Update on the Interview

[kitsap_charles]

Okay, I've had better interviews. I've probably had worse interviews, too, although I don't exactly remember when.

The first of the two hours was devoted to a review of my technical skills, and it's humbling to be forcibly reminded how little I remember about the stuff I'm supposed to be able to make a living by doing well. Granted, they started with systems and technologies I haven't used in literally a decade, but when my first dozen answers are "No, I don't know that; sorry, I don't know the difference between [foo] and [bar]; gosh, I'd want to look that one up in the manual; nope, never heard of [baz]..." and so forth, I was almost ready to admit my next job should be saying, "Do you want fries with that?" But then they grilled me (pun not really intended, but I'll take it) on systems and languages that actually related to the job openings, and I ended on a technical high point.

The second hour, with the four managers with immediate needs, went much better. I was smooth, suave, and eminently hireable. And I found out why they're hiring people right now: the jobs are to maintain some application systems that are being phased out by the end of 2003, and they want people who don't mind being on a deathwatch. And who don't mind that the jobs also get phased out in 12/03. There'll be opportunities to transfer into ongoing projects by then, if they have openings and if they don't find other short-term people to fill them. And they'll offer cross-training on the new technologies and languages needed for these ongoing projects. But no guarantees.

So, as far as I know, it's a toss-up as to whether they'll make me an offer. I probably won't know for a couple of weeks, depending on how many people they interview, how many openings there really are (at least six that they mentioned), and whether my technical flubs outweigh my genuine skills and willingness to work on a fore-doomed project.

In other news, I'm going to San Jose this weekend to visit my daughter. I'll be staying with 7patches and the_ogre, who have been more than kind in offering their home during previous visitation trips. I don't think we have any joint social engagements planned, though; but I'm flexible. I'll be back home late Sunday night

Comments

[kalmn.livejournal.com]

to me, that sounds like it went pretty well.

i still have my fingers crossed.

[kitsap_charles]

For values of "well" that include being embarassed almost unto The Death about having claimed a degree of expertise in subjects about which I was proved to know little or nothing of import.

But I'll gladly accept your continuing expressions of luck and good-will.

(How do you touch-type with crossed fingers? Isn't it painful?)

[johno.livejournal.com]

I've discovered that a blunt honest "No I don't know that" , or "I used to do it, but it's fallen out of my brain since" is much preferable to the old shuck and jive, tap dance and filling the essay answer with 3 pages of drivel.

I know I cinched one position by answering a question with "I don't know, but I think the answer is in that manual, that one or that one.", while pointing at the books on the shelves.

Re:

[kitsap_charles]

It was an oral, not written, exam. Three techies shooting questions at me from a list. I could tell I screwed the pooch on the first two sections when they decided to skip over about a dozen pages of stuff. Fortunately (as I said before), when they got the the material I really know, I think I was able to make up for having brainfarted the first parts.

I hope.

I also pointed out repeatedly my philosophy of writing code "open book"-- that I'd rather take a couple of minutes to check syntax and semantics in the manuals, and thereby save a couple of hours in debugging time. As Will Rogers said, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you in trouble, it's what you do know that ain't so."

Well, I either did or didn't do well enough. And it's too late to change matters, so all I can do is wait for the HR Guy to call...

Re: Ahhhh, now, ve vait.

[kitsap_charles]

Doo dee doo doo doo dee doo, doo dee doo dee doo! dee doodle doodle...

Sometimes it feels like my life's theme song is the Final Jeopardy tune. And I just bet all my winnings, only to find the Final Answer (tm) is to a question I never knew how to ask...

[wolfieboy.livejournal.com]

Good luck. I'll keep my eyes crossed for you.
IMO, the waiting after the interview is the worst part...

Cue Tom Petty

[kitsap_charles]

The wai-i-ting is the hardest part...

Thanks, but don't try to drive that way...

[submarine-bells.livejournal.com]

Best of luck! I hope they recognise your sterling virtues appropriately and thus are keen to have you working for/with them; and (b) let you know about it post-haste! [crossing fingers]