“I understand, please call me Connie. Mr. Dexter, Ms. Thomas, before we begin can I get you anything to drink?”
“I’d like coffee please and call me, Anne.”
“Coffee sounds good.” I agree, before sitting down on the loveseat beside Anne.
She presses a button on the phone and asks for coffee for three, and for the half and half I tell her Anne needs.
“All right, Anne, tell me a little about yourself. About your likes and dislikes any hobbies in general.”
“Well, I guess my main hobby is reading. I like all kinds of genres, including memoirs and history. Because I didn’t have a traditional education, I like learning through reading. I like to travel and take pictures. I’m really enjoying taking pictures right now.”
A young woman brings in coffee with a shy smile. Anne makes me a cup of coffee the way I like it. I sit back, content to listen to Anne’s voice, which I always find soothing.
“What was it about accounting that you didn’t enjoy? Was there something about the company, expectations, or anything not having to do with the work itself you didn’t like?”
Anne tilts her head as she considers the question. I enjoy looking at her profile as she does. “It’s kind of weird, I did like the routine at first, the—I don’t know security of knowing what to expect every day. Then, as time went on, I was bored rigid. I also hated how careful, and focused to detail you had to be for every single number entered. There were days I would blink and feel immense stress over making sure everything was perfect.
“The workplace itself was boring all the time. All these men who treated the women there as if they were the help. Men ran the meetings, even if the person in charge was supposed to be the lone woman in an executive position, I hated it. At first, it was nice to have a place to go every day, and my own desk, but after a while the monotony was depressing. I’m not a morning person and usually the first few hours of the day were just spent waking up enough to focus.”
“Is there anything you have already considered as a second career?”
“Grant has suggested photography, but I don’t know how feasible it is to make a living as a photographer. I’m just taking pictures with a camera I didn’t even buy. I just found it and liked it and it’s fun.”
“It sounds like it’s important your career makes you a comfortable living.”
Anne nods slowly, “Yes, it is. That’s why I’m here. I want to pick the right thing. A career I can be happy with long term.”
“Before we tour the campus I’d like you to take a test I think might help me in getting a clear picture of you. It’s a condensed version of the Myers-Briggs test, a very popular personality test given by many large companies. You might even have taken it before, have you?”
“Not that I’m aware of. I didn’t think I would have to take tests this soon.” Her hands are clenched, she’s nervous. I take her hand in mine and give her a reassuring squeeze.
“Anne, please don’t think of it as a test. It’s simply to gauge your strengths and weaknesses to better help you pick the career you’ll want to be in long term. It won’t take long, why don’t I show Mr. Dexter around our office while you take them.”
I take the clipboard from Connie and look over the papers. I recognize the Myers-Briggs. “Sweetheart, this are perfectly normal. It won’t take long, I’ll stay.”
She takes the clipboard, her eyes are dove grey again with my reassurance. “It’s okay, I’ll be able to focus better if you aren’t staring.”
The way she lowers her voice when she says staring, has me laughing. I drop a kiss on her temple on my way out. She was right, I had my eyes on Anne’s breasts. It was her fault for wearing a pink blouse with a deep cleavage that against her pale skin, showed her round breasts to perfection. Following Connie out of the room I shake my head, to try focusing on what Connie is saying.
“Mr. Dexter, I will admit I’m confused. I was told before your visit Ms. Thomas is going to be attending in the fall, yet only moments ago you stated she is simply looking at options. Is she not interested in attending our university?”
“Anne doesn’t know what she wants to do, but if she needs to continue to her education to do it, I’m going to make sure she does it here. Whether it’s making sure she understands how much better Northwestern is over another school or funding whatever the university needs to ensure she’s admitted for the fall.”
“I have reviewed the transcript for Ms. Thomas you sent earlier today from her online degree. I’m sure you saw her GPA was excellent at 3.80 and almost all of the credits will transfer. Of course we will need to have them resent directly from their registrar’s office to ours, but it’s merely a formality. We will be happy to have her here at Northwestern. During our tour of the campus you can see where your money will be going, and choose where you believe it will best be spent.”
Glad to have her reassurance, I ask about Anne. “From what you’ve gathered, where do you see Anne fitting in best in the way of a potential career? You knew before you handed her the Meyers-Briggs.”
She nods. “I’ve been doing this long enough and it helps she is open and honest. She is a humanities student, with a creative personality who needs to feel appreciated for her work. Yet, she feels the need for structure, order, and a safe environment. Safe as in stability of the company and salary.
“I think she would be happiest in a career completely creative. As a long time reader she has the makings of a writer, however she has a passion for photography which was clear even as she tried to downplay it. I would suggest a career in photography.
“However, her personality is one where she could be happy with letting photography remain a hobby and teaching full time for the security it would bring. I am not recommending she teach at anything below a university level though. Anne would become frustrated and unfulfilled in an elementary or even secondary school environment.
“She would make a wonderful history or English professor. Although that career would take some time to develop, a PhD would be necessary, there would also be the issue that she will have to go where the job takes her. An open position for a professor doesn’t come along every year.
“Anne would likely find a position in a small town before finding and actually winning a position at a school here in Chicago, for instance. She would also find comfort in the serenity of a campus.”
Everything she says sounds right, describes the woman I know. It’s also the last thing I want to hear. Anne hiding away behind manicured lawns and ivy covered buildings sounded very much like something Anne would find appealing.