La claque
L'année prochaine, a la même époque, je serai, selon toute vraisemblance, sur le départ.
Si je suis excitée a l'idée de partir et d'entamer une nouvelle tranche de vie ailleurs, rencontrer de nouvelles personnes, découvrir de nouveaux lieux, commencer un nouveau boulot etc. je suis aussi terrifiée a l'idée de toutes les pre-rejouissances: envois de CV et lettre de motivation, refus, convocations aux entretiens, passages d'entretiens, réponses aux questions tordues, refus, acceptation, hésitation, prise de décision...
Ça ne pouvait pas mieux tomber; alors que je pense beaucoup a toutes ces perspectives en ce moment, hier, nous avons eu la visite d'un étudiant, candidat a un poste de post-doc vaquant dans notre labo.
Après nous avoir présenté ces travaux de doctorat, il a passe trois entretiens, avec les boss du labo, puis avec les étudiants.
Mon Boss n'a pas choisi de lui offrir le poste, et lui a envoyé un mail lui expliquant les raisons de ce refus. Pour nous (étudiants dans son labo) aider dans nos futures recherches d'emploi, Il nous a envoyé une copie de ce mail...
...et la forcement, c'est la claque:
* most critical
- don't ever mentioned at any stage of an interview that you got caught sleeping at your desk, playing video games, asking how hard you have to work...work hours...
- massively improve your presentation (...) at least give the audience some general background (...) and
do start with the goals and utility of your work.
- the nature, volume and impact of your PhD work is not impressive, figure a way to spin things differently
- don't present so much of other people work ( you could talk about anything you wanted, but still had to include other students' work....it tells me you did not have enough of your own material to present- which is scary for a 20/30 minutes presentation)
* not critical, but reflects negatively
- do carry with you a paper pad, folder, anything that shows that you take notes to support your interest
- do carry in that folder spare resume, copy of your papers, graphs... any support of your expertise, previous projects...
- do your home work on the host lab ( you never gave me any hints that you knew what my expertise/interest was)
- dress appropriately (short sleeves when it is hot), assume wearing a tie, it's easy to remove in case it becomes obvious that people would rather you being more comfortable (I personally couldn't care less, but you can only loose on this point, nothing to gain by showing up "casual")
* things you can't change
- the narrow utility of your PhD education
on the positive note
* what you have going for you (and keep playing it up)
- your open and very friendly personality
- your ease of expression
- general enthusiasm and positive attitude
- unique and broad undergrad education in polymer
- you did very nicely with the Q&A
Même si toutes les erreurs commises me semblent évidentes, je me demande si je ferai vraiment mieux le moment venu.
Vous avez déjà mal-passé (d'un cote ou de l'autre de la barrière) des entretiens?