I got the job!!!
Phew, it feels so good to be writing this. After 6 months of searching, and 4 rounds of interviews, I got a job offer!
My role was made redundant in October last year. And I’ve spent the past six months searching. I sent in at least 200 applications. My field is really niche, so there’s not a lot of jobs that open up and I wanted to put as much effort into each application that I could. I got really close twice.
The first time, it was early on so my stress levels were low. I interviewed really well, and the hiring manager really liked me. But he left his role before the process finished and I was left in limbo. They closed the opening and instead opened his role.
The second time I got to the final stage, after 3 rounds, and they went with a different candidate. I was devastated.
So when this third opportunity came around it felt like life and death. I’m late on my rent. Loan payments are overdue. My bank balance is in the negative. I’m down to the last few groceries in my cupboard.
I spent the whole of April interviewing, initially only meant to be 3 rounds. A first interview, then a written assessment and a final interview. And I locked in. I didn’t have anything else on, so securing this role became my full time job. I spent each week preparing. Doing mock interviews with friends. Combing reddit and youtube for advice. Preparing answers for dozens of technical and behavioural questions. Each round, I felt confident, comfortable and prepared. I was doing well and thought after the final interview, I had it in the bag.
That same week I received an email asking me to do one more interview. The quality of candidates was really high and they couldn’t decide. I was still hopeful, but the first seeds of despair were starting to sprout. I agreed but didn’t know what else I could do to prepare. I felt like I’d done everything I possibly could and was exhausted. About an hour before the interview, I got an email from my landlord cancelling my lease and threatening to evict me.
It threw me off balance. I could tell the hiring panel were all tired. The energy felt off, and strained but I pushed through. I was okay in the interview. But nowhere near how impressive I was in the previous rounds. I thought I’d blown it. And spent the last week feeling down and discouraged. I had run out of options and didn’t know what to do next. Honestly, I’d given up.
and then this morning I woke up to good news. I got the job offer. I start next week! It’s a great job, exactly the same as what I was doing before, great benefits and a permanent position. I’ll be able to get my life back on track and have a little more wiggle room to save and plan for the future, in way that I wasn’t able to do before. It’s so great because for the past 3 years I’ve been working contract to contract, with so little security. I just spent my last few coins on a bag of dog food and some beans to get me and my doggie till the end of month. I’m broke as can be, I don’t know what I’m going to do about my landlord but I’ve got the biggest smile on my face.
I don’t know where I’m going with this, other than to share some feel good news with everyone else who may be in a similar position to me. Keep at it. You never know what’s around the corner and your luck can change like that! Your moment is coming!