RAC: The Cutie Pie Company in These Foolish Things

This is the first in what may be a series of rating in-person interviews as I go through this process of trying to find my next JOB. I’m using the same format as our beloved RAD (Rate-a-Date) and calling it RAC (Rate-a-Company), for lack of a more clever name. Interviewing with companies is SO similar to online/app dating. It’s shockingly close! Here is my first RAC.

Name: The Cutie Pie Company (like RADs, I’m not using their real name)

Introduction Platform: I’d found the job posting on LinkedIn

Age: The company was started in 2013 by a young, freshly graduated woman. It has since taken off with cute products at many of the retailers you know and likely shop.

Company Status: Growing at break-neck speed. There’s not a lot of time for strategy and it shows, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing - it’s that they are so busy cranking out work that they need help! More hands on deck!

The Position: Product Development Sr. Manager to help build out the business and all of the products - the products are fun, happy, cheerful and cute. You can’t help but smile.

Location: In a super cool city that’s a little over a 3-hour drive from where I live. I dread the thought of moving, but it might just be in the cards for me. Plus, it could be the best move that ever happened to me.

Length of Interview: Was scheduled for noon - 2pm. I ended up talking with an additional person, and it turned out to be about 2 hours and 45 minutes. Not bad.

We Did: I arrived at the office a few minutes early and I was quickly escorted into a conference room with windows on all four sides of the room. I was interviewed in rapid succession - conversation summary below in “Convo” section. My dad asked me an interesting question last night when we were talking about it - because it was a noon meeting, did they buy me lunch? Every company I’ve ever interviewed with over the noontime has gotten me lunch, and this place didn’t. I mean, they offered me water and/or coffee, but not lunch. And that’s actually good because it’s super hard to eat and be interviewed, but still… hm.

The Office Looked: Small and in a really cool old building. The actual office looks like a small boutique agency with communal tables/desks - all open and then a glass windowed conference room. Cool thing was, there was a dog sleeping in a dog bed in the corner and everyone looked up from their work and waved hello. Cheerful and pretty office.

I Looked: Hopefully cheerful and pretty after a 3-hour drive and a stop at Starbucks to gather my wits. I wore a puff-sleeve woven shirt with a confetti-like stripe pattern on it (to hopefully match the vibe of the company), a straight khaki skirt and wedge sandals. Didn’t love my hair, but I’m still in a weird state of trying to get the chemo out of every part of my body. I should have gotten a haircut, but waited until it was too late. I should have worn a knit dress or something that doesn’t wrinkle because of the 3+ hour drive, but again, oh well. The dress code in the office is casual and I saw a lot of denim and cute tops and sandals and such.

Convo: I met 4 people in person and one person via phone in their conference room (by the way, no masks were worn, nor was the pandemic discussed at all…guess we are all done with it until the next wave?) - President, Director of Operations, Director of PD, Director of Design, PD Manager. Each talk was quite laid back, though the Director of PD had some canned questions that I should have been prepared to answer, but stumbled a little bit on the question about what people would say about my work style (WHY?! Oh well). The rest of the conversations went smoothly, for the most part. The PD Manager even asked about how to handle multiple tasks, so I can see what they are trying to get at. There’s just an overwhelming amount of work. This could be good or it could be cray-cray. The company feels very much like a start-up and super, super scrappy. Oh! And as for the project I had to do for them, I was asked about it at the very beginning of the interviews by the President and the Operations person. I told them my process and reasonings and they said that we were aligned in our thinking and that was really all that was said about it. I don’t know if the presentation went to anyone else.

High Point: Having a really good vibe about the people and the opportunity. I felt a good connection with the president, though I’m not sure that I’d be reporting to him??

Low Point: Feeling like I might have bungled a couple of questions, but not sure?? That’s how interviews seem to go for me - even if I ace them, I’m not 100% sure…

How It Ended: My time had gone way over (nearly 45 minutes), but I was glad I got to meet everyone (except for the owner, who was out of town doing business somewhere). I gathered all my things - was taking notes on my ipad and had a big Corkcicle bottle with me that needed to be refilled for my long drive home. The pres came and got me and we said goodbye to everyone in the office and then he took me downstairs in their building to show me where the filtered water was so I could refill my water bottle. And we then said goodbye and shook hands and went our separate ways.

Chances Are: I feel pretty strongly that we will at least take things to the next step. I’m nervous about the prospect of negotiating and I’m also nervous about the thought of moving, but I’ll keep taking steps towards a great outcome! Let this be a VERY good outcome!

Company Rating: B. No company is perfect, but this one seems better than a lot. How to make this situation an A? Is it all in my attitude? It’s just a lot to consider and I need to chill until we get to the next step.

Ready for next step? I don’t know. It sure is nice not working right now.

But yes, there will need to be next steps somewhere in the coming weeks!