My first dress up interview was with a major delivery service. I was 20 years old, in college and desperately needed a good paying job. I wasn't a trust fund kid; my parents did not support me financially when I went to school. Tuition was creatively scraped together each semester. I was also tired of working in retail. I thought I would try something new. I could load and sort boxes as good as any of my male friends who were working in the delivery industry. I knew I could get used to making better than minimum wage; why not try?
I called the manager at the local facility and made an appointment to sell my skills in person. He agreed to see me. I was excited; I could see a light at the end of my financial tunnel. On the day of the interview I got dressed up, put my limited resume together and headed over to meet the manager.
What an interview. Talk about life changing on a dime and perceptions being knocked off kilter. He began the interview by asking me why I thought I was qualified to sort boxes and read zip codes. How hard could that be? I made my case to the manager but was floored by his next question. "Do you cry easily?" he asked me. What? Do I cry easily? What does he mean by that? I couldn't believe my ears. I asked him why my emotional state was relevant to the job I was applying for. I will always remember his response..."because you will be working with men and they might try to make you cry."
I didn't get the job. My emotions ran from furious to pissed and then back to furious. Years later I realized that even though I did not get the job I had received something much more valuable. My eyes were opened.
When were your eyes first opened?