And now... we wait.
Mar. 28th, 2006 01:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lance_sibleyI managed to get to my 8:30 interview this morning ridiculously early despite only getting three hours of sleep, interrupted by waking up at 4 and 5 o'clock this morning. (Stupid dreams.) Because the IBC office is located at Sheppard and Victoria Park, and I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get there, I got up at 6:15 and left the apartment at 7. I arrived at 7:40, so I sat in the lobby until about 8:10. I then decided to go upstairs and wait, but the elevator wouldn't stop on the 11th floor as it's set to only stop there after 8:30. Since the interview was at 8:30, that wouldn't do. So I went back down to the security desk, and he told me that IBC also has office space on the 10th floor. The person who answered the doorbell took me right to the gentleman who was going to interview me, who seemed surprised that I was there so early.
I don't think he was ready for me, as he kept reading my resume while I answered his question. Yes, question, singular: basically all he said was "tell me about your experience," so I gave him the fifty-cent tour of my career. The architect he brought in didn't ask me any technical questions, either, which is also very unusual; he just said that based on my experience, it sounds like I know what I'm doing.
The project is actually a fairly simple one; they're taking massive amounts of data stored by a client on tape (yes, tape) and converting it into flat files and reports. They don't have any debugging tools, and they don't have any report generation software, so the whole thing has to be written in raw COBOL. Well, for $55/hour or so (they didn't ask what my rate is) for six months, I can probably manage that.
They have some other people to interview, but said they'd make a decision by the end of the week. I made sure that they were aware that I have some commitments for this summer that will require me to take a few days off here and there - this is the one thing that might be a showstopper, as their first deliverable is about two weeks after Gaylaxicon. Though they didn't indicate that it would be a problem, when the time comes, who knows. Of course, I've never been one to complain too loudly about having to put in time on evenings or weekends, provided that I don't already have plans that can't be cancelled.
The other possible showstopper is that I've never worked as a contractor before - all of my other jobs have been full-time. They may choose to go with someone who has a track record of working as a contractor, since it's a very different way of working. As a full-time employee, if a deadline slides, it's not pleasant, but it's accepted. It could have a detrimental effect on an employer's view of a contractor, however. Presumably that's because contractors are paid hourly, rather than on salary - but again, since I've never done it before, I don't know for sure.
The one thing I hope is that Mario didn't tell them that he was the one who gave my resume to HR. It's not that I don't appreciate the favour, but I don't want them feeling that hiring me is a requirement imposed upon them by their director. It could cause resentment on their parts. Deep down, however, I fear that this might be the case since they asked so few questions about my experience and no technical questions at all.
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james_nicoll posted an amusing link that I'd like to share - it's a parody of the infamous Chick tracts. Go read. Giggle. I did.
Jeez, it's only 1:30 in the afternoon and I've read all of my email and my friendslist already. What do I do with the rest of my afternoon? I could rant about Steven Harper's recent pronouncements that his Cabinet shouldn't talk to the press despite his campaign promise of more accountability (accountability to him, I see, not to the electorate), but that could get boring fast.
Alternatively, I could talk about the disturbing sex dream I had last night involving a member of TrekBBS (nobody I've actually met in person, though I've seen his picture multiple times), but I don't want to squick you. You're probably all shocked that it's 1:30 in the afternoon and I've been awake for seven and a half hours already - I wouldn't want to be the cause of any sudden fainting, or worse, projectile vomiting. (Okay, there wouldn't likely be any of that. This guy is usually thought of as attractive, though he's definitely not my type. Nor is he even gay, so god knows why I dreamt about him...)
I suppose I could make a sandwich or something. My stomach is making the most disturbing noises.
I don't think he was ready for me, as he kept reading my resume while I answered his question. Yes, question, singular: basically all he said was "tell me about your experience," so I gave him the fifty-cent tour of my career. The architect he brought in didn't ask me any technical questions, either, which is also very unusual; he just said that based on my experience, it sounds like I know what I'm doing.
The project is actually a fairly simple one; they're taking massive amounts of data stored by a client on tape (yes, tape) and converting it into flat files and reports. They don't have any debugging tools, and they don't have any report generation software, so the whole thing has to be written in raw COBOL. Well, for $55/hour or so (they didn't ask what my rate is) for six months, I can probably manage that.
They have some other people to interview, but said they'd make a decision by the end of the week. I made sure that they were aware that I have some commitments for this summer that will require me to take a few days off here and there - this is the one thing that might be a showstopper, as their first deliverable is about two weeks after Gaylaxicon. Though they didn't indicate that it would be a problem, when the time comes, who knows. Of course, I've never been one to complain too loudly about having to put in time on evenings or weekends, provided that I don't already have plans that can't be cancelled.
The other possible showstopper is that I've never worked as a contractor before - all of my other jobs have been full-time. They may choose to go with someone who has a track record of working as a contractor, since it's a very different way of working. As a full-time employee, if a deadline slides, it's not pleasant, but it's accepted. It could have a detrimental effect on an employer's view of a contractor, however. Presumably that's because contractors are paid hourly, rather than on salary - but again, since I've never done it before, I don't know for sure.
The one thing I hope is that Mario didn't tell them that he was the one who gave my resume to HR. It's not that I don't appreciate the favour, but I don't want them feeling that hiring me is a requirement imposed upon them by their director. It could cause resentment on their parts. Deep down, however, I fear that this might be the case since they asked so few questions about my experience and no technical questions at all.
james_nicoll posted an amusing link that I'd like to share - it's a parody of the infamous Chick tracts. Go read. Giggle. I did.Jeez, it's only 1:30 in the afternoon and I've read all of my email and my friendslist already. What do I do with the rest of my afternoon? I could rant about Steven Harper's recent pronouncements that his Cabinet shouldn't talk to the press despite his campaign promise of more accountability (accountability to him, I see, not to the electorate), but that could get boring fast.
Alternatively, I could talk about the disturbing sex dream I had last night involving a member of TrekBBS (nobody I've actually met in person, though I've seen his picture multiple times), but I don't want to squick you. You're probably all shocked that it's 1:30 in the afternoon and I've been awake for seven and a half hours already - I wouldn't want to be the cause of any sudden fainting, or worse, projectile vomiting. (Okay, there wouldn't likely be any of that. This guy is usually thought of as attractive, though he's definitely not my type. Nor is he even gay, so god knows why I dreamt about him...)
I suppose I could make a sandwich or something. My stomach is making the most disturbing noises.
