As I found employment, I have learned that my good friend and former colleague has found himself "Gainfully Unemployed".
He will now take the helm and add his experiences and insights along his journey -
Aaron - I wish you well and I am confident you will find what you are looking for.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Day 24 - the offer letter
Today started like most others and I started the day:
As lunch was ending, my offer letter came in and a quick review showed it to be acceptable. High fives and handshakes later, we left to go and review the document more closely.
After a couple of very minor tweaks, we are agreed and I am about to be "Gainfully Employed". The company is First ROI in North Austin and I am very much looking forward to getting back to work.
General lesson learned...
To be successful in searching for a new position, one needs to take charge and engage fully in the process. There is not a firm or recruiter that is going to do this for you. Sure, a good recruiter will put opportunities in front of you and help you once you get into the process, but the real work is before that.
You have to figure out what you want, and be prepared for it when it comes along. Do not sit on the sidelines and wait for the phone to ring.
Network, network, network.... Make those connections - new ones. Get out of your comfort zone. People you already know will likely hear about the same opportunities you do - you need to get past that and learn about other opportunities.
Use social media - LinkedIn, Facebook, & Twitter just to name a few.
Lets take this opportunity. This one came along and a person who knew both my recruiter and me saw it. The third party mentioned "hey, this sounds like something for Will". The recruiter agreed and if you have been following along, you know the rest.
If I had just been sitting like a hermit at the house moping along, I might have missed this. Tell everyone you know and even those that you do not --- "Hey, I am a great person with great talent and I am looking for a job"; and tell them often.
Be ready with a catch phrase when you are asked that question "what do you do". I came up with "I manage IT people who fix broken things". It is corny I know, but this is what will get a conversation going so you can elaborate.
I want to thank all of the people who have supported me through all of this. Hearing "you will be fine" & "I am sure you can nail it" helps.
Keep this in mind as friends and colleagues go through this; they need your support.
I hope my little trip through the land of the unemployed has helped - good luck out there!
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
As lunch was ending, my offer letter came in and a quick review showed it to be acceptable. High fives and handshakes later, we left to go and review the document more closely.
After a couple of very minor tweaks, we are agreed and I am about to be "Gainfully Employed". The company is First ROI in North Austin and I am very much looking forward to getting back to work.
General lesson learned...
To be successful in searching for a new position, one needs to take charge and engage fully in the process. There is not a firm or recruiter that is going to do this for you. Sure, a good recruiter will put opportunities in front of you and help you once you get into the process, but the real work is before that.
You have to figure out what you want, and be prepared for it when it comes along. Do not sit on the sidelines and wait for the phone to ring.
Network, network, network.... Make those connections - new ones. Get out of your comfort zone. People you already know will likely hear about the same opportunities you do - you need to get past that and learn about other opportunities.
Use social media - LinkedIn, Facebook, & Twitter just to name a few.
Lets take this opportunity. This one came along and a person who knew both my recruiter and me saw it. The third party mentioned "hey, this sounds like something for Will". The recruiter agreed and if you have been following along, you know the rest.
If I had just been sitting like a hermit at the house moping along, I might have missed this. Tell everyone you know and even those that you do not --- "Hey, I am a great person with great talent and I am looking for a job"; and tell them often.
Be ready with a catch phrase when you are asked that question "what do you do". I came up with "I manage IT people who fix broken things". It is corny I know, but this is what will get a conversation going so you can elaborate.
I want to thank all of the people who have supported me through all of this. Hearing "you will be fine" & "I am sure you can nail it" helps.
Keep this in mind as friends and colleagues go through this; they need your support.
I hope my little trip through the land of the unemployed has helped - good luck out there!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Day 23 - ready for the weekend
The week ends, and no official offer from the company I have been working with. When you are the one waiting, this can be stressful, but having been on the other side of the fence as the hiring manager, I can tell you sometimes these things just take time. There is more involved than just one person saying "ok, lets do it".
So I am patient, and I continue to work my other options.
I followed up on the previously mentioned lead. I made sure that my contact knew that I was serious about perusing this position. She is checking into it for me. This position would fit me very well and it is at a great firm - I am hopeful I can get a foot in the door here.
I have a pretty full "activity" calendar next week. It is important to be out and about whenever possible. Remember, this is a Marketing exercise, you need to keep yourself exposed as much as possible. I have lunch set or tenative for four days next week - would have been five, but I am taking the kids to the Dr. to prepare for shcool.
I rounded out the day checking off my usual tasks of:
So I am patient, and I continue to work my other options.
I followed up on the previously mentioned lead. I made sure that my contact knew that I was serious about perusing this position. She is checking into it for me. This position would fit me very well and it is at a great firm - I am hopeful I can get a foot in the door here.
I have a pretty full "activity" calendar next week. It is important to be out and about whenever possible. Remember, this is a Marketing exercise, you need to keep yourself exposed as much as possible. I have lunch set or tenative for four days next week - would have been five, but I am taking the kids to the Dr. to prepare for shcool.
I rounded out the day checking off my usual tasks of:
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
Day 22 - settling in
I started the day like most:
As promised, I took a little break and hit the golf course today. It was nice to get out even though it was 101 by the 18th hole.
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
As promised, I took a little break and hit the golf course today. It was nice to get out even though it was 101 by the 18th hole.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Day 21 - back at it full steam...
First thing this morning, I got a call from my recruiter on the position I have been interviewing for.
She let me know that the company had in fact decided that I was the top candidate. We are working through the details of the offer now and I am hopeful a decision can be made this week.
While it all sounds good, I am not willing to simply wait for the ink to dry - anything can happen. I am a firm believer in keeping all options open and moving forward on those options until the point I have been offered and have accepted a position.
As I have said before, the companies have back-up plans; we as candidates should as well. This does two things:
It puts me in a stronger position for all negotiations which will show in interviews. I never want to go into a negotiation of any kind feeling weak.
It prevents time from being lost. If something goes off the rails in the final negotiation, I will not have lost valuable time to setting up the next interview. If I were to sit on my hands, and this drags out for two weeks then falls apart, I may have just missed that "other opportunity".
So, after the call from my recruiter I hit the ground running. Of course, I went through the usual routine of:
On one of the leads, all I had was the company name and the job description. I contacted my recruiter and she had a few contacts and is working on getting the door cracked open for me. It is better to wait for a personal point of contact than to just send a resume "into the pile" with the others.
As I investigated this lead further I discovered it was actually a better fit for a former colleague and good friend. I reached out to him. He actually had already heard of the position and it had peaked his interest. I had found a path to a couple of contacts into the company, so I shared them with him. I have not taken this position off my radar by any means and do intend to pursue it further.
With the other, I actually had a contact at the company; she is the one who alerted me to the oppoertunity to start with. She got my resume directly to the HR lead today. I will follow up on this and make sure I stay near the top of the pile of resumes.
I also found a third potential lead. I will review the company and position further tomorrow and try to find a way to "get my foot in the door".
I do not want this to sound like I never send out a resume without someone walking it over to HR for me -- that would be optimal, but it is sometimes not reasonable. I have a good resume and cover letter, sometimes you have to pull the trigger and let those documents stand on their own as the first impression.
I will keep you posted on where these go.
Tomorrow I am going to take a bit of a break. I have a tee time at 9:00; kind of late for this heat, but I can stand to lose a couple of pounds anyway...
I will still follow up on things, and run through my daily routines; I will of course have my cell and be that annoying guy yabbering away while you are trying to make a 12 foot down hill put with a cross grain.
The club I am playing at will also give me an opportunity to network in person outside of my comfort zone of contacts. You never know who you will meet when you hook one into the wrong fairway or at the bar after 18...
I look at it like this: Until I am Gainfully Employed, I am marketing myself every time I walk out the door. I always take my business cards and dress a little better than the typical "day at the lake" appearance I love so much.
All in all, a good day....
She let me know that the company had in fact decided that I was the top candidate. We are working through the details of the offer now and I am hopeful a decision can be made this week.
While it all sounds good, I am not willing to simply wait for the ink to dry - anything can happen. I am a firm believer in keeping all options open and moving forward on those options until the point I have been offered and have accepted a position.
As I have said before, the companies have back-up plans; we as candidates should as well. This does two things:
It puts me in a stronger position for all negotiations which will show in interviews. I never want to go into a negotiation of any kind feeling weak.
It prevents time from being lost. If something goes off the rails in the final negotiation, I will not have lost valuable time to setting up the next interview. If I were to sit on my hands, and this drags out for two weeks then falls apart, I may have just missed that "other opportunity".
So, after the call from my recruiter I hit the ground running. Of course, I went through the usual routine of:
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
On one of the leads, all I had was the company name and the job description. I contacted my recruiter and she had a few contacts and is working on getting the door cracked open for me. It is better to wait for a personal point of contact than to just send a resume "into the pile" with the others.
As I investigated this lead further I discovered it was actually a better fit for a former colleague and good friend. I reached out to him. He actually had already heard of the position and it had peaked his interest. I had found a path to a couple of contacts into the company, so I shared them with him. I have not taken this position off my radar by any means and do intend to pursue it further.
With the other, I actually had a contact at the company; she is the one who alerted me to the oppoertunity to start with. She got my resume directly to the HR lead today. I will follow up on this and make sure I stay near the top of the pile of resumes.
I also found a third potential lead. I will review the company and position further tomorrow and try to find a way to "get my foot in the door".
I do not want this to sound like I never send out a resume without someone walking it over to HR for me -- that would be optimal, but it is sometimes not reasonable. I have a good resume and cover letter, sometimes you have to pull the trigger and let those documents stand on their own as the first impression.
I will keep you posted on where these go.
Tomorrow I am going to take a bit of a break. I have a tee time at 9:00; kind of late for this heat, but I can stand to lose a couple of pounds anyway...
I will still follow up on things, and run through my daily routines; I will of course have my cell and be that annoying guy yabbering away while you are trying to make a 12 foot down hill put with a cross grain.
The club I am playing at will also give me an opportunity to network in person outside of my comfort zone of contacts. You never know who you will meet when you hook one into the wrong fairway or at the bar after 18...
I look at it like this: Until I am Gainfully Employed, I am marketing myself every time I walk out the door. I always take my business cards and dress a little better than the typical "day at the lake" appearance I love so much.
All in all, a good day....
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Day 20 - I am not patient...
I was hoping for the offer to come through today - but alas, no word.
I am not good at waiting around for decisions - 4 days can seem like a long time.
So I went through the day:
I am not good at waiting around for decisions - 4 days can seem like a long time.
So I went through the day:
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
Day 19 - it is Monday
Started the day like any other:
I sent my follow-up e-mails to the folks that participated in my second interview - nothing long and wordy, just a basic Thank You. I got a reply which is always nice.
I spoke to my recruiter and shared my interview experience from Friday. I also learned that I should have their final answer sometime on Tuesday. I remain positive here; as I stated on Friday, the interview went very well.
I will post the final answer as soon as I have it.
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
I sent my follow-up e-mails to the folks that participated in my second interview - nothing long and wordy, just a basic Thank You. I got a reply which is always nice.
I spoke to my recruiter and shared my interview experience from Friday. I also learned that I should have their final answer sometime on Tuesday. I remain positive here; as I stated on Friday, the interview went very well.
I will post the final answer as soon as I have it.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Day 18 - the second interview
I started the day like the rest, handling the basic tasks:
Today I met with the Executive team and the developers that I would potentially be managing.
I started with the executive team. They were also prepared. Each had specific questions and thoughts to share. The interview really got going when we "went off-book" and they started creating scenarios - they wanted to know how I would approach the "tough spots". I was glad when the CTO went to the white board. It gave me the chance to do the same. This is where the interview turned more to conversation and the examples went from theoretical to real-world issues they are facing right now. My answers and thoughts seemed to line up with theirs, they were smiling and nodding as the discussion went forward; I even got a few laughs.
The CEO and I then met 1:1. He gave me a deeper vision into where he wanted this position to go and more background on where it had been; again this was all positive.
Next up - the development team. I knew this might be a little awkward at first. You have to put yourself in the shoes of the interviewers - some folks are not comfortable interviewing their potential boss. This group was also prepared. They started with questions and concerns. I then engaged back at them; letting them know my basic style of leadership and what they could expect from me. We then also moved to some current and relevant issues and worked thorough some possible ways to make them better. Again, very positive feelings.
I believe I have sealed the deal. Like last time, this might be risky to put in print, but as promised, I am giving it to you real time.
The ball is in their court. I was told they will make a decision very soon.
Since the interview ended at 5:30 on a Friday so I do not expect any feedback until Monday from my recruiter.
I will follow up with a few e-mails on Monday thanking everyone for their time.
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
Today I met with the Executive team and the developers that I would potentially be managing.
I started with the executive team. They were also prepared. Each had specific questions and thoughts to share. The interview really got going when we "went off-book" and they started creating scenarios - they wanted to know how I would approach the "tough spots". I was glad when the CTO went to the white board. It gave me the chance to do the same. This is where the interview turned more to conversation and the examples went from theoretical to real-world issues they are facing right now. My answers and thoughts seemed to line up with theirs, they were smiling and nodding as the discussion went forward; I even got a few laughs.
The CEO and I then met 1:1. He gave me a deeper vision into where he wanted this position to go and more background on where it had been; again this was all positive.
Next up - the development team. I knew this might be a little awkward at first. You have to put yourself in the shoes of the interviewers - some folks are not comfortable interviewing their potential boss. This group was also prepared. They started with questions and concerns. I then engaged back at them; letting them know my basic style of leadership and what they could expect from me. We then also moved to some current and relevant issues and worked thorough some possible ways to make them better. Again, very positive feelings.
I believe I have sealed the deal. Like last time, this might be risky to put in print, but as promised, I am giving it to you real time.
The ball is in their court. I was told they will make a decision very soon.
Since the interview ended at 5:30 on a Friday so I do not expect any feedback until Monday from my recruiter.
I will follow up with a few e-mails on Monday thanking everyone for their time.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Day 17 - prep work
Today was pretty much "just grind through it".
I did the standard:
Tomorrow is the final interview. To prepare, here are some of the things I will do:
I am heading to the Flying Saucer immediately after the interview (should be about 5:30); figure I deserve a beer or two either way. Anyone reading this real time - come on out and say hey!
I did the standard:
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
Tomorrow is the final interview. To prepare, here are some of the things I will do:
- plenty of rest
- read through my resume
- think about why I will be a good fit at this position and company
- prepare multiple copies of my resume and references
- prepare electronic copy of my resume & references (USB drive)
- take a positive attitude
I am heading to the Flying Saucer immediately after the interview (should be about 5:30); figure I deserve a beer or two either way. Anyone reading this real time - come on out and say hey!
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Day 16 - burger Wednesday
I started the day like any other:
I met with a group of people from my last job for lunch - Burger Wednesday. It was good catching up. One of the folks there was another person who was laid off the same day I was. I am happy to hear that he is very deep into an interview process as well. I left realizing that I genuinely am going to miss those folks as I move on with my career. We all plan to stay in touch, but time has taught me that this is rarely the case.
They were all very supportive. This helped me to be in even more of a positive state of mind as I prepare for my final interview on Friday.
Tomorrow will be spent preparing for that interview.
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
I met with a group of people from my last job for lunch - Burger Wednesday. It was good catching up. One of the folks there was another person who was laid off the same day I was. I am happy to hear that he is very deep into an interview process as well. I left realizing that I genuinely am going to miss those folks as I move on with my career. We all plan to stay in touch, but time has taught me that this is rarely the case.
They were all very supportive. This helped me to be in even more of a positive state of mind as I prepare for my final interview on Friday.
Tomorrow will be spent preparing for that interview.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Day 15 - opening up my options
Next week I will be half way through my severance package; it is about time to start opening up my options.
The main thing I will do is to look outside of Austin. While a move is not really what I am looking for, I feel I need to have more open doors.
Secondary to that, I will open up my specific job searches. Specifically I will take advantage of my knowledge in managing back office IT and not just focus on managing development teams. I can and have done well in both of these areas and at this point opening those doors is the focus.
When doing this, I need to remember to tweak my resume accordingly - adding accomplishments that line up with the job at hand.
To this end, I found a couple of jobs that looked promising and sent out the cover letter and the resume. Next week, I will meet with my recruiters and have them widen the search as well.
As always, I continued with the usual daily tasks:
While preparing for that is certainly a top priority this week, I can not operate on the assumption that it is a "done deal" even though I have high confidence that it is. Plan for the best but be prepared for the worst.
If I get a hit on one of the other jobs I might find before the interview, the worst thing that will happen is that I will have options. Employers bring in multiple candidates, we as candidates should always try to be looking at multiple employers.
Tomorrow I am having lunch with a bunch of folks from my last job; it will be nice to catch up.
The main thing I will do is to look outside of Austin. While a move is not really what I am looking for, I feel I need to have more open doors.
Secondary to that, I will open up my specific job searches. Specifically I will take advantage of my knowledge in managing back office IT and not just focus on managing development teams. I can and have done well in both of these areas and at this point opening those doors is the focus.
When doing this, I need to remember to tweak my resume accordingly - adding accomplishments that line up with the job at hand.
To this end, I found a couple of jobs that looked promising and sent out the cover letter and the resume. Next week, I will meet with my recruiters and have them widen the search as well.
As always, I continued with the usual daily tasks:
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
While preparing for that is certainly a top priority this week, I can not operate on the assumption that it is a "done deal" even though I have high confidence that it is. Plan for the best but be prepared for the worst.
If I get a hit on one of the other jobs I might find before the interview, the worst thing that will happen is that I will have options. Employers bring in multiple candidates, we as candidates should always try to be looking at multiple employers.
Tomorrow I am having lunch with a bunch of folks from my last job; it will be nice to catch up.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Day 14 - back to it after the long weekend
Had a great 4th - spent time with the kids blowing up fire works and in general being lazy!
Today I was back at the usual:
This week will be slow. I do have a couple of lunches set - but other than that, I will work on being ready for my interview.
Today I was back at the usual:
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
This week will be slow. I do have a couple of lunches set - but other than that, I will work on being ready for my interview.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Day 13 - more of the same
I continue to do my usual:
Have a happy and safe 4th!!
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
Have a happy and safe 4th!!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Day 12 - I grind along
Not much exciting today. A lot of new postings (first of the month) so there was more work getting through them all. Unfortunately, not much that was a match for me.
I continue to do my usual:
Getting tired of seeing this part of the blog yet? I do this on purpose. Like any job, there are parts of it that simply must happen - every day. It is not sexy, it is not fun, it is just necessary.
It is time to move to more networking. I am going to look at some of the classes available to me through the staffing firm that came with my package from D&B. I may not be utilizing this enough. In addition, I need to set some regular 1:1 meetings with my "coach". I started that, but when I got the interview I kind of let that fall off to the side. This was a mistake - one I need to correct.
On the personal side of things, today was my mother's birthday. I got her a cake and I and the kids went to her house and had cake and root beer floats. My sister and her family along with a couple of my mom's friends were there too -- it was a nice little get-together.
I continue to do my usual:
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
Getting tired of seeing this part of the blog yet? I do this on purpose. Like any job, there are parts of it that simply must happen - every day. It is not sexy, it is not fun, it is just necessary.
It is time to move to more networking. I am going to look at some of the classes available to me through the staffing firm that came with my package from D&B. I may not be utilizing this enough. In addition, I need to set some regular 1:1 meetings with my "coach". I started that, but when I got the interview I kind of let that fall off to the side. This was a mistake - one I need to correct.
On the personal side of things, today was my mother's birthday. I got her a cake and I and the kids went to her house and had cake and root beer floats. My sister and her family along with a couple of my mom's friends were there too -- it was a nice little get-together.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Day 11 - not much
So I did not feel too motivated today - it happens, and being unemployed I just roll with it.
I still went through my usual 2-hour session of the usual:
Getting back home this evening, I checked the e-mail and cleaned up my inbox.
One thing of note - I got the schedule for the second interview; I am all set to meet with the principals of the company, plus the balance of the development team; looks to be a 2-3 hour session.
A friend of mine also shot me an interesting job op; I will check this out in the morning with fresh eyes; looks like I owe her lunch - thanks Kim!
I still went through my usual 2-hour session of the usual:
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
Getting back home this evening, I checked the e-mail and cleaned up my inbox.
One thing of note - I got the schedule for the second interview; I am all set to meet with the principals of the company, plus the balance of the development team; looks to be a 2-3 hour session.
A friend of mine also shot me an interesting job op; I will check this out in the morning with fresh eyes; looks like I owe her lunch - thanks Kim!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Day 10 - scheduling delay
Monday AM - back to it... I did the standard items:
I got a call from TJ, my recruiter this AM to find out there has been a change in plans. The second interview that was scheduled for Tomorrow morning has been postponed until July 10th. TJ was told that this was strictly a scheduling issue and that there should be no reason for concern.
I trust TJ to be straight with me so I will wait. That being said, if another opportunuty should come along, I will not hesitate to follow up.
It is easy to become frustrated here - and I admit to some of that myself, but you have to find the positive sides. I will use these 11 days to hopefully set another interview and open up my options. To be honest, there were also some things on my personal "to-do" list that I have not completed and this will give me the opportunity to completes before "getting back to work".
I had a great weekend. Saturday I spent the day at the lake looking at more property with my folks. Sunday after church, my ex-brother-in-law and I bottled our first batch of beer and transferred (or polished) the wine batch. We should be drinking our beer in about 2 weeks.
Tomorrow I am also going to do a rain dance of some sort (maybe I will set a tee time); my poor yard could use it!
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
I got a call from TJ, my recruiter this AM to find out there has been a change in plans. The second interview that was scheduled for Tomorrow morning has been postponed until July 10th. TJ was told that this was strictly a scheduling issue and that there should be no reason for concern.
I trust TJ to be straight with me so I will wait. That being said, if another opportunuty should come along, I will not hesitate to follow up.
It is easy to become frustrated here - and I admit to some of that myself, but you have to find the positive sides. I will use these 11 days to hopefully set another interview and open up my options. To be honest, there were also some things on my personal "to-do" list that I have not completed and this will give me the opportunity to completes before "getting back to work".
I had a great weekend. Saturday I spent the day at the lake looking at more property with my folks. Sunday after church, my ex-brother-in-law and I bottled our first batch of beer and transferred (or polished) the wine batch. We should be drinking our beer in about 2 weeks.
Tomorrow I am also going to do a rain dance of some sort (maybe I will set a tee time); my poor yard could use it!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Day 9 - a scond interview is scheduled
Followed "the routine":
I got a call from my recruiter this morning with promising news; the company I interviewed at last week wants me back in for a follow-up interview. It is set for Tuesday morning at 8:30.
So it seems, the "risk" I took by declaring I did well in the first interview has proven to be correct. The proverbial ball is back in my court.
Given that this is a smaller company without the usual red tape associated with larger organizations, this interview will likely be to "get down to business"; in other words, the weeding is over and I am likely their first choice.
I need to be prepared either way, so I will still bring the basics including copies of my resume and business cards.
The biggest preparation for this is just like preparing for any presentation - know your material and be ready to lead the meeting at every opportunity. Things to be discussed will likely include the total compensation package. Remember, this is a negotiation; you will only get what you ask for.
Other things like plenty of rest should go without saying, but I say them anyway - if for nothing else but to remind myself. Being off for the past month with the kids out of school has lead to a little later than standard daily routine - i.e. I am not up at 6:30 AM every morning...
I am off to register the kids for school - they both attend Redeemer Lutheran here in Austin.
For the weekend, I am going to a baby shower for a former colleague (and captain of my pool league team). There will be a lot of people there from my former place of employ; I look forward to seeing them!
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
I got a call from my recruiter this morning with promising news; the company I interviewed at last week wants me back in for a follow-up interview. It is set for Tuesday morning at 8:30.
So it seems, the "risk" I took by declaring I did well in the first interview has proven to be correct. The proverbial ball is back in my court.
Given that this is a smaller company without the usual red tape associated with larger organizations, this interview will likely be to "get down to business"; in other words, the weeding is over and I am likely their first choice.
I need to be prepared either way, so I will still bring the basics including copies of my resume and business cards.
The biggest preparation for this is just like preparing for any presentation - know your material and be ready to lead the meeting at every opportunity. Things to be discussed will likely include the total compensation package. Remember, this is a negotiation; you will only get what you ask for.
Other things like plenty of rest should go without saying, but I say them anyway - if for nothing else but to remind myself. Being off for the past month with the kids out of school has lead to a little later than standard daily routine - i.e. I am not up at 6:30 AM every morning...
I am off to register the kids for school - they both attend Redeemer Lutheran here in Austin.
For the weekend, I am going to a baby shower for a former colleague (and captain of my pool league team). There will be a lot of people there from my former place of employ; I look forward to seeing them!
Day 8 - back from vacation
I am running a little behind - it happens when you take a day off sometimes, the blog took the hit.
I did the standard routine of items, but it took longer than usual:
One thing of note. At this point (still being early in my search) I have not really expanded to looking outside of Austin. I mean, I look to stay current on what is out there, but I am not seriously considering moving - yet. I have set a date of July 15th to start taking a realistic look outside of town.
I did the standard routine of items, but it took longer than usual:
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
One thing of note. At this point (still being early in my search) I have not really expanded to looking outside of Austin. I mean, I look to stay current on what is out there, but I am not seriously considering moving - yet. I have set a date of July 15th to start taking a realistic look outside of town.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Day 7 - pretty routine
Followed "the routine":
I did send a follow up e-mail to the people I interviewed with. This is important, it keeps me in their minds. I got a reply pretty quickly from the General Manager saying he looked forward to speaking with me soon. I also got feedback from my recruiter that the interview went well. Again, these are positive signs, but the goal has yet to be reached. If I do not hear back from them next week, I will take the initiative and make contact. Not high pressure, just follow-up and remind them why I am the correct candidate for this position.
Tomorrow is a "vacation" day. I have it planned an on the calendar.
The kids and my folks are heading to the lake - should be a lot of fun. The forecast is for 103 - gotta love the Texas summer!
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
I did send a follow up e-mail to the people I interviewed with. This is important, it keeps me in their minds. I got a reply pretty quickly from the General Manager saying he looked forward to speaking with me soon. I also got feedback from my recruiter that the interview went well. Again, these are positive signs, but the goal has yet to be reached. If I do not hear back from them next week, I will take the initiative and make contact. Not high pressure, just follow-up and remind them why I am the correct candidate for this position.
Tomorrow is a "vacation" day. I have it planned an on the calendar.
The kids and my folks are heading to the lake - should be a lot of fun. The forecast is for 103 - gotta love the Texas summer!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Day 6 - the interview
To start this, you will notice that I do not post to this on the weekends. As I have said previously, treat this like a job. I only work weekends when there is a deadline or emergency of some sort. None of those are present currently in this project, so other than checking the job boards, and skimming e-mail, I take the weekends off to be with family, do laundry, etc...
Followed "the routine":
To prepare, I read my own resume and skimmed some of the "self marketing" documents I have been working on. I know the material well, but as with any presentation, I want to be prepared and not nervous. I printed out 4 copies of my resume and put a copy on a USB drive in case I need more or if anyone of the interviewers would like to have an electronic copy.
On Friday I discussed the dress for this company with my recruiter. I think a good rule of thumb is two steps above usual dress. I opted for a sports jacket, slacks and no tie. It was a good choice, many people were in shorts - the tie would have been too much.
I made sure I got plenty of rest and ate luch shortly before the interview; did not want to get hungry or antsy half way through.
I arrived 15 minutes prior to my appointment time. My recruiter met me there and made the initial introductions; so far so good.
I initially met with the lead developer and current holder of the position that I would be taking over. As the interview progressed, I learned that he was really not interested in management and where this position would lead him.
Next in was the GM and the interview started. I let them both talk about the position, what it was, how it had come to be and where it was going to go. WOW - this is about as a perfect fit for me as there can be. Needs strong Project Management and leadership. The role will also require direct interface with customers. All I knew going in was that the job did not have a formal job description, the company just knew what they had now was not optimal.
The interview went on with both the GM and the developer with the GM taking the lead of the discussion. He asked the basics, and pressed to make sure I was not just a developer thinking about "moving to the dark-side"; he wanted leadership, not another programmer. He asked what my weak spot was. I answered this candidly but in a positive light. I spoke about my passion - I get excited about new projects and sometimes try to move faster than everyone else is ready to.
About 20 minutes in the GM stated he wanted my input on things - this was my queue. This in my opinion is the most important part of an interview. Time to make that first impression and tell your potential boss what you bring to the table.
I took control of the conversation at this point - leading them to ask more and specific questions.
The GM seemed to like what he saw. It was helpful that when he started asking about roles and responsibilities that he wanted to add to the current position that I had the exact experience he was looking for. Specifically; taking control of "shiny object syndrome" and reducing the backlog of bugs; right up my alley. Then the icing on the cake, he asked if I could deal directly with customers. This in fact is my sweet spot above most development managers - I can talk tech with business people from a business point of view.
After a little over an hour, the GM excused himself and left me to be "grilled" as he put it by the developer. We had a great conversation. He wanted to know how I would handle situations from adding more structure to their programing process to dealing with the various personalities.
All in all, a great interview. I was the first candidate to interview and the ball is in thier court at this point. I will follow up with a thank you e-mail to both in the morning.
As great as this interview was, it was just that - an interview. This is a major task accomplishment, but the goal has not yet been achieved. Time to stay on track, continue to network and look for positions...
Followed "the routine":
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
To prepare, I read my own resume and skimmed some of the "self marketing" documents I have been working on. I know the material well, but as with any presentation, I want to be prepared and not nervous. I printed out 4 copies of my resume and put a copy on a USB drive in case I need more or if anyone of the interviewers would like to have an electronic copy.
On Friday I discussed the dress for this company with my recruiter. I think a good rule of thumb is two steps above usual dress. I opted for a sports jacket, slacks and no tie. It was a good choice, many people were in shorts - the tie would have been too much.
I made sure I got plenty of rest and ate luch shortly before the interview; did not want to get hungry or antsy half way through.
I arrived 15 minutes prior to my appointment time. My recruiter met me there and made the initial introductions; so far so good.
I initially met with the lead developer and current holder of the position that I would be taking over. As the interview progressed, I learned that he was really not interested in management and where this position would lead him.
Next in was the GM and the interview started. I let them both talk about the position, what it was, how it had come to be and where it was going to go. WOW - this is about as a perfect fit for me as there can be. Needs strong Project Management and leadership. The role will also require direct interface with customers. All I knew going in was that the job did not have a formal job description, the company just knew what they had now was not optimal.
The interview went on with both the GM and the developer with the GM taking the lead of the discussion. He asked the basics, and pressed to make sure I was not just a developer thinking about "moving to the dark-side"; he wanted leadership, not another programmer. He asked what my weak spot was. I answered this candidly but in a positive light. I spoke about my passion - I get excited about new projects and sometimes try to move faster than everyone else is ready to.
About 20 minutes in the GM stated he wanted my input on things - this was my queue. This in my opinion is the most important part of an interview. Time to make that first impression and tell your potential boss what you bring to the table.
I took control of the conversation at this point - leading them to ask more and specific questions.
The GM seemed to like what he saw. It was helpful that when he started asking about roles and responsibilities that he wanted to add to the current position that I had the exact experience he was looking for. Specifically; taking control of "shiny object syndrome" and reducing the backlog of bugs; right up my alley. Then the icing on the cake, he asked if I could deal directly with customers. This in fact is my sweet spot above most development managers - I can talk tech with business people from a business point of view.
After a little over an hour, the GM excused himself and left me to be "grilled" as he put it by the developer. We had a great conversation. He wanted to know how I would handle situations from adding more structure to their programing process to dealing with the various personalities.
All in all, a great interview. I was the first candidate to interview and the ball is in thier court at this point. I will follow up with a thank you e-mail to both in the morning.
As great as this interview was, it was just that - an interview. This is a major task accomplishment, but the goal has not yet been achieved. Time to stay on track, continue to network and look for positions...
Friday, June 19, 2009
Day 5 - an interview is set
Followed "the routine":
E-mails all caught up, tweets accounted for, job boards reviewed. I also managed to make some more changes to the resume. I think I may have to remove my tables all together to get it to upload the way I want it to.
As I was wandering through my day, the phone rings - it is TJ (@tj_tjaeckle) with news of an interview - whoo hooo!
I am set to talk with the company at 1:30 on Monday; I will post results of the interview shortly after. This way I can have my impressions down, then follow up with their impressions and results.
Other:
The laundry was getting out of hand - have not done any since Monday. I am a single father (two kids, 9 & 12) and we can create quite a pile of clothes in 4 days.
I am cleaning out some space in my garage for brewing beer. I set the sink in place this afternoon. Hopefully over the weekend, I will get it all in place. If so, I should e able to start a new batch brewing mid next week.
Have a great weekend!!
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
E-mails all caught up, tweets accounted for, job boards reviewed. I also managed to make some more changes to the resume. I think I may have to remove my tables all together to get it to upload the way I want it to.
As I was wandering through my day, the phone rings - it is TJ (@tj_tjaeckle) with news of an interview - whoo hooo!
I am set to talk with the company at 1:30 on Monday; I will post results of the interview shortly after. This way I can have my impressions down, then follow up with their impressions and results.
Other:
The laundry was getting out of hand - have not done any since Monday. I am a single father (two kids, 9 & 12) and we can create quite a pile of clothes in 4 days.
I am cleaning out some space in my garage for brewing beer. I set the sink in place this afternoon. Hopefully over the weekend, I will get it all in place. If so, I should e able to start a new batch brewing mid next week.
Have a great weekend!!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Day 4 - not very productive
Followed "the routine":
I tweaked the resume some -- still needs "less" as some upload filters seem to be messing it up.
I worked on my self-assessment (this is a very long questionnaire/document - will take 8+ hours to complete) some more today. I do not want to just "do it" all in one session.
Got another hit this morning; unfortunately, it was the same position TJ (@tj_jaeckle) had given me on Wednesday. I let the recruiter know that I was already working with another recruiter on this position, but that if he had others, please pass them along.
As a hiring manager myself, one thing that will get a resume tossed is if I get it from two recruiters. That puts us both in bad spot. Be involved enough with your recruiter(s) to not let yourself be there.
Speaking of TJ - he did touch base and let me know my resume was being reviewed and he would follow up with more.
Since I know I do not socialize well when my head is pounding, I decided not to go to the Happy Hour tonight - remember - only one first impression, I need to be on my game.
Other:
Moved the beer from primary ferminting to secondary. It is a little darker than I expected, but it smells great! We should bottle in the next 5-7 days if all is well.
Rented a boat for the day next Wednesday on Lake LBJ. The kids, the folks and I are going to go look at the Lake and some houses from the "water side". Should be fun -- mark this down as a vacation day (yes, it is actually on my calendar).
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
I tweaked the resume some -- still needs "less" as some upload filters seem to be messing it up.
I worked on my self-assessment (this is a very long questionnaire/document - will take 8+ hours to complete) some more today. I do not want to just "do it" all in one session.
Got another hit this morning; unfortunately, it was the same position TJ (@tj_jaeckle) had given me on Wednesday. I let the recruiter know that I was already working with another recruiter on this position, but that if he had others, please pass them along.
As a hiring manager myself, one thing that will get a resume tossed is if I get it from two recruiters. That puts us both in bad spot. Be involved enough with your recruiter(s) to not let yourself be there.
Speaking of TJ - he did touch base and let me know my resume was being reviewed and he would follow up with more.
Since I know I do not socialize well when my head is pounding, I decided not to go to the Happy Hour tonight - remember - only one first impression, I need to be on my game.
Other:
Moved the beer from primary ferminting to secondary. It is a little darker than I expected, but it smells great! We should bottle in the next 5-7 days if all is well.
Rented a boat for the day next Wednesday on Lake LBJ. The kids, the folks and I are going to go look at the Lake and some houses from the "water side". Should be fun -- mark this down as a vacation day (yes, it is actually on my calendar).
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Day 3 - plus more background
Followed "the routine":
In my quest, I have been looking into how I can leverage the Social Media explosion to assist me with job searching and building out my network of contacts. There is a lot out there, but here are some of the articles that peaked my interest:
http://www.job-hunt.org/job-search-news/2009/06/09/top-50-employers-recruiting-on-twitter/
http://www.gravit8.com/2009/06/the-weak-ties-that-bind-the-jobhuntingsocial-network-connection/
http://tewalkerjr.com/blog/?p=1302
I had a hit today. A job came to a recruiter and he pitched it to me - sounds like a great place, right up my ally. Newer company, not a cube farm with a lot of good talent. Hopefully I will get a F2F - I will post results.
Now is the time to stay focused. I read somewhere that while you are in transition, your search should be your job. I keep a schedule (including vacation days where I do not work), a goal, objectives - in short, a project.
Just because I have a hit, I have not reached my goal (becoming gainfully employed). I have merely accomplished one of the objectives - obtain contacts who can set interviews. I must continue on the path to making more contacts and finding more leads.
To that end, tomorrow evening I will attend the Austin High Tech Happy Hour.
Also on the tasks list for tomorrow I will follow up on yesterday's pointers from my Career Coach. There are some materials to read, plus two seminars to sign up for; "Career Assessment" and "Self Marketing/Networking".
Finally, I will make some formatting tweaks to the base resume. These are minor, but it should help the consistency of the formatting when I need to upload it.
Other things - I cleaned out my garage today to make room to brew beer. I brewed the last batch (almost ready to move to secondary fermenting) at my ex-brother-in-laws house. It went ok, but we need access to a modified refrigerator and in general to have a dedicated space to brewing.
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
In my quest, I have been looking into how I can leverage the Social Media explosion to assist me with job searching and building out my network of contacts. There is a lot out there, but here are some of the articles that peaked my interest:
http://www.job-hunt.org/job-search-news/2009/06/09/top-50-employers-recruiting-on-twitter/
http://www.gravit8.com/2009/06/the-weak-ties-that-bind-the-jobhuntingsocial-network-connection/
http://tewalkerjr.com/blog/?p=1302
I had a hit today. A job came to a recruiter and he pitched it to me - sounds like a great place, right up my ally. Newer company, not a cube farm with a lot of good talent. Hopefully I will get a F2F - I will post results.
Now is the time to stay focused. I read somewhere that while you are in transition, your search should be your job. I keep a schedule (including vacation days where I do not work), a goal, objectives - in short, a project.
Just because I have a hit, I have not reached my goal (becoming gainfully employed). I have merely accomplished one of the objectives - obtain contacts who can set interviews. I must continue on the path to making more contacts and finding more leads.
To that end, tomorrow evening I will attend the Austin High Tech Happy Hour.
Also on the tasks list for tomorrow I will follow up on yesterday's pointers from my Career Coach. There are some materials to read, plus two seminars to sign up for; "Career Assessment" and "Self Marketing/Networking".
Finally, I will make some formatting tweaks to the base resume. These are minor, but it should help the consistency of the formatting when I need to upload it.
Other things - I cleaned out my garage today to make room to brew beer. I brewed the last batch (almost ready to move to secondary fermenting) at my ex-brother-in-laws house. It went ok, but we need access to a modified refrigerator and in general to have a dedicated space to brewing.
Day 2 - really getting started
Today I met with my Career Coach 1:1 for an hour. I get 11 more of these sessions with my package, I intend to take full advantage.
I also am following their basic path and documenting my skills, preferences, etc... This is stuff we all "think we know" about ourselves, but it is good to document and review.
The biggest surprise so far has been my updated Birkman; much stronger yellow (management) tendencies than the one I took 5 years ago.
Followed "the routine":
I also am following their basic path and documenting my skills, preferences, etc... This is stuff we all "think we know" about ourselves, but it is good to document and review.
The biggest surprise so far has been my updated Birkman; much stronger yellow (management) tendencies than the one I took 5 years ago.
Followed "the routine":
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
- Update blog
Day 1 - My Birthday....
Over the weekend I ordered some business cards. I made sure that they included my e-mail address, my LinkedIn Profile address and my twitter account.
In the last month of "just having fun" I have also started to look into the value of the social media explosion. My friend Tim Walker pointed me in the right directions and made me ask the right questions. This initially started as a way for me to get exposure and better leverage my network to "job hunt"; but I have since found that I am really interested in this space and this is another avenue for me to explore.
The point - stay current in your field - keep looking for things that excite you.
I continued on the "fun path" (it is my birthday after all) and went to the Lake looking for a lake house with my folks. After that, I went with the ex-wife to check out a pond she saw on craigslist.
Followed "the routine":
In the last month of "just having fun" I have also started to look into the value of the social media explosion. My friend Tim Walker pointed me in the right directions and made me ask the right questions. This initially started as a way for me to get exposure and better leverage my network to "job hunt"; but I have since found that I am really interested in this space and this is another avenue for me to explore.
The point - stay current in your field - keep looking for things that excite you.
I continued on the "fun path" (it is my birthday after all) and went to the Lake looking for a lake house with my folks. After that, I went with the ex-wife to check out a pond she saw on craigslist.
Followed "the routine":
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
Getting started...
So, I am officially unemployed... I decided to track my progress (or expose my failure) for all to see. I am hoping others who have been here and see mistakes will point me in the correct direction, and when I do something right - others in my situation can benefit from it!
Background - I was given my layoff notice in mid-April and my last day was May 15th. I received the standard D&B severance package for team members with 5+ years with the company; this included benefits and a outsourcing firm contract.
I decided that I would basically "take a vacation" for at least a month and really get started on the job search right after my birthday - June 15th. So I did -- went to the coast for a week, took the kids to the lake, started brewing beer, in general just had fun.
I put some things in motion right away (helped with the "guilt" I felt on the golf course Tuesday morning):
The routine:
The next posts will be the day-to-day things I do while trying to become gainfully employed - hope you find it helpful.
Background - I was given my layoff notice in mid-April and my last day was May 15th. I received the standard D&B severance package for team members with 5+ years with the company; this included benefits and a outsourcing firm contract.
I decided that I would basically "take a vacation" for at least a month and really get started on the job search right after my birthday - June 15th. So I did -- went to the coast for a week, took the kids to the lake, started brewing beer, in general just had fun.
I put some things in motion right away (helped with the "guilt" I felt on the golf course Tuesday morning):
- Updated my resume and had a professional writer review and tweak it
- Contacted a recruiter and let them know I would be "getting serious" mid-June
- Posted my resume online
- Set up searches and alerts on some job boards (Ladders, Yahoo! Hot Jobs, Monster, Career Builder)
- Updated my LinkedIn profile
- Attended the "getting started" class from my outsourcing firm
The routine:
- Check job posting alerts (and apply for any matches)
- Check e-mail
- Catch up on tweets, LinkedIn and Facebook
The next posts will be the day-to-day things I do while trying to become gainfully employed - hope you find it helpful.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
