My sister showed me this site that gives bloggers inspiration everyday by sharing a topic to write about. Today the suggestion is to share a story about a memorable job interview. Since I started working when I was 15 I’ve got quite a few interviews I could write about, but I’m going to share the story about my job interview at Earthbound Trading Company.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the store, it’s the store found in most malls where the smell of patchouli emanates from. There is usually someone with dreadlocks working at any given time. They sell hookahs, tie died wall hangings, belly dancing get up, beaded curtains, incense and incense burners, all things buddha, incredible masquerade masks, and hermit crabs! If I had loads of expendable cash I could probably spend it all in this store, and most of the money would probably go to the crabs.

Well, I found myself looking for a second job. I was already working at Old Navy in the mornings and would have loved to work at this store in the evenings. Now, I knew I was in for it when the interviewer started out by asking what my sign was and when I told him I was an Aries he said, “Oh no! I’m a Scorpio! We are FAR from an ideal match! *sigh* Oh well, we’ll get the easy stuff out of the way first. Tell me about something that has happened in your life that changed the way you see the world.” I was taken aback by the personal nature of this question. I started rambling on without making any point while trying to decide how I could professionally discuss my father’s death with a stranger. I eventually just spit it out. “My dad died when I was 15. That really shocked my world. I couldn’t explain how my worldview was altered, but it definitely was. I didn’t have my rose-colored glasses anymore.” He stared at me blankly for about 30 seconds. Seriously, it was a very long time. I was feeling so very strange and out-of-place. I was internally freaking out. Did I share too much? Why was he just staring? Should I leave? I really feel like leaving. He broke the silence by saying, “Good.” Good? I just told him that my dad died and he said GOOD?! Oh, I feel so weird. I want to leave right now. “Do you believe money is the root of all evil?” Whaaaaa-?! “I don’t think so. I believe greed for money is the cause for some awful things that happen, but I don’t believe all evil stems from money. No.” He wrote something down on the notepad in front of him. I hate that. I hate it when people take notes of what you say, but you hadn’t said anything they really should be taking note of. Therapists do this. That’s the only thing I didn’t like about my therapist in Virginia. She’d write in her little notebook when I would say something like, “Oh, I’m alright, and you?” I always wanted to run across the room and rip that notebook out of her hands to see what she thought was so interesting that it needed to be noted. This job interview was no different. I wanted to look at his notepad. I didn’t want this job anymore, but I couldn’t make myself tell him that. “Well, there are other questions I should ask like ‘What would you do if you was someone stealing from the store?’ or ‘What job have you worked at that you liked the most?” but I think I have a good feel for who you are already. I just need you to take this math quiz out to the food court, fill it out and return it to me. I’ll call you.” Let me tell you, I took that math quiz and walked right home.

That’s my story about my most memorable job interview.
BAM! (Like that? I stole it from Emeril. I’m trying it out for my catchphrase. Next time, I’m going to try “Hella”.)