Journey of 20 Job Applications: Jul 26 Update, Losing My Mind

Originally published/last updated on myearlyretirementjourney.com on Jul 25, 2019. 

I’m taking a mental break from this jobbing process. This might be my penultimate update. No new companies have contacted me, as predicted. I think the rush of responses has finally died down, again in predictable fashion.

I actually got a rejection email TODAY from a job I don’t even remember applying for that does not appear on the chart. So there’s that.

At this point, all the status updates that have not changed since initial submission, I figured, have either moved on to other candidates or are taking their sweet time.

Here’s where we stand…

No.	Date Applied	Company	Position	Current Status	When I Last Checked
1	6/23/19	DSI	Manager, Widgets	No applicant portal	6/29/19
2	6/24/19	REG	Sr. Manager, Widgets	Applied -24Jun2019	7/19/19
3	6/24/19	TAK	Manager, Widgets	No longer under consideration	7/13/19
4	6/24/19	NOV	Sr. Manager, Widgets	Screening Phase -28Jun2019	7/19/19
5	6/24/19	AZA	Sr. Manager, Widgets	E/m for phone screen on Jul 10; e/m back avail times Jul 10; f/u Jul 25; radio silence since;	7/19/19
6	6/24/19	RAK	Sr. Manager, Widgets	E/m for video screen 7/16; repl’d 7/16; video screen scheduled 7/18	6/29/19
7	6/29/19	UCB	Lead, Widgets	E/m on 7/17 with four screening questions; replied 7/17; e/m 7/22 to schedule phone screen; phone screen 7/24	7/19/19
8	6/29/19	COV	Project Manager, Widget Safety	NOT SELECTED	7/13/19
9	6/29/19	CON	Specialist, Widget Safety	Completed-Updated: Jun 29, 2019	7/13/19
10	6/29/19	IQV	Associate Manager, Widget Safety	Active	7/19/19
11	6/29/19	IQV	Sr. Specialist, Widget Safety	Active	7/19/19
12	6/29/19	TRI	Manager, Widgets	No applicant portal	6/29/19
13	7/3/19	NOV	Manager, Widgets	Screening Phase -03Jul2019	7/19/19
14	7/4/19	AVE	Sr. Manager, Widgets	E/m for onsite on Jul 10; On 7/11 onsite scheduled for 7/22	7/10/19
15	7/4/19	AZA	Scientist, Widget Compliance	In Progress	7/19/19
16	7/4/19	FDC	Analyst, Widgets	Completed-Updated: Jul 4, 2019	7/19/19
17	7/3/19	SYN	Specialist, Widget Safety	Completed-UpdatedJul5,2019	7/19/19
18	7/3/19	VTX	Sr. Manager, Widgets	Application Received-03Jul2019	7/19/19
19	7/3/19	PAC	Sr. Manager, Widgets	E/m for phone screen 7/8; Phone screen 7/11; radio silence since	7/19/19
20	7/5/19	JZZ	Specialist, Widget Safety	NOT SELECTED	7/8/19

I killed my interview at No. 14 (AVE) on Monday. They asked standard HR behavioral type questions. I still don’t know what that has to do with the job. My presentation went really well. I even think some of their questions were a little dumb. Three of the (nine) interviewers I think I would have gotten along with well as colleagues and one as a friend.

My concerns are:

• The weather. It’s frosty Chicago, IL.
• The staff is altogether pretty inexperienced with Widgets. As much as I appreciated being able to see that hey, I actually do have some desirable skills, I don’t want to be the most experienced person on a team. How does that help me grow? I feel as though I would be pushed into a leadership position that I’m not necessarily ready to assume bringing me to the realization that I have tended to prefer established roles and companies. I like order, so this would be quite a few degrees outside my comfort zone.

Am I ready for that?

But then again, this is the journey I chose to pursue. So while it’s not the best fit for those reasons, I think I have a pretty good shot. And if offered, I told myself I’d take it. I should hear something by end of next week.

Next was No. 7 (UCB). They emailed Mon, 7/22, for an HR phone screen that was scheduled Wed, 7/24. That went really well. According to the HR person, I should hear from the hiring manager on Friday to schedule a phone screen with him. I believe her.

In old news, for no reason at all, I followed up with No. 5 (AZA) to say..hello? anyone home? Still crickets. No surprises there. They have officially ghosted me.

There is so much to say in my personal life, I don’t even know where to begin. Stay tuned.

Question for readers, who have you used for references after you received a job offer?