Read Online La Brat by Ashe Barker - Free Book Online Page B

this, the Totally Five Star chain seemed intent on developing their employees’ skills.
    The final question delighted her. They intended to ask her to imagine herself five years in the future. Those had been the best years she could possibly hope for both professionally and personally. She was to look back and pick out for them the reasons why those years had been so good, what had gone well, what had she done to create such success? And what did she intend for the following five years?
    It was a clever way to ask the question, engaging candidates’ imaginations and flair as well as their professional skills. Eugenie knew she could craft an impressive response. She spent the next few minutes scribbling feverish notes on the reverse of the sheet and looked up in surprise when the door opened again.
    “We are ready for you now. Please come with me.” Madame Rougin stood in the doorway holding the door open for her.
    Eugenie put the cap back on her pen, picked up her notes and the sheet she’d brought with her outlining her presentation, then she followed Madame Rougin.
     
    * * * *
     
    The interview had gone well. Better than well—it had been a dream. Eugenie knew she’d done herself justice and could tell by the reactions of the panel that they were impressed. She was particularly encouraged by the quiet, friendly smile and occasional nods from the hotel’s medical officer, introduced as Fleur Mansouri. She seemed especially interested in Eugenie’s ideas for adding childcare and play facilities which would enable delegates to bring their families to events. The other member of the panel, Pierre Rivaux, was in charge of finance and admin, including human resources. He quizzed Eugenie carefully regarding her projected out-turn figures, and he was keen to explore her grasp of promotion and marketing. He seemed well satisfied with her responses.
    Madame Rougin concentrated on the development and strategy aspects of the interview, and was forensic in her questions on that final topic. Eugenie was glad of her notes and felt she gave a good account of herself. As the interview drew to a close, she asked a couple of questions of her own about the management structure and Totally Five Star’s policies on conservation and carbon emissions. Not her central area of concern, but these were important matters to her even so.
    “Thank you, Miss d’André. That concludes all our questions for you. Do you have anything else you’d like to mention before we finish?” Madame Rougin smiled across the interview table as she rearranged her notes into a neat pile.
    Eugenie had observed that the hotel manager had been writing a lot during her interview, and she took it to be a promising sign. “No, I think that’s everything I wanted to say. Do you know when you’ll be making your decision?”
    “Soon. Today, probably. We have another candidate to see and we met with three before you. We are hoping to be able to let the successful candidate know by tomorrow or the day after—subject to getting verbal references. Do we have a mobile phone number for you, Miss D’andré? Ah yes, here it is, on your application form.”
    Her smile remained pleasant, but Eugenie knew the interview was concluded and the panel had to move on now to the next and final candidate. She would not outstay her welcome by stretching out the time. She stood and held out her hand to Madame Rougin.
    “Thank you for inviting me here to meet you. This is a beautiful hotel. May I wish you every success, whatever your decision.”
    The hotel manager shook her hand, her smile unwavering. Eugenie took her leave of the other two panel members as the door opened at her back.
    Madame Rougin glanced toward the door. “Ah, thank you. Miss d’André, you did say you wanted to make a tour of the conference and business center facilities, did you not?”
    “Yes, I would appreciate that.”
    “You are honored. Our director of security is here to conduct you personally, it