Random Thoughts - Part Deux [NO POLITICS]

[ScoobsMcGee]

Originally Posted by Spuds

Lol my work peeps and I were just talking about how no one was prepared for this one. Last night it's an inch at most and not likely to stick on the roads. Now I'm looking at 3+inches on unplowed roads. Good thing I'm working from home today lol.

Yeah, I'll be genuinely amazed if the roads are even plowed by the time I leave for work tomorrow. Living out in the boonies has its positives and negatives. Unplowed roads with a shiny new WRX is a positive.

[ScoobsMcGee]

Originally Posted by cjd

It's the current trend, and you'll find it harder to find a traditional role. Same thing happening at a tech company with 25k employees worldwide. Same company that, when they acquired my previous employer, sort-of demoted me and don't count the areas of expertise as "countable" despite the company moving in that direction... I'm too far ahead?

Choose based on the people.

I had a similar interview once, lots of leading questions. All day interview, and I had a migraine that day. Lots of people. I didn't get the job, but I didn't want it by the end. It was good to get the perspective on the job/employer I had though.

Hang in there.

Originally Posted by spike021

It’s pretty standard to have a five or more hour on site interview broken into 45-60 minute sessions with different people. In an ideal environment they’re mostly on the same team and evaluating you in several ways to see if you’d be a fit for their particular team. In the industry most people have a problem with it but there are issues figuring out better ways to do interviews where you can filter out false positives vs false negatives.

As far as the promotion thing, not sure what you’re getting that from (earlier posts I guess). For one thing I haven’t been specifically hunting down a promotion. I’m not even looking for a new job as a promotion. However, the thing is in my industry typically you’re a junior engineer for a year or two and then once you’ve learned your position’s responsibilities and added skills necessary to perform well on the team you’re no longer considered junior. Junior basically just means fresh out of college and ideally you’re inexperienced the first six to twelve months until you really feel at ease on the team and with your position.

I have a toxic work environment which is why I’m looking elsewhere. Well, that plus as I mentioned last night they’re folding my role into a position that I’m uninterested in. Devops is quite different from what I actually want to do, and since it is early in my career it’s the ideal time to try pivoting away from a career path I’m clesrly not interested in pursuing now.

Anyway hope that helps you understand .

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Yea, it isn't unusual in the tech field as others have said. I interviewed for one job where not only did I have to do an interview with 4 different people, but I had to do a presentation about a subject they gave me in advance because the position required dealing with clients and the Board.

I aced the interview but turned them down because they tried to lowball me.

Worst one I had was with a company I did end up going to work for. I had one 90 minute interview but it was with a panel of 15 Managers/Directors from around the organization, almost none of them technical. What they didn't realize is one of my core competencies is being able to lay on the bullshit when you put me in front of a microphone and a bunch of people that really don't know their subject.

I had another where they interviewed all candidates in one day, they had us all in a "huddle room" and we would go from one interviewee to another then back to the room. About an hour in, we all started exchanging information about the interviewers and what questions they were asking. It was other-worldly.

All of this made me realize two things: it has been way too long since I've formally interviewed for something, and I am way too easy on candidates. There is an HR phone interview prior to getting in the door, but then it's just a chat with my boss and I, quickly meet the VP of IT if she's available, and maybe a wave to the CIO if he's in the country.

[cjd]

Originally Posted by ScoobsMcGee

All of this made me realize two things: it has been way too long since I've formally interviewed for something, and I am way too easy on candidates. There is an HR phone interview prior to getting in the door, but then it's just a chat with my boss and I, quickly meet the VP of IT if she's available, and maybe a wave to the CIO if he's in the country.

Tech interviews are for what were 8-10 specialties just a decade ago.


I'm back down to the same job title I had wheni was hired more than a decade ago, though that's because of an aquisition and related fallout (including lack of levels where I was).


If you're not working ten jobs for cheap, they're trying to push you out. And it's not the job your good at. Aren't all engineers interchangeable?

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by ScoobsMcGee

Yeah, I'll be genuinely amazed if the roads are even plowed by the time I leave for work tomorrow. Living out in the boonies has its positives and negatives. Unplowed roads with a shiny new WRX is a positive.

Debating whether I take my beater to get pizza or the FRS...

[ScoobsMcGee]

Originally Posted by cjd

Tech interviews are for what were 8-10 specialties just a decade ago.


I'm back down to the same job title I had wheni was hired more than a decade ago, though that's because of an aquisition and related fallout (including lack of levels where I was).


If you're not working ten jobs for cheap, they're trying to push you out. And it's not the job your good at. Aren't all engineers interchangeable?

My IT career started with a company that went out of business not too long after I started (not my fault!), but had a two year cool down before they could close completely. The engineers with more experience quickly found new work, leaving the Helpdesk dude with less than a year under his belt the only one left. Most of my early career was "Hey, do you know anything about this? No? Too bad! It's broken and really important. Fix it. Now." I guess I've just gotten used to figuring out how to do whatever is needed. It's been great for Information Security, which I could ramble about for way too long.

Along those lines, that's part of the reason interviewing is so easy. While we do talk about the core competencies to make sure the person has a basic understanding, I'm more interested in their willingness and ability to use Google. The existing technology, tactics, and attack vectors will mostly change in a year, anyway.

Originally Posted by Spuds

Debating whether I take my beater to get pizza or the FRS...

The closest thing I had to an issue getting home was getting around all of the people who were stuck on hills, and the traffic associated with people in cars who couldn't get around those who were stuck also getting stuck. Compiled by the people with SUVs driving in to oncoming traffic to get around the whole mess. It's been 2 hours since I got home though, so maybe its cleared up a bit.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by ScoobsMcGee

My IT career started with a company that went out of business not too long after I started -

That will be all Mr ScoobsMcGee, thanks for stopping by.


Send in the next candidate -



humfrz

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by ScoobsMcGee

The closest thing I had to an issue getting home was getting around all of the people who were stuck on hills, and the traffic associated with people in cars who couldn't get around those who were stuck also getting stuck. Compiled by the people with SUVs driving in to oncoming traffic to get around the whole mess. It's been 2 hours since I got home though, so maybe its cleared up a bit.

It got pretty icy and they still hadn't plowed the main roads around me. But I didn't crash! JK, actually I pulled a humfrz and backed into a snowbank in the parking lot. .

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Spuds

It got pretty icy and they still hadn't plowed the main roads around me. But I didn't crash! JK, actually I pulled a humfrz and backed into a snowbank in the parking lot. .

Doesn't count unless you hit something in the snowbank -


humfrz

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Doesn't count unless you hit something in the snowbank -


humfrz

Phew! And here I thought I crashed when I drove my FRS today.

[EAGLE5]

There's a fire a few miles up the road. Been going over 24 hours. One of the 9 fires in Cali right now. The road is blocked, so no joy-riding on Palomares, peeps.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by ScoobsMcGee

All of this made me realize two things: it has been way too long since I've formally interviewed for something, and I am way too easy on candidates. There is an HR phone interview prior to getting in the door, but then it's just a chat with my boss and I, quickly meet the VP of IT if she's available, and maybe a wave to the CIO if he's in the country.

Your process sounds about like mine. I'm more interested in the person and my perception of how quickly they can learn, are they a team player, and are they being straight with me about their skills.

The interview gets them in the door but their work is what let's them stay there.

[BigFatFlip]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

What they didn't realize is one of my core competencies is being able to lay on the bullshit when you put me in front of a microphone and a bunch of people that really don't know their subject.

Isn't that for any interview? Sprinkle in a few technical details you've got yourself an engineer's interview!

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

There's a fire a few miles up the road. Been going over 24 hours. One of the 9 fires in Cali right now. The road is blocked, so no joy-riding on Palomares, peeps.

I briefly considered going down palomares during my impromptu drive yesterday, glad I didn't and went la honda instead. Was hoping it would be a little bit less smoky by the coast, but nope. Made the mistake of driving with my windows down and had a head ache by the end. Stay safe out there!

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Your process sounds about like mine. I'm more interested in the person and my perception of how quickly they can learn, are they a team player, and are they being straight with me about their skills.

The interview gets them in the door but their work is what let's them stay there.

Same experience here, which is why I don't really get nervous in interviews any more. I openly admit to anything I'm not familiar with, try not to fake enthusiasm and behave like I would normally do (in a professional setting of course) as not to mask any of my personality ie crack jokes when appropriate, talk frankly, etc. It's kinda like a date: if you do get hired, these will be the people you'll be working with for hopefully a while, so no need to play games, set unrealistic expectations and better to not have any surprises

[ichitaka05]

Pass couple days, I've been looking at wagons... especially Jaguar XF Sportbrake. Can I afford one? Not even close, but I think it looks good.


But I've always like Hatchback/Wagon, so nothing new lol

[p1l0t]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

Pass couple days, I've been looking at wagons... especially Jaguar XF Sportbrake. Can I afford one? Not even close, but I think it looks good.


But I've always like Hatchback/Wagon, so nothing new lol

You might like my Version 8 STi swapped 05 Impreza Wagon then... coming soon...

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