May 23, 2014

So, remember that thing that I didn't want to talk about just yet....

To refresh your memory:
http://meriwhen.blogspot.com/2014/04/in-which-meriwhen-is-annoyingly-cryptic.html

Well, it has to do this with post:
http://meriwhen.blogspot.com/2014/04/i-interviewed-for-another-job.html

Short version:  I got the job after all.

Long version:  I received a rejection e-mail a couple of days after the interview.  I was bummed but shrugged it off...after all, their loss, right?  Two days later I get a call from the department manager--she was originally going to be at the interview but was out sick.  After she introduces herself, I tell her, "I already got the rejection e-mail but thank you for considering me, I was just happy I got the chance to interview with Facility X in the first place."  All bummed-ness aside, I did mean it.

She's confused...and then immediately apologetic.  She was calling to offer me the job.

Apparently the requisition I applied under had already been filled by someone else, and she didn't realize that my application was in that pool.  So she told me that if I was still interested she would create a new requisition (read:  job!) for me but it would take some time for it to be created.  I told her I'd be delighted to work for Facility X and to keep me posted as to what happens next.

Now I know firsthand that what the interviewer says and what HR actually does are two different things, so I was cautiously optimistic.  That's great they're doing this for me, but let's see if I actually get the offer in writing.

Fast forward several weeks.  I never quit either of my other jobs, of course (nor do I plan to at this time), so I'd been busy working and not really thinking too much about this job offer.  Maybe a passing thought of "I wonder if anything is ever going to happen," immediately followed by "Quesadillas for lunch sounds good"  But I wasn't expecting anything.

So one Thursday afternoon, the manager calls to tell me that the job has been created and do I still want it.

"Why yes, yes I do." I reply.

She's thrilled and tells me that HR will be in touch shortly.  And sure enough, before the week is out, I receive first a call from HR, then an offer letter.  Several letters, actually, thanks to a glitch.  I formally accept.  A preliminary start date is set, pending...

Now the fun begins:  pre-employment qualifications.  But that's a story for the next post.