My first job interview at Uppsala University

I have to tell you about how I got my job at Uppsala University. It was quite a few years ago, before I moved back to the town where I was born: Kristinehamn.

I had just visited the dentist, and you know how you feel when you have just mended a hole in your tooth (do you?) and the whole cheek feels swollen, you don't feel anything and you don't dare to say anything, in case you will bite your tongue.

That's the condition I was in when I entered the staircase, leading up to the head of department. He welcomed me to sit down and started to put me questions. I couldn't answer! At least I could almost say nothing at all. I told him I had visited the dentist and that I couldn't speak.

Instead I tried to compensate my lack of verbal capacity by smiling and seem friendly and interested. What should I do?! I was in a very bad position!

Then he said it: You will get the job!!

Oh, my gosh! I blessed the dentist, the candy, the..... well most of all my swollen cheek.

I don't exactly know what conclusion you will draw from this or if I shall make any general recommendations. Even if you are a very talkative person, in the long run it might not be a successful thing to see to that you have to run to the dentist just before going to the job interview. And remember - visiting a dentist is not free of charge in Sweden - far from it!

So, instead: Maybe you can just pretend you have just been to the dentist?

Good luck!