Lazy Man and Money

  • Blog
  • Home
  • About
    • What I’m Doing Now
  • Consumer Protection
    • Is Le-vel Thrive a Scam?
    • Is Jusuru a Scam?
    • Is Beachbody’s Shakeology a Scam?
    • Is “It Works” a Scam?
    • Is Neora (Nerium) a Scam?
    • Youngevity Scam?
    • Are DoTERRA Essential Oils a Scam?
    • Is Plexus a Scam?
    • Is Jeunesse a Scam?
    • Is Kangen Water a Scam?
    • ViSalus Scam Exposed!
    • Is AdvoCare a Scam?
  • Contact
  • Archive

Job Search Journey: Search for Stability

October 24, 2018 by Kosmo 4 Comments

This is a continuation of Kosmo’s Job Search Journey.

The Whole Job Search Series:
1. You’re Fired
2. Assessing the Situation
3. Networking
4. Learn
5. The Interview
6. Frustration
7. Success
8. Sink or Swim

When I last spoke to you, I had begun contract position with one of the leading employers in the area.

Although I had a bird in the hand, I was also pursuing a bird in the bush – a permanent position.

I have been actively pursuing other positions.  In the last few months, I have advanced to the final round of interviews three times, with vastly difference experiences.

One employer contacted me five months after I had initially contacted them.  I had the standard conversation with the recruiter, took a Wonderlic test, and showed up for my on-site interview on a Friday afternoon.  Unfortunately, the hiring manager seemed very ill-prepared.  She asked only a couple of questions – neither of them very probing.  I asked questions about the specifics of the position in an effort to keep the interview alive, but it was obvious she had no interest in being there.  I’m not sure if she just wanted to get out of the office and go home for the weekend, or what.  Not surprisingly, the company ghosted me after the interview.  Note: the Wonderlic questions were much more simple than I would have assumed.  It’s more a test of how quick you can think, as opposed to testing the depth of your intellect.

Fired Cartoon

Another company also contacted me months after I initially applied.  In fact, they had already told me I wasn’t being considered for the position.  It turns out that I was overqualified.  They were looking for a junior level (cheaper) analyst and eventually came to the realization that they needed a more senior person.  Once again, I took an assessment and was called in for an in-person interview.  Unfortunately, the types of questions that were being asked made it clear that I wasn’t a good fit for the position.  They were looking for someone who was primarily a training specialist with experience rolling out off-the-shelf software.  My core strength is helping design new software from the ground up.  Once again, I wasn’t terribly disappointed that I didn’t get the job.  I don’t think I would have enjoyed it.

Another company contacted me less than a day after I applied.  This company is a major player in the education space – a company you’ve almost certain heard of.  Although they pay a bit less than some of the for-profit companies in the areas, they have a nice set of benefits, include 30 days of PTO for new hires.  From the start of my search, this company was among the top two companies I was pursuing.

The HR rep contacted me and arranged a phone interview for the next week.  When he called, I missed the call – because he called on the wrong day.  I was able to touch base with him about ten minutes later, and he was apologetic when he realized his gaffe.  He was willing to called back the next day, but I offered to go ahead and do the interview right then.  What better opportunity to prove I could think on my feet and not be rattled by the unexpected?  A few days later, I was notified that I made the cut for an on-site interview.

My on-site interview was nearly perfect.  I was very comfortable and answered all of the questions well.  There were a couple of questions where I didn’t give the exact answer they were looking for, but I could tell by their reactions that my answers made them think, and that they had a positive response to the answers.  One of the interviewers had Googled my email address and tracked down my blog, and then found the sites where I did freelance work.  She even read a few of my articles on this site!  (Hey, Jen – hope things are going well for you and your team.)

I was very confident that I had landed the position.  Unfortunately, a week later, I found out that someone else got the job.  A friend of mine who works for the company told me that I was strongly considered, but in the end, they hired someone who had previously worked for the company.  That’s understandable, because the group dynamic is very important, and there’s value in having some certainty regarding how someone will mesh with the team.

I’m optimistic that I’ll find a permanent position soon.  If nothing else, these interviews have given me practice for future interviews.  I’m much more confident in interviews than I have been in the past.  Now as see them as an opportunity, instead of a necessary evil.

In the interim, my contract position continues to go very well.  I am establishing myself as someone who is ready, willing, and able to handle any challenge and also willing to mentor others.  It has probably been the most productive half-year stretching of my two decade career.

Email (and share) This

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Related

Filed Under: Career Tagged With: job search journey

SIGN UP NOW FOR MONEY TIPS AND A CHANCE TO WIN $25 MONTHLY

Comments

  1. Wesley says

    October 25, 2018 at 7:42 am

    Your experience seems similar to many friends that work in my area(IT). I’ve read a lot on financnials lately that show the unemployment number is fairly bogus, which makes sense given that we can’t be at basically full employment when so many are un/underemployed.

    Best wishes in your continued search.

    Reply
    • Kosmo says

      October 25, 2018 at 9:52 pm

      I can’t complain too much. I was able to jump from one gig to the next without missing any paychecks.

      Contract work is definitely a huge part of the IT workforce theses days. The staffing company I work for has 100,000+ contract employees.

  2. Steveark says

    October 25, 2018 at 10:19 am

    You have a great attitude and that alone is going to land you a good position soon. One of the top, if not the top attribute that seals the hiring deal is likeability and the main part of that is a positive outlook. I’ve hired hundreds of people during my career and the ones that I enjoyed talking to in the interview usually got the job. Most everyone that makes the final cut for in person interviews meets the technical requirements, so the interview is mostly just to decide who you’d most like to work with on your team. I can tell from the tone of your writing that you have that positive outlook that will make you someone a team leader would want. Just be sure to let that inner you show through, be as real as you can be and they are definitely going to like you.

    Reply
    • Kosmo says

      October 25, 2018 at 9:56 pm

      I agree. Getting along with others and being a team player are critical skills. Throw one bad attitude into a team and you can kill the entire team’s productivity.

      I grew up on a farm. One of my first jobs was shoveling cow manure, and I didn’t get paid. Being able to work in a climate-controlled office puts a smile on my face every day.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

As Seen In…

Join and Follow

RSS Feed
RSS Feed

Follow Me on Pinterest

Search The Site

Recent Comments

  • CaptainFI on Five Ways to Eat Good on the Cheap
  • Joe on Five Ways to Eat Good on the Cheap
  • Kosmo on Kosmo’s Greatest Hits Volume 1
  • Lazy Man on To Ramit or Not To Ramit?
  • Derek on To Ramit or Not To Ramit?

Please note that we may have a financial relationship with the companies mentioned on this site. We frequently review products or services that we have been given access to for free. However, we do not accept compensation in any form in exchange for positive reviews, and the reviews found on this site represent the opinions of the author.


© Copyright 2006-2023 · Perfect Plan Publishing, Inc. · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy · A Narrow Bridge Media Design