Longer Than the Bachelor (Part 2)
And wait I did...3 - 4 weeks I spent waiting.
I carried my iPhone in my pocket at all times. I slept with my iPhone next to my pillow in case the ding of a new email should call out to me in the middle of the night. I opened and checked my email at least 50 times (sometimes more) every 30 minutes -- no exaggeration! Just as I had started to feel defeated. Just as I had begun to believe that I must be one of thousands of applicants and not who they want, the email arrived!
Thank you for the opportunity to interview and for your interest in...
I thought for sure it was a rejection letter. I took a deep breath and continued reading.
We are interested in your experience and expertise. We invite you to participate in the next round of the hiring process.
This is what I did inside my head!
This is what I did inside my head!
The next round involved answering eight questions. I was given one week to complete and return my responses, via email. I excitedly (and almost immediately) started writing! The topics were invigorating! I read through the list of questions, as my good friend Suzanne looked on, nodding my head, smile growing wider by the second. Suzanne's response: You Got These!
I had a blast answering. It was a journey through my career via my passions, and I welcomed the opportunity to slow down and take a look back over the past 17 years. I make reflection a regular habit, but typically the topic timeline is more immediate. The questions forced me to dig deep. It felt good, and I was thrilled to have an audience.
Totally off topic, but I seriously just got cherry syrup all over my keyboard and mouse...ugh...brb.
My responses were sent--2 days ahead of the deadline. At the time I was so excited, then as the waiting continued and I didn't hear back (click play on the video below and continue reading), I began to think, "Maybe I should have waited until the date they said." "Maybe I should not have sent early." "Did my email reach their office?"
Mind you, with each step in this process, I was speculating about EVERYTHING
- number of candidates
- how long they will take to read the responses
- what are they looking for exactly in the responses
- who is really reading the responses
I invented my own answer to each of these topics--based on nothing, and that answer changed depending on the day and my level of confidence. I asked my closest friends what they thought, and I gave their answers/explanation great worth. It was maddening.
Then, just as between steps one and two, right as I was beginning to feel defeated and my patience was dwindling, I received a phone call! Ironically, the phone call came in on a Friday evening and I didn't actually hear the message until Sunday afternoon because I didn't open skype that weekend. Geeze, 48 extra hours of worry for nuthin! :)
The rest of the story is really not that exciting. Mostly because it was a mixture of interview/waiting, interview/waiting with little to no contact in between. Again, at various times I told myself they had chosen someone else. Throughout the process I continued to celebrate how far I had come. It was incredibly validating to have an organization of this caliber even consider me. I was proud to have made it "so far" with each step of the way.
The rest of the story is really not that exciting. Mostly because it was a mixture of interview/waiting, interview/waiting with little to no contact in between. Again, at various times I told myself they had chosen someone else. Throughout the process I continued to celebrate how far I had come. It was incredibly validating to have an organization of this caliber even consider me. I was proud to have made it "so far" with each step of the way.
My friends were often unsure whether or not to ask if I had heard anything. I think everyone was secretly scared I would implode if I the offer didn't come through. (I don't think that would have happened, but I am so happy we will never know. It might have been ugly.)
The final night of waiting, after the final interview, my friend Katie says, "Man, Sara this is longer than the Bachelor! You deserve your final rose ceremony! We are celebrating regardless of the outcome because you have survived the process."
I am really happy that I didn't have to have the "you're awesome even though they didn't pick you celebration". Fact.
If you read the first part in this two part series, you know that this position, is what I would call "my dream job". It's not a glamorous position. It's not going to make me filthy rich (at least not monetarily rich). It's not located in the travel destination of your dreams, but it is PERFECTLY me!
I feel so fortunate, so truly blessed, to have the privilege that I have. The chance to do the work that I feel I was put here to do is overwhelming! To realize a dream, a true lifetime dream, elicits these incredible feelings of humility and joy that are totally beyond words.
To new beginnings and realizing YOUR dreams!
The final night of waiting, after the final interview, my friend Katie says, "Man, Sara this is longer than the Bachelor! You deserve your final rose ceremony! We are celebrating regardless of the outcome because you have survived the process."
I am really happy that I didn't have to have the "you're awesome even though they didn't pick you celebration". Fact.
If you read the first part in this two part series, you know that this position, is what I would call "my dream job". It's not a glamorous position. It's not going to make me filthy rich (at least not monetarily rich). It's not located in the travel destination of your dreams, but it is PERFECTLY me!
I feel so fortunate, so truly blessed, to have the privilege that I have. The chance to do the work that I feel I was put here to do is overwhelming! To realize a dream, a true lifetime dream, elicits these incredible feelings of humility and joy that are totally beyond words.
To new beginnings and realizing YOUR dreams!
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