30 Days of Turning 30: Day 28

After I lost my job in 2009, I interviewed for many jobs with companies that had the same likeminded philosophy that had sunk the publishing company from which I had just parted ways. It was depressing. And it disgusted me that there were SO many companies run by idiots out there. Which surely explains the resurgence of independently run businesses, I'm sure most of them are extremely bright people that just became disillusioned by the corporate machine. I think that the most interesting interview I experienced deserves a mention here. In the interest of maintaining a level of class that this company did not possess (and also in the interest of NOT being sued) I will not disclose the name of the company but I will say that it resides in Edgewater, New Jersey. They initially called me in about a part time social media consultant position that they were trying to develop but over the course of our conversations realized that I had a solid 5+ years of experience in sales. Successful sales. I could even see the dollar signs form where irises had previously been in the eyes of this company's President. He put me through the ringer of FOUR separate interviews, even sending me out to client meetings with some of his associates. Eventually he gave me a job offer for a sales position, not just verbal but also in writing. It was right before Labor Day weekend and he had given me the "sleep on it, think it over, get back to me on Monday spiel" in the email where the offer letter was attached. The offer letter laid out all the details of my employment package including a salary that was $20,000 less than what I had asserted I had been making at my previous job. I slept on it. I thought it over. I called first thing that Tuesday morning and told him that the salary was not only unacceptable it was also an insult to all the experience and tangible success I had accumulated over the past six years. He backed down and invited me to come back to the office to discuss salary negotiations but also because in the "eleventh hour" (his words) another candidate for the job had emerged and he wanted me to come in one last time for one more interview. Essentially a FIFTH interview. Instead of agreeing, I told him that during my tenure as a headhunter, I had never needed to interview someone more than twice to know if they were a good fit for a position, and my success rate of those people accepting and staying jobs for three or more years was in the ninetieth percent tile. So if he needed a fifth interview after he had ALREADY offered me a job IN WRITING, then perhaps we were not suited for each other and we should both go our separate ways. I remember there was a lot of stammering on his end and long silences as he struggled for an answer, which is when I wished him good luck and said that it sounded like this eleventh hour candidate might be a better fit after all before I ended the call. He called back the next day to see if I might reconsider, but it's just like breaking up with a guy who took you for granted. He may realize in the long run that he messed up a good thing, but it's usually too late for that realization. I felt that I could not work for a company that played that many games in the interview process because that's when everyone is supposed to be on their best behavior, who knows what it would have been like when the masks came off afterward? In addition, I do remember in the first interview we somehow got on the subject of our pets and he laughingly mentioned that he never picks up after his dog. That should have been my clue right then, that this guy was clearly someone who shits all over the place and expects someone else to clean it up. And there is no salary in the world to cover suffering that indiginity. That ridiculous interview came to mind today through my completion of Day 28. In the same way that Google, LinkedIn and Facebook is how employers research potential job candidates, IMDB serves the same purpose for cast and crew alike in the entertainment industry. In a flash people can see what films or television shows you worked on and in what capacity. After today I'm not only going to have a legitimate acting credit, but also a writing, directing and executive producing credit as well. And that's because for the first time ever I have submitted to a film festival. So I supposed Day 28 DOES go hand in hand in with Day 27, but this whole endeavor is full of things I have never done before, therefore I say it counts. And I am so much happier to have a resume with these credits rather than corporate pooper scooper.