AlanBarber.Org
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Another wasted job interview
Bloody Hell! What’s a guy have to do to get job around here? I didn’t post about this before because I wanted to try not to jinx myself but since I’m now pretty sure I didn’t get the job then well who cares. They were supposed to call yesterday if I had the job. If not then they’re going to mail out rejection letters. No one called yesterday so.
I found a “Technology Specialist” position at a county ESC (Educational Service Center) that I applied for. They made it sound like a support position in the job description. Here’s exactly quoted what I knew of the job. This comes from an education job mailing list:
Position: Technology Specialist
Qualifications: Degree in Technology preferred. Ability to troubleshoot, maintain, ESC computers and networks.
That’s it folks! I read that and I see tech support for public education. Easy sell baby!
Once I get into the interview and start listening to them it became clear they really wanted a Technology Coordinator. They’ve been without a Coordinator since May I guess. They just didn’t want to pay a Coordinator salary so they concocted this BS position so that they could lowball the salary. How does 23,000 to 36,000 sound? Like a pretty good scam for what you wanted to person to do!
Back to the story. Very quickly they replied and asked for me to send them my college transcripts. Well last Wednesday at 9PM, of all times, the guy called me and said they wanted to bring me in for an interview. There was an opening Monday at 10AM. No problem I said! Except, they are doing things a little different. They want me to do a 20 to 25 minute presentation on the technology that I know. No problem I say again. In my mind I’m saying, “Wholly shnikies! A 25 minute PowerPoint presentation by Monday!?!?!”
So, I spent all weekend working on what I believe is a very good presentation for a support position. Come Monday I go in and I think I did a bang up job. But then the Q&A part of the interview wasn’t perfect. Now I know it’s not kosher to say bad things about a potential employer but I want to get this off my chest!
First off, you have my Resume. You know exactly what my work experience is. Don’t ask me questions that you and I both know I cannot answer! Asking me to tell you about the last in-service I ran or participated in is completely pointless. My only job experience is working as a freaking package handler at UPS. I load boxes into trucks all day.
Seriously folks, if you have to interview someone just take five minutes and compare your questions to the person. Make sure they’re relevant. It makes both of you look stupid when the question is irrelevant and cannot be answered.
Second, you’re interviewing for a technology position. You know, maybe you could try to ask some technology questions. Look, I know you’re not a techy and don’t know anything but at least try. Asking me a dozen generic questions about how I deal with stress, go above what is required of me or work in teams doesn’t exactly tell you anything.
It’s not all problems on their end though. I sort of dropped the ball and didn’t ask enough questions. That probably alone was enough to kill the deal. I can’t help it. I’m shy and nervous so I forget to ask questions.
Anyhoo, it’s all bugger so might as well forget about it. Time to move on and get working on my Church’s website like I had planned to do last weekend.
on 09/22/2005 at 09:27 AM
Sunday, September 11, 2005
9/11 - Four Years Later
Another year has passed and once again we are here on this powerful day. As usual there will be many discussions and programs on tv about the events. Perhaps this year more than the previous. Being four years out now the media is taking a chance and ready to begin pushing movies and tv shows about 9/11 that do reenactments and use actual recorded phone conversations of the events. So far I’ve heard that there are two movies and a mini-series in the works that will be released sometime next year… I just hope there aren’t more. All we need are a half dozen 9/11 movies being tossed out next summer just so that movie companies can fight over who does that best reenactment of the events. Shesh!
I’m not sure I’m actually going to watch any of the shows. Not to sound cruel or cold but I’m actually starting to get sick of it all. In the 4 years since the events happened there have been plenty of news, shows, books, etc on the topic and I’ve heard it all. Tonight on Fox is the season premieres of Simpsons, Family Guy and American Dad. I’d much rather watch these entertaining and funny shows tonight and go to bed happy. I really hate the idea of spending the night watching all the 9/11 shows and going to bed feeling depressed and sad.
Anyhoo, Two years ago I made a post about where I was and what my first reactions to the events were. For those interested you can read it here:
9/11 reactions - A look back
I wish you all a safe and peaceful Sunday and hope your work week starts out good!
Monday, September 05, 2005
Happy Labor-Free Day!
He He He 
Well it’s Labor Day which is suppose to be a day to celebrate or remember something about American Workers. All I know is it’s a day I don’t have to work and I get paid for it! Thank you UPS!
Ironically, ok maybe it’s not irony, this is the very day that most people end up working anyways. Doing yardwork, housework, etc.
I’m pretty busy myself… I have a nice todo list for today.
- Mow the lawn
- Start writting the Letter of Intent for my promotion at UPS
- Start researching and drawing up ideas for my Church’s website I’m going to make
- Anything else I come up with today
Anyhoo, Have a nice day off everyone. It’s back to work tomorrow. Which probabbly means we’ll all have extra work to do for taking a day off. I know UPS will! There’s an extra day of boxes stacking up for us to move. Whoopie!