Week in Review 3.20.11 - 3.27.11

Finished the week with 5 apps in (well, technically 4, that 5th one is a tricky situation) and got a jump start on the upcoming week by tossing in an additional 4 yesterday.  Still waiting to hear back on a prospect I applied for back at the beginning of the month, and that would be the tricky 5th app of last week.

I had applied for a workflow administrator position with a local company dealing with the property and casualty market, got a screening call within 2 days of applying and was asked to come in the following Monday for a face-face interview.  As rare as it is to get an interview, it's hard not to get excited when one is requested.  I always find myself wondering, "is THIS the one??".  Just so happens that the day the interview is scheduled is like one of the many winter weather days we've had this year and the roads were atrocious.  No big deal, it's not like I don't know how to drive.  What happened next caught me by surprise - the HR person called and left me a voicemail 2 hours before my interview to state that she was very ill (and the roads were terrible, hoping to to catch me before I left) and would be leaving for the day and would like to keep our originally scheduled time the following day.  If anything should change, she would contact me and set something up, or if that didn't work out for me I was to leave her a message either that day or the following day and we would work it out.  No problem, right?

So I called the next morning anyway, I was GOING that day at the predetermined time regardless.  I'm not in a position to turn down interviews.  I stated that I would be there at 2pm, unless I hear from her otherwise, hoped that she was feeling better and thanked her for contacting me prior to leaving for the interview.  I arrived, early as usual, and was greeted with, "I'm so sorry, Jo-Ann* is out sick today".  Um, ok, now what?  The sweet receptionist offered to have me meet with the hiring manager, since I had driven all the way out there it would be a shame not to meet with someone.  I was thrilled, it's one thing to interview with someone in HR, but the person I would be reporting to?  Even better.  It was a great interview.  I found out more about what it is I would actually be doing (vs. some canned job description), and we really seemed to hit it off.  The Manager was worried, she usually sits in on interviews, not drive them, and felt like a fish out of water without Jo-Ann there.  I assured her that I thought she did well, she asked me questions of importance to her and to the role she supervises.  And then, well, she said something that I have never heard in an interview before..."I thought that went well".  WOW.  In hindsight, I don't know if that was in response to my interview, or her performance in the interview, but either way, it was strange.

The following day I got a call from one of my references, who happens to be a close friend and someone that I have worked with for many years in many different positions, to say that Jo-Ann had called her.  It seems they know each other and Jo-Ann was surprised to see her name on my references.  So my dear friend gives me a glowing reference, and I'm ready to start doing back flips.  In over a year, not once has one of my references been called.

Fast forward 2 weeks.  I have not heard anything, and decide to follow up with Jo-Ann for a status.  I thought it was rather strange that she hadn't contacted me to come in and interview with her, especially since she canceled our first meeting and basically didn't show up to the "rescheduled" one.  I was greeted with a hurried "hello" and told that she is in the process of hiring for 3 positions and has been busy...will call at the end of the week with an update.  End of the week comes around, no phone call.  By mid week of the following week, 3 weeks after going in for an interview (that I got stood up for), I see the position reposted, under a different title and with an extended application deadline.  I'm beside myself at this point...here comes Shirley.  So I did what any desperate job seeker would do...I crafted a wonderful email, thanking her for the phone screening, meeting with the Manager, taking the time to speak with me when I called for an update and expressed my interest in meeting with her.  I used applicable dates to emphasize the length of time this has been dragging on (and stress the fact that I have had nearly zero interaction with her), but remained sweet as honey.  I don't need to be shooting myself in the foot here.  I reattached my resume and references, asking to be considered for the "new" position.  At the end, I requested that if it had been predetermined that I am no longer a candidate, that I would be most grateful if she could contact me either via phone or email (which I provided) and confirm the status of my application.  That was last Wednesday.  No response....enter crickets.

So yes, I cheated and included this one in my list of "applied for" this week.  To the DOL, it counts, and buys me another week of UI, honestly.  I do know of certain people, a D.I.N.K to be exact, who has been collecting every week for over a year, holding out for "management" positions, a la Cousin Eddy in the "Vacation" movies.  While he rides his wife's coattails and benefits, he sits at home, every day, playing PS.3, high as a kite, and not looking for work. 

And I feel guilty filing every week...


*Yeah, that's not her real name.