I wasted a month.

I got an interview. But wait, that's the unfortunate part of the story.

I got an interview and it went very well. So did the next one, and the next one. I was on the final round. I met the entire team. In fact, I met the team after meeting the hiring manager and my would be direct supervisor. I just knew I was going to get this job. After 60 days of applying, a month of interviews, and good vibes all around, the search part of my journey was over. I could officially begin. Then...

I received a:

We have carefully considered all applicants we have met with in line with the specific role requirements. In this instance, you have not been successful in progressing further.

I didn't get the job, and I didn't have any projects or new courses or anything for all the time that had passed.

Of course I was crushed, the opportunity of the highest paying job I've had, the great team, the remote life, the doing what I love.. all gone. In a moment.

Now, I've gotten rejections before. At 16 I waited in the little dusty room behind the cold cases of drinks in the back row of Target. It was me and another girl sitting silently waiting to hear if we got the job, if we too, could wear the classic red shirt and khaki pants and get paid the glorious $7/hr.

My interview was first and I did my best, it went well enough. I sat there tapping my feet while the other girl was interviewing.

She came out smiling with the manager, shaking hands, walking in stride. "Congratulations", she told the girl. Go down that way and we'll get you set up with some paperwork."

Paperwork... oh.

But hey, that was 16. A good 10 years and a little more have passed, but this time, it felt different. This time I was close, not to stocking shelves but to achieving a defining goal that mattered.

After a few days later I realized what I also missed out on was my time. I got caught up in how good the interviewers were and the swiftness of the process and just the surety of getting something that I didn't do much in the meantime.

All in all, this was a good learning lesson, the ole "don't count your chickens before they hatch" applies.

So, I'll keep building and learning no matter how good an application process is going, until my name is on the dotted line.