Stabbed in the back

Stabbed. That is the way I am feeling today. It’s been some time since the last post and I was actually waiting to bring this blog to an end with the perfect post, the one that would summarize how perfect everything was: job offer, acceptance and, ultimately, the renewal of my NY adventure. But nothing farther from reality.

Everything was ok until today. As you all know I had been interviewing with several companies and so forth. I had decided to accept an offer and, in fact, I had actually accepted it verbally. Cool job, something I was really looking for. The downside: rather bad paycheck, although I was ready to take the hit and make a bet on a future career. In other words, invest and harvest in the mid to long term. As I was saying, everything was fine until earlier today… why? The company just rescinded the offer it had extended to me three weeks ago based on two grounds: my supossed lack of passion and their fear that I could leave the job as soon as something that pay better came along.

It is amazing because it’s been a few weeks since the offer was extended and we were just negotiating (that is what I thought!) a few – but important, though – issues such as salary and start date (although I had already verbally accepted the offer regardless the final outcome). Two days ago I was even given green light to come back to my country to have my visa renewed on the basis that the company would be providing me with all the necessary documentation. I bought my flights and so forth. And two days later, earlier today, I have been told that the “recruiting process for the position has been reopened”. Unbeliavable.

It is difficult to affirm that somebody lacks the passion for something when, for instance, she has taken an unpaid internship in the field to build up her resume. It is even harder if such person is willing to take a job that pays roughly one third of what the market pays to people with his or her education. It is even more difficult to justify that three, two, one week ago…three days ago… you had the passion and that then, out of the blue, you do not have it any more. Well, some people still look at you in the eye and affirm that you indeed lack the passion.

From a corporate perspective I understand that a company may fear that some of its human capital may leave to look for greener grass. But if a company really values the talent it is recruiting, it should do something to prevent it from leaving. And if any given company is not ready to do that “something” then it should not recruit such talent and, even less, it should not extend offers (to rescind them afterwards). You go for some specific talent or you do not. There is no middle ground here. It is perfectly acceptable that a company looks for its own interest but that should not be done at the cost of screwing your potential employees.

I had lately commented with some friends that I am a little naïve when it comes to dealing with corporations. Maybe it is because, thank god, in my worklife before b-school I had been lucky to deal with serious, competent and professional people. As I said, that has resulted in my being a little naïve. I just felt like I should not screw any given company, I felt like I had to look for the best common interest. I had been warned that such mindset did not match real life and, unfortunately, I have just experienced that it is true. One has to look after himself and think in a selfish way. I have realized that corporations will screw you if they need to. It is sad but that is the way it is. Where is the good faith? Where is the value of one’s word? I am still looking for them.

The funny thing is that maybe I want to be idealistic, maybe I want to believe that business can be done on such grounds I am now trying to find again. I don’t wanna change, I don’t wanna do things wrong just because some people do them wrong. It’s been a good lesson and I am probably on my way to losing some of the innocence. But again, I do not wanna go to the dark side. I do not believe in it.

I have promised myself that I am not gonna let this take me down. I am not gonna be complaining about it. I am not gonna feel miserable. I am gonna stand up and try even harder. I am gonna find something better.

All in all, there will be some other posts coming. The time to close this down has not come yet. As some people have told me today, there must be a reson why this has happened…