So, turns out my employment woes were noticed by a few people within the organisation.

I'm now at the reference check stages for a job that had a timeline like this:

Day 1: I see an IT job posting on our internal network. It pays more and is more complicated than the role I interviewed, but didn't make the cut, for a few weeks back. I ignore it.

Day 3: I get a message from the University's recruitment team. "Hey did you see this role? I think you should apply for it". I explained my reticence, in that if I wasn't up to snuff for a lower paid job I can't see myself getting any further for something higher up. She replied "Please apply for it. It suits your skillset." I said I'd think about it. She replied "I've already told the panel."

Day 4: I apply

Day 5: The recruitment lady thanks me, and asks me to hold tight.

Day 14: The advert closes, I get a notification that it's closed. 5 minutes later, the recruitment lady calls me "Right interview time, when suits?"

Day 17: I have the interview. I think it goes well? I did some research, found the IT roadmap and talked about their past hurdles, plan for the future and what I would do to try and see that plan become a reality. Talked about soft skills, translating requirements and all that jazz. They seem to like me, but are a group of true-blue IT nerds, and I'm an extroverted hobbyist so I temper myself in the interview. They don't need 100% Foveaux. Nobody needs that.

Day 18: I put it out of my mind, certain that the recruitment lady was just doing me a favour because I was this close to getting the other role, but was pipped (out of 44 applicants) by someone who had the right degree. She calls me. "Reference check time! Who you got?" I offer up: The Dean, the head of IT for the Uni and my boss. I note that she specifically mentions I don't need to have my current boss as "we understand it might be detrimental". I offer my boss' details anyway. Don't want to rock that boat.

Currently, Day 19: My references are received, all glowing (even my boss). I get a call from the head of operations wanting me to do an exit interview. I said "I'm... I'm not leaving? Am I leaving?". She panics, because the organisation is going through a lengthy and draining voluntary redundancy process, which will be followed by involuntary redundancies. She follows with "No! No you're not. I heard you.. Might.. have an offer coming your way? Actually ignore me. Sorry. Lets revisit next week!"

So here I am wondering wtf is going on. I call my colleague, who explains it all.

Day -3: My colleague resigns very suddenly. Sudden for others, not for me. I helped her prep for her interviews and write her resignation letter to be juuuust diplomatically scathing enough, without burning bridges. Turns out, after HR received the resignation, they kicked into overdrive trying to keep her. With the redundancies and restructures, morale is at an all time low and good staff are running away. They need people like her. She's really, really good. She explains her reasoning for leaving (our narcissistic boss, the structure, no direction). They ask her to give them time to find a new role for her, elsewhere. She offers "Foveaux has one foot out the door too, by the way. He's the last of us, and the only one who was here before the restructure of 2018." and HR said "Leave it to us."

So it looks like our employers are pulling out all stops to keep us under their wings. My colleague just got offered a project management role after a coffee with the project lead, and I appear to have been politely strong-armed into applying for an IT role I thought I had no chance in, and they seem to be taking me very seriously. Surreal.

I guess I'll know by next Pubski?