Those words sound like they shouldn’t even go together, right? Well, I did it anyways! Haha! (Hey, you can’t be successful if you don’t try, right?) At nearly six months pregnant, I tried to muster up the strength to look cute and professional AND hide my baby bump. Let’s break this up into stages, shall we?

Picking the Perfect Outfit

Being pregnant, I couldn’t really be picky. Sadly, my criteria was anything that fit, looked somewhat professional, and hid my baby bump. (I don’t even think “hide” is the right word. I really mean anything that made me look a little chubby in the midsection instead of pregnant.) Oh the struggle! Good thing my sister was there to help me! I couldn’t pull shirts over my head, pants were refusing to button up, and my button-ups were holding on for dear life to keep everything together. Not gonna lie—it was pretty depressing, BUT my sister and I found the perfect outfit and accessories, and I was ready to get my job! (Note: Yes, I wore a cardigan in 100-degree weather. So what? lol)

Knock ’em Dead

The interview was broken into two parts: a writing test and an oral presentation. I was doing great in the writing portion of the test, and then, it happened. My baby boy decided that he needed to practice his tae kwon do inside of me. I was in a room by myself, so that wasn’t the issue. The issue was calming this martial artist down before I had to give my presentation to nine strangers. So, I rubbed my stomach, hunched over a little and murmured, “Hey! Calm down in there! Just about an hour more and then we can both enjoy a burrito bowl from Chipotle.” (I figure starting the bribes at a young age is a great sign. Motherhood, here I come!) After a few more kicks, my little one got the hint. Mommy has something important she needs to do. And then I headed to the presentation room.

Do you Guys Notice the Bump?

Walking into the room was very intimidating. It was quiet, and nine people were waiting for me to blow them away. Do you guys notice the bump? Are you just assuming I have a little pudge? Answer me! Haha. Anyways, I gave my presentation, answered their interview questions, and left the panel holding my head up high. I’m sure somebody noticed, though. One of them actually just returned from maternity leave, so she could have spotted it. Either way, I got great feedback from one of the panelists. I was relieved when it was all over; and yes, I went straight to Chipotle after I was done. 🙂

Did Ya Get It?

Don’t you hate those days after the interview where you’re left to wait and agonize over a follow-up phone call? Me too. After three long business days, I received an email from one of the interviewers. (That’s never a good sign…) No, I didn’t get the job, but I wouldn’t change a thing about the process. I don’t know why I wasn’t chosen, so I won’t speculate; but I’m very glad that I still tried. That job wasn’t in God’s plan for my life, and that’s good enough for me! (Jeremiah 29:11) Besides, I have a baby on the way, and maybe having a full three months of maternity leave without worrying about being the office newbie/slacker is what I needed. On to the next!