interviewer. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/25 "2011-06-30T19:12:44Z")
Well, they’ve passed on me. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/26 "2011-06-30T19:25:28Z")
You weren’t interviewing for a communications position at a Jewish organization and refer to yourself as a “grammar Nazi,” did you? I did. They passed on me too. Better things will pop up. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/27 "2011-06-30T21:44:07Z")
Hopefully your next interview will go more like this: [![](https://pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF081-Q.P._Inc..gif) ](https://pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF081-Q.P._Inc..gif) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2011, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/28 "2011-06-30T23:27:18Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Well, they’ve passed on me. Who would really want to live a mile up in the air anyway. Besides, I was getting the sense over the past year that you might want to move to Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/29 "2011-07-01T00:14:41Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Well, they’ve passed on me. Sorry to hear the news! Good luck on the next one. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/30 "2011-07-01T00:48:40Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Besides, I was getting the sense over the past year that you might want to move to Canada. Denver is first, Canada (maybe Halifax, maybe someplace in the Rockies; the Big Three are out, I don’t care for huge cities anymore) is second, a limited number of places in the States that aren’t in Colorado is third. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218/31 "2011-07-01T02:06:14Z")
> [@Alma](#): > > Maybe off topic, but my sister made the move from St. Louis to Denver and she loves it. Easily the best decision she ever made and the other transplants she knows (from St. Louis and elsewhere) feel the same. If that’s where fortune takes you, it’ll be a good thing. Good luck. If I remember correctly, I think **Frank** has lived in Denver before. And I’m happy to hear about your sister’s reaction - I adore living here, and am always happy when others do, too (although there are too damn many of 'em coming here). > [@Frank](#): > > Well, they’ve passed on me. I’m really sorry to hear this. Hang in there. > [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > Who would really want to live a mile up in the air anyway. Oh, NO ONE. NOBODY wants to live here. IT SUCKS. Don’t come. 🙂 (see my statement above about “too many people moving here.”) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-an-interview-today/587218.md?page=1)