"Overthinking" things (and job interviews)

[excreationist]

I've got a job interview in a couple of days related to stocking store shelves and told the job agency lady that I wanted to read a book about job interviews that was about 300 pages ["Sharkproof" - I got it in the 90s but hadn't really opened it up before]. (I've already read some and might skim read it first). She said I was overthinking things. Later I emailed her saying that that could be a good answer for a weakness in a job interview. She said I could use that potentially. I said I could say that "I've been told I can over think things".
Some of her key advice was to not say anything negative and if they ask "tell me about yourself" to only mention things related to the job. Maybe by "overthinking" she means she means she wants to focus on her advice and not waste time going on a wild goose chase about things that might not be so important. She said for the weakness question I could have also said:
Lack of recent work experience
Self criticism
Sometimes lack confidence
Focus too much on details

Note these things are meant to sound ok to the employer - and not be things that are meant to be job requirements.

I don't remember being told I've overthought things before....

 

[southernhybrid]

I wouldn't worry about what the lady said about over thinking. It's been a long time since I had a job interview, but I think being positive, giving reason why you would be good at the job, or why you need and want the job would be the most helpful things to say for a job like the one you are seeking.

For example, you could say that you are organized and dependable, assuming that's true. Those are the two things I would think an employer would want for most any job. If they ask you about yourself, tell them the basics and avoid being too negative. You mention that you've been out of work for awhile, so you might need to explain why. If you are directly asked for your negative traits, tell them that sometimes you lack self confidence but you're working on it. Assuming you have some good personal references, mention that. In the US, references are rarely checked in many jobs these days. They just do a background check to make sure you're not a criminal etc.

It might be different in Australia, so I can only hope my advice is helpful. Btw, in the US, a job stocking shelves would be very easy to get since we have a huge shortage of this type of employees. I would also think that being detail oriented might be a positive trait for stocking shelves, as it would make it easier to make sure you have things in order on the shelves, that of course is assuming that you aren't obsessive about it. So, maybe you're worrying too much, if your country is anything like mine, when it comes to finding a job that doesn't require a lot of education or experience, you should be okay.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

 

[excreationist]

This is what I sent in an email to my worker:

Hi [name],
I spent $15 on [website].com for 25 sample answers for a warehouse job interview (as well as general interview advice). I spent time preparing answers for my interview.
Anyway I saw a guy called Scott at Coles and we walked to an aisle and he asked why I'm interested in the job, talked about the job, and asked if I had questions. He said it is 8pm-11pm. I said in the application I said I was available to 9pm but then said I'm happy to work until 11pm. I said I am looking for at least 8 hours a week but he said it would begin (if I got the job) as a casual role for 3 - 6 hours a week then after probation (6 months) I could have longer and permanent work. He said they'll send me an email in about 2 weeks. I talked about the music quite a bit and asked him if there's music in the evening and he said that there was more upbeat dance type music. (I think that would help me keep up a good pace)
From [name]

Later:

Less than 2 hours after the interview I got an email saying I wasn't successful. Maybe it partly had to do with me saying I wanted a minimum of 8 hours a week while they were initially offering only 3-6 hours a week. And saying I had problems with heavy lifting on the application.

 

[southernhybrid]

I'm sorry it didn't work out for you.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

Welp, let me overthink things with you. I speculate that it was the heavy lifting part and everything else is overthinking. There are a lot of physical aspects to the job. If you say you cannot lift heavy things and they hire you, and then you get hurt, it's kind of on them. That's liability but then they would also be down a person. Of course, I could be completely wrong.

 

[annewimsey]

if you cannot life heavy things why oh why were you interviewing for a job that requires it? IMO wasting both their time & yours........

 

[excreationist]

if you cannot life heavy things why oh why were you interviewing for a job that requires it? IMO wasting both their time & yours........

With my employment agency I have to apply for 12 jobs per month and that job was in walking distance. They could have put me in an aisle where there isn't really heavy lifting like the chips. I'm not very suitable for pretty much all of the jobs I've been applying for.

 

[southernhybrid]

if you cannot life heavy things why oh why were you interviewing for a job that requires it? IMO wasting both their time & yours........

With my employment agency I have to apply for 12 jobs per month and that job was in walking distance. They could have put me in an aisle where there isn't really heavy lifting like the chips. I'm not very suitable for pretty much all of the jobs I've been applying for.

This is true, but it's still a bit risky to stock shelves. There used to be a sweet older woman who stocked shelves at one of our local grocery stores. They always signed her to the aisle the had very light things, like cosmetics, soaps etc. But, she injured herself. The store wasn't permitted to give us any details, but she's not been back again. We go to the store so often that we get to know the workers on a personal basis. Again, I am sorry you're not finding some work that suits you.

 

[excreationist]

BTW I also don't have a car so a job in walking distance is very convenient. Also the muscle injury was caused by me doing push-ups beyond muscle failure. (I couldn't do any more but I just kept on trying to do more) BTW yesterday I started getting a sore wrist that I still have a bit today - because I had been playing quite a bit of a fast-paced first person shooter with a mouse. I'm going to see a doctor about it today.

 

[excreationist]

Well I got a sore wrist last night from playing Doom Eternal for less than an hour (I only started playing it a few days ago because it was 75% off). It involved having to rapidly move the mouse around a lot. I also got a shift from my cleaning job in a few days. Sometimes I get no shifts for a couple of weeks. According to the job agency I have to get a job that has 8 hours a week of work every week but the cleaning job is 3.5 or 7 hours of work a week at the most. I only get work if someone is sick or wants time off. The cleaning job is at a shopping centre and I clean some tables and floors and mostly make sure all of the toilets are clean and have enough toilet paper. I've started wearing a wrist supporter. I got a bit of pain in my other hand tonight while typing which is a worry. I was thinking I'd tell the cleaning supervisor about my wrist but my job agency worker and my parents said I shouldn't tell them in advance. I'm seeing a physiotherapist in two days time and I'm going to ask heaps of questions about how I can know if I'm not able to work properly for the upcoming shift. I haven't really had a sore wrist like this before.

 

[southernhybrid]

I guess you need to spend less time playing on your computer, if your wrist is bothering you. I have arthritis in most of my joints and sometimes just typing and/or using my mouse causes increased pain. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble finding part time work near you. Hopefully, if you just give your wrist a rest for awhile and maybe take or get a Rx. for something like Ibuprofen, your wrist pain will diminish. I agree with your parents. Your wrist pain might just be from over doing it and hopefully, it's temporary.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

if you cannot life heavy things why oh why were you interviewing for a job that requires it? IMO wasting both their time & yours........

When it comes to government benefits there's no consideration of whether you could actually do the job, you have to try anyway.

 

[excreationist]

I guess you need to spend less time playing on your computer, if your wrist is bothering you.

Yes obviously. I might just never play Doom Eternal again. The pain is quite mild but I'm worried that I can't do a 3.5 hour cleaning shift without it getting quite a bit more serious. I'll talk to a physio tomorrow morning.

 

[excreationist]

Well now I've got tendinitis in both wrists. The physio wrote me a sick leave certificate. I'm missing out on a public holiday cleaning shift which is 250% of the normal wage.

 

[excreationist]

Well now the job agency has exited me out of the program because of the wrists and my attitude. They want me to be genuinely extremely eager to work in any job they suggest but I had been reluctant with some of their ideas. The job interview as an aged care home laundry worker I had a few months ago was the first time I've ever had tricky questions. I thought I gave balanced honest answers but it turns out I was meant to be totally positive or give issues a positive spin (though the job agency doesn't like the term "spin"). The job agency said I can contact them in 4-6 months. There was a 3 week 75 hour job skills course which is free for unemployed people but $2000 for people on a disability pension like me. The job agency wouldn't pay for it. They think my psychologist can help me a lot even though the government can only pay for an hour a month. Well at least I'm happily married. (though the first time I held a hand or went for coffee, etc, was at the age of 29)