Job interviews are nerve-racking, harrowing experiences.
When I was 24, I applied for a job and earned an interview for a position as a public relations assistant with a small public relations firm on the east side of Manhattan.
It was 1992, and I was eager to make a great first impression and present myself well so they would offer me the job. I wanted to break into the PR game and knew that I was qualified for the position, but I had to be able to convince them of that in my interview.
I had my new, tailored suit cleaned—the black one with the short jacket and pleated, knee-length skirt. I bought a new, pale pink blouse, and planned to keep my jewelry simple and understated, leaving the many rings and bracelets I usually wear tucked safely in the inside zipper pocket of my purse. I wore my long, brown hair up in a neat bun, which I felt looked more corporate and conservative than the wavy and wild style I normally wore. That morning, I put on subtler makeup as well.
At the interview, I sat across from Holly, the office manager, at the end of the rectangular conference table in a small conference room. As she looked over my resume and application, I silently speculated that she was only a few years older than I was, and that in a few years, I could be in her position.
Holly asked the typical questions about my education and previous job experience—about my skills and what I saw as my flaws, which I answered carefully by phrasing them as things I wanted to improve. I figured focusing on personal growth was better than just listing flaws.
We discovered some common threads: her cousin went to the same summer camp as my younger sisters; we did our bachelor’s degrees at the same college. About 30 minutes into the interview, she told me that I was certainly qualified for the job, but that she thought that I was too conservative in manner, behavior, and dress to fit in with their creative, wild office culture.
I paused. Quickly, I thought that this could be the time to pull out the real me.
It was just as if it was a movie scene.
I saw the camera pull out to a wide shot, turn, and refocus on me. I slowly said that I disagreed with her assessment of me. I said that for this interview, I had dressed very differently—much more conservatively—than I usually do because I was trying to appear more corporate, which is what I thought they would want.
While telling her this, I took my hair out of the bun and shook it into its long, wild waves. I opened my purse and put on all my rings and bracelets. I continued to tell her that I sang with a hard rock, garage band and that we were practicing some Pat Benatar and Heart covers. Then I put on my dark lipstick and her jaw dropped.
She was speechless, and sat mutely listening to me in awe of this sudden transformation.
I asked her if she could guess what I did the night before. She shook her head no.
I launched into the story:
My friends and I had gone to a bar in Huntington to see a Grateful Dead cover band we loved and saw every chance we got. I bought myself a beer, said hello to the bartender (who I knew on a first name basis), and was standing in the dense crowd when I noticed a cute guy repeatedly glancing at me from across the smoky room. He approached and had beautiful eyes, so I was flirting with him. Once he really started to talk, or yell because the music was so loud? Dumb as a box of rocks.
“When he asked me my name, I told him it was Pamela. Pamela Courson,” I said, letting Holly see just a little of my inner groupie. Pamela Courson—the wife of Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors. My favorite band. It was a game to see if any guy caught on and knew who she was. Only once was my game discovered, I explained, and this was not that time.
When at the end of the band’s second set, he asked if he could have my number, I flirtatiously wrote a fake number on the palm of his hand.
Holly laughed along with me as I finished the story and then was quiet for a few long seconds.
I started to second-guess myself and panicked inside my head. Did I overdo it? Should I have not told the whole truth? Before I could beat myself up too much, Holly said that I had proved her wrong; I was hysterical and would definitely fit into their crazy, creative office culture.
She hired me on the spot.
When making first impressions, whether a job interview or otherwise, sure, it is important to try to make the best impression. But, more importantly, it is essential to always be ourselves.
4
4 Comments
4 Comments
Tracey Morris
103
Director of Talent Strategy at WVU
11/05/20 at 2:41PM UTC
I love this!! I believe this demonstrates the reason why you should be yourself in an interview. Being a fit for the team dynamic is an important aspect of the job search -- for the candidate and the supervisor. Kudos to you for being willing to put yourself out there and reveal your true self once you had more information about the team! Thank you for sharing.
1
1 Reply
Marci Brockmann
29
Author, Artist, Educator & Thought Leader
11/05/20 at 2:43PM UTC
Thank you. It was a very important lesson to learn. Blending with the behavioral dynamics in an office or company is just as important as having the requisite skills.
Reply
Alexis Gladstone
644
Leadership, Sales and Change Expert
11/05/20 at 2:58PM UTC
Marci what an awesome and inspiring story. As women, especially in the decade you reference, we were told we couldn't be our authentic self. Look what happens when we are!
Besides it being a great lesson in authenticity, I think it also shows that we need to do our homework and try and find out about company's culture before we interview. I know it's not always easy to do that, but I would say now, in the internet age, it's easier than it was back in 1992.
Thanks for sharing!
1
1 Reply
Marci Brockmann
29
Author, Artist, Educator & Thought Leader
11/05/20 at 4:23PM UTC
You're absolutely right! Knowing where we are applying - facts and figures and also about the corporate culture (as it is) are all very important to know. Thank goodness the work world is a bit better at accepting differences and individuality in people. Thank you for commenting. :)
1
Reply
Looking for a new job?
Our employer partners are actively recruiting women! Update your profile today.
The Fairygodboss Feed
We're a community of women sharing advice and asking questions