I've entered that nervous point where I'm second guessing everything about my interview and potential job. I will retell the story so that I have it all in one document and maybe that will relieve some of my stress. I flew out Thursday for the job interview that happened on Friday. The interview was from 10am to 3pm which is by far the longest interview I have ever engaged in. There was no requirement for me to present anything and while that relieved some of the nerves, I felt like I couldn't really do great interview prep with such a long span of interviewing. I was staying with my sister and her fiance and it was really a great visit, so when she and I took the metro in that morning I was feeling okay. DC is hot and I was wearing a suit, but I got to the interview and felt okay about it. What I didn't feel good about was how I have been treated since I told my current employers about my participation in the interview process. My boss and supervisor in particular has been difficult to deal with and has pulled big guilt trips, been condescending and abrasive (while trying to pretend like she doesn't care) and then finally she set a pretty unrealistic ultimatum of giving her a decision seven days after my interview -- which is definitely a power play and totally unrealistic for me and my interviewers. But I decide I'm going to deal with that once I get there.
I had one hour with the Director, one hour with the Assistant Director, and 30-45 minutes with the remainder of the staff. Then I was to have lunch with the Director and finally meet with the newly appointed Dean of Students after lunch. So, in with the Director and things go smoothly. He is a bit of a talker and so we move from one tangent to another, but at the same time I feel like I am learning a lot about the position and the center. And while I don't think any of my answers were life-changing 10/10's, I did feel like I was hitting solid 8/10 for most of the questions. And it is becoming more and more appealing to me. Hearing about the (lack of) politics in the center sounded like a great relief. Hearing about how the staff turnover created new positions and that many of the staff were at similar places in terms of working toward licensure was a huge boost. And then the things that were expected for the candidate: 20-25 clients, minimal crisis work, running groups, lots of outreach support, and running the Peer Educator program where Psych student get course credit for doing outreach about mental health issues. Finally, he told me that I could be dually hired as faculty in the Psych Department and teach there (as he does) and that made it hard not to become more interested. The meetings with the Assistant Director and the rest of the staff who were in town on a Friday in the summer confirmed my good feelings.
So, I decided that lunch with the Director is probably the best time to bring up my situation. And I think that it may be reasonable -- on the phone interview they indicated they were interviewing the previous two weeks, so if I'm the last interview that might give them enough time to make a decision and let me know. It would be a tight squeeze, but possible. I decide to do some recon with the administrative assistant who booked my flight and I casually ask if lots of interviews have been happening and how that has been. And I find out that I am the FIRST interview. At this point, all hope is lost. If I am the first interview, there is no way they will be able to make any decision by the next week and then I will have to stick with the postdoc I have been offered. But I know that I need to at least try to talk with the Director about this reality at lunch. We sit down and before we even have ordered drinks I ask him to tell me about the interview process and their anticipated timeline. He has a big facial reaction and I think maybe I've made a misstep but he says that it is a good question and he tells me they are interviewing the next couple of weeks and will try to bring someone in by August. Well, he says "weekS" and I figure all hope is lost. If they are interviewing beyond the coming Friday, I have no chance. And even though my hope is dashed, I decide I have been upfront throughout this process, and I'm going to continue that strategy. And since I have nothing left to lose, I tell him about my situation, my current employer and the ultimatum. Again, I assume I have ruined my chances, but his first response is telling me that he is sorry I am in that position and then says that after the phone interview they had "strong feelings" about me. And that as a matter of fact, the last interview is scheduled for Friday and given the time difference, he thinks he could let me know before the end of the day. And my spirits lift. I really hope it works out. And I think it might.
