Cliff's Good Deed

40 - The Interview

Mr. Cento held the door to the office where the directors had assembled and entered behind Hannah. Three men who had been chatting among themselves stopped talking and looked her over. She was accustomed to that sort of attention and usually ignored it. Men couldn't help themselves. This time, though, since a potential job was on the line, she wondered about their first impression of her.

She remembered to smile, although a case of nerves made a genuine smile difficult.

She had expected a conference table, but the small office only held a half dozen folding chairs arranged in a circle. Mr. Cento introduced the three board members. First was Dr. Samuel Denton. The man stood at ease and had perfect white teeth. She figured he might be a dentist and not a medical doctor. The second man in line was introduced simply as Judge Cox. Unlike Dr. Denton, the judge wore a stern expression and had huge nose pores. The way Mr. Cento introduced him made it seem like he was so well-known, no further explanation would be necessary.

Hannah figured it was a black mark against her because she had no idea who he was. She was totally disengaged from politics. For all she knew, he could be a supreme court justice.

The third man was Mr. Garth Renfro who held onto her hand longer than necessary when shaking.

They all sat on the folding chairs in a circle. With no table to hide behind, Hannah felt self-conscious and crossed her legs.

Dr. Denton led off with the usual questions: Tell us about yourself, what made you decide on business management as a field of study, what are you looking for in a career, all the usual interview questions for which she had well-rehearsed answers.

Mr. Renfro asked her to explain what she did at her previous job, how she handled problems with personnel, and how she dealt with problem clients. Again, nothing about those questions caught her off guard.

The questioning went on for about a half hour, all the while Judge Cox remained silent while studying her. Hannah's instinct told her he was the man running the show. He would be the one to sell.

When Dr. Denton and Mr. Renfro finished with their questions, they glanced at Judge Cox. She expected him to hit her with some zinger questions, so it surprised her when he asked, "Ms. Blessing, do you have anything you would like to know?"

"Yes, sir, what happened to the person who held this position previously?"

The judge came right back with an answer. "He retired after thirty-three years of service. The man was well-liked and respected. If you are the successful candidate, you will have big shoes to fill."

"I see," she said, stalling because her mind suddenly went blank. Then she decided to ask what concerned her most. "I would be supervising highly skilled craftspeople, plumbers, electricians, groundskeepers, and the like. Since your previous manager was so highly regarded, aren't you uneasy about how I or any prospective candidate will be accepted?"

Judge Cox raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you answer your own question for us? What's your plan for winning over your staff?"

She explained how she gained the respect of seasoned professionals from her former job by acknowledging their experience and taking to heart their suggestions on how to do things. The judge asked if she could give some examples, and she did.

Dr. Denton asked, "Say for example the pool manager doesn't like your decision to extend the swimming season beyond Labor Day and tells you that you don't know what you're doing. How would you respond to him?"

"I would assure him he is an expert when it comes to maintaining the pool and monitoring the proper balance of chemicals to keep the water safe. It's something I have no knowledge of and need to rely on him. Then I would explain how my job considers club operations from a higher level, for example how our members would feel if we closed down the pool in the middle of a heat wave. After all, Labor Day is just an arbitrary date used to close pools. Deferring to our members and keeping them happy is a higher priority."

The three directors and Mr. Cento exchanged glances and asked no follow-up questions. Hannah congratulated herself, feeling she had nailed it.

"Is there anything else you would like to know?" The judge asked.

Maybe they would consider it too bold of her, but she needed to know the truth. Hannah cleared her throat. "I'm sure there are other candidates more qualified for this position than I am. Let me be frank by asking, is anybody, any club member, pressuring you into considering me? As much as I would love this job, I'm afraid all of us would be uncomfortable if that were the case."

Judge Cox leaned forward in his chair. "If anybody tried pressuring us in such a manner, it would be a breach of club ethics. I believe I speak for the entire board in saying we would be offended, and any candidate up for consideration under those conditions would be summarily rejected."

He sat back in his seat and folded his arms across his chest. "Since you asked a frank question, I'm going to speak to you in frank terms. You are correct in saying many candidates are more experienced than you are. We understand that a steep learning curve will be required if we offered you the position, and you would need to shadow Mr. Cento for some time to learn how things are done."

The judge looked to his other board members as if asking their consent to further explain. Some silent communication passed between them.

He continued. "You have been shortlisted because we believe you possess an adequate track record and bring youthful energy to the table. You're obviously intelligent and discerning. I understand how you might be wondering why we are considering you. The answer to that might offend you. If it does, so be it."

Hannah was indeed discerning, and she guessed what he would say. "Every department manager and everyone else of a high rank working here are men. You're looking to hire a woman, aren't you?"

"Yes," he answered unapologetically. "Having all older men in high positions presents terrible optics. Some of our more vocal members are complaining about a lack of diversity. Bringing a woman on board would be a start toward remedying that situation."

Hannah wasn't offended. She wasn't above playing the gender card if it gave her an advantage.

"One other thing you need to understand," Judge Cox went on. "Members here are predominantly male, highly successful, wealthy alpha types used to getting their own way. Their spouses can be demanding too."

Acerbic came to her mind, the word Cliff had used, and it certainly applied to his mother. They were members. She wondered what trouble Mrs. Ortega would cause her if she got the job.

Judge Cox kept talking. "These men have a tendency of bullying male managers. Another reason we're considering you is they would be less likely to browbeat a pretty, young lady. As a result, you should find it easier to defuse awkward situations."

She hadn't been offended before, but what he just said had been overtly sexist, and it did offend her. No matter. She kept her mouth shut.

"What else do you want to know?" Mr. Cento asked.

"Just one more thing." She met the gaze of each man in the room. "When do I start?"

How awkward will it be for Hannah if she gets the job and has to cater to Cliff's parents?