So these past two weeks have very much surprised me. Two weeks ago I was preparing for unemployment. I had pretty much given up hope. But within a span of one week I found a job within my company causing my HR department to revoke my scheduled unemployment preserving things like pension, 401K contributions, healthcare, vacations, and salary accumulated over 21 years. I mean I was settled to lose all of this, but I don’t have to any more, because I beat the end of May deadline and I GOT A JOB!!
I swear I could have written a book on the events and emotions that happened these past two to three weeks. But I can’t, at least right now, because I’m just too emotionally spent. So I’ll summarize on the key events.
About two weeks ago I got so many rejections from jobs I had applied for, that at one point I really started to question if I knew anything about computers. I mean I graduated with an M.S. in Electrical Engineering with super great grades from a highly regarded University, was a big time computer geek starting from junior high school, pioneered all kinds of computer related stuff over the past 20 years and in the end I was rejected in every single job that valued computer technical skills. I interviewed with people with business backgrounds and little to no technical background as was rejected. I even tried for a job that would require me taking a drop in salary and I was rejected for not being technically experienced enough! And so I was so dejected that if you asked me how to turn on a computer, I’d say ” I don’t know how, I’m not experienced enough. I’m only good enough to flip burgers. Oh wait they microwave burgers now, maybe the microwave will be too technically complicated for me. No I think I’m only qualified to watch grass grow.”
I remember that emotional low I was in on a Friday afternoon. The last thing I recall was someone suggesting I look at a job that was slated to be filled in June. I looked at that job, saw I did not meet the minimum qualifications and knew that June was too late. If I was offered a job on May 31st I’d be employed. If I was offered a job on June 1st, I’d be out of bounds and the offer would be invalid and I’d be unemployed, due to company rules. So I didn’t apply.
Eventually I started to shut down and just look forward to just crossing off all my job prospects like a person on death row starting to come to peace with an inevitable outcome. And then about a week ago I had a phone message asking me to interview for a job I had applied for. I called back and scheduled as soon as possible. And then I realized this was for that job that I was not qualified for, that was due to be filled in June and that I ACTUALLY DID NOT APPLY FOR?! I called back to verify that this was the same job I was thinking about and they was asked if I wanted to withdraw my application, and I promptly said “No NO, I’ll interview.” My interview was on 5/24 and my deadline to get an offer was effectively 5/28 since the last day in May is a holiday. In my experience it seemed a bit pointless to even interview because they usually need 2 interviews to get an offer and a 2nd interview would run into June. I mean once I even interview they’ll realize that I’m not qualified and that they must of made a mistake to interview me for a job I didn’t apply for.
But on that Monday I interviewed. It was an OK experience. And then Tuesday morning I got an impromptu request to come in immediately for a 2nd interview. And within hours discussions about a possible job offer arose. What also struck me was that for a few minutes I really felt like I was in the twilight zone. It was almost like the manager who would eventually hire me was reviewing my entire 21 year history and saying words to the effect that “we realize you were treated unfairly and this is all unfortunate, because we don’t want to lose a valued employee such as you. We are going to give you a new home and a new lease on life and get your so long neglected career back on track. We’ll take care of you.” It was like the voice of the entire corporation, and all the managers I had ever worked for melded together into one being and that being was speaking to me. And so this manager with the voice of the entire corporation behind seemed to almost have the power of the entire corporation behind him as he seemed to have all the right connections to make things happen so so so much quickly than I’ve ever seen executed. Big corporations just don’t move this fast. But here they did?!
And so once these words were set in motion it was a matter of waiting out the remaining days of the last week of May to see a possible offer turn into a real offer, with all the complex sign offs across all different departments and managers go thru.
And so today. I remain employed. But even better I’m very enthusiastic and excited about working at a new job, a new manager who I’m frankly a bit in awe of for rescuing me so quickly, and with new people that are excited to work with me. I don’t know if I was ever this enthusiastic or excited about any job I have ever had in my entire life!