It’s official you guys, after 20 long months of unemployment I am finally going back to work! Let me tell you what has happened in between the last crazy job situation I had and this one.
So, I saw on LinkedIn that a competitor of Ryan’s company was looking for a role that I could do. Yes, I was a little over qualified but it was something. I spoke with Ryan and he agreed that I should totally apply. In the meantime, Ryan knows a VP in that company, so he sent him a quick text saying something along the lines of, “Hey, Erica just applied for the XX position y’all have open, put in a good word.” A couple days later I get a call for an interview. They want me to come in the next day, Friday. Ugh, I have the girls on Friday’s and I already had family coming into town for a day visit. I asked to meet on Monday instead. They agreed. Unfortunately, they did not tell me the “boss” of the position was only available that Friday because he was going on vacation for 2 weeks. So when I arrived I asked where he was and that’s when they told me. SMH So I was the only candidate who did not get to meet with the hiring manager for this role.
The interview went okay, but the office location was a pretty long commute for me. The staff was nice, but definitely not the corporate vibes I’m used to. The HR manager wasn’t that great and her assistant was very young and new. It’s hard when you enter an interview like that and feel “I can do a better job at your job that you can”… but that’s how I felt. Anyway, I ended up not getting the job. I sent a thank you email and asked for some feedback or constructive criticism to take with me to my next interview, and they didn’t even respond…rude.
A few weeks later Ryan gets a text from this same company’s VP asking him if I’m still looking for a job. They have another role available, higher than the previous one, and he will be the direct boss. So the same HR manager contacts me again and I go in for another interview and meet with the two of them. He did tell me I didn’t get the other position because they needed a bilingual person. I do not consider myself fluent in Spanish. I don’t know why they couldn’t have told me that in my request for feedback email…anyway, I just left that situation alone.
Overall, the interview went well. The position was right up my alley and I was fully experience and qualified. (They never sent a job description even after I asked for one). There was just one thing… he talked about Ryan, a lot (insert eyeroll here). So much that it was uncomfortable. He asked about my kids and other relatives he knows because of the industry they work in. It was too much for me, especially since HR was in the interview too! Look, I don’t want to be hired because you are cool with my husband. I tried to let it go, but he even made a joke about getting Ryan to come over to their company too. That’s when I said, “Yeah, I knew that was coming” and decided to get this interview over with. Before I left I said, “Please don’t hire me because of my husband. I want to be hired on my own merits and because you believe I will be a great addition and asset to your company. If another candidate comes in here and is a better fit, then by all means, please offer them the position and not me.” I drove home in tears. I wasn’t expecting it to go down like that.
The next day I get a surprise phone call. My old company asking if I’d be interested in coming back. Similar position, under a different manager (my old boss is no longer there, remember). I told them about the interview I had and I would need to know more information before deciding. So they got the ball rolling.
The following week I received an offer from the interview I went on, an offer from my previous company and an email from another company I had interview with several weeks before wanting me to come in for another interview for a new position they had open up. I was shocked and overwhelmed. I couldn’t believe this was all happening. I turned down the request for another interview, they already passed on me twice by this point.
Now I had two offers to compare. I weighed all of the pros and cons and overall what would be best for me and my family as a whole. I talked to Ryan and got his opinion, too. I decided to decline the offer from Ryan’s competitor and accepted the offer to return to my old company. Then, I was sent a counteroffer from the place I declined. I was completely surprised by that. Even though the position I accepted is a short-term contract to permanent employee, their counteroffer just didn’t compare. Plus with the long commute and all of the uncomfortable feelings I had in the interview, I just didn’t think it was the right fit.
So here I go, I start next week and have all the emotions! Excitement, nervousness, anxiety, sadness, optimism, relief. It’s so much. It’s been a long time since I had to commute and be on a strict daily work schedule. For me and the girls. They will be going back to school full-time and have a working momma again. No chill days at home with me anymore. I will definitely miss it. But I know that working is what I truly want to be doing, and what is best for our family. We have many goals we want to accomplish in this life. Some important ones boil down to money, and Ryan and I as a team, as a two income family, can achieve those goals a lot easier and faster.
As always, I appreciate all the prayers and encouragement you all have given me over this last year. It has definitely been a struggle, but I’m happy things are finally looking up. I’ll keep you posted! XO
