“Hello, is that Ashley Stewart?”
“Itis indeed.”
“Hello, Ashley. It’s Sonia fromThe New York Times. Is now a good time to chat?”Not really, Ashley thought,who calls at 8.20 in the morning? Luckily, she was anearly riser.
“Yes,of course.”
“Sorry to call quite early. I like to get an early jump on a Monday.”
“That’s okay.”
“So, I have your interview feedback in front of me. I will just run through a few notes Imade first.”
Ashley pinched the bridge of her nose. “Okay.”
“I thought you came across incredibly well. You answered each question with confidence and poise. You’re very knowledgeable. Where other candidates struggled with the background of the paper and the overall requirements of the job, you excelled. I felt your passion throughout the interview and your desire to succeed within this business.” Ashley felt the hard thud of her heart almost bursting through her chest as Sonia paused to gather her thoughts.
“With that being said, there are elements I felt you could improve upon. The main one being your self-belief. If you don’t believe you can do it, why would anyone else believe you? You said all the right things with such grace, but when it came to me asking about your previous work, more importantly, your already published articles with us; you downplayed them. The first article you ever wrote was a sure-fire winner. I remember being sat around the board table with the other editors, discussing potential new writers. Bryan read your article out to the rest of us and I loved it. It was the first time in a long time I’d been truly intrigued by an article. The effects it could have on people and the relatable contentexcited me.”
“So, you already knew who I was before you interviewed me?”
“Oh, of course I did. I have my assistant do extensive research before all of my interviews. I know more about you than you do,” Sonia laughed.
“Surely interviewing me seems a little irrelevant, if that were the case?” Ashley joked.
“You may think that. Put it this way, I already know what school you went to, your hometown, your best friends, your work experience, your favourite food, your favourite holiday destination, what sports you play, where you like to socialise and whether you’re married, single or just completely unsure. Your personal résumé and social media ultimately help me discover everything I need to know about a person to see whether or not they are eligible for the job. That’s what gets you through the door, then comes thehard part.”
Ashley stood, shifting her weight nervously from one foot to the other. “What’s thehard part?”
“I’m glad you asked. You can fake a résumé, you can even fake a social media persona. What you can’t fake are character, passion and intrigue. I can’t read that on a résumé—I have to see it. What I saw from you was a strong, capable individual who could achieve anything they put their mind to if they only believed wholeheartedly in their ability. Don’t let your internal ceilings stop you from achieving your goals—the sky isthe limit.”
Ashley made a mental note of the last sentence; a point that truly touched home. The perspiration on her forehead became visible, the jaw-clenched face in the large circular mirror stared back at her. She waited patiently for Soniato continue.
“In summary, I have made my decision…” there was a long pause, the suspense almost sent her over the edge, “…and it was the easiest one I had to make. Congratulations, Ashley, you gota position.”
“OH MY GOD, you’re serious?” she squealed.
“There was never a doubt in my mind. You thoroughlydeserve it.”
“Thank you so much. Honestly, you don’t know what this means to me.”
“Don’t thank me. You gave yourself this opportunity, nobody else. I simply said yes.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. Whendo I start?”
“Two weeks on Monday. That should give you enough time to inform yourother job?”
“Yes,definitely.”
“I will have my assistant send all the details over in an email this afternoon. I look forward to working with you, Ashley.”
“You too. Thankyou again.”
“You’re welcome. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
Immediately, her eyes sparkled, tears formed as she raced towards the bedroom where Madison lay sound asleep. The skin under her eyes wrinkled from the uncontrollable grin as she barged through the door and danced around the room, swellingwith pride.
“I got the job. I got the job. I got the freaking job! I can’tbelieve it.”
