Blogus Ignoramus

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Location: San Leandro, California, United States

I've spent hours trying to write 'about me' so I just gave up and you'll have to figure this out for yourself. Thanks for stopping in anyway!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Win, Loser, Draw

Well, after I was informed that I didn't get the job, and I'm wondering where things went wrong. The recruiter's only feedback to me was that they chose a more qualified candidate~thanks for that (I think). I'm very disappointed that I didn't win this job.

Unfortunately, I don't even have time to sulk over it because finding a job is becoming a very urgent thing~like I-need-a-job-so-I-can-pay-rent-next-month urgent.

This was initially going to be a post about my own self-pity and how lonely I've been lately, and the fact that I feel like my life is spiraling out of control. Y'know, the usual pity party.

Enough about that though. I'm back on the horse again and even though my ass is very sore, I don't have any choice about whining about it. I'm doing plenty of that internally. It's everything I can do to stop myself from spending my remaining money on a bottle of booze or a bag of weed to hide in. I suppose it's a good thing I'm broke, otherwise I'd be inebriated from dusk till dawn.

Maybe I should think about doing something about that? Geez, who the fuck has time? I need to find a job first!

The end.

Friday, September 26, 2008

'It's outta here!'

The interview with the actual client took place today and I actually believe this went as good as it possibly could have under the circumstances. I feel a bit skeptical of my recruiter and if she really has faith that I can make an impression, but I guess in her line of work, first impressions are everything. Here I go again looking at the problem from someone else's perspective, but I just can't help but think this way.

I didn't get their decision as of yet, but I think I've got it this time. My historical background deals with many components the job entails and my attitude in the interview was enthusiastic and most importantly; genuine. It's really hard to fake enthusiasm, but within the first 15 minutes, I felt myself relaxing and knowing that all the indicators are pointing to 'yes' in this case. Yes, I know it's not theraputic to hold onto such expectations, but if I can't hope for something, what will it be worth to me if it ever happens? Exactly!

Some points I forgot to mention previously:
  • The job is within my own city; fuck ever having to commute again until I find something else.
  • They didn't balk when I gave them my salary range.
  • They're what I consider to be a 'Recession-proof' company.
  • They offer health benefits!
  • The IT director asked me questions I think are important for finding the right match for the job (IE. 'How would you handle situation A if B and C were involved?).
  • The company also is customer of the company I used to work for, so the IT Director knows many of the same people!
  • I can take the bus to work every day! Awesome!
I'm sure there's some points I'm missing, but I'm a little overwhelmed with anticipation at the moment. I anticipate to hear from them by next week, at which point I'll go in for a 2nd interview. My recruiter tells me that if I make it to the 2nd, there's a very high probability that they will hire me full-time!

That's pretty much all for now, I can't wait to hear from them!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Good news!

I got my 2nd interview after having some former coworkers spoke with the recruiter. Tomorrow, I will meet with a well-known retail company to work in their helpdesk!

Needless to say, I'm stoked well beyond explanation!

The recruiter explained that she was concerned with my tendency to over-explain things which apparently is a bad thing for this company. Atleast she is aware of my weak points and emphasized that I should answer directly to their questions. Her logic here is that I have been out of the job for a few months now and don't want to appear too 'desperate' to them.

Is this a fucking weird parallel to my dating life? Gawd, if there ever was a parallel, this one is the case!

My former coworkers gave her the good word about my work ethics and I think it was enough for her to take a chance on me! Suddenly that song by Abba is playing in my head and don't tell anyone that I even remotely like the song; Take a chance on me. I will fucking deny it although I secretly love it because it reminds me of my mother singing to me when I was young.

Anyway, I'm fucking
elated!!!!

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed for me please and thank you!

Interview with a 2nd chance

For now, I'll just refer to this as '2nd chance' because I would've never gotten my foot in the door unless I persisted. It's one of those rare things I picked up from working in Sales (how about that, I learned something from Sales!) that I can see working in many other aspects of life.

So my interview went pretty well, I think, but as expected, the client was looking for someone with more OS related experience. Well fuck me, I guess i'll have to add that to the list of things I need to learn for 'next time'. The good news is that I charmed my way into getting some pointers on how to make a more presentable resume. Free advice is nice, especially when you know the person on the other end isn't pulling their punches.

I just got done sending her my most genuine 'thank you for taking a chance on me' email which is another tactic I picked up from Sales. Sadly, looking for work is a lot like the selling world. The motivation is significantly different, but the tactics and techniques are all the same.

Wish me luck peoples!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Gripes, Groans, and Gratuity

I have had the writing bug for the last few days and finally made the effort to put my thoughts out into the world. Be forewarned, this post has lots of ramble and idle after thoughts. Maybe i'll even come up with something I didn't think about before.

First of all, I am now in my 2nd month of unemployment and I never thought it would be so difficult to find something I am qualified to do. This has been a most humbling experience for me and there are a number of lessons I have learned in the process; most importantly, never, under any circumstances, quit your job unless you've got something absolutely lined up afterwards.

It seems a simple concept, and yet, in my delusions of grandeur, I failed to take the advice many had given me prior to my departure. At the time of me leaving my last job, I thought that I had enough skills to make my unemployment something of a mini vacation. Again, I was wrong, my conscience was right...now it's time for me to move on.

With my unemployment benefits being refused to me (based on my reasons for leaving my last job), I am now at a point where I am so determined to get my ass back into a job that I have now become a relentless job scouring bastard. Just in the last two days, I have literally hounded every recruiter I've corresponded with in the last 2 months.

My persistence somewhat payed off as I now have an interview tomorrow in San Francisco with a recruiter (for a full time position). I sent her 3 emails within the last 10 days and the last one was worded a little more curtly than it probably should've been. When I wrote it, I was at my proverbial wits end about people not bothering to respond to emails. If she had responded to the first one, regardless of what she said, I would've been satisfied and moved on to the next organization. Fortunately, what I had said caught her attention enough to give me a chance, and although she was very curt with me on the phone, I think I have a genuine chance at this position.

The job market out here isn't too bad, the problem i'm facing here is that my expertise has such a narrow focus in technology. What I need to figure out is how to become more appealing to recruiters and employers. I've started to adapt a little more to the market and decided to start adding skills that I believe I can successfully prove that I know enough about them to actually do them for a living. Some would call this 'creative' fibbing, but this is my damn blog and I'll call it whatever-the-hell I wish to suit my needs.

Which brings me to my general question: Is it dishonest or wrong to include things on your resume that you have not actually done in a job setting?

I believe it's not if you can actually perform these tasks. For example, a HUUUUGE demand in the market nowadays is to have Linux experience. Although I have only interfaced on Linux OS servers, I have only once actually built and maintained my own server at home. This was several years ago and I am very tempted to undergo another deluge of building another home server just so I can say I've done it.

Censor much?

Recently, CMT (Country Music Television) aired an edited version of Blazing Saddles. I was very excited to see this on television and had hoped that they wouldn't slash it to bits. Unfortunately, I was wrong to think that any mainstream TV network would have the balls to air a movie of this kind unless they sissify it. This was a very disappointing thing to see, but it was overshadowed by the fact that there was a commercial break literally every 12 minutes.

C'mon people! I totally understand you not wanting to offend all those sensitive people I would never want to associate with, but do you have to show more commercials than the entire movie length? I think that's what pissed me off the most and eventually, I had to just find something else to watch. My recommendation to you fucking pansiesis to not air movies that your pussyviewers aren't mentally capable of enjoying.

Why air a movie that you have to edit out every racial slur in order to satiate the PC gods? If you're going to edit out the words 'nigger' and 'faggot', why not edit out 'Jew' or 'ass'? Where do you people get your standards? Is there a list somewhere out there of all the things you can't say on your channel? Please...enlighten me, for I am apparently in the dark.

It's just wrong...and you have desecrated a truly great movie with your profane ignorance. Fuck you CMT, with a gigantic double-headed dildo! I have now officially blocked your channel in my cable box.

Friday, September 05, 2008

Indecisive

This is a continuation of the previous post of 'Where has Toby gone?'.

So apparently, my prospective employer has chosen another victumcandidate for the position. I'm not really all that upset about it since I've only lost the job now twice. When I asked them if money was an issue, the woman I spoke with could not tell me for some reason. I guess this means I asked for too much? Shit, it's not like I asked for 20% increase in wages (it was around 7%).

Right...back to what I was doing before; listening to music and searching for employment.

Where has Toby gone?

Some say he lost his mind several weeks ago when the job he applied for never gave him the courtesy of calling him back. And nevermind the fact that they gave the job to a girl instead! Others boast that he's hanging on their wall after a hunting him down for his autograph, but who listens to people on drugs?

There was this one time when I called him and this was how our conversation went:

Me: Hi Toby, it's your logical self calling again...how's things?

Toby: Hm, I don't remember giving you my number; who gave you this number?

Me: Aww, you don't remember, do you? You were really drunk that night and I think I remember you calling me. You always drunk dial me when you feel out of control.

Toby: Just shut your face! Why do you always call me when i'm hung-over?

Me: Well, with your record lately, calling you when you're hung-over is almost a sure thing.

Toby: Didn't I just tell you to shut your fucking face? Why are you even calling me? You said you didn't like to talk to me when I get all emotional and self-depreciating.

Me: Hah, you're so grouchy in the morning!

Toby: I hate you.

Me: You can't get rid of me, no matter how much weed you smoke or booze you drink. Get over it.

Toby: Fine, why the hell do you have to be right all the time? Doesn't it get old?

Me: Because I'm the force that keeps you from unraveling yourself into the point of no return, and no, it never gets old!

Toby: Fucking prick.

Me: You're just angry because you know I'm right all the time.

Toby: You never told me why you called other than to remind me that I'm wrong (again).

Me: Oh! Yeah, I wanted to let you know that some woman called~

Toby: Awesome, that's how you should always start our conversations~

Me: Anyway...she called from the last place you interviewed with and she asked if you still want the job.

Toby: (silence)

Me: ...well?

Toby: I'm trying to think of something witty to say, but that's your department. All I can do is swear and make sophomoric insults.

Me: How about, 'I'd love a good job as much as I'd love a good blow job.'..?

Toby: May I use that later?

Me: Knock yourself out.

Toby: That's pretty accurate, a good blow job would be nice.

Me: Head back in the game please...

Toby: Head??...Right! I'm in coach. Now what did you tell her?

Me: I told her you want the job.

Toby: But what about the stuff we talked about? I mean shit, there's not going to be any training for this job! Hell, I'm desperate enough to take it!

Me: Didn't you say you were happy about not getting it?

Toby: Well, yeah, but that was last week! And that was when I knew I wasn't going to get the job.

Me: That doesn't make sense, but whatever, you're going for it! That's good to hear!

Toby: Hehe, thanks! It feels like I'm driving into a blanket of fog, but hey, I don't think they drug test.

Me: Does that mean you're going to make me smoke again?

Toby: You can't hear it right now, but i'm rolling my eyes at you. Don't worry, you can just fake it like you did when I was married.

Me: *snicker* Ouch!

Toby: Well, I guess I'll give this woman a call and see if they really are going to pay me what I asked for (initially).

Me: Be nice!

Toby: Hey! It's me.

Me: Uh-huh, you want me to uh, join you on the call?

Toby: It wouldn't be right to exclude you! Thanks logical self, we really ought to give you a name by now.

Me: That'd be nice, maybe we can do that after you go get that job for us. And then you can not be such a pussy about talking to women.

Toby: Wait, what the fuck does that have to do with getting a job?

Just then, I hung up on him. When he called back, he was livid and then told me to go fuck something very coarse. He was not at all happy when I told him that at least one of us would be getting laid whereas he promptly hung up on me. Haha, I win again.

Anyway, he's still alive and well and he also wanted me to tell you thanks for stopping by!