A Word on Cheerleaders

Back in January, when the global economic crisis started to directly impact my own bank account, I figured I wouldn’t gain any meaningful insight until the end of my ordeal. I thought that once I finally landed a new job, I would be flooded with all sorts of wisdom, advice for others and tidy cautionary tales. But as this drags on, I realized it’s not too soon to be learning some lessons and finding silver linings. This huge, scary and seemingly intractable recession has provided more than enough surprises to keep my spirits up — most of the time.

One of the things that has surprised me the most is the abundance of people who — somewhat silently — are standing in my corner cheering me along, from utter strangers in the checkout aisle at Trader Joe’s, to church acquaintances, and even hiring managers. By far, the most touching display of encouragement in my job hunt has come from a woman who interviewed me twice for an editing position but ultimately offered the job to another candidate.

A little over a month ago I had an interview with an association magazine that more than fulfilled all my requirements for the perfect job. During my two interviews with the organization I felt that I hit it off with the executive director and the publishing director. In my eyes both women looked to be excellent mentors. And if there’s anything I want in a new job, it’s to find a great mentor. I felt confident about both interviews and was gratified to hear both women praise my past writing and my resume.

However, as a week passed after my second interview, I started to feel a sneaking suspicion that I didn’t get the job. With no immediate prospects on the horizon my heart sank. At the end of that week I got a call from the publishing director who told me what I had already guessed: they offered the job to another candidate although I made the decision very tough for them.

It was evident very early on in the call that it was not an easy one for her to make. She assured me that she and the executive director felt terrible about not being able to offer me the job. She wanted to let me know that she would do whatever she could to help me find another job. She even said “We’ve been asking ourselves ‘who can we tell about Mary?’” She told me that if I applied to any more association magazines in Chicagoland, to send her an email to see if she knows anyone at other organizations, promising to call that recruiter with her endorsement.

I have received several very kind rejections throughout this process, from “You are overqualified and we can’t pay you what you deserve,” to thoughtful phone calls and snail mail letters. But this one was different. I have the distinct feeling that the two women who interviewed me are walking around with an invisible set of pom-pons and a peppy little cheer at the ready. And this week, they have made good on their promise to help me out. I finally applied to a company where the publishing director has an acquaintance that might be able to help.

You expect your former bosses and past coworkers to speak well for you, but you don’t expect it from someone who offered the job to someone else. That someone in her position is willing and eager to go to bat for me has convinced me that good — even wonderful things — are possible in a deep recession such as this. My greatest hope is that I can continue to recognize this and keep plugging away.