And Put One of These Fingers on Each Hand Up

As loyal readers of my blog know, I have been looking for a job actively since April 1, 2009. This process is ongoing and beset with disappointments. I have noticed since the current Great Recession started that legal-related HR departments have become rather shitty, for lack of a better word, in their dealings with candidates. This past week, I had two experiences for which there was no reasonable excuse.

First, a friend of mine recommended me for a job a few months ago at a company where he is an in-house lawyer. I had a promising phone interview in which I felt like I really connected with the HR person. She emphasized the importance of a personality fit because of the small size of the legal department, and I thought I had a big leg up because I came recommended by someone already entrenched there. She implied heavily in the phone interview and a few follow-up phone calls and emails that I would be asked to come in for a full round of in-person interviews. Right after I came back from vacation in March, she told me I would be hearing back in about a week regarding this next round of interviews. Three weeks later, when I still hadn't heard anything, I sent an email inquiring about status. I received no response. Friday night, the friend who recommended me said that they hired someone who, while smart, has the personality of "water-logged cardboard." I knew that I hadn't gotten the job, but getting actual confirmation of it was like finding out my ex-boyfriend got married. I knew I didn't have a chance, but finding out for sure that the opportunity was foreclosed still stung. My friend was incensed that I hadn't even received a rejection letter telling me the company hired someone else. He predicts that ol' Water-Logged Cardboard won't work out and that the company will beg me to come in. From his mouth to God's ears.

There could be a million reasons that the company chose to hire someone other than me. It sounds like they made a bad choice, and my friend says that people in the department are annoyed with the hiring coordinator and don't think she has the know-how to hire a lawyer. (It takes expertise to hire a lawyer because of the special skill sets involved in the practice of law. This is not to say you have to be a lawyer to hire a lawyer, but you have to know your shit.) However, after I took the time to participate in a lengthy interview with this company, there is just no excuse in the world not to send me a rejection letter. That's just common courtesy.

Second, last Thursday, I sent in my application materials to a law firm for a job I was excited about because I am actually qualified to do it. Two hours later (a lightning-fast response, even in a good economy), I received an email asking about my availability to come in for an interview. Yay, right? We set things up for this Wednesday. A few hours after that, I got another email from the coordinator lady saying that the partner who is supposed to talk to me is suddenly out of town every day this week except Friday and we'll have to pick another day to do the interview. So far, no day has been chosen. I sent a follow-up email last Friday, and the coordinator responded to say that nothing has been decided yet and implying that I should sit tight and not bother her anymore.

The whole thing is strange. I'm starting to suspect that I was invited in for an interview in error. Maybe they meant to invite someone else, and they emailed me instead? You would think that if a mistake happened, they would just say so and apologize for the inconvenience, but given how badly HR departments have been treating me during this job search, I have no faith that they would do that. Looking for a job is worse than dating and involves about the same amount of emotional anguish.