Her chipper voice didn’t do much to reassure my anxiety.
“Thanks,” I said thinly, trying to smile. “I really appreciate it.”
Amy beamed. She pointed towards the door of a conference room. “Go ahead,” she said. “He’s in there waiting for you.”
Taking a deep breath, I uttered a quick prayer and walked in to meet my fate.
Marcus was sitting at one head of a long conference table. I walked in, smiling nervously.
“Hello, Hannah,” Marcus said warmly. “Come sit over here.” He gestured towards the chairs next to him. He was a pleasant-looking man in late middle age, with silver hair, horn-rimmed glasses, and dark eyes. Although he was smiling, I could tell that he was very serious. Instantly, my heart rate skyrocketed and I felt my palms break out in a nervous sweat.
“Sorry,” I said. “I’m just nervous – I’m really sorry.” I cringed, wishing I hadn’t said the same thing twice.
Marcus smiled again. “Relax, Hannah,” he said. “Trust me – I’m not going to bite.”
I smiled nervously and sank into a plush leather chair. With trembling fingers, I handed over a copy of my resume.
“Thanks,” Marcus said. He took the paper and glanced down. “Penn State, huh? My son went there. Great school.”
I nodded. “I really liked it,” I said softly.
“So, Hannah, what can you tell me about yourself?” Marcus took a notepad and pen, tilting the pad towards his body so I couldn’t see what he was working on.
“Well, I recently graduated with a double major in business and accounting,” I said. “Magna cum laude, with honors all four years.”
Marcus nodded. “And why are you interested in working for Creovation?”
“It’s an incredible company,” I gushed. “You guys are always listed in the Fortune 500, and I know that many employees go on to have wonderful, long, and fulfilling careers. Not to mention you’re the most well-respected consulting firm in New York.”
Marcus nodded. I hoped he didn’t realize that my answer was straight from the FAQ section of the Creovation website. I felt that way, too, honestly – but sometimes it was easier to tell people things they already knew.
“Good answer,” Marcus said. He looked up at me. “What are your interests, Hannah?”
“My interests?” My voice cracked and I blushed hotly as Marcus nodded.
“Yes.”
“Well, I love reading,” I said. “Oh, and drinking wine, and hanging out with my best friend, Susan. But I’m a pretty quiet person. I don’t really enjoy going out. I enjoy working hard and taking pride in my work.”
Marcus chuckled. “Well, you certainly won’t be having much free time if we decide you’re the right fit for this position,” he said. “Do you have any questions for me?”
I nodded. “I saw on the job posting that this job is part administrative duties, part writing copy. Could you break that down in percentages for me?”
Marcus chuckled again and I couldn’t help digging my fingernails into my palms. Even though he was treating me kindly, my anxiety was about to shoot through the roof in a hot geyser of panic.
“Well, Hannah, I’m afraid I can’t. If I had to guess, I’d say the work is mostly going to be administrative. We’ll start you out on one or two writing assignments per week.”
“Oh,” I said. I tried to smile, but it was hard. I’d been hoping for a job that wasn’t a glorified secretary position.
“However,” Marcus continued. “If you’re a promising business writer, we’ll hire someone else to complete those administrative tasks and have you writing almost full time. Does that sound good?”
I nodded happily.
Just as Marcus was about to speak again, the door to the conference room burst open. I was expecting to see Amy, the perky brunette, but instead an older man with white hair and a red face came storming in. He slammed a fistful of paperwork down on the shiny table and made a fist with one hand.
“Marcus, I need a moment,” the man growled. He didn’t even seem to notice that I was in the room. “This is important.”
Marcus glanced over at me. His eyes were wide with alarm. “Right,” he said. “Hannah, do you mind waiting in the lobby?”