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easy come, easy go... I think

I had a phone interview for a job yesterday. What with the increasing frequency of entries here about why I don't like my job at Company O. lately, I feel like it's time to move on. Five years in this same division at Company O. is enough.

Of course, my reacquaintance with the job interview process reminds me why I don't like it. It is too much like blind dating. The recruiting manager for the company (or the headhunter for you) is equivalent to a matchmaking service. It is the job of the hiring manager to find out your general likes and dislikes based on your resume and a short phone conversation. If those seem to meet the needs of someone the hiring manager is trying to match, you are scheduled for a technical phone interview with the manager or team lead with the open position. This is the equivalent of a first, blind date. You get both asked and the chance to ask a lot of questions. It turns into something of a pop quiz. What is in your head which can be easily recalled right now on the phone, this instant? After all that, feedback is provided to the hiring manager... and you find out how your date went, and if there will be any further interviews for the position.

I think I flubbed the interview yesterday. The interviewer asked a series of technical questions on subjects that I probably knew something about once... but not too recently. So I did a bit of thinking out loud, and came up with answers... sometimes the right ones, sometimes not. At this point, I have few ideas about how many of them I got right or wrong. I only remember two or three that I know I got badly wrong.

After his Q&A was I over I was allowed to ask some questions. I asked several, both about the company and the work they are looking to hire someone for. We ended up stretching a 30 minute interview to 45-50 minutes. I keep hoping that I somehow was able to redeem myself by asking questions and talking about something I wanted to talk about.

This whole thing really has my nerves in a lousy state. I shouldn't do this to myself. This is not a perfect job opportunity, just my first interview in a while. I think the problem is that it is my only scheduled job interview so far. I have sent resumes elsewhere and heard nothing (though its only been a few days.) I love to have more than one option when it comes to major life choices like switching jobs. I know I would be more comfortable if other companies were even showing interest. Having options, also means that I want to get a job offer from someone, and it would have been great to "hit one out of the park" on the first try. Perhaps that is not to be. I'll probably get e-mail today or tomorrow with the news.

Mrs. Geek and I are heading out of town today. She has a computer educator's conference to attend and I'm going along to just hang out by the pool. This is all probably for the best. I'll get the chance to relax and decompress. I can get some perspective and be better prepared for the next interview with another company, whenever it comes. I guess I just stuck my big toe back out in the job pool, and found the water needs a little getting used to.

said drgeek on 2006-03-08 at 5:49 a.m.

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The Wayback Machine - To Infinity And Beyond

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