What a Process...

So I've been going through the interview process, for an internal position at my work. I feel like a crazy woman.

First, I submit my application, and wait to hear about an interview. Once I get the call, I start preparing like hell for this interview. At my work, we focus on Competency Based interviews... which means you need a story for everything... but not just any story, one that reaches all of the levels of the specific competency they are looking at. So it's a huge process to prepare for the interview: study the competency dictionary, decide on some experience from your past, and hope like hell that your experience matches the level they've rated the position at. I studied and prepared for an entire week every evening. The night before the interview, I stayed up till 2:30am reviewing my notes, slept from 3 till 5am - and then headed into the office to prepare for the presentation part of the interview.

The interview itself went decently, atleast the supervisor seemed impressed, the HR person was less so. Now the waiting begins... 5 days later I get a call stating that I had an appointment for a polygraph test the following morning as the next stage of the interview process. They were also now ready for my references, which I happily provided.

Polygraphs... even when you're telling the complete truth you feel like a criminal. It's a very invasive and disturbing process. Especially when the technician keeps referring to all of the murders and rapists who've also sat in that same chair. Great.

The day after my polygraph, I am informed that I MUST use my current supervisor as a reference, even though we've had limited interaction, as she is recent to the role. I had been avoiding telling my current supervisor that I had even applied for the position because I didn't want to cause any discomfort if it wasn't necessary. Anywho, 5 days after giving her contact info to the HR person, my supervisor tells me that she is still playing phone tag with this HR person.

I called the HR person today to get an update on the process, and low and behold, there is yet another stage to this interview. Next week, a second interview. I feel sick. I want the job of course, but I just wonder what the real value is in all of this effort. I'm an excellent employee who has been in her current position for the past 5 years... successfully.

Still hoping for the best! Fingers crossed everyone....

~Dumas