On yesses, noes and maybe soes

Had an interesting day with the job search today.

I started my day by applying to a bunch of positions not in my current field. I call these stretches. In classic fashion, I'm incredibly overqualified for one (Legal Recruiting Assistant) and not at all qualified for another (Corporate Sales for the Carolina Hurricanes). I did manage to find some reasonable ones in between.

I've been in all day meetings since Monday. During the two breaks I get a day, I dart to my office to check my voice mail and e-mail for any glimmers of hope. It's gotten to be borderline pathetic. Still, I'm just playing the odds. I have SO many resumes out there. Something's gotta give. Right?

Well first came the bad news. I received a 'regrets' e-mail from the position I referenced a few blogs ago. This was the job I applied for which, two hours later, earned me a phone call that said something along the lines of, "Are you crazy?". It's the equivalent of a job I did from 2001-2004, pre-graduate degree and pre-paralyzing titles (curse you "Director!"). I'm pretty sure I laughed out loud when I got the "thanks but no thanks" email about this position, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pissed off for a good 90 seconds about it too. I OWN THAT POSITION, DAMNIT!

15 minutes into my 2 hour commute home today (normally 40-60 minutes) I received a phone call from a North Carolina area code! I was so excited! I didn't dare answer, however, as I literally have applied to so many jobs, I was fearful I might not remember the position, the company, the whatevers that would prevent me from sounding like a complete moron over the phone.

I listened to the voice mail and determined what it was. The position is not ideal, but interesting and a bit of a funky take on what I do now. I called the woman back about 45 minutes into my 2 hour commute.

Did I mention I had a 2 hour commute tonight?

Anyway, the call was primarily a feeling out call by a third party search company. What was interesting about it was it was made clear in the first few minutes that there is an essential component of expertise that I'm missing for the position, but what was also clear was that I've apparently sold myself as so strong in other areas they might be willing to consider me just the same. So, it was far from a slam dunk but, at the same time, was profoundly refreshing.

I've spent a lot of time on cover letters "spinning" my experience so it's not limiting to this one fraction of the world. As weeks pass and I hear nothing, I've started to feel like the open-mindedness is not there and I'm the only one who can see how a skill set can translate from one industry to another. People focus on job titles and departments instead. I'm guilty of it too. Just as I'm guilty of laughing at the overqualified resume that comes across my desk.

I'm likely to get a call back later in the week with an update on this first nibble. It's unlikely to bring much of anything, as they've already done a first round of interviews and the search firm is awaiting feedback. Who they've interviewed, the woman told me, are a bunch of people very skilled in the thing I'm not, but unskilled in the other area in which I bring some street cred. Either way, I'm grateful. Like I said, all I needed was a nibble. The whoring out of my credentials will continue another day.

And I'll definitely keep you posted on the Hurricanes. I've always wanted to be a pro athlete.