Alright so last Tuesday I was stressing big time about a job interview. Like really freaking out. I had this third round thing coming up for a marketing role I actually really wanted, and my brain just wouldn’t shut up. “Did I mess up the last interview?” “Did they like me?” “Is there even a point?” Ugh. Total mind melt.
Digging Out My Old Cards
Right, so I remembered I had this dusty Rider-Waite deck shoved in the back of my nightstand drawer from like, forever ago. Honestly, I hadn’t touched them in months. Life got busy, you know? But that night, the nerves were too much. I figured, what the heck, maybe shuffling some cards would chill me out if nothing else. Grabbed ’em, wiped the dust off the box – seriously, it was gross – and plonked myself down at the kitchen table.
Now, I know just enough about tarot to be dangerous. Not an expert, not even close. More like a curious dabbler. I recalled seeing something online about a specific spread for job interviews. Took some frantic googling on my phone, squinting at tiny screenshots, but I finally found it: the “Will I Get the Job?” spread. Simple, only four positions. Perfect for a stressed-out beginner like me.
Setting Up & Shuffling Like Crazy
Cleared some space on the table, pushed aside the mail and a coffee mug. Lit a candle just for vibes – my cheap vanilla one from the grocery store. Took a few deep breaths, trying not to think about interview questions. Focused on my burning question: “Will I get this job?”. Held the deck, shuffled the cards. And shuffled some more. Honestly, I probably shuffled for like five minutes straight. Nerves made me fumble a bunch, cards kept slipping. It felt messy, not smooth at all.
Eventually, I kinda slapped the deck down. Felt right, or at least, felt like I needed to stop shuffling before I gave up. I pictured the four positions in a little row on the table in front of me:
- Position 1: How qualified am I REALLY for this role? (My self-doubt was screaming)
- Position 2: What does the company/my potential boss think of me?
- Position 3: What are the chances I actually get the job offer?
- Position 4: What’s my best move now? What should I focus on?
Okay, cool. Simple enough. No crazy patterns. Just four cards laid out in a straight line. Took another shaky breath and started turning them over, left to right.
The Cards Hit the Table
Card 1 (My Qualifications): Nine of Pentacles. Showed this lady looking super chill in her garden with a bird. My first thought? “Huh, independent? Self-sufficient?” Didn’t scream “expert” but more like, I got my stuff together. Maybe I was qualified enough? Quieted the doubt a tiny bit.
Card 2 (Their View of Me): The Empress. Fancy lady on a throne surrounded by nature. My immediate reaction was “Whoa, abundance, nurturing… creativity?” Hopeful! Maybe they saw potential? Definitely nicer than the rejection vibe I was scared of.
Card 3 (Chances of Offer): Wheel of Fortune. Big wheel in the sky. Fate! Change! Luck! Honestly, this freaked me out a little. It felt like “it could go either way, dude.” Not a definite yes, but definitely not a no. A big ol’ “maybe” floating in the cosmos. Annoying but true?
Card 4 (Best Move): Knight of Swords. Charging knight with a sword. Looked intense. I took this as “Stop freaking out and maybe actually DO something productive.” Like maybe prepare more, follow up professionally? Not just sit around worrying.
Making Sense of the Chaos
Honestly, sitting there looking at these cards, I felt less anxious but way more confused. The Empress felt great, the Wheel felt wild, the Knight felt pushy. The Nine was comforting. How did it all fit together? I just kinda stared, sipping cold coffee.
Here’s what my stressed brain cobbled together:
Maybe I am qualified, I just don’t believe it (Nine of Pentacles).
Hopefully they actually like me (Empress).
But honestly, it might just come down to luck or stuff outside my control (Wheel).
My job is to stop stressing and take some damn action, even small steps (Knight of Swords).
So, the next day? I sent one polite, short thank-you email about the last interview. And then I practiced answering one common interview question out loud. Baby steps, like the knight (maybe) suggested. The reading didn’t predict the future, but it calmed the panic and nudged me to focus on what I could do. That alone felt worth the dusty deck rescue.