My First Online Job Interview
I’ve just had my first job interview conducted online. The very thought of the “camera format” made me much more nervous than if the meeting had been face to face. I’ve always felt that a conversation through a webcam is somehow unnatural and awkward. But as it turned out, that wasn’t even my biggest problem.
Although the interview went in a rather predictable way — and none of the questions really caught me off guard — I still found it difficult to answer them. Ironically, this was exactly how I had imagined the worst possible way to present myself in an interview: lacking confidence, offering no concrete answers, and responding with obvious clichés.
The interviewer made it clear that, by not even being able to name my strengths, it would be difficult for me to “convince” a potential employer. To be honest, it was a refreshing change from the overly positive approach of most lecturers, who keep praising me and my fellow students no matter the quality of our work, always telling us how amazing we are. This time, I finally encountered some honest — and well-deserved — criticism.
At one point, I couldn’t even explain why I no longer wanted to become a sports journalist. I said it was because “it’s hard to break through,” but that’s not even what I believe. How could I know, if I’ve never really tried? I’d like to use this text to share my genuine thoughts.
Even though for most of my life I was convinced that journalism was what I wanted to do, my perspective has changed significantly. Ironically, those doubts started to grow while studying journalism — a program that, apart from its name, doesn’t have much to do with the actual profession. After three years, I don’t feel that my skills have improved at all. The general attitude of minimal effort and constant “patting on the back” from both lecturers and peers gives me the impression that I’ve stopped growing — and that’s deeply demotivating.
But let’s be fair — it wouldn’t be right to put all the blame on others. Yes, I am my own biggest problem. No one has ever stopped me from sending my texts and trying my luck in the field. In fact, I’ve only made one real attempt — by sending a review to the film section of the Interia portal. Other than that, I’ve always found excuses not to do it.
Now I realize that the real reason is fear — fear of the constant “venom” that dominates online spaces and social media. At first, I thought it was just part of the sports journalism scene, but it turns out this toxic culture exists in nearly every area of journalism.
Reading comments under objectively good articles, where authors are insulted in the most vulgar ways, made me question whether this path was really for me. I’m not a thick-skinned person — I take criticism personally. That said, I do appreciate and value constructive criticism. What I can’t handle are the baseless insults that unfortunately have become part of internet culture.
I wouldn’t want my passions — sports, film, or music — to become sources of anxiety because of my job. That’s why, lately, I’ve been coming to the conclusion that becoming a public figure simply isn’t for me.
Right now, I’m at a stage of searching for a new path — and that’s probably why it was so difficult for me to describe myself during the interview. In a way, both the interview itself and writing this text feel like a visit to a psychologist — one that forces me to reflect on who I really am.
Author: Wiktor Sadowski, student at SWPS University in Wrocław, Journalism and Social Communication