Job Interview: A Unique Panel Interview Experience In The Field Of Social Work.

Comic Pic: Public Domain

With so many folks who've lost their jobs per COVID-19 and whom are now hoping to get a new opportunity, it is never too late to hone one's interviewing skills. You never know what to expect when you go for that meeting as I found out in the past in New Orleans!

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a graduate school emphasis in Gerontology (Study of Aging) and Administration, I was looking to "spread my wings" after working jobs as a Community Organizer for the New Orleans Diocese and then as a Social Work Director at an Area Agency on Aging in the late 1980's.

So I saw a newspaper ad about an Executive Director's job at what was called a "Shepherd Center," an interfaith service center approach for senior services, which entailed a neat shared effort at working with locality churches and synagogues in providing social services for elders.

I prepared for the job interview like any rookie would do back then ... long before social media made it easy to research prospective jobs ... by making some old fashioned calls and doing some library research.

Well, when I arrived for the interview, I was all dressed up in a coat and tie and noted another likely interviewee waiting in the foyer of the church where the shepherd center was located. After some minimal pleasantries shared between us, we were sure in for a surprise: we both got invited in at the same time to the Panel Interview - and were told that we were the finalists chosen for the position.

We were first asked by the Panel about our strengths and weaknesses related to the job. What was really strange was that we were then asked to question the other interviewee why that person would make a good leader!

After some other awkward moments and more questioning by the Panel, we were told thanks and that we would be subsequently contacted.

As we both left, we marveled at what had just taken place, and actually wished each other luck!

While I was the one chosen and offered the job, I actually declined it for a reason that even then was an amazing determinant for taking a job: health insurance!

For you see that while the salary offered was fairly decent for a Social Worker, the health benefits were lousy.

In retrospect, it was good that I differed to take that position, as my family was growing with another child on the way, and I eventually subsequently took a my first hospital Social Work job at Jo Ellen Smith Medical Center, which really opened up so many future opportunities ... like the pinnacle of my career: now, having the privilege of working at the VA for our beloved Veterans and providing home care for them per an interdisciplinary team approach!

And that unique job interview that I had had really gave me a great challenge that built confidence in myself, paved the way for a successful career in the profession and always reminded to follow the Social Work 101 motto: start where the client (and the Interviewer!) is!


1133 Knollhaven Dr., Baton Rouge, LA 70810, khorcasitas.yahoo.com, 5/26/2020.