Interview Update

I just wanted to share about my interview experience since I walked in and suddenly realized it was a group interview and I have never had to do a group interview before. I've had plenty of interviews for a range of things—interviews for scholarships, Yale, to be a CSR Career Fair host, to hold a position in Honor Society, jobs—but never a group interview. I was overwhelmed with a sense of “What if I don’t stand out from the group?” Sure most people are always worried about fitting in, but me, I’m worried about standing out (in a good way of course). I had wanted to look a little classy for my interview with Express and I wanted to look put-together. I was going to go and apply at other stores after my interview too, so I wanted to wear something I could transition and would work for a variety of places. For my ensemble I chose my Anne Klein black dress pants, a pastel pink button down from The Limited, my nude heels from BCBGeneration, a black fitted vest I bought in Paris, and to top it all off I wore pink flower earrings (they’re real flowers too) and a gold bracelet with a white ivory rose on it. I wore my hair down and loose, I figured if I went somewhere more preppy I would pull it up in a high bun. For makeup I chose a subtle look: mascara, foundation/powder, and whipped berry lipstick (which isn’t as dark as it sounds). On my way there I felt very empowered and confident, but when I got there and the group was rounded up together, everyone else’s choices made me stick out like a sore thumb.

Out of 7 girls, I was the only one “dressed up.” Two girls wore black dress pants, a nice, simple blouse of a solid color, and flats. One girl wore red jeans with a skinny belt and white top. Another girl wore a long blue skirt, made of what looked like possibly jersey, a white tank top, and a blazer. Black leggings, a white tank top, a blazer, and sandal wedges sums up another girl’s ensemble. Lastly, a girl with some tattoos (which I liked) had a very relaxed outfit consisting of a top, grey sweater, skinny jeans, and flats. There I was, in a midst of girls who exuded the feeling of being relaxed and comfortable; I looked like a stick in mud. I was hoping they wouldn’t assume I was stuck up or rude. However, all these negative thoughts about how I didn’t fit in and how they were affecting my confidence went away when I realized the manager interviewing us was dressed very nicely. He had on dress slacks, nice shoes, a purple and white button down, and a purple tie and tie clip. I quite wondering how the other girls thought of me, or even how people in the mall thought of me, because I was there to impress one person-the man running the interview. I sat up straight, answered every question, crossed my ankles, folded my hands, and even asked a couple solid questions at the end. I made people smile and laugh a little a couple times with my responses.

Even though my confidence waivered after initially realizing it was a group interview, and after taking in what everyone else had decided to wear, I made a choice. I decided that my outfit represented just one day, one emotion from me, and that was confidence. I dressed for the job I want, not the potential one I would get if I get hired. I want to be the one in charge, the one who calls all the shots and makes important decisions. Not just the person selling the product, stocking the shelves, and folding the clothes. In the end I think my outfit exhumed confidence and once I pushed the negative thoughts out of my head, I was able to stand tall, and handle my first ever group interview.