Job interviews

Thank you Martin, it helps to look at it from that different perspective. 

This is really helpful advice, thank you. I was in a bit of a panic when I posted, but have calmed down a bit now and am in a better place to take valuable points like this on board.  

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it. This is all really helpful and I'll bear it mind while preparing. 

Good morning from America, lazerock!

Okay, so the advice I’m going to give is related to the three most important questions asked in an interview (IMO):

1. WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS? Give them something that is honest, but related to the job. Ex. if you’re going for a desk job, ability to focus on a task can be an asset. If you’re applying for a custodial position, then being able to manage tasks in order of importance is a great strength. Don’t put yourself down; No matter how little you think of yourself you do have strengths that could be utilized in the workplace. Think of a strength BEFORE the interview so that you don’t have to make it up during the heat of the moment.

2. WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES? Now for this you need to focus on something you are working on. This could be your monofocus, but make sure to keep it clear that it is not necessarily something you are BAD at, it’s something you’re actively working on. Also, make it a skill that does not impact the work you’re interviewing for. Ex. I almost blew an interview for my current job by saying communication was my weak point, when that is an important part of the job. If it is possible to choose a weakness that can be twisted into a strength, go for it! Ex. One coworker of mine said she once said in an interview that she cares too much about clients, which can be easily seen as a strength as well as a weakness.

3. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? Yes. Yes you do. Always have a question. My go-to is always “How many other employees do you have in this role?” because that is an easy one that is usually important to know anyways. If you ask a question, no matter how dumb it may sound, it shows you have invested interest in the position and aren’t just applying to get any job.

lazerock said:

I suppose it's due to a) monofocus, and feeling like I don't have time to focus on it in the way I want to because of everything else that is going on, b) fear of failure, c) fear of embarrassing myself by not being prepared.

I have 4 decades of experience on both sides of the recruitment process and have been through the issues you describe early on. For me I find it much more effective to assume I will not get the position so it immediately takes the pressure off and I can relax and treat it almost like a practice session. The difference it makes in how I can respond more normally in significant for me and has earned me many roles (I used to contract a lot so had roles that lasted for 1-3 years typically).

Embarrasment is not something I ever allowed myself to think about - if you think the interviewer is going to think badly of you personally then you are almost certainly wrong. They will be interviewing dozens of candidates most likely and you become just another in a long line of people who they have to assess, score and rank in order to get the best candidate. You are unlikely to be seen even as a person but as a collection of skills and abilities on a checklist.

Monofocus is likely to be your biggest failure point. The recruiter will want someone who can adapt to changing circumstances and demands quickly so if you cannot do this then the chances are you will be seen as a less capable candidate than the dozens of ofther NT candidates they see.

I would recommend working on this - find ways to practice rapid changes in focus for maybe half a dozen things in 20 minures to train yourself out of this limitation. This was how I did it. Monofocus is most likely used because it is comfortable for you but in a work situation if an emergency comes up you need to be able to pivot and respond - think about if a colleague is knocked unconcious and you are the only person around. Are you really going to finish the task you are working on for 30 minutes before calling an ambulance? Of course not - you respond because you have to and this is an ability you can strengthen with practice.

Working on our weaknesses is difficult and takes effort - it is uncomfortable but I think it is well worth the effort if you want to be able to get into a work role.

Speaking as someone who has recruited many staff in my career I can tell you that for roles where monofocus is an issue will result in you failing the interview every time. Some roles can use it (eg researcher) and here it won't work against you but most positions require the flexibility you lack. 

So adapting will give you a lot more options, enable you to work with these new skills and increase your chances of geting a job significantly.

Only in my opinion of course.

Having been on selection panels in interviews as a 'technical expert', I can say that interviewing people for jobs is almost as uncomfortable as being interviewed. The people interviewing you will also have been interviewees, so the vast majority will be sympathetic. They are not judging you on your worth as a human being, but just looking for the most suitable person for the particular job. I do not know if this is helpful, but it is accurate information from my own experience.