That sounds great, my fingers and toes will be cross for you. your gonna do great.

Thanks guys!

I can't even begin to describe how excited, and how terrified I am about it all. It's HUGE step up for me career wise, and would allow me to be independent so quickly (it works out to more than $600 a WEEK in pay), and the idea of being able to finish my degree brings me (Still) to tears.

Today mom surprised me, and presented me with a SUIT! I'm almost 26 and I've never owned a suit before. Granted, it was the last one, on sale at Walmart, but for a girl who didn't think she'd be able to spend ANY money on a suit for the interview, getting one as a gift was pretty huge!

I made a new necklace to go with it (with a beautiful cross pendant that mom bought for me yesterday!), and am rotating between being totally excited, and totally terrified!

I want this job so badly it almost hurts to think about it... and more than that I need it, I'm ready for it I think.

I agree with Chels, you'll do great.  Just remember to breathe. 

Ok :deep breath:

So I went into this group interview. There were originally 24 people, but 2 left after things got rolling. They started by telling us about themselves (the interviewers), and about University of Phoenix, then told about the job itself and what it entailed etc. etc... and what they were looking for in candidates. Then we each had to get up and talk about ourselves and why we'd be good for the position. We had 45sec to a minute.

So probably half the room spoke before I did and it was all the same,

"My name is X, and I work for company Y, and I make $xx,xxx a year, and I'm the leading salesperson and have had top sales for z # of years. I have my first and second BA from such and such a school, and I'd love to be able to finish my masters etc. etc."

Almost a whole roomful of that and I felt screwed. I was the only one in the room without a degree, and I was the only one with NO relevant experience.

So I did what I do best: I was honest.

"Hi, My name is Sarah (insert real last name here), and I'm your target demographic."

Everybody laughed, but I continued, "I'm serious. I had to leave school for financial reasons and even now I can't afford to go back. I won't lie, the thing that most attracted me to this position was the idea of being able to finish my college degree, which is something that actually brings me to tears to think about. I'm a native Texan, but I've spent most of my life in Southern California... and I've lived and worked in a wide variety of socio-economic situations. I attended a private Catholic all-girl's high school in the middle of Southern California, and a few years later I worked at a very small aquarium in hicksville Oregon. I can talk to anyone. I can sit face to face with someone, or on the phone, and make a connection with them, no matter what. I've spent the last seven years working retail, and I've always been quickly promoted at my jobs. My coworkers love me, and I'm always the preferred cashier. I love people, and I'm good with people.

I'd love to give you my pat life-success story, but I can't. I'm still writing my success story, and this is part of it."

Then my minute was up and I sat down. And the rest of the room reverted to the previous formula.

So they get through and the interviewers leave the room for about 5 minutes and we all took potty breaks and whatever. So they come back in and put up a slide with some information on it.

And they say this is your homework... go home and call this number and leave a message for Andy (fake last name here). Pretend you're an enrollment counselor and he's interested in University of Phoenix.

Well I'm looking at the slide and all over the slide it says "She" and "Her" etc... and the interviewers keep saying, "He" and "Him" and I finally raise my hand and say, "Is Andy male or female, because your slide says She but you all keep saying he"

And the gal laughs and says, "Oh we leave that up there to see who will notice. You win the prize,"

And without missing a beat (I'm actually rather proud of my guts at this moment) I say, "Is the prize a job? Because I'll take it."

And they all laugh and we move on and then it was over.

So I get downstairs and Aunt Kris asked how it went and I was feeling kind of discouraged and I said, eh it went ok, but that I wasn't going to get excited about it.

So we're waiting for our dinner to be delivered and I get a call from my employment counsellor at Appleone. She asked how it went and I said, "it was fine... but I was the one with no degree and no experience so I'm not really sure what to think," and she said it must have gone well because I have second interview TOMORROW, and if that goes well then I start on Monday.

And I flipped out. First I went totally dead silent and she says, "Are you still there?"

And then I started crying and stuttering. And Kimberly (my employment counsellor) says, "Are you happy do I hear joy?" And I stuttered, "I'm not at Joy yet Kimberly, I'm still at SHOCK."

So yeah... unless I accidentally set the building on fire or something tomorrow, I start work at U.P. on Monday. heh. Talk about fast!

I'm still in shock... haven't fully processed... but plan to be flat out thrilled by the end of the weekend. lol.

OMG! OMG! OMG, Sarie!  That is so awesome!  Congrats!!!!  I knew you could do it!