This story starts about a a year and a half ago.
I had recently been laid off due to unforeseen circumstances by a company, and after a short while of pumping projects in my workshop, I began looking up job offers. There wasn't much to choose from, and the few places that suited my specialized ass, were either too far and didn't want to commit to my hiring because of such long commute (wich was fine by me), or didn't have positions avaliable, you know the same old story for anyone looking for positions in their field.
When things started to become a bit tighter for my liking, I received a surprise message through a well known “work social media network”:
“Hey, I have seen your profile and your job seeking status, and wanted to ask, is working at a underwater ROV company, something that may interest you?”
HOLY FUCK it is! (I had sent a CV a year or two prior, but I did not mention that).
I took a few hours to answer, to -> a: Not seem desperate and b: calm my extremely excited brain.
In the end I answered with a polite: “Oh, hey!, yeah I would like to do that. Can you tell me more?”
After some back and forth via email, a meeting with the whole engineering team was convined, and I went with high hopes (because I'm really good at what I do). You know they usually say something similar to:
“If a meeting lasts more than 45 minutes, you are probably golden.”
Well, mine lasted about two hours of happy chat and slight brainstorming about ROV troubleshooting (I don't mind to give ideas out, I can just have more). And I went home with a delightful smile. They shall contact me later.
A pair of days later, I got a message asking for some paperwork I didn't have, and it was a hell of a nightmare to get it (I am bad at keeping official records of shit, totally my fault) but anyhow, I got the documents and presented them in a timely manner.
Some days later, I got a message to setting up a second interview with the young team I would command (assembler, hull expert, technical aide). I sent private emails to each participant to get to know them more, as well as for them to know me, in preparation for the meeting. I comunicated clearly that answering was not mandatory, it was just a friendly reach (eyebrow raise, noone answered)
When the actual meeting was held, I did my best to equally ask to all participants, be assertive and show my interest in their mental wellbeing as well as their performance. When it was their turn to ask back, I would diplomatically say they where quite lame, tbh, but I did not think too much of it, after all I was a stranger that had not bonded yet.
Again, the meeting lasted a good amount of time, and I went home really happy, waiting for their contact.
One week passes.
Two weeks pass…
Three weeks pass…
By the fourth week I'm like…wtf…so I contact the secretary that had notified me of each meeting to ask. And lo and behold:
“I'm sorry to inform you that we currently don't have any openings for you”
WAIT, WHAT?
What the hell have I been directly contacted by your CEO, told what position would I fill, and in general, been interviewing for!?!?!?!? Dafuk is wrong with you, people?
Anyhow, I did NOT let my frustration show, politely thanked her, and moved on.
————————————————- SIX MONTHS LATER—————————————————————–
I seem to have found an interesting job, and at some point, they sign me a paper confirming that they will hire me (or pay me a hefty penalty if they don't), in six months.
I contact the underwater ROV secretary and ask her to REMOVE my contact details and CV from their database.
That felt good, because I'm a salty bitch, I guess.
————————————————- SIX (more) MONTHS LATER——————————————————
It is a year later, the job is GOOD, real good, one that suits me PER-FECT-LY (and pays well, and the company is solid as a rock), and I'm happily 3D designing some shit when I get a call from a number I don't know.
me: “Yeah? who dis?”
caller: “Hey, it's me, underwater rov CEO, is this a good moment?”.
me: “Oh, hey, I'm kinda busy, sorry.”
CEO: “When would it be a good time to talk?”
me: “Later this evening, but could you please tell me, in short, the motive of your call?”
CEO: “I'm looking for great talent like yours”
me: “Oh, that's sweet, but I'm already working full time, you see.”
CEO: “And how about evenings and weekends?” (It's extremely illegal to work such extra amounts of time, it's EU, after all)
/blank stare at wall in disbelief, followed by my greatest malicious smile/
(YOU ALREADY FUCKED ME ONCE, BITCH, NOT GONNA HAPPEN TWICE)
me: “Remember I told you I'm an extremely creative person? I got my hands full of my own projects after work, but thankyou for calling. Have a nice day” /and hung up/
It may not be as dramatic as the best stories around here, but I was BEAMING the next few days. I felt glorious like I have never before, and every time I remember, it brings a smile to my face.
————————————————————- Extras ———————————————————————-
Want some icing on the cake?
When I interviewed, said ROV company was was designing some things that may end up requiring services that the company I work for now, may or may not, provide. Guess what did I explicitly say it was a condition, when I was hired?
“We don't do assembly for underwater ROV company” (compared to where I work, it's a really small company, and it's not like we do offer the service and they are waiving money away, but rather that if I commented “hey, we could do this or that shit” for some cool reason, boss would allow it to happen (commercial details to be worked between parties, I just do the cool parts).