He Got the Job at My Dream Company

"Chill bro, we'll see what happens."

That is what my friend said to me right before we walked in.

I could not chill. I was sitting there with cold hands and a racing mind, completely unable to relax. This was my dream company. I genuinely admired the founder. I had followed their work for a long time, listened to their interviews, and read everything I could about how they built the business. Clearing this interview meant everything to me. I was so excited, so eager, and so focused on getting through.

My friend was the complete opposite. He was calm, easygoing, and took it all in his stride. To him, it was just another interview on just another day. While I was rehearsing answers in my head, he was just taking it as it came.

We both completed our interviews and stepped out. Then the waiting began.

I spent the following days glued to my inbox. Every time my phone buzzed, my heart beat a little faster. I kept refreshing my email, hoping to see good news. I was waiting for that offer letter with everything I had. I kept picturing what it would be like to start working there, under a founder I looked up to so much.

Then my phone rang.

It was my friend. He told me he got the offer.

The offer I had been waiting for had gone to him.

I hung up and sat in silence for a while. I felt a deep sadness. It hurt, and there was no hiding that from myself. I had wanted this so badly, put so much emotional weight on it, and worked myself up for weeks. Watching it go to my friend, who had been so relaxed about the whole thing, was hard to take.

At the exact same time, though, I felt happy for him. He is a good friend. If I was not getting the offer, at least one of us got selected. It felt better knowing it went to him rather than fading away into nothing.

I thought about it a lot after that day. It made me realise a simple truth. No matter how much you want something, and no matter how eager you are, you will only get it when your time comes. That day was his time. Mine will come later.