It’s one of those moments you freeze in amazement and a trench of fear creeps down your throat, almost chocking you out.
The memories of the two of you suddenly resuscitate and you feel a sense of guilt. The only thing making rounds in your head at that particular moment is the query, “what the heck is he/she doing here?”.
Gentlemen, do you recall this? It was your second year in campus and all your spark was way up. Your priorities were: securing a strong GPA, flirting with cute girls and maintaining a glistening reputation (not necessarily in that order).
Then you came across Anne, a stunningly gorgeous lady. You dated for a while but because you couldn’t keep up with her “high maintenance lifestyle”, you dumped her.
Her name is Lisa – a strangely short skinny lady with no fashion appetite. She put on one cheap wig the entire year because that was all she could afford.
She always sat close to you in class, silently admiring your swag but you didn’t bother. On several occasions, she asked to join your discussion group but you brushed her off.
“Hii group ni ya madem wameiva pekee,” there you went. Years later, the two of you meet in a big corporation for an interview, and shockingly, she’s the interviewer! How do you go about it?
Don't panic. It's common to run into former intimate friends at work. But what stands out most crucial is how you react to that rendezvous.
Here is how you handle such a situation:
Remain calm, don't panic
You went there for an interview and that should be your focus. Try as much as possible to shut down those past campus memories. Behave organically as if you've never met her. This will straighten your judgment.
Never go into past personal detail
"So, tell us about yourself," It's a common interview question which you should limit its response to work and work only. You don't want to awaken bad memories.
Remain humble
This could go past the interview. You may have nailed the job but bragging about how good your life is at the moment right in her face is the worst part of staying modest.