Comments on: How to get your job search started https://www.keppiecareers.com/3665/ Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:30:01 +0000 hourly 1 By: Nancy https://www.keppiecareers.com/3665/#comment-805 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:30:01 +0000 http://www.keppiecareers.com/?p=3665#comment-805 After going through three phone interviews, a prospective employer asked me to travel to another city 3 days before Xmas for a face-to-face interview. The company made it abundantly clear they would not reimburse me for any travel expenses. Several other job boards and forums encouraged me to go for it. So I did. The interview went very well and as of Xmas Eve I was told that I was the top candidate for the position. For what were couched as “purely academic” reasons, the hiring manager could not make me an offer until further interviews were conducted with local candidates. Accepting this position would have meant relocating and I had volunteered to do so at my own expense as I had family in the area. In any event, the hiring manager sang my praises, told me which GPS device I would need to purchase and even advised me which hotel to book for training purposes. We agreed to follow up between Xmas and New Years.

On the day we were to close the deal, my phone remained silent. I called, left a voice mail and e-mailed. The next morning I called again. That afternoon I called again. That evening I called AGAIN. Fifteen minutes later, the hiring manager finally returned my call and started with, “Hi Nancy, I have some bad news.” Well, what a stretch it was to figure THAT out!

Seems the company I had been interviewing with had merged with another in summer 2009. Lay-offs inevitably followed. Instead of hiring me after being reassured that I was their top candidate and all further interviews were “purely academic”, the company went instead with a former employee who had been laid-off as a result of the merger. The successful candidate was local to the area, knew the ropes and was eligible for re-hire.

After profuse apologies for raising false hopes, I was supposed to be comforted by the fact that they would keep my resume for future consideration? Their only regret: I was such an exemplary candidate that I would probably be “snatched up” before another position opened up.

I work in sales and I have been looking for a job for two years. I have heard every excuse in the book from prospective employers. This one took the cake and for someone who is living off of unemployment with no savings and $157.00 left in a checking account, that $100 I spent to travel for an interview was a collossal waste of not only money, but time.

Yes, I am upset. I have been through this fire drill before and frankly, I am not sure how many more times I can be told “you’re our top candidate” and in the end, not receive a job offer. I am so depressed and could certainly use the help of a mental health professional at this point. Unfortunately, I have no health insurance. All I can do now is cry.

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