Deadlines.

"I will commit to you that I will call you back by close of business today to let you know if a decision has been made." It is almost midnight and I JUST remembered hearing these words today. They came from MY mouth... to a candidate who has waited far too long to hear the outcome of her interview.

After muttering this promise, I immediately sent an e-mail to the Hiring Manager with whom I had scheduled the interview. It was an e-mail follow-up to a previous voicemail, which was a follow-up to our conversation at the end of Thursday's HR Staff meeting, after which she was scheduled to interview with a different candidate for this same role.

Well, I never heard back today, but did not create an Outlook reminder for myself to call the candidate either way... and the day got away from me. The message got buried under my other twelve voicemail messages at the office number and eight messages on the cell phone. (One from the school nurse telling me that the letter on file from Jack's pediatrician exempting him from the MMR vaccine will not work for next school year and needs to come from the Health Dept in Austin.... which will require documentation from my allergist and new allergy testing...)

This particular position has 160 applicants in queue. (I meant to unpost it from Monster before leaving Friday, but... the day got away from me.... which meant 61 new applications were received over the weekend... which is sure to generate some phone calls.) I have phone interviewed a dozen, scheduled in-person office interviews for six, second interviews for two, and am waiting for feedback from the manager. I need a decision. In the meantime, I juggle voicemails from candidates who are anxious and who all feel like it is ME who can't make up my mind.

As days pass, I fear that the candidate we DO choose will be so fed up that we took so long that she might decline my offer. In this case, I can't say I'd blame her. In this economy, people are desperate. Time is money, and hope is all some of these people have left.

In the meantime, I have 26 other positions just like it.... for Case Managers, Chaplains, Administrative Assistants, Clinical Educators, Biomedical Equipment Technicians, and a weekend/evening Childbirth Educator.

I am designing and populating content for our website, (to be rolled out in May!) designing and ordering new Recruiting shirts, ordering giveaways for our Job Fairs, and coordinating professional photo shoots (1-2 per week) with a photographer to take pictures for the website... with all the CEO's, who need release forms, and Outlook invitations, and reminders, and I need to be there early to pick out pretty spots on the campus. For which I need to fill out a mileage reimbursement form. In the meantime, I am maintaining the JoinMEthodist Facebook page and Twitter accounts.... for the 2nd-largest employer in San Antonio. Since I started 90 days ago, our team of ten has hired over 600 people and received over 12,000 applications.

Can I really do all of this? Am I cut out for it? Is EVERYONE as overwhelmed in their jobs as I am? Will I learn how to manage better or is this too much to expect? When I leave the office, I WANT to leave work behind... After all, I need to think... do we have milk in the fridge? Are the boys allergic to tomorrow's daycare menu item?... Did I put Jack's bedding in the dryer? The new To-Do list begins. I turned on the laptop instead of going to bed because I can't sleep until I email this particular woman back. To tell her I still have no answer.

I will start her e-mail with a variation of how it seems I start every e-mail... and phone conversation with a friend... and regretful RSVP... and overdue visit with my Grandmama... and phone call to my Dad... and to my blog... and to my kiddos...

"I apologize for taking so long to get back with you..."