Czech Mate

It's taken me a while to come up with what to write for this post. Not that there is any shortage of things to write about by any means, but I started off on the wrong foot, and didn't want this to be a giant bitch-fest. I wanted to highlight the good, and be realistic about it all--culturally sensitive and fair. All in all it has been a great experience and I am really excited for the opportunity.  It's been a whirlwind of emotions, and I have learned so much--not only about my job, but about the Czech Republic, and about myself. I apologize in advance if my thoughts are all over the place and random. I am sure I will think of many more things to put in here as an afterthought. Let me start from the very beginning.

Shortly after being hired on at our company, my co-worker (I will refer to her as "C") and I got a phone call from our work in the midst of the 2 week training we were doing in Austin, Texas. We figured it was just to check in on us and see how things were going. Actually, it was a call to find out if we would like to go for an additional 3 weeks of training in the Czech Republic. We were so incredibly excited! We muted our conference call, jumped up and down, and hugged each other. This. Was. Happening. Good thing I hadn't sent my passport in for renewal just yet! Also, the Czech Republic...I knew almost nothing about it. Being the ignorant geographer I am, I ran to my computer and googled where it was. I had some serious research to do, and less than a week to do it. The kicker was that I would have only 1 full day home, and then I would be jumping on a plane yet again in a week to leave for 3 more weeks. Whew--that's a long time away from home, I thought. But this was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I jumped at the chance. Literally.

The next few days were a blur, as we arranged our flights from afar. I did my laundry so that it would be packed and ready to go immediately when I returned home. There were details still unclear, but I knew it would all work out somehow. I immediately downloaded a book about Prague, to learn about the customs, culture, food, travel, etc. I learned helpful phrases like hello, where is the bathroom, please, thank you, how much, and goodbye. I didn't want to be that ignorant American who can't say a word in the language of the country I was visiting. This was my version of cramming for a test. I had no time to exchange my money since I arrived home on the weekend. Although I was physically home, I was mentally checked out. I felt badly, because my time home with my family was so rushed, but I had no other choice.

I left Sunday night for the Czech Republic. I had layovers in Minneapolis and Amsterdam. My flight from Amsterdam to Prague was delayed by 3 hours, so it made for an extremely long trip. I arrived in Prague, and a driver drove me 2 hours from Prague to Brno, where I would be staying for the next 3 weeks. I was excited, exhausted, and anxious all at the same time. Imagine being in another country alone, in which you don't speak the language. Even the words on the signs are not able to be understood, because they don't even closely resemble any languages you know. I had always thought that I could get by in most of the world knowing English, French, and Spanish, and mostly that has been true so far. I might as well have been on another planet, because that's kinda what I felt like when I stepped off the plane and into Prague. Instead of being my usual curious, chatty self, I fell silent in the back seat of the taxi. It made for a very long car ride all the way to Brno. The driver turned on the radio, and it was American pop music. C would be joining me 2 days later, and already I couldn't wait for her to be here.

Arriving at Prague's airport

So far, that is the only time I have been in a car since I have been here. I have walked everywhere, because the city is very walkable, and work is very close to where I live. Also, a note about Czech driving--of you are in the left lane, you can apparently flash your brights at the car in front of you and ride their butt, and they will move over to the right lane. The driver did this no less than 5 times, and each time, the other cars moved out of the way as if to say, "I get it, you are a crazy ass, and I am getting out of your way." The sidewalks and roads here are cobblestone. It definitely made me feel like I was in Europe, in that respect. For the most part, people walk, bike, or take the trams, and there are a few drivers out there, but not nearly as many as back home. There are a lot of dogs off leashes walking with their owners, and the big ones have fence-like muzzles. At the stoplights, there is a slow clicking sound for the blind when the light turns red, so that they know not to cross the street. When the light turns green, the clicking sound speeds up. I like the clicking sound. It's not pushy or annoying. Everything here closes very early. I work until 6p (but usually later) each day, and by the time I get out, most everything is already closed.

Panoramic view of Brno

When I first arrived at my flat, the driver handed me the key to my apartment and home for the next 3 weeks and said, "Bye bye." I fumbled the key into the lock and stepped inside the apartment building. It was pitch black, straight up out of a horror movie. I pressed my hand against the wall and felt my way down the hallway. Luckily, I have a phone app that is a flashlight, so I busted it out. The keychain on my keys indicated that my room was on the second floor, so I pressed the elevator button. I stepped inside and pressed the button for the 2nd floor. It was very tiny inside, which reminded me very much of Paris. When I stepped out of the elevator, I saw 4 identical doors. There was nothing to distinguish which apartment was which. I sighed, and started to try each lock with the key I had. The first lock, the key went in, I turned and turned it and the door didn't budge. I tried the other 3 doors and the key didn't even fit, so I went back to the first door. I jimmied the key left. I jimmied the key right. Nothing was working. I began to panic. I am NOT sleeping in the hallway! I thought to myself. I pressed the doorbell to the apartment next to mine. A very sleepy, irritated looking man answered the door in his boxers. He was on crutches. He kept pointing to his crutches repeatedly, as if to say, "Can't you see I am INJURED?" I pointed to my keys in the door, and apologized profusely. He turned the key hard and the door clicked open. Damn, I felt stupid! At least I was in the door, though. I have bad luck with locks. Yesterday I locked myself in a bathroom stall accidentally and couldn't get out for like 5 minutes. I was panicking hardcore and pounded on the luck so hard that I got a bloody knuckle! There was no place to crawl under the door because it was full length. And there was music blasting and nobody else in the bathroom, so I might have been in there a while! I calmed down and was able to get the door open, but it was a frightening moment. Hey, but at least I didn't have to pay to pee like at McDonald's. Let's just say that in an effort to not go broke, I have perfected the art of holding it.

Only in Europe. $ = "you're-a-peein'"

The apartment is nice! It has beautiful hard wood floors and it is big and spacious, and totally reminds me of the apartment I had in Montreal (but only has 1 bedroom compared to 3). It has big windows that face the street. I have the same amenities too: a washer, TV, couch, kitchen that's furnished, bedroom, and bathroom. Mostly the weather has felt like summer: warm and breezy, with lots of sunshine. On those days, I open the windows wide and let the fresh air in. The last few days it has been really rainy with thunderstorms, but I have miraculously made it home before the downpour. The sights, sounds, and smells are very different here. In general, the younger people speak English. Mostly I can point to what I want in the store and pay for it even if I cannot be understood. The people here are pretty nice. C and I met only 1 really rude person in a grocery store who was probably annoyed we didn't speak Czech. He rushed us along, didn't give us a grocery bag to carry our groceries in, and indicated that if C wanted her receipt she would need to dig through the garbage to find it. Here you have to buy your grocery bags if you want them--at least in the bigger stores.

Nice kitchen! 

This is where the "magic" happens. Well, not so much.

One thing I will say is that I have not been really impressed by the food here. I mean, on a normal day, I will eat literally anything: even weird stuff like jellyfish and sea cucumber. I keep trying things, hoping I will find some delicious dish I can't live without. No such luck so far, and I am a week and a half in. For breakfast, I usually eat a banana or a bowl of cereal and drink orange juice. For lunch, I walk to the cantina down the block from work, where they have an ever-changing menu. "Chicken day" is my favorite--you really can't f$#& up chicken. The beef and fish days I could take or leave. Our mentor here took C and I to a pretty decent pizza place, so that was also a good meal. I had a beer there--nothing exotic, just a Budweiser. The beers here have a lot of foam, which I like! When you toast, you touch glasses, and then tap the bottom on the table before taking a swig. C and I love and live for McDonald's--it tastes like it does back home, and is a huge treat. They also have Subway and KFC here, believe it or not! We haven't tried those places yet. We found a great gelato place in town that we frequent as well. I usually skip dinner because unless I am cooking, no restaurants in my area are open/appetizing even if they are open. C and I made spaghetti with just noodles and sauce and bread this past weekend. I have eaten noodles with butter some nights. The other night I made a frozen pizza, and it was absolutely terrible. I had one piece and ended up throwing the rest away. I also had some really terrible frozen fish sticks. Haha, I guess I will stick with what I know. One thing I do love that I have tried was the coffee. I hate coffee, but this coffee at work costs 12 Czech crowns, and is 1/2 coffee and 1/2 chocolate. It is to die for! I am so addicted, and hope I can find something like it back home. I also buy peanut M&Ms from the vending machine at work almost every day because they taste just like they do back home.

Wisconsin reppin'

Not only do I not know the language, but I also didn't know the money, or how to operate any piece of electric equipment in my apartment. I am learning by trial and error. The washer, the stove, the oven and the microwave only have pictures, so I can't even really look up what they mean. Oh, and the temperatures are in Celsius. So that has been a challenge. I don't have a dryer either, because people here just don't. They hang their clothes out to dry. Basically I do laundry on Saturday, and you can just imagine that everywhere you look there are wet clothes everywhere--on my kitchen chairs, the couch, the windows, my drawers in the bedroom, and the bathroom tub and vent. It's quite funny. I don't have any clothes softener either, so when the clothes are dry, they can damn near stand up on their own. It's pretty hilarious. I miss the way my jeans feel fresh out of the dryer. C and I know that we can only wash 1 towel/jacket/pair of jeans at a time, because they take days to dry! My bathtub also leaks, so every time I take a shower, the floor gets flooded and I have to mop it. I am getting better with the money here. The general rule is to round up to the nearest 0, drop a zero, and divide in half. So if something costs 500 Czech crowns, that's about $25. At the grocery store, I only buy what I can correctly identify by picture. I accidentally bought a tuna pizza. Yuck.

Yeah...3 knobs with random pictures? 

I haven't turned on the TV once. Not that I even watch it at home, but it's just kinda weird. I live in a bubble where I don't know what's happening in the news back home. It's like being at summer camp! I literally come home, take a shower, prep for my class the next day, squeeze in an episode or two of Mad Men online, check emails, listen to music, Skype with my mom or Josh (the time difference is that here we are 7 hours ahead), and then go to bed. Pretty boring. But I don't want to be out in my neighborhood alone past dark. C and I save the weekends for adventuring. Saturday and Sunday we went into town, which is about a 10 minute walk. We bought groceries and ate McDonald's. We took a lot of pictures too. We love to play "What Not to Wear: Czech Edition." There are some pretty crazy getups here, and a huge lack of undergarments--at least for the ladies.

Cheeky! No undies here! 

She's got a wedgie and a halloween skeleton shirt Martha Stewart can make. And no bra--good side boob action!

C and I don't stay out past dark. We had a work party yesterday, and walked home around 9p. The very next day, we heard from our students that there was a 20 year old male, Kevin Dahlgren, an American from Palo Alto, California, that had murdered his aunt, uncle, and cousins here in Brno just 2 days ago. It is said that he was sent for psychiatric evaluation in the states prior to coming here, and his family thought it wise to send him here to stay with his extended family to escape from the hectic life back home and start anew. He killed the family members and set fire to their house, and then fled to Vienna by train. He hopped a plane to go back to the U.S. and the authorities were alerted. They told the pilot on his flight, and when the plane landed, the police arrested him. He will most likely stand trial in the U.S. for a quadruple murder. Scary! It can happen anywhere, though. Here is the full story.

My phone doesn't get service here, but I can get on wi-fi at my apartment and wherever else it is available. It's my only communication with the outside world--so crazy! Sometimes I use the wi-fi at McDonald's. I rather like the though of being unreachable--at least temporarily. Netflix doesn't work here--the message I got when I tried it was "We are sorry that we haven't reached your part of the world yet!" I try to keep busy and not think of home too much, because it does get quite lonely at times. Call me American, but I truly miss the little comforts of home and things I tend to take for granted: driving my car, having a dryer, eating food I like whenever I like, watching Netflix, having carpet on the floor, finding what I need and want at the store, people speaking English, having cell phone reception...and the list goes on. I am so glad I have C--I honestly don't know what I would do without her. We talk about the things we miss back home and what we are going to do when we get back. Mostly, we laugh a lot also about things that are strange, new, and different. We will have many good stories and jokes that we will remember forever. We have been working really hard every day, so that makes the days go really fast and is distracting from thinking about home. Our mentor took us around the city center a bit, and that was nice. He is a great tour guide, knew quite a bit about the history, and has so kindly answered our countless questions, both in class and outside of it. He will be coming to Milwaukee for a few weeks and we are excited to return the favor of showing him around and exposing him to American culture. It's certainly been an experience so far! Stay tuned for more adventures! :)

Job Interview

Job interviews are fun, in my humble opinion (IMHO). Side note, whenever I see or say IMHO, I think of this guy:

Imhotep from The Mummy

Man I loved those movies! Anyways, job interviews are fun. I know, I am weird. I also enjoy going to the dentist. It's more about my teeth feeling amazing and getting free dental care accessories. But back to interviews...

Interviewing well is not a difficult thing, believe it or not. I have seen first hand (and heard of) a lot of really bad stuff that you should never do at an interview. I have been to quite a few job interviews. I mean, I am not that old or anything, but I do have some life experience in that department. I have also interviewed people to work where I work, and you wouldn't believe some of the crazy shiggen I have seen. I have done phone interviews and in person interviews (both as interviewer and interviewee), so I know how it works from both ends. So take some notes, and bonne chance! I will prepare you well, and you are going to ROCK this interview.

Nope, not this kind of rock

Not this kind of Rock either

Now we're talking!!! Rock that interview!!!

Preparing For the Interview

-Make sure your résumé and LinkedIn profile (if you have one) is up-to-date. This should go without saying, but make sure to have current contact information, job information, etc. on your hard copies, as well as anywhere you have your résumé posted online. If the old cell phone number that you no longer have is on there and the employer tries to reach you, you are making them jump through hoops and do extra work to reach you, which is a bad impression from the start. Also, review your résumé beforehand, because some older experiences may be difficult to recall if an interviewer asks about them.

-Consider changing your Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr/MySpace/Pinterest settings to private for pictures, information, etc. In this day and age, you better believe that this company is going to be doing their research on YOU. If they see pictures of you getting wild on spring break with a beer bottle in your hand, they are probably going to hire someone more professional (or at least smart and savvy about their FB privacy settings). In general, keep the alcohol/scantily clad pictures off of Facebook. Trust me... nobody wants to see that stuff anyways. I have a friend who is FB friends with their boss, but blocks them from seeing any pictures.

Party time!!! Woooo!! If it's on the internet, it's fair game to search.

-Make sure your voicemail message is professional. In other words, "Leave me a message, bitch!" is probably not going to get you hired. Just sayin'...

-Do be prepared and know a little about the company. Know the name of the company before the interview also. Don't show up to learn about the company from the interviewer. If the company you are interviewing for has a website, check it out. Read about the company and their mission, browse around, and spend some time getting familiar with it. No need to memorize facts and figures, but during the interviewer if you could casually drop in something about what you read, it shows you have done your homework and that you care enough to find out more information about your future employer.

-Choose your references wisely. Make sure they are people in your life who have worked with or supervised you, know your work ethic and character well, and who you have a positive relationship with. If you have references listed, make sure to let them know that they may be contacted by the company. This way, they can prepare what they might say about you, and it's just courteous. One time one of my family members was interviewing for a job and her interviewer showed up at my place of employment unannounced. That was quite surprising! (Gee, thanks for the heads up on that one!)

-Here is a great resource for the 50 most common questions employers ask. Practice answering each of these questions with a specific example (if possible), and thinking of answers to scenarios (when you have worked as a team, when you had to prioritize multiple tasks, when you had to handle a difficult customer/ situation, when you had a conflict with a co-worker etc.). Practice with a friend or family member, and have them be the interviewer.

-Get enough sleep the night before, and eat breakfast (or lunch/dinner depending on what time your interview is). It's important for you to look and be well rested and fed so that you can be alert, and you don't want your stomach growling loudly during the interview.

I have been awake for 3 days straight...

-Have a clean, neat appearance before you leave the house. This means clean shaven, clean body, hair brushed and styled, teeth brushed, minimal perfume or cologne (one light spritz on your neck and wrists, if any at all--someone may be allergic), deodorant, clean nails, minimal makeup and jewelry, and dressed professionally. No need to pay for an expensive manicure or pedicure, but make sure your nails are clipped, filed, and throw a coat of clear nail polish on there to make them shine. Yeah, don't do that while you are waiting in the lobby before your interview--take care of it the night before. If you are wearing open toed shoes, don't neglect your toe nails either. Make sure to take any pet hair off of your clothes and jacket/coat with a tape roller. Again, these are all things to do at home BEFORE you leave the house, or in your car, at the very least if you must.

This girl is going to get hired

-Do show up looking clean and polished, like a shiny, new penny. Don't show up looking like you just got out of the shower. Or just rolled out of bed. If your hair is all wet/crazy, it looks like you didn't put any effort into your appearance, so what's to say you will put effort into coming to work at this job every day? If you wear your pajamas and slippers (I have seen this, no joke), I am going to assume you are here to sleep on the job. Or you are going to shop at Walmart. I told that interviewee in pajamas that was not appropriate attire to wear to an interview--ever. Make sure your clothes and shoes are clean and ironed, and free of holes, stains, rips, etc. Don't smoke before the interview or you will smell like smoke.

She was up all night partying...with her cats.

-Do show up with a natural (or close to natural) hair color and cut. Don't get a weird haircut or dye job. If you have blue hair and a mohawk, chances are your future employer is not going to appreciate your avant-garde look. It's just not cool in the working world. You hair should be tangle free, brushed, and styled.

-Do wear minimal jewelry and makeup. Don't wear your biggest earrings or every piece of jewelry you own. If jewelry is ragged or cheap looking, wear none. No facial piercings, but if you must have them, keep them to a bare minimum, and wear your smallest ones.

Nicki Minaj's hair, makeup, nails, jewelry, and clothes are about as unnatural as it gets.

-Do wear natural, daytime makeup. This means foundation (don't cake it on and make sure you blend at the neckline. Oh, and that it matches your ACTUAL skin color--not the one you wish you had), concealer, loose powder (if you need it), a natural, neutral eye shadow color (no blues, greens, silvers, purples, etc.), minimal eyeliner, if any (not a thick bold line like Cleopatra), a little mascara (no fake lashes), blush, and a little chapstick or lipgloss (not a bright or bold lipstick--natural is fine). Don't experiment with a new makeup product or look right before your interview. Don't look like you are about to go out on the town. This is not Halloween or date night--it's a job interview, for goodness sake!

Maybe if they are looking to hire a vampire...

-Do arrive early. Don't be late. Arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start of your interview. If you have never been to the site, before the day of the interview, time yourself to see how long it takes you to get there from your house, and plan to leave early (don't forget to factor in weather and traffic). That way, you have time to get yourself together, take a deep breath, and knock 'em dead.

I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date, oh yes, I'm LATE!

-Bring 3 clean (i.e. not written on, wrinkled, stained, etc.) copies of your résumé, a list of at least 3 professional references and their contact information (not related to you, and not necessary if they are already included on your résumé) and a notepad and a pen. You can jot down notes, if needed, and those notes of what you learn will be helpful later for your thank you note.

-Get your confidence on. You are the best person for this job, so prove it! Don't brag about yourself, but be prepared with some specific examples about how you are punctual, dependable, hard-working, a team player, etc. Also, think about your strengths and weaknesses. If you can't think of any weaknesses, that's a problem, because everyone has stuff they can work on. Spend some time thinking about it and come up with at least 2 to have ready.

What to Wear

Ask the interviewer what the dress code is. The person wearing a suit and tie is going to make a much better impression over the person wearing a scruffy, wrinkled t-shirt and jeans. Plan your outfit out the night before. Make sure the clothes fit you appropriately (for your shape and size--nothing baggy or skin tight--well proportioned and well fit to suit you are best), and are clean, ironed, and all laid out. Also, your fashion shouldn't be dated, as in from the 1990s or earlier. If you need a wardrobe update, you don't have to fork out a lot of money...there are affordable options at K-Mart, Walmart, Target, TJ Maxx, and Kohl's. Then you won't be rushing around or trying to decide what to wear in the morning. I have done a lot of research on what to wear, and here are some good examples of what to wear for high school interview attire, and men and women for summer employment, internships, startup companies, and professional, business, and business casual attire.

He's a dapper young lad, don't ya think?

-Wear neutral colors (this includes your coat/jacket, briefcase, or purse as well). Avoid clothes that are skin tight or sexy, plunging necklines (especially with a blazer, wear an appropriate shirt underneath that is not too revealing), skirts so short that you can't sit down without showing your hooha, really high heels/platform shoes (and hooker boots), hats, hoodies, Crocs, athletic clothes, see-through tops, nighties, scrubs, pajamas, wizard robes, costumes of any sort, flip flops, sunglasses, headphones, novelty ties, sneakers or athletic shoes (especially if they are raggedy and worn and even if they are brand spanking new), and anything flashy, neon, glittery, bright, bedazzled, revealing, skin-tight, or over the top that is going to take away from the main focus--YOU. A little pop of color as an accent is ok and is even on trend. Ask yourself, would Richard Simmons wear this? If the answer is yes, it's an automatic HELL NAW. Put it back in your closet. Right. Now.

Richard Simmons and his AWESOMELY not interview-friendly fashion

Phone Interviews

Phone interviews are cool because you CAN do them in your PJs. Obviously you don't have the visual cues like facial expression or what you are wearing, so that's a bonus. But you do have to be on your "A" game in terms of what you say, because your tone and courteous manner are all that you have to work with on the phone.

-Do be positive. Don't complain about anything (even the weather), or have a negative attitude. If you have to say something negative at all, try to put a positive spin on it.

Which dude would you rather hire?

-Do smile. An interviewer can hear the smile in your voice. Have a courteous manner and tone throughout the call. Don't interrupt or talk over the interviewer, or if you do accidentally, apologize.

-Be yourself. Don't be fake, or pretend to be someone you are not. Otherwise, you will have to hold up that facade for as long as you work there. It's easier to be honest and real.

I'm a sheep...no really, I am!

-Don't eat or chew gum/candy/cough drops/food while on the call. It's extra loud in the person's ear that you are talking to. Don't sneeze, burp, or cough into the phone either. There's a mute button for good reason.

Om nom nom!

-Do be polite and respectful. Don't say anything to the interviewer that you wouldn't say in court to a judge, or to your dear old granny. For example, A good opener to a conversation is not, "Hey, I remember you--we got drunk together that one night!" Don't use slang, swear, use offensive language, or tell any jokes that may be considered offensive (racial, sexual, etc.) Remember, even if you know the person who is interviewing you--this is an interviewer, not your homie. Use please and thank you where appropriate, and remember your manners.

You said WHAT?!?!

-Do be honest. Don't lie about anything (this included what you put on your résumé). Seriously, don't lie about finishing school if you haven't, how much you make, the jobs you have held, or anything. The employer may do some research on you, and the last thing you want to do is be caught in a lie. What employer wants to hire someone who can't even be honest in the interview for hire?

I always show up to work on time! *nose grows*

-Do talk your skills and strengths up. Emphasize why you are perfect for this job with the experience you have and use specific examples. Talk about what you can uniquely contribute and why you would be an asset to the company.

-Ask questions if you need clarification. Don't think you are going to look dumb if you need something repeated, or phrased in a different way.

-Do jot down any important information that the interviewer says.Write down anything you didn't know prior to the interview, anything they stress, or anything they say more than once. One interviewer I had kept mentioning customer service skills and the follow up interview I had later on had a lot of customer service based scenario questions, so listen and pay attention--it can only help you.

In Person Interviews

Take it from a fashionista--your appearance matters, and first impressions are everything. The second you walk through the door, you are going to be judged based on how you look--your appearance, your gender, your ethnic background, your income level, etc. I am not saying it's right or fair, but the reality is that's the way it is. Here are some good body language tips from Career Builder.

-Remain calm. You got this! Take a deep breath before you begin the interview.

-Do smile. You will appear to be friendly and approachable. Employers are more likely to hire someone who is positive and happy, versus someone who is bored, uninterested, or negative.

-Turn your phone off and put it away during the interview. End of story. The last thing you want is to get a call or text, and have "Baby Got Back" as your ringtone. No texting during the interview either!!!!

Dude, really? Put that thing away.

-Don't bring a drink to the interview other than water. You might just spill it on yourself, and that would be a recipe for disaster.

Oopsies! I don't think my Clorox pen is going to get this out...

-Pop a breath mint before your interview. Don't chew gum/candy/cough drops during the interview. It's distracting, annoying, and unprofessional. If you must chew gum beforehand, spit it out before the interview.

Something smells...

-Do be confident. Use a firm handshake to greet the interviewer in the beginning of the interviewer and at the end (not a limp, loose one like a dead fish), and make eye contact. For people who avoid eye contact, often times the employer thinks that they are hiding something, or not confident. You are the best person for this position, so prove it to the interviewer. If they ask you a question that you don't expect, take a moment to think about your response before you start vomiting out words just for the sake of answering.

A nice, firm handshake is a good start to an interview

-Don't fidget or shake your leg. It's distracting, and just shows the interviewer that you are nervous and uncomfortable. Don't click a pen, rock or roll your chair, or tap your fingers on the desk either. Place your hands in your lap and keep them still. Also don't scratch or rub your neck, face, nose, ears, or anything else.

-Sit up straight in your chair, and lean slightly forward toward the interviewer. Don't slouch or get too comfortable. Don't lean toward the door either or it will appear as though you are trying to make a fast getaway. Don't sit with your arms crossed, as that is a defensive and unfriendly posture.


She has good posture and seems very engaged

-Do not invade personal space. This means don't be any closer than 20 inches to the interviewer, or you may make them feel uncomfortable.

-Pay attention. Maintain eye contact and listen well to the interviewer--do not zone out. Nod ocasionally (not constantly like a bobblehead) and keep an interested expression. Don't have a blank look on your face, or you will appear bored or disinterested.

Good eye contact goes a long way

-Be brief and to the point when answering. Do not overtalk. Do not monopolize the interview by doing all the talking or by rambling on and on, but give enough information to get your point across. Don't get sidetracked or go off on a tangent--stay focused, and make sure you answer what the interviewer is asking. Also, avoid talking about your personal life, unless specifically asked about it.

-Do not badmouth previous employers. "Yeah, working at Target really sucked. They don't treat their employees well at all," is not a good thing to say. It's a smaller world than you think, and your interviewer might know the boss or company you are badmouthing. You also don't want the interviewer to think that is how you will talk about their company, especially if you leave on terms that are not the best.

-If you know someone at the company, it is ok to name drop. Let the interviewer know that you know Jack Nelson (and also make sure Jack Nelson is talking you up!) Sometimes, it can help. It's a small, small world, and a lot of the time for jobs, it is all about who you know to even get your foot in the door.

The 3 Questions You Should Always Ask

After all is said and done, when the interviewer asks if you have any questions, always say yes, even if you don't. Why? Because I have 3 fool-proof questions you can always ask that are sure to impress (courtesy of Forbes):

1. As an employee, how could I exceed your expectations? This way, you are putting out there that you are going to be meeting the job requirements, but also that you are willing to go above and beyond what is required of you from the start. This question shows confidence, and the answer can reveal what the interviewer hopes to accomplish by taking on a new hire, and that information can help you determine whether to accept the position if you get an offer.

2. What excites you about coming into work/ What do you love about working for this company? This can give you some great insight into the company that you might not otherwise get, from a personal experience. If the interviewer can tell you why they love and are passionate about working there, that is generally a really good sign. People also love to talk about themselves, and this provides an excellent chance to get to know the hiring manager and find some common ground.

3. Is there any reason why you wouldn't hire me? I know--this question seems really forward and ballsy. It is! I was hesitant to say it, but it really surprises the interviewer (in a good way). I always explain that if there is any reservations or concerns they have about hiring me, then I can go ahead and address those right now. It shows you have confidence and that you want to know where you stand and are willing to clarify or dispel any doubts they may have about you.

-Get the contact information of the interviewer (if they don't have a business card, get their full name correctly spelled, title, the company name, phone, email, and most importantly, mailing address). You will need this to follow up with any questions and the status of hiring, and send a thank you note.

-Do maintain your cool. Don't do a celebratory dance, song, yell, or gesture (Tim Tebow style) until you are back home, or at least well out of sight of the employer.

Dear Lord, please let me get this job!

After the Interview

Within a day (yes, 24 hours) of the final interview (because sometimes there are multiple interviews), send a thank you card to the interviewer. I know this may seem really archaic, but seriously, it puts you in the top 10% of applicants--since most people don't even bother in this day and age. Here is the website where I got these "how to write perfect thank you note" tips. Handwritten is most personal, and snail mail is the way to go. Typing the letter and signing it is also fine, but snail mail it. As a last resort, you can email a thank you note, but keep in mind it is not nearly as personal as a handwritten note. An interviewer might see it as you just copied and pasted a message. Also, send a thank you to each person from the company you interview with. It's not necessary to send one to a recruiter, but definitely to anyone who interviews you that works at the company.

Format of the Thank You Letter

1. Thank the interviewer for their time and consideration for the job. Remind them of the day/date you interviewed on. Be specific about the position you interviewed for (i.e. the customer service representative position), because sometimes companies are hiring for multiple positions that same day.

2. Show that you listened. Say something specific that you previously did not know about the company before the interview.

3. Briefly refresh the interviewer's memory on what you can do to do the job well. Or, tell them something specific that you didn't get a chance to (I have been thinking about this position and I know I can help because I can do A, B, and C).

4. Let the interviewer know that you are ready to begin. Let them know you are looking forward to hearing from them, and give them your contact information. That way, they don't have to go searching for it in a stack of résumés.

Following Up

If the interviewer specifically tells you that you will be hearing from them by a certain day within a week, wait it out. But, if you haven't heard from the company within a week, don't be afraid to follow up. Call the interviewer and let them know of your continued interest in the job and ask if there is any further information they need from you. You are NOT bothering them by doing this, and they are not too busy to consider getting back to you. The reason they make you wait in the first place to hear from them is so that they can see who actually follows up. If they are not available, just leave a message including that basic information on their voicemail along with a number to reach you at.

As a rule, don't ever text the interviewer. Unless they specifically say that you can, and if so, do it between the hours of 8am-6p, if possible. It's impersonal, but I did have one interviewer tell me that if I needed a quick response, I had her cell phone number and could text her.

Finally, treat yourself. You survived that interview, now don't stress about it. Take yourself out to dinner or have a drink. You will be doing that soon enough when you get the job!

Well, I know that was a lot, but that's all I have for you--the rest is up to you. In the near future I will have a post on cover letters and résumés. Good luck!

Memes

If you asked me 2 years ago what a meme was, I would have looked at you funny and told you a word that you made up. Thank goodness for nerdy boyfriends! According to Wikipedia, a meme is "an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture." I actually remember learning about this in my high school world history class, but forgot about it until the internet meme became famous. An internet meme is something that has gone viral on the internet as sort of a type of inside joke, and usually references pop culture (but not always!) Someone once sent me a picture of a guy running that was a supposedly funny picture, and they were like, "Did you like the meme I sent you?" I was like, "Uh...yeah, that wasn't a meme...it was just a funny picture that you found." So indeed, nerds, there IS a difference between just a funny photo and a meme. Here are some examples of some memes I am sure you have seen or at least heard of:

So as you can see, they are pretty funny. They have websites you can go to and generate memes by just uploading a photo (just Google "meme generator"). I have taken to making my own memes, being the creative person that I am, and I will show you how to make your own memes too. Usually my memes are random, or about Wisconsin, bleeding disorders, or fashion, because I feel like there's not a lot of memes about those things. There are a few things you will need to generate your own meme, not from a website: Paint and Microsoft Word.

1. Research the meme you are doing. It's not going to be funny unless it is in the style of the meme. So first thing, Google the meme you want to use and find out how that meme works. For example, the Boromir meme (the last one pictured above) always starts with "One does not simply," and then you add in the rest. It comes from his line in Lord of the Rings when he says, "One does not simply walk into Mordor." Little did he know that line would become infamous as a meme!

2. Find the blank version of the meme you want to use. You can even Google "blank Boromir meme," and I guarantee you will get a blank one with no writing on it. Save it to your computer.

3. Open a new Microsoft word document. Go to Insert, choose picture, and then upload the meme picture you just saved.

4. Now go to Insert and choose text box (Simple is fine). Place the text box at the top of the blank meme (or wherever it usually appears). Enter in what you want it to say. Now, time for some editing.

6. If you are placing your text on a dark background, you will first want to change your text to be white. Highlight the text, click on the Home tab, and then for the font color, choose white.

7. Click on the Format tab. Where it says Shape Fill, select No Fill. Where it says Shape Outline, choose No Outline. You have now hidden the text box, and have only the text showing. Center it as needed.

8. You may have noticed that most memes have the same font. There is a commonly used one that I always used, and it is called Impact. Highlight the text, and change the font type to Impact. Now increase the font size. Generally size 22 or larger seems to work the best.

9. Just as a finishing touch, highlight the text one last time, and go back to the Format tab. Click on Text Outline and choose black. Beautiful!

10. Almost done! All we have to do now is crop and save that meme. Click next to the picture of the meme, so your cursor is next to it and your text or meme is not highlighted. Press Ctrl and PrtSc at the same time. You have just taken a screenshot of your entire screen!

11. Open up Paint. Press Ctrl and V to paste the screenshot you just took. Click Crop up at the top. Now crop just your meme out of the word document. Lastly, save your meme somewhere.

Voilà! You now have your very own customized meme. Now go Make It Work!