The Part Nobody Talks About
Earlier this week, my phone rang with the kind of opportunity you don’t go looking for, it finds you. The kind of gig you don’t just apply for. The kind that comes through your reputation. The kind where, if it lands, it changes your year… maybe more than that.
The call went great. Real conversation. Good energy. A lot of “when we do this…” followed by a quick “…if you get the gig.”
You know the type.
When it ended, I felt like I was in a really strong position. Not guaranteed but right there.
I sent a quick follow-up text. Kept it simple.
He replied. Positive. Easy.
And then…
Nothing.
This Is The Part Nobody Talks About
Everyone talks about how to get the call… how to build your resume… how to network… how to present yourself….
Very few people talk about what happens after you do everything right; when there’s nothing left to do but wait.
The Spiral
If you’ve been in this industry long enough, you know exactly what happens next.
Your brain starts working overtime.
Did I say something weird?
Was I too casual? Not casual enough?
Should I follow up? When? What do I say?
Are they talking to someone else?
Did I already lose it?
It’s like your brain suddenly becomes your worst enemy. No plan. No logic. Just chaos.
Here’s The Truth
Once that call is over the decision is mostly made. Not officially. Not on paper.
But in terms of gut feeling, which is what a lot of these hires are based on. You’re either in it, or you’re not. And nothing you do in the next 48–72 hours is going to dramatically change that.
You’re not going to “win the gig” with a perfectly worded follow-up text but you can talk yourself out of it by coming off unsure, anxious, or pushy.
The Move
Here’s what I’ve learned (and had to remind myself of this week):
Follow up once. Keep it light.
Reinforce that you’re interested.
Don’t chase. Don’t over-explain. Don’t hover.
And then let it go. Not because you don’t care, but because you respect the process—and yourself.
The Hard Part
The hard part isn’t getting the call. The hard part is sitting in the silence after it because there’s no faders to push. No mix to fix. No problem to solve.
Just time.
What You Do Instead
This is where most people get it wrong.
They sit in it.
Refresh their phone.
Replay the conversation over and over.
That’s a losing game.
Here’s the better move? Go be the person they’d want to hire.
Keep working
Keep improving
Keep building relationships
Keep your momentum going
Because whether this one hits or not… that’s what creates the next call.
Perspective
Here’s the part I keep coming back to: I didn’t chase this opportunity. I didn’t force it. I didn’t cold email my way into it.
It came to me.
That only happens one way… by putting in the work over a long period of time and building a reputation that travels without you.
So yeah… I want the gig. Badly.
But I also know this: If it’s not this one, it’ll be another. Because I’m already in the rooms where these conversations happen.
Final Thought
Everyone wants to know how to get the opportunity. Fewer people learn how to handle it correctly once it’s in front of them. Sometimes the most professional move you can make is knowing when you’ve already done enough.
