forty seven and on the scrap heap

Wow what an interesting fun filled day.

Two weeks ago I told my new boss to basically f' herself when she attempted to re-interview me after she was appointed my new boss. It's a bit of a story - that I'm not going to go into, but I was unhappy there anyway and decided to resign the next day.

Today, I had a very sweet victory. We have a small team of three developers, including myself and she was appointed our boss - total f'tard. Today another member of our team also resigned. I'd love to share all the emails that have been going round - but it's kind of touchy, and not where I'm going with this post.

On Sunday, tail between my legs, I started updating my C.V. I came to the realization that I've actually been on holidays for the past two years. I work 4 days a week in a cruisy job, full of chicks - who think they are making a difference. Sadly the reality now is I haven't got much to show for it. Obviously, I've been in denial about the whole thing. I've basically wasted two years of my life in this job.

Ok to the point of this post.

On Sunday I put together my C.V. and started looking at Seek and read all those cliched job descriptions: "funky office", "pool table", "nintendo", "kick back for beers every Friday" I applied for three of them and so far, so good - I heard back from all of them, told them I only work 4 days a week, and so far I've managed to get two interviews - which I think is quite encouraging.

Sadly this was what I got back from one of them:

=================================================

Hi Adolf,

Thank you for application for the Experienced [some sort of development] position which was advertised on Seek, and for your time on the phone on Monday to answer a few
preliminary questions.

We have reviewed your submitted information and are pleased to advise that you
have progressed to the next stage of the application process, which will take
the form of a short phone interview.

Could you please nominate via reply email your preferred contact number and
your first and second preferences from the following interview times:

* Wednesday, August 8th @ 11am
* Wednesday, August 8th @ 12pm
* Wednesday, August 8th @ 1pm
* Wednesday, August 8th @ 5pm
* Thursday, August 9th @ 10am
* Thursday, August 9th @ 11am
* Thursday, August 9th @ 12pm
* Thursday, August 9th @ 2pm
* Thursday, August 9th @ 3pm
* Thursday, August 9th @ 4pm
* Friday, August 10th @ 10am
* Friday, August 10th @ 11am
* Friday, August 10th @ 12pm
* Friday, August 10th @ 3pm
* Friday, August 10th @ 4pm

Interviews will take no longer than 30 minutes and may include a technical
component.

If you no longer wish to be considered for this role, please notify us.

Regards,

-- C$#@ &&*()# P: +61$ (*&^ ()* (ext #!@) | M: +614 &^% )(* ww1.retarded.com.au/

=================================================

Initially, I said ring me 12:00pm lunchtime Friday, but I managed to slot in another interview in the meantime, so I wrote back and said I wish to reschedule - feel free to call me anytime after hours or anytime over the weekend as I'm at work.

I don't hold out much hope for this job - I also don't fancy kicking back with these guys for beers every Friday over a game of pool.

I'm with you - the "scrap heap" jibe is just my black humor.

The thing that got me about this response is:

They made it clear that they are interested in me for the position, they've already spoken to me on the phone, where they asked a range of questions and they have my full employment history, a portfolio of my best work and referees who will vouch for me.

What's with this second preliminary phone interview crap at scheduled times, where they may ask me a range of technical questions that may take half an hour?

They promoted on their f'king retarded ad how easy going they are - that they have funky offices, pool tables and kick back on Fridays for beers. WTF

Why not just invite me in and see if I fit?

Bahahahaha, I hope my other interview works out. I'd love to be in a position, to say something really belittling and insulting to this guy if he rings me on the weekend.

I've always hated the taste of humble pie.

Sheesh Adolf, if that attitude came over in the initial phone conversation, I'm surprised you got to the next stage. Guessing that your tough, no-give-a-sh!t online identity has a different persona to your professional one? Now that would be a first!

Adolf, a couple of things ,after being self employed for most of my life, I went through what may have been my 2 nd or 3 rd mid life crisis, went through the corporate job employment thing for a few years until I realized I was unemployable in the corporate sense, it was a cleansing process to rid myself of the need to please in that environment, now happy to be self employed again, free from constraints to explore my own directions, maybe it's time to take the plunge and set your own agenda away from all what your fighting against, also you have only a couple of years left till you are in the over 50's, ....the renaissance years :-)

If you have no luck with any three, then my gutters on my shed need cleaning out.

$25 and the job is yours.

If you are interested could you please nominate via reply email your preferred contact number and your first and second preferences from the following gutter-cleaning times:

* Wednesday, August 8th @ 11am
* Wednesday, August 8th @ 12pm
* Wednesday, August 8th @ 1pm
* Wednesday, August 8th @ 5pm
* Thursday, August 9th @ 10am
* Thursday, August 9th @ 11am
* Thursday, August 9th @ 12pm
* Thursday, August 9th @ 2pm
* Thursday, August 9th @ 3pm
* Thursday, August 9th @ 4pm
* Friday, August 10th @ 10am
* Friday, August 10th @ 11am
* Friday, August 10th @ 12pm
* Friday, August 10th @ 3pm
* Friday, August 10th @ 4pm

The work may take longer than 30 minutes and may include a technical
component.

Cool, Ive got six years to go then

the interview process is probably taken over by HR people which are normally complete fxcktards who got into HR becasue the idea of doing anything productive scared them. I say dont judge them but the HR tainted process

I am happy about all the replies to my first efforts - pretty encouraging so far. I just felt that this second round interview process was a setup for failure. Would prefer it's on my terms. The way I see it is: they advertised the position, they were the ones who crapped on how easy going they were. I just sent in all my details and replied to their questions honestly during the first phone call. What's the big deal in asking me to come in for a chat?

There is no employment agency or HR department. When my own contacts and the private advertisers are exhausted, I'll sound out the employment agencies, if still nothing happens, I'll look at a five day week, less money, reskill, etc. I'll compromise to fit in if I have to.

If there is a benefit in getting older it must be that you get to know yourself pretty well and how you best work. Because, most of your waking hours are spent at work, it's important to me that I like the people I'm working with. Obviously, in my next challenge, I'd like to stick around for a while and earn earn what the market says I'm worth.

In most places, I've felt like a person when I start, but after some time in the job, you do become a resource - usually when that happens, I move on. My last job was a real people place, never felt like a resource. The downside was that the work was not challenging, and I didn't learn much. My new boss was just a trigger for me to wake up.

Onwards and upwards.

I see where you're going now - I've wondered about my value in the workplace in the past, but found (as ockanui said) that self-employment gives me the most satisfaction. You're spot-on saying that as you get older you want to be comfortable in your job and get a good balance of family, work & play. I hope you find that job, good luck with it.

Cant wait till you hit 50

That being the case why don't you become self employed??

That way you will get the boss you deserve.

Mmhh, you know there are heaps of individuals and consulting firms - big and small - that offer up-to-speed technology services. Plus within a year or two, the target will have moved, rendering many, many certs and knowledge obsolete, with even more up-to-date people having flooded the market meanwhile.

I find any growth in tech demand is well fulfilled, market-wise if not quality-wise, through in- and outsourcing.

IMO ideas, most preferably novel ones, allow to make money while you sleep.
Not technology nor elbow grease.

Having said that, gotta go ice up the elbow , and all the best to you still.

I recently went through the getting a new job process after being with the same company and industry for 18 years. We were taken over by a giant US multi-national. Unfortunately the place went to **** but fortunately I was offered a sweet redundancy package and after some long talks with the family I took it.

When it was time to get back to work it was quiite a shock to realise how out of touch I was. My wife and I put my very old CV back together and I started looking.
Some jobs I applied for took weeks to get back to you and have since found out (especially from Seek jobs) that they take their sweet time and wait until they have quite a lot of applications. At some places I did 2-3 interviews all from days apart to over a week. It can get frustrating. Luckily I persevered. took my time and finally scored a job 10 minutes from home (after commuting 40-45 minutes each wayfor years), a great company and good people.
Going from the IT industry to mining is a big change.
Get used to the idea of juggling interviews and job prospects with what you really want.
Last thing I said to my old work was "Work to live, not the other way around"

ka43 - if you don't mind me asking... how long did it take you to find the job you wanted... and how many weeks 'holiday' did you allow yourself before you got serious about job hunting?

I am in a similar boat. 28yrs with the same company... had a very good run, but now the company has adopted a national shared services model and although my department was not affected directly, for me the challenge is no longer there - so I have decided to move on.

I gave 3 months notice and have another 4 months paid leave so have given myself 7 months to find something new. Having said that, I'd love to have 8 weeks off surfing/cycling in the mornings and painting the house in the arvos, but just don't want to get to January and not have something lined up.