Interviewing...

I guess I haven't talked much on here about what this job-seeking process is like. I also want to limit how much I disclose in the online universe. Companies, as it turns out, really do check up on people. I know that I used to do that for my company when I did recruiting.

It's unreal how much everything feels like dating. The companies are so temperamental about you showing interest in them, and even when you think you''re clearly communicating your intentions about your interest, they don't always understand it.

Cisco was a company near the top of my list, and I felt like I had done all of my homework for them going into the interview process. I talked with each of their recruiters. I had even began correspondence with one before I even got into the program. I went to their office hours, their info session, out to lunch with them, and I even went on a trip out to the Bay Area to make sure they saw my face.

And in the end I didn't even get an interview with them. It came down to the fact that I never explicitly told them they are at the top of my list, so they didn't even bother interviewing me. I couldn't believe it. That set off a chain reaction for me of reaching out to all of my remaining companies and letting them know my level of interest, and asking them for next steps.

There was a week period when about 6 or 7 companies came to campus and interviewed people. I only interviewed with one, where for a number of people they interviewed with maybe every single company, and then they told me no, and then a bunch of people were starting to get offers and fly-backs.

I started to feel panicky about my situation. Should I have applied everywhere even though I only had lukewarm interest? Did I put my eggs in too few baskets? Was I going to be able to get any offers?

Then my top companies started to have their deadlines, I started getting interest, and now I'm back to feeling like balance has been restored. I had an interview yesterday, one today, and I have two lined up for early next week, and I would be perfectly happy working for any of these companies. Once again, I feel confident things will work out.

It's just kind of a crazy process, but it's really fun too. Today's interview was the coolest interview experience I've ever had. I just loved it. Part of it was just two questions and in-depth conversation about my most significant accomplishment, and then how I would approach a case situation. The second part were questions directly related to their business, and it felt kind of like a game to me. I loved it.

When I got my first no, it really made me kind of mad, and shook me up, but I think it turned out really well. Now that company is getting sued for a billion dollars by the federal government, and after hearing about how they've handled some other things, I am actually glad that one didn't work out and I wasn't forced to have to make my own decision about that company.

I feel really good going forward. It's a nice place to be. We'll see where we end up and with who.