Beth Joins the Girl Scouts

That's right, folks. It's time for me to rejoin the ranks of those Brown vested, cookie-selling, craft making, little homemakers. I'm going to have to dig out my old sash with my patches (Correction: Patch. I was only in girl scouts for a season because gluing tongue depressers together was a rousing night at our troop meetings). No, I'm just kidding. I'm not going to be a troop leader. I'll be working with their outreach programs, which means I get to lead a program in inner city schools that is geared for middle school aged girls (perfect!). I also get to work in a team so I'll have fun coworkers.

Here's how my interview went (My thoughts are in italics). The place was in way south Dallas so I left extra early to allow for traffic and getting lost. Let's just say I didn't hit traffic... I got there and was handed an application. I started filling it out and then I realized that there were extra questions on the back. One of them was "Describe a challenging obstacle that you have had to overcome." My first thought was "What???". I knew that some of the kids I would be working with had grown up with drugs and violence and so I racked my brain to find something that might relate to that, even a little. I got nothin'. I wrote some lame-o answer about my grandfather's death and what it taught me ("People pass on but their memory can live on forever in my mind"- SO LAME). While making up this full-of-it mini essay, I survey the room to look at my competition. All middle aged African American ladies. Great.

So finally, the interviewer comes out and says, "Okay, ladies, follow me." Ummm, a panel interview? I'M NOT PREPARED FOR THIS. Don't pass out! Don't pass out! So, I calmly walk into the conference room and introduce myself to the ladies. We sit down and they explain a little bit about the different programs available. Then they start asking questions. They start with me and then go down the line. On the next question, they start with the lady after me. These questions were actually kind of difficult because you don't immediately know the "right" answer. For instance, we had to describe a time when we had a conflict with someone and we resolved it. Thankfully, I was last on this question. All of the other women, in their middle aged wisdom, had been through alot in their life- divorce, raising children, getting their DOCTORATE (Doctorate? Doctorate? I'm so not getting this job) so I knew that my answer would not be as significant. I told them about how my parents and I argued alot during my senior year in high school and how I learned to communicate better.

So, the interview lasted an hour. When it was done, I was pretty depressed about it cause there were 100 applicants and if all of them had the qualifications of my fellow applicants, I knew chances were slim that I would get it. We were instructed to hand our applications to the receptionist at the front and she would make sure all our ducks were in a row. She looks at my application and says "Just a minute. Follow me." So I follow her to the back room, assuming that I've done something wrong. Suddenly, she turns around and says, "I can't hand you your HR paperwork in front of the other applicants." Huh? Whadya say?

She then turned and left me dumbfounded in the hall only to return with a green Girl Scouts folder. She directs me to a desk and proceeds to pull out tax forms and background checks. I looked at her and said, "What does this mean?" She stood up and said, "Uh, congratulations?" WHAT IS GOING ON? "You got the job!"

I then proceded to freak out in my mind. I started the paperwork and then wanted to think about, so handed it to the manager and told her I would come back later. Then, I walked to the lobby, changed my mind, and went to finish my paperwork.

This was the craziest day I've had in a long time. I thought that I wouldn't even get the job and instead, I ended up being the one that was hired right off the bat! God is so good!

I have training next week and then I think my start date is later in the month. I really don't know that much yet but I know I'm excited. So, yay!