I’d like to tell you a story of a job interview that led to absolutely no offer and, to my utter surprise, left me feeling quite successful!
I thought I wanted the job I applied for. Oh yes, I did, initially, but before getting into that, I’ll introduce myself: I’m Solène, a willful advisor whose decision-making is to be recognized, invited, and trust her instincts.
Like many, after meeting Human Design and BG5, I related to my career type, key indicators, and the shadows of my design. I’ve never said to anyone, ‘hey, I am bitter’, but I felt this feeling deep in my bones. I’ve never told myself, ‘it’s ok, take a well-deserved rest’, but instead I felt that I was probably just lazy and so I consumed more espressos. I’ve never said, ‘job’s done, I’m satisfied’, but I was in fact feeling the taste of success.
With my work experience, knowledge about my Trait of Contribution, and the Career Strength of The Transmitter, I felt confident that this sales role I applied for was correct for me. After-all, I do have the ability and a proven track record that I can craft a good story, promote, negotiate, and strike a win-win situation.
But quickly into the interview, I was asked:
* How do you sell specifically?
* After you get a lead, now what?
* Which methodology do you follow?
* Which CRM are you familiar with?
These were all specific and valid questions from the recruiter. Had I not known about my design, I would have probably second-guessed myself with a self-doubt narrative sounding something like this:
* ‘I don’t know enough, I’m not good enough’ (fear of not enough depth or skills)
* ‘Am I even meant for this role’ (fear of lack of identity and direction)
* ‘I haven’t done enough this past decade; I should do better’ (taking on too much or overdoing)
Instead, and it’s still quite shocking to me, I actually felt very good at the end of the interview. The recruiter kept apologizing, ‘sorry; I don’t think it’s a good fit,’ ‘sorry for the interview at 9 am,’ etc. And all I could think and say was, “this is great, I was meant to be shaken out of my comfort zone this morning, and it is wonderful that it’s not a good fit; I’d rather know right away.”
Being seen and recognized for what I am and what I am not feels good. The sales job was precisely for closers, and most likely aligned for a buoyant sacral being with the drive and stamina defined in their Career Design. This is not who I am or who I want to pretend to be. This interview also reminded me that I can rely on my natural strengths and still nurture them by learning more about the current sales methodologies the recruiter mentioned, which can only help me hone my skills.
When dealing with interview rejection, or any type of rejection, remember that being recognized for what you’re not is just as important as being recognized for what you are.
