The Job Interview

Claire had been working at the same company for four years. It was not a bad job, but it was not exciting either. She answered emails, organised meetings, and made reports that nobody seemed to read. She had started to feel that she could do more.

When she saw the advertisement for a marketing assistant position at a company called Bright Media, she felt something move in her chest. The job description talked about campaigns, creativity, and working with clients. It sounded like exactly what she had been waiting for.

She spent two evenings writing her application. She read it again and again, changing words, improving sentences. Her friend Priya read it too and said it was good. Claire sent it and then tried not to think about it.

Ten days later, she received an email inviting her to an interview. She read it three times to make sure she had understood correctly. Then she replied immediately, before she could change her mind.

The night before the interview, she was very nervous. She sat at her kitchen table and practised her answers. She had looked up common interview questions online. "Why do you want this job?" "What are your strengths?" "Can you give an example of a time you solved a problem?" She wrote down her answers and practised saying them aloud. Her cat walked across the table and sat on her notes. She moved him gently and carried on.

She chose her clothes carefully — a dark blue jacket and smart trousers. She put them on the chair by her bed so she would not have to think in the morning. She went to bed at ten o'clock but did not fall asleep until midnight.

The next morning, she arrived at the office fifteen minutes early. It was a modern building with large glass windows. She gave her name to the receptionist, a young man who smiled and asked her to sit down. The lobby had large plants, white walls, and quiet music. Claire sat up straight and looked at her phone without really seeing anything on the screen.

After about five minutes, a man came through a door and introduced himself as Mr Blake, the head of the marketing team. He was younger than she had expected — perhaps thirty-five — with an easy manner and a firm handshake.

The interview took place in a small meeting room. There were two other people there: a woman called Sarah from the HR department, and a younger man called Tom who worked in the team. Mr Blake explained that they all liked to be part of the process.

They asked about her experience and her skills. They asked why she wanted to leave her current job. Claire had prepared for this question. She said, honestly, that she was ready for a new challenge and that she believed she could grow more in a creative environment. She gave examples of projects she had worked on. She asked about the team and how they collaborated.

At the end, Mr Blake asked if she had any questions. She had written three questions in her notebook, which she had brought with her. She asked them all. Mr Blake seemed pleased that she had prepared.

Walking back to the Underground afterwards, she felt a mixture of relief and anxiety. She did not know how it had gone. She thought it had been good, but she could not be sure.

Two days later, her phone rang. It was Mr Blake. She pressed the phone to her ear. He said that the whole team had been impressed, and that they would be delighted if she would join them.

She said yes before he had finished the sentence.

She called Priya from the street, almost shouting. Then she went home, made tea, and sat quietly for a while, thinking about Monday. It felt a long way away and very close at the same time.