The Hunt Continues

So last week as I was sitting in the coffee shop writing my weekly post. I was reminded that a friend had said I should apply at T-Mobile for there call center here in Salem. So I decided to check it out. I filled out the online application in what was a pretty painless process but then I noticed that there was a sort of assessment test as well. I headed home and took the test and sent it in. I didn't give it much thought after that.

Well about a half hour to an hour later the phone range and it was T-Mobile telling me that I had passed the assessment and they would like to do a phone interview. I said of course and they set it up for the following Tuesday. Wow, I thought, I have never had a response to an application come so fast before that is really a good sign. Moving forward in time, Tuesday rolled around and the phone interview came. It was pretty simple just some questions about job history and what kind of skills I had and what I would do or have done in specific situations. As the interview wrapped up the lady told me that they would like to set up a face to face interview and that I had passed the first two steps of the process. I was pretty pleased about that and even more pleased when they called the next day and told me that they needed to set up a background check. So, for me, when the background check process started it made me really feel like I had a shot at this job. I mean why would they spend money on a background check if they were not serious about hiring me and it really felt like to me that things were going to end well.

Thursday morning dawned bright and clear and I awoke nervous. That isn't that uncommon for me as I am a little prone to butterflies in stressful situations. I used to get almost sick to my stomach before slowpitch softball games and I have come close to throwing up before public speaking. But I spent the morning getting myself ready for the interview and settling myself down and off I went to T-Mobile's Salem call center. When I got there I was shown a 5 minute DVD extolling the virtues of working for T-Mobile and how great it was there. It was almost like they were trying to sell themselves to me. When that ended I let the desk person know and I went and sat on the couch out front.

And I sat. And sat. And Sat. The interview was for 1 pm and I believe at about 1:15 out walked the person doing the interview. We went off and he proceeded to ask me pre-written questions from a sheet that had question choices for him to pick from. I spent most of the interview looking at the top of his head as he wrote down my answers. It really could have been an interview administered by a computer for all of the personal interaction that there was. We got done and he told me that I would hear from them on Monday or Tuesday. Well, that is that, I thought as I was driving home. I had heard back from an old employer that he had received a call from the background checkers so I thought that was good. Well on the drive home my phone beeped to tell me that I had an email. When I got home I checked it because as we all know it is illegal to check your phone while driving and I am a super safe driver. *wink*

Well the email told me I would not be getting the job. Now, that is fine. I am a little upset by that but I have not been hired for things before. But, what hurts I think is that I got past the first two levels with I believe just the background check and face to face interview left to go and was starting to feel really confident that the job was going to be mine. It was more the speed of finding out. It felt like he sent off the email as soon as he had returned to his office. It seemed like the response was so quick because his mind had already been made up. I realize that they are well within there rights to not hire me. But I think the process in which they let me know could have been a better one.

So the search continues. I hope I find something soon. Or something finds me.