First interviews

For me this week has been all about interviews. I’ve still been applying for jobs and talking to the agencies but this week brought me my first interviews. All were competency based, testing my knowledge of the subject of business analysis.

Tuesday afternoon I was at BT Fleet, Solihull, next door to Birmingham airport -- for the first of (possibly) 3 interviews. Two BA posts are up for grabs which is always better than when you are chasing one. I came away feeling I given a good account of myself but unsure as to whether I’d been good enough to get to the next round and won’t hear until late next week, but, importantly I got that “we have more candidates to interview” line which is usually a subtle way of saying “you didn’t do well enough”.

Wednesday I took a telephone interview at home for a job with Capita, this time based in central Birmingham. This one went well and I had a good feeling when I put the phone down at the end of it. Sure enough I got that all important call from the agency late in the day to say that I’d definitely be seen in the next round of interviews which will mean a trip down into Birmingham, date and time to be confirmed.

Today, Friday was supposed to start with another telephone interview at home for a job with Citi Bank / Egg at 9am. At 9:20 I phoned the agency and reported a “no show” and they said that they’d investigate and re-arrange as I had to get down to sign-on. Just as I was getting onto my motorbike the interviewer phoned, apologised for being early, but, could we get down to it as he’d got a full day ahead. I explained that I’d been emailed the time for the interview as 9:00 – 10:00. He’d got it in his diary as 10:30 – 11:30. As he’s on leave next week we agreed that he’d reschedule for the week after next when he returns from his leave. I just hope that it still happens but can’t be blamed for this one falling down.

Because of my interviews I’d arranged to sign-on at 10:25 instead of 13:50 in a phone call on Monday. I get down the Job Centre and they try to turn me away saying my sign-on time hadn’t been changed. I point out that (i) I’d phoned on Monday -- which had been recorded on their system, and (ii) that I couldn’t be there at 13:50 as I’d got to be at an interview, showing them a copy of the email. So I was seen by a rather nice young lady (makes a change, most of them are a bit rough or grossly over weight) and on my way in about 7 minutes after handing in my travel expenses claim for the Solihull trip and getting a form for the trip to E.on that was next on my agenda.

Then it's back home on the motorbike, change into the whistle and flute and off in the car to Annesley. I arrived with 25 minutes to spare so got myself nice and calmed before venturing off for what turned into a bit of a grilling. Like the Solihull interview, I came away not sure whether I’d be in or out following the “we’ve got more to see…” routine. So I just have to wait it out.

In the meantime I’ve just retrieved my emails, and after just one day (today) away from my computer I have 25 emails to get through from agencies and job alerts. That should keep me going for a while….