Here I am, smack dab in the middle of a busy interview stretch. Four interviews in a seven day period.

I’m really happy to have some traction in my job search…hopefully, one of these opportunities bears fruit. Right now, I’m sitting on the MAX on my way into the airport for a final interview with the Port of Portland.

I’m one of two finalists for a position that would put me – potentially – in daily contact with my former employer, so that’s sweet.

I mean, awkward.

Still, of the four potentials, this one is my fave.

It’s a Sunday through Wednesday schedule, 5am-3pm. Three day weekend every week? Yes, please!

I believe this also puts me into the PERS retirement program, which is the Portland Employee Retirement System. That’s a sweet deal, as far as benefits go.

But…because there’s always a but.

As I was leaving the first interview – a five on one panel interview, which I nailed – the HR Manager walked me out. Between the conference room and the elevator, she apologized for not reaching out for a phone interview prior to setting up the panel interview. There was only about six business days between the interview request and the actual interview, but maybe I was low on her list of priorities. Anyway, she goes on quickly as we walk to make a circular gesture around the pay range in the job description she’s holding and say that they were looking to bring someone in around the low end, since that’s where the peer position was at in the range.

A) overshare

B) the bottom of the JD says DOE, and I’m pretty “E”

So, I stopped walking.

I told her that the low end was about a 25% pay cut for me and I really didn’t think I could take that kind of financial hit.

“Well, I’ll see where your peer is and maybe there’s some room to work. Anyway”, she starts walking, “we should be making a decision by Friday.”

Friday comes and goes and then the next one does, too. I decide that I was disqualified for salary expectations and was bummed.

However, that following Wednesday, I get a call from the Director’s Admin wanting to set up an interview. She said that she was sorry that apparently I hadn’t been kept in the loop.

Ten minutes after that call, I get a voicemail from the HR Manager.

It’s 4:50.

“Hi! I just wanted to let you know that you’re going to be getting a call to set up an interview with the Director. You’re one of two final candidates! Anyway, I’ll be leaving the office in a few minutes and won’t be back in until July 2nd, but you’ll hear from me then. Good luck!”

Come.

On!

This is why I say Human Resources is the least valuable part of any organization.

Oh well, it’s an honor to just be nominated…

I’ll take all the good vibes you’ve got to spare! Mostly because I know that the first and last (which hasn’t even happened yet) interviews are positions I’m not interested in.

The last interview – this coming Thursday – was professionally set up and I was intrigued by it. It’s an Operations Manager position with a support vendor at the airport. Actually, so was the first interview in this series, but with their competitor. Anyway, I LinkedIn stalked the guy I’d be reporting to and he’s about 27, so I immediately lost interest in the job. The last thing this grumpy old man needs is to report to a millennial!

Plus, he’s a farkle.

The first interview, with their competitor, started out ok. The woman offered me an interview at 11 or 11:30, saying that either worked for her schedule that day. I choose 11:30.

I show up at her hotel at about 11:20 and am waiting to meet her in the lobby. I begin to realize that the conversation taking place on the other side of the dividing wall in the lobby is her interviewing another candidate.

Now, I’m thinking, whiskey-tango-foxtrot…who schedules in person interviews 30 minutes apart?!? There’s no time to get it all done in 30 minutes, so I decide this is just a preliminary interview. The first of a series.

She’s 15 minutes late getting to me. To make it worse, she texts me where she’s sitting and what she’s wearing.

Very professional.

I knew when she didn’t stand to greet me that I was not going to work well with this person. She proceeds to pretty much phone in the interview and at the end tells me that she wants to have an offer out by the following afternoon. Adding that she still has one interview that day and several the next morning.

Well, bully for you, lady…now I know I’m for sure not interested.

Sidebar: I get to the airport early – because I’m an adult person – and decide to take a look around. See who I know, and whatnot. Naturally, I run right into my old boss. Speaking of awkward.

Which leaves us with bachelor number two in this round of opportunities.

It’s a network opportunity and it’s the second or third time that this past colleague has tapped my shoulder for this company. This time, the stars are lined up for us: I’m free, it’s in the right city, etc. It’s a women’s athletics company and I was kind of concerned that maybe I wouldn’t be a good fit. However, after a dynamite first interview with the recruiter, I’m super jazzed about it. We’ll see what comes of it.

Ironically, this job at the Port will move slowly enough that if I am fortunate enough to receive offers on both jobs, they’ll come around the same time!

This is a problem that I’m eager to have! Keep those fingers crossed for ya boy.