Putting on your best face

Getting through interviews is tough. Looking for jobs is draining to begin with. The internet is awash with millions of them, and a lot of job descriptions are nearly identical, so sifting out the good from the bad is a job in itself.

In the last few weeks I have been to 7 interviews. This is sort of good. When I was younger, with fewer qualifications and less experience, job interviews were very hard to come by. I could apply for ten jobs and hear nothing, and that was not unusual within my peer group. However, interviews are so massively draining!

By the time I was up to interview 5, I really had to fight the urge just to take to my bed in the afternoon and stay there until the next day. On top of that, I came down with a cold. I had to rely on juices and disgusting sachets of lemsip to keep me going.

This morning was interview number 7. I was tired, but I was prepared. I had thought about cancelling and rescheduling for when I felt better, but I decided not to. Sickness is a part of life, and so I turned up, explained I might cough a bit, and carried on, with my bright, shiny face (in that blotchy way that only a cold produces) and red nose.

This afternoon, I found out that I got that job. I probably would have still gotten it if I had cancelled and seen them next week instead, but I might not have. Another candidate might have come along. Life might have thrown in some other curve ball. 

Putting on your best face can be tough, but it's also an opportunity to rise to the challenge. This time, I won.