It’s 08h59; the meeting is at 09h00. I can’t help but feel excited with a touch of anxiety rising in my stomach while I stare at the screen. Only a few more seconds now and the door to a new adventure might open for me. The clock strikes nine. The screen lights up and I hear “Good morning, thank you for joining us, can you hear me clearly?” There is no time to give in to my nerves; I gather my thoughts, take a deep breath and I jump in!
“How did it go?”, my husband asked. I am relieved to get confirmation that it went well as meeting two, three and four follow over the ensuing weeks. Each meeting is filled with upbeat conversations; I learn about the company; they learn about me and I meet inspiring people. I am set an assignment for the next meeting – a restaurant assessment. Better equipped than Danny Ocean on an observation mission at Caesars Palace, I make my first reservation in a restaurant. Am I overdoing this? Before leaving my flat I decide to cancel the team of four undercover agents I hired to sit at the adjacent table and I remind myself that I am qualified. I’ve got this!
Several weeks have passed since my first meeting and the subsequent delivery of my mission report about Berners Tavern. I am now waiting for the offer and I feel calm. They know me now, I feel reassured, the selection process has left no room for misinterpretation. It was professional, thorough and fair, so I patiently wait. The offer arrives and is followed by ecstatic jumping in the living room!
