My job interview for the teaching position in Japan is this Saturday and I have done nothing to prepare. Good job Arnetta! (Slow clap) Seriously, it's crunch time and I have to buckle down and tell everyone no. No, I cannot videotape this. No, I cannot edit that. No, I cannot help you move your furniture. No, I cannot shoot the breeze. No, no, NO!
I rented a "Learn to speak Japanese" DVD from the library and intend to watch it tonight. I've also got all of the names and contact info for all of my references, including a really nice reference letter from one of them. Now all that's left is putting together a lesson plan and creating a really nice presentation that I have to present for a group interview. This won't be the first time I've had to present something for an interview. I did it a couple years back and unfortunately didn't get the job, but was proud of the presentation that I managed to throw together. Here's hoping I can be proud again.
(That DVD ended up being crap and I couldn't get through the first 5 minutes, so I just picked up some books and CD's. Also, I managed to scrounge up another recommendation from an old coworker.)
*Okay, now we're up to date (Sunday 11/15)
I went on my interview yesterday and was very proud of my little presentation. First things first, lemme break down to you how this thing goes. There are 3 steps (kinda). First step, is the application process and if they choose your application, you attend the group interview and if you pass that, you move onto the (whispers) private interview. :-) So obviously they accepted my app and I moved onto step number 2 which was the group interview, including the 5 minute presentation (that I had a whole month to prepare for, but instead decided to wait till the last minute and do all in one day). Either way, I tested out my little presentation with my extra-bright, (extra tall) 3 year old niece. Most adorable part of our little practice session . . .
Me: Hello class!
Class (which consisted of my mother and my niece sitting on the couch): Hello teacher!
Me: Today we are going to learn about colors!
My Niece: Wait, wait, wait! You can't be teacher without name. You have to tell us your name!
The kid made a good point! LOL Either way, she responded very well to my little presentation (and now knows how to say 3 colors in Japanese) and I decided to use the same kind of presentation for my group interview yesterday. I had to work the night/morning right before my interview (because my hours suck) so I was a little worried about my brain cells failing on me. Either way, I made sure to exhibit as much energy as I possibly could because from my experiences with children, that's what gets their attention, and from what I read on the websites energy is VERY IMPORTANT in these kinds of interviews. Unfortunately, the other folks didn't get that memo and gave very lackluster performances. I think it was the fact that we were performing for a bunch of adults that kind of took the giggly, cheerful, happy-go-lucky spirit out of teaching a bunch of grown folks the ABC's. But I've watched enough Wiggles and Yo Gabba Gabba to know that you have to look like a fool to keep the kids happy and the company is hiring us on our ability to keep the kids happy enough to have their parents continue dishing out money.
So on our way out they told us they'd call us or email us by 8 o'clock to let us know if we were accepted to move onto the next round. I prettymuch deducted that an email = not being accepted and a phone call = moving onto the next round. So I decided to just eat dinner and watch Grey's Anatomy and not even think about checking my email until the next day. I forgot about my phone, however, and when it rang at 7:34pm it hit me that I may have very well gotten the invitation to attend Round 3 of the process. Ding! Ding! Ding!
So today, I go on my last interview. I don't know how it will end up but I have so much to think about if I do get this job. Whatever happens, I know it will be God's will. So nervous!
Some Side Notes about yesterday:
- The process lasted about 5 hours. From 12 when it started to 4 when my group was dismissed.
- I need to brush up on my grammar. I used to be very thorough, but ever since Spellcheck . . . smh. For example, I think I may have gotten the "Who" and "Whom" question wrong. Who actually uses the word "whom" anyway?
- There were a lot of worldy people up in there. At one point, some guy was explaining to one of the interviewers (if that's a word) that he might not be able to come back if they call him for the private interview because he has an important meeting in Paris. LOL Me and some other girl looked at each other, giggled and mentioned that we wished we had it like that . . . and later, the same girl I was giggling with was telling me about how she's planning on living in Brazil until it's time to go to Japan (if they call her back). Uh, yeah . . . I wouldn't mind getting it like that either.
- Maybe asking questions in order to "just ask" something is not always the best idea on a job interview. Some of the questions people were asking sounded really pretentious. Or maybe I'm just being a hater because I didn't have a million and one questions prepared. Either way, I thought some of those questions were silly and obvious.
- I was one of the "older" folks of the group. Everybody else was like fresh out of college. And the only other people my age were the well-traveled, already teaching, I have an important meeting in Paris types.
- Not to toot my own horn, but I am excellent at giving presentations. Yeah, there's always that initial nervousness, but when it comes down to it, the shakes fade and something else takes over. Gosh, I hate to compare myself to her - and don't laught at me - but it's like Beyonce's alter ego Sasha Fierce. I'm a whole nother person when I have an audience. (nother = other, kids. See, I'm already teaching English! LOL)
Okay, you can laugh at me now!
Today's interview is at 2:30. Here goes nothing . . .
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