Avoiding Square Corners
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#22
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2012
Posts: 480
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Being qualified and prepared for jobs is of course important: I have the former and do my best for the latter.
It'd be hard for me to convince myself to pay for interview prep when there aren't jobs out there and I'm not getting interviews. As much as I don't like to be the one 'flopping like a fish' at the last minute before an interview, how feasible is it really these days for someone who wants a 121 job but isn't given the opportunity to compete for one to go around purchasing seminars and interview prep?
That's a bit like telling someone they need the most expensive rifle in the world when there are no deer left in the forest, because when the deer eventually come, you'd like to shoot it as accurately as possible. I understand the logic, and it's not flawed, but it's a bit unrealistic.
I've read a lot of good advice in this thread, keep it up and thank you.
It'd be hard for me to convince myself to pay for interview prep when there aren't jobs out there and I'm not getting interviews. As much as I don't like to be the one 'flopping like a fish' at the last minute before an interview, how feasible is it really these days for someone who wants a 121 job but isn't given the opportunity to compete for one to go around purchasing seminars and interview prep?
That's a bit like telling someone they need the most expensive rifle in the world when there are no deer left in the forest, because when the deer eventually come, you'd like to shoot it as accurately as possible. I understand the logic, and it's not flawed, but it's a bit unrealistic.
I've read a lot of good advice in this thread, keep it up and thank you.
#23
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It'd be hard for me to convince myself to pay for interview prep when there aren't jobs out there and I'm not getting interviews. As much as I don't like to be the one 'flopping like a fish' at the last minute before an interview, how feasible is it really these days for someone who wants a 121 job but isn't given the opportunity to compete for one to go around purchasing seminars and interview prep?
Saw a guy on the tube today at the training hotel(hint) who was talking about winning the lottery. He has won multiple times. He said the keys were playing consistently and making sure you had "good numbers" and played them repeatedly. You have to apply where you want to go and update monthly. If you need to fix a hole in your resume, do it. Then hone your answers over and over and over so you are polished. Malcolm Gladwell pointed in Blink that most hiring managers make the decision in the first minute whether they are going to hire you. Willing to just let it all hang out and hope the free to be you and me thing works out?
Take it from a guy who just used the words sagacity and haberdashery in a post on APC, do the prep.
#24
Line Holder
Joined APC: Jun 2011
Posts: 44
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Johnny, like Dragon I hear you on spending money unnecessarily. However, having done Albie's interview prep, for me a better analogy than your rifle one would be knowing you're playing in the superbowl sometime in the next year or so but not practicing yet because you don't have a specific date. Sure, you may still win, but why make it so hard on yourself?
The things taught aren't rocket surgery, but they do take time to think through and practice. I'm really glad that I now have time to think about how to give good solid interview answers at my own pace; I know that I'll be much more confident and perform exponentially better when I do get the call.
Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, once you pay for the workshop, you can go back and practice, brush up, ask questions, whatever, all you want. So there really is zero reason to wait, unless your budget really doesn't have a few hundred bucks worth of flex in it...while you wait for the interview that will basically define your life for the next few decades.
My $0.02: Do the prep sooner rather than later.
The things taught aren't rocket surgery, but they do take time to think through and practice. I'm really glad that I now have time to think about how to give good solid interview answers at my own pace; I know that I'll be much more confident and perform exponentially better when I do get the call.
Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, once you pay for the workshop, you can go back and practice, brush up, ask questions, whatever, all you want. So there really is zero reason to wait, unless your budget really doesn't have a few hundred bucks worth of flex in it...while you wait for the interview that will basically define your life for the next few decades.
My $0.02: Do the prep sooner rather than later.
#25
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...things taught aren't rocket surgery, but they do take time to think through and practice. I'm really glad that I now have time to think about how to give good solid interview answers at my own pace; I know that I'll be much more confident and perform exponentially better when I do get the call.
Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, once you pay for the workshop, you can go back and practice, brush up, ask questions, whatever, all you want. So there really is zero reason to wait...
Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, once you pay for the workshop, you can go back and practice, brush up, ask questions, whatever, all you want. So there really is zero reason to wait...
I thought I was ready to "interview" when I showed up for a seminar since I've interviewed a few times in my career. Sit across from Aaron when he puts on the "no feedback" hard HR face and see how smooth you feel. It gave me a lot to think about. Now I have had some time to rethink my answers and will be better prepared (not rote) for the real thing.
Being a customer for life, I will schedule another seminar if/when I get an interview call, or maybe even before, as a refresher.
It's another step in the eduaction process for me. Having done it already means I'll stress less in the meantime, knowing I've done everything I can within my span of crontrol.
#27
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,236
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^This. The two most iportant aspects for me. The first time I sat through a seminar I learned how not ready I was. Plus I can go back any time, or do a phone consult, no charge.
I thought I was ready to "interview" when I showed up for a seminar since I've interviewed a few times in my career. Sit across from Aaron when he puts on the "no feedback" hard HR face and see how smooth you feel. It gave me a lot to think about. Now I have had some time to rethink my answers and will be better prepared (not rote) for the real thing.
Being a customer for life, I will schedule another seminar if/when I get an interview call, or maybe even before, as a refresher.
It's another step in the eduaction process for me. Having done it already means I'll stress less in the meantime, knowing I've done everything I can within my span of crontrol.
I thought I was ready to "interview" when I showed up for a seminar since I've interviewed a few times in my career. Sit across from Aaron when he puts on the "no feedback" hard HR face and see how smooth you feel. It gave me a lot to think about. Now I have had some time to rethink my answers and will be better prepared (not rote) for the real thing.
Being a customer for life, I will schedule another seminar if/when I get an interview call, or maybe even before, as a refresher.
It's another step in the eduaction process for me. Having done it already means I'll stress less in the meantime, knowing I've done everything I can within my span of crontrol.
Preparing how to handle those and other interview moments, for a multimillion dollar job, Albie is a freakin' steal. I'll follow up later with whether or not I'm actually able to apply what he taught.
#29
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Did Albie's prep back in May & I don't retire for another five months. Getting it done early is excellent advice.
OBTW, we had three dudes in the class who were interviewing with United the next week--all three got hired. Not necessarily direct cause-effect, but have to believe the prep had a hand in the results.
OBTW, we had three dudes in the class who were interviewing with United the next week--all three got hired. Not necessarily direct cause-effect, but have to believe the prep had a hand in the results.
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