Job

I had an interesting experience... the job, my dream job came up for posting in Kelowna about a month and a half after we moved... HR Assistant at the Regional office where I was working before. I decided I must apply for it, seeing as that is what I want to do and went to school for.

I got an email back asking me to the next stage of the application process... to discuss my past experience in dealing with conflict management in the work place and then have someone verify this information.

Then I got back another email inviting me to an interview.

At this point I was feeling very mixed emotions... I really wanted the job, but I didn't really want to have to drive to Kelowna and back every day. Also, I knew who was "supposed" to get the position... she has applied for the job 3 times now and they keep giving her extensions to her temporary HR Assistant position.

On the other hand, I LOVE HR, I get so excited about the possibility of working in this field and applying my education to my work. I believe strongly that people are the most important asset of any business and so they must be 'managed' by people who care about people and the business. I would love to help make someone's worklife more enjoyable by being approachable and helpful.

I went to the interview prepared to answer the three behavioural questions they posed to me... my concern for order and how it has prevented a potentially bad situation, how I have walked the talk in dealing with an issue of integrity, and how I know how to "dig deeper" for further information in a difficult situation. I felt very good in the interview, I knew two of the three people interviewing me and I knew the location I was going to.

During the interview I felt I did a really good job, normally I get so nervous I can't breathe properly and don't really convey what I know as well as I could. This interview just felt so different, we were a bunch of people sitting around discussing HR... I really didn't feel nervous at all. I knew I did the best that I could have.

I went home still feeling mixed about the drive versus the job and decided that really, either way I would be happy. I knew the reality of me getting the job was pretty low considering how many times this other person has interviewed for the same position and had the experience on the job.

It turned out that the person I thought that would get the position did... I feel good with the decision. When we decided to move, we committed to the move... I feel that a good opportunity will come up here in town. I am actually almost relieved at this point... I am so busy with planning our wedding and everyday stuff that it is nice to know I won't be gone for 10.5 hours everday :)

Either way, it was a good experience. The main HR lady called me and said I did an extremely good job in the interview... she gave me a few small pointers (which is very helpful) and told me it's just that this other lady really had lots of experience in these interviews now. I was told to not be discouraged as she really wants to work with me and hinted of another position that may or may not be available in HR in the future.