The last job that I applied for was my current position as a manager for the men’s basketball team at Oregon State. When I arrived at my START orientation as a freshman, I was able to go over to the coaches’ offices and meet some of them before meeting my boss who would essentially make the decision to hire me or not. Meeting some of the coaches beforehand was a positive thing for me, as it led me to be more comfortable around my potential bosses and get a feel for the work environment before committing to the job. I had previous experience working with sports teams throughout high school and grew up around my dad’s college basketball team, so it was a great fit for me. Because of this past experience, I did not really have much of a formal interview, but instead was asked about commitment and work ethic, as well as being comfortable in this environment since I was the only female on staff. Then, I was introduced to all of the coaches, other staff, and the team. Overall, I think this process was a positive one for me. Although it was not necessarily a traditional, interview-intensive job application process, I was able to meet people that I would be working with and see the types of tasks I would be asked to perform before being offered the job. The comfortability and structure made this job more desirable for me, and I am glad that I ended up taking it.
Hi, this is a comment.
To get started with moderating, editing, and deleting comments, please visit the Comments screen in the dashboard.
Commenter avatars come from Gravatar.
Hi Anne,
Its nice to learn about the more informal interview style in the real world. It makes sense to have a more interactive interview process like a meet & greet for a sports based position. I am glad the process and the role were a fit for you. Congrats!
That’s sounds like a great application experience. Getting to know your future colleagues and supervisor in a more informal setting is always a huge benefit. Oftentimes at my organization, we will take a prospective hire out to lunch with a small group from the office. This gives us a chance to all have normal conversation and not ask the typical and sometimes pointed interview questions. When you have a chance to get “behind the scenes” and simply interact with your prospective future team, that is always a better experience for both you and the organization.
Anne,
Being able to establish relationships prior to working in your position is great. I was able to experience that with another position of mine and the difference is definitely there. I’m glad you were able to take away this experience!
That being said, would there have been any changes you would have made?
Jared