Yesterday I completed round two of interviews for a management job here in Indy. The first was on Monday morning. I arrived early. The office itself was 1970's mental health...you know, the really feel good uplifting ambiance of olive green painted metal furniture and dark wood paneling. Remember, its mental health. I don't know if its a function of the lack of funding in the area or just more assurance that if we keep our clients depressed, there is job security.
The office manager who was my one and only contact was friendly and began with the Miss so and so in addressing me. It was a flashback to the South. She brought me to a conference room where another woman, with an employee badge and folders was waiting. I introduced myself and she identified herself as one of the clinical coordinators. She was in her late 40's with a really frizzy platinum blond perm and a seer sucker suit. The assistant came back with goodies she had stopped off getting at the grocery to make the "conversational style" interview feel informal. She also brought me coffee.
As the clinic person and I sat there, she explained we were waiting for others and so I offered her my resume. She took it, looked it over and began to ask me questions. What was I doing now? Why this job? Why Indy? I fired some back at her. What was she in charge of? How is the program doing? What about past audits? That's when two other individuals came in with official folders, sat down, and introduced themselves. They were the ones conducting the interviews.
What the? Who was this permed Madonna wannabe looking like she was going on a sailing adventure? She was my COMPETITION as an internal candidate! As the administrative director began to diagram the organizational structure, I interrupted laughing (how else was I supposed to play this one off) and apologized that I mistook the imposer (not the word I used) as part of the panel. I can't believe I handed her my resume. Really smooth. Moreover, I can't believe she took it. Poser.
As the interview progressed I realized that if I were to get this job, I would be her boss. Oh holy cow. Conversational style, my ass. And I thought my current company was intimidating making people interview in front of panels...this one took the cake by interviewing you with your competition. I thought I did really well with my answers. I did a lot of research and prep work days before. Apparently so did my competition. It got rather embarrassing after a while when she would answer first, I would go second and then she would rebuttal her first answer. When it was reversed and I would answer first I just left it at that. The interview lasted an hour and a half. There weren't any behavior questions or written questions. More like, "Let's pretend we were philosophic strategic planners. What would you say the trends might be in mental health in 10 years? Go."
I must of passed, because the administrative assistant called me that afternoon with a, "Ooh, they loved you girl. Miss so and so, you will love working for my boss!" I got invited back to a second interview for Thursday. It was lunch with the CEO and other administrative director who was technically on a FMLA with surgery but was coming in specifically for the interview.
The CEO reminded me of my very first administrative director. A rather round woman who used her size to express her confidence. Kind heart, sharp mind. The other director looked like one of the renal doctors at the hospital. This woman was a true get to the point woman. There were no polite exchanges before she launched in to direct questions about my knowledge of SAMSHA, name my biggest blunder, what would my boss/employees say about me, what are my strengths/weaknesses, what is my vision. All the CEO asked me was, what would it take to get you here. Mind you, they had lunch, my plate sat full while I talked the whole time. The cool thing was we went to a bistro that was run by clients in their mental health program. It was busy, yummy food, and a hip place to be. The employees knew the directors and truly took pride in what they did.
By the end of the interview I pretty much thought I had it. They kept referring to things as my staff and then went on to comment about the internal candidate who just didn't have the vision but had the most potential of the clinical supervisors and if I saw it fit to mentor her and promote her in the future, that would be my choice. I think its safe to say I have it. She ended the interview discussing benefits and said HR would be in touch for other issues, hoped that with all the other opportunities that they could secure me.
One would have thought I felt relieved. I felt joyous. But I also felt panicked. My fiance just thought there was a deadline on that back room to be cleared out. Try moving that up two months.
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