Cursed…

Okay, so the title is facetious but, after all this time, I’m beginning to wonder.

I nearly had a job at an insurance company but that was ruined when, for my final interview, they sent in someone to replace the person I was supposed to meet. This person had been with the company two weeks, had no idea what was going on, and had only been told at the last minute that she’d need to interview me. Up until that point, I was a shoo-in. After, nothing.

Last week, I went to interview for a technical writing position but they wanted someone with an engineering or mechanical background… not a writing background.

Then, today, I went to the interview that I was sure would work out. I was so qualified, I was sure they’d hire me on the spot. I had worked with the same products before. I had done the same job before. I had used the same software before. In no way was I incompatible!

I should have known that wouldn’t matter…

I met with this guy who basically hated the world and was unhappy about everything. And there was no way to keep him from going negative.

I’d tell him about how I worked on the same kinds of products and he’d say, “You’ve never seen products like ours.” I’d tell him that I’d written the same kinds of documents and he’d say, “Our documents are different from everybody else’s.” I’d confirm that I had worked with, and was competent with, Photoshop and he’d say, “Yes, but we have to do all of the graphic arts,” in the most negative, cynical way possible.

This is the guy everyone avoids at a party – if he’s invited at all!

I told him about how I had developed all of the documentation standards at the last two places I worked, one of my biggest selling points, and he said, “We already have our standards.” I told him how I’ve written documentation for both homes and business and he said, “We don’t deal with end users.” In other words, he just ignored any experience I did have – showing how I took the initiative or showing my flexibility – and, instead, found a way to shoot me down.

It was an hour of getting pummeled.

No fun.

I have less that a month of unemployment insurance left… I’m officially scared.