Random Thoughts - Part III The Search for Spark (No Politics)

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by humfrz

So you say -

lololol....




Bless you, Pops. Made my day.

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

I am terrible at selling myself.

Sure..

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

Sure..

lolfu


total guffaw

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

lolfu


total guffaw

That godamn image is now seared onto my brain. Damn you UM.

[spike021]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

Sure..

gonna need some eyebleach..

[cjd]

Originally Posted by spike021

It's definitely a game of odds... Even just the interview itself. Having the right interviewer who communicates the problem(s)/question(s) to you well, empathizes/sympathizes a bit and can work with you through a mental obstacle (which is surprisingly relevant to real life software engineering, you wind up discussing problems with people very often), the right problem that you know the right pattern(s) for in order to solve it, etc. etc.

My wife was searching for 2.5 years. She had as many as 11 interviews for a single role without landing a job - "internal hire, sorry" being the common response (wtf...) and in the end it was a previous manager knowing someone else they'd both worked with years prior was looking for someone with her skillset - she had to interview as a formality, but was effectively offered the job before any of the interviews. The process is brutal. We're just sheep lined up for slaughter being "allowed" to keep a job as long as a few people are making multiple millions off our efforts... soon as that gets a little too low and they're not sure they can survive on a mere 7 figures annually, boom; lots of folks lose jobs.
yay "capitalism"
Hopefully you find something soon.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by spike021

I am tanking the job search and starting to get depressed. Even when I do "well" on interviews, I don't make it to the next round. Kinda lame.

Well, spike021, I'll tell my job history story. I have worked for eight companies over 50 years. Twenty years with one company with six positions.

My first full time job, other than the US Army, after getting out of the Army and moving from Ohio to California, I was told by a fellow at a motel where I was staying that there was a company in Mountain View on Fremont Ave that had something to do with agriculture.

So, the next day I walked in the front door of that company and told the receptionist that I wanted to apply for a job. She arranged for me to meet the department manager of field research and development and we chatted for a while. I told him that I had a BS degree in agronomy, from The Ohio State University with a minor in soil chemistry. As far as experience, I was an officer in the US Army.

He took me over to meet the Director of Research. He asked me a couple of non technical questions, like was I married. He then called for the department manager to come and get me. I heard him say to the department manager on our way out, to hire me.

He made me an offer and I accepted. I was then sent down to HR to find out what my salary would be and when I was to start.

All my other positions, in that company and the other companies I worked for, came about because other managers called me.

So, I have found that doing a good job at your past positions and getting exposure in your industry can be quite helpful in staying employed.

Maybe things have changed in the job world ...... and maybe not -

Good on ya, there, spike021.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by cjd

- "internal hire, sorry" being the common response (wtf...) /.

That's not unusual, and actually makes sense. Every company I've ever worked for required you to interview a certain of qualified internal candidates along with external ones, and all things being equal, hire the internal candidate.

So, it also happens the other way around. "Sorry we found a more qualified external candidate".

[cjd]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

That's not unusual, and actually makes sense. Every company I've ever worked for required you to interview a certain of qualified internal candidates along with external ones, and all things being equal, hire the internal candidate.

So, it also happens the other way around. "Sorry we found a more qualified external candidate".

11 interviews into the process? Usually internal candidates should be processed prior to intense external candidate review. Dunno. It felt worse than the ghosts after one or four interviews. And knowing those hiring rules it may not have been someone more qualified . Who knows. 40+ hours a week job searching for 2.5 years and the state screwing up unemployment and demanding we repay (not sure we're done with the repayment fiasco) made it so we both now have extreme income anxiety... Especially looking at whether well even manage to retire.
I was turned down just last week for a role to nobody at all over "want someone with a fresh perspective". Stuck in a rut, or this one may be a personal vendetta. Who knows.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by cjd

11 interviews into the process? .

Well, yea 11 interviews is excessive. I don't think I've ever had more that 3 for any job. Personally, I rarely call someone back for more than a second interview session (which could include more than 1 individual interview).

Hope things look up for you soon. We can't get candidates here, so when we do, we treat them gently!

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Well, yea 11 interviews is excessive. I don't think I've ever had more that 3 for any job. Personally, I rarely call someone back for more than a second interview session (which could include more than 1 individual interview).

Hope things look up for you soon. We can't get candidates here, so when we do, we treat them gently!

Our current criteria for most jobs is that you have a heartbeat! Even then we may wave that if you are a millwright or electrician.

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Our current criteria for most jobs is that you have a heartbeat! Even then we may wave that if you are a millwright or electrician.

I am suspicions that our latest warehouse hire has a heartbeat. He moves pretty slowly and his eyes always look half closed. Probably just high

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by cjd

11 interviews into the process?

After 3 I would have told them, "I don't think you are the right company for me."

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

After 3 I would have told them, "I don't think you are the right company for me."

I've done that. I've also done it on the first interview. People are always surprised when you say, "yea, never mind, thanks for thinking of me."

Last job I had they wanted me to do a second interview in person in the middle of what would have been a vacation that was planned 6 months in advance. I told them that I would be happy to interview once I got back but I wasn't going to interrupt my family plans for them. Next day, I got the job offer.