So, I’m still here.

A couple of weeks ago, I thought my job search might be coming to an end, at long last. I applied for a job in the field with a big company that I initially wasn’t that crazy about. They called me back the next day after I submitted my application. The next day! The recruiter gave me a short phone screen and wanted to schedule me to interview with the hiring manager that same day. The same day! This is unheard of. I pushed it back to the next day so I could have more time to prepare. Fast forward a week. Within five days I’d had three interviews with the company (not including the recruiter phone screen). The last interview was with a director. They all loved my advanced education and experience and were selling me on the job. They made me feel as though I were the only candidate.  The recruiter was very attentive and called me after the last interview to ask about background checks and salary, etc.  He told me that the hiring team was very excited, and that  I would hear back in a couple of days. I was ecstatic. I was sure I had the job. By this point, I really wanted the job. It also didn’t hurt to find out that they pay well and have crazy benefits. I told my family and my roommate that I was expecting a job offer any day now. I kept the phone attached to me. I started researching where i was going to live in the new city, etc.

Over a week and a half has passed how. The very communicative recruiter has gone silent. As the days pass, I’m left wondering what happened. I’m feeling strung along and think that I was the backup candidate for the job. Either that or they found something in the background/reference check that they didn’t like. Instead of just telling you the decision, they leave your hope to die a little more with each passing day. I should have known that it was too good to be true.  They say to not let yourself get emotionally invested in a job, but it’s easier said than done.

I’m going to call the recruiter tomorrow when I get back home from my morning appointment. He has shown himself to be super responsive when the company was into me, it seems. If he doesn’t answer or call me back within 24 hours, I will have my final answer. This is so hard to deal with. I don’t have any other interviews going on right now except for one place I applied to a couple of days ago. This other job is with a company I’ve never heard of. The scope of the job isn’t the best fit for me, and the pay won’t be as good, but I’m getting desperate. I have to soldier on.

I only have two months left of unemployment. I thought I would be employed by now. Reality is setting in.

So far I’ve been limiting my search to one large city with occasional applications to jobs in two other large cities. I will have to consider eliminating my geographic preferences. Iowa City, here I come!  (Again, no offense to anyone from or living in Iowa 🙂  I just know I won’t last long (mental-health wise) if I have to live/work in a small city/town. I’m depressed enough as it is.  Over the next few weeks I will put a plan into place for the scenario that I don’t get a job before my unemployment benefits run out. I will gather applications for teaching English abroad. (Thanks Sparksaninterest.)  I will also look into the criteria for filing bankruptcy. I know it won’t touch my student loans, but it could reduce/erase this 25k of credit card debt.
That’s all for now. I’ll let you know if I hear anything from the recruiter.

I’m down, but not out.

.

“Debtor’s prison is real, and opportunity cost is a bitch.” (DDSW)