Interview with a Newbie

Sorry for the absence, folks. Last week I had to travel to Columbus for work and it was crazy!

But, I digress, because that trip is more of a “what happens in C-bus, stays in C-bus.” Ok – not really, as it just was work meetings and not exciting, but, hey, I can fantasize, right?

This week had a lot of catching up on emails, deadlines from last week’s trip AND (drum roll please) a request to be interviewed for the quarterly compliance newsletter. Now, I know what you are thinking – really? Hasn’t she only been there for a few months? And what exciting things could she talk about (I mean, Dodd Frank is exciting, right?)? But you can’t say no to a request like that…

So, it started off with your basic questions:
Where are you from?
How long have you worked here?
What is your educational background?
Tell me about your family?

Pretty much your basic questions, which I have stock answers to. Nothing too wild and crazy here. But then we veered off topic a little bit with these questions:
What are your pet peeves?
What are you afraid of?
 Do you have any goals you want to accomplish still?
If you could, would you go back and redo anything in your life?
What is a time you will never forget (good or bad)?
What is something you are proud of?

And yes, those were the questions. Part of me thought I was sitting on a long couch talking to a therapist (not necessarily a bad idea for a stressed out mom, but I digress). Now the pet peeves and afraid of questions were ok (I admit, I do like an interview that asks a couple of off the wall questions), but goals and regrets? How long does this interview need to be?

Possibly, I took the questions a little too much to heart. But they did get me thinking…
Goals? Where do I begin?
Redo/Regrets? Hindsight is 20 – 20.
Times I will never forget? Too many…all that bring a smile or tears

Something I am proud of? This was probably the 2nd most difficult question to answer (behind the redo/regrets question), because I don’t really think of myself as being special. I just live life the best I can. So the answer came out as this:
“I am proud to be a working mom, who does her best to balance her family and job.”
Oh – and I also added “I am proud to have such wonderfully close friends and family, who I know would be here in a heartbeat if I needed anything.”

So what about you? How would you answer these questions?

And yes, I realize I was way over-thinking these questions, but hopefully it makes you think a little too 

Have a great day!
Jean Anne