Interview analysis

I think the worst part of job hunting is going to an interview for a job that you're really interested in, and coming out feeling as if you blew it. I interviewed Wednesday for a chemist job with the City of Chesapeake (water quality). Piece of cake, right? After all, I worked as a chemist in a variety of capacities for over 25 years before becoming a webmaster. Well, unfortunately my last job as an analytical chemist ended 20 years ago, and while I was able to answer most of the questions they asked me about analytical methods, I drew a blank on ion chromatography.


Once I got home I googled the term and discovered that I actually do know the theory behind the method and have done similar analyses under a somewhat different name (ion-exchange chromatography), but the instrumentation in question only became available commercially in the last 10-15 years. No wonder I didn't know about it. :-(

The thing is, I can pick up any analytical procedure and instrumentation in no time flat -- I've done it many times. I have the chemistry background, and some things never change; acids still neutralize bases, copper ions still absorb the same wavelength of light, and the molecular weight of carbon dioxide is still 44. It's damned discouraging to be considered simultaneously overqualified and out-of-date.