Interview!

I got called for an interview! It's on Friday - OMG what am I going to wear?

Backstory - I am a non profit, do-gooder type person. A lot of experience, some high visibility projects, a resume that shows a leadership path. Lots of start up work, launching new projects. As any non profit type person who isn't out directly in the field working on the cause, also a lot of writing and communications type experience - grantwriting, newsletters, talks and presentations, media relations, etc.

My husband is an IT consultant, and works for a medium-size consulting company.

When I first became unemployed, I asked him what about his company. Surely they had some sort of communications/outreach office, could he check into that. I've never done corporate type work, but I figured it could be good experience, they might be more used to hiring pregnant women, his connection might make it click, and let's face it, we need money and for me to have a job, so let's not leave any stone unturned.

So a couple of weeks ago his company had an open job fair and he suggested I go. I've never been to a corporate job fair before, so I made him come with me. (Yes, I am a dork, thank you for asking.) Most of the work is heavy IT engineering stuff, but one division does organizational development/change management consulting. So I talked to them, at their dorky little table at this job fair. Obviously, I have no credentials in organizational development or change management, and the guy pretty much dismissed me out of hand (we have PhDs working in this arena). But he did ask about my writing experience and said they had a fair amount of writing work, and maybe I'd be a fit. After the fair, I got his e-mail address from my husband (who had stayed within eyesight, but out of earshot of the mini-interview), and wrote to the manager to thank him. No response. But this week I got a call from their HR, and today they confirmed an interview. And sent me a position description that is very much organizational development/change management. Yikes. I mean good (you don't do a lot of start up work as I have if you don't like developing organizations). But yikes (no credentials - experience in crazy world of non profits).

My husband is pretty excited. He says we can commute together. I've asked him if he really is excited, and he said, look, if I didn't want you there I could have easily squashed this from inside without you ever knowing. I'm really not sure what to expect. I felt the guy was pretty dismissive at the job fair, but maybe he read through my (too wordy) resume and something clicked. My husband says they don't bring people in for interviews unless there's a definite and real interest.

The manager also picked up that I was pregnant - I had tried to dress to hide, but by the afternoon my jacket wouldn't quite close. I've been in a moderate freak out all week that I won't get a job as a leader at a small or mid size non profit (my current possible options) in my condition, because non profits can't afford to have someone out. But a company - one that bills itself as family friendly - this might actually work.

It would be interesting working at the same place as my husband. Things are ok in the marriage, sort of. There's an episode of Sex and the City when after Carrie and Aidan get back together, Aidan the carpenter breaks up with her, saying her previous cheating was like a flaw in the wood that couldn't be fixed. My husband actually quoted that to me in the fall, said our previous separation (in 2003) was that flaw that we've never quite healed. If that's the case, we're sitting on a seismic crack that could blow at any time. We need something - more counseling? - to help us get past the past. I'm not sure that squashing it and pretending it didn't happen and everything is fine and normal is the best approach for healing.

In any case, an interview is a positive sign. Even if nothing comes of it, interviews are good experience. What am I going to wear?