My Job Interview

Before I get to the job interview (Believe me, I’m not stalling. There’s just a lot going on!), A Merry Hour it was!  Last night we had a great time in the spirit of the holidays eating, talking, drinking, and barking. My dogs wouldn’t be left out, and above the laughs and Christmas music, I could hear (probably better than anyone) our two dogs, Rocky and Winky (short for Bullwinkle), barking, barking, barking.  Yesterday, when I was on my hands and knees mopping (I can’t figure out an efficient way of mopping floors!), and my dogs ran back through the house brushing the dirt from their paws and low profile bellies, over my newly cleaned floors, I prayed: “God, I am hoping for extra credit for committing to these two varmints!”

My friend pouring from her bottle of wine she won at a recent senior class fundraiser. You can’t see in this picture, but it was big enough to “feed” all of us.

A favorite Blogger, Emily Jones, featured a card I loved in a recent post. I decided to print it, add a little glitter, and give it to guests when they left last night’s Merry Hour.  The lights and sounds of Christmas fill us with emotion. Depending on our circumstances, those emotions are usually heightened by our circumstances.  Every person wants to shout from the mountain top, Joy to the World! But some Christmasses, it’s all we can do to sing, Peace on Earth. I loved this card Emily gave us for free, so I could share it with my guests. Also, no calories!  Click on this link to download the card.

And finally, the kids are off to Chicago with their dad. It’s the part of a divided family that I don’t like. Yet, what I want is for them to have fun and enjoy what is, and not linger over what is not. So, with a prayer and enthusiasm, I sent them off for four days. God is with them here, and he’s with them there. Amen.

The Best for the Last. My Job Interview:

My appointment started at 2:30. It ended at 4:15.

I met with the owner of the company, which is an insurance brokerage firm. His assistant (I’m not sure her title, but she’s definitely his right hand woman) joined us.

I’d prepared myself with responses to the two most asked interview questions: 1) What would you say is your biggest strength? 2) What would you say is your biggest weakness?  They never asked the questions.

Instead, it felt like three people getting to know each other. How can one not like that (if you’re me)?  We talked about where I am in life, and why. We talked about where I want to be. We talked about their business model and how they do it. We talked about logistics and goals. We talked about their commitment to giving back and the causes they serve and the energy they put into them. We discovered we go to the same church (my friend had told me that, but during my own internal conversation when she told me about a job in insurance, I didn’t hear that).

They asked about the last books I’d read and why I liked them (WILD, Bread and Wine, Unbroken). It’s been since last March, but they didn’t seem to mind that, and I was relieved. It’s hard to believe someone loves to read, when it’s been 9 months since they picked up their last book. Well, picked up isn’t accurate, but anyhoo… Then they asked what my favorite TV shows are. Yikes. I thought I was done. I don’t watch much TV. Not because I don’t enjoy it. I do. Honest! I feel like I’ve got to convince someone that I’m not anti TV, kind of like I’m not anti children, when I interviewed for the H.S. secretary position and they asked if I liked holding babies.  My TV answer was CBS’s Sunday Morning, which is the absolute truth, and then, The Bachelor. The Bachelor? Did I say that? Oh jeeze. It’s true. I can get caught up in those Bachelor shows, as much as I hate them, I am mesmerized by them. I did forget to tell them that I like Dateline, but I haven’t watched an episode since we moved into our house in August. Oh, wait. I haven’t watched The Bachelor since then, either! See, I struggled. I could have answered a question about my biggest strengths and weaknesses with more authority. I’m glad I didn’t remember Dateline.

But, if I was concerned about those tidbits of personal information, I was horrified when I got teary eyed in the interview. I don’t know what prompted the emotion. I was embarrassed and got out of the tears as fast as I accessed them.  I apologized. The owner said it was okay, telling me that he wanted us to be authentic. But does he really, I wondered? I replied, “Well, I’m done being authentic.” We laughed and moved on to questions about how I would manage receiving instruction (orders?) from someone younger than myself.

The conversation made sense. It wasn’t about my skills, whether I knew Razor’s Edge (something on my “to learn” bucket list since I’ve been researching jobs), or any other program. It was about me, them, and their business model and how we fit together.

I communicated what I was looking for in my job search:

Opportunity

Opportunity to grow and learn new skills, so in less than three years when my support fully stops, I can use the skills I’ve learned to continue with them, or carry my skills with me, so I am employable, able to be completely financially self sufficient.

Benefits

I want health benefits that will allow me to discontinue paying them now, so I can invest that money, and retirement benefits for the same reason.

Flexibility

The recognition and understanding that I’m a single mom. That is scary and bold, but I’m not going to pretend it’s something else. If I feel I’m needed, I can accommodate my children, and make up the time by coming in early or staying late.

Before the interview, I asked God for clarity. Before I left the interview I said, “I would like to work for you” and meant it without hesitation.

I realized that in looking for the dream job, I’d found the dream company.  I understand it’s early to know if this company will meet my needs. But the clarity I had came from peace I had, in both my head and my heart. There was no conflict between the two. Nice.

I have an appointment this morning at 11am to pick up my compensation and welcome package. I am scheduled to start insurance school on January 5th, 2015.

At the beginning of summer I had three goals.  I’d hoped for all three to come at the close of summer.  The first two did.

1. Buy a house : DONE

2. Sell my SUV and buy a smaller car with much less gas mileage : DONE

3. Get a job : DONE

My friend pointed out last night how it’s interesting that the job starts in January, of 2015. I hadn’t considered that. While I thought I was way behind, I’m really right on schedule.

Thank you, Lord. Welcome, 2015.