I take Tyler’s recommendation: Office Receptionist

“Hey Emily. I think I’m gonna go for that receptionist job your boyfriend recommended,” I tell her after leaving the last of the booths and walking over to her.

“Oh really? That’s great. I’m gonna let him know,” she says with excitement. She makes a phone call and reaches Tyler. After she’s done, she relays the news. “Tyler’s going to get in contact with his brother and have him set up the interview. Just in case, let’s get you some professional attire. Here’s hoping you get the job. Now, I think you still have some cash on that gift card from the X-Change Corporation.”

Emily takes me back to the mall so I can purchase some office-appropriate attire. I get a couple dress shirts, a suit jacket, a skirt and some heels that are not too tall. Just like the rest of her own wardrobe, it’s modest. She gets a phone call from Tyler. After she ends it, she comes to me with excitement. “Okay, get this. Tyler got back to me and said that they have an availability for an interview this afternoon. I’ve met his brother too and he seems like a nice guy, so I’m sure you have this one in the bag.”

We return to the dorm so I can get ready. Emily drives me over to the office where I will be having my interview. When I check in at the front desk, it’s Tyler’s brother that meets me and escorts me to the room where I will be having the interview. Along the way, he gives me some different news than what I was initially told. The job isn’t actually for Tyler’s brother, who actually seems like a nice guy, like Emily said he was. The job is actually for Paul, a different manager at the company. I’m a bit nervous as I doubt whatever recommendation Emily’s boyfriend provided is going to go very far.

I have at least come prepared, even dressing appropriately for the job. If appearance count for something, hopefully it would today. Still, I’m not sure the interview is going to go that well. Tyler’s brother had spouted a lot of the software they’ll be expecting me to use, but if I’m honest, I’ve never even heard of them before.

I enter the room which is actually the office of Paul. He stands and meets me at the door and we shake hands. After Tyler’s brother closes the door, Paul gestures to me to take a seat. He asks me about my background, my prior work experience, and my work ethic. I am honest and tell him that I just graduated high school two months ago, that I only have worked a summer job at a coffee shop, and that I’m a good worker, able to work well in a team setting. I’m enthusiastic when I talk, though I hide the pain I have with my tongue piercing, which may have come into view when I open my mouth to speak. He nods at my answers, though doesn’t give any indication of whether my answers are approved or not. At the end, he has this confused look about him. I wonder if I should have taken off my tongue piercing before the interview. But I know that he’s noticed it but hasn’t brought it up. After all the important questions have been asked, sure enough, the questions about my piercing start. You offer to remove it for work if it's a problem, but he seems much more interested in it than concerned about it.