Wait, wait, wait (updated) (again!)

In the job search process (at least in my experience), there is more waiting than you ever think there could possibly be when first you estimate how long it might take to land a new job. And I mean waiting when you are actively interviewing, and getting second interviews, and getting flown in, put up in a hotel, taken to lunch, etc., etc. Wait time while busy at it, I mean.

It's not like the time spent waiting when you are first sending out resumes, then following up, but not even getting to the HR phone screen stage. Using a baseball metaphor (since it was Opening Day this week), when you don't get to even leave the dugout, you expect it to take a pretty long time to score a run. But if you are regularly getting up to bat, making good ball contact, even getting on base, and you still wait, wait, wait... it's puzzling.

But, it's also normal. I have to keep reminding myself of that. I'm on day 62 of unemployment, have had in-person interviews at 4 companies, phone screens at many more, and still.. no runs scored. My point here is not that 62 days is particularly long - it isn't. But it's the good amount of activity during such a short time that makes me think that it should go more quickly. Maybe it's like having fast response time on the internet.. it makes you impatient when all of a sudden a web page gets stuck for more than 3 seconds.

Sorry, just switched metaphors. Back to baseball. ;) I suppose I could say that the last two in-person interviews have me currently at second base, taking a substantial lead off the bag. I might just get pushed around to home on either one. And then today I have a 2nd phone screen with yet another company. I would call that one beating out a slow roller for an infield single. :) We'll see if I can steal second with that firm and get an in-person interview out of the deal.

Still, I expect nothing in the way of news until next week on anything. First the hiring manager has to talk to the interview team, then to the big boss, then they have to talk to HR (but only after, of course, they get back from that unexpected out-of-town trip, and have to deal first with a new deadline from the board of directors on that growth proposal...), and on it goes. Just the normal press of business stretches the process out, even if they think I'm the hottest thing out there. They simply can't act as fast as I would like. To quote Michael Corleone: "It isn't personal. Just business."

And after all.. unlike me.. they actually have day jobs.

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UPDATE (Thurs PM):
As I said, the press of business stretches the process out. The phone interview scheduled for today got cancelled due to the interviewer getting called away on some other matter. :( I guess in terms of my metaphor the batter struck out so I didn't get a chance to try to steal second; still at first base on that one. It'll be rescheduled real soon, they say. Uhuh.

But, a company I had sent a resume to 6 weeks ago, finally called and acknowledged it today; wants a phone screen next week Tuesday. Okay! Another plate appearance! :)

Good thing, too, because one of the two companies I was on second base with (see main post above) called today to say: "sorry, but.. no." :( Nuts. Picked off at second.

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UPDATE 2 (Fri Aft):
Up and down, back and forth, on and off, make up your mind! And in the meantime, how about we wait some more?

The cancelled phone call from yesterday unexpectedly wound up being back on for today at noon. The hiring manager squeezed a half-hour out of his crazy schedule for me, and fortunately I was available. Wow, did we cram a lot into a little space! Pretty exciting call. And they are people of action; before he drops off the call to run to his next meeting, he puts the HR gal on to finish up and arrange for me to fly "out East" next week and have a full day of interviews. Again, wow. Here I thought yesterday that the inning was over, and suddenly I'm on second base, and taking a nice lead off the bag. :) Gotta pay attention in this game!

Good thing, too, because the other company that I'm also still on second base with called. They're going into lock-down mode for 10 days because of some unexpected visit from a rating agency, and... I won't know about anything there until I get back from this new interview trip. Jeepers. You really need a scorecard to keep up.