Sometimes you have to change it up a bit.

I love to sit and observe the world. No surprise there. However, if you don’t catch my attention within the first 5 seconds, then I’m already focused on something else much more entertaining.

If I don’t feel like entertaining myself with my toys, it’s up to Mom to give me some attention. In fact, I’m laying on her laptop right now as she’s typing my story. I hope she hurries up so I can get a belly rub or a game of catch.

A few years ago, Mom was looking for a new job. She spent the entire summer going on interviews, working on her resume, and attending networking events to get the job that she wanted.

I must’ve seen that interview suit 3 million times. She also spent several days taking interviews over the phone. I get that she was ready for a change. But…

If I had to suffer through one more of her phone interviews sitting quietly in her bedroom with the door closed, I was going to lose it.

Every time she had a phone interview, I would sit in her bedroom with the door closed for what seemed like hours. It’s absolutely boring. There’s no toy created that can keep my attention when I want to be with Mom.

So, one day during one of Mom’s phone interviews, I decided to make my presence known. I barked, whined, and whimpered until she came into the room. Instead of trying to signal me to be quiet, she picked me up and carried me to the living room.

I spent the next 30 minutes in my Mom’s arms, while she answered some of the toughest interview questions I could ever have imagined. I listened quietly as she rocked me in her arms. She talked about her leadership skills, discussed work projects, and mentioned her love of concerts.

Funny thing. She was calmer than I’ve ever seen her during an interview. A few weeks later, we were celebrating her landing that job. It was also the first time I ever got to be with her during an interview. It just proves that…

The job interviewing process can get mundane, tiresome, and even stressful. It takes a great skill to be able to talk about your skills and attributes over and over again. It takes a lot of energy to constantly be “on” and show people that you’re right for the position. Anyone could get nervous.

That’s why the most important thing to do is to relax. Finding a way to relax in the situation can make it easier for your authentic self to shine through.

Now, I’m not saying that you have to hold a puppy while you’re doing a phone interview. However, findind a mechanism to relax before, during, and after the interview will help you think clearly, articulate your strengths, and showcase how valuable you’ll be to any organization.

These Cranberry Oatmeal Muffin Pupcakes are dedicated to switching things up a bit to let your authentic self shine through.

And of course, we believe that every pupcake has a love story. So, while your favorite pup is PUPPY LOVIN’ on these pupcakes, we’d love to hear from you.

What fun and creative things do you do in order to help you relax for a job interview or an important meeting?

Please share your pupcake story in the box below.

And, after you’ve tried this recipe please share it with us @pupcakesugar on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or all three. We’d love to see how they turned out for you.

Ingredients

Cranberry Oatmeal Muffin Pupcakes

• ½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ Cup Quaker Oats
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ⅓ Cup Plain Yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon Pure Honey
• 1 Egg
• ¼ Cup Cranberries

Instructions

Yields: 12 – 16 Mini Pupcakes

For Cranberry Oatmeal Muffin Pupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line 12 – 16 1.75-inch mini-muffin pan with paper bake cups and set aside.
2. In small bowl mix together flour, baking powder, dried Quaker oats. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl add olive oil, yogurt, honey, and egg. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes or until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients into the mixture and blend for approximately 2 minutes until well mixed.
5. Stir cranberries into mixture.
6. Fill each cupcake liner with 1 tablespoon of pupcake mix.
7. Bake pupcakes for 12 minutes. Pupcakes are done when you can stick a toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

Notes

• This recipe is for a fun treat ONLY. It should not replace your dog’s regular meals. Please consult with your vet on the best plan for your dog’s diet.