My Experience With My Daughter’s First Job Interview

Do you remember your first job interview? Well my daughter Chloe will. Yesterday, I took Chloe to her first  "real" job interview. Proud and anxious, I tried not to "try so hard" (as I'm often told I have a tendency to do.) So, I played cool and laid back (me laid back - that's a joke.)

Chloe's interview was at the local mall. She went to her interview, while I waited and prayed, at the Chick -fil-A, sipping on an unsweetened iced tea with lemon.

About 10 minutes into the interview, I noticed Chloe and a young man walking toward me. I stayed cool until they both smiled at me, and I hid my face and said "oh I'm not here, you didn't see me, okay?" Really Amy, really? The young man answered me as they walked past me to a table in the back, "oh, that's okay, it's just easier for us to talk here, rather than in the store.

Wow - I felt the "cool-laid back" attitude I was trying so hard to emote, just fly out the window! Now, if you have a teenager - you know how that little incident might negatively effect them, and not in a good way, that's for sure.

So I sat there, not looking behind me, for what seemed like days. Than they both approached my table and the young man sticks out his hand and says, "well it's nice to meet you. Chloe told me who you were." We chatted for a minute and he said "the interview went well, and the manager will be calling soon." Evidently the young man was the Assistant Manager.

So, Chloe had to take off for an event she was late for, and there I was, by myself at the Chick-fil-A. The story of my life. I got home and waited til she returned so I could get all the details about the interview.

Finally at 9:00, Chloe gets home and you will never guess what she told me. Here are her exact words, "Mom, did you not see me giving you the don't act like you know me look?" I shook my head no. "He didn't know who you were." So, I made a fool of myself to this kid who obviously was just smiling at me to be polite - great. So much for "cool."

I knew I shouldn't have asked this next question, but I couldn't help myself. I asked Chloe what he said when they sat down to interview. The young man said, "wow, that was strange." Strange? Really? She informed him that I was her mother and I was here for support. And do you know what that sweet young man said? "Don't worry, my mother came to my first interview too." Maybe I didn't make things as bad as I thought.

The moral of the story is - when you are a mother, there is no getting around embarrassing your teen. Just know it will happen, take the heat, and move on. Because one day, when your child has children, they will remember.

I would love to hear your stories about you and your teenager, just so I know that I'm not alone. HA! Keep your fingers crossed that Chloe gets the job, and that I survive being a parent of a teenager.