As I waited patiently, I couldn’t help but look at my competition from the corner of my eye. Dressed in a black dress suit, she looked confident, and somehow I felt intimidated by her appearance. Perhaps it was from knowing she may have more experience than me, or maybe it was just my own insecurities. Who was I kidding? There must have been tons of interviewees. What made me special? What made me stand out from the rest?

Megan Crawford was the name she gave to the receptionist. Sauntering over to the empty seat next to me, she gave me a quick smile. Suddenly, it wasn’t sunny anymore. The air around me, which I hadn’t felt before from being too nervous, instantly became cold, and I shivered. I had to stop thinking negative thoughts, or I wouldn’t make it through the interview.

Sitting next to a stranger was bad enough, but sitting next to your competition was even worse. She looked calm and collected, whereas I fidgeted like a child in my seat. Feeling antsy, I pulled out my cell phone. There were several texts, one from Becky and others from my friends Kate and Nicole. I clicked Becky’s first.

Good luck, and let me know how it went. XO

I texted back. I will.

Then Kate’s.

Go Jenna!

Haha. Thxs! Hugs!

Then Nicole’s.

You’ll do great!

Thank you!

Though I was excited to get texts from my friends, there was no text from Luke. Maybe he would call me later?

“Ms. Mefferd,” I heard.

My head popped up and my heart raced faster than it ever had, except for the time I saw him. Oh God! Why am I thinking of him at a time like this? Funny, though…it actually helped me calm down. Okay. I can do this. “Yes?”

I turned my head to the receptionist to get more direction. She pointed to her right. “They are ready for you. It’s the first conference door on your right.”

“Thank you,” I said, standing up. Not wanting to be rude, I turned to Megan. Before I could say a word, she spoke.

“Good luck,” she smiled.

I wasn’t sure if it was sincere, but at least she was polite. “Thanks. You too.” Then I turned and headed to, hopefully, my future. This interview would make me or break me…well, maybe not break me, but it was a huge opportunity, and I had to do my best.

**

Three pairs of eyes set on me as I paced toward a rectangular table. “Good morning,” I smiled, hearing the clicking sound from my heels. Why does it have to click so loud?

“Good morning,” they said in accord.

There were two males and one female, and they each had their wooden nameplate in front of them. Feeling a little flushed from anxiety, I tried to take several unnoticeable deep breaths as I sat and placed my workbag next to me on the floor.

“Ms. Mefferd, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?” the lady asked with a smile.

I hated that question. Why do they have to ask this question at every interview? “I was born and raised in Los Angeles. My resume, which you have in front of you, lists the schools and colleges I’ve attended, along with my extracurricular activities.” I paused, thinking I may have given too much random information. Focus! “After graduation, I was hired at Tom Bradley Fabric Company. I’m currently still employed there, but he already knows about the interview today.”

“Yes. We’ve already placed a phone call,” Mr. Miles said. “He speaks highly of you. From what I can see on your resume, you’ve played many roles for that company.”

Mr. Miles’s words sparked a confidence in me I didn’t know was hiding beneath the surface. My face lit up and my tone became different—stronger, with conviction. “Yes. Not only do I work with the clients, I am also the assistant director of the Human Resources Department. Benefits and Workers’ Compensation are my specialties, along with customer relations.”

“Ms. Mefferd,” the other male asked. “We know what we are looking for. The question is…what are you looking for?”

I had never been asked that question before, and I was surprised they had asked it. What did I want? “Mr. Miles, Mr. Cole, and Ms. Simmons.” I gazed into their eyes, one person at a time, as I called their names. “I want to work for a company that is fair, where I can learn, grow, and challenge myself to be better. I want to give my all to a company that will treat me as if I were a part of their family.”

There was silence. It was so quiet that I could hear the whistle of the wind blowing outside the window. Not one of them looked at me. Had I said something wrong? Had the sun not beamed through the window, I certainly would have been shivering at that moment.

Several more rounds of questions followed about what I did for my current employer, and how long I had worked there. It seemed like I had been at the interview far longer than I had expected. Feeling light headed from not eating breakfast, I just wanted it to be over.

“Ms. Mefferd, we are looking to fill this position as soon as possible,” Ms. Simmons said. “We also have a long list of interviewees, so it may take a week. If we feel that your qualifications meet our standards, you’ll be hearing from our Human Resources Department. Thank you for your time.”

With that, I stood up and shook all three of their hands, gazing at each of them with a smile. “Thank you so much.” Then I walked out as softly as I could. Darn these heels!

Chapter 3

Feeling good about the interview, I decided to celebrate alone by feeding myself breakfast. But one never knew about these things. The last time I thought an interview went super well, I never got a phone call. Whatever happened, at least I knew I’d given it my best; but still, if I didn’t get this job, I knew I would be very disappointed. Who was I kidding? I would be devastated.