Every Tuesday, a group of bloggers writes a Slice of Life. If you are interested in joining in, visit the Two Writing Teachers blog for more information.
It turns out that this position was highly sought after and the competition was stiff. This did not bode well for me. You see, I am an introvert. I know in my heart of hearts that I would do an excellent job with this position, yet it is almost cripplingly difficult for me to tell that to a group of strangers. If you stuck me in a workshop or a classroom, you might not know that I am introverted. I am comfortable in those situations. I am the person in the front row, asking questions and participating enthusiastically. I am eager to share my knowledge and to learn from each and every person in the room. But that is a give-and-take situation. Interviews are not. The ability to sell my skills and my knowledge in a relatively short amount of time to strangers is not in my set of expertise.
Going through this process made me think back to my reading of the book Quiet by Susan Cain and her assertion that the world is more comfortable for extroverts and that we actually value characteristics of extroverted behavior more. Certainly this interview process that we have favors the people who can walk into the room and immediately be comfortable among strangers. But does that ability really tell you anything about how well that person will do on a day to day basis? Is my apparently less appealing personality really less appealing? Give me some time to get to know people and you would see that anxiety disappear. Ask anyone who has known me for years and worked with me side by side. My ability to really think through a problem and to sit back and listen makes me more suited for coaching in a lot of ways.
As I thought more about this issue, I felt it necessary to do some research. While visiting Susan Cain’s website, I came across this article that really resonated with me and I found her Ted Talk from this year. It was a great talk to watch to remember back to all the ideas that had intrigued me so much when I read her book.
Our culture values extroverted behavior and is biased toward extroverts. My interviewing experience highlighted that for me.
I am generally a very confident person. The experience of entering interviews and trying to sell myself to the committees really knocked me down a few notches. I did not have any success with the process and felt disappointed and disillusioned. I have since stood up and dusted off my ego and accepted the fact that this was not in the cards for me this year. What I know for sure now is that I want to revisit Quiet and think about the ways that Cain proposes to harness the quiet strength of being an introvert. I need to find the power within me to promote positive change and to find the inner extrovert when it is necessary.
P.S. Everything actually worked out for me for the better. One of my colleagues handed in her retirement papers shortly after the interview cycles were complete. I was able to move out of the middle school position back to a 4th grade classroom. I am so excited about this move! My years teaching 4th and 5th grade were the best ones in my career so far and I can’t wait to work at this level again!
Thank you for this thoughtful post Andrea. I am one of those extroverts – and it was so good to see things from a different point of view. I too went through the interview process looking for a new position through the spring of this year. I feel that it is probably quite likely that my highly extroverted personality is part of the reason I didn't secure the position I sought. In my "dusting of the ego" I have had to remind myself that it always works out for the best and I always end up where I need to be. Your story helped me frame that. Thanks again.
I'm glad that things worked out for you, Andrea! Interviewing is tough for everyone, but you are right — extroverts seem to adapt quicker to talking to strangers. Ironically, I sat on an interviewing committee yesterday and was very conscious of the nervousness of the applicants. I tried to make conversation with them to put them at ease. For some it worked, for others it didn't. It sounds like you will love being back at 4th grade. I teach 4th too so feel free to ask if you need anything!. (If you want to visit my teaching blog, I'm leaving it below my name.)
Jennifer
Sweet Writing Life
Mrs. Laffin's Laughings
There you go, Andrea – you took up the challenge, in spite of of your trepidations, and things worked out. Congratulations on the new job!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts too. Isn't it interesting how this characteristic in our personality can really shape the way we think? I am sorry to hear of your challenges with interviewing. I hope that everything does work out for the best for you.
It is nice of you to go out of your way to make people feel more comfortable. Interviewing is tough for everyone and it is nice when someone helps to make it more friendly.
When I was reading, I remembered that you had told us you were excited about 4th grade, & I'm glad it worked out for you despite the disappointing interviewing for the other position. I have interviewed many through the years, & we do try to put people at ease. We hired one person last year we thought would be wonderful & it wasn't, for the school or for the person. It's hard to judge & really know a person, as you said. The people who rejected you really didn't know you, & it's certainly their loss I think. Congrats on the serendipity of this new opportunity, just right for you!
I very much connected with your post. In fact, I would have written the same words. 🙂 As an introvert, I find it so hard to "sell" myself without seeming egotistical. It's a fine line. I'm glad you had the courage to go through the interview process and I'm especially happy that you will get to move to work with younger kids. Congratulations!