This Site is Dedicated to My Random Thoughts and Opinion
Reader Be Warned: My Opinion is NOT the "norm"
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At this time, I was in my third position (two different employers) since leaving the program manager position. I was still trying to figure out exactly what I wanted to do. I knew for sure I wanted to use technology tools and provide training. The current position I was in allowed just that but in a somewhat limited capacity. I only managed one tech tool and assisted with some others. However, the position paid decently. I worked 8-4:30 and I did not have to manage anyone. I have been in this position for a year and a half now. I was content and planned to stick with this position for 5 years or more. I have taken on several positions since leaving corporate America and moving into the higher education sector. At this point, I wanted to just focus on longevity at one institution. My mind was made up, or so I thought.
One day, I was working remotely when I received a call. I didn’t recognize the number and was hesitant to answer. But I answered anyway. I hesitantly answered the phone with a simple “Hello?” The person said my name. Her voice was unfamiliar, yet I still responded “Yes.” She then introduced herself and told me she was with a recruitment firm and found my resume on a hiring site. She said the resume was uploaded a few years ago so she wanted to contact me to see if I was currently working and if I had an updated resume. I asked could I call her back and she responded “Sure.” (Let’s refer to the recruiter as Hailey.) After ending the call with Hailey, I did some research. I reverse-traced the number and it appeared to be for the company she mentioned. I also looked her up on LinkedIn and confirmed she worked there. I then found my updated resume and returned Hailey’s call. She described the position for me in more detail and asked for my updated resume. I emailed it to her while we were on the call, and we discussed it. She said she thought I was a great match for the position; but warned me that the potential employer was very particular about the skills and experience the person had to have for this position. With my permission, she sent my information over to the employer. The very next day Hailey returned my call with so much excitement and enthusiasm in her voice. She was told all the great news including the fact I was selected by the employer as a person they would like to interview. She shared that she and another recruiter at her firm were working together to fill this position because it was so challenging. She also shared with me that there were two other candidates selected for interviews. She mentioned that I may know one of the other two candidates. The person’s name is Shelia Jones. Hailey mentioned she only shared Shelia’s name with me because I was listed as one of her recommenders in their system. This wasn’t surprising to me, because as I mentioned, I had provided Shelia with several LORs in the past. Hailey said in all the years she worked as a recruiter; this had never happened before. Two applicants selected by the same employer for an interview for that same position, who had a prior work relationship – was new for her. I then told Hailey that not only was I Shelia’s manager in the past, but she was once my manager when I returned to work as an adjunct faculty member for the institution. Hailey was really WOWed by that information. She continued the conversation by asking me to update my profile to include my recommenders. She mentioned if the employer selected me for the next round of interviews, she would like to have the recommendations in the system. Hailey suggested that maybe Shelia could even be one of my recommenders. We both chuckled at the irony of it all. Hailey also let me know that her co-worker who recruited Shelia had informed Shelia that I too was a candidate for the position. As soon as I ended the call with Hailey, my first call was to Shelia. When Shelia didn’t answer my call, I thought she had to be busy, so I would wait for her to return my call. The next day, I sent her a text saying “Hey Lady! Give me a call when you get a chance.” I was anxious and excited to talk to her about our new shared experience. Here we were, two Black women, as two of the three candidates chosen to interview for this position. I thought, even if I didn’t get the position, Shelia may get it. At least one of us would be in the door. Heck, I wasn’t even looking for a new position when Hailey contacted me. And as far as I knew – neither was Sheila. During our most recent chat, she mentioned she was incredibly happy in her new position, and she planned to stay put for a while. A couple of days passed by. I had not heard from Shelia nor Hailey. I wasn’t too worried about it. Though I did think it was a tad bit strange. Hailey had been super excited to get the interview scheduled. Had the potential employer changed their mind without even talking to me? I decided not to stress about it. I was already blessed and happy in my current position. Well later that day, Hailey contacted me. She provided the date and time of my interview. She said she was delayed because the potential employer took a couple of days to respond to her. She also let me know that my LORs had been received and my file was complete. My first interview with the potential employer was virtual. During the interview Hailey was the host of the virtual call. Though she didn’t participate in the Q&A. She was present throughout the interview. It was a panel interview that lasted 45 minutes. When the interview ended, I thought I did well. I answered all of the questions and was not stomped by anything presented. The interview seemed less like an interview and more like a conversation. Before I could complete my thoughts, my phone rang. It was Hailey calling. She sounded even more excited than she was when I was selected for the interview. She stated though she did not ask the interviewers what they thought about my interview, she thought I did phenomenal. She was so impressed that she said she wished she had recorded it. She wanted to use my interview as a training tool for other applicants in the future. Hailey provided the next steps for her to follow-up with the employer and when I should expect to hear back from her. We ended the call on a good note. The next day, I realized I still hadn’t heard from Shelia. At this point, this was beyond strange. I not only called her, but I also sent a text as well. I checked to make sure my text didn’t bounce back. It had not. I started to send a follow-up text. But decided not to. Maybe Shelia was just busy. She may not have even accepted the interview for this position. I reminded myself that her life didn’t revolve around mine and I needed to just chill. Later that day Hailey called me back. It was quicker than expected. She let me know that I was chosen for the next and final round of interviews. Yes, interviews with an “s.” There would be a total of three more interviews. Two on the same day and the final one on a different day. She went on to say, the employer had minimized their selection to me and SHELIA. Hailey said “Congratulations to the both of you for making it to the final round! Shelia seems just as excited about this opportunity as you!” My initial thought was “Who seems what?” But I verbally thanked Hailey and we ended the call. I now had confirmation that Shelia was indeed fine, and she was still a part of the hiring process for this position.
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AuthorThe author of this blog decided to take her "abnormal" thoughts and opinions to the web. This will begin as a 30 day trial. Let's see where it goes. Archives
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