Do you ever feel like chucking it all and making a left turn? How do you know when that time has arrived? Are the reasons to not make that turn valid?
There was a time when the wild hair lived and breathed and life was fun, free, and easy. It was fun to pick up and make a change or just do something different. I have moved 25 times in my life, this averages a move every two years. Living at the same address for nine years has dulled the wild hair and compliancy is beginning to rub it the wrong way.
In an effort to get back to where I was (a grade-A all American corporate cubical) I keep getting the same results. This is the definition of insanity. I am trying to be someone I no longer am. I am trying to duplicate the past and the past is gone. So, what would the wild hair do? When the wild hair lived and breathed making a left turn was easy to do.
So what is the wild hair saying?
Put the house up for sale. Stop playing the games to be played to maintain compliancy. Cash out, pay off debts and hit the road and take that left turn.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Second Interview
Yesterday I had a second interview for a position that has three roles all melded into one…Application Analyst, Business Analyst, and Project Manager. The first interview was with the hiring manager, Sandi. We had a good meeting and both of us parted feeling encouraged about the fit. This was confirmed when I received a call the very afternoon requesting a second interview.
The second interview was scheduled for a week later. In the interim I developed viral laryngitis and could not speak without coughing. As I got closer to the date of the interview I realized that I would not be able to talk. I had no choice but to ask for an alternative date. I was very happy to get a call back with a new date and time.
It has been almost a year since I was last employed and this was the first second interview I have had during this time. Needless to say I started working myself up into a knot about the interview. I tapped into my resources for coaching in preparation of the interview, such as, what is the purpose of meeting with upper management, what is the purpose of meeting with the team and so forth. I got some very good advice and realized I needed to just relax and go with what I know.
I researched the company, took the job description, broke it down and filled in my experience for each requirement. There were several software programs that required experience so I researched each one and aligned them with my previous software experience. The long and short I don’t think I could have been any more prepared then I was for this second interview.
The day has arrived and my appointment is at 12:30. I left the house an hour and half early so that I could have a relaxing lunch at Panera’s . At I-43 and Good Hope traffic came to a stand still as the two left lanes were closed and traffic was merging. It took me 40 minutes to get from Good Hope to the Silver Spring exit. My relaxing lunch now turned into a mad dash. The good news is I managed to get something to eat and be on time for the interview.
The first meeting was with the team, Denise and Jan. The position was described to me as being administrative, providing software support, managing upgrades, implementations and deployments along with vendor management. While I was listening I started realizing I am potentially over qualified. Both Denise and Jan have been with the company for 30 yrs each and with that information I made some assumptions about the culture. We had a good discussion and on the way to my next appointment they stopped by and showed me the work area. One standard Grade-A cubicle.
The second meeting was with the Director of Information Systems, Gary. Gary has been with the company for 15 years, prior to that he was with a software development company for 21 years. This interview was more qualifying of my experience. When we reached my most recent positions and technologies I worked with I needed to explain what they were. I made the assumption he is old school technology and the company is old school technology. We had good conversations and Gary and I parted with an agreement the job requirements were understood.
This is the jest of the second interview. I had anticipated it, prepared for it, and stressed out over it and left feeling anti-climatic. This job is just like all the others which is just a means to an end. After not having a job for almost a year I was so very excited about this position only to realize it will kill my soul just like all the others did. I drove away with many thoughts racing through my head … what do you want, what will make you happy, am I being true to myself, can you just suit up and show up and ignore things. God! I haven’t worked in a year, I finally get closer to landing a job then I ever have and I am asking... Is this really what I want? Why? I need health insurance. So, in order to have health insurance the answer is to take a soulless job. Yes. In the current state of things beggars can not be choosers. I need to consider this job as a door and go with it.
However, funny thing…no offer has been made. I wonder what they are thinking?
The second interview was scheduled for a week later. In the interim I developed viral laryngitis and could not speak without coughing. As I got closer to the date of the interview I realized that I would not be able to talk. I had no choice but to ask for an alternative date. I was very happy to get a call back with a new date and time.
It has been almost a year since I was last employed and this was the first second interview I have had during this time. Needless to say I started working myself up into a knot about the interview. I tapped into my resources for coaching in preparation of the interview, such as, what is the purpose of meeting with upper management, what is the purpose of meeting with the team and so forth. I got some very good advice and realized I needed to just relax and go with what I know.
I researched the company, took the job description, broke it down and filled in my experience for each requirement. There were several software programs that required experience so I researched each one and aligned them with my previous software experience. The long and short I don’t think I could have been any more prepared then I was for this second interview.
The day has arrived and my appointment is at 12:30. I left the house an hour and half early so that I could have a relaxing lunch at Panera’s . At I-43 and Good Hope traffic came to a stand still as the two left lanes were closed and traffic was merging. It took me 40 minutes to get from Good Hope to the Silver Spring exit. My relaxing lunch now turned into a mad dash. The good news is I managed to get something to eat and be on time for the interview.
The first meeting was with the team, Denise and Jan. The position was described to me as being administrative, providing software support, managing upgrades, implementations and deployments along with vendor management. While I was listening I started realizing I am potentially over qualified. Both Denise and Jan have been with the company for 30 yrs each and with that information I made some assumptions about the culture. We had a good discussion and on the way to my next appointment they stopped by and showed me the work area. One standard Grade-A cubicle.
The second meeting was with the Director of Information Systems, Gary. Gary has been with the company for 15 years, prior to that he was with a software development company for 21 years. This interview was more qualifying of my experience. When we reached my most recent positions and technologies I worked with I needed to explain what they were. I made the assumption he is old school technology and the company is old school technology. We had good conversations and Gary and I parted with an agreement the job requirements were understood.
This is the jest of the second interview. I had anticipated it, prepared for it, and stressed out over it and left feeling anti-climatic. This job is just like all the others which is just a means to an end. After not having a job for almost a year I was so very excited about this position only to realize it will kill my soul just like all the others did. I drove away with many thoughts racing through my head … what do you want, what will make you happy, am I being true to myself, can you just suit up and show up and ignore things. God! I haven’t worked in a year, I finally get closer to landing a job then I ever have and I am asking... Is this really what I want? Why? I need health insurance. So, in order to have health insurance the answer is to take a soulless job. Yes. In the current state of things beggars can not be choosers. I need to consider this job as a door and go with it.
However, funny thing…no offer has been made. I wonder what they are thinking?
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