Interview help / advice

ScienceGirl · 21 June 2018 at 10:12PM

Hi all,

I am currently at university completing my dissertation and studying for upcoming exams in mid July for bioscience degree. I am 30 years old fyi. I applied for a part time job as an office cleaner for 3 hours in the evening mon - friday. My interview is tomorrow arranged at a pub as the company head office is far from their client where the job will be done.

I am sure they will want to know why I want this job. I believe it is a permanent position. My disso and exams are late because I had them deferred due to health issues which I am now waiting for surgery... Anyway I am well and able to work physically. I have been diagnosed with a chronic illness that unfortunately is stuck with me for life so I just have to get on with it!

I wanted to find a cleaning job after uni anyway as I had one last summer and actually I found it was the best job I ever had!!
I was really happy in that role and I just thought that I would find another cleaning job after uni as I do not intend to go into a bioscience career of any kind. I want to set up my own business and have a job that I enjoy so it can tide me over whilst I set things up for my business. So in the meantime, as the student finance has run out I need a little extra income. I am hoping that through this potential part time role I may go on to full time hours after disso finished. So this may be a door into what I was planning anyway.

I am stuck on how to explain why I want this job. I imagine he might wonder why I would want this job with such a degree? He might wonder how long am I going to stick around?

I know part of this answer is that I genuinely enjoy cleaning and I am not embarrassed to have this job as I know some people might put their noses up at it (I wouldn't say the last part). I intend to keep this job for the long term providing I am happy with this particular company, the people I work with and the company procedures in delivering an excellent cleaning service! I am very set on working for a company who delivers what they promise and I want to be able to be a part of that. I really hope they allow me to clean with some autonomy in ensuring that I provide the best there is to see in cleaning

Wow, just realised how passionate I am about that haha. How funny for something so simple such as cleaning :rotfl:

That was a bit long, but felt I needed to give a bit of background.

So what is the best thing to say without giving too much away? I feel that telling them that I intend to have this as a longterm job might spark up so questions as to why considering stark difference in careers and also I don't feel it is appropriate to divule in health issues and deferring of assessments as this may raise further questions.

I am just thinking of saying I completed uni and I now just want to be a cleaner; I enjoyed the last job I had so much that I see this making me happy more than anything else I have deliberated about doing. I value having a healthy work life balance and I know that this job will help fulfil that.

I am braced for the misunderstanding from family and friends but I am not sure how to express this to a prospective employer who might also question these things.

I want to make sure I give the best possible chances of getting this job, by knowing the right way to word and explain this.

Any thoughts, opinions and advice welcomed!

Thank you!

Les79 · 21 June 2018 at 10:29PM

This is probably one of the rare times where I've been genuinely surprised. 30 years old, a good degree, a mature outlook on life (that chronic illness will help there) and yet passionate towards cleaning?

I mean to be fair, you sound like you could probably be running a cleaning company in a few years time! More so if that is your true passion (each to their own).

But not being funny, cleaning is generally a low-skilled job. The places I've worked in the cleaners comprised of:

1. Me, getting paid NMW and being treated like the scum of the earth

2. Ex convicts from prison (they were the nice sort of people so absolutely no disrespect to them)

3. People who generally couldn't spell "degree", let alone earn one.

I'd be interested to know how much you have revealed to them so far, do they know of your educational background? If no, I'd say try not to mention it. If yes, I'd say just play on the whole "earning a living during uni and gaining work experience" element.

I suspect that this is the sort of place which will hire you on the spot if your face fits. So you'll have to try and gauge what they value as an employer and fit yourself to match that.

ScienceGirl · 22 June 2018 at 12:02AM

Thank you

Well cleaning isn't really a passion of mine. I only recognised the way in which I was explaining in my post that I have passion in doing the job right. It is probably due to the fact that it has been one of the most enjoyable jobs I have had so far. My last cleaning job had given me a different view to cleaning jobs as my co-workers had also come from backgrounds which most would question why they chose that job. One was a former primary school teacher and wanted a role that wasn't so stressful, another was in uni studying physics and the others were a couple of geeks which I considered to be quite intelligent. They were just very introverted and shy and this role suited their personalities I guess. Some did come across as a bit dim I will admit and some I would say did appear a bit shady looking and unsavoury... like full on rough and scary. People I wouldn't ever consider speaking to ever in my life but as I was forced to communicate with them, they ended up being quite lovely people! So maybe I was lucky with that job. Also, it was at a harry potter gallery / venue type of place so the place itself was fun! I hope the same for this one.

This job is paying £10 an hour so I am happy with that

An office job would pay about the same or less!

I sent my CV so they would have seen my education.

I am still none the wiser on how to broach this with them though?

I realise it might come across as odd for some people!

I just defy the whole system, of school, uni, career, house, family. It feels like modern day slavery. Primed and trained to contribute to capitalism. Everyone blindly striving for success and money, whilst they work their time alive on this earth away. What is all that worth for really? Having two days a week to truly live and enjoy that little time you have with those who matter to you? Two days and a few hours a night to enjoy the fancy home you have earned through trading most of your time. And then you wonder the reason why wealth and success never makes anyone happy. It is because we are never really doing anything meaningful.

I find happiness in contributing to the world in some way, finding a purpose that makes a positive change to enable growth.

Cleaning is just a job that will hold me afloat, whilst I work on my own business aspiration/s. It is not a career choice

Smodlet · 22 June 2018 at 11:36AM

You could ask them if they have ever read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". It is about an American professor who had a breakdown and derived the kind of satisfaction you speak of from tinkering with motorbikes. That is how he found his way back to mental health. Admittedly, it is decades since I read it.

There was a programme on the other night called Million Pound Menu in which a couple, who met at university, abandoned their careers to flip burgers. He used to be an oil trader before, I think they said. So the idea of doing what you love rather than being a wage slave is perhaps more common than you might imagine. There must be other examples.

NelliePie · 22 June 2018 at 12:14PM

I think you should explain it the same way you've explained it here (mostly). Id say you had a cleaning job part time through uni for money and really enjoyed it - and although the degree gave you lots of skill it didn't (and career wouldn't) give you the work life balance you need. I'm don't know what your illness is but could you word it to say that cleaning will give you the satisfaction, work life balance and stability you need. I maybe wouldn't mention setting up your own company just yet, and would judge it in the interview whether you think they'll be responsive to you saying you want to work your way up and maybe eventually run a small team? (they might like that, they might just want to fill the role as is)

iolanthe07 · 29 June 2018 at 4:21PM

And then you wonder the reason why wealth and success never makes anyone happy.

Wealth might not make you happy, but it as sure as hell makes being miserable more bearable.

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