Wednesday, August 3, 2011

My Journey South: First Wednesday, August 2006

I think I woke up nervous that Wednesday. I have always hated interviews but at least this time I wouldn't feel so much like a bug under a microscope.

I had a hard time concentrating during the first two sessions that morning, but the lunch break was there before I knew it. I decided to wait for the phone interview in the classroom because I knew it would be empty. One o'clock came and went and I figured he got held up with something so I worked on my readings for the afternoon class. One-thirty came and went and I was wondering if I misunderstood but I kept reading. Two o'clock came and went and I was getting a little annoyed. Two-thirty came and I called the school only to be told that he wasn't in the building. At that point I was pretty angry and by the time I got back to the apartment I was convinced I would never want to work for such an inconsiderate person.

By time the four o'clock session came around I had resigned myself to the idea that they must have hired someone  else. This had just been another possibility that didn't pan out and I needed to move on.

I had left class and was walking to dinner with my friend Deanna when I turned my phone on and discovered another voice mail. I returned the call still convinced that the position had been filled and still angry so I was prepared to be a little snippy.

My anger didn't last long in light of his apology for being called away to meeting and asking if I would mind doing the interview then. I'm still a little surprised the interview lasted beyond my next statement..."Uh, sure, but let me move someplace more private because the guy behind me is talking about a spleen surgery and it's a little distracting." A great way to make a first impression...

I moved across the street to the steps of Ashland's campus chapel and for the next thirty minutes talked about my subbing history and educational philosophy and what I would like to teach and whether I had any debate experience (to which I really did answer "no").  At the end of that thirty minutes I was offered a job (once it was cleared by human resources, of course).

I got off the phone and called my parents and immediately started crying (fourth week at Ashland, four years of job hunting...I was a little emotional). In between my tears, I managed to choke out that I had been offered the job, that I really thought I needed to accept it, and...oh, yeah, I had to be there by Monday. 

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