I Blew The Job Interview! Big Time!(Long!)
Decorating By aprilmanning Updated 7 Feb 2007 , 9:58pm by eriksmom
A small grocery store about 25 minutes away ran an ad in the paper looking for a cake decorator. I was ECSTATIC! I went in yesterday to inquire about the job and ended up doing an interview with the bakery manager. He was very excited about the possibility of me coming to work for him.... the only thing was he wanted me to come back today and do a few cakes to demonstrate my abilities to him, the district bakery manager, and the Brill rep. No problem, right? He told me that as long as that went well that I'd have the job - easy. He'd love me to start right away. I knew I'd have to do roses and I was nervous about that because I haven't done one in a LONG time but I was going to practice all evening. Well, the power in the entire neighborhood suddenly went out last night for almost three hours. I got to practice but maybe for only an hour! I was upset but I wasn't too concerned because I was confident that I could nail this part of the interview even without a bunch of practice. Well, I was wrong. I blew it. Big time. SO many things went wrong. I brought pictures of my cakes with me and they were all very impressed but it went downhill from there. It was crowded and very hot (they had the heat on!) I was in their way (they needed to make some cakes for orders they had), and the people that I was 'trying to impress' would stop me when they didn't like the way I was doing something and say - "No, do it like this..." I understand that they are all production - and that is part of the reason I want the job, but I can't be expected to learn it their way and do it right (and quickly) on the first try... right? On top of everything else, they are keeping their buckets of icing close to their bread oven and the consistency was like soup. They wanted me to make roses out of that and they were just melting all over the place. They'd start out okay but by the time I got finished they were just big blogs of icing with a hole in the middle. I was supposed to complete three cakes in the time that I was there but because of everything that went wrong I finished one cake and got the other two iced in about an hour and a half. The only thing that went well was that my shells were great and I did them really fast. 
I was so embarrassed. By the time I finished the first cake they were like, "That's all we're going to have you do, we need the space you're working in...." *sigh* I'm starting to think that maybe I'm not supposed to have this job! haha! I'm not really set on this job because it's so far away but I would've really liked to have had it. I'm just really disappointed that this part of the interview went so horribly! 
They said they would talk it over and let me know tonight or tomorrow. I guess it could go either way. About half-way through the time I was there the district bakery manager said "why are you shaking so much?" I told her that I was REALLY nervous because nothing seemed to be working out and I really wanted the job. She said, "well, between me and you I think he's going to hire you so don't worry so much..." Of course, she said that BEFORE I couldn't even do what they asked. ppfftt
Sorry to ramble, I just had to share my horrible experience with you! Maybe someone can learn from my mistakes! ha! 
If you are supossed to get the job you will 
If not something better will come along! Good luck-- I hope it all works out for you... Just ask yourself, would you want to work in that pressure with soft frosting everyday?? Just something to consider...
We are always our own worst critic. I think when I hire staff members (not cakers but same premis) I hire for attitude and a willingness to learn and a desire to be there. That accounts for a lot. If these guys were in the thick of production and they realized that conditions weren't the best maybe they just communicated that wrong. Either way, you had your porfolio and you know what you are doing. I wouldn't sweat it, hold your head high and just keep chugging along. If it works out for employment for you great, if not - great... either way you have the skills. Plus, um... maybe its me but I would have serious concerns with a place that does not store their products correctly... if you are using this as a learning experience, that's not something that you want to learn... But, then perhaps they were having an off day.
hugs, good luck and quit beating yourself up... you are great!
From the description of this place and the bosses, are you sure you want to work there? I'd be telling them to relocate the icing if they expect me to use it.
Don't work yourself up over this. Time will tell if you got the job. If it is meant to happen, it will. We all will be hoping that it works out in the best way for you.
Diane
I just wanted to wish you good luck....I hope you get the job! I know it's hard not to worry about it, but if you don't get this job it just wasn't meant to be...and something better will come along! 
I know you're enthusiastic about taking decorating up as a trade, but it sounds to me like you were the only person there who knew what they were doing!
Good luck, I hope it works out for you!
Theresa
April,
I had a similar experience. I had an interview on the spot when I applied for a job with a grocery store bakery... no time to practice anything! Their frosting was too soft and their bakes were enormous... everything felt wrong and the manager tried to talk to me the entire time. He wanted to make small talk. Also their were customers walking by and I wasn't ready to put on a show.
Needless to say, I couldn't make anything! My cake was a complete mess and I left knowing that was all she wrote. Like you, they loved my photos that I brought in with me. I've only ever used my own frosting and equipment and in the comfort of my own home I'm just as good as I need to be. Put me somewhere else and give me fluff for frosting and you might as well forget it.
Sigh,
Hang in there! I wish I knew what to tell you, but know that you're not alone. I suspect this has happened to MANY of us here. Did you know Walt Disney, the master cartoonist that he was... was turned down many times over for his lack of talent? Don't give up!
Take care,
Wendy
oh good luck. I went to a grocery store and I was so disappointed in the store - and yep mushy icing. The flowers were not great - and the icing was so nasty - no way I would eat it. I was just really disappointed and felt it wasn't worth it..... I hope if you get the job that you really enjoy it! good luck!
I think you are going to get it. I used to work Bakery in a couple of stores, and I know that they wouldn't even have you come in at all. I mean...every second counts, there is never any counter space, everything had to be out....yesterday! So, I think you did just fine! It is a very very fast paced place to work it.
I can't think of anything more stressful than to have to pass a visual exam with people standing over you. Using ingredients you aren't familiar with, etc. But if they were impressed with your photos and your speed they may consider hiring you anyway and teaching you their way on the job. Don't get too discouraged, they haven't said no.
oh good luck. I went to a grocery store and I was so disappointed in the store - and yep mushy icing. The flowers were not great - and the icing was so nasty - no way I would eat it. I was just really disappointed and felt it wasn't worth it..... I hope if you get the job that you really enjoy it! good luck!
After reading your post, I came to a rude awakening. Now I know why that icing tastes so nasty--so people won't be eating it while they're working like I do when decorating cakes. 
Diane
You're all so nice. Thank you for your kind and encouraging words - I feel a little bit better about it. But, I still feel the need to make about a dozen cakes to prove to myself that I can really do it. (Have I been dreaming all this time? 
)
No news yet.... they were pretty desperate for a decorator so I think that they would've called me by now if I would've gotten the job. I just wish they would call and tell me either way! Oh well.... guess I'll just have to do something different!
I once interviewed for a drafting job. They gave me what they wanted me to draw, and left me alone for 30 minutes. Turns out, they had some wrong things on the drawing on purpose to see if I would catch them. (nope, didn't). I got hired anyway. Maybe they were just seeing how you work under bad conditions, and if you can improvise. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!
I've been in that situation last week. The frosting was not what I'm used to at all, luckily it hadn't been placed next to an oven (WHAT WERE THEY THINKING!?!?!?) and I got off a couple good roses. The only problem was they gave me a pair of REAL scissors to remove the rose from the nail and the frosting was so whipped that getting it off the scissors was HORRIBLE.
I'm only working there to gain speed and experience, I'm definately not expecting to do amazing cakes there at all.
Rachel
Rachel - go figure! They gave me a pair of real scissors, too! haha! I was like, "Okay, so I made a rose... it's a big melted mess... and you want me to take what is left of it off of this with SCISSORS????" lol
I'm so sorry to hear your interview flopped(so you think).they said they were impressed by your pics,so maybe they can overlook the nervousness and realize how DUMB it is to have the frosting that close to the stinking oven. you know YOU can do the work,thats what counts and other opps might come along,stay strong!!!! your work is very nice by the way 
LIke Nicksmom said, you KNOW you can do the work. I understand why you want the job - cuz it's the same reasons I do, but I also know that even without hte job we both would be fabulous and grow as cake decorators.
I really hope they call. Like my bakery manager said, cake decorators are hard to find now, so you never know.
And it's not bad form to call the bakery manager and thank her for the opportunity and ask her if she has anymore questions.
Rachel
I have to agree with many of the posts. I've looked at your cakes, and you need to consider a few things before kicking yourself. First of all, your cakes show how much pride you take in your work. Also, you have some really creative and original ideas. Production work at big stores don't allow you to get creative. they have set patterns that you must follow, certain designs that are commonly used, and they frown upon you straying from their paths. Also, the fact that they keep their frosting so close to the bread oven. you think you got frustrated then? Think about how it would be every day like that!
Things happen the way they're supposed to. If you don't get the job, that can only mean that bigger and better things await you.
Good luck to you, and I hope that however things work out, its exactly what you want it to be.
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