(Quick tangent: shouldn’t we have a better word than “anniversary” to mark the time elapsed since something bad happened? The word anniversary has a positive connotation, but losing one’s job is far from a good thing. Perhaps “shamiversary”? Maybe “dreadaversary”? Feel free to discuss amongst yourselves.)
I’m not complaining about my sudden good fortune, but where I recently felt starved for employment options, I’m now trying to juggle multiple balls without letting one drop. And while no one has made me an offer yet, instead of being elated about one opportunity, I’m now trying to rank my prospects and determine exactly which is best. Sure, it’s a good problem to have…but it’s still a problem.
Let’s examine the contenders, shall we?
Prospect #1 – the agency that had to cancel several first interviews because the executive director was stuck in New York. My second interview was scheduled for Friday, but 24 hours before, I received an assignment that seemed overwhelming. In order to test my fundraising acumen, I was told to imagine that I had 24 hours to prepare for an opportunity to meet two high-level CEOs who represented funding prospects. I had to deliver a 10-minute pitch and prepare supporting documents that spoke to the agency, its mission and its case for support. I also had to generate a complete budget. These tasks would be difficult enough had I enjoyed a long employment tenure and a full understanding of the agency, but I had to rely on the (mis)information on the agency’s website. Fourteen hours of prep work later, I completed my assignment, got a few hours sleep, then met with the executive director and a Board Member. I may not get the job, but it’s hard for me to imagine any other candidate spent more time or produced better results on his or her assignment.
Prospect #2 – the north shore community museum at which I had an interview two weeks ago. Less than an hour after returning from my second interview with the New York agency, the museum director called to set up a second interview too. I am to meet with one of their Board Members later this week.
Prospect #3 – the local private school. Maybe I’m putting the cart before the horse, but I killed it in my phone interview with the “Development Director Search Task Force” and am optimistically expecting an invitation to interview in person next week.
Prospect #4 – the new contender. As I was preparing today’s lunch, I received a call from a national health foundation who wants someone to oversee their comprehensive development portfolio. Interestingly enough, the job title is only “Associate,” but the required experience and attached salary are firmly in line with what I expect.
That’s just four contenders, but the crazy thing is that I applied to all four of these jobs in early February. What if, contrary to my fears, my resume actually does resonate with prospective employers and I start to get calls based on the jobs I applied to in late February and all of March? I mean, there are potential red flags associated with all of the prospects above; does an almost unrealistic interview assignment mean working at prospect #1 would be a sea of unrealistic expectations? Is there enough of a scope for prospect #2’s mission that I could actually succeed and grow in the role? Am I being blinded by the idea of free tuition for children years away from conception that I’m placing too lofty a status on prospect #3? If I choose to accept the position, does prospect #4’s entry-level title set me back career-wise?
It’s funny how far I’ve come in eight weeks and I wouldn’t wish the highs and lows of the job search process on anyone. Well, maybe the highs…but you know what I mean. Any advice, people? Am I making things too complicated? Should I just be happy if/when one acceptable offer comes in?
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