OMG an Interview?!?

So something that I figured would only take place in my fantasies actually happened today...in reality that is. I had an interview, a real live interview with a person on the other end of the phone. The employer was kind enough to grant me a phone interview due to the fact that at the moment I'm all the way on the other side of the country. So this was kind of like a gift actually because I initially applied for the position way back in February so of course after a few weeks I forgot about and it and counted it as just another casuality of my own personal job war. So with a complete lack of expectation I checked my email for the last time Friday afternoon before the weekend when I give myself a break from obessively checking for a "If you just do this, you'll no longer be unemployed" message. What was there in that little inbox was big. It was an email from the employer that I subitted an application to all that time ago. He said that the nature of the admin support position had changed a bit to include more technical aspects such as website maintanence and in-depth knowledge of MS Outlook. He said that over 300 people applied the first time around and that if you're still available and have these skills than we have the weekend to apply again. Well, at first I was like..."oh great, I know next to nothing about those things." But I know a fabulous second chance when I see one. 300 applicants, this is what I've been up against. Other than fireworks and laser beams how do you compete with that? It's crazy.

First I figured that because he was literally giving us 2 days to do this that my odds would by default go up. It would be highly unlikely that all 300 and some applicants would A) even see the email in time, B) all still be available, and C) have the skills to even be considered. So I decided to shed the job-grumbles attitude and do what I can do over the weekend in order to make this a viable option. This particular employer and I have the Peace Corps in common so there's no way I'd let this slip by. So over two days I researched, I learned, I crammed, I practiced in order to at least put on my resume that I have basic knowledge of these technical things...which was totally true. Well, behold the power of effort and a little luck, only 40 of the original applicants reapplied and he narrowed them down to 6 for an interview, of those I was one of...that's what he told me when he called to set up the interview. So the next day when he called for the actual interview he told me right away that I am now one of 5. So he scratched someone off that list real quick. All in a few days I went from 0% chance at anything, to about 16% and then to 20%, which is closer than I've been in over 4 months.

The interview went very well, I can't imagine doing any better, as far as the technical stuff was concerned I was sure that what I did was much better than saying something like "well, I have no experience with those things whatsoever" and then having nothing else to say during a long awkward silence. I mean I think I dazzled him on everything else, when both you and an employer were Peace Corps volunteers there's definitely a pre-set connection there. I think I've earned a little break.

Well, the waiting game is in full swing though. He said he hopes that by Friday afternoon, today, he would have selected 2 of us for a final interview and let everyone know where they stand...it's 5:30 already in DC and haven't heard anything. While logically I know I have no way to know where I stand amongst 4 others of whom I know nothing about or what the boss has been doing all day to make this decision, I still can't help but turn and spin my performance around in my head over and over again. And trying to figure out of it's a positive that I still haven't recieved a call or not, which of course has no real answer for me at this point. He might not even be able to make a decision this week, he had to cram in all these interviews...oh well, I don't know. I guess as the next few hours go by and nothing happens it might actually be a relief because it gets less and less likely that he'd call today and I can stop willing my cell phone to ring and can sink back into the warm gooey satisfaction that I must still be in the running for a sweet job in DC.