One of the things I resent the most is being back on that emotional roller coaster you’re forced to ride while waiting for “the phone call.”
My sister applied for a job last week that closed on Friday, the 12th. When she applied, she had to go through the agency the Unemployment office uses, because they were pre-screening applicants for this job, which isn’t unusual. So she went there on Tuesday, dressed as if she were being interviewed, because that’s good form, and asked if she could apply for the particular posting.
Well after showing her resume to the recruiter, he was more than happy to have her fill out the actual job application, which she did. He told her he was quite impressed with her qualifications, then he gave her the name of the woman my sister could expect a call from, for an interview. He was certain she’d get a call, because she was perfectly qualified for the job.
Was he shining us on with bullshit? I dunno. He had no reason to. They usually come out and tell you if you don’t qualify for something, and he wouldn’t have had need to give her the name of the company hiring, or the woman in charge. If he wanted to shovel some shit, there’s easier ways.
We assumed she wouldn’t get a call until after Friday, seeing as how the job hadn’t closed until then – but we really believed she’d at least warrant an interview. It was a job right up her ally of expertise, a perfect fit. And it had the added benefit of being within a few miles of where I work, so winter weather carpooling would be a breeze. Great job, good benefits, excellent pay.
We spent the weekend with our fingers crossed, feeling really hopeful.
But that’s just the opening of the roller coaster ride. Where you’ve strapped in and they finally start the ride, and you’re pulling out of the loading bay full of anticipation and apprehension.
I honestly expected her to get a call yesterday, for an interview. I kept telling myself “she’ll call me any second now, saying she’s got an interview.” “Any minute now, she’ll send me a text.”
As the day wore on, I started working it out in my head. “Okay, so the woman is busy today going through all the applications she was sent, maybe she won’t call till Tuesday.” But as the day wore on, I got more and more depressed. The ride wasn’t going well, all the twists and turns.
Of course I got home last night to that issue I exploded about already – her boss claiming she’d been “Fired” instead of Laid Off. As it turns out, a friend of ours is an HR legal professional who says his reasoning is illegal, so she’s helping us write up a rebuttal. So last night she and I didn’t discuss our fears that she’s not getting interviewed for this great job – we had other things to be furious about.
Now today, as I’m waiting for our friend to examine the rebuttal letter I’ve worked up and get back to me, all I can think about is WHY didn’t she get a call for an interview ? Was she passed up because of the thousand other qualified candidates? Did they even pick yet? Are they interviewing already and all hope is lost – or is there still a chance she’ll get a call later this week?
My sister and I aren’t voicing our fears yet, or discussing our depression, so it won’t quash that last vestige of Tinkerbell-light, waning inside. I want to believe there’s still a chance, that she could get a call “any second now” and have an interview scheduled. I keep telling myself it could still happen. But this is the part of the roller coaster ride when I’m reaching for a barf bag.
If she doesn’t get a call by Friday, we’ll both be utterly dejected and have a pretty shitty weekend. There hasn’t been another job posted anywhere that she even remotely qualifies for. Even those few “seasonal jobs” were met with thousands of applicants, the vast majority of which were horribly overqualified, just like her.
Last night on the news, 500 people showed up for one advertised opening.
The roller coaster is twisting and turning, and going upside down.
I don’t like rides that go upside down.
May the Fleas of a Thousand Camels make Nests in his Armpits!
The Velvet Zebra 
Don’t forget it’s the holiday season. People take time off, which puts the people who remain further behind. And in the case of applicants, the person hiring might have had to show the resumes of the people she wanted to interview to someone higher up and/or she might have given them to an assistant to call and schedule the interviews.
A friend of mine applied for a position at the place I work. It was a full week after the last day to submit resumes that the first people were called for an interview — and that was only because the hiring manager was determined to make time to fill the position as soon as possible.
Bottom line: There’s still lots of hope left that your sister will receive The Call.