Cafe Hitch-hike

2004-10-28

Here I come

I left work a couple hours early so I could get home and answer the phone. At 1:00 CST, my phone rings. "Hellooo?" answers me. For the next 25 minutes, the well-orchestrated crew of a Florida college bombarded me with questions.

"Miss HH, how do you like teaching?... What has your experience been in library instruction?... What is your philosophy on instruction and information literacy? What do you do when instructors ask you questions on the spur of the moment?"

I replied, "I'm comfortable with answering questions, but if they stump me and I have to pause to think it over, I'm sure to tell them 'I'm thinking it over, let's see...'"

I didn't expect this, but the crew all laughed.

Laughing? That's usually a good sign, and to make people laugh without trying and while intelligently answering the question is better.

The crew explained my roles in the library. The funny thing is that I would be doing the job that my previous boss, Lady Jane, had in this office. I wouldn't be stuck on the damn reference desk as I am at the pub.lib, I would be planning, organizing, and scheduling.

Whoa. I say that because I've been doing that on a smaller scale with these snot-nosed undergrads and grad.assistants. This time I would be doing that with professors and librarians, and scheduling THEIR time. Like, whoa...

Advancing in responsibilities? Okay. I was moaning that the pub.lib job was starting to get too easy. Maybe life is saying, "you asked, now you can get it!"

"Miss HH, why do you want to work for our college?"

I didn't want to blurt out, "the weather!" and "Navy boys!" (just kidding, those kinds of guys never moved me, though I dig their uniforms). Instead, I replied, "it's a smaller campus and it seems you are better able to concentrate your services. I love my job at Ghetto State, but I'm only there half-time and it doesn't give me opportunities to be fully immersed in my roles." (hahaha, yes, those were my words)

I found the crew to be well-organized, and there was a variety of personalities and regional accents. Some were business-like, some casual, some were Southern, some midwestern, and I could tell there was a sista', too. They really seemed to know what they were looking for.

The interview was over, and but I felt a little nervous and wound up AFTER the interview. I swore they wouldn't phone me for a second interview. Phone interviews are like application questions on exams; you're not really sure if you got them right even it you had to wring a few brain cells to figure them out.

So, what's the word? I got an e-mail this morning... I'm going to Florida, I'm going to Florida! Ha-ha-ha-hah! In a couple of weeks, it's off to sunny Florida!

downwind | upstream