As you may or may not know, I am in the job market. I’ve sent my resume out to numerous local employers and have received only a few responses. Now, I know it’s a numbers game, but sometimes I think that you need to submit your resume only to those jobs that you are truly interested in — I know, crazy right? Well of the opportunities that I submitted my application to, there was one that I REALLY wanted. I felt fortunate when their Human Resources department called me to set up an initial phone interview. After the interview, I received an email asking for me to schedule a face-to-face interview, which I did. Last Friday I met with their Human Resources department as well as with one of the reporting managers. My interviews went GREAT! I felt calm, cool, collected. I answered each and every question, making sure that I qualified as well as quantified my responses. I set the stage, explained the task, shared the action and was confident in the responses. I made my pitch and received positive reinforcement when the interviewer said that I exhibited those characteristics and qualities that she had listed of her “ideal” candidate. She even said that she felt better knowing that her list was realistic. I left that series of face to face interviews wondering where my desk would be — would it be in this building, on this floor? Or maybe the one across the corridor?
Today I received an email stating “We enjoyed speaking with you and learning about your excellent skills, past experiences, and career interests. However, we regret to inform you that we have chosen to pursue other candidates whose skills, background, and education better meet the requirements for this job. ” – Really? My skills are parallel to the tasks required for the position. My background is diverse enough to actually know where to find the resources to get the tasks done. And my education? — I have an MBA.
I feel “let down” and “led on”. I feel that the company led me on by interviewing me, saying that I possess the qualifications they were looking for, and then dumping me – “it’s not you, it’s me”! I have invested time and energy in this company and they can’t even give me a straight answer as to why I’m being passed over. And to top it off, I receive an email – AN EMAIL!
Well former potential employer, it is my pleasure to inform you that you’ve made a mistake. You may not think so now, but you have. You gave up the opportunity to hire an extraordinary individual with the ability to get just about anything done effectively and efficiently at 1/2 the price of what she is REALLY worth. When, however, you realize that you did overlook the perfect candidate, call me. Since you’ve decided to keep my “resume on file for one year and will contact you if a position becomes available that more closely matches your qualifications”, you’ve got my number.
In the meantime, I’ll keep looking for that company who knows a good value when they see it.
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