Interviewing 101: 10 Things To Avoid

#1  In your cover letter, use spell check.  And, while declaring your interest in the job "oppertuneity" make sure you spell the name of the company you're applying to correctly.

#2  When requesting applications...look the part of a professional. Do not wear lounge pants with "PINK" across your ass. Unless, of course, you are applying to Victoria's Secret. They may be flattered by your support.


#3  When asked why you left a prior job on your application, do not write "problems dealing with authority."  

#4  While going door to door collecting applications from, well, everywhere, hide the other 72 applications somewhere besides your other hand. And, when asked why you want to work there, do not say "I just need a job. Anywhere." And definitely do not follow it by saying "I just need something for a few months until I find a job in the field I really want to work in."

#5  When asked why you left a prior job during an interview, do not say "I'm being sued for sexual harassment." And if you do say it, please...do not mean it.


#6  If your head itches, do not smack it while applying for a job at a store that sells hair products.  I do not know how to reiterate this enough.

#7  If for some reason, you decide to work in retail...do not list your hours of availability as M-F, 9-5pm.  Ain't gonna happen.  Ever.  Never ever.

#8  An interview is not a date.  This means, do not flirt.  And, no, you cannot have my number if this "job thing" doesn't work out.  

#9  Leave your friends at home when you go to an interview. Or at least in the car. This is not a party.


#10  Do not NOT show up to your interview, then call days later (and try to reschedule) because your boyfriend was in a knife fight last night and you didn't want to miss visiting hours. 

*All above tips based on actual events.  Please, take them seriously as they will severely inhibit you from finding a job.

A Brunette's Life

I think the reason I've stopped blogging is that my life has stopped being interesting. Ok fine...maybe jury duty and a perfectly peeled orange wasn't necessarily something you'd refer to as interesting...but it made me want to write. Now, the only things I'm remotely inspired to discuss are the only things I can't publish.

I thought about recreating my blog under a pen name...something with no link to me. But, a friend pointed out while debating starting her own mystery blog is that the people that read what I write are my friends. So, if I can't suggest it to my friends because I'm a ghost writer, how on earth do I score a reader? Clearly, most of the time, I'm not that riveting!

Then, I thought...throw caution to the wind, Shauna! Say what you want and deal with the aftermath later! Free yourself! But, as you know, confrontation and risk are hardly my forte, so...looks like we'll be hanging around here for a while. Luckily, Blogger has an app now so maybe the ability to blog on the go will help me stay focused? That said, if there are weird typos or spacing issues, this blog is via app so...testing and please forgive me.

Here's a quick catch up on life since my last entry...

I've rejoined match.com and jdate. Nothing positive on that news front. I think maybe I'll just start posting the ridiculous things I get in emails that men apparently think are cute/flattering/endearing. I'm sure you will all benefit much more than I do from them. Here's one of my recent...I am copying and pasting so all typos and misspellings are part of the real glory I received in my inbox...

"Hey pretty lady. You sound like a perfict match for me exept that your a Crapitals fan and that you a brunette. (yeah, I usually dig the blondes ;). But you're smile is so damn cute I had to shout you out. Drop me a line if you want a Pens jersey on me. LOL LOL. Oh, and Friends is the worst show ever."

I mean...??? That was a joke right? Compliment. Insult. Insult. Compliment. Insult. Insult. Yeah, that doesn't do well on my comparison chart at all.

Moving on. I was removed from an American Idol concert by 4 security guards in Atlantic City a few months ago. Apparently, paying $100+ for seats (don't judge me) and dancing don't go hand in hand. My vertical side swaying pissed people behind us off so much that they were scaling rows of chairs to try to knock me and friend over.

I'm 30 now. Or, 18 with 12 years experience as the candle my mom picked out for me proudly displayed. So now that I've grown out of my (very short lived) getting tossed out of a concert stage, I thought I'd learned my lesson that next time, I should perhaps buy lawn seats. Cheaper, more freedom, and more laid back people sit there. I was sure that would be the case! Wrong. Just a few nights ago, while having a low volumed conversation from my lawn chair, I got yelled at by a woman to shut up. Her yelling was louder than anything I said that night, and, I really felt like she should be much more concerned about her date who was sleeping (or dead) on a blanket next to her. Ugh.

My closet collapsed so I designed a custom closet that my dad built for me. I can't lie, it's pretty amazing. I (my dad) should probably go into business. California Closets For the Poor people. I think it has a ring! Wondering if I can post pictures from this app? Let's try...

What else? Well... yesterday I killed a spider. I also discovered a Pumpkin Spice flavored off brand Bailey's. Will let you know how it is.

That's all for now. I'll try to make my life more eventual or to think of something appropriate for all family and coworkers to read in the meantime. Goodnight!