Odd Interview

[Telephus44]

I work in a right tight-knit industry, with only about 4 companies that people just shuffle back and forth between. Well, on Jan. 19th I went to a get-together for a company in the same industry I worked for (this company has since shut its doors) and I ended up talking to a HR rep and a CSR Manager for one of these companies. I have never worked for this company. I knew that they had an opening, and the HR guy gave me his email address and asked me to send my resume.

Well, I took a whole week to think about. My plan has been to collect my 30 weeks of unemployment and stay home with DS before going back to work. After my week of thinking, I emailed him yesterday (Sunday night) and said I'm planning on staying home with my son, but I will be looking for work at the end of the summer. Here's my resume to keep on file, and I will be back in touch with you then, I know that you won't hold this position but maybe something else will come up. He emailed me back Monday morning and said thank-you, enjoy the time with your son, and I'll forward your resume to the CSR manager to keep on file.

Well, Monday afternoon I get a call from the CSR Manager to come in for an interview. I agreed and have one this Friday. I still have kind of mixed feelings about this. I feel like I have a stronger bargaining position since they know where I'm coming from and they obviously must really want me. On the one hand, this isn't what I had planned, and if I end up going back to work I'm going to have almost no time to figure out a transition plan for taking care of my son (mostly involving finding a daycare place that I like and fits in the budget). On the other hand, part of me misses working terribly and I can't help feeling that as hard as I've tried to push this position away, it keeps coming back so maybe I'm supposed to take it.

Bah, I'm just confused and have really mixed feelings right now.

[Cricket1]

I'm confused--are they interviewing you now for a position now? Or interviewing now for a position at the end of the summer? I say go on the interview and see what happens. Even if you decide to stay home until the end of the summer, an interview is great practice! I love going to interviews. Keeps you sharp and fresh. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[AheeK]

I agree with Cricket...you can still decide whether you want the job after interview, and it will give you an idea of questions others might ask if you decide to go back to work later. Good luck with whichever option you choose!

[jinx]

I would go and listen to what they have to say. They must really want you for the company. You did say to them you would be looking at the end of the summer, so calling you for an interview now puts you in a good position. They may not want to loose you to another company, and amy be willing to work something out part-time until you are ready to go back full time.

Good Luck.

[JustJoy]

I can definitely understand your confusion {{HUGS}} but I would go and see what they have to say (and offer). If you don't, you'll probably always be wondering..... "What if..?"

[ImEmile]

Go and have fun! LOL Probably they're interested in your resume, in you and what you can bring to the company. They might be hoping to lure you back to work sooner than you planned, but you're in control. Is your line of work something that could be done from home? You'd still need to hire someone to help care for your baby, but you'd be home and still getting in the quality time. The person you hired would also be able to help with light housekeeping to free up your time with your baby as well.

[Telephus44]

I went in on Wednesday and had a great interview. I'll cut and paste from my blog:

I had met the woman I interviewed with briefly, and she struck me as kind of a control freak and sort of bossy. I had asked around and most people told me that they didn't like her. So I was pleasantly surprized that we got along really well. She seemed like she was trying to impress me with how great a manager she was. She had told me when she scheduled my interview for 10am that she had an 11am meeting, and she still talked to me for an hour and a half - even though she knew that she was missing her meeting. We got along almost like old friends - we must have started the parting bit (you know, when one of you says, thank-you for your time, I'll call you next week, or whatever) 5 or 6 times before we actually got up and I left her office, we just hit it off that well. The other thing that impressed me was I had heard from people that work for her that there is just too much work, and they don't get to leave on time because there is too much to do - and she flat out told me that. That to me told me she was in touch with her department. The position she described to me was a high energy/fast paced environment (which I love - as much as I loved my last job, it could be very boring at times) but with all of the support systems and computer tools as my last job. Kind of like taking the best parts of the two other envelope companies I had worked for and putting them in one. They have an AWESOME equipment base that I would love to sell to (customer service in my industry includes some element of selling). And - I had the guts to ask for a lot of money. I had two people tell me to ask for 50K - my last job I made 40K - when she asked me what I was looking for I said "Upper Forties" and she just wrote it down and said that was within her budget. So I may be looking at a 20% raise. I also mentioned that I wouldn't be able to start right away since I'd need to line up daycare, and she agreed with me - "maybe a month?" - I figured I'd be lucky if I got two weeks, but they'll offer a whole month - wow!
So needless to say, I'm now really excited about the position. I suspect it's basically mine if I want it - I told her that I hadn't decided if I really wanted to go back to work now, but that since I didn't have to I was being a little pickier about what came along. She said that she would call me next week to see how I felt and that I'd have to go through a second interview with the company VP and a sales manager.

Yesterday I wrote a thank-you note but I didn't get it out until after the mail was picked up. Today I got a call for my second interview, so I took it.

Yesterday I also had this feeling that I already had the job - liked I'd already received an offer and accepted it. And I felt a sense of calm thinking about it. I still need to have a big discussion with DH, but I think I'm going to take it.

[kaykwilts]

Well taking this job would definitely help you with your debt, right?

[getnrichslowly]

Please let us know what happens next!

[i.m.cheap]

I am happy for you, if this is what you want. I wish you luck in finding the right daycare situation for your precious son.

[AmyBoz]

Congratulations, Sara! I know it's a difficult decision, when to go back to work. But that fact that you are so excited about this position is definitely telling you something. Good luck with the daycare hunting. Let us know how the search for a good daycare goes. We've always been very lucky with ours. I'm hoping you have the same luck.

PS...I love your new avatar!!! Such a cutie!

[mnmarty03]

Congratulations!!

Sometimes God sends along stuff that we're not expecting...

Once again, congratulations!!

[Telephus44]

Well, my second interview is today at 1:30pm - I'll post an update here this afternoon. I talked with DH about this a little more last night, and apparently my MIL offered to move her work hours around (she's a nurse, so she works odd shifts - mostly 3rd) so that she could watch our son Monday through Thursday and we'd only have to have daycare on Fridays. We're still not sure what we're going to do - DH's grandmother (my MIL's mother) is on a slow downhill path, and will probably end up moving in with my MIL this year because she can't take care of herself, and I don't want to have my MIL take care of her mother and her grandson - I just think it would be too much work for her.

[littlemotherhaywood]

What an odd but exciting experience. I can't wait to hear about your second interview.

[Telephus44]

Well, it went really well. I talked with the sales manager for 45 minutes and then a guy in charge of business development for 45 minutes. The first interview I did well in - I asked good questions and I gave good answers. The second one wasn't much of an interview per se - he talked about what he does and what customer service does, gave me a little history and background about their equipment base, and I only piped up every now and then (I'm usually pretty shy in interviews) but overall I did well - we know a lot of the same people.

I'm now 99% certain I nailed it, we'll see what the offer letter says...