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Chapter Thirty-Two
Jake
Jake,
We need you for an interview right away.
I stared at the email. For fuck's sake, it was eight o'clock in the morning. I definitely didn't want to start my day like this. I'd given Natalie enough space and time; now I wanted to see her.
I realized they'd sent me a second email.
This is the best candidate we have. We cannot let him slip away. The other one already got another job.
I put on a shirt quickly, typing my reply with one hand.
Will be online in five minutes.
I hadn’t even had breakfast or my morning coffee. I sat at the desk, positioning my chair and laptop so I had Natalie’s painting in front of me.
The sooner I got this over with, the better. Danielle wasn’t lying. The candidate was indeed a good fit; he'd led a huge competitor before, so he was more than qualified.
I didn't have time to research their recent numbers, but I had no doubt they looked good. In the market research reports I read, they were always one of the major players.
I connected to Zoom. Two minutes later, the screen split in two. One was Danielle, and the other one was Harold, the candidate.
"Jake, we are so happy you were able to connect on such short notice," Danielle said.
"Good to meet you, Jake. I heard a lot of good things about you," Harold said.
"Likewise. Your reputation precedes you," I said. "Let's cut right to the chase. Why are you looking to change jobs?"
"Danielle here accosted me on LinkedIn, asking me if I was up for a challenge. And I'd say I am, provided the money is good enough to leave my current position, of course."
I didn't like that he was leading with money, but it was a fair point. "I assure you that, should we come to an agreement, our offer will be very fair. It would be a big change for you from where you are now to Whitley Advertising."
"I've never worked in a family-owned company before. It's going to be a nice change of pace for me, and probably also for the people who work there. I know that in those environments, employees often get self-indulgent."
I didn't like that arrogant tone of voice.
"Our workers are quite talented, and they're doing their very best.”
“Then why do they need you to come from New York and save them?”
“The finance department was not top-notch, I admit."
"Then I can start by trimming the fat there."
