{The Big Update}

Well, I'm a little late on this update, but better late than never ... eh? :)

With reference to my #1 from THIS post, here is the exciting news I want to share. Two weeks ago I interviewed with one of the larger law firms in the area. I almost didn't go to the interview because I didn't think the job was one that I would be interested in pursuing. After canceling my appointment with the HR manager, she called me and said there were actually two positions open, and would I like to keep my interview and consider the second job opening? I agreed to keep my appointment with her, and the rest is history. We had a wonderful interview. I liked the atmosphere and everyone I met at the firm, and I felt like I made a good first impression. I was a nervous wreck the whole time, but I think I did quite well disguising my nervousness. As a follow up to our interview, I sent the HR manager a thank you note and again expressed my interest in the job. I hoped that the Thank You note would set me apart from other applicants - who cares if it was a brown noser thing to do. Isn't that what the whole interview process is about?! :)

SO.... the Monday after Thanksgiving I received a phone call from the HR manager asking if I could come back for a second interview. This interview would be with the two attorneys I would be supporting. On Wednesday I went to interview #2 and met with the attorneys. After 1.5 hours of "interviewing" I left the building feeling confident about the interview. Afterward, I met my mom at the mall to go Christmas shopping for the rest of the day.

When I returned home that evening there was another message on my answering machine from the HR Manager. She asked me to call her at home so we could discuss my interview, but she wouldn't be home until after 8:30 p.m. I called her at the appointed time, we talked, and she made me a job offer. I told the HR Manager I would call her back the next morning and let her know my decision, but that I was sure I'd be accepting the offer. The following morning I received a phone call from one of the attorneys with whom I'd interviewed. He was calling to let me know that he was aware they'd made an offer to me, and he wanted to let me know he and the other attorney were really hoping I would accept. I told him I was planning on calling the HR manager and accepting the job, I just hadn't had a chance to call her yet. Immediately after I got off the phone with him I called the HR manager to discuss the offer. She started laughing when she realized it was me on the phone. She said the attorney had called her to let her know I'd accepted the job. When she asked how he knew I was going to accept, he told her he'd called and talked to me. She told me that has never happened since she's worked there. That normally the attorneys leave the interviewing/hiring process up to the HR staff. What a compliment!

Anyway - that is my news. So many of you have been praying for me and sending good thoughts my way, so I wanted to make sure you are up to date on my job situation. Trevor is still looking for a job, but with one of us employed that helps a GREAT deal!!

I start work tomorrow so I probably won't be able to update my blog until this weekend. I'm excited and nervous at the same time - hoping I can live up to the expectations. So glad to be in a professional environment, happy to be around organization, systems, and modern technology, pleased to be working back in the legal field. I've missed it!

~HMB