Scarred for Life

Last month I posted about the hunt for my very first job out of college, one of those horror stories that you actually do laugh about one day. Many years later.

I mentioned in that post that I had another horror story, and with it being the New Year and with many people looking for new jobs, I thought it would be a perfect time to share.

Plus, I actually thought of the incident while lifting weights this morning, and I couldn’t stop laughing. It gives a great perspective to moments, how we can view them years later.

The best job I ever had, besides being a freelance blogger/writer/social media/marketing gal as I am now, was at a non-profit organization in Waltham. I worked there for almost four years and did all sorts of things but eventually found my calling in Marketing-Communications. I had the best boss and colleagues ever; really, I was completely spoiled with such a perfect setup early on in my career. On one hand, it will be difficult for anything to ever live up to this job where my all female colleagues and I would work super hard. . . and laugh even harder.

The bliss lasted for years before some changes were made to the organization turning it from a great place to work into a place that was unbearable, all due to one person. Maybe I will tell that story another day. . .

I followed that gig with another non-profit, a great organization that ended up being not busy enough for me, and thus my search began again.

Too good to be true. Too good to be true.

I was called for a phone interview for a job in the suburbs north of Boston. The job paid REALLY well including major bonuses, had some awesome benefits, and provided me with a free vacation every year. Like an actual trip somewhere in addition to salary and bonus and a cool work environment.

I started the in-person interview process on a freezing cold winter day. My first task? A personality test and a meeting with a few key people in Marketing.

Apparently this went well, because I was invited back four times to interview again and again, with Vice Presidents, prospective colleagues, and again with the HR person who interviewed me initially.

All along, I was warned about the very long hours of the job, which would be planning and marketing conferences, but it seemed like the pay was well worth it, and I was longing to be busy.

The final step was to meet the company President.

I took another afternoon off of work for this final meeting. It was my sixth or seventh interview. I had to get the job, right?

I felt like I was on Punk’d.

The President was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, eating a giant cookie, and drinking a big gulp of soda, with her foot up on a chair. No judgments, just strange for an interview, right?

When the door was closed and we began talking, she started to tell me the weaknesses she saw in me and that I reminded her of certain other employees, who she named, along with their weaknesses, perceived by her.

I think my eyes were like saucers by the time I left. It was the most bizarre “professional” encounter I have ever had. The HR woman told me should would be in touch by the following Wednesday.

And I NEVER HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN.

I followed up with thank-you’s and a summary of why I would be great for the job. In hindsight, I should have followed up until I got some sort of answer after spending that much time interviewing, but even though it was just a few years ago, I felt so young. At the time, I thought I was scarred for life.

Some of you shared job hunting stories with me on my last post, if you have one and haven’t shared it, I would love to hear it now!