u/slodownlulu

I interviewed for a full-time time staff position at a community college and they checked my references the next day. 5 weeks later I got an automated rejection email. The next day HR called and said "things had changed" and they offered me the job, which I accepted. I get that their first choice probably fell through but in this market, who cares?

However, the hiring/onboarding process has continued to be opaque. I passed the background check and received an email from HR telling me I was cleared to start and that they would reach out a week before my start date with information about orientation, and that my supervisor would communicate first day instructions. Well, it turns out my supervisor is on vacation until my start date so I haven't heard from them. I called HR yesterday and they acknowledged that this is an oversight, but I still haven't heard anything about orientation or even when/where to go on Monday. It's now Thursday night. Very weird!

I'm not that concerned that the job has fallen through since it's a public agency (at least I'm trying not to panic). The immediate problem is that I'm not sure if I should call/email again tomorrow, just show up on Monday (when? where? -- it's a big campus), or just wait to hear. I don't want to be a "no-show" obviously.

This forum helped me understand that "it's not me" so I wanted to pay that back now that I finally got a solid offer. I've interviewed for 18 jobs since fall of 2024. I still have a decent-sized contract floating me financially so I haven't been completely unemployed but knowing that it's ending and that I wanted options, I started early. I had no idea it would be this difficult.

I did actually get four other offers in the past year and a half: First one was for the feds and I couldn't risk being probationary; Second was for county government which was rescinded due to budget cuts; Third was a small nonprofit and turned out to be part-time; Fourth was a verbal offer from the HM, which he was then forced to rescind by his senior division manager. It's hard to explain how crushing this year has been but I know you know.

I eventually came to a place of equanimity around all this, knowing that I'm about to be without an income despite being a highly skilled and educated mid-career professional with a solid reputation. You guys helped me understand that all I can do is apply, prepare, and not try to control employer behavior.

I interviewed for a job in administration at a community college in early June. They called my references the next day and I got excited!! Then, silence -- I spent a lot of the last month reading your posts on here and trying to understand what was happening and what I could do. I followed up with HR after 2 weeks; she said they were finalizing references and for me to wait on "next steps." Again, seemed hopeful. Three weeks later, still nothing, so I emailed HR and within 5 minutes got an automated ATS email saying I was no longer under consideration. Crushing! Again! But this time I knew that these things happen and it's them, not me.

The next day, I was in another interview when I got an email from the community college HR saying they "want to talk." I called them and they said that things had changed and they are hoping I'm still interested, and then sent over an offer letter.

I thought I would be elated or relieved, but I mostly feel numb after everything. Since other offers have also fallen through I'm acutely aware that life is fragile. My biggest hope is that when all of us long-term seekers are back in the market, we will contribute to more humane workplaces and better HR policies, and perhaps change the world for the better. Best wishes to everyone and please feel free to be in touch. Ironically, my new job is helping job seekers :-)

Craving Chinese food and went there tonight. They're still doing a pop-up on Monday nights from 5-8. It was really good! They had Mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, a curry, dumplings, a few salads and other dishes -- all excellent. You can bring your own containers for takeout, or they have bowls there to eat (suggested donation $15 for large, $10 for small). People were very nice too! A hidden community gem.

I finished my PhD at an R1 a little over a decade ago, did a one year postdoc (mostly to relocate to where I wanted to live), then started working for myself as a consultant, since I spent a lot of energy in grad school networking.

I ended up getting a bunch of grants and continuing to publish research, mentor young people, and basically be an academic on my own terms, minus teaching. It helped me achieve work-life balance and work with whomever I wanted.

I had a good run and then burned out about the time that the federal government melted down and started making it basically impossible to continue. Because I am self-employed, I chose to live in an amazing place where the job market is not so great even under good circumstances.

I thought it would be "easy" (I'm an optimistic-entrepreneurial type after all) to get a job since my research is applied/policy oriented, I've done a lot of hands-on consulting, and I've managed employees. But sadly, it's become hell. I've heard "overqualified" and "internal candidate promotion" a lot.

Now I'm seeing my peers get tenure, and maybe some also a little lost, but at least they have a stable salary. I can't really imagine having not lived the life I have over the past decade, but at the same time - in my underemployed and burned out state - I do feel remorse. I assume that will change when my circumstances change, but for now it's rough.

I just wanted to offer this perspective since people have questions about mid-life career change, leaving academia, and pivoting.