The Process II - All You Need is Luck

After the eventual disappointment at the end of the first instalment of The Process, here comes the inevitable sequel (all big money spinners get a sequel, part one got 100 views!).

It's risky writing something like this again, because if I don't get the job again... well, I look like an idiot. 

So, the opportunity.

It's a good'un!

Wednesday 22nd April

I'm sat in a very bright room, with 17 people crammed round a table made for 14 (yep, an oversubscribed event, who would have thought it), and suddenly I hear a phone vibrating. Now mine is nearly always on complete silence so I ignored it and assumed it was someone's phone in their bag on the floor behind me.

About half an hour later during a break in the event, I checked my phone. Missed call and a voicemail.

I groaned. Recruiter. 

I loaded up the voicemail and was struck by two things immediately. First, an amazing South African accent. And second, the word 'Boots'. My brain engaged.

I had applied months ago for a marketing role there and nothing came of it, so it was a bit out of the blue. The voicemail wanted to know if I was interested still, which of course I was and I quickly emailed as such.

Wednesday 6th May 

Nothing. Literally no word. After the rise and then disappointment of the FutureLearn opportunity, I had written this one off. 

Then I get an email. 

Really sorry about the delay, can you come for an interview on Friday? It's for the Assistant Marketing Manager position for No7.

Friday!

Short notice but you bet.

Friday 8th May

Real time reflection begins now.

I've just got back from my jaunt to Nottingham and it went well.

Way better than I thought.

I've spent most of this week thinking pffft, no chance. Why would a company the size of Boots want to give me a job when I've found it so hard to get jobs at much smaller and less sought after companies? 

I was in such a negative mindset I didn't really start prepping for it until 8am this morning - the interview wasn't until 11am. I try and be as positive as I can with most things in life, but last week hit me pretty hard. I managed to snap out of the negativity cycle, loosened up and took on a what-have-I-got-to-lose mindset. I set about some pretty intense research of Boots and No7 and set off for Nottingham.

Admittedly, my expectations going in to the interview were still low. It's hard to completely go again sometimes. But I eased in and had warmed up sufficiently in time to answer the competency questions (which are always way harder than you'd expect). 

I got on really well with the would-be manager, and we seemed to have a lot in common in terms of background and traits. She said 'good answer' a few times which is good for the interview confidence meter!

So I've come out feeling pretty positive. 

The job itself would be frigging amazing, so fingers firmly crossed. 

Monday 11th May 

I asked on Friday when would I hear from them... early next week. So, here we are!

Pretty certain I'm looking for a phone call, I think any 'unfortunately...' response will come by email. 

3pm - nothing yet.

Just before 5pm, ring ring ring. Second interview!

I've been set a task to review No7 in-store, as well as my thoughts on what is good about the brand, where they could improve and ideas for going global. All for Friday please.

I asked how many people were through to a second interview... Two.

TWO!?

Bloody hell. 

Time for a run I think!

Tuesday 12th May

Right, I've slept terribly. My brain won't shut down at all, which sucks short term. But at least I have some ideas now.

It was suggested I put together a PowerPoint presentation which I can only assume was relayed to the other applicant. So that means I not only have to make a shit hot PowerPoint (content and aesthetically), I need to do something else to go above and beyond reasonable expectations.

When I got my current job, I had reached similar levels of despair during fruitless applications and interviews, then I got a second interview. A chance to do something a bit different. So I made this daft poster thing with loads of 3D raised boxes about the company and me. It was very visual and it was obvious I had worked hard on it. I've decided to do this again.

The bit about me is fairly straightforward, a bunch of photos that I can talk around with words like 'determination' and 'confidence'. The No7 side is a bit more difficult. Maybe values if they have any specific to No7..?

I've also asked a few friends to tell me what No7 means to them to start off the presentation... just a few sentences, nothing too strenuous. 

I went to the flagship Derby store at lunch today and took a bunch of photos of the No7 counter, the 3D displays and the associated marketing - and had a nice conversation with one of the advisors, who was such a massive help. If by some miracle she ever reads this, thank you!

Wednesday 13th May

I remember why I don't actively do these poster things very often. They take FOREVER.

I've managed to move the presentation forward relatively well today, with great thanks to my massive team of support. I've lured them in with the promise of No7 freebies if I get the job and eternal love if I don't... so win, win for us all!

Struggling a bit with critiquing and the going global plans, but there is still time on the clock so I'm relaxed. It'll get done.

Thursday 14th May

Right, there's significantly less time on the clock now and I've still got loads to do.

I've been doing bits on the presentation throughout the day, to allow more focus on the poster thing tonight. I've decided to sack off doing it on No7, simply because there doesn't seem to be any explicit values for them, so I'm going to do Boots and their values. I reckon I can talk around them and link them back to me quite well.

Pretty happy with this. 

Presentation is nearly done, I'll finish it in the morning.

Friday 15th May

D-Day.

I am proper nervous. More so than I normally am. Normally I'm pretty calm and all under control. This morning my stomach isn't having it.

So, the presentation done - it's here if you're interested.

I've had to borrow one of my sisters' massive plastic art folder things that everyone lumped around school in Year 9 to carry the poster.

But it was worth it. I presented the poster and explained it straight off the bat and it seemed to go down really well. The would-be manager said she had never seen anything like it before (in a good sense, I think!) so that was a encouraging start. 

The presentation seemed to go down really well too, with lots of good feedback, whilst my suggestions for future development seemed to be in line with what they think already. So that, again, is encouraging.

During the interview I did think "I've got this" at one point, and whilst that is premature (the other interview isn't until Monday), I do feel quietly confident. My instinct says it would take something special to beat that...

Or for someone to already be a Boots employee.

But I've done my job, and I'm happy with that.

Find out Monday.

Sunday 17th May

This is no fun at all.

The wait. The seemingly never ending wait.

Over the last 36 hours or so, I've gone from being 70/30 in favour of getting the job, to 40/60, and now back to about 55/45.

I seem to be thinking about it all the time. It's impossible not to.

If I get the decision I'm hoping for, it massively changes my career and life both now and for the next ten years plus.

Monday 18th May

9.04am - Bloody hell, this is torture.

Normally I'd love a long weekend, but this one has felt longer than any and not in a good way.

Slept terribly.

All comes down to today.

Doubt I'll hear much before 3pm.

11.22am

1.54pm - This is all kinds of horrible.

I reckon between 3.30 and 4.

3.53pm

4.45pm - ...

9.15pm - No word. It's not been a fun day.

Tuesday 19th May

9.03am - A few days ago I said I was yo-yoing between being confident and not confident. Last time I mentioned it, it was 55/45 in favour of confidence.

I'm probably at 20/80 now.

11.10am - Who bloody knows whats going on.

1.40pm - I've rang the person I've been liaising with at Boots HR, no answer. So I've left a voicemail. Gulp.

3.41pm - I don't think this call is ever coming.

Wednesday 20th May

Gave up with that time lark.

I didn't get it.

Great feedback, loved the presentation, would be a fantastic member of the team... in the future.

The job was given to a current Boots Assistant Store Manager... with No7 experience.

I had no chance.

Sigh.

*** I probably wont do another one of these Process type entries for a while, when they don't end well - which, let's face it, is going to be most times - they aren't much fun. But hopefully it is a relatively interesting read and an insight into what I'm trying to do. We go again. ***

The Process

I've been thinking about doing something a little different with a blog post for a while now. 

The idea here is to map the progress of an application. From first seeing the job advert to either being successful or unsuccessful. I've had to wait for an opportunity that had some legs in it. The vast majority of my applications end after the first interaction. And that wouldn't make for much of a read now, would it?

With that said, getting a job is bloody hard. So I'm well aware that this may well ultimately end in disappointment. 

Context

Firstly, some context. About a year ago when I got the first pangs of wanting to get a new job I sat down and spoke to a good friend who is a couple of years ahead of me in life, career, etc. Always a wise person to speak to, Charlotte recommended this new website she'd come across called FutureLearn - a provider of free courses online. 

I quickly signed up to a few 4-6 week programmes, one on innovation in business, another on brands and it got my mind ticking over again after three years completely out of the learning game post-MSc.

We always felt it would be an amazing place to work and, as such, kept an eye open on their Twitter and the careers page on the website.

The Process

Friday 10th April 

Another week done, and we're now firmly in to the second quarter of the year with each month seemingly going quicker than the last.

My phone lit up with a message on WhatsApp.

"FutureLearn want a marketing executive!!"

Bingo.

This was perfect. 

The application required my CV, a cover letter and asked for 500 words on my favourite marketing campaign and why.

If you are a regular reader of these pages you'll remember I was asked this question during a phone interview and it absolutely stumped me. 

NOT THIS TIME! Playstation 4 and Oreo. 

Thanks very much.

I applied within an hour and felt pretty good about things.

Wednesday 15th April

In the midst of seemingly endless applications, this had slipped from the forefront of my mind.

Then I received an email from FutureLearn inviting me for a phone interview with them on Friday later that week.

Good news.

I felt with my CV, the storming answer to their question and, arguably more importantly, my background of working for a leadership development company that I had a good chance of getting through the first stage of the process.

And I had. 

Now, the hard part.

Friday 17th April

Now that it's got to this point I will start adding entries to this in an almost 'live' sense, shortly after today's telephone interview and anything that occurs after that.

***

Well I think that went well.

You can never really tell for sure during a structured telephone interview but I had answers for everything they asked and I managed to ask a few good questions which showed my existing knowledge of the company and desire to know more about them and the role.

We'll see.

They said next step would be during the week commencing Monday 27th April so it sounds like they have a lot of people to interview.

Monday 20th April

Interesting.

They've got back to me a week early to invite me to come down to London for a face-to-face interview.

Now I either ticked all the boxes on the phone, or there wasn't as many other people being interviewed as I expected.

Train tickets booked for a week on Friday.

Friday 1st May

I'm currently sat in the cafe at the British Library.

Yep, quite impressively, FutureLearn have their offices at the British Library.

I've never been here before and it is amazing. It's also a stones throw from St. Pancras station so no tube drama for BQ yet today!

The interview went as well as I could have hoped for. Interestingly, the interviewers (Head of Marketing and Marketing Manager) weren't even present for the first half an hour. Instead, I was introduced to the social media person first, and then the copywriter. I had a nice conversation with both and I think I positioned myself well for the inevitable 'what did you think?' question that they will have been asked when I left the building.

The interview proper was basically an extended version of the telephone conversation, and again I am pleased with my responses. I don't think I could have done much more to persuade them that I am the right person for the job.

It sounds like I will hear from them on Tuesday next week... so we'll see.

Whilst I think I have a good chance of a positive response, I also don't know who else they interviewed. As this process has reminded me on countless occasions so far, there is almost always someone with a little more experience or who is a little more suited to the job spec than me.

Que sera, sera.

Tuesday 5th May

D-Day.

(Probably).

09.29 am - Been at work an hour now and checked my email about eight times. No word. I'm very aware that I'm heading quickly towards a crossroads with this whole job thing. In the last few weeks I've barely applied for anything, my daily emails from job boards send a shiver down my spine and my motivation continues to drop off. If, as the odds would dictate, I don't get this one... what next?

10.06 am - My money is on an email between 2 and 3 pm.

11.46 am - Haircut.

1.51 pm - Powercut. Bloody hell. 

2.58 pm - After a good hour, we're back. And as predicted, I had an email at 2.36 pm. Immediately my eyes don't read the message as they would a normal email, they scan for word like 'unfortunately' and 'sorry'. 

Sure enough, the second word of the second paragraph is 'regret'.

Balls. 

***

So that's that. 

I really felt I had a chance with this one.

I go again.

EDIT: Friday 8th May, 4pm

The much vaunted feedback!

"Dear Ben

Sorry for the delay in coming back.  The over arching feedback was really positive from both xxx and xxx and you would have been a great fit for the team.  You were just pipped to the post by the successful candidate as they had more relevant experience in the education arena."

Valuable.

Cheers.