I had an interview today for a year-long internship at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. This would hit the sweet spot for me vis a vis my post-study professionalism. The work experience, the contacts... What I would gain from this internship would be incomparable.
I spent four years at a job where one of my chief responsibilities was interviewing people. At this point, I'm very good at knowing when an interview is going well and when an interview is going poorly. This interview went poorly. The woman interviewing me asked some questions that I just didn't have the knowledge to answer or even knowledge enough to bluff my way through. I was honest about it, told her that I looked for the internship to be a real learning experience (which I do), but I could tell: I'm not getting the internship. Not at all. Even remotely. I have no chance whatsoever. None. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that I could do to get this internship.
Which sucks. But will at least give me the time next year to take some neat classes I wouldn't've otherwise had time for. Silver lining, right?
Comments (2)
Silver linings are good.
I'm not doubting your interview skills, but two thoughts anyway.
1. Everyone else that interviewed may have sucked more than you think you sucked.
2. Artists frequently feel that they suck. The public often to disagree. It's proportional. The more the artist "sucks" the more the public likes it.
In conclusion, you may have done better than you think you did and/or you may be the solution to the internship interviewer's conundrum.
Cheers.
Posted by Marc | March 30, 2005 7:43 PM
Posted on March 30, 2005 19:43
I appreciate the thought, Marc, but this is me you're talking to. I have an ego so big it would kill a lesser man, remember? I can be a little harsh about my writing, at times, but even then I know when I'm on and I know when I'm not. Vis a vis interviews, well, like I said, I've got a lot of experience. This interview did not go well.
It's possible that everyone else sucked worse (though given that I was not the first interviewee I don't believe it), but it was certainly a piss-poor interview.
Every other person who applied would have to suddenly disappear from the face of this planet before I even had a chance of getting this internship.
Posted by Jason | March 31, 2005 12:52 AM
Posted on March 31, 2005 00:52