Great Day

I ran into a friend the other day and she told me she was a little disappointed because she made it through the first two interviews at a new Casino/Hotel that was built here and is soon to be opening. I knew the place was going to be up and running soon, but I didn't realize they were almost done hiring all the new employees. So, I went online yesterday and morning and unfortunately all of the administrative positions were filled, but they were still looking for food servers and to be honest, I kind of miss waiting tables. The cash is fast, you walk away with money after every shift and there's always the possibility that you can make BIG money during any given shift and I kind of like the excitement. I like sleeping in and working like 4 - 10 p.m. I like not having to deal with 7:00 a.m. morning rush hour traffic, I like meeting new people on a daily basis and I enjoy being on my feet sometimes instead of just sitting on my ass all day.

So, I filled out the application, it took like 30 minutes and at the end, they gave me an immediate job interview for today at 2:30 p.m. I headed over there today, and the place is pretty beautiful. I love the look of a brand new casino - ahhhhhh.

The interview process was different. They had a group of us - about 15 people. We all checked in and we were given sticker badges with out name on it. Next, they gave us a short tour of the new place and because it's a locals casino and they are catering to people that live here in Sin City, they had some unique amenities. Not only did they have their own gas station, but they also had a pharmacy inside the casino. Right there in the middle of the slot floor - a pharmacy. Isn't that crazy? I'm not kidding. My guess is that they are just trying to think of any way they can to get people in.

So, after the tour, they brought us all into a room, and we all went around the room and introduced ourselves, told everyone what position we were applying for and why we want to work at their fine establishment.

Next, they broke us up into three teams. Each of the three teams had to try to solve a puzzle using team work. Nobody solved the puzzle, but I guess it was a good way for them to watch us work together as a team and to see how we would handle a timed puzzle under pressure.

There was an older lady on my team that was seriously barking out orders the rest of us, she had a short temper and I could almost see steam coming out of her ears. I knew there was no way she was going to pass this test.

After the puzzle thing was finished, they went around and asked us each one customer service question. The question they gave me was "Name three characteristics of a successful team player".

My answer was "trustworthy", "positive attitude" and "efficient". I could have answered those questions all day. I felt good about my answers, I smiled a lot, I made eye contact, looked interested and didn't even yawn once!

I was a little disappointed that we only got to answer one question. I was hoping we would have a little more time to showcase our personalities. In a group interview, it's imperative that you make yourself stand out in a positive way and they didn't give us much time to do that.

The three interviewers excused themselves, they walked outside to compare answers and then they returned and read about 10 names from their lists. Those ten people were told to leave the room and they kept five of us there for a few minutes and then they broke the news to us - we made the second round!!!! woo hoo! I'm psyched! I'm really excited that I made it to the second round. I'm looking forward to the next interview which will no doubt be a one on one interview in a more intimate setting. My fingers are crossed that I get this job. I really needed a day like today. My confidence and my spirits have been lifted. I'm feeling great and even if I don't get the job, at least I made a break in the fog that has been hanging over my head for the past month.

So, that was my day.