BuzzSugar

Ask Savvy: My Interview With a Plastic Surgeon Ended Abruptly

SavvySugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:32 -0800

Dear Savvy,

I applied for a receptionist job at a plastic surgeon's office (I have experience in this field). Yesterday, I was called back and interviewed on the phone for about 15 or 20 minutes with the office manager. She asked if I'd come in to be interviewed by the doctor. I went in this morning for my interview. I met and spoke with the doctor for a while before he called the office manager and other receptionist to come and speak to me.

It seemed to be going well until the doctor came in and asked to speak to the office manager. I could hear them in the hallway saying something about "she's here early." They came back in and said, "I'm sorry, but I have to cut this interview short. We'll get back to you (or we'll be in touch, I can't remember verbatim)." So, I went and got my coat from the closet. As I was walking out, the doctor and office manager were greeting what seemed to be an important patient - judging from her Chanel jacket. The receptionist was even rushing coffee over to her.

Now, I'm confused. The interview seemed to be going well and I'd understand if something came up, but it seemed very odd and that I was being abruptly shuttled out. I'm not sure if it was just the circumstances or if I was being brushed off. If it was a brush off, it was a very unprofessional way to go about it. I'm disappointed because I felt a good vibe coming in and they were initially very nice. I just wrote and sent out a thank you note, I guess it's all I can do. Any insight into the situation?

To see my answer, read more.

Savvy says: Now I'm dying to know the identity of the woman in the Chanel jacket! Kidding, kidding. But important client or not, the interviewers handled the situation unprofessionally. How could you not leave asking yourself, "What just happened?" Your seemingly positive interview was cut off without explanation except for the small pieces you could put together, and it's just enough to leave you both frustrated and confused.

From your description of the way events played out, it doesn't seem like you were simply brushed off, but I can't say for sure. I think you did the right thing by sending them a note right away, and hopefully you included something along the lines of, "I really enjoyed speaking with you and our interview was unfortunately cut short; if there's anything else you'd like to know about me please feel free to ask." You've left the door open, and now it's in the employer's hands to knock again.

Have a question for me? Ask away by posting your questions in my Ask Savvy group.

Do Jeans Get the Job?

SavvySugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:30:19 -0800

I’ve mentioned before that jeans are generally a no-go in interviews, and most of you agreed. But are the interview times a-changin’? The Wall Street Journal recently made the claim that jeans are becoming the new power attire for male world leaders and executives - and that this phenomenon also carries over to interview attire in some industries:

. . . in the tech world, dressy pants can be viewed with suspicion. "When someone shows up to an interview or meeting in anything other than jeans, it shows inexperience and a lack of confidence," says Andrew Dumont, vice president of marketing for text-messaging company Tatango.

OK, so maybe darker, well-tailored jeans, paired with a dressier top and shoes, may be appropriate in some interview situations. But the statement that anything BUT jeans doesn’t fly in the tech industry is shocking to me.

Does a comment like this make you rethink your approach to interview attire? Or do you think it's specific to just the tech industry?

What's Your Nervous Interview Tic?

SavvySugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:00:03 -0800

Whether it’s your first or your 50th, job interviews are nerve-wracking experiences. And no matter how conscious you are of not letting that nervousness show, sometimes there’s nothing you can do about it.

Several friends have told me they have nervous tics that only come out in interviews: one friend’s nose starts to run uncontrollably, another becomes compulsive about pushing her hair away from her face, a third laughs at inappropriate times. Personally, I pick at my fingernails when I’m anxious during an interview.

Do you experience this phenomenon? What’s your nervous interview tic?

Source: Flickr Users carolyn.will and diy.disco

Buzz Interview With the Cast of Precious, Part 2: Lee Daniels

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:30:17 -0700

Last week I shared with you my interview with Precious actress Paula Patton, but now it's time to hear from the director himself, Lee Daniels. I asked the Sundance-award winner - the film took home the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize - how it feels to hear Oscar buzz, and what it's like when Oprah is on your speed dial. Plus, he opened up to me about how the movie helped him overcome from his own dark past. Ready for his incredibly candid responses?

On all the hype surrounding Mo'Nique's performance: I'm not the least bit surprised. It's magic onset. People are talking about this buzz, but she and I laugh it off, because we got a movie made, and there were no arrests! Seriously, the cops came, but they didn't shut us down. They said, 'OK, we'll give you five minutes.' There were no arrests, and no one got in any trouble, so for us, the win was finishing the film.

To hear more from Daniels, read more.

On how he felt when Oprah and Tyler Perry jumped on as producers: Tyler calls and says, "Hey, it's Tyler." Huh?! Oprah calls, "Heeeey." It's crazy! It gave me hope that people would see the film.
On the Oscar buzz: Why do people say that? What happens if you don't?! Then your feelings are so hurt. You teeter on wanting so desperately for it, but dare not dreaming for it, because your feelings are so crushed if it doesn't happen.

On why he wanted to make Precious: To heal. Some horrific things have happened to me [in my past], not only at home, but outside of my home life, [like] being openly gay. Being gay is nothing like it was when i was a kid - back in my day, you were literally stoned, a dislocated arm, teeth knocked out. So I try to see the light often. It's hard, because we all have hard lives, and some of us have it harder. What I like to find is people who have had lives just a little harder than mine [like Precious] so I can feel that mine wasn't as bad as it was.
On what he learned from making the film: I look at [the film] as a process. This was not a beautiful journey, because I learned so much about myself. I had been holding on to so much anger from the past, and it was making me an ugly person. It was making me judge people like Precious, because of who I was. How sad was that to find out at 50, that I would've lived such a better life if I had just let go of the hostility. [But once I let go] it felt beeautiful! Liberating!

I was so moved to hear Daniels talk about his own healing through the film - hopefully, it will have the same effect on others when it arrives in theaters next week.

Before the release, I'll be running my interview with Gabourey Sidibe, the newcomer that's making headlines for her Precious performance. Be sure to check back for that later - you're going to love her.

Photos courtesy of Lionsgate and Source

Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt Talk Parks and Recreation

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:38:35 -0700

Since the beginning of the Fall season, Parks and Recreation has gone from shaky midseason replacement to a solid half-hour of comedy, thanks in part to a talented and hilarious cast. Two of my favorite actors from the show, Rashida Jones and Chris Pratt, who play Leslie's best friend Ann and Ann's ex-boyfriend Andy, respectively, chatted with some reporters this week about Parks and what's in store for their characters.

Rashida on the possibility of Ann and Andy getting back together: You know, I don't think it's an impossibility. I think there's still love in Ann's heart for Andy. I think so much would have to change for him to be OK with her. But I don't think it's an impossibility.
Chris on whether Andy will get a job or home: Yeah, the writers have found a nice way for Andy to get out of the pit and get a job and start sort of working his way up into independence.

To read more on why Chris and Rashida think the second season has been better, Ann and Andy's ex relationship, and those nude scenes, just read more.

Rashida on whether she likes Ann and Andy better together or apart: I think there's a lot of comedy both ways. I mean, I like this particular paradigm; I think it's really funny, because I just think Chris gets to shine a lot here and do something with something that could potentially seem really kind of cartoony and big which is like him, you know - showing up places and pretending to be casual about seeing me and all that. But he manages to make it kind of realistic and really sweet. So I like this dynamic for now.
Chris on whether Andy will start dating: I think that Andy's undying devotion toward Ann is one of the only things that sort of redeems him, so I hope not. I hope that he just keeps pining after Ann for 10 seasons to come. That would be the best for me.
Rashida on what Chris wears when he's naked on the show: They have those really unappealing little dance belts that were uncomfortable for Chris Pratt.
Chris on the nude scenes: Yeah, let's just say there was a dance belt included and it was uncomfortable. They kind of just are these little things that cover up your junk, but it was almost as if I was wearing nothing at all. Yeah.
Rashida on the show clicking more in the second season: It just takes time. I think for the actors, for the writers, for the audience, you just need some time to settle into what the characters actually are, and what's funny about their dynamics. And I'm super grateful that people gave us a shot to get there but I definitely think it takes about 10 episodes to even know what anything is, you know? I mean, you watch some early Seinfeld, you watch some early Sex and the City, it's nothing like the show turned out to be; the things that people loved about that show did not exist at the beginning of that show, you know.
Chris on the same: I've noticed that, as a fan of the show, I've seen it get better and better, and working on it I've noticed the scripts coming down the pipes have gotten better, but it kind of goes back to what Rashida said: it takes time for everybody. And I think it's just a matter of finding the sensibilities to all the characters and starting with Amy, you know; I think a lot of people compared Steve Carell to Ricky Gervais from The Office when they first started the American version of The Office. But he has a different style of comedy, and maybe they were writing for Steve the way they did for Ricky Gervais. And maybe in the beginning, they were writing for Amy the way that they wrote for Steve Carell, but her comedic sensibility is a little different. Maybe it's not that funny to watch her be uncomfortable the way it is with Steve Carell, but it's so goddamned endearing when she smiles. And you see her and when she's enjoying herself, so is the audience. And you see her doing that a lot more now; kind of just becoming comfortable in who she is, and like the episode with the beauty pageant, she's standing up for women's rights. You're seeing more dimensions of her. And maybe it's always been who they've envisioned her to be, or maybe they're figuring it out, but I sure like Leslie a lot more in the second season. I just enjoy watching her more and I think that's starting to happen with all the characters.

Don't forget to tune in to watch Ann and Andy on tonight's special Halloween episode; something tells me that some of what Rashida and Chris talked about will start developing sooner rather than later!

Buzz Interview: Sonya Walger Talks Pulling Double Duty For FlashForward and Lost

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:30:00 -0700

I've been hooked on FlashForward since I saw the pilot back at the TCA, thanks to the intriguing premise and action-packed episodes. Earlier this week I had the opportunity to chat with Sonya Walger, who stars as Olivia and also plays Penny on Lost. While she made sure not to reveal any spoilers, Sonya talked about her character, the comparisons between shows, and more.

On how her friends and family have responded to the show: They've been completely thrilled. It was fun, I was in London just last week. I had a few days off so nipped home to see my mom. It's so fun to have the show airing simultaneously there, in a real time experience. Everyone's excited about it. It's really exciting.
On having a new TV family: It's lovely. It's lovely to have a place to belong to and come to every week. The scripts are so fun to get. They're really exciting. Week after week it's just a treat to come home and find them on your doorstep.
On her hopes for Olivia and Mark's relationship: You hope for Olivia's sake and for their little girl's sake that they can stay together; but at the same time I wouldn't wish Olivia to stay in a relationship that was miserable and making her and the three of them unhappy. You just want the best for your character, really.

To see what else Sonya had to say about Lost, Halloween, and her other favorite show of the Fall, just read more.

Would she take an opportunity to see a flashforward of her own? No, I'd hate it. I would turn it down, I wouldn't want anything to do with it.
On the comparisons between Lost and FlashForward: I feel the comparisons are inevitable, to be honest. Any time you've got a big show with an ensemble cast and they're all reacting to the same big event, then of course you're going to get Lost comparisons - particularly when you've got two cast members who are from the old show. I think and hope that quite quickly the comparisons will turn off. I think the shows are radically different; I think the way they unfold, the story lines, the scope of them, there's not that deep embedded mythology of Lost, we don't have that. We have big payoffs that happen in every single episode so you're not forced to wait for six seasons to find out what's going on. There are reveals that happen constantly. I think FlashForward will prove a much less daunting show to join. I think that one of the things about Lost is that the last season is starting and I can't imagine viewers will want to be joining it now when they've never seen it before, whereas I think that FlashForward is much more accessible. If you haven't seen the first five episodes you could easily join in and know exactly what's going on.
Other favorite shows of the Fall season?: I love Modern Family, I think it's a really smart, clever show.
On her Halloween plans: I'm going to be on a plane flying to Melbourne. So short of spooking the pilot, I don't have any plans.

SYTYCD's Brandon and Ariana Talk About Being Cut First

BuzzSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:30:15 -0700

This week's ousted dancers from So You Think You Can Dance were the first to go since the top 20 were selected. Brandon Dumlao and Ariana Dubose got on the phone with a few reporters this morning, including me, to chat about how they feel after last night's elimination.

Brandon

On the timeline of replacing Billy Bell: I got the call on Friday at 11 in the morning and they told me that I was able to replace another dancer, and it was Billy, in this case. I got on a plane two hours later, it was an hour flight, I landed, got picked up, I went to the studio, found out Pauline was my partner in front of everyone, and then we went straight to rehearsal for Smooth Waltz with Jason Gilkisen. It was such a whirlwind; it was really crazy, but it was such an amazing experience.
On Russell being in the bottom with him: I was so surprised because Russell is of course a fan favorite, and I’m sure the judges love him too. When he was announced, I kind of knew in a way that I might have been going home, because he is amazing and this cast is amazing. Billy - his were such big shoes to fill that I felt it was unfair to take another guy’s spot. I was happy the way it turned out, because I didn’t think it was unfair for me to come in and take another guy’s spot.

To hear what else Brandon had to say and Ariana's thoughts on her dismissal, just read more.

On Nigel's offer of coming back for season seven: I did not expect him to say that. I really thought that that was my only chance to be in the top 20, and I wanted to make the most of it, so for him to propose that to me and let me come back for season 7, if that’s possible, that’s really crazy. Right after I got cut, I went and got into some ballroom classes and took some more hip hop. I’m ready and I’m going to keep taking classes if I can come back next season.
On whether he thinks he may have done better if he'd originally been in the top 20: I think I might have had a better chance just because the judges would have known I’d set the same standard as everyone else, because when I did the waltz they kept saying "you didn’t have enough time," "you didn’t have enough time," because they knew I’d replaced Billy. So I feel like I would have done a better job, and they would have seen I’d done a better job, and would have taken that into consideration with the results. But I’m really happy the way I did and I'm really happy the way everything turned out, because this cast is so amazing; I can’t pick who’s going to win - everyone is going to do so well.

Ariana

On her next plans and whether she'll pursue a career in L.A.: Actually, I’m more focused on New York. I want to dance on Broadway. I also sing and act, and I was singing and acting and dancing before I even auditioned for the show, so the show was just really another path for me. So I’m going to head to New York for a little bit and audition for shows and commercials and movies and just see what happens.
On rumors she could replace Noelle, who was injured this week: I have not heard from Noelle; I hope that she’s doing well. Noelle and I come from the same studio, so honestly I would probably feel a little funny about taking her place. I mean, who doesn’t want a second chance, but honestly I wouldn’t want to be eliminated again.
On her predictions for the season six winner: Honestly, it’s a crap shoot - forgive my language there. Everyone’s fantastic and I don’t think you can count anybody out; it’s going be a week-by-week thing.

Photos courtesy of Fox

Seth Rogen Talks Monsters, Aliens, and Halloween

BuzzSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:30:00 -0700

Tonight, NBC is airing a Halloween-themed follow up to last Summer's animated hit Monsters Vs. Aliens, Monsters Vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space. Seth Rogen, who voices the gelatinous jokester B.O.B. in the half-hour special, chatted on the phone with a few reporters about reprising his role. He talked animated films, Halloween, and even a little bit of the upcoming adaptation of The Green Hornet that he's currently filming with Michel Gondry.

On why he enjoys voicing B.O.B.: I enjoy it because, I mean, this is the stupidest answer - I enjoy it because it's fun. The character is funny and the directors are cool and the story is funny; to me it's like a very fun format to kind of improvise, and try to discover a character in a different way than physically doing it, you know. You've got to do it all with your voice, and I really enjoy that.
On dressing up for Halloween: I have a girlfriend now and I've entered the unfortunate world of paired costuming. It's not fun. I don’t recommend it. I always end up being the lamer half - it's like she's a dog and I'm a fire hydrant or something like that. It's never fun. So maybe I'm dodging a bullet this year.

To hear what Rogen said about The Green Hornet and what he loves about Halloween TV, just read more.

On his Halloween TV faves: I always liked The Simpsons' Halloween specials, personally. They were always amazing. I always looked forward to that on Halloween. And I watched TGIF sitcoms growing up because I was a nerd and had nothing to do on Friday nights, and whenever the sitcoms would do their Halloween episode, I always enjoyed that for some reason. That always spawned some good comedy.
On the pressure of making The Green Hornet: I will blame Gondry if it sucks. No, I'm just joking. No, we are all in it, you know. I will say, I take a huge amount of the pressure. I understand that. I understand that. I understand that it's my face on it, you know, when it literally comes out even if it sucks for another reason, people will blame me and that's why I have to be so involved - to try to make sure that it doesn't suck. But there's a lot of pressure. I understand that. I've been talking about this movie for years, and if it sucks, then no one will be more disappointed than me, believe me.
On improvising as a voice actor: You can actually improvise a lot as a voice actor. I mean, real people I think don't - and I didn't - understand how animation works really. The time consuming part is really creating the characters and the sets and the worlds. And aside from that it's not that entirely different than shooting a live action movie; the characters mouths are quite easy to manipulate once all the information is built into the computer. So you can improvise a lot and it doesn't matter really how far along they are in the process; they can just make the character say something different. Almost more than in a live action movie because of how slow the process is.
On whether he'll do more voice acting in the future: I really enjoy it and I mean, I've always been a fan of animation - yes, I would like to.

Buzz Interview With the Cast of Precious, Part 1: Paula Patton

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:30:27 -0700

The buzz about Precious has been building ever since it swept awards at this year's Sundance Film Festival. (I even put it on my list of Fall movie picks.) Now with its release around the corner and Oscar whispers beginning, I sat down with some of the stars and the director himself. The film is based on the novel, Push, which follows a pregnant sixteen-year old living with her abusive mother. Despite the film's dark subject matter, every cast member I spoke to brought up the story's healing and feel-good power.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be bringing you their interviews. First up: Paula Patton, who plays Precious's teacher and mentor, Ms. Rain.

On the film's unexpected success: "We thought it’d maybe be on Netflix or in my mother’s living room! And then Lee called me in the beginning of the year and said, 'We’re going to Sundance.' That was it for me. That was an award to be able to go and be part of the selection, and then it just steam-rolled.”

For more of what Patton had to say, read more.

On her response to those who think the film is going to be depressing: "I understand saying, 'I want to see it, but I don’t want to see it right now, because I don’t want to go there.' It’s not like that. I say it’s like buying a ticket to a roller coaster ride. You laugh, you cry, you scream, and at the end of the ride, you’re left shaken, but with your heart more open. What’s beautiful about this film is that it breeds love."
On what she learned from Precious: “I think we’ve all judged a Precious. What this movie tells you is, don’t judge, because you don’t know their story. I think when we made this film we all had to admit our own racist feelings, our own prejudices, and deal with them head on.”

On newcomer Gabourey Sidibe: “So many actors will have worked their whole life and never achieve what [Gabby] achieves in this film. It’s remarkable. She’s not Precious. She’s like, ‘Paula, oh my god, did you see The Hills?' She’s such a girly-girl and loves to be happy. It's a difficult thing when you have a character that’s talked about the way she’s talked about - you're fat, you're ugly, you're stupid - that it took someone as smart and as confident as Gabby to play her and not be affected by it.”
On the inspiration for her character: "[My mother] was a public school teacher for 35 years, and she was one of these teachers that went above and beyond the call of duty. She would bring students back to the house, help them pay for books, and be supportive. When I decided to do this role, I was like, this is for my mother and for all the teachers out there who are like her.”
On what's next for her: “I just finished a comedy with Queen Latifah. I went from [a character] who has dedicated her life to helping others to someone who is the most selfish human being on the planet. I call her a gold-digger with a heart of gold. It was so much fun to explore a different character and flex those comedic chops!”

Are you looking forward to Precious? I'm dying to see it and Patton's film with Queen Latifah now!

Photos courtesy of Lionsgate and Source

10 Small Mistakes That May Cost You the Job

SavvySugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:00:35 -0700

Yes, we're all human. Yes, we all make mistakes. But your job search isn't the time to make them. Your attention to detail is crucial during a job hunt - even with a killer cover letter and résumé, mistakes that you may consider minor may just cost you the job. Keep these ten job hunting errors in mind for a better chance at getting that job offer.

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