Full Circle

About two years ago shortly after we found out that we were moving to PA I applied for a job as the director of financial aid at a university here in town (not the one I currently work at). A head hunter out of NY contacted me and from there I was flown out for an interview and wined and dined. I found out later that I was one of the final two candidates. The other candidate was an internal candidate that had started at the office as a counselor and was currently their associate director. They ended up giving her the job and asked if I would come out for a second interview for the associate director position. I was not exactly enthused as I was still bummed that I didn't get the job but thought what the heck, it was free trip for Bret and I to come and see the area and look for a place to live.

During the second interview trip it was CLEAR that the new director and I were not going to be a good fit. It started with her inviting me by email to dinner with my spouse and her and her spouse. She wanted to meet at 6:00pm the night before the interview. Our flight got in just after noon that same day and we were scheduled to meet with our realtor at 2pm. Thinking that we may be pressed for time because of the flight, commute from the airport, etc, etc. I emailed her back that we would love to do dinner but where wondering if we could move the dinner time to 7pm. She emailed back that no, that wouldn't work because she had a 2 year old and they had a bed time that they needed to keep with. OK.

The next day the interview went OK. It was clear that she was concerned that I would be insubordinate because I didn't get her job. I was just playing the role that I just wanted the job and that this would be a better fit for me since I was new to the area. I asked a couple of questions about compliance issues that I had found during my initial interview process and she said that there were no issues and that everything was on the up and up. Needless to say that I didn't get the job and I wasn't too disappointed.

Fast forward two years to this morning and my boss came in with some interesting news. She had been at a state meeting last Friday and the buzz is that this person who got the job over me and one other person in her office were "let go" on Friday. My boss said that the lid is being kept shut pretty tight as to why but that no one else in the office really expected and where as shocked as we are. During these economic times I don't wish anyone to lose their job but it does make me wonder WTF happened? It is times like these that I wish I was still in KS where I know EVERYONE in the business and am usually in the "know". I think that this is just another one of those instances that shows that everything happens for a reason it just takes a while to figure out why.