I Have Landed a Position

I have landed a position as Quality Manager with a
company in Pelham, NH and I start next Monday 3/29. Amazingly it all
happened very quickly. I applied for the job through JobsInNH.com on
3/17, the company HR department contacted me on 3/18 to schedule the
interview, I interviewed for the position on Monday 3/22 and they called
me and made a verbal offer over the phone on 3/25.





I had been through 4 telephone interviews and 4 face to face interviews
prior to this last one and I believe that I was more successful with
this last interview because I was much less anxious. I had meticulously
prepared for each of the previous interviews like I was studying for an
exam. Then I approached the actual interviews with the feeling that
anything less than a stellar performance was absolutely unacceptable.
This approach only served to increase my anxiety level significantly.
This last time I did not over prepare and I approached the interview
with the attitude that if I did not get the job it would not be the end
of the world; I would be no worse off than I already was and my job
search was after all a marathon not a sprint. Consequently I was more
relaxed during the interview and the answers that I gave and the
conversation in general flowed much more naturally and effortlessly.
Clearly the level of angst increases when the perception is that the
stakes are high, so I needed to find the happy medium and treat the
interview as a significant event without approaching it as if an
unfavorable outcome would be critical. This attitude adjustment did not
happen quickly; I've been telling myself this for months and it finally
sunk in. I don't know if any of you have felt likewise, but if you have I
hope this little story helps.




Whether people land a position through networking or the job boards,
this networking group that is so adeptly managed by Nicole, is a huge
asset to job seekers. Through interesting and talented speakers and
volunteers, the networking meetings provide people with job search plans
and tools as well as a sense of solidarity and self esteem that they
otherwise may not have. It has been an enlightening experience as well
as a pleasure to network with such a great group of professionals and I
would like to thank all of you for your support and encouragement. If I
can ever return the goodwill I will do so; I wish all of you the best
with your job search. Stay positive, there is light at the end of the
tunnel.





Mike Brennan