At last, a good interview

I just had a job interview, and I think it went really well! Actually, I know it went really well, because while he was walking me out, the head of the department I’d be working for said, “That went really well”.

You know how sometimes you have an interview (or even just a conversation) and you end up saying all kinds of weird, wrong things and giving more information than you meant to, and the interviewer asks questions you don’t know how to answer, and pretty soon everyone is looking at you like you’re completely psycho?

This was nothing like that.

I nailed it. I was prepared; I gave honest, well-thought-out answers to all their questions; I praised the work their department has been doing; I asked what effect the upcoming leadership change might have. They were clearly impressed. (Can you tell I’m on an adrenaline high right now?) They seem like a good team to work for. They laughed at my jokes. I even saw the main interviewer write down “SMART!” on his notes and underline it, and he called me smart.

Truthfully, as of 7 o’clock this morning, I really did not think it was going to go well. I got very little sleep last night, between nervousness and heat and my cat who wanted to cuddle (why, Louie, why? It’s 2 AM and 75 degrees in my room—why would you want to sleep on my stomach??). So I woke up in a fog this morning and blundered around, pretty sure that I was about to blow it.

But I didn’t!

They’re supposed to let everyone know by the end of the week whether they’d like to have them back for a second interview. I told them that I’m leaving soon for a long-planned vacation in Europe and that I hoped that wouldn’t affect my chances. I think it’s a good sign that they asked exactly when I was leaving, and all of them wrote down the dates of my trip.

I will post an update as soon as I hear from them. Even if I didn’t get it (although I’d say I have a decent chance unless they’re just that effusive with everyone), I was heartened by the positive experience. No one has called me “smart” in a professional setting for a long time. Take that, old job!