Interview skills...

We always say in Miss America pageants that it is the best self-improvement course you could ever take. I agree. Certainly over the years my interview skills have developed and become much stronger, so that now I walk into any job interview with a great deal of confidence.

This last week, I mailed in my resume to an off campus job with a lawyer. One day after I mailed the application, she had contacted my references and asked me to come in the very next day for an interview. She told me coming in there were several other resumes in the pile –and there were-, but I was a offered a job within ten minutes of speaking to her.

The job is perfect for me, since it builds on my previous experience working in the legal arena. My schedule perfectly suits the hours, and I really connected with the lawyer. I stayed at her office for nearly an hour just chatting after we had figured out what day I should start working.

I truly have to credit the skills I have learned through Miss America really helped with this. A few years ago, I doubt I could have gotten a job just walking through the door, but I am really proud of myself for this one. I’ve certainly learned a lot about the importance of presenting yourself on paper (and I’ll be the first to admit that I spelled “capital” wrong on my Miss Capital Region fact sheet- and the judges noticed it, so ALWAYS check for typos three times) and even more about representing your best self in an interview situation.

So, I start a new job tomorrow and I’m very excited. This will be a very busy week, since we are throwing a Super Bowl Party for my first job (event planning) and just catching up on everything. The week will fly by like these last two; while school is in session I find myself incredibly busy.

I hope that my “paperwork” skills have carried over to my graduate school applications. They are all out and complete except for one school I just decided to apply to this last week. I checked the status for the schools I already applied to and they have all my papers. I feel like it is out of my hands at this point and I just have to trust that I will end up in the right place. Obviously I’ll be checking the mailroom every day hoping for news from the various universities, so wish me luck in this time of anxiety!

Good luck next weekend to everyone competing in Miss Greater Richmond!