I’m a college senior in the middle of my last finals week! I am graduating a semester early and really excited to save that tuition $$$ but don’t know what to do this spring and summer. I am applying to several fully funded grad programs but they are only fall admit and I get my results in the spring, so I’ll need a job for the spring + summer that I’d be happy doing longer if I get rejected from grad school.
As an undergrad, for the same office since the summer after my sophomore year. I told them I was graduating early and would like to work in the office. They gave me a strong maybe, which I was fine with.
About a month ago, I got an interview for another job, but the interviewer was only available during my shift. I asked for a break to take the interview and was fully transparent with what I was doing during the time, which is normal in my office since there are many undergraduate employees. Within an hour of sending the message, my supervisor came in and said “there’s a job for you here if you want it.” I told her that this was really unexpected but I would obviously take the role because (at the time) I really liked the department’s culture. As a result, I turned down the interview.
Flash forward three weeks and my supervisor sends me a message asking to meet via Zoom in one week to “discuss expectations and generally check in.” I was so excited! I started preparing my calendar and I told other office members, who were all very happy with me. A couple days later, the director of my department sends an email saying she will be joining us as well. Okay, no biggie, it’s a small department.
I get on the zoom call today and my supervisor isn’t there at all. It’s just the director of my department. She starts by disciplining me for coming in with a cold (confirmed not COVID, flu, or strep) which I explain I only did because last time I took sick leave I lost $200 in pay and couldn’t afford it again. This is a great start because immediately after, she tells me the office will be “restructuring” and “no longer needs me or the role I would fill.” So basically, I got laid off without even starting!
So, now I’m less than a week away from graduating college and despite excellent grades, several student jobs, and strong leadership skills, I have NO JOB! I think what’s even more frustrating is there was a job I actually could have gotten had they not stopped me from interviewing!
It’s one of those offices where they say “we’re all a family” but wow, this feels like being stabbed in the back.