[Chapter 920: The Morning Interview]
In the early morning in Atherton, the streets were alive with the chirping of birds nestled among the lush foliage along the road, yet there was still an overwhelming sense of tranquility.
Marissa Mayer parked her car by the roadside, double-checked the address, and stepped out.
She had woken up before five that morning, spending over an hour meticulously preparing for her breakfast meeting. Through her research, she learned that Eric Williams was a highly laid-back individual in many respects. Since he had called her to join him for breakfast, Marissa was convinced that she had likely already secured the job.
Her month of effort had finally paid off.
A month prior, when Marissa discovered that Eric Williams's assistant's office was hiring a new assistant, she immediately felt a spark of interest. Since high school, she had envisioned her future and had stubbornly chosen to study computer science instead of attending law school, which her parents deemed safer. Beyond her passion for technology, she observed the vast potential of the booming IT industry.
She hadn't originally planned to start working so early. Although she held a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Stanford University, she knew entering the workforce as a junior programmer was the only option available to her. Even with luck on her side, it would take her at least a decade or longer to climb the corporate ladder at any company.
But securing a position in Eric Williams's assistant office would change everything.
Two months earlier, she had seen on the Yahoo portal that Peter Rich, Eric Williams's former assistant, was now serving as the Vice President of Advertising Sales at FFM TV. Prior to that, another former assistant of Eric's, Allen Fisman, had become a Vice President at ABC Group.
From these examples, it was clear that as long as she got into Eric's assistant office and captured his attention, just a few years later, she could easily secure a mid-level management position within the Firefly Group's companies, with a promotion trajectory far quicker compared to others in management.
In comparison, even if she went on to earn a master's degree from Stanford and started as a higher-tier engineer, achieving equal standing would not be feasible within three to five years.
Thus, despite the job posting requiring a master's degree, Marissa decided to give it a shot. She meticulously prepared her resume and received handwritten recommendation letters from several esteemed professors at Stanford.
However, despite her confidence, she received a rejection call shortly after submitting her application, simply because her qualifications didn't meet the requirements.
She didn't let that discourage her. After putting in more effort, she connected with Peter Rich a week later through a professor at her school. As luck would have it, Peter was a protege of that professor, and under his recommendation, Peter agreed to submit her resume to Kelly Haynes, who managed the assistant office. Perhaps touched by her persistence, Kelly offered her an interview opportunity, and Marissa successfully made it to the final round of candidates.
Being the only undergraduate among the candidates, along with her insights into Eric's character, she was confident that she would capture his attention, and reality did not disappoint her.
The only thing making her hesitate was that Eric Williams was notoriously known as a playboy. Although she felt confident about her appearance, if he asked her out, she was unsure whether to accept, decline, or maybe tease him a bit.
"Maybe I'll deal with that when the time comes," she thought to herself.
...
With another glance at her outfit, Marissa opted for something not too formal since he invited her for breakfast. She wore a fitted camel wool sweater, white pants, and black stiletto heels, striking a balance between professionalism and femininity.
She looked up at the luxurious mansion before her with a hint of envy, mentally calculating what kind of position she would need to obtain to buy such a place one day.
With that thought, she pressed the doorbell, and a moment later, a petite girl emerged from a path within the sprawling estate and walked towards the front door.
The girl was as delicate as a doll, standing just over five feet tall, and wore a wool sweater and casual pants, though in different colors.
Marissa was relieved they weren't wearing matching outfits, but then felt slightly uncomfortable; this girl certainly looked no older than fourteen. Marissa wanted to avoid getting caught up in any of the rich families' less publicly discussed matters.
"Hello, Miss Mayer, Eric is already waiting for you," the girl said.
Caroline opened the door to let Marissa in, greeting her warmly. Noticing Marissa's awkward expression directly related to the girl's age, Caroline offered an introduction. "I'm Eric's assistant, Caroline Wilson."
Marissa's confusion did not dissipate; realizing her earlier faux pas, she quickly composed herself and shook Caroline's hand with a smile. "Hello, Miss Wilson."
"You can just call me Carly. Please follow me; breakfast will be ready soon. You can chat with Eric first," Caroline gestured for Marissa to follow her into the courtyard.
As they entered the villa, Caroline led Marissa to the entrance of the gym and called, "Eric, Miss Mayer has arrived."
Marissa saw a man on the treadmill wearing a tank top and shorts lightly wave at them before Caroline made a gesture for her to proceed. "Please go ahead, Miss Mayer."
Marissa placed her handbag on a table by the door and walked into the spacious gym, glancing back to see Caroline smiling and nodding at her before turning to leave.
...
Walking up to Eric, Marissa couldn't help but recall the impressive accomplishments of the man before her -- achievements many would aspire to throughout their lives. It made her feel a bit nervous, but she also reminded herself this was an interview, quickly preparing for the potential tricky questions he might throw her way.
Perhaps he would edge her to just stand there for ten minutes to test her patience.
With that thought in mind, Marissa straightened her posture, relaxed her expression, and smiled, attempting to exude confidence.
Eric was evidently not a strict interviewee. Upon noticing Marissa beside him, he nodded and pressed a few buttons on the treadmill, which gradually came to a stop.
Marissa watched as Eric stepped off the treadmill, slick with sweat, and naturally reached over to grab a towel from a rack nearby, extending it to him.
"Thank you."
As Eric accepted the towel, drying his forehead, he appraised the woman before him.
In Eric's previous mental picture, he hadn't had much information about Marissa other than knowing she was a Google executive and Yahoo's CEO. However, that was already impressive enough. In a world dominated by men, a woman managing a Fortune 500 company proved she possessed exceptional abilities to serve as his office assistant.
Having reviewed Marissa's resume the previous day, Eric learned a bit more; she appeared to be a "straight-A" student from a young age. Kelly had provided a glowing evaluation of Marissa during the interview process, highlighting her calm demeanor, persistence, analytical thinking, and communication skills. Eric also noted traits such as a strong need for control and aggression, which certainly were not to be considered flaws.
Wiping his sweat lightly, Eric draped the towel over his neck and nodded at Marissa, who was unabashedly looking at him. "You're beautiful."
Marissa had initially anticipated Eric's probing inquiries, but his unexpected compliment caught her off guard. Without hesitation, she smiled back, saying, "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Williams."
Though she said that, Marissa felt a pang of disappointment. Surely he wasn't hiring her solely for her looks?
That was hardly a good thing; she did not want to be labeled as merely an eye-candy like the petite girl earlier. She had no knowledge of Caroline's capabilities, though she had often been compared to a Barbie doll for her looks. There was no way such a doll-like girl could possess any work competence.
Yet, she resolutely decided that securing the job was paramount.
If it turned out that Eric Williams only valued her appearance and not her skills, she could always leave for another opportunity. Working in Eric Williams's assistant office would still be an impressive experience, ensuring she could land another good job without trouble.
After praising Marissa, Eric walked toward the gym exit, and she proactively followed him out.
Once in the living room, Eric told Marissa, "Sit tight for a moment. I need to take a shower."
Marissa nodded, watching as Eric ascended the stairs to the second floor. She approached the sofa and curiously examined the expansive villa.
...
As the chatter from the kitchen drifted toward her ears, she couldn't quite catch the words; she wasn't overly curious, merely mulling over Eric's earlier demeanor.
This guy, soon to be her boss, seemed easygoing, courteous, and not difficult to interact with. Although most people presented themselves similarly upon first acquaintances, she felt confident in discerning whether someone's behavior was genuine or merely a facade. Therefore, he should be quite manageable. However, his direct compliment had "playboy" written all over it. Still, she couldn't help but notice he had a fantastic physique.
Realizing she was overthinking, she quickly pushed those thoughts aside.
Caroline walked out from the kitchen, and Marissa stood up, gesturing toward the kitchen. "Carly, is there anything I can help with?"
"Thanks, but breakfast is already ready," Caroline glanced around and asked, "Where's Eric?"
Marissa pointed toward the stairs. "He's finishing his workout and headed to take a shower."
"Oh, then let's head to the dining room. I'll introduce you to Melanie; she's also one of Eric's assistants."
...
Having finished his shower and changed, Eric descended the stairs to find the three girls chatting animatedly at the dining table.
"What are you discussing?" he asked with a smile as he sat down at the table.
"Oh, nothing," said Caroline, who was closest to Eric, shaking her head. She and Melanie stood up, one heading to the kitchen to fetch breakfast while the other set today's newspaper in front of Eric.
Marissa was still surprised to learn that Caroline and Melanie were both graduates of Harvard Business School. Seeing them swiftly transform into servants, she promptly stood up and followed Melanie toward the kitchen to help with breakfast, noting Eric's gaze was fixed on the newspaper as he didn't speak.
Carrying a small basket of bread, Marissa emerged alongside Melanie. She observed how the two girls stood on either side of Eric, one pouring milk and the other serving eggs, displaying a "well-coordinated" teamwork, making her suddenly nervous about whether she would be expected to manage these trivial tasks in the future.
Even while considering this, she found herself unconsciously moving closer, grabbing a piece of bread to place on Eric's plate. "Mr. Williams, is one enough?"
As Eric flipped through the San Francisco Chronicle, he heard Marissa's question, looked up at them, and said, "You all sit down; I'll serve myself."
Melanie divided a portion of eggs onto Eric's plate, and upon sensing his remark, she couldn't help but roll her eyes internally at her "hypocritical boss." They had prepared everything, and now he would insist on serving himself? Very little sincerity! However, she didn't dare express these thoughts, especially noticing Caroline's satisfied expression while immersed in her tasks. It only deepened her disdain.
Having quickly skimmed through the San Francisco Chronicle without finding any noteworthy news, Eric set the paper aside, took a sip of milk, and looked towards Marissa. "I saw on your resume that you've been accepted into a graduate program focused on artificial intelligence?"
Since the atmosphere in the dining room felt relaxed apart from the earlier minor details, Marissa felt comfortable responding naturally with a nod. "Yes."
"Then just go ahead and complete it," Eric nodded back, noticing Marissa's disappointment at his initial statement and added with a smile, "I mean, while balancing this job, I hope you can also obtain your master's. Is there an issue with that?"
Most universities accepted part-time graduate students, and while Marissa wasn't overly familiar with Stanford's policies in that regard, she knew that having secured Eric's assistant position, she didn't hesitate to affirm, "Not an issue at all. But, Mr. Williams, do you think I need to continue with graduate studies? I believe I can already handle this upcoming job well."
*****
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