As I have mentioned I have been filling out a lot of online applications and something that is a bother is the fact that I didn't do any A Levels or GCSE's. I went to high school in Minnesota and somehow they deemed me worthy of graduation. It's a very different process in England. You take classes - wait I am going to actually find out what GCSE stands for, I throw the term around but have no clue what it means, hang on-
GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education, and you take classes when you are 14-16 and then at the end you are tested and receive a grade. From there you take your A levels and those are your sort of precollege classes. Students are also tested and those scores determine your life in England from what I understand. Low GCSE and A levels scores are a one way ticket to nowhere, do well and you just might make it.
Anyway, they ask for these scores on most of the online applications. I usually am able to enter in that I was educated in the US. A few recently won't allow for it and want you to enter scores. Sometimes I will enter the names of the classes that I took at MCAD. The Visualization program classes are really cool. For one application I listed them out and they looked pretty impressive all typed out. Those were good times.
So today is the deadline and as I mentioned before that the Ogilvy fellowship is what I have my sights on. Of course if your application is selected then you get to come in for an interview. I generally like interviews. I like meeting new people. I have only had one interview here in London. That one wasn't so good. It was when I was studying at the London College of Communication. My flatmate had a friend here and she was working at an online marketing company. They were looking for someone to manage their online campaigns and I was desperately wanting to stay in London. I thought it was a perfect solution. There were two small problems, the first being that the small company thought I was legal to work in London and second it wasn't exactly the kind of job that I was interested in.
I had convinced myself that although it wasn't the kind of job that I would ever pursue maybe I it was the opportunity I had been waiting for. What can I say, I am a positive person. Sometimes to the point of foolishness. So the interview was all lined up and then it dawned on me that I had nothing to at all to wear . I had only brought a very small backpack with me for two months and I didn't pack anything professional looking. One would think, no big deal just go out and buy something. Yeah, sure if London wasn't so expensive. Did I really want that cheap skirt? Oh come on it's only like $50.00. I ended up at H&M and I bought a simple black skirt. ($40.00)
I'd pair it with a nice worn through tank top and throw a trench coat over and pray that I didn't need to take it off. The day of the interview I am getting ready and I realize that I somehow grabbed the skirt in the wrong size. Now I pause to myself, because I wonder should I tell you that I only had myself to blame? Ok. When I buy something I usually put back the item that I tried on and buy a fresh garment that looks like it hasn't been tried on. Maybe a bit weird.
I didn't bother to look and see that the skirt I was taking was the right size. Of course it wasn't the right size or even the same style of skirt. I was a bit surprised when I was having trouble getting it on over my hips and that it had a little flounce at the back that didn't seem familiar. I was even more surprised when I could finally manage to get it on, although not zipped. Not a big deal, I had the trench coat. The problem was that I couldn't walk very fast nor could I sit down. Maybe the coffee shop where the interview was going to be would be crowded and all the tables would be taken. I would then suggest that we just casually lean against the wall and have the interview there.
I was coming up with this ingenious plan while I was shuffling down to the tube. It was a struggle to get from the platform onto the tube, the skirt wasn't cooperating at all. I hopped on and was on my way.
I met the guy outside the coffee shop and I know immediately that I won't get the job. He was young and had a velvet sport coat. I just had a bad feeling. I will give myself credit for sliding onto my chair without looking too stupid. I wish I could say that I didn't get the job because I wasn't qualified or that it was obvious that I could care less about the job. I think real reason was that he thought that I was boring. I hadn't been to one of the clubs that he mentioned. The majority of the interview was spent by him telling me about his amazing social life. It was a young and crazy crowd at the office and they worked hard, but partied harder. He also was a philosophy major who ended up in online marketing, I guess I didn't act impressed enough. There was also concerns that I was 29. I loved the blatant questioning about why I was so old and still going to university. He also asked me about where I lived and if I had people to support me in my life. I wasn't sure what kind of answer he was looking for. After a few minutes of silence he said " Do you have a boyfriend?" Oh, the look on his face when I told him I did.
I didn't get the job, but that's ok. As a mature person, I am now 30. I realize that you have to be strategic with where you want to work. Don't just take any job offer that comes your way. That's my bit of advice for the day.
I still haven't heard back from Starbucks regrading the Account Executive job. I called again and left a message with someone. My biggest fear is that I am not leaving the right phone number. I have finally learned my mobile number and I've had it since February. What can I say? It's a long number.
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