Because Interview #1 went so well, I went into Interview #2 feeling like they'd have to pull something pretty great out of their hats to make me think they were my first choice. Interview #2 was with the non-profit I had the phone interview with, so I felt like I had a good sense of them already.
Interview #2 was with a non-profit charter high school. I'm partial to non-profits, and this one is dedicated to preparing underserved minority kids for college. In so many ways, this is right up my alley. But I've now spent enough time in academia that I'm bone-tired of scraping by, bone-tired of having to fight for even the smallest resources, bone-tired of having to make do. So I was willing to listen, but skeptical.
To my surprise, they are now my first choice.
First I met with the communications director. He showed me around the school, introduced me to the president and the principal, and pointed out the small and less than appropriate environment. (The school is currently in an old church building, and there's no science equipment or things like that.) We continued our conversation from the phone interview; I told him why I was interested in this position and what I could bring, and I got to ask some hard questions about charter certification and future plans for the school. I was highly amused when he asked me if I could handle giving up the prestige of academia and using my title. I replied that I teach composition, and there's not much prestige to be giving up.
Then I met with the deputy director. She asked me really interesting questions, like how I like to be mentored, and how I would mentor others. She told me about her experience of the school, that there would be room to move and grow, that she thought I'd be great for the job. She told me that they could likely meet the salary I had asked for, and if they couldn't quite meet it, they'd be very close. I got to ask questions about how the board of directors is constituted and the relationship between the president and the board, and then she asked me what else she could tell me to make me excited about the job.
Everyone is excited because they're renovating a beautiful old school building a few miles down the road, and they're moving in August. So in addition to showing me the plans from every conceivable angle, the deputy director showed me things like the furniture plans, and then she had the communications director drive me down to the construction site. It's a good thing I had chosen to wear pants, because I was soon tromping through a construction site in high heels and hard hat. They're keeping the old brick facade and as many wood floors and wrought-iron railings as possible, but they're making the space really good, adding an addition with a huge, beautiful bay window, creating lots of library and music and art and science space, and making room for more students.
It was wonderful. They're doing great work; this year they have 100% acceptance to college in their senior class. This is with kids who entered 9th grade working at a 4th and 5th grade level. They're able to get the resources they need; the president runs things on a business model that presumes that spending a little more now will likely make everything better long term. I'd be working with the communications director and the deputy director, and I like them both a lot. My working space over the summer would frankly suck, but starting in August would be beautiful and functional. The commute over the summer would suck, but the new building is right next to a subway stop. In short, if I sucked up a few things over the summer, by fall I'd have a great space with a great commute and I'd be getting the salary I'd been hoping for. Even the corporate job wasn't promising me that, and with them I wouldn't be getting the satisfaction of doing something good in the world.
So now I've got my fingers crossed and I'm just waiting for the phone call. I know they've been contacting my references, so it's only a matter of time until I hear something.
I'd really like to have this settled, to know that I have a new job, to be able to put into place all the crazy plans we have with the move.