First Job Interview

Today I received an email in my inbox from the company that is screening for the position I applied to in December. I had a great phone interview with them just over a week ago, and I was nervous waiting for a call for an interview. When I didn't get a call on the 5th or 6th (that was the date that they had mentioned they would make decisions for who is invited to the next round) I was a bit disappointed. But today, I found an email inviting me to attend an interview next week on Wednesday! I'm really excited, and a bit nervous, as I'm out of practice in my own interviewing. I have been teaching interview techniques for the last three years, yet I find myself a bit apprehensive about the process...

The position is with a great non-profit organization that is doing some wonderful things for the local community. It balances office management with event planning (two things I enjoy and am great at!) Not to mention, the pay is good enough to stay with the company for a few years, or until I'm promoted to something better. It also has a bit more flexible hours so that Farid and I can spend more time together.

I'd love to comment on a recent trend in employment that I've missed out on while I've been gone for over three years. It's come to my attention that employers now "pre-screen" candidates for positions. Not only do they review your resume and cover letter, check up on your references, and have you interview, but they also pre-interview. I've actually had 4-5 telephone interviews where I was screened to see if I was even eligible for the position. Some of these pre-screens are simple, just verifying the information that you listed in your application, or following up on any information that wasn't clear. A few of them however, have gone into significant detail regarding how my past experience might play into the current position I'm applying for. This can be a little nerve-wracking, especially if you're not in the mind set that it is technically an interview. I imagine that employers are being inundated with more applications than they would normally receive for a typical job posting. With unemployment being so high, and more people seeking second jobs to make rent, it's more competitive and therefore more difficult to narrow the field down to their top candidates. I hope that other recently returned Peace Corps Volunteers find this useful, and can see an advantage in knowing that the pre-screen is just as important as a full blown interview. Good luck to my fellow RPCVs, and good hunting!