Yesterday saw the conclusion of yet another round of interviews and I am (not for the first time) amazed at how many variants of "Thanks for coming in.We'll let you know next week at the latest." there are. I mean I thought I had heard them all and used a few myself but it really does take skill to make " Hire you? You must be fucking mental? Hahahahaha" come out the mouth as the bland yet slightly optimistic pap I was fed this week.
I started interviewing on Oct 1 and yesterday I sat down for No's 19 and 20.Now for this little sojourn in purgatory I laid out some decent coin on some good,solid business attire.It was also a laying in of stores in the event I actually land a job.As you can imagine D.C. office "culture" is very professional and tends towards the conservative so I bought three suits (black,charcoal and grey) and a lots and lots of seperates.....oh..and shoes......lots.....of....shoes. I mean it's not like I could dust off the suits I wore for the last round of interviews.All perfectly justifiable...well almost all.
Now interviews are stressful enough at the best of times so worrying about your clothes as well won't help matters.Up until yesterday I had stuck with the two pants suits and the separates as I wasn't 100% sure I could wear a skirt suit,hose and high heels and not trip over myself and break my face off the footpath. I decided to give it a lash.
On the drive to the interview I got to thinking at what point does a skirt become a mini-skirt?.Mine was knee length (and tailored to perfection I might add) but sitting in the car had revealed a bit more leg and the Latin gentleman in the dump truck parked next to me at a red light showed his appreciation with the truck's air horn.There were also some vigorous hand signals/motions that I could have arrested him for had I not been so amused.
I arrive at the site,park and being chronically early for such things go for a stroll around the building to kill some time and get some fresh air in me.I didn't even notice the construction site I walked right past.The lads on the site certainly did notice the tall redhead (Note to Lette: I just got my hair done and it's very red ) in the Agent Scully suit and one of them (there's always one isn't there?) let loose with the so called wolf whistle.Yet another in a long line of firsts and it made me want to rush up the scaffold to join this Construction Casanova and ravish him.....with a wood shampoo. They only thing he'll get to lay after that would be bricks.
It was a bit weird. I loved how I looked yesterday.Everything worked and I felt great.I was comfortable and confident in who I was and as Medbh pointed out over at her place sometimes you do feel like a badass in killer heels. Then again Construction Casanova and Lorry Lothario had me shaking my head in confusion.I suppose it was ,in their mind, a compliment they paid me with their attention and for me the novelty of the situation masked the stupidity of it.I don't think I'd find it funny a second time....definitely not a third time....and I might even get a bit miffed if it went down a fourth.
All that for " Weeell now.Thank you for coming etc,etc"
Oh...I nearly forgot about the fella at the FBO*asking me out.Now that was a compliment.
*Fixed Base Operator : Flight school,pilot supply shop and gas station for aeroplanes.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
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20 comments:
I know women who despise getting wolf whistles, and others who lament they no longer get them.
As I've never been able to whistle loudly or develop the knack of whistling with fingers in my mouth, it's not an area I can claim any expertise in.
I gotta say I have never liked wolf whistles and when I was in my early twenties I got a lot of 'comments' sent my way when I went about my business. Never like that either, mostly I ignored them, but being a big mouth country girl I wouldn't be backwards about coming forwards and roaring 'fuck off.'
I suppose it depends on the comment. 'Hello Beautiful' is charming in a way.
'Nice tits, 'not so much.
And 'fancy a ride' is a good way to get a clatter.
Spain is the worst country I ever lived in for unwanted lechy comments and also where I learned to curse with gusto, to the amusement of my spanish chums who said I should just put up with it.
Heels, darling, can make or break an outfit. There are a lot of gals who say they are the tools of the patriarchy, that it shortens a gait and sets us at an unnatural angle, y-eeeah, All true, but when I wear killer heels and a wrap silk dress I am queen of the world ( and also over six feet tall)
I 'm sure you rocked it yesterday and the hair sounds really fabulous. You'll soon land an interview where the person who will recognise a true individual of great worth.
it's all part of the work environment, sugar..look good, feel good, do good work! ^5, sista
(since i am a woman of a certain age i'll not mention how i'd throw money at a young man who whistled at me, because that would, of course, be most unbecoming)
Yeay I like red mysekf, although I dont do normal hair myself, every christmas I go red like rudolfs nose red, and I love it!! :)
As for wolf whistles, never had one so I wouldnt know!!
But what I have had and HATE IT is manhandeling!!!
Guys in clubs coming up behind and thinking they have the right to hold your hips pisses me off rightly!!! and they are always the older guys!! fuckers I hate it so much id kick them in the balls enought to wish they were never born!
Yeah... I reeeealy haaate it!!!! :p
hey post some pics of you in high heels and a skirt, I bet you look stunning :)
Getting wolf whistles and that kinda attention sounds great! Smiles all round!
I worked in construction for years and was treated so well. Never had so many doors held open, so much courtesy shown, at all levels. Loved it. (Wolf whistles would get someone removed from a site so they would never have done that).
Good luck with the interviews, the right job I'm sure is waiting! Looking back now there are so many jobs I went for that I'm glad I didn't get!
I love it when I hold a door open for women who walk past without a word as if I'm the doorman.
I just love that. It's why I carry a chainsaw at all times.
Bock, that's just plain bad manners. And not solely for men. I've often held a door open for folks and got nary a nod for my trouble.
FMC, I concur. When someone yells "hey beautiful" or even "Hey, shortie" (the hip-hop equivalent) I really don't mind and it can even pick me up.
But I HATE being told to smile (wretch!) or getting the hiss or wolf whistle. If you are creative or nice, you'll get a smile. If not, it's fuck off all the way.
And Bock, only a bitch wouldn't say thanks for the door being held. I hold the door for people all the time. It's just polite.
Devin, you're right that conservative clothes are best in DC and your new clothes and shoes sound fab.
Kim,
It's all unfamiliar terrain for me.
As for whistling? I was quite good at it before I got braces.Now,alas,cabs have to be hailed in other ways.
FMC,
If Doc Maroon read your comment we might ask Kim to nip over and see if he needs help getting off the floor.
When I first began moving into the world as myself I craved invisibilty.Now I'm much happier about who I am and in a fucked up way this sort of thing reinforces how right this all feels.
Um,,sorry if that made no sense.
Savannah,
I don't think there'd be a man mercenary enough to take the money.
Lette,
"Hey..Anyone lose a hand?..No?..'cos I found this one on my ass!"
Red is the new black.
We'll see about the pics.Imagine Federal Agent meets East German 'female' Olympian circa 1978.
Aisling,
I hear that that kind of carry on will get you chucked off a site here too.DC insn't like NYC or Chicago and the very high lawyer to human ratio here ensures that wolf whistles and cat calls are few and far between.
I guess I must be doing something right.....at last.
Bock,
It's the FitzCarraldo uniform.It does,in fact,make you look like a doorman.
I'm a habitual door holder too and when I get dissed like that I'll bellow a hearty "You're Welcome!"
Chainsaw is a nice touch though.Wish I'd thought of it first.
FMC,
I'd go with "You're welcome....to eat my poop..Muthafuckah!"
Medbh,
A bit of original thinking goes a long way.The lad at the FBO was quite clever in getting my number.I had to order a manual that wasn't in stock and as he took my information he begged me NOT to give him my number as it might affect his decision making for the prize.
Like a fool I ask "What prize would that be?"
His answer made my day.So much so I'm going to take his guide-dog out for a walk.
One of my favourite stories - and it's true. Eileen Atkins objected to being wolf whistled by a road worker whilst she was going into Selfridges. when she cme out she yelled
'And how big is your penis?'
Then she realised she had come out of a different exit onto a different road.
Pat,
Eileen Atkins is my new hero.
Ahahaha, Pat that's brilliant!
Devin, interviewing is brutal. You did the right thing in getting a new wardrobe I reckon. New togs can make you feel like a million dollars which is exactly the number of dollars you need to feel to be all confident in an interview.
Sam,
It's like a full time job.The clothes weren't even optional though.I just had to get a business wardrobe suitable for a woman.
It does feel good though to wear clothes that fit right.Mentally as well as physically.
You and I are in the same boat. I've been interviewing since October 2 though, so you've got a day on me.
Today I tried a new tactic, and lined 3 up in one day. I was so relaxed by the last one, I won't be surprised if I do get that job.
And...oddly enough, I got an interview from writing a cover letter addressing the owners by their first names.
Go figure.
awh but best of luck n that.......we are always looking for good waiters if you fancy it.....hehehehehe
Generally you get the "thanks for coming in" even if they intend calling you back for a second interview or even giving you the job. "We'll be in touch" sometimes means just that so don't get disheartened!
High heels, no question THE ONLY choice.
X
Hey Devin, so you can’t make you’re mind up about wolf whistles, and you’re unsure about how you look in your suits and separates. Well to lill ol misogynistic me, looks like you’re further along the journey then you think. For the record, we stop wolf whistling and ogling when we’re laid out above in Crosses.
The thing about interviews is that you won’t get a gig unless you do them; they’re a total bastard like that. Good luck.
now THAT's a compliment!
Anyone else having trouble posting today?
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