Monday, September 30, 2019

The Job Interview

"So, Roses, what do we need to know about you that we haven't already discussed?"

The entire interview so far had gone extremely well. Compared to all the interviews I'd had over the past two years, this one was by far the best. I had solid answers to all of the questions. It was less of an interview than it was a conversation about website design and search engine optimization.
I felt more comfortable with every step of the application and interview process for this position than I'd felt with any of the other positions I'd applied for, even the ones I thought I really, really wanted.


"So, Roses, what do we need to know about you that we haven't already discussed?"
This was going to be the last question of the 45 minute long job interview. The three man panel waited for my answer. 

"I can't think of anything" was what I was going say. It was a poor answer, but it was a safe one. We had already covered all the strong points I had carefully prepared to share, and I figured I could only do myself harm by trying to make up something completely new on the fly. I paused for just a moment to assess that this short lame answer was the way I wanted to go, and then I committed.

"I...."

In the moment between that first syllable and the completion of my less than stellar answer, a picture of a cat on the desk caught my eye. I'd been looking at that cat picture intermittently over the past 45 minute long interview, but only now did it occur to me that we were sitting in my potential boss' office and that picture most certainly had to be a picture of his cat.
This man had a picture of his cat on his desk. Not his wife's picture. Not his kids' pictures.
His cat.

"... have a cat."

There was silence for the briefest moment as my potential boss blinked, then one (possibly both) of the other men muttered, "Here we go."

My potential boss scrambled for his cell phone, "Let me show you pictures of my cat!"

Boom. I had stuck the landing.

For the first time after an interview, I drove home feeling confident. Normally I'd replay every answer and too late think of better replies I could have given. But this time I knew every answer had been a good one. It was an amazing feeling.
I texted The Husband as soon as I got home and let him know that it had gone very well.
One hour later, I received a call with the job offer.
I had never had someone want to hire me so enthusiastically.

My cat got extra treats that day.

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