The Interview

By Chawnaw Hershel Kahn

Also known as Jeffrey H. Kahn
Copyright 2014 All rights reserve
A sto!t wo"an in her early fifties sat patiently #ehin a r!gge "ahogany $herry staine esk% a
"agnifi$ent pie$e of art% !n!s!ally e&pensive for the hea of h!"an reso!r$es. The overly $!shione
eep "aroon leather $hair that she swivele in ever so slightly ae an air of power to her i"posing
post!re' hea straight as a nail% right han tapping a pen lightly on the esk% slight perf!"e wafting in the
air% an a#sol!tely no s"ile% #!t a tight lippe an reay for #!siness look on her fa$e. After a light
kno$k on the oor an a perf!n$tory please $o"e in% a (r. Ja"es Brentfiel entere the roo" an politely
waite for her response. )he took her ti"e $aref!lly looking hi" over. His tie was a little too short an
$o!l have #een tightene at the ne$k a little "ore. )he noti$e a s"all stain on his shirt an i""eiately
gri"a$e holing #a$k the !rge to re#!ke this "an for his so"ewhat slovenly appearan$e. His p!gy
"i se$tion annoye her no en "aking her #elieve that he was over in!lging in treats or perhaps too
"any s$ot$h an soas with the #oys*
+,lease sit own.- )he $orially state an ha to wait only a short "o"ent while he took his
$!e fro" her an pro"ptly positione hi"self $o"forta#ly in the seat% $as!ally $rossing his right leg over
his left an waiting for f!rther instr!$tions% whi$h were short in $o"ing. +(r. Brentfiel there are several
$aniates that we are interviewing for the position of ,resient with o!r $o"pany. ,lease tell "e why
yo! feel yo! are the "ost .!alifie for the position/-
0itho!t "issing a #eat an o#vio!sly well prepare for the interview (r. Brentfiel respone%
+Thank yo! for this opport!nity to #e a part of yo!r $o"pany. I have over thirty years of #!siness
e&perien$e taking a start!p $o"pany fro" only thirteen e"ployees an "aking it into a "a1or
$orporation% whi$h now e"ploys well over five tho!san e"ployees. (y stanars have always #een to
pro!$e the #est pro!$t at the #est pri$e an treat everyone with the !t"ost respe$t. It has always #een
"y a&io" that yo! $an2t a$hieve s!$$ess if a page is "issing fro" a #ook.-
3ot !nerstaning at all what he "eant #y that a&io"% the hea of h!"an reso!r$es $ontin!e
looking hi" straight in the eye trying to "ake hi" nervo!s. +That2s a very ni$e spee$h% #!t why o yo!
want to work for this $o"pany% (r. Brentfiel an give !p so "!$h s!$$ess/ 0hat $an we possi#ly offer
yo!/-
+I nee "ore $hallenges. The $o"pany that I was previo!sly e"ploye in is f!n$tioning so well
that a twenty year ol who fl!nke o!t of #!siness s$hool $o!l r!n it.-
+)o yo! want to work here% #e$a!se yo! are #ore at yo!r ol 1o#/ An when yo! get #ore with
!s% yo! plan to leave as well/- He was aske while she intently ga4e at his fa$e with sharp pier$ing eyes
trying her #est to !nnerve hi".
(r. Brentfiel saw her eyes an i""eiately !nerstoo the ga"e she was playing. 5et!rning
the !el he stare sharply right #a$k at her an respone in a pleasant% #!t serio!s tone% the sa"e one he
ha !se for "any years when re#!king inept e&e$!tives who $ost his $o"pany ti"e an "oney. +I
never leave a 1o# !ntil it has #een $o"plete* 3ever*-
The wo"an2s eyes opene wie in s!rprise an she $as!ally aske% +3ever/-
He $h!$kle a little an $o"posing hi"self sai% +6nly in "y personal life have I forgotten to
$o"plete a pro1e$t% #!t "y loving wife of thirty7five years never hel it against "e.-
The wo"an leane forwar resting her el#ows on the esk an sai inti"iating% +I a" really not
intereste in yo!r personal life.- 0aiting for the ne&t .!estion% (r. Brentfiel s.!ir"e in his seat
o#vio!sly !ns!re of where this was going. +(r. Brentfiel% if yo! love yo!r wife yo! wo!l have
listene to her an fi&e the pro#le" i""eiately.- Then she $ontin!e again staring at hi"% +The
$o"pensation yo! are asking for is rather high. 0hy sho!l we pay yo! s!$h an enor"o!s salary/-
5ela&ing an feeling that he was in his own ho"e $o!rt he tol her fro" a $o"pletely #!siness
point of view what he planne to o for this $o"pany. The "oney he was asking for% he $aref!lly
e&plaine% was part of a pa$kage eal #ase on perfor"an$e an profita#le o!t$o"e of the #!siness
vent!res that he instit!te. He s"ile prof!sely waiting for her response.
)he stare at hi" an aske% +0hy o yo! nee so "!$h "oney/ How o yo! propose to spen
it/- Before he $o!l answer she $ontin!e% +8et "e e&plain. It is i"portant to o!r fa"ily here that o!r
e&e$!tives live a responsi#le life in orer to "aintain the highest "oral stanars at o!r $o"pany. 9o
yo! plan to save it in the #ank or spen it on l!&!ries% s!$h as lavish parties% al$oholi$ #inges . . .- An
pa!sing for ra"ati$ effe$t% +or perhaps presents for yo!r love ones/- Her "o!th wrinkle in a
s!spi$io!s s"ile while her eyes opene for$i#ly wie as if aring hi" to answer tr!thf!lly.
(r. Brentfiel s"ile prof!sely an state e"phati$ally while #ening forwar% +:o! are hire
for the position of Hea of H!"an 5eso!r$es* That was an e&$ellent interview that yo! gave "e *-
)he respone $!rtly% +I on2t want the 1o#*-
+Co"e on honey.- (r. Brentfiel pleae% +I nee yo! here. There is no one who $an fill the
position #etter than yo!.-
+0hy wo!l I want to work for yo!/- (rs. Brentfiel respone% +:o! $an #e so e"aning at
ti"es an I really want to spen "ore ti"e with the gran$hilren.-
He looke at her with pleaing eyes an answere% +I2ll get yo! an offi$e 1!st like "ine an yo!
will #e free to hire an fire anyone yo! like* (ay I have "y esk #a$k now% please/-
)he s"ile "is$hievo!sly at hi" knowing who the real #oss was an tho!ght what a wonerf!l
opport!nity this wo!l #e to ins!re that he eat a regi"ente ro!tine of foo an iet #everages as she
pres$ri#e* He s"ile #a$k $ertain that his plan ha worke for after she worke for hi" an was
o#vio!sly tie own at the offi$e% he was free to p!rs!e other worlly pleas!res% s!$h as rinking with his
#!ies% lavish parties an a lot of .!ality ti"e #y hi"self*
The ;n