Friday, March 6, 2009

Call and response

Holla,

As I've written previously, one of the more frustrating parts of life in the unemployment line is playing the waiting game with a prospective employer. I sit in my darkened room, and stare holes into the surface of my cellular phone, waiting for it to ring. I will sometimes play peek-a-boo with my email account to force something to appear. It's a generally maddening experience.

Last Friday, I had an audition with a broadcasting company. They were looking for hosts and writers for some of the shows on their channel. I went into the interview, knowing very little about what I was getting myself into, but I thought that I did fairly well throughout the process. After the audition, a woman gave me a tour of the offices and introduced me to several members of the broadcasting team. It seemed like I had gotten the position and I left the office on an extreme high. I was so excited that I was singing along to Pink on the way home.

I was told that the producers of the television segments needed to review the taped audition, and I would hear back one way or another by Monday of this week. The woman said that they may take an extra day or two, but I would be contacted by Wednesday at the latest.

I went to sleep Sunday night, preparing for a phone call on Monday morning. I had convinced myself that I had received the part, which is the worst mistake that I could make. I don't know why I continue to do that to myself. My masochistic tendencies are starting to take over my brain. I might as well start cutting myself.

I didn't hear anything on Monday, or Tuesday, or Wednesday for that matter. I sent the woman an email Wednesday afternoon, asking her to let me know if I didn't get the part. I just wanted to know so that I could continue to send out desperate emails to other jobs.

I didn't hear anything Thursday or through the first half of today (Friday). In a slight bout of irritation, I called the company and asked if the woman was available. This is how the conversation with the receptionist went:

Receptionist: You've reached (this broadcast company)
Me: Hi, is (woman) available?
Receptionist: Yes she is. Can I tell her who is calling?
Me: This is Micah. I auditioned with you last week for a hosting position.
Receptionist: Ok, let me transfer you.
Me: Great. Thanks.

The receptionist transferred me. The phone rang a couple of times and was picked up by an electronic answering service for the woman. She was available until she heard who it was that was calling. All I wanted her to do was pick up the phone, say "No" and immediately hang up. I just wanted some closure on the whole affair.

I left a very pleasant message, asking the woman to give me a call back so I could know for sure about the position and move onto other things. At this point, I know that I didn't get the part, but it has become an issue of principles. If she thinks that she has gotten rid of me by ignoring my emails and phone calls, she is sorely mistaken.

It's like I asked a girl to prom. When I asked her, she seemed receptive to the idea. We talked about the group we were going to go with, maybe even discussed some post prom plans, and then a week went by without an actual "yes". I'm left sitting in my sweet ruffled tuxedo on prom night, not knowing whether or not she is actually going to show up.

So, I'm taking a stand for all of those in the unemployment line. Give us some closure people. Rejection is much easier to handle when it is a certain thing. I'll give some updates next week.

-More to come

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