Interview at newspaper office

[ShadowBall]

I applied for a reporter job at the local newspaper office and I was actually shocked I was called back for an interview. I have zero newsroom experience (ad even said such folks were going to be preferred), but I guess my freelance article writing was impressive enough to warrant hearing more. I thought people needed journalism degrees to become reporters...

I still have to schedule the interview...part of me wants the job since it's writing, which I love to do, but I am so not going to be good at interviewing people. I have awful social skills and I hate talking to people in person who I don't know.

Anyone here ever worked in a newspaper office or been a reporter? Is there anything in particular maybe I should know? I'm all nervous and I doubt I'll even get hired.

I'm also hoping, should I get hired, that the dress code is office casual...I've gained weight since my last job and all my dressy slacks are uncomfortably tight, and I'm not sure I'll have time to shop for more pants (without being told what a fat ass I am by my mother) before the interview. I may just bite and wear whatever ill-fitting pair is least uncomfortable and just wear a baggy shirt to hide the godawful muffin top I will have. The man who will be interviewing me called around 7 last night, so I wonder if I'd be working nights. That would be even better! I'm a lazy son of a bitch and I love to sleep.

Speaking of my mother, she is the one who suggested trying to impress the editor by saying, "Durr, I got a hunderd in English!"

[teh_blumchenkinder]

o_o AWESOME.
Definitely dress nice, like you should at an interview. Dress over the job you want, as this shows you are serious and you want this and you can look snazzy. Good first impressions and all. And even if that doesn't matter, you now have dress clothes that fit.
Instead of pointing out a school grade... hm... say you have excellent experience in editing and correcting writing, and putting together good articles. More rubber to the road than a number from a few years ago.

[ShadowBall]

My interview's not until late in the day on Thursday, so I might be able to run to the store for pants that fit and maybe a nicer shirt that does not require tucking (and without my mother being a backseat shopper and trying to tell me what I can and cannot wear). Are there any dressy men's shirts that would fit this description that I could wear now without getting heat stroke?

I only have shirts that fit, but all my slacks have become snug...well, they didn't fit right even when I bought them, but still. I want something I will be able to breathe in. Shirt-wise, I think I have some button-down shirts, but they have the pointy shirt tails that need tucking in and I fucking hate wearing my shirts that way. I've also got a plain black long-sleeved shirt with a couple buttons on it, and a red one that looks much the same. Not sure if that's alright - I wore a plain black turtleneck sweater to my last two interviews (in the winter).

Something else I wonder about...should I mention my being in school during the interview? It seems like any job where I make my need to be in school apparent during the application or interview process, I don't get the job. If I leave that info out, I get told not to come back if I let them know when I'm already hired that I need to take 2-3 weeks off three times a year for class.

I also just remembered...I was in journalism in high school and I did write maybe one article for the school paper after doing an interview. I wonder if I should include that. They already have my resume where I brag about things I think I can do, so I might just rehearse that BS Wednesday night.

I only hope this job does not entail my driving all over the state to do interviews because I will not be allowed to take the car that far away alone (since it's not mine).

[Seshat]

Run to the store, also run to secondhand clothes shops if there's one near you that runs large enough.

[MoonCat]

I would say go the dress shirt routine until you're hired. After that you can wear nice polo shirts and things like that. Trust me, while in the building reporters don't dress up that much. I haven't seen one wearing a tie in.....geez, I can't remember!

Also, keep in mind you may be stuck writing obits at first, or other things that don't require interviewing anyone.

Good luck!

[emax4]

If you get nervous about interviewing someone, imagine the person you're interviewing as a $100 bill. That bill is your constant ticket to employment and the way to help your (hopefully-soon-to-be) employer.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I don't like to tuck in either, my waist is not terribly well defined and tucking in makes me look dumpy.

You don't want men's shirts. You want ladies shirts that are seamed with a little curve in them, and with a hem you can leave out. This gives you a little shape and does not put a horizontal line where you want it least. Make sure if it's a button down shirt, it does not pull over your breasts and gap. It must fit there.

I wear a lot of long, narrow scarves. Just drape it around your neck and let it hang down. This adds a vertical line up your front and further elongates and slims your torso. Nothing thick or fussy (especially if you have large breasts...you don't need volume over the chest). A scarf pulls your outfit together.

Pants should be long enough to break over the top of your foot. A slight flare at the cuff balances large hips. Pleats in women's dress pants were clearly designed by someone who loathes women. Like you need more volume and attention right there, right? I so seldom find pants I like I usually wear skirts when I'm trying to look nice. A nice A line or flared skirt with a well fitting shirt looks nice, too. You don't have to tuck that in and it's slimming as well.

I used to shop in secondhand stores all the time. The only reason I don't anymore is because there are none near me where I don't have to do a major trek. But you can find some nice stuff in thrift stores, and are not stuck with whatever abysmal thing is "in fashion" right now. Classic lines are good for job interviews and don't go out of style. Best suit I ever owned I got in a thrift store. It was solid wool, from the forties, in mint condition and still had the tag from a now defunct department store from that era. So freaking awesome.

[ShadowBall]

It's just I hate most women's clothing because it's too short, too low cut, too thin, too clingy and just all around too uncomfortable for my tastes. Are there any long ladies' shirts (like those tunic things or the things that look kinda like short kimonos) that I could get away with wearing? Are those dressy? They are blouses, I think...no clue if they're professional enough, but I think they would be something you'd wear in an office.

I just know I will go nuts if something is clinging to my belly and exposing my not so flattering rolls. Men's shirts tend to flatter me more because they are not fitted to me like paint, are more roomy and are longer. In addition, no ugly frumpy patterns, which I have noticed seem to be rampant among women's sizes above extra-large. Weird, but that's just what I've found over the years.

It doesn't help that I my belly protrudes a lot, but I have a small bust in comparison, so usually if something fits in one area, it doesn't in the other and it looks really bad. And if something is too short, it makes my huge ass look even bigger. If I cannot find half-decent pants to wear, I may bite and try to find a skirt, but then my mens' dress shoes will look silly. It's alright - the thrift store near me has lots of nice shoes all the time.

I had no idea scarves were considered good interview accessories either. Do you mean like a short one tied around the neck like a bandanna, or a really long dangly one?

Thank you all so much for the clothing advice. I'm going to see what I can find on Thursday morning and get it all pretty and clean for the afternoon.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Stores like Torrid tend to have awesome fashions... that just happen to be geared towards ladies of larger stature. There's one in my local mall... and they're probably online, but 'plus-size' stores do exist, with stuff you're looking for, most often. I totally hear you on the 'too short, too low-cut' thing-- I have a longer torso than normal, and my chest isn't much to show, and I don't feel like flaunting boobs.
You might also want to look into going to a tailor. They usually set up at dry cleaners, but beyond that, I don't know much.
EDIT: re:Torrid: I gravitated towards the storefront-- went inside-- o___O nothing was in my size! I was so sad... it was all so pretty...

[ShadowBall]

I ended up finding a billowy turquoise blouse to wear with a brown tanktop underneath since the blue thing showed too much cleavage by itself. And man, I felt overdressed - the fellow interviewing me was in jeans and a ball cap.

The interview got off to a slightly slow start because I was nervous when asked to say something about myself...I did a lot of, "and, uhhh...." stuff since I didn't know what the hell to say due to nerves. But as the interview went on, I felt a lot more relaxed - I was in no way intimidated by this guy like I originally was and I was able to talk a little better. Now and again, I think we kind of went off on tangents as far as discussing writing and such. Overall, I thought it went very well...and knowing my judgment on interviews, this means I will not get the job.

I've also been informed by my mother that if I need to drive anywhere outside the most local areas, I will need to decline the job. Why? Because she will be too worried about pweshus widdle me driving on the highway. Obviously since I have not had my license for even a year yet, this means I'm a horrible driver who will crash if I so much as think about the highway. So I'm really hoping I don't need to drive incredibly far away because I will have to turn the job down if that's the case.

I'm getting my hopes way up right now, though. I sent this guy (the editor) an assload of articles I've written and he did say he printed some of them out and found my article on swine flu interesting (that was one of the actually serious ones). So I guess that's good.

[EricKei]

Driving a bit further could actually help improve your skills. I HATED interstate driving for my first few years on the road...so I just took short trips (like 5 minutes, literally from my home onramp and getting off 3 exits down the road, then come back the same way) on the local I## at times when I knew traffic would be light, and I gradually got less and less nervous -- basically, I was in heavy 60mph traffic one day and realized that my knuckles were no longer their customary white from having a deathgrip on the wheel.. Maybe just doing practice drives would be helpful?

PS - (please do NOT reveal your actual age) -- With all due respect to your Mom: Are you of an age, and/or in a situation, where her worries should prevent you from getting a good job? In any case, if you get the job, ask them about travel. Just tell them that you are still something of a new driver (which is true) and, if you need to go somewhere "far away", you'd prefer to ride with another employee instead, if at all possible; at least, until you get more experience.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

His interest was good!
Also, overdressing, totes okay. Good going!
EricKei... her mother has issues. Said mother tries to cause daughter to have same issues. Or worse. This thread starts off at a slow simmer, then boils over.
Speaking of which, what's come of that? >_>
EDIT: I like the idea of turquoise/brown-- got a pic/from the internet for the blouse?/nosy

[ShadowBall]

Yes, I am at an age where I should be more independent and it's a long story as far as why my mother keeps me on a short leash. I guess I just worried I'd seem unprofessional if I said I could not drive far away for interviews - not because I don't want to, but because my mother feels that since SHE is too scared to drive 65 miles an hour, I need to be as well. I have driven that speed (when I was on my way to take my road test) and my mother screamed the whole time because it was too fast for her. The only thing regarding highway travel I'm not sure about yet is when to get into the left lane and when to change out of it since I have no actual experience with such things and I don't know if I'll ever learn because of my mother.

I hate driving with her so damn much - she makes me so nervous and screams at me if I try to listen to music or drive with one hand (which I am comfortable doing), or she'll scream that I'll knock the car's alignment off if I run over a twig, or she'll yell if I drive the speed limit and she feels said speed limit is too fast.

But looking at some of the stories in the paper, I don't think I'd need to drive TOO far out. Most of what's in the paper is from neighboring towns and maybe a few areas here and there out in the sticks that I might need Mapquest to find. So I think that'll be alright. I'd just need to work on my ability to approach someone and ask them questions because my voice is not loud at all and I really hate walking up to people and badgering them.

Getting my hopes all up again and thinking I'm going to get hired.

And teh_blumchenkinder, if I can't find a shot from the intarwebs of the blouse, I don't mind taking a picture of it and sticking it here. If the board doesn't allow folks to post pictures of their faces or anything like that, I can block off my face.

Oh, and as far as my mother's idiot, he found out that his tumors are shrinking noticeably after two rounds of chemo. And he no longer lives here (which I'm enjoying).

[Rapscallion]

And teh_blumchenkinder, if I can't find a shot from the intarwebs of the blouse, I don't mind taking a picture of it and sticking it here. If the board doesn't allow folks to post pictures of their faces or anything like that, I can block off my face.

Entirely up to you. We preach caution if you think your employment may be at risk, but other than that go for it.

Rapscallion

[EricKei]

Re - age: Is OK. I didn't get my first license until I was in my early 20's, as I was used to walking everywhere (always had jobs that were close by) and having family drive me other places I needed to go.

The only thing regarding highway travel I'm not sure about yet is when to get into the left lane and when to change out of it since I have no actual experience with such things and I don't know if I'll ever learn because of my mother.

Short version: Don't use it for now unless you need to; pretend it does not exist -- you'll get around to it sooner or later. Check your local DMV or their website for a full Driver's Manual and read the appropriate section thoroughly (heck, it never hurts to re-read the whole thing every few years ^_^), they are usually free; check your specific local and state laws for how they assign the lanes (note: Interstates are State-controlled/patrolled; Highways are generally Local/Municipal).

GENERALLY:

In most states, the far left lane on a highway/interstate is really meant for passing ONLY (in a few this is actually enforced, but many people use it as the "I feel like speeding" lane -- again, check your manual, but some states "officially"/specifically allow you to exceed the speed limit by 5~9mph or so while passing, as long as you slow down again once you are back in your original lane.

The center lane(s) is/are for "transit" (meaning, hang out there until you are within say a mile or two of your exit -- if there are more than one and you prefer driving right at the limit, consider sticking to the rightmost of the "center" lanes). On a 2-lanes-each way road, stay in the right lane, in this case.

The right lane is for merging and exiting and slower cars (read: at speed limit or less). Note that highways often have MINIMUM posted speeds as well (generally 40-45 if the limit is 65), but going that slow will get you ticketed as well, as most people will expect you to be around the limit. Going "dangerously slow" can be just as bad as "dangerously fast".

Getting my hopes all up again and thinking I'm going to get hired.

If you get an interview, hold that confidence and make sure you show it to the HR peeps. Let it cover up any nervousness you may have If you're a nervous wreck going in there, it will likely reflect upon your chances. Be confident, but not arrogant. Show them that you're the best person for the job and that you're willing to work hard to get it right.