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I don't much like the sort of shoes that seem appropriate for job interviews, so I've taken to going most of the way to them in my regular shoes, finding a branch of my gym, changing, and stashing stuff there. This time that worked remarkably well: the nearest branch of my gym to the company I was interviewing with is in the same (large) building.
The interview itself went reasonably well, I think. I spoke to the HR person and took a proofreading test, but didn't get to speak to the editorial director because they had a deadline (and, I infer, were behind where they'd expected to be in their schedule). The HR person told me they have a temp in the position right now, but "want to see what the competition is," which suggests that they might not hire anyone right now.
The HR person asked me more or less sane questions, including what I liked and disliked about being a proofreader,and what I thought my strengths and weaknesses were, but nothing out of left field. She also told me about the company, and a little about the work environment, which is the editorial director/copyeditor, three graphics people, and a proofreader; they want the proofreader to have copyediting experience and skills so s/he can serve as backup to the copyeditor when she's busy or away. , and then gave me a proofreading test.
She noted that the pay was less than my hourly rate at my last job (McGraw-Hill; freelance is a different category), and I said yes, but right now I'm paying my own health insurance, and asked about benefits. They provide medical and dental coverage, paid vacation, holidays, and sick time (all utterly standard, but freelancers don't have them), a 401K plan, and transit benefits. It would be 9:00-5:30, with an hour for lunch, and I'd be non-exempt, meaning if I worked overtime I'd get paid for it.
Not having talking to the editorial manager, I'm not sure whether I'd like the job, but it sounds plausible.
After all that, I went downstairs, bought a banana from a street vendor for a quick snack, and went to the gym where I'd stashed my stuff, and worked out. I don't like it as well as my regular gym, though some of that may be familiarity, but it would be very convenient; if I get this job, I'll probably use this branch sometimes, including occasional lunch hours, and go to the one I'm used to for the long workouts.
Workout details:
The oddest thing about this workout was having the weight room to myself at lunchtime. Thinking about that, I realized that it was quite small, and people who are serious about weights would probably be working out somewhere else.
This branch didn't have all the machines I'm used to, and in some cases I was using similar but not identical machines, so the numbers aren't comparable, but I did get to do most of my usual exercises. Also, I didn't have room in my bag for a water bottle and the silly shoes, so had done without, and just drank occasionally from the water fountain. I didn't spot the vending machines with bottled water and exercise drinks until after my workout. I don't think I was actually dehydrated, but my mouth felt uncomfortably dry.
Cardio, 7-minute warmup
Chest press, 65 pounds, 12, 10
(Nautilus) Leg press, 280 pounds, 2 sets of 12
Calf raise, 70 pounds, 15, 11 (not the machine design I'm used to)
Bicep curls, 10 pounds each hand, 2 sets of 20
Crunches, 3 sets of 30
Back arch, 17, 19, 17
Tree, 4 sets of {3 on each leg}
Balance lateral raise, 5 pounds each hand, 2 sets of 15; 2.5 pounds each hand, 15 (with some walking in place)
~Fly, using a Cybex machine whose weight plates aren't labeled with weight, just 1, 2, 3, …, set at 3, 15 with each leg forward
Squats, lowering a little way, 15; deeper, holding handrail for balance, 15. It felt as though the quads were doing too much, again.
Glute machine, 25 pounds, 15 on each leg, again with the quads
Stretches
The interview itself went reasonably well, I think. I spoke to the HR person and took a proofreading test, but didn't get to speak to the editorial director because they had a deadline (and, I infer, were behind where they'd expected to be in their schedule). The HR person told me they have a temp in the position right now, but "want to see what the competition is," which suggests that they might not hire anyone right now.
The HR person asked me more or less sane questions, including what I liked and disliked about being a proofreader,and what I thought my strengths and weaknesses were, but nothing out of left field. She also told me about the company, and a little about the work environment, which is the editorial director/copyeditor, three graphics people, and a proofreader; they want the proofreader to have copyediting experience and skills so s/he can serve as backup to the copyeditor when she's busy or away. , and then gave me a proofreading test.
She noted that the pay was less than my hourly rate at my last job (McGraw-Hill; freelance is a different category), and I said yes, but right now I'm paying my own health insurance, and asked about benefits. They provide medical and dental coverage, paid vacation, holidays, and sick time (all utterly standard, but freelancers don't have them), a 401K plan, and transit benefits. It would be 9:00-5:30, with an hour for lunch, and I'd be non-exempt, meaning if I worked overtime I'd get paid for it.
Not having talking to the editorial manager, I'm not sure whether I'd like the job, but it sounds plausible.
After all that, I went downstairs, bought a banana from a street vendor for a quick snack, and went to the gym where I'd stashed my stuff, and worked out. I don't like it as well as my regular gym, though some of that may be familiarity, but it would be very convenient; if I get this job, I'll probably use this branch sometimes, including occasional lunch hours, and go to the one I'm used to for the long workouts.
Workout details:
The oddest thing about this workout was having the weight room to myself at lunchtime. Thinking about that, I realized that it was quite small, and people who are serious about weights would probably be working out somewhere else.
This branch didn't have all the machines I'm used to, and in some cases I was using similar but not identical machines, so the numbers aren't comparable, but I did get to do most of my usual exercises. Also, I didn't have room in my bag for a water bottle and the silly shoes, so had done without, and just drank occasionally from the water fountain. I didn't spot the vending machines with bottled water and exercise drinks until after my workout. I don't think I was actually dehydrated, but my mouth felt uncomfortably dry.
Cardio, 7-minute warmup
Chest press, 65 pounds, 12, 10
(Nautilus) Leg press, 280 pounds, 2 sets of 12
Calf raise, 70 pounds, 15, 11 (not the machine design I'm used to)
Bicep curls, 10 pounds each hand, 2 sets of 20
Crunches, 3 sets of 30
Back arch, 17, 19, 17
Tree, 4 sets of {3 on each leg}
Balance lateral raise, 5 pounds each hand, 2 sets of 15; 2.5 pounds each hand, 15 (with some walking in place)
~Fly, using a Cybex machine whose weight plates aren't labeled with weight, just 1, 2, 3, …, set at 3, 15 with each leg forward
Squats, lowering a little way, 15; deeper, holding handrail for balance, 15. It felt as though the quads were doing too much, again.
Glute machine, 25 pounds, 15 on each leg, again with the quads
Stretches