There’s a pause.
“Okay.” She sighs. “Tell me why you want to work for the Jacqueline Reed Foundation?”
“Canyou tell us about a project that you worked on with your previous employer that you’re particularly proud of completing?” Virginia Simone, a human resource representative, asks as I sit at the desk in my living room.
Along with Virginia, there’s one other HR person on the call.
“Yes, well, in my two years at Williams and Co., Marketing, I worked on many projects that spanned budgets from low six figures to mid-seven figures. However, my proudest accomplishment was in working as a researcher for our largest client.
“Initially, the foundation believed we could only bring in a low six figure amount from this particular event. However, once I looked over the reports from the previous five years, I foundsome areas where I believed if we tapped into, we could bring in a great deal more.”
“Such as?” Virginia asks.
My smile turns genuine since I enjoy talking about this particular project and what we were able to accomplish.
I feel my back get straighter as I talk about the strategies I’ve implemented with my past employers to get the results they were looking for. Non-profit work has been the basis of all of my employment since graduating college with my degree in psychology.
Though, I don’t work in a therapeutic setting, it still feels good to know that the work I do makes a positive impact on the world around me.
This sense must come through in my responses because Virginia responds with an, “Impressive,” after I finish speaking.
“We would love to have you work with us but?—”
My stomach plummets and I struggle to maintain the professional smile when a chiming sound alerts us that someone new is tapping into the conference call.
The last time an unexpected visitor popped in on a call, I got laid off. How can I lose something I haven’t secured yet?
“Here she is now,” Virginia chirps, happily. Was she expecting this interruption?
“Éléanor,” Virginia greets as a fourth box on the screen appears.
I immediately recognize her from the gala.
“Thank you for attending in my place, Emanuel,” she says.
A second later the guy who’d mostly been silent exits the interview with a brief smile my way.
Éléanor’s sparkling brown eyes meet mine. “Hello, Alyssia, I’m Éléanor Decaen. My apologies for being late. There’s so much happening with the first race of the season coming up this weekend.”
“Hello, Éléanor. It’s a pleasure,” I respond, unsure of what to say next.
As far as I know she doesn’t work for the Jacqueline Reed Foundation.
She frowns. “Virginia, did you not tell her?”
“We didn’t have time. I was too enthralled with listening to all of Alyssia’s accomplishments,” Virginia gushes.
“Excuse me?” I interject. “What’s this about?”
Éléanor smiles. “I beg your pardon. I’m sure this is confusing,” she starts. “The Jacqueline Reed Foundation and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile are working in tandem this season to grow our charitable events this year and increase funding for programs to support young people who want to enter in the fields of engineering.”
I nod. “That’s wonderful.”
“Yes, it is, and from what Virginia and I discussed looking over your resumé, your experience would fit in with our team. We are in need of a market researcher to help spark our Formula 1 base of fans.”
The mention of Formula 1 causes my smile to wobble until it slips away completely.
“Formula 1 as in the motorsport?” If Éléanor hears the shakiness in my voice, she does a good job of ignoring it.
