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All I needed to do was impress the woman doing the interview, then prove myself as indispensable. No pressure.
“Ugh, I have nothing in this damn closet!” I complained aloud, tossing pieces aside like a crazed lunatic.
I put on the outfit I finally settled on, a dark blue suit with a pencil skirt and blazer that nipped in at my waist and added my favorite heels. Topping off the look with a strand of my grandmother’s pearls, I looked in the hall mirror to fluff my hair one last time and rushed out to my pale blue Mini Cooper gleaming in the driveway. Before cranking the ignition, I checked the directions to the complex one more time. My GPS could guide me, but I never liked to rely fully on technology. Ironic as that was considering my career path, I was never one to put my belief solely on the little lines on the screen and the monotonous, perpetually pissed-off-sounding woman telling me what turns to take. Just in case she wasn’t made fully aware of obstacles that might show up in my path, or the satellites decided to go on strike while I was midtrip, I wanted to still have some grasp of where I was.
That’s where my printed directions and maps came in. A quick glance over them gave me a heads-up for the journey, and I headed on my way. The day was beautiful, with the weather being not too hot yet. I was tempted to roll the windows down so I could enjoy the feeling of the summer air on my face as I zoomed around the backroads of the lush North Carolina greenery. But I had to remember my hair and that I didn’t want to show up at the interview looking a mess. I’d reward myself with the rolling the windows down on the way home if the interview went well, I promised myself.
Not wanting to even begin to risk being late, I’d left half an hour earlier than I really needed to. But I was glad for it when I ended up twisted around and showed up at the complex only fifteen minutes early.
A man in a small guardhouse at the gate directed me to the right parking lot and handed me access credentials. Finding the lot, I parked and stepped out of the car, taking a moment to smooth my skirt and take a few breaths to calm myself. I was excited about the possibilities that lay ahead and felt good about my chances. I was skilled at what I did and had done plenty of research into the company’s current social media presence. I was more than armed with a thorough and, if I did say so myself, an effective plan to demonstrate the potential for the platforms. But wanting it didn’t guarantee I’d land the position, so the nerves still created butterflies in my stomach.
When I felt ready, I grabbed my bag and headed in search of the location of my appointment. Minette “call me Minnie” Freeman was sweet and welcoming over the phone when I spoke to her, so I was looking forward to meeting her. I found the right office building and signed in at the front desk, offering a smile to the woman sitting there. She directed me to the waiting area, and I drew in another breath before taking a seat, wanting to look as calm and put together as I could when she arrived.
When she did, it was amidst a cloud of Chanel and in a summer dress with flip-flops. I suddenly felt extremely overdressed. Apparently, this wasn’t a business attire type of office. But I’d rather look too formal and professional than not professional enough, so I fell into step behind her with confidence. As we walked toward her office, I listened to Minnie go on and on about her family and the company. I already knew it was her oldest son, Quentin, who owned and ran the business, but she was the one who handled most of the hiring. He wasn’t exactly a people person.
Which was the ideal segue into her letting out a deep sigh as she dropped into the chair behind her desk and declared she knew Quentin, and the company, definitely needed my help.
“There is almost no social media presence on any of the platforms,” she confided. “And in 2020, that’s unheard of. I suppose I don’t really need to tell you that.”
I smiled politely and shook my head.
“No, you’re right. Social media is vital to business success in today’s marketplace. Consumers are more tech-savvy than ever and tend to glean most of their opinions about a business based on what they can find using an internet search. This means they are most likely to make decisions for their spending and brand loyalty based on the internet, most importantly social media. This is how they determine if a business fits with their personal interests and needs, if they feel they can relate to them and trust them, and also where they find information about them. It’s hard to gain interest or build up an audience when there is no way for them to know what you’re offering. That’s where social media comes in. And I’ll be honest. I did do some preliminary exploring of the current presence,” I said.
