Welcome to Our Lobbying Firm

Here is how my interview went today.

The cast of characters includes me, two male attorneys, who shalled be called Chatty and Talky, and one female attorney, who shall be called Strong Silent Type.

(Preliminary welcoming conversation).
Chatty: So, let me tell you a little about us and what we do. Blah blah blah blah. (For like 5 minutes). Now Talky, you tell that story. You tell it so well.

Talky: (Tells story. I smile and nod my head, with the usual necessary verbal comments). I noticed you used to work for the XYZ. You know, they are one of our clients. So tell me why you don't want to work there?

Me: (Some garbage about wanting to experience life outside there).

Talky: I am a past president of Planned Parenthood so I know you would really like our client ABC. Would you have a problem with some of our clients who are very conservative?

Me: No.

Chatty: We didn't really know what questions to ask you, so we just sort of are winging it here. Blah blah blah (10 minutes later).

Strong Silent: I noticed on your resume you listed Jane Austen as an interest. Do you have a favorite of hers and why?

Me: Pride and Prejudice, and (phone rings so she gets up to answer it)...I guess I like the characters? ( A very bad answer but the phone ringing and her getting up really seemed to negate the entire question. What I meant to say was how her characters seem to come alive, and she is such a gifted author as to make her stories seem contemporary even now).

Chatty and Talky then proceeded to monopolize the conversation and finally, Chatty : Do you have any questions for us?

Me: Actually I'm curious what sort of training you provide, if any, since you have indicated most of the work uses skills I already have?

Chatty: Well....blah blah blah. (Talky chimes in on occasion.) It was really nice meeting you. Let me tell you a little about our process here. We're doing first interviews this week, second interviews next week and hiring someone very soon after that. Thanks for coming down today!

45 minutes folks and I got to ask one question.

Don't get me wrong, they seem like nice people, and it seems like a good place to work, and I'd be happy to get a second interview and the job. But it was sort of surreal. Usually you are expected to do a fair amount of talking. Not today. I barely even got to answer the questions they asked. Anyhow, I'm writing my thank you note tonight and also emailing the woman to ask her some more questions. I'm not going to get my hopes up though. The last time I did that, I got burned.

In other news the YMCA is looking for cycling instructors and I think they're going to have me audition. It'd be great to teach multiple times a week again.