Interview today.

Without going into too much detail, I had a job interview this morning for a social studies position at a private school in the area. After finishing the 60 minute q and a, I sat in my car reflecting on the events that transpired over the past hour. Could I have done anything differently? Did I talk too much? Was I actively listening throughout the interview? These queries were part of my self-critique checklist and "personal debriefing," which we all do after "being evaluated" by potential employers, bosses, etc. because we want to improve and learn from each experience. Instead of just conducting a self-assessment, isn't it equally productive to imagine the conversation that will obviously take place between the interviewers after you leave the room? What were their impressions of the meeting? Were they similar to yours? Dissimilar? Did they think you answered all of the questions? Would you be a good fit at the school? Attempting to place yourself in the role of the interviewer is challenging, especially when those out of work want to procure employment. How did these educators feel about working on the day after July 4th when many of their peers are out on vacation? How would they deal with a vacancy that opened up in July, several weeks before school is ready to open for the fall semester? We all have our desired objectives, but it helps to keep things in perspective when you can imagine "walking in the shoes" of the other party to an interview. If one can successfully do this, its a win-win for both interviewer and interviewee. For those looking for employment, I wish you the best of luck in your job search.