By J.T. O'Donnell
I saw this video a while back and couldn't stop laughing. I don't know if it's the kid doing the interview, the one over-the-top guy that connects with him about a monkey mug, or how crazy the interview questions are, but I guarantee anyone that's ever interviewed for jobs has felt the way these interviewees felt at least once. It takes everything in our power not to want to get up and leave an interview that is going wrong, and yet, we stay in hopes of getting the offer. Why do we want the job so bad? Shouldn't red flags be waving wildly through our heads that we should chalk it up to a bad fit and move on? Nope. Instead, something inside us says, "I just got to get this job offer." Well, I say, if it felt wrong in the interview, it's going to feel wrong on-the-job too.
I should know, it happened to me....
Many years ago, I was living at home after college. I graduated in the last recession and the job market was horrible for new grads - just like it is now. I was miserable in my hometown and desperately trying to find a job back in Boston where I went to college. I finally got the call from a small company I had applied to that specialized in translating documents. I had spent a year abroad and spoke French, I also had a degree in Engineering - it was these two points that got me the interview. I should have known the moment I got there that something wasn't right. The first person to interview me was the CFO and he asked me questions like, "How well do you take criticism? Do you have a high tolerance for being yelled at?" He proceeded to explain the owner of the agency was a bit challenging to work with. He defended him by saying he was a very intelligent guy (went to MIT, etc.), but his people skills left something to be desired. I, eager to get out of my hometown, squelched the desire to leave the interview and simply said, "Oh, no problem. I've got really thick skin." I was asked similar questions by the other two managers who interviewed me, but again, instead of being honest, I gave them the answer they wanted to hear.
Finally, I was then ushered in to meet the owner. He was disheveled-looking in clothes that made me wonder if he slept in them. He began asking the most random questions I have ever heard. I was stuck in his office for over an hour while he went on-and-on about with random stories about translation that had no relevance as far as I could tell to the job I would be doing. Once again I should have known, as I finally escaped the interview two hours later, this job was not for me. But, I was young and naive.
The next day they offered me a job - the VERY next day. (C'mon now, who does that?) Yet, I swallowed my concerns and said 'yes,' thinking I could at least stand the job long enough to get settled in Boston and start looking for a new one. What a critical error on my part. The job was a nightmare. The office dynamics I experienced make the ones on the show "The Office" look ideal. There was screaming and crying almost daily. I was so drained leaving there every day, it left me with no energy to look for a new position. My husband was my boyfriend at the time. He felt helpless watching me become depressed. I gained 20 pounds as I tried to eat my problems away.
And then I snapped...
On my year anniversary, I anxiously awaited my paycheck, which was supposed to include my raise. I had been told it was significant and my hard work would be rewarded. I was proud of the fact I had dealt with the male version of Miranda from "The Devil Wears Prada" for 52 weeks. I was sure I would see big $$$. I was making $28,000/year. I opened the check, calculated the increase, and realized I had only gotten a $1000 raise. I imploded. I walked into the CFO's office and resigned. He chased me down the hall, begging me to go home and think about it. He said, "Please! You are the longest person we've ever had in this role!" I returned the next day and said I would stay on, but that was the first day of my last days there. I went on a mission to find a new job. It took four months to find one. When I resigned, the owner wouldn't speak to me and asked me to leave immediately. The employees wouldn't look at me either. I think they just hated the idea I was free.
Taking that job changed the way I looked at interviews for ever. So tell me....what was your worst interview like? Did you accept the job when it got offered to you? How'd it go? Can you relate to what I experienced?
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There are more career choices available to women now than ever before. A woman plays many roles—sister, daughter, friend, wife, mother, confidante, breadwinner, and so on. You, being a multitasking woman, need to find a career that not only pays you well, but allows you to be a career woman without having to compromise on any of these roles.
If you think this is impossible, think again!
Lots of women have found careers that balance beautifully with their family life. So, now that you know it isn't unthinkable to achieve work-life balance, how about making it happen for yourself?
With a plethora of options, you may have a tough time deciding which career would be most suitable for you. Of course, no two women are the same and neither are their choices. But some careers provide women with the best opportunity to achieve both career success and work-life balance.
Here are the top eight career choices for women:
1. Entrepreneurship
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For women who want a chance to do what they really love doing, who have always dreamed of starting their own business, entrepreneurship could be the perfect career.
Wouldn't it be great to work from a place of your choice and at your own time? This would give you the flexibility to allocate time to your business and family as needed.
This is also one of the biggest challenges you will ever take up in your life as every decision will rest on your shoulders. Your employees would depend on you for their livelihood. Hence, this is also a great way to contribute to society.
Being an entrepreneur lets you be in charge because it is you who runs the show. Instead of putting in efforts to generate profits for other companies, why not channel those efforts towards creating greater profits for yourself?
2. IT
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With IT companies starting up and mushrooming rapidly, it's little wonder that this field has become so popular among women.
Young women can take up a career in the IT sector after earning a certificate or bachelor's degree in an applicable field, like computer science, informational technology, and cyber security. There are also many programs available to women of all ages who want to learn how to code—one of the most useful and in-demand skills in today's job market.
The ease and excitement of working on the internet, designing software and apps, implementing IT solutions for businesses, security, gaming, smartphones, etc. could be a huge draw. This is another field where you can make a difference as well as earn good money.
3. Medicine
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Whether you choose to be a pharmacist, a surgeon, or a nurse, a career in the medical field provides women with the ability to achieve career success and wealth. Plus, there's good job security.
As a qualified professional, you will always be in high demand, and once you've gained significant work experience, there's going to be no looking back.
4. Teaching
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Teaching has always been considered one of the most women-friendly careers as it allows women to spend sufficient time with their families, de-stress, go on vacations, and balance home and work. It's also one of the most rewarding and important careers anyone can choose to pursue.
The best part of being in the teaching field is that recession or no recession, your skills will always be sought after.
5. Human Resources
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This field is perfect for women who have a penchant for working in the corporate world and interacting with people to solve organizational issues.
The job involves shortlisting and interviewing candidates, hiring and training them, setting their pay, benefits, and perks, designing appraisal systems, formulating policies and leave structures, looking after employee welfare, and settling disputes.
Every large organization needs qualified and experienced HR personnel and they are paid quite well, too.
6. Psychology
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No one solves problems like a woman does.
Given the fact that most women are good observers, empathetic listeners, and great communicators (all soft skills employers want in employees), they're sure to excel as psychologists or therapists.
A career in this field allows you to help those struggling to overcome many different personal and family problems. With substantial work experience, you can stand to make a lot of money and even charge on an hourly basis.
7. Interior Design
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You've probably put in a lot of thought and effort into designing your home and making it look stunning. From selecting the perfect hangers for the closet to picking out the most exquisite lampshade, you know what it takes to make a home beautiful.
Now, how about extending this talent a little further and helping others make their home look gorgeous, too? A career in interior design is a great option for women who are creative, organized, and detail-oriented—who don't want a boring office job.
As you develop your career as an interior designer, you also gain the flexibility to pick your clients and appointments and get paid immensely well.
8. Media
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For women who are creative, good at communication, and love research, media is the place to be.
All companies nowadays have (or should have) social media accounts that need managing, in addition to their primary marketing and PR departments, so this field is only growing.
Writing, advertising, public relations, journalism, photography—there are many choices available for women who want to pursue a career in media.
Women today can achieve it all, from financial independence to a family, and from a progressive career to a great personal and social life. And, why not? Your decisions have the potential to give you all that you desire.
So, make sure you decide well!
If you're a woman struggling to find the right career for you, we can help.
We'd love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.
It's time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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