Monday 23 March 2015

Interviews.


                                   

On leaving school in 1964 I'd turned down a place to study Architecture (don't ask), so I needed to find myself a job.

I really don't know what went through my mind, but I finally decided to offer my services to The London Stock Exchange.

I perused the financial press (FT) to see who was recruiting, and plumped for one of the top-notch brokers called Sebag Montefiore and Co.

I should mention at this stage that the word 'interview' had never been mentioned at my school, and I really didn't know what to expect. I certainly wasn't expecting to be thrown to Lions.

The interview room at Sebag's was dark oak panelled, sprinkled with Old-Masters, and contained very little furniture. There was one large heavy curved antique Chippendale desk behind which were about 10 chairs, and on the other side, in the middle of the room, another single plain chair for 'the accused'.

My interrogators were all of the 'crusty, multi-millionaire, ex-guards officer, city magnate' ilk, and all six of them were extremely intimidating to say the least. I was thrown complicated questions, asked for a sample of my handwriting, and made to feel like a naughty schoolboy who'd gone through the wrong door by mistake. It was a nightmare.

Needless to say, my lack of blue-blood and no millions in the bank, lead to my receiving a 'thanks but no thanks' letter in the next day's post. In many ways I was extremely relieved.

I continued to peruse the FT and found another top broker who was looking for a trainee 'blue button'; Sheppards and Co were the oldest firm of stockbrokers in The City, and highly regarded.

Here my interview was a 'one to one' affair in a pleasant airy office. I was offered the job, told that my salary would be 500 guineas per annum, and instructed to report for work in a week's time.


N.B. Unfortunately, on the day my employment began (a Monday), there hadn't been time to visit my tailor to collect my new City style suit, and I was sent home; they weren't going to have some pipsqueak in a school suit working for them!

I picked-up the suit, bought myself a bowler and brolly, and started the following day, feeling suitably chastised.

I sincerely hope that present day school children are better prepared about interviews than I was.


20 comments:

  1. Oh, you poor thing (being thrown to the lions like that) I know how awful that feeling is! I still shudder at the humiliating memory of an interview I bombed when I was very young....three men in suits tossing questions at me that I was totally unprepared for...asking me to solve math problems on the spot....oh, was it awful! I barely made it back to my car before the tears started. So I feel for young Cro back then!

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    1. Even remembering it makes me cringe. Torture.

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  2. Always hated interviews when younger Cro, though I breezed my last one for the Fun factory over ten years ago as I had the attitude that as much as they were interviewing me I was interviewing them, quite funny to turn the tables a tad.
    John

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  3. We need a photo of you in the bowler.

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  4. My first interview was for a part time post of office junior in a solicitors' office (to help fund college). The senior solicitor asked me many personal questions, that I didn't know how not to answer. He showed me his couch, which he said was always available if I required a break during the day. He offered me the job and I thanked him but said that I would need to discuss it with my parents first. They helped me to write a letter saying that I was unable to take up the post and I had to hold my boyfriend (now husband) back from going to see the "dirty old man"

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    1. Sounds like you were applying to work at the BBC.

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  5. The dreaded interview. Where I worked if you wanted to move up you had to apply for the job and be reinterviewed. It was a hellish experience being double teamed by a couple of upper management types as though you were fresh off the street and had to prove yourself even if you had worked for them successfully for fifteen years. I too, hope today's youngsters are more prepared for the real world.

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  6. I suspect interviews are still as intimidating now as they were then Cro. Would love to see a photo of you in that suit!

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    1. It was a beautiful suit; I wore it for years.

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  7. I would suspect that today's jobseekers are better equipped for the interview as there is so much information out there to help them. However, having jitters is just part of the process.

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    1. Yes, they have been coached into telling fibs and that it is all right to do so.

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  8. When we moved to California I had many interviews before finding a job. Some good, some bad, some awful.
    I got fed up and swore that I'd be a b***h at my next one, with the attitude they'd be lucky to hire me. Of course they offered me the job, but I turned them down, felt great.

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  9. Oh poor you at that first interview. I, too, would love to see you in that tailored suit and bowler hat!

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  10. My daughter was at an interview at age 16 for a job serving dinners to the elderly. She was asked the question "if you were to be a vegetable, what vegetable would you be?" She replied she would be an onion because it has many layers. I think the HR people take courses on questions to ask and how to interpret them. Ridiculous. Would wanting to be celery have any impact on your personality?

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    1. You've got me thinking now, Raz. Goodness knows what I'd have replied to that question; Potato maybe, for it's versatility.

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  11. I would have had a heart attack on the spot. As an introvert, I have to think about things before I answer. Can't take that kind of pressure. I do hear from my kids that they ask questions nowadays that I could not answer off the top of my head.

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  12. Best interview I ever had was with just such a well heeled crusty Guards type. After chatting about inconsequential matters wholly unrelated to the appointment he suddenly asked me what sort of salary I had in mind. I thought of the least amount I would accept and added half again to give me negotiating room. 'Oh no,' he said, 'I think we'll pay you the same as all our new contract officers' and doubled the amount I had first thought of.

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    1. That's how I imagined all my interviews would have gone.... sadly not.

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