Don't you think that 4:11 is a good time? I do.
Are you wondering why that is such a good time? Well, it is because that is the time that I got a job offer today. All the waiting has paid off. I can say that I have a job. Well, I will have a job starting in a little under two weeks.
I guess the writing test worked out well. And so did the interviews. I wasn't expecting the planets to align yet, but today was the day, I guess. I'm not complaining!
It is kind of odd. I was unsure whether or not I would find a job that gave me perks like paid time off and benefits. Life as a contractor has become something that I have kind of accepted over the years. I just thought that jobs that had things like benefits and paid holidays were a thing of yesteryear when the dot com bubble hadn't yet burst. But the government is still around, so they still find it important to employ people.
I'll be starting a position with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare before too long. The job sounds interesting and full of variety. It lets me use all sorts of software that is a bit rusty (like RoboHelp, InDesign, and other things that I have yet to learn) and has a high volume of work (which is much better than the alternative).
The only downside is the pay. I will be taking a $3.50 pay cut per hour. That is going to hurt. I know that some of that will even out with benefits and paid time off, but it is still going to hurt. Now I just hope that I can get some other stuff on the side.
My dad offered me an interesting comment. He told me to ask if my previous employer had any part-time work. I had never considered that. It is a position that I could do from home (or in my free time), but might require some meetings that would be during normal business hours. I might propose it anyway to see if they have anything. The worst thing they can say is no.
In actuality, it feels a bit odd to know that I have a job. I have been looking for one for so long and kind of planning that I would be going back to my previous employer (through another contracting agency). I don't think it has officially sunk in yet.
But in the mean time, I am just going to act like it is 4:11 and keep on being pleasantly surprised that I am on the phone call when someone is telling me that they want me to work for them.
Showing posts with label job hunting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job hunting. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
One Down, None to Go
After returning from a much-needed vacation this past weekend, I headed in to Boise to have a final interview. I was expecting to just have two people in the interview, but both of the previous interviewers had time to sneak in. That was a welcome surprise. It sure makes it easier to be relaxed in an interview (not that I was really nervous) when you already know a few faces that are going to be there.
I think it went well. I was asked to provide my references to the manager, and learned that the writing test that I recently took removed one more candidate from the running. That is one less person that I need to worry about. I know that there are three others that needed to be interviewed after me, but beyond that, I can't tell you anything. They told me that they would let me know either way by the end of this week (if all the planets align). The decision must be harder than they anticipated to make sure that a cosmic event coincides with their decision to hire me. But if that is what it takes, so be it.
With that said, I felt quite comfortable in the interview. In fact, I caught myself thinking that the interviewer was really my boss. It just seemed natural that we were all coworkers and that we were talking about a project. It might be a sign. Or it might be wishful thinking.
Only time will tell. And when time tells (or a cosmic event), I'll let you all know.
I think it went well. I was asked to provide my references to the manager, and learned that the writing test that I recently took removed one more candidate from the running. That is one less person that I need to worry about. I know that there are three others that needed to be interviewed after me, but beyond that, I can't tell you anything. They told me that they would let me know either way by the end of this week (if all the planets align). The decision must be harder than they anticipated to make sure that a cosmic event coincides with their decision to hire me. But if that is what it takes, so be it.
With that said, I felt quite comfortable in the interview. In fact, I caught myself thinking that the interviewer was really my boss. It just seemed natural that we were all coworkers and that we were talking about a project. It might be a sign. Or it might be wishful thinking.
Only time will tell. And when time tells (or a cosmic event), I'll let you all know.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
One to Go!
I guess my intellectual muscles still work because I just got a call inviting me to a second (and final) interview. WHOO HOO! And it won't even interfere with out weekend getaway to visit family in Utah.
My parents decided to take a weekend trip to go visit my brother. Knowing that we had nothing better to do, they invited us along. Knowing that we had nothing better to do, we accepted said invitation. With this said, I probably won't be blogging much until after we are back (sometime on Monday). You get what you get, so don't throw a fit.
We are pretty excited to go see them. Munchkin will be able to play with her cousins (one of which is only six months her elder), and I am pretty sure that she will have a ball. The only thing that would make it better for her was if there was a baby.
We spent some time with some friends last night who have a seven week old baby. As soon as she saw the baby, she walked over to him and started patting him. She just kept on saying, "Boy! Boy!" between and during the patting. Wifey introduced the baby as the little baby boy, so she parroted the last word of the phrase right back at her.
Even though there was another kid to play with, the baby had her attention for about the first half hour of the night. Then she got distracted by the hunger in her belly, but did her fair share of playing as well.
Since there is no baby at my brother's place, she'll just have to make do with the dolls. With two little girls, I am sure we can find an extra one lying around somewhere...
My parents decided to take a weekend trip to go visit my brother. Knowing that we had nothing better to do, they invited us along. Knowing that we had nothing better to do, we accepted said invitation. With this said, I probably won't be blogging much until after we are back (sometime on Monday). You get what you get, so don't throw a fit.
We are pretty excited to go see them. Munchkin will be able to play with her cousins (one of which is only six months her elder), and I am pretty sure that she will have a ball. The only thing that would make it better for her was if there was a baby.
We spent some time with some friends last night who have a seven week old baby. As soon as she saw the baby, she walked over to him and started patting him. She just kept on saying, "Boy! Boy!" between and during the patting. Wifey introduced the baby as the little baby boy, so she parroted the last word of the phrase right back at her.
Even though there was another kid to play with, the baby had her attention for about the first half hour of the night. Then she got distracted by the hunger in her belly, but did her fair share of playing as well.
Since there is no baby at my brother's place, she'll just have to make do with the dolls. With two little girls, I am sure we can find an extra one lying around somewhere...
Two Down, (Hopefully) One to Go
This morning I got a written test from the company I interviewed with yesterday. I knew that the test was going to be timed, and I knew that it would be gauging my writing skills, so I thought it was going to be a breeze.
I was wrong.
The test ended up being a good challenge for me. I was given some rough notes from an SME and asked to convert them into a process document. I had one screen shot that showed the software, but beyond that, I was on my own for an hour and a half.
It took me quite a bit of time to wrap my head around what the software actually did. I was trying to figure out what task the person was trying to accomplish, and could nail that down pretty quickly. It was mainly the how that was an issue.
The person who created the test probably just took something that he had received from the programmer who made the changes. Since I had no idea what all the acronyms were (as well as having no idea how this fit into the larger picture), I did my best to try to get it all completed. There were breadcrumbs that described how to do something in the user interface (driven mainly by the function keys like F2 and F7), and then later in the document, you found out that the bread crumbs were not comprehensive.
My 90 minutes was almost up when I remembered that I also had to create a document to detail what I had updated. Needless to say, that got rushed a bit.
All in all, it is something that I would have sent over. I just wish I would have had about 10 extra minutes to look it over or have someone else take a quick peek before I sent it off to be final. After all, everybody needs an editor (even editors).
We'll see if this lands me another interview. I realized that I am a bit rusty on my authoring skills since my previous job was focused mainly on editing and information gathering. I guess this would be a good fit to stretch my core writing muscles once again and get working on things. It should keep me sharp.
Now, I'll just wait for that phone to ring and hope that it is a number that I don't recognize...
I was wrong.
The test ended up being a good challenge for me. I was given some rough notes from an SME and asked to convert them into a process document. I had one screen shot that showed the software, but beyond that, I was on my own for an hour and a half.
It took me quite a bit of time to wrap my head around what the software actually did. I was trying to figure out what task the person was trying to accomplish, and could nail that down pretty quickly. It was mainly the how that was an issue.
The person who created the test probably just took something that he had received from the programmer who made the changes. Since I had no idea what all the acronyms were (as well as having no idea how this fit into the larger picture), I did my best to try to get it all completed. There were breadcrumbs that described how to do something in the user interface (driven mainly by the function keys like F2 and F7), and then later in the document, you found out that the bread crumbs were not comprehensive.
My 90 minutes was almost up when I remembered that I also had to create a document to detail what I had updated. Needless to say, that got rushed a bit.
All in all, it is something that I would have sent over. I just wish I would have had about 10 extra minutes to look it over or have someone else take a quick peek before I sent it off to be final. After all, everybody needs an editor (even editors).
We'll see if this lands me another interview. I realized that I am a bit rusty on my authoring skills since my previous job was focused mainly on editing and information gathering. I guess this would be a good fit to stretch my core writing muscles once again and get working on things. It should keep me sharp.
Now, I'll just wait for that phone to ring and hope that it is a number that I don't recognize...
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
One Down, (Hopefully) One to Go
I was excited and nervous for my interview today. I know this because I had my alarm set, but woke up about an hour and a half early. It was almost like going to school again.
I got up and got ready to head out the door by 8:00, expecting traffic to be a bit of a bear. Surprisingly, it wasn't. I was able to make it in to Boise in about 20 minutes (which is generally a 15 minute commute), so I felt like I was doing pretty good.
I went and parked in the hospital parking lot. I found it kind of funny that the secretary had told me to park there or feed a meter (tell me which one you would have done) and then walk over to the building. Because I still had about 25 minutes to kill, I decided to do a bit of strolling through the city on this chilly spring morning.
I immediately started wishing I had a camera with me. There are some old buildings that have unique features in the heart of Boise—the type of stuff you don't see everyday in my neighborhood. I noticed that there was a building that must have been an old factory of sorts that had been renovated to be an office building. The smokestack was a dead giveaway.
I had a good opportunity to wrestle with myself. I want a stable job that is full time that will offer good benefits. This job does that. The only downside is the fact that the job doesn't pay as much as I would want it to. It was a tight squeeze for the person who is currently in the position, but it is stable. It is with the government, for goodness sake. How much more stable can you get?
As I meandered, I came to the same conclusions I always arrive at—don't count your chickens before they hatch. I need to have a job offer before I make the decision if this is the job for me.
I took a peek at my phone to see what time it was, and found that it was an acceptable time to head over to the building. I walked inside to find the security guard sitting at his desk. I was also pleased to see a copy of The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (which happens to be one of my favorite series of all times). I had the chance to chat with the guard for a bit which put us both at ease. I wasn't sure why the guard was nervous. It must be my 6'2" 140 pound frame that set his knees knocking. Needless to say, at this point, I was pretty sure that it was going to be a good interview.
I got my name tag and headed up the elevator into the lobby of the second floor. I was greeted by the admin assistant who was there and he phoned one of my interviewers to let them know I was there. And then I sat quietly and rifled through a magazine without feigning interest.
She came out to greet me and walked me back to her office where I found another one of my interviewers (who happened to invite us up to their family cabin not too long ago). The third interviewer (and my potential boss) was actually missing. I expected him to come in, but was informed that his wife was in the process of having a baby at the moment, so he wouldn't be joining us.
Excuses, excuses...
Needless to say, the interview went pretty well. I should be hearing back either way from them before too long. The only problem is I have to go back in for another interview. It isn't that I dread interviews, I just want to know the resolution. I've been jerked around a few times and hope that this isn't going to be one of those times. This group is a lot more professional, and I would be able to carve a niche out for myself there as the only tech writer in the group, but it still makes me wonder if this is going to come to pass. Until I know, I am just going to have to wait it out until I hopefully get another interview.
I got up and got ready to head out the door by 8:00, expecting traffic to be a bit of a bear. Surprisingly, it wasn't. I was able to make it in to Boise in about 20 minutes (which is generally a 15 minute commute), so I felt like I was doing pretty good.
I went and parked in the hospital parking lot. I found it kind of funny that the secretary had told me to park there or feed a meter (tell me which one you would have done) and then walk over to the building. Because I still had about 25 minutes to kill, I decided to do a bit of strolling through the city on this chilly spring morning.
I immediately started wishing I had a camera with me. There are some old buildings that have unique features in the heart of Boise—the type of stuff you don't see everyday in my neighborhood. I noticed that there was a building that must have been an old factory of sorts that had been renovated to be an office building. The smokestack was a dead giveaway.
I had a good opportunity to wrestle with myself. I want a stable job that is full time that will offer good benefits. This job does that. The only downside is the fact that the job doesn't pay as much as I would want it to. It was a tight squeeze for the person who is currently in the position, but it is stable. It is with the government, for goodness sake. How much more stable can you get?
As I meandered, I came to the same conclusions I always arrive at—don't count your chickens before they hatch. I need to have a job offer before I make the decision if this is the job for me.
I took a peek at my phone to see what time it was, and found that it was an acceptable time to head over to the building. I walked inside to find the security guard sitting at his desk. I was also pleased to see a copy of The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (which happens to be one of my favorite series of all times). I had the chance to chat with the guard for a bit which put us both at ease. I wasn't sure why the guard was nervous. It must be my 6'2" 140 pound frame that set his knees knocking. Needless to say, at this point, I was pretty sure that it was going to be a good interview.
I got my name tag and headed up the elevator into the lobby of the second floor. I was greeted by the admin assistant who was there and he phoned one of my interviewers to let them know I was there. And then I sat quietly and rifled through a magazine without feigning interest.
She came out to greet me and walked me back to her office where I found another one of my interviewers (who happened to invite us up to their family cabin not too long ago). The third interviewer (and my potential boss) was actually missing. I expected him to come in, but was informed that his wife was in the process of having a baby at the moment, so he wouldn't be joining us.
Excuses, excuses...
Needless to say, the interview went pretty well. I should be hearing back either way from them before too long. The only problem is I have to go back in for another interview. It isn't that I dread interviews, I just want to know the resolution. I've been jerked around a few times and hope that this isn't going to be one of those times. This group is a lot more professional, and I would be able to carve a niche out for myself there as the only tech writer in the group, but it still makes me wonder if this is going to come to pass. Until I know, I am just going to have to wait it out until I hopefully get another interview.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Technology: Friend and Foe
As a job hunter, I have a lot of opportunities to apply to positions online. While this can be quite great at times (I can find out about all sorts of jobs and quickly send my resume to them), I find it quite frustrating as well.
Most every job hunting website out there includes an option to upload your resume and have it autofill fields in your profile. It is very bothersome to have to complete a detailed form when that information is already on your resume. I realize that computers aren't people, but I also realize that it wouldn't be that hard to add a button that says, "Already on my resume" and let the user point to the information. This would give the computer an opportunity to learn what types of information are standard on your resume, and where it might look to find that information. It would also save the user time from having to recreate their resume in a form.
While many companies post their information on generic sites like careerbuilder.com, many of them want you to complete a profile on their own page. Why must a potential employee insert the same information that is readily available on the Web into yet another form? Couldn't the computer ask to verify your identity on Careerbuilder (where you just came from. And yes, the computer can tell this) and then sniff the information from your public profile? It seems like a good moneymaker for Careerbuilder as well as a time saver for other companies.
I know that there are other sites out there, but if you had the same information with the same generic names (like address, job responsibilities, job title, etc), the computer should be able to do the legwork. All the info is there. Why aren't companies using it?
In a corporate world where employees are asked to do more with less, this seems like a prime instance where you could shave some money off the hiring process. Given, the potential employee is supposed to fill all this out (which is why this doesn't happen today), but the infrastructure is already there. Why not use it?
Most every job hunting website out there includes an option to upload your resume and have it autofill fields in your profile. It is very bothersome to have to complete a detailed form when that information is already on your resume. I realize that computers aren't people, but I also realize that it wouldn't be that hard to add a button that says, "Already on my resume" and let the user point to the information. This would give the computer an opportunity to learn what types of information are standard on your resume, and where it might look to find that information. It would also save the user time from having to recreate their resume in a form.
While many companies post their information on generic sites like careerbuilder.com, many of them want you to complete a profile on their own page. Why must a potential employee insert the same information that is readily available on the Web into yet another form? Couldn't the computer ask to verify your identity on Careerbuilder (where you just came from. And yes, the computer can tell this) and then sniff the information from your public profile? It seems like a good moneymaker for Careerbuilder as well as a time saver for other companies.
I know that there are other sites out there, but if you had the same information with the same generic names (like address, job responsibilities, job title, etc), the computer should be able to do the legwork. All the info is there. Why aren't companies using it?
In a corporate world where employees are asked to do more with less, this seems like a prime instance where you could shave some money off the hiring process. Given, the potential employee is supposed to fill all this out (which is why this doesn't happen today), but the infrastructure is already there. Why not use it?
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Over My Head
I applied for a job last week as a forms developer. The job description said that you would need to know how to create forms in HTML and have some XML experience. I have used some XML and HTML editors in my day, but I don't know a whole lot about the coding. I thought I would apply anyway.
And to my surprise, I was called in for an interview. And the interview went well. The recruiter asked me some questions that I was able to field. And then she told me that she wasn't really a technical person, so whatever I would have said would have been great to her.
I left the interview feeling quite good about the whole situation. She said that there would be a lot of learning on your own time to get things figured out, which is fine by me, as the position is only part-time. After getting home, it really sunk in—I was applying for a position as a programmer, and was being seriously considered.
I have had a bit of experience programming, and am trying to learn more about programming, but at this point, I am still quite a novice programmer. I think that I might be over my head a bit, but it will be good (should I get the position) for me to learn more about programming. I have played a bit in VBA scripting, and wrote one simple macro in Excel to help gather everything for our metrics, but I have never created and saved files. I hope I will be able to learn and get paid for it.
It is kind of odd for me to think that I might have a position to add to my resume that labels me as a programmer. It will probably be a bit of a headache to have such a steep learning curve, but I have nothing better to do with my time right now, so I am going to go for it. I'm hoping the call comes through that lets me know that the company wants to talk to me. The recruiter thinks that I might be a good fit with the company, but they let the last person go after about one week because she was asking too many questions. My mental note during the interview was not to ask a whole lot of questions, and just figure things out on my own.
It looks like I'll become a member of some programming forums. If nothing else, it will get me a jump on my iPhone programming.
On a semi-related side note, I have decided to create a video to introduce myself on my About Me page. I have never done any flash programming, but I think I'll try. I have a script in mind, but now have to learn a lot about Illustrator and Flash before I can get the actual video going.
Off to the drawing board (literally)!
And to my surprise, I was called in for an interview. And the interview went well. The recruiter asked me some questions that I was able to field. And then she told me that she wasn't really a technical person, so whatever I would have said would have been great to her.
I left the interview feeling quite good about the whole situation. She said that there would be a lot of learning on your own time to get things figured out, which is fine by me, as the position is only part-time. After getting home, it really sunk in—I was applying for a position as a programmer, and was being seriously considered.
I have had a bit of experience programming, and am trying to learn more about programming, but at this point, I am still quite a novice programmer. I think that I might be over my head a bit, but it will be good (should I get the position) for me to learn more about programming. I have played a bit in VBA scripting, and wrote one simple macro in Excel to help gather everything for our metrics, but I have never created and saved files. I hope I will be able to learn and get paid for it.
It is kind of odd for me to think that I might have a position to add to my resume that labels me as a programmer. It will probably be a bit of a headache to have such a steep learning curve, but I have nothing better to do with my time right now, so I am going to go for it. I'm hoping the call comes through that lets me know that the company wants to talk to me. The recruiter thinks that I might be a good fit with the company, but they let the last person go after about one week because she was asking too many questions. My mental note during the interview was not to ask a whole lot of questions, and just figure things out on my own.
It looks like I'll become a member of some programming forums. If nothing else, it will get me a jump on my iPhone programming.
On a semi-related side note, I have decided to create a video to introduce myself on my About Me page. I have never done any flash programming, but I think I'll try. I have a script in mind, but now have to learn a lot about Illustrator and Flash before I can get the actual video going.
Off to the drawing board (literally)!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Playing Nice
Never underestimate the power of being nice. During my time off, I have been doing my fair share of job hunting. I have been quite unsuccessful up to this point, but I have happened to find some positions that I thought would be good for other people, so I have sent them a note or two along the way.
Invariably, I have found that people are very happy that I would think of them for a position, especially if it is one that they are interested in (which of course they all are. I only hand out perfect fits to people). I know I am always happy when people send me postings that might be a good fit.
The best part about it though is the fact that once I send them a job to look at, they have all immediately replied with something to the effect of, "Hey, aren't you looking for a job?" It gives me the opportunity to tell them that I am looking, and then I can tell them exactly what I'm looking for. So far I haven't had a lot of success hearing back with new leads (just a few bites), but I know that others are looking for me. That makes searching for a job much better.
On that note, I have an interview tomorrow for a position to create forms online. It isn't something that I am an expert at, but they are looking for someone part-time (which I could fit into my busy schedule) that would work under someone more senior. If I land the position, I think it will get me learning more about web design and programming. I would be fine with that. :)
I also decided that I'm not playing nice in my blogging. I have my comments restricted so that you have to log in to make any remarks. So I am going to be revoking that. Feel free to comment, even if you don't have an Open ID. And I will try better to be more interactive with comments. I don't often reply to comments, so I'll see what I can do about replying to them a bit more frequently. I do, after all, like knowing the twelve people I am writing to. OK, so it might be a few more than that, but not many...
So, next time you are looking for a job, do some hunting for other people and they might be able to send some bites your way.
Invariably, I have found that people are very happy that I would think of them for a position, especially if it is one that they are interested in (which of course they all are. I only hand out perfect fits to people). I know I am always happy when people send me postings that might be a good fit.
The best part about it though is the fact that once I send them a job to look at, they have all immediately replied with something to the effect of, "Hey, aren't you looking for a job?" It gives me the opportunity to tell them that I am looking, and then I can tell them exactly what I'm looking for. So far I haven't had a lot of success hearing back with new leads (just a few bites), but I know that others are looking for me. That makes searching for a job much better.
On that note, I have an interview tomorrow for a position to create forms online. It isn't something that I am an expert at, but they are looking for someone part-time (which I could fit into my busy schedule) that would work under someone more senior. If I land the position, I think it will get me learning more about web design and programming. I would be fine with that. :)
I also decided that I'm not playing nice in my blogging. I have my comments restricted so that you have to log in to make any remarks. So I am going to be revoking that. Feel free to comment, even if you don't have an Open ID. And I will try better to be more interactive with comments. I don't often reply to comments, so I'll see what I can do about replying to them a bit more frequently. I do, after all, like knowing the twelve people I am writing to. OK, so it might be a few more than that, but not many...
So, next time you are looking for a job, do some hunting for other people and they might be able to send some bites your way.
Monday, February 21, 2011
I'm a Centenarian
Well, at least in blogging years.
This marks the 100th post on my blog. I didn't know if this blog would last this long, but it has. I'm glad it did.
You might have noticed that I have been slacking a bit on my posting recently. I have been frantically trying to find a job, and I think I have landed one. It is only part time, and I don't know if it will ever turn into a full-time gig, but for now, it will probably pay more than unemployment which happens to pay less than $9.00 an hour. Not the best wage to support a child and a pregnant wife. But, I can now say that I am employed. I am going in to finalize the paperwork on Wednesday and receive my first assignment. Hopefully many more will follow.
The funny thing is, I was introduced casually to my boss about six months ago. She is the niece of one of my co-workers, and happens to have her own business. I met her one day, and didn't think twice about it. When my co-worker told me that she was looking for someone last week, I jumped at the chance, and the timing just happened to work out perfectly. It must be all about who you know.
In other good news, I have decided to learn more about programming and web design. My dad has been volunteering during his retirement for our church over the past five plus years, and his volunteering time will be up in November of this year. Because he knows that my mother will be painting once they finish up, he is trying to find new hobbies.
He has been interested in the iPhone and Apple products for quite some time. He has an iPhone, and once had the audacity to ask me if it was an iPod as well. It just goes to show you how much he really understands the device. He is a smart guy, but doesn't realize how far technology has come in the past ten years.
With that being said, he heard about some boy who wrote the most downloaded iPhone app, and how he taught himself to program it by reading a book from the library. Dad bought the book, which is causing him to probably get the Internet. He has been begrudgingly avoiding it at the risk of getting viruses (plus he doesn't want to pay for it), but I think he is beginning to see the light. He actually asked me to give him a quote from a few different ISPs, and what it might run him. Mom is a bit astounded, but she will run with it.
My parents have been out of town for a few days, so Dad suggested (read strongly recommended) that I take a look at the book. While the book doesn't read like a novel, it isn't too bad for a technical book. It describes most of the basics of the program, but leaves out the background on the coding, which makes it accessible to the masses. Not being part of the masses, I could use a bit more explanation regarding some of the code snippets. I'm not asking for a thorough discussion, but I could use a bit more meat. I'll just have to find it elsewhere, as the author considered it out of scope for this book (and thankfully warned me, else I would have been one angry book borrower).
I am about a third through the book, and have yet to do any programming/app creation. I'll get started on it shortly though.
After Kathy from Well Placed Words stopped by and left me a comment asking who Munchkin was, I decided that I had better create a page with a cheat sheet defining the who's who of Journeys in Journaling. With that being said, I think I'll put that information here in a separate page for future readers/newcomers, but I think it might be a good introduction to creating apps on the iPhone/iPad. I have a few other ideas I would like to include, but I don't want to give away all my secrets in case I figure out that I am terrible at creating apps and end up creating something that kills your iPhone.
And because I will have to be creating lovely graphics to go along with this app, I'll probably be giving this page a refresh as well with my own personalized graphics. As much as I love my jaundiced blog, I think some better graphics could help spice it up a bit.
I'll make sure to let you know when I get it done. In fact, I'll probably have a link here to go get the app (which will be free. I hope no one is dying to buy an app that is all about me and my life, and if they are, I would be interested to see if they want to create a new position for me in their business).
In short, if you see some new things popping up on the blog in the next few months, please don't be alarmed. It is probably intentional. But then again, since I am a beginner, parts of it will be unintentional. If something looks awry, please let me know.
Happy hundred to me!
This marks the 100th post on my blog. I didn't know if this blog would last this long, but it has. I'm glad it did.
You might have noticed that I have been slacking a bit on my posting recently. I have been frantically trying to find a job, and I think I have landed one. It is only part time, and I don't know if it will ever turn into a full-time gig, but for now, it will probably pay more than unemployment which happens to pay less than $9.00 an hour. Not the best wage to support a child and a pregnant wife. But, I can now say that I am employed. I am going in to finalize the paperwork on Wednesday and receive my first assignment. Hopefully many more will follow.
The funny thing is, I was introduced casually to my boss about six months ago. She is the niece of one of my co-workers, and happens to have her own business. I met her one day, and didn't think twice about it. When my co-worker told me that she was looking for someone last week, I jumped at the chance, and the timing just happened to work out perfectly. It must be all about who you know.
In other good news, I have decided to learn more about programming and web design. My dad has been volunteering during his retirement for our church over the past five plus years, and his volunteering time will be up in November of this year. Because he knows that my mother will be painting once they finish up, he is trying to find new hobbies.
He has been interested in the iPhone and Apple products for quite some time. He has an iPhone, and once had the audacity to ask me if it was an iPod as well. It just goes to show you how much he really understands the device. He is a smart guy, but doesn't realize how far technology has come in the past ten years.
With that being said, he heard about some boy who wrote the most downloaded iPhone app, and how he taught himself to program it by reading a book from the library. Dad bought the book, which is causing him to probably get the Internet. He has been begrudgingly avoiding it at the risk of getting viruses (plus he doesn't want to pay for it), but I think he is beginning to see the light. He actually asked me to give him a quote from a few different ISPs, and what it might run him. Mom is a bit astounded, but she will run with it.
My parents have been out of town for a few days, so Dad suggested (read strongly recommended) that I take a look at the book. While the book doesn't read like a novel, it isn't too bad for a technical book. It describes most of the basics of the program, but leaves out the background on the coding, which makes it accessible to the masses. Not being part of the masses, I could use a bit more explanation regarding some of the code snippets. I'm not asking for a thorough discussion, but I could use a bit more meat. I'll just have to find it elsewhere, as the author considered it out of scope for this book (and thankfully warned me, else I would have been one angry book borrower).
I am about a third through the book, and have yet to do any programming/app creation. I'll get started on it shortly though.
After Kathy from Well Placed Words stopped by and left me a comment asking who Munchkin was, I decided that I had better create a page with a cheat sheet defining the who's who of Journeys in Journaling. With that being said, I think I'll put that information here in a separate page for future readers/newcomers, but I think it might be a good introduction to creating apps on the iPhone/iPad. I have a few other ideas I would like to include, but I don't want to give away all my secrets in case I figure out that I am terrible at creating apps and end up creating something that kills your iPhone.
And because I will have to be creating lovely graphics to go along with this app, I'll probably be giving this page a refresh as well with my own personalized graphics. As much as I love my jaundiced blog, I think some better graphics could help spice it up a bit.
I'll make sure to let you know when I get it done. In fact, I'll probably have a link here to go get the app (which will be free. I hope no one is dying to buy an app that is all about me and my life, and if they are, I would be interested to see if they want to create a new position for me in their business).
In short, if you see some new things popping up on the blog in the next few months, please don't be alarmed. It is probably intentional. But then again, since I am a beginner, parts of it will be unintentional. If something looks awry, please let me know.
Happy hundred to me!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
National Honey-Do Day
Did you know that today is National Honey-Do Day? If not, sorry, you missed out on your chance to have your spouse/significant other do all those things you wanted them to. Better luck next year.
For this year's celebration, I had three projects.
We got an old entertainment center from a thrift store for $25. While it isn't the most amazing piece of furniture we have, we have kept it around because it is functional. It holds our DVDs, VCR/DVD player, and our TV. Our TV fits on the top though.
In fact, I wonder if TVs were ever made to fit in this entertainment center. The previous owners had removed a section from the back that was about a two foot square so that their old TV would fit. And I use the term fit loosely. It was probably hanging way out the back.
While Wifey was catching up on The Bachelor (blech) and Munchkin was asleep, I spent my time sanding and painting the thing black. We got a new back for it a few weeks ago, and I just haven't had the time to get it on yet. It still isn't on there, but the thing got pained with the help of Wifey (after her show was completed). We are going to go touch it up in a few minutes. After it is done, I'll have to put up a picture of the finished product.
About six months ago we noticed that our neighbors across the street that we had never officially met were having a garage sale. We saw a bunch of baby stuff, so we went on the prowl. We ended up leaving all the baby stuff for other people and buying the Lane cedar chest for a mere $40. I had seen these things go for a couple hundred dollars, and I knew that there would be a catch. No one who buys a cedar chest would part with it for only forty bucks. Well, they would if their mother-in-law had ended up putting a couple of layers of paint on the top and the feet. What a travesty.
With the help of my dad and a strong smelling chemical stripper, we were able to get (most) of the paint off the thing. The stripper claims that you just have to put it on and in about thirty minutes you scrape something over it. While it worked pretty well, some of the pigment worked its way into the wood, so sanding will be required. Because we want to restain the thing instead of adding another three layers of paint, I will be doing some extensive sanding on the thing.
The sanding will have to wait for another day though, because I had to take care of project number three.
We got some bulbs quite late in the season for a really good price. Probably because the ground was already frozen and the snows had come. These hyacinth bulbs were already supposed to be nestled snugly in their flower beds, but instead sat on a clearance shelf in a store waiting to be bought. So we obliged.
When I looked at them yesterday, I realized that these bulbs were being quite happy and growing without the aid of dirt. They all had green mohawks popping out of them. The weather has been getting warmer, and the garage has been even warmer than that, so these miniature Mr. T's were ready to be done with their days of nudity and jump into the ground.
While this wasn't officially on my honey-do list, I figured I would throw in an extra one while I was waiting for the stripper (chemical, not the other type) to do its thing. So now the bulbs are snug in their spring beds and ready to pop out of the ground. I hope their dark homes won't throw them off too much.
When they grow and start spreading their spring happiness, I'll take a picture of them too.
While I say that I'll put pictures up, I can't promise anything. I sometimes forget my blogging promises.
I called up an old acquaintance today to ask about a job, and even though the job was filled, he said that there is a possibility that they are having a secretary position open up. I threw my resume into the hat.
Another reason why you probably don't recognize this holiday is because I just made it up. It seemed like a good title to explain what I did today. Feel free to instigate it with your spouse/significant other if you so choose. Just make sure that you have them read this post later to let them in on the secret. Note that I didn't say how much later you would be required to tell them, so you can be sneaky if you like.
For this year's celebration, I had three projects.
"Vintage" Entertainment Center
We got an old entertainment center from a thrift store for $25. While it isn't the most amazing piece of furniture we have, we have kept it around because it is functional. It holds our DVDs, VCR/DVD player, and our TV. Our TV fits on the top though.
In fact, I wonder if TVs were ever made to fit in this entertainment center. The previous owners had removed a section from the back that was about a two foot square so that their old TV would fit. And I use the term fit loosely. It was probably hanging way out the back.
While Wifey was catching up on The Bachelor (blech) and Munchkin was asleep, I spent my time sanding and painting the thing black. We got a new back for it a few weeks ago, and I just haven't had the time to get it on yet. It still isn't on there, but the thing got pained with the help of Wifey (after her show was completed). We are going to go touch it up in a few minutes. After it is done, I'll have to put up a picture of the finished product.
Garage Sale Steal
About six months ago we noticed that our neighbors across the street that we had never officially met were having a garage sale. We saw a bunch of baby stuff, so we went on the prowl. We ended up leaving all the baby stuff for other people and buying the Lane cedar chest for a mere $40. I had seen these things go for a couple hundred dollars, and I knew that there would be a catch. No one who buys a cedar chest would part with it for only forty bucks. Well, they would if their mother-in-law had ended up putting a couple of layers of paint on the top and the feet. What a travesty.
With the help of my dad and a strong smelling chemical stripper, we were able to get (most) of the paint off the thing. The stripper claims that you just have to put it on and in about thirty minutes you scrape something over it. While it worked pretty well, some of the pigment worked its way into the wood, so sanding will be required. Because we want to restain the thing instead of adding another three layers of paint, I will be doing some extensive sanding on the thing.
The sanding will have to wait for another day though, because I had to take care of project number three.
Planting Autumn Bulbs
We got some bulbs quite late in the season for a really good price. Probably because the ground was already frozen and the snows had come. These hyacinth bulbs were already supposed to be nestled snugly in their flower beds, but instead sat on a clearance shelf in a store waiting to be bought. So we obliged.
When I looked at them yesterday, I realized that these bulbs were being quite happy and growing without the aid of dirt. They all had green mohawks popping out of them. The weather has been getting warmer, and the garage has been even warmer than that, so these miniature Mr. T's were ready to be done with their days of nudity and jump into the ground.
While this wasn't officially on my honey-do list, I figured I would throw in an extra one while I was waiting for the stripper (chemical, not the other type) to do its thing. So now the bulbs are snug in their spring beds and ready to pop out of the ground. I hope their dark homes won't throw them off too much.
When they grow and start spreading their spring happiness, I'll take a picture of them too.
Miscellaneous Side Notes
While I say that I'll put pictures up, I can't promise anything. I sometimes forget my blogging promises.
I called up an old acquaintance today to ask about a job, and even though the job was filled, he said that there is a possibility that they are having a secretary position open up. I threw my resume into the hat.
Another reason why you probably don't recognize this holiday is because I just made it up. It seemed like a good title to explain what I did today. Feel free to instigate it with your spouse/significant other if you so choose. Just make sure that you have them read this post later to let them in on the secret. Note that I didn't say how much later you would be required to tell them, so you can be sneaky if you like.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The Same Old Song (Now There Are Six)
I went back to the second job interview, and the second day wasn't nearly as bad as the first, which I am guessing is partially because I knew what I was getting into.
Gratefully, the ventriloquist was not singing when I came in on the second day. There were twelve of us there, and only one of them was from the group that I interviewed with. This let me know that they really were culling out people during the interview process. It was much of the same, but they actually showed us the product that we would be selling. I'm not going to lie, the product is pretty darn cool. If I ever can scrape up an extra $2,500 dollars, I might just get one. Until the time that I have that extra money lying around, I'll still be without.
Now that I knew what I was getting into, I realized that they really don't want you push a sale. They were very hands-off when it came to pushing a sale. I appreciate that—mainly because I am not inclined to be a salesman. While the presentation was going on, I had to laugh. The presenter told me that I am really hard to read. I'm not the type to really show my emotions or express myself until I have felt out the other people in the room, so when a guy came in to present the product to us, I wasn't ready to jump in and interact. I'm much too cautious for that.
Some of the information they were giving to us was a bit gimmicky. Some of the statistics were clearly scare tactics, and some of the logical arguments could have been easily discounted. But as I was not ready to jump in and participate with more than a one or two word answer, I didn't open my mouth. Plus, I didn't want to be contrary to a potential employer by telling him that his logic was flawed.
So, there I was at the end of a three hour interview where they didn't really talk to me again. They had me fill out another sheet of paper and asked me a few more questions. One of the questions they had on there was, "In what ways can you be a value to our company." I answered truthfully and told them that I really didn't know, because they didn't tell me much about the needs of the company, so I couldn't address that question. I did tell them that I had learned a lot about presenting information through my education, and I guess that was enough to get them to bite. I got invited back to the Management Training Program on Wednesday.
When I got home, Wifey asked me how I felt it went. I told her that I still wasn't sure, because I hadn't really had an interview yet. I had just been given training and asked to fill out two simple questionnaires. She asked me if I was planning on going back to the training, and I didn't feel strongly either way, so I thought that I had better. Maybe the Management Training Program would be better.
And so I went. And the training was better. There were seven of us there. A few more had been culled from the group, including the very vocal guy who was digging the ventriloquist act from the first day. I was the only one from my original group.
The training had us interacting more, and they finally told me what was expected of me should I be hired on as a manager. One of the things that made me consider this position was the fact that I didn't have to go sell to my friends and family. I don't think that personal relationships should be used for business purposes (most of the time), and I have never felt comfortable using my relationship as leverage to get someone to buy something.
We went through the training on how to generate leads in an appointment. And things seemed to look alright, because you just asked the people you were with to give you leads. I felt a bit uncomfortable that you had to have them pull out their phone right then and there and call the people to set up appointments after you had only been with them for about ten minutes and they didn't even really understand what the product did.
While we were practicing, a little flag went off in my head. One of the things they do to entice more leads out of people is give them free stuff. While the stuff is pretty good, they ask you to put other people's names and email addresses into their system (without their prior consent) to get some of this stuff. My flag kept waving when they told me that my homework was to go and use their online system to register myself and those that I knew who were qualified for their product into their system.
Knowing that I wasn't going to do this, even if it was "just to practice" on my family and friends, I realized that the position was not for me. After the presentations of the day were over, I went up to the trainer and told her that I really didn't think this would be a good fit for me. And it was really easy to say no.
And now there are six in the training program.
Gratefully, the ventriloquist was not singing when I came in on the second day. There were twelve of us there, and only one of them was from the group that I interviewed with. This let me know that they really were culling out people during the interview process. It was much of the same, but they actually showed us the product that we would be selling. I'm not going to lie, the product is pretty darn cool. If I ever can scrape up an extra $2,500 dollars, I might just get one. Until the time that I have that extra money lying around, I'll still be without.
Now that I knew what I was getting into, I realized that they really don't want you push a sale. They were very hands-off when it came to pushing a sale. I appreciate that—mainly because I am not inclined to be a salesman. While the presentation was going on, I had to laugh. The presenter told me that I am really hard to read. I'm not the type to really show my emotions or express myself until I have felt out the other people in the room, so when a guy came in to present the product to us, I wasn't ready to jump in and interact. I'm much too cautious for that.
Some of the information they were giving to us was a bit gimmicky. Some of the statistics were clearly scare tactics, and some of the logical arguments could have been easily discounted. But as I was not ready to jump in and participate with more than a one or two word answer, I didn't open my mouth. Plus, I didn't want to be contrary to a potential employer by telling him that his logic was flawed.
So, there I was at the end of a three hour interview where they didn't really talk to me again. They had me fill out another sheet of paper and asked me a few more questions. One of the questions they had on there was, "In what ways can you be a value to our company." I answered truthfully and told them that I really didn't know, because they didn't tell me much about the needs of the company, so I couldn't address that question. I did tell them that I had learned a lot about presenting information through my education, and I guess that was enough to get them to bite. I got invited back to the Management Training Program on Wednesday.
When I got home, Wifey asked me how I felt it went. I told her that I still wasn't sure, because I hadn't really had an interview yet. I had just been given training and asked to fill out two simple questionnaires. She asked me if I was planning on going back to the training, and I didn't feel strongly either way, so I thought that I had better. Maybe the Management Training Program would be better.
And so I went. And the training was better. There were seven of us there. A few more had been culled from the group, including the very vocal guy who was digging the ventriloquist act from the first day. I was the only one from my original group.
The training had us interacting more, and they finally told me what was expected of me should I be hired on as a manager. One of the things that made me consider this position was the fact that I didn't have to go sell to my friends and family. I don't think that personal relationships should be used for business purposes (most of the time), and I have never felt comfortable using my relationship as leverage to get someone to buy something.
We went through the training on how to generate leads in an appointment. And things seemed to look alright, because you just asked the people you were with to give you leads. I felt a bit uncomfortable that you had to have them pull out their phone right then and there and call the people to set up appointments after you had only been with them for about ten minutes and they didn't even really understand what the product did.
While we were practicing, a little flag went off in my head. One of the things they do to entice more leads out of people is give them free stuff. While the stuff is pretty good, they ask you to put other people's names and email addresses into their system (without their prior consent) to get some of this stuff. My flag kept waving when they told me that my homework was to go and use their online system to register myself and those that I knew who were qualified for their product into their system.
Knowing that I wasn't going to do this, even if it was "just to practice" on my family and friends, I realized that the position was not for me. After the presentations of the day were over, I went up to the trainer and told her that I really didn't think this would be a good fit for me. And it was really easy to say no.
And now there are six in the training program.
Friday, January 28, 2011
I Feel...
A new video caught my attention on TED today, so of course I started perusing other content because you can't watch just one TED video without finding something else that looks riveting as well. From a various string of videos that all started with a ukulele, I ran across this one (that is kind of long, but good) by Jonathan Harris:
I liked the first part best. I have been looking for a way to find bloggers who I might be able to connect with online. I want to find blogs that are meaningful to me. And this tool offers a unique way to visualize this type of information. You can connect directly with the blog to learn more.
I went out to the site to test it out, and the We Feel Fine project works as expected. I was a bit surprised that I didn't have the option to select Boise, but both Meridian and Eagle were in the list. I guess Boise doesn't have a lot of bloggers who discuss their feelings.
Now it is story time.
We had a great farewell luncheon yesterday that was arranged by two of my co-workers (and fellow contractors) that was very nice. We had a large and varied group come and take a lot of time out of their normal day to wish me well. I was surprised at first to hear that 17 people had RSVPed. In fact, I felt quite flattered that so many would join us. Sadly, there weren't very many from my the company that is forcing me to take a furlough (including my direct manager).
I had a manager from another company that I work with contact me to wish me well on my hiatus. She told me that a lot of her employees were talking about my furlough and saying really negative things about it.
I have been quite bitter about this furlough. I have worked very hard to make myself valuable to this company, and for thanks I get a kick out the door for three months. I have come to a realization that this isn't a reflection on me, or on my work—this is a reflection on managers who see me as a title and probably don't even know my name (unless they are familiar with the famous singer from the 80's). The reflection on me and my work comes from the fact that I was invited to return after my furlough. It makes the horse pill a bit easier to swallow.
To tie this all together, I got thinking about the end of the video. I got thinking about the mythology that would be around me by using the new Universe tool. I felt like I had been feeling like my own little planet was having quite the violent upheaval while the rest of the world went on. And to an extent, that is true. But by hearing that the group of authors I work with have been up in arms about this vindicated me. By explaining my furlough, I have found many people who are willing to look for positions for me, including some who are trying to pull strings and break the rules. We'll see if anything comes of it, but for now, I know that this moment in my mythology reaches far beyond me. It might not have the impact that it needs in order for me to find a position, but I can be hopeful that it does.
I liked the first part best. I have been looking for a way to find bloggers who I might be able to connect with online. I want to find blogs that are meaningful to me. And this tool offers a unique way to visualize this type of information. You can connect directly with the blog to learn more.
I went out to the site to test it out, and the We Feel Fine project works as expected. I was a bit surprised that I didn't have the option to select Boise, but both Meridian and Eagle were in the list. I guess Boise doesn't have a lot of bloggers who discuss their feelings.
Now it is story time.
We had a great farewell luncheon yesterday that was arranged by two of my co-workers (and fellow contractors) that was very nice. We had a large and varied group come and take a lot of time out of their normal day to wish me well. I was surprised at first to hear that 17 people had RSVPed. In fact, I felt quite flattered that so many would join us. Sadly, there weren't very many from my the company that is forcing me to take a furlough (including my direct manager).
I had a manager from another company that I work with contact me to wish me well on my hiatus. She told me that a lot of her employees were talking about my furlough and saying really negative things about it.
I have been quite bitter about this furlough. I have worked very hard to make myself valuable to this company, and for thanks I get a kick out the door for three months. I have come to a realization that this isn't a reflection on me, or on my work—this is a reflection on managers who see me as a title and probably don't even know my name (unless they are familiar with the famous singer from the 80's). The reflection on me and my work comes from the fact that I was invited to return after my furlough. It makes the horse pill a bit easier to swallow.
To tie this all together, I got thinking about the end of the video. I got thinking about the mythology that would be around me by using the new Universe tool. I felt like I had been feeling like my own little planet was having quite the violent upheaval while the rest of the world went on. And to an extent, that is true. But by hearing that the group of authors I work with have been up in arms about this vindicated me. By explaining my furlough, I have found many people who are willing to look for positions for me, including some who are trying to pull strings and break the rules. We'll see if anything comes of it, but for now, I know that this moment in my mythology reaches far beyond me. It might not have the impact that it needs in order for me to find a position, but I can be hopeful that it does.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Foo
After many emails and contacting multiple people, I finally heard back from the company I was interviewing with. And it was a negative response. After months of careful planning, the stars would have been magically aligned and I would have been offered the position just in the nick of time, but I learned that recently the Zodiac signs were changed, so the stars weren't aligned as I thought they would be. Silly astrologers. Don't they know that they are messing with my ability to feed my family?
This means that I am back at square one. In exactly two weeks I won't have a job, and at this point, there are no promising prospects. If I need to, I'll go get a job at McDonald's or something. I am hoping that it doesn't come to that, but there are mouths to feed and bills to pay.
So now I start applying to all the positions that I qualify for, but would be just a job instead of a career—secretary, office assistant, peon, etc.
The bright side of things is that we only need to survive for three months. The position I currently have will still be here for me when I am done with my 100-day break. The bad news is I have to find something to fill my time and pay the bills in the next two weeks. In case you know of anything or hear of any positions that are focused on writing, editing, the Internet, or computers, please let me know. I'll take what I can get, and am a surprisingly quick study...
This means that I am back at square one. In exactly two weeks I won't have a job, and at this point, there are no promising prospects. If I need to, I'll go get a job at McDonald's or something. I am hoping that it doesn't come to that, but there are mouths to feed and bills to pay.
So now I start applying to all the positions that I qualify for, but would be just a job instead of a career—secretary, office assistant, peon, etc.
The bright side of things is that we only need to survive for three months. The position I currently have will still be here for me when I am done with my 100-day break. The bad news is I have to find something to fill my time and pay the bills in the next two weeks. In case you know of anything or hear of any positions that are focused on writing, editing, the Internet, or computers, please let me know. I'll take what I can get, and am a surprisingly quick study...
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Database Prophecy
Today was my first day back in the office. While I worked over the break, I was able to sit lay in my bed and work in my pajamas. In fact, I even gave up shaving for a week. It was quite nice.
Well, when I arrived at work, I pulled into my usual parking lot and approached my usual door to enter. I pulled my badge up to the door sensor, and hear the usual beep. When I pulled on the handle, the door was still locked.
Thinking that it was a fluke, I tried again. I got the same result.
I thought it must be the door. The guy who just went through it in front of me must have messed with it. But that wasn't the case. I tried another door, and got the same result. The sensor kept turning red, either trying to tell me to go away, or mocking my fingers that were reddening from the cold.
I called up a co-worker and asked her to come let me in. She gave me a hard time, but let me in without having to offer any promises of goodies or favors. I told her that my badge wasn't working, and then asked the question that was on my mind—Is there something I should know?
I know that my contract expires at the beginning of next month, but I didn't expect that I would be banished from the building a month early as a strange form of hazing. It turns out that I was right.
I went and checked with my supervisor, and he informed me to go talk to the security office. After waiting in line for about 15 minutes, I handed my badge to the nice lady sitting behind the desk. She started looking up my information, and then asked me if I had another badge (which I don't). Then she asked who my supervisor was, and started a little investigation of her own.
It turns out that the database ate me. My picture was gone, major parts of my information was gone, and I had been given another badge as part of it. The lady turned my badge back on, and then told me that she turned the other one off. I feel bad for whoever has the other badge, because they are going to have to go through the same process as I did tomorrow when they try to come in and find that the light is red. I hope they aren't late to their meeting.
After all this tomfoolery, I started to wonder if this was a sign of things to come. Was this the company's way of saying, "You're not wanted?" Does this mean that I am not destined to work here? Does this mean that I am going to get one of these two jobs that I am applying for?
I hope that the answer to the last question is yes.
On a completely unrelated note, today I received my 1,000th visitor. If I knew who you were, I might give you a prize. But since I don't, you'll just have to have the satisfaction that on January 4th, 2011, you might have been my 1,000th visitor.
Well, when I arrived at work, I pulled into my usual parking lot and approached my usual door to enter. I pulled my badge up to the door sensor, and hear the usual beep. When I pulled on the handle, the door was still locked.
Thinking that it was a fluke, I tried again. I got the same result.
I thought it must be the door. The guy who just went through it in front of me must have messed with it. But that wasn't the case. I tried another door, and got the same result. The sensor kept turning red, either trying to tell me to go away, or mocking my fingers that were reddening from the cold.
I called up a co-worker and asked her to come let me in. She gave me a hard time, but let me in without having to offer any promises of goodies or favors. I told her that my badge wasn't working, and then asked the question that was on my mind—Is there something I should know?
I know that my contract expires at the beginning of next month, but I didn't expect that I would be banished from the building a month early as a strange form of hazing. It turns out that I was right.
I went and checked with my supervisor, and he informed me to go talk to the security office. After waiting in line for about 15 minutes, I handed my badge to the nice lady sitting behind the desk. She started looking up my information, and then asked me if I had another badge (which I don't). Then she asked who my supervisor was, and started a little investigation of her own.
It turns out that the database ate me. My picture was gone, major parts of my information was gone, and I had been given another badge as part of it. The lady turned my badge back on, and then told me that she turned the other one off. I feel bad for whoever has the other badge, because they are going to have to go through the same process as I did tomorrow when they try to come in and find that the light is red. I hope they aren't late to their meeting.
After all this tomfoolery, I started to wonder if this was a sign of things to come. Was this the company's way of saying, "You're not wanted?" Does this mean that I am not destined to work here? Does this mean that I am going to get one of these two jobs that I am applying for?
I hope that the answer to the last question is yes.
On a completely unrelated note, today I received my 1,000th visitor. If I knew who you were, I might give you a prize. But since I don't, you'll just have to have the satisfaction that on January 4th, 2011, you might have been my 1,000th visitor.
Bites
Yesterday was a good day. I decided to take the day off work (at Wifey's suggestion) because the company I work for had a holiday. While I could have worked from home, Wifey convinced me not to worry about it.
We spent the morning taking down all our Christmas things. Wifey was happy to get it down, but I could tell that she didn't want Christmas to be over. While we got everything cleaned up, that wasn't the best part of the day.
I had a preliminary phone interview for a position. After applying for positions since August, I finally have an interview. I felt the interview went well. I was able to answer yes to everything that needed a yes, and didn't get any curveball questions that curved too much.
They liked me enough to schedule me for an in-person interview (which I didn't know existed anymore) on Thursday, so wish me luck.
The position would be creating content and web sites. I have always been intrigued by the Web, but never had the opportunity to really delve into the HTML and coding. Maybe I'll have the opportunity to do that, and get paid for it now. And the company offers education assistance as well. This means that I might be getting a Master's degree. I had better start delving more into what I want to study if I am going to get this position...
But before I put the cart before the horse, I also want to mention that a former co-worker of mine is meeting tomorrow for another possible position. I don't know why, but after the drought of not hearing anything from any company for five months, now I have two very likely possibilities on the horizon. Hopefully I'll be getting two offers within the next week, and I'll get to pick which one I want.
We spent the morning taking down all our Christmas things. Wifey was happy to get it down, but I could tell that she didn't want Christmas to be over. While we got everything cleaned up, that wasn't the best part of the day.
I had a preliminary phone interview for a position. After applying for positions since August, I finally have an interview. I felt the interview went well. I was able to answer yes to everything that needed a yes, and didn't get any curveball questions that curved too much.
They liked me enough to schedule me for an in-person interview (which I didn't know existed anymore) on Thursday, so wish me luck.
The position would be creating content and web sites. I have always been intrigued by the Web, but never had the opportunity to really delve into the HTML and coding. Maybe I'll have the opportunity to do that, and get paid for it now. And the company offers education assistance as well. This means that I might be getting a Master's degree. I had better start delving more into what I want to study if I am going to get this position...
But before I put the cart before the horse, I also want to mention that a former co-worker of mine is meeting tomorrow for another possible position. I don't know why, but after the drought of not hearing anything from any company for five months, now I have two very likely possibilities on the horizon. Hopefully I'll be getting two offers within the next week, and I'll get to pick which one I want.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Can I Escape Their Clutches?
After applying to multiple positions (quite unsuccessfully) and never hearing back from them, I finally had someone call me back. The response was, "We can't hire you now, but maybe in the future."
While this doesn't help my current predicament of searching for more permanent employment, this is a better response than I have previously received. Evidently there are pretty strict procurement rules for some companies, especially when you are a contractor working for a different organization that you secretly hope to escape from as quickly as possible.
Don't get me wrong, I am happy to have a job. It pays the bills. But I know that I am being taken advantage of by my current organization. Here are some reasons why:
I could go on, but as I need to get back to work. Maybe I'll write a few follow-up emails first and hold my breath that I'll hear back from someone with an opportunity to have an interview.
While this doesn't help my current predicament of searching for more permanent employment, this is a better response than I have previously received. Evidently there are pretty strict procurement rules for some companies, especially when you are a contractor working for a different organization that you secretly hope to escape from as quickly as possible.
Don't get me wrong, I am happy to have a job. It pays the bills. But I know that I am being taken advantage of by my current organization. Here are some reasons why:
- When the tax laws changed in 2008 in an attempt to stimulate the economy to allow individuals to get a larger piece of the pie, my pay went down. Instead of getting my piece of the pie, my company took it. They let me know with a form email that I could either accept the new pay rate (about a dollar less an hour, by the way) or quit my position. As I needed a job, I found the first option to be less of a difficult pill to swallow.
- When I send an email to my agency, I most often get a response from someone besides the person I contacted. I had a recruiter that was very communicative at first when they were looking to fill a position to make some more money, but when I have a question, they are slow to respond (if they respond at all).
- I have been told by the treasurer of the company that they are not making any money on my contract. My BS Meter starts going off when I heard this. If this company wasn't making any money off me, then why are they supporting my contract? See also my first point.
- I was also told by the same unprofessional treasurer of the company that sometimes people in professional positions such as mine work overtime and do not receive overtime pay. If I were in a salaried position, I would have accepted that fact. As I am an hourly employee, I don't buy it. This undermines their authority in my opinion. An agency should go to bat to make sure that employees are being paid for the work that they are doing. One of the perks of being an hourly employee is that I get paid overtime.
- In the same conversation with said unprofessional treasurer, I was informed that my contract did not support overtime. Right after I was informed of this, my employment was threatened. After researching my contract, I have no mention in the materials I was given that mentioned anything about overtime. If I don't have access to the particulars of my contract, why do you expect me know this information?
I could go on, but as I need to get back to work. Maybe I'll write a few follow-up emails first and hold my breath that I'll hear back from someone with an opportunity to have an interview.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Can I Get a Bite?
I have never been much of a math person, but I can wade my way through it when needed. That being said, I took many a business course where they started throwing out all sorts of statistical terms (even though statistics was not a prerequisite course) which confused me. After approaching multiple professors during office hours to ask questions about material that was recently presented, I was generally brushed off. The professors generally tried to push me to their TAs. What is the point of having office hours if students aren't welcome during them?
I get the whole idea of teaching a man to fish vs. feeding a man with a fish. I found it frustrating though when I would come with basic (to them) questions that would help me to identify fish, but my instructor would not give me the time of day to answer my question. It was almost as if the lecture was the end-all of their job. They spouted out the information, and I was to take notes and fill in the gaps without any assistance.
And this happened on multiple occasions with multiple teachers.
Needless to say, I quickly soured at the thought of taking business classes. I took just what was needed, and escaped slightly scathed.
After getting a job, I found that I was in a business environment where people helped you out. They had a job, but they were happy to help you understand your own. Queen M was one such person.
Queen M is a very proper woman (she kept a bone china tea cup and saucer at her desk for when she needed a pick me up) that I learned a lot from. She is the perfect professional—smart, perceptive, level-headed, thorough, personable, and many other things.
Because the current position we were in was a contract position, she found another position with a company that hired employees instead of contractors. It was quite a blow to the agency I work for, but they were able to find a great replacement from another contracted agency. While I was glad I didn't have to train someone new, I wasn't glad that the impact of Queen M leaving was greatly dismissed because of her replacement.
I got an email from Queen M today asking me if I was still looking for a position. I (of course) said yes. The company she works for is looking for a business process analyst. She provided me with a brief description of the position, and it seems like something I would enjoy. I never thought that I would consider working in a position whose title contained the words business and analyst, as I REALLY didn't enjoy any of my business courses in college. I learned from them, but I didn't really like them. I think that most of this spite came from the teachers, but a bit from the subject matter as well.
I guess we will have to see if being a business process analyst will be as bad as my my mind has made it out to be. I am thinking that I might be in for a pleasant surprise. Now, just to get an interview. With Queen M referring me, I don't see how I won't.
I get the whole idea of teaching a man to fish vs. feeding a man with a fish. I found it frustrating though when I would come with basic (to them) questions that would help me to identify fish, but my instructor would not give me the time of day to answer my question. It was almost as if the lecture was the end-all of their job. They spouted out the information, and I was to take notes and fill in the gaps without any assistance.
And this happened on multiple occasions with multiple teachers.
Needless to say, I quickly soured at the thought of taking business classes. I took just what was needed, and escaped slightly scathed.
After getting a job, I found that I was in a business environment where people helped you out. They had a job, but they were happy to help you understand your own. Queen M was one such person.
Queen M is a very proper woman (she kept a bone china tea cup and saucer at her desk for when she needed a pick me up) that I learned a lot from. She is the perfect professional—smart, perceptive, level-headed, thorough, personable, and many other things.
Because the current position we were in was a contract position, she found another position with a company that hired employees instead of contractors. It was quite a blow to the agency I work for, but they were able to find a great replacement from another contracted agency. While I was glad I didn't have to train someone new, I wasn't glad that the impact of Queen M leaving was greatly dismissed because of her replacement.
I got an email from Queen M today asking me if I was still looking for a position. I (of course) said yes. The company she works for is looking for a business process analyst. She provided me with a brief description of the position, and it seems like something I would enjoy. I never thought that I would consider working in a position whose title contained the words business and analyst, as I REALLY didn't enjoy any of my business courses in college. I learned from them, but I didn't really like them. I think that most of this spite came from the teachers, but a bit from the subject matter as well.
I guess we will have to see if being a business process analyst will be as bad as my my mind has made it out to be. I am thinking that I might be in for a pleasant surprise. Now, just to get an interview. With Queen M referring me, I don't see how I won't.
Friday, October 29, 2010
A Glimmer of Hope
This post is an update to Busy, Busy, Busy.
Instead of getting a call on Tuesday from the person my co-worker had me contact earlier this week, I got a call from one of his colleagues on Wednesday and had a quite informal interview asking me very basic questions. I think it helped that I was able to tell them that I am working daily in the computer system that is required for the position. In fact, I have written parts of the manual for it. That tends to put interviewers at ease.
Well, that, and the fact that his mother-in-law's dog was barking and he was embarrassed while conducting the interview. I am glad that a dog can break the ice.
I just got a call from the person who I thought was going to call me on Wednesday. He asked me a few questions regarding my current position, because there is quite a strict procurement policy, as companies generally frown on people jumping ship. Business is business, and if they lose a contract, they lose money.
Now he is on the hunt with his legal department to see if I can't be hired on. Keep your fingers crossed that the lawyers can work some magic...
Instead of getting a call on Tuesday from the person my co-worker had me contact earlier this week, I got a call from one of his colleagues on Wednesday and had a quite informal interview asking me very basic questions. I think it helped that I was able to tell them that I am working daily in the computer system that is required for the position. In fact, I have written parts of the manual for it. That tends to put interviewers at ease.
Well, that, and the fact that his mother-in-law's dog was barking and he was embarrassed while conducting the interview. I am glad that a dog can break the ice.
I just got a call from the person who I thought was going to call me on Wednesday. He asked me a few questions regarding my current position, because there is quite a strict procurement policy, as companies generally frown on people jumping ship. Business is business, and if they lose a contract, they lose money.
Now he is on the hunt with his legal department to see if I can't be hired on. Keep your fingers crossed that the lawyers can work some magic...
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Busy, Busy, Busy
As I have been reading the A Wrinkle in Time series by Madeline L'Engle recently, I can't help but contemplate time travel. I feel like time has been slowing down at work recently for me, mainly because I don't know how much longer I'll be there, making my work more of a drudgery than it really is. This week has been completely different, and I am trying to figure out why.
Yesterday seemed to zip by, helped along by a couple of meeting strewn haphazardly throughout the day. Today also brought a few surprise meetings, including one very interesting walk with a co-worker.
My co-worker sent me an IM asking me if I had a moment. Being one who enjoys having distractions a majority of the time, I was happy to oblige. She then asked me if I wanted to go for a walk. This was a bit out of character, but I thought that I could use a stretch, so we headed for a stroll around the campus.
She informed me that there was a position opening a few cubicle rows down that might be worth looking into. The position is with an agency relatively new to the Boise area, but I am sure that they are trying to break into the markets here. The catch is that they would hire me on as a full time employee for their company while I worked through their contract with the same company that I work for, but in a different capacity.
I jumped on the opportunity. I was hoping to hear from the recruiter today, but haven't heard anything yet. I think it is safe to assume that I won't hear anything today.
The thing that surprised me most about this situation is that I wasn't sure if I was going to like working with this individual. She is very literal and straight forward, and I wasn't sure if it would be a problem, as the person she replaced was very proper and dignified. The woman wore scarves to work and drank her tea from a bone china tea cup, for goodness sakes. How much more proper can you get?!
But I have found that I really like working with the new girl. She knows her stuff, and she is good to her word. She has had a lot of good ideas that have helped us to make our part of the organization more important to the business, which is something that I struggle with at times. I have learned much from her by only having daily interaction with her for a few months.
Having said all of this, I was not quite sure how to read this colleague. While she is very literal, she can also have a biting, sarcastic sense of humor. Sometimes it is hard to tell if she is joking or venting. This is why I was surprised to learn that she offered to recommend me to the recruiter without even having to ask. Needless to say, she has made a friend of me, and I will be glad to have her as a colleague, no matter where the wind might blow the two of us.
I am finding more and more that the people that I have had the pleasure to work with are often quite different, but they are also very talented. I have made it a goal to learn a little bit from each person I work with. I figure if I do that, I will still be marketable and in the business in thirty or thirty five years by the time that retirement comes around. It makes the idea of working all my life a bit more manageable.
Yesterday seemed to zip by, helped along by a couple of meeting strewn haphazardly throughout the day. Today also brought a few surprise meetings, including one very interesting walk with a co-worker.
My co-worker sent me an IM asking me if I had a moment. Being one who enjoys having distractions a majority of the time, I was happy to oblige. She then asked me if I wanted to go for a walk. This was a bit out of character, but I thought that I could use a stretch, so we headed for a stroll around the campus.
She informed me that there was a position opening a few cubicle rows down that might be worth looking into. The position is with an agency relatively new to the Boise area, but I am sure that they are trying to break into the markets here. The catch is that they would hire me on as a full time employee for their company while I worked through their contract with the same company that I work for, but in a different capacity.
I jumped on the opportunity. I was hoping to hear from the recruiter today, but haven't heard anything yet. I think it is safe to assume that I won't hear anything today.
The thing that surprised me most about this situation is that I wasn't sure if I was going to like working with this individual. She is very literal and straight forward, and I wasn't sure if it would be a problem, as the person she replaced was very proper and dignified. The woman wore scarves to work and drank her tea from a bone china tea cup, for goodness sakes. How much more proper can you get?!
But I have found that I really like working with the new girl. She knows her stuff, and she is good to her word. She has had a lot of good ideas that have helped us to make our part of the organization more important to the business, which is something that I struggle with at times. I have learned much from her by only having daily interaction with her for a few months.
Having said all of this, I was not quite sure how to read this colleague. While she is very literal, she can also have a biting, sarcastic sense of humor. Sometimes it is hard to tell if she is joking or venting. This is why I was surprised to learn that she offered to recommend me to the recruiter without even having to ask. Needless to say, she has made a friend of me, and I will be glad to have her as a colleague, no matter where the wind might blow the two of us.
I am finding more and more that the people that I have had the pleasure to work with are often quite different, but they are also very talented. I have made it a goal to learn a little bit from each person I work with. I figure if I do that, I will still be marketable and in the business in thirty or thirty five years by the time that retirement comes around. It makes the idea of working all my life a bit more manageable.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Disappointed
So, this past week, I learned that I was not being considered for the local wickless candle company position that I wanted. But I didn't learn from the company. Which makes me a bit disappointed.
I did a lot of homework for this position. I spent a lot of my time making sure everything was ready. I got an in with someone who works there. I applied legitimately, as well as sent my resume to be hand delivered by my contact there. The stars were aligned—except for the person doing the hiring.
I'm not heartbroken, by any means. While this position would have been great, and given me some opportunities that I haven't had before (including possibilities for career growth in a new field), I found myself pretty prepared to hear the word no. After all, it took the company five weeks to close the position, and another four before I contacted them to hear on the status of the position.
The thing that irks me the most is that after leaving multiple messages (spread out over the course of a week) on someone's answering machine, I never got a call back. The receptionist didn't seem to know about the position, so I was thinking that the worst might happen. After a somewhat awkward conversation with the young woman (she called back to the HR person's desk to see if she was there. After receiving no response, she told me that the HR person wasn't available. I asked to leave a message, so she started taking down my name and number manually. About half-way through, she stopped herself and asked, "Do you want me just to send you through to voice mail?" Why yes, that would be great...) I was able to leave my message.
It does not bother me that I didn't get the position. What bothers me is that a company does not take the time to let someone know that they are no longer being considered for a position. That to me is just plain rude.
So, to let the company know that I am not happy that they didn't get back to me, I applied at two other places. I'll show them.
:P
I did a lot of homework for this position. I spent a lot of my time making sure everything was ready. I got an in with someone who works there. I applied legitimately, as well as sent my resume to be hand delivered by my contact there. The stars were aligned—except for the person doing the hiring.
I'm not heartbroken, by any means. While this position would have been great, and given me some opportunities that I haven't had before (including possibilities for career growth in a new field), I found myself pretty prepared to hear the word no. After all, it took the company five weeks to close the position, and another four before I contacted them to hear on the status of the position.
The thing that irks me the most is that after leaving multiple messages (spread out over the course of a week) on someone's answering machine, I never got a call back. The receptionist didn't seem to know about the position, so I was thinking that the worst might happen. After a somewhat awkward conversation with the young woman (she called back to the HR person's desk to see if she was there. After receiving no response, she told me that the HR person wasn't available. I asked to leave a message, so she started taking down my name and number manually. About half-way through, she stopped herself and asked, "Do you want me just to send you through to voice mail?" Why yes, that would be great...
It does not bother me that I didn't get the position. What bothers me is that a company does not take the time to let someone know that they are no longer being considered for a position. That to me is just plain rude.
So, to let the company know that I am not happy that they didn't get back to me, I applied at two other places. I'll show them.
:P
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