Figuratively, of course. The sky here is blue and the weather is lovely.

Plus, let me say right out the gate, I am not complaining.

Here’s the sitch:

• I have a 2nd interview tomorrow for a job based in my town, but that pays less and has less prestige, benefits, etc. than the other jobs I’m looking at.
• I have a 1st interview on Thursday for a sorta interesting job.
• My job offer contingent upon reference checks is still out there, apparently checking references, since I got a call from one of them telling me she’s been checked.
• Totally unexpectedly, i got an offer from another state agency with a job equivalent to the contingent job-offer job. Equivalent, but not as interesting.

Oh, and in the time between when I started this post and now, I talked with the hiring manager for the contingent job and have clarified that he really wants to hire me. He said that if I didn’t accept the job, he wasn’t going to the next person on the list, but re-opening the search. (That’s a really nice thing to hear, and not a really good place for him to start from with the bargaining, but, again, I’m not complaining.) He’s offering me (in theory, anyway), when I take benefits and salary into account, a 32 percent raise. (Possibly more, since I haven’t done the math to compare the retirement benefits.)

I feel like I won a prize!  Okay, only sorta, because I can see the downsides of this job.  But there are many upsides, too.  Plus, now I don’t have to put together a document outlining how I would write a field plan and I don’t have to drive an hour south on Thursday to interview for a job I’m already pretty sure I don’t want.  Yay, me!

Today, I interviewed with a stone-faced panel of four.  I’ve done these kind of interviews before, where the panel is instructed to read the questions verbatim, and there is very little opportunity for follow up. In this case, the lead interviewer/hiring manager asked me if I would prefer to have them read the questions or read them and answer them myself.  I’m not sure what I was thinking — maybe that it was a test? — but I chose to read them and answer them.  The net result was that I felt like I was talking to myself while these voyeurs took notes.

At one point, I became completely flummoxed trying unsuccessfully to remember the phrase “standard deviation” or even how to describe what it means.  (It was an aside comment, too.)  I left, certain (and sorta relieved) that I’d blown the interview.

So, how surprised was I to not three hours later get a phone message from the hiring manager.  I am their best candidate and have an informal offer contingent on successful background and reference checks.

Of course, I came home and jumped on Google. The hiring manager has great chops and is clearly the expert in this public policy piece in the state.  Furthermore, he has one (count ‘em, one) contact on a professional networking site one which we both have accounts, and that one contact is someone I know.  Someone, in fact, who employs the economist I mentioned needing to reach out to in the interview.  Because the public policy world here is small like that, I guess.

Did I mention: weird?

Plus — Looks like I’m going to get to wrangle data — and lots of it — once again.

They didn’t blanche at my salary requirements (which, by the way, were much higher than my usual). When we ended the call, they said, “If anything changes, call us.”

But, they couldn’t guarantee work past November 30. I refuse to put myself through another job search so soon, especially after working as hard on this job as it requires.

I was going to say that old saw about how pressure crushes you to dust or turns you into a diamond, and how I must be on the dust side of the equation, but maybe I’m just being moulded into a diamond with different facets, unusual clarity and brilliance.

Parents still here.

• I have a third interview tomorrow for a job that could be very exciting, but would have me working non-stop between now and Election Day.
• I have an interview on Wednesday for a good, stable, interesting job with an hour-long commute.
• I have an interview in 10 days for a great, interesting job with an hour-long commute.
• I got a letter that I qualified for a job that I thought was a real stretch for me and that’s nearby and sorta interesting. However, I’m number 7 on the shortlist for an interview.
• I got a letter saying that I’m qualified for yet another good, stable, interesting job with an hour-long commute.

I might feel better after tomorrow’s interview. I wish I knew what to do about it. Part of me wants to call it off, now. Unless they offer me big, big money and can guarantee it will continue for at least a year, I don’t want it. But it might be nice to talk to them, no? I’m just afraid that I’ll burn bridges if I turn them down. Now that’s a silly thing, isn’t it?  How can I say yes when I don’t have all of the important information I need to make a decision?