Thursday, November 24, 2005

Interviews and Ear Shaking Dancing


I suppose it might be appropriate to begin writing again. I took a few days off there - have been busy coding and completing a freelance web project, and shuffling around at home taking care of poor under-the-weather Spring... I went to an interview Monday. I'd been for an interview with this company a month ago and had sat in front of the CEO, President and Director of Operations and referred to a particular theoretical aspect of project management as 'sexy'. The President then signalled for me to stop and asked me if I'd just used the word 'sexy' in the interview. I said I had, and that there simply wasn't a better word.

After the interview the Director of Operations pulled me aside and told me that I interview 'very well'. I didn't get the job. Someone else did, no doubt some square who didn't use the word 'sexy' in his interview.

But then I find out from my job agent that the guy didn't work out (wasn't using the word 'sexy' enough, no doubt) and so they called me back in on Monday and I sat in front of the HR lady (it always is an 'HR lady'. Not HR reprsentative, or HR professional. Or HR guy. Just HR lady.) and in front of the CEO and we spoke together for 1 hour and 4 minutes. I more carefully teased out the implicit and explicit responsibilities of the position and I was able to read between the lines that a successful reporting relationship and managing relationship with the President was important - probably why 'I don't say sexy' guy didn't work out.

This company is a software and security solutions hi tech firm - up near IBM in Markham. I would be managing the production group and doing project management. They're poised for big things (that's an oft-heard party line in interviews) in the States right now so that sounds fun. I liked the CEO, reminds me of an old boss I had who I liked. I think I'd like to work there - let's see what karmic forces have in mind for me.

On an unrelated note, I was in touch with a freelance client of mine yesterday... His domain name needed to be renewed so I worked on that with him (he's not tech-savvy at all. I am - look I HAVE A BLOG). I had worked with him in July 2004 to get his e-mail account set up for his new domain, i.e. Guy@hiscompany.com. But noticed his e-mails to me yesterday came from some generic ISP account. I asked him to confirm that his guy@hiscompany.com e-mail account was working. It was like talking (I phoned him) to a squirrel, anxious to get away and find an acorn. Finally I pinned him down and he admitted - beneath the interrogation lights - that he wasn't getting his e-mails from his site contact form or even understood what I meant by his own domain's e-mail address. So I took it upon myself to see if he had any e-mails in his account hanging out on the server.

I was dismayed to find 1007 e-mails sitting there in his POP3 box. I downloaded them all, feeling so sorry for this guy who has his own consulting firm - oh the contracts potentially lost, etc... but luckily all but 7 e-mails were SPAM. 1 of the 7 was a request for proposal to do with big machinery fitting consulting stuff - he does a lot of work with power generation companies and pulp and paper companies - which had come in the day before. Astonishing timing you might think. Well, be astonished.

This story ends well. Now he is properly set up and is sending e-mails from a new default e-mail account...

The Tylenol Cold and Flue Nightime relief gell capsule I took 30 minutes ago is causing me to feel woozy. I will have a snoozy. Soon I will be well enough to take care of Spring again. Poor thing.

JTx - please update your site, according to you, you have a gig coming up on October the 4th.
PBx - please tell me stories about your new vehicle.
Rx - please tell me a camping story
NC - please tell me Peter Street stories

Yesterday:

Yesterday at Loblaws I bought 2 loaves of Olive Bread, 1 baguette (for me, I hate olives), 1 cheesecake, 1 box of 12 Nestea Iced Tea cans, and 3 Navel oranges. Yesterday I ate 85% of the baguette. Yesterday I didn't shave, and got the mail from downstairs. Yesterday I ran the dishwasher and put away the dishes. Yesterday I deposited a cheque in the bank. Yesterday Monty spent some time dancing on the floor. He dances around treats sometimes, hopping and skipping and shaking his ears at his treat, until he calms down and eats them. It is very entertaining to watch.