Dear Prospective Employer,

I understand the budget crunch all too well, having just been laid off from a highly satisfying (if coworkerly frustrating) position due to “cost reduction efforts.”  I sympathize.

But perhaps you might want to consider such things before advertising for new positions.  Certainly before inviting an applicant to interview and then keeping her there for two and a half hours’ worth of questions, answers, and a tour.

And calling said applicant on a Saturday afternoon to say, “We haven’t made a decision yet, but I wanted to let you know that we have concerns about our budget and we’ll be back in touch in a few more days,” is, I suppose, decent enough in the sense of notification and communication, but kind of a horrible potential, vague, kinda-sorta bomb to drop on someone’s head.

Hope, while significantly dimmed, has not entirely died out.  And I can’t decide whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Next time, just plan out the budget in advance, OK?

Thanks.