So last post I mentioned that yesterday I was interviewed for a part-time research fellowship in ePunditry.
Yesterday morning at 9:30 I received possibly the nicest ever rejection email from the project leader:

I am really sorry to have to notify you – by this agreed method – that you were unsuccessful. You were, however, close to getting it and so you should not feel demotivated about this outcome. I would rather say more to you in person or by phone, and have freed up 4pm to 6pm today. So if you want immediate feedback telephone me then or just drop down to my office. If this time does not suit then the middle of next week will be my earliest opportunity.
Thanks again for your interest and application.

I took up this unsolicited offer and was very heartened to learn that I’d definitely been appointable, that I hadn’t interviewed anything like as badly as I thought and that the person actually appointed simple had a stronger publication record, closer to the subject than I did. The project leader was very complimentary about my abilities and skill-set. I should get my MSc finished, along with the papers from my research last summer and from what will come of out the MSc dissertation.

Later, the Social Informatics professor who had been one of the interviewers emailed

I’m in awe of how this application has been handled: completely non-hostile (in fact encouraging) interview; fast notice; spontaneous offer of feedback; useful, heartening and encouraging feedback. The irony is it makes me want to work at CSI even more – intelligent, caring people!

Two closing thoughts:

• If they’ve found a better applicant than me, they’ve got a damn good person.
• It’s quite possible that an academic career beckons after all!