Hey everybody!
It's been more than a month now since I've been home, and I wanted to check in, since everyone on the forum was so incredibly supportive and helpful in the weeks leading up to my big move.
For those who don't remember, I recently packed up almost six years of my American life into bags and boxes and shipped the whole lot back home to Malaysia for good. I am currently back in my parents' home, slowly adjusting to this new life.
I can't say I don't miss my old life, because I do. I miss the freedom, I miss my friends, and most of all, I miss the boyfriend quite terribly. But with my mom's recent illness and my parents' age in general, I know I did the right thing.
You may also remember that I had a fashion magazine interview waiting for me when I got home. Well, that's a long story, but the upshot of it is that they deemed me totally unsuitable for a fashion writer position (apparently this is because the emphasis is more on the FASHION bit and less on the WRITER bit, so you have to have fashion credentials), but were interested in me for a sub editor position. Which they had already filled. BUT there was a possibility that hire would fall through. But they couldn't tell me for sure. Etc, etc, etc...
A few weeks later, when I have been accepted in another company, they call back saying their hire fell through and I am their first choice to replace her, but I have to meet the Editor in Chief first. YES PLEASE. We fix a time (after work hours at my current job).
On the day of, an hour before work is up, I am asked if I can come in a full hour earlier. Now, with traffic being what it is in this city -- and given that my contact knew my predicament with the new job, etc -- this is flat out impossible. I tell them so, and ask if we can reschedule.
For two days I get no reply. On the 2nd day, I get an email saying they have hired someone else. The kicker: "Probably for the best, as we could not have matched your current salary anyway."
My issues with this whole thing:
a. We fixed the appointment time for a reason, i.e you KNEW I have another job, one which I only have because YOU could not hire me in the first place.
b. If I were really your first choice, would you not at least try to meet with me before taking on someone else?
c. Could you not even bother to CALL me when you made that decision?
d. HOW WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO?? Did you really think I make my decisions based on money alone????
Sigh. It's still a bitter pill to swallow, because this was probably my dream job. But if this is the way they conduct business before they even hire you, perhaps I should consider myself lucky to be out of it. Anyway, I currently hold a well-paying position aassistant manager position at one of the biggest local banks, holding sway over our corporate communications and branding initiatives and feeling, all things considered, pretty okay. Still not 100% -- the rejection, after being so close, really stings -- but okay. And I can only get better.
My internet connection at home is pretty crap, and I'm typing this -- very very quickly and sneakily -- at work, so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to participate for now. But I just wanted to let you guys know I'm still here and still surviving -- and still appreciating the wise women on this forum as much as ever.
<3,
Hanna
