The job interview

I've been bowling along to job interviews in the past two weeks. As I've been extolling my own achievements and successes, demonstrating my motivation/innovation and recounting my success as a leader I can't shake the following thoughts from the back of my mind:

For all the sales training I've done and all the positive marketing I am doing of myself (face it that's what interviews are about), deep down I can't help thinking that a detached observer would come to the conclusion that I was as a egotistical smarmy git...

And... an understanding of politics and an instinct for cynical manipulation is part of the reason for my relative success...

And... that I have enough self-doubt in my own mind (despite doing really well in all the jobs that I've done) about my abilities that I have this gnawing thought in the back of my mind that someone will actually 'find me out.' I seem to have this dichotomy where I perceive folk in my working environment see me as a competitive, motivated and focussed financial analyst - whereas I see me as just a ski-bum who happens to have a day-job who can write spreadsheets...

Thoughts anyone?

I'd like to thank you for documenting the last 4 years of my life.

Only I, on the otherhand, have lacked even the motivation to find a job (any job) that is of urgent necessity. :o

If you felt completely comfortable with your c.v.,I'd be worried.The contemporary c.v. has become a masterpiece of bluff and deception,painted with a big brush,with very little fine detail work.The only part of a c.v that is of any value is the telephone number of a long-term employer.Ani if that person doesn't treat you fairly,then even that is worse than useless.

The elaborate pantomime of job applications needs to be simplified.Here's how I'd like to do it.Cut out all the bullshit from your c.v.Ditch the faux grovelling politeness that usually goes into the cover letter.Offer my services for a period of two weeks,at a less than spectacular wage,to be renewed to three months by mutual consent.If at the end of three months either party is not satisfied,the that's the end of the road.If both parties agree that the position is working out,then is the time to thrash out a fair wage and contract for the job.

Mr. T, that sounds like a trial by fire method. I certainly agree that there needs to be an evaluation done by both sides after a term (three months sounds about right) but it does put more onus on the employee ot make the job work out or they have to start over again looking for work. Most employers usually aren't desperate to fill a job, but some employees are sometimes desperate to get one (gotta pay to eat) I think I'd be willing to sign for less then optimal to prove myself knowing that if they kept me my salary would go to a certain level instead of negotiating after the 3 months.