Career News 24/7: The Cynical Girl: Should I Interview For a Job?

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

The Cynical Girl: Should I Interview For a Job?

Posted: 07 Aug 2012 03:45 AM PDT

Whenever someone asks you to interview for a job, you should say yes.

What if I’m not looking for a job? First of all, you should always be looking. I’ve laid off more than 10,000 people in my career. 50% saw it coming and the other 50% were shocked — even when they worked in a market segment that had no income, no customers, and no viable path towards profitability.

What if I don’t like the job? I believe in having a conversation. Always. If someone is nice enough to think of me during the hiring process, I want to honor that awesome gesture by listening to the pitch. If it’s not for me, I’ll recommend someone I know. It never hurts to have a conversation in real life.

What if the job doesn’t pay as much as I earn? You really have no idea how much a job pays until you have an offer in your hand. All kinds of factors weigh into a compensation package. If you show up and wow them, the job could pay more than what you earn. Stop assuming.

I don’t want to waste anyone’s time. I agree that it’s rude to waste someone’s time; however, it is never a waste of time to invest in yourself and have a little adventure. Talk to people. Get to know the market. Practice talking about yourself. When the right job comes up, you’ll be ready.

What if I’m truly not interested? I get it. You are happy and have no interest in interviewing for a new role. That’s great. When you are interested, though, don’t call me asking WHERE THE JOBS AT, YO?

The jobs are all taken by people who get a job before they leave a job.