[Archives] A Memorable Job Interview
Here we are on January 7th, and I already need to look to the DailyPost site for inspiration for the Post A Day challenge. That doesn’t bode well for the rest of 2011. Before I get into today’s real post, I’ll pose question for those of you reading my site: Do you have any specific topics you’d like to see me write about? Add a comment below if you’d love to read my thoughts on something in particular!
I like the Plinky prompt from yesterday, “Share a story about a memorable job interview.”
Back in the summer of 1997, after I graduated from Brandeis University and moved out to California, I was applying for jobs at Internet companies. Before I wound up at Netscape, one of the companies that brought me in for an interview was WebTV (now MSN TV). This wasn’t long after WebTV was acquired by Microsoft.
I don’t remember what the exact job was that I was interviewing for, just that the foot in the door was arranged by my father with the daughter of a member of Congregation Beth David. This detail is important only for the possible ulterior motive of introducing me to a nice Jewish girl from the synagogue.
I went up to Palo Alto to meet with a few folks from WebTV, and one of the interviews was held outside in this little atrium courtyard they had in the building. It wasn’t a great interview – I had no experience and no marketable skill that they were looking for – but the gentleman humored me, spending the entire allotted time asking me questions.
Here’s where it gets memorable, though… I sat there for the entire 45-minute interview with one leg crossed over the other, ankle resting on knee. When the interview finally, mercifully, came to a close, we both stood up to go back inside the building. What I didn’t realize was that my entire left leg, from toe to hip, had fallen asleep!
Trying to stand on a leg that’s fast asleep leads to falling over.
Falling over in a job interview leads to not getting a job. Unless you’re Chevy Chase.
Ever since then, I’ve worked for companies that compete against Microsoft. Coincidence?