The Meet & Greet - #5

DEAR CHANEL:

Being in a new city creates opportunities for new interactions, right now I want to talk about the interview process. It’s like going on a date but without the benefits of a hot meal and the tension of the goodnight kiss… but all the same anxiety and fear of judgment.

So I had an interview today with two young women, who are in the beginning stages of starting up a small prodco. They’re looking for a director – the first job that actually requires me to use my degree and is (at least I feel) a worthy job title for what I’m looking to actually do in this business.

The interview was easy, light and fun… which usually is how my interviews go. I (albeit cockily) firmly believe that if I can score an interview I’m pretty much a lock OR a solid candidate in the running. Whether it’s a cold interview or one I prep for, depending on how much I care really – I’m usually on point. A good friend of mine told me I just know what to say and I say it well… which hopefully is a good thing?

Overall I’m excited about this new prospect and a few days short of a full month of being into town it’s nice to have something like this come up. Of course there’s no pay… yet. But the creative opportunity is HUGE and making friends and building a really cool working relationship with some actors and artists in my age and professional range is really exciting. Let’s put it this way… the interview went so well that I didn’t mind the 50 minute, 12 mile drive home in the middle of rush hour at 5pm on the 101 freeway, northbound…. Which if you know me, and you do – I HATE traveling in traffic. LA Traffic needs it’s own letter, which may come in the near future should I feel up for the challenge of giving the post the attention it deserves – or am mad enough. Let’s leave it at this, I just imagine that everyone has the legal permission to purchase and consume medical marijuana and are all driving under the influence… when I look at it like that: the delayed break pedal reactions, inability to merge, slow speed and sheer unawareness that there is, yes in fact, an entire world of people outside of them in their fancy German sports car ALSO sharing the road and attempting to get home in one piece in a timely manner, all make sense and in fact I’m actually more lenient of the drivers when I just imagine them all stupid high (legally of course). Being in the thick of this gridlock made me feel like part of the working machine of the town, like I was becoming a part of something bigger in town where loneliness rivals the solitude that NYC creates.

I should know next week what the deal is… which is just like sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring after an amazing date, isn’t it?

Anxious and hopeful

--Row

_________________________________________________________________________________

DEAR ROW:

We are absolutely total opposites when it comes to interviewing. I would expect nothing less than for you to nail every interview you go on. I imagine you high-fiving your future employer as you walk out; they go that superbly. You, my sister-in-the-FWP-struggle, have the marvelous gift of gab, and the talent to back your loquacity up.

Seriously. When you were in Los Angeles interning last spring, how many internships did you have? In a three month span? It’s not will you get the internship, it’s when will you get it? And that’s normally on Los Angeles time.

I, however, can never shake the awkwardness off of my being. I stumble over my words. I talk in circles. I forget the strength of my vocabulary. I pretty much talk like a six-year old. BUT a sincere six-year old. It feels more like a pedophilic dating process, than like an adult one. Which is all kinds of wrong.

I hope you’re not waiting by the phone or computer. I know that’s the inevitable after a first interview or date. But as soon as you take your mind off of it, move on to another activity (whatever that activity may be), that’s when you get the call, or the email.

You already know this. Good things deserve some repeating.

TWO SNAPS for when you do get that call.

Write me back,
Chanel
your sister-in-the-FWP-struggle