And Now For Something Completely Different

Yesterday did not start well. I slept in a little, and cut myself shaving, and couldn't find any hot water for a shower, and the glass was half empty, and cracked, and I cut my lip on it, and chipped a tooth.

However, once I was awake and moving, I had to get into the city for an interview with Conde Nast. Now, I know what you're thinking; "Conde Nast? The magazine publisher?" Yes, the very same. I was offered a position as a producer of the websites that accompany the magazines! I've been fiddling with websites for years, but never really considered it a career. Even in this job, though, I won't be coding much (there's a whole design team for that), but I'll be producing. What this means is a little unclear to me at the moment, but I think it mainly involves checking everything over to make sure it'll look right on the screen, clearing everything with the magazine, and finally taking the website live for the world to see.

Not something I ever would have thought I'd be doing. But, I do enjoy playing with websites, and getting paid for it hardly seems a burden! I'm starting as a temporary hire, until I can learn their system and gain some experience. With some hard work, I'll be able to step into a permanent position in a few months.

And all of this is because I sped across the country to meet my aunt for drinks. Go figure.

It'll take some time for all the paper shuffling to occur, but hopefully I'll be starting next week!

Oh, and I still haven't heard back from that other company. It's been almost a week. If they offer me more, I'll probably still go with them. But at this rate, I don't know if I'll ever heard back from them....

I Got a Job!!!

Details forthcoming....

The Suspense is Killing Me

I haven't heard back from that company yet, which makes me think it won't be today. They did say early this week. Well, tomorrow is mid-week, and I'm going crazy waiting. I really like these guys, and if they offer, I think I'll take it.

In other news, I have an interview tomorrow with a publishing corporation, and another on Friday. The one tomorrow isn't exactly for a permanent position, but it'll at least be money in the bank as I keep searching.

Anyone know any ways to retain sanity whilst waiting for a potentially life-changing event to occur any moment?

Holding My Breath

The second interview yesterday went wonderfully. I spent almost three hours there chatting with two partners, and the folks I would be working directly with should they hire me. I'm really trying not to get my hopes up, but I just feel so good about this firm. They are great people, and the office is so comfortable.

I have two more interviews next week, but there is this very real hope that I can cancel them. I'll know Monday or Tuesday.

The Good, The Bad, and The Utterly Classless

The Good:

Andrew:

Thanks so much the additional info. Can you come by this Friday afternoon, to meet with other members of the team?

Also, thanks much for your patience. I have been traveling extensively.

All the best,

D--- F----

|| Hooray! A second-round interview! I can't wait 'til Friday.


The Bad:

I got a phone call rejection from a prominent search engine. How nice of them to actually call me.


Completely Classless:

EXCITING FINANCIAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR RECENT GRADUATES!!!!
Cust#: 0
Internet reply

Dear Andrew Fleming:

Thank you for your interest in employment opportunities at [company]. We strive to find the right person for the right opportunity. At this time, we will not be pursuing you as a candidate for the position but would like you to keep [company] in mind for future career opportunities.

We appreciate your interest in [company] and wish you success in your future professional endeavors. We encourage you to stay current on our career opportunities by visiting [company's website].

Kind Regards,
The [company] Recruitment Team

|| Shameful. The email address this came from displayed the following: "****** DELETE, [COMPANY]/731 LEXIN" My mailbox thought it was spam! Oh, and I love how you would like me to keep your company in mind for the future. You turned me down, and you want me to come back asking for more? Most companies have the decency to lie and say they'll keep me in mind, but you won't even trouble yourself with that one. No, you want me to keep you in mind, to regularly check your website just in case there's a chance I might be of some use to you. I don't think so.

Alright, Who Didn't Keep Their Fingers Crossed?

Dear Andrew,

Thank you very much for meeting with us.

We have thoroughly reviewed your qualifications, and, although excellent, we feel they do not quite fit the position we have in mind at the present time.

We sincerely appreciate your interest in becoming associated with our firm and we regret that this response cannot be more favorable.

We wish you well in locating the opportunity you desire.

Sincerely,

L---- T-----
Recruiting Coordinator


||Well, L----, what can I say? Your company was the most attractive to me of all of them. It was also my first consulting interview ever. I had the energy, but was decidedly lacking in experience. This transition out of academia is tougher than I thought. Fortunately, you have been incredibly polite and kind to me through my interview process with your firm, and I really appreciate that. You've shown me that I was right about the atmosphere of your firm, which sort of makes the sting of this letter a little worse. I would have really liked it there.

Another Interview

Three, to be exact. I had an interview with a consulting firm this morning that consisted of three interviews with different people. Some parts felt very good, and others were a little awkward. I am very comfortable chatting with people, no problem there. But when they asked me to add two and two in my head with them watching--I answered five. (No, not really, just an oversimplification to get the point across that basic math escaped me under pressure.) On the one hand, they know this was my first consulting interview, so maybe they'll go easy on me. On the other, I'm afraid I won't mark very high in the "works well under pressure" category.

If you're reading this, I really do work well under pressure. Really. Look at my last two years of college....

I really like this company, we seem perfectly suited to each other. I just hope they see that, too.

Spent the weekend in Houghton, first time back in over two years. It was much fun. I got to see a lot of old friends, made some wonderful new ones, and really connected with some great people. Maybe you can go home again after all.

But I seem to have brought a cold back with me, so it's off to bed.

Networking

They say the key to getting a good job is knowing someone on the inside. Well, with one company so far, that's backfired on me. The folks looking at my resume decided I was getting too much help from my friend on the inside and so declined my application. But it is still true that connections more often help than hinder.

Two weeks ago, my mom and step-father went to his forty-year high school reunion. There they ran into an old friend of his who just happens to be a cardiologist living in Greenwich, CT. Greenwich is the next town over from Stamford (and even more wealthy). He told my parent's to have me call him, and so I did, thinking that it'd be nice to know someone else in this area. He then told me about all the high-profile patients he has and how he'd love to drop my resume to them. He asked me to email him my resume and meet with him for lunch last Thursday so he could get to know me.

Well, apparently, he forwarded my resume the same day he received it to a friend of his who runs a hedge fund across the street from his office in Greenwich. This guy then calls me to talk about how to apply my mathematical skills to the financial world. I'm thinking, wow, how wonderful of this guy to call and chat with me and give me all this information simply on the word of a friend of his whom I have yet to meet! But that's not all; the hedge fund guy then asks me to come in to his office and meet with him before lunch with the doctor on Thursday. He says he wants to talk about my resume, my experiences, and my skills.

It sounded like an interview to me, but I still thought perhaps he was just being helpful and preferred to talk in person. But I went, with extra copies of my resume, and met with him. I drove down to his office. He was incredibly personable and friendly, smiling and making jokes about the decor of his office. We talked about his hedge fund, how it works, and how I could fit into that picture. We talked about ballroom dancing, he's also a competitor. We talked about my schooling, my research, my interests. He even gave me a tour of the whole office, and introduced me to some of the other folks working there. Then he asked for some writing samples, and told me he'd talk to his team about hiring me! Could this possibly be true?

After my meeting/interview, I went and met the doctor for lunch. He was also very nice, and took me to a small seafood place for lunch (where he knew half of the other patrons there). We also talked about my past, present, and future, and he offered to help me in any way he could. He knows a lot of people working in and around Greenwich, and took some copies of my resume to hand out to them. He even offered to help my girlfriend land a singing gig with a wealthy, opera-loving lady in the area.

I am so lucky to be meeting such genuinely good people.

Keep Your Fingers Crossed!

Dear Andrew ,

We are in receipt of your resume and would like to invite you to interview with us in [location]. If you are available, our November interview sessions are:

[dates and times]

If these are not good dates for you, we will be finalizing December dates in late November, and, if you wish, we will forward those to you.

[details relevant to the company]

All interviews will be conducted in our [location] office. All your interview-related expenses will be reimbursed to you promptly upon presentation of valid receipts. All expenses should be submitted to my attention.

Please let me know which interview session you prefer. Also, email me or call me at [phone number] if you have any questions. Please note that I will be out of the office on November 2nd and 3rd.

We're looking forward to meeting you!

Best regards,

L---- T-----
[company name]


|| Woo hoo!!

FOAD

Back at Michigan Tech there is a tradition of posting FOAD letters proudly on your door for all to see. For the uninitiated, FOAD letters, or Fuck-Off-And-Die letters, are those wonderfully vague and somewhat vapid little wastes of paper that companies send to applicants to inform them that the company has no interest in giving the applicant an interview. There are various reasons for this, most of them lies. Of course in this day and age, why waste the paper? A simple email will suffice, it costs nothing to send and all you have to do is copy and paste the poor applicant's name to send the same letter to everyone you want to FOAD. An even more cowardly trend these days is not to reply at all.

In my years at Tech, I've seen several of these letters up on friends' doors. Some of them were on quality paper with embossed letterheads, and some were nothing more than post-cards (hang your head in shame, Toyota). Now that I'm looking at jobs in the real world, I'm beginning to understand the subtlety that is the FOAD letter. Since no one will see them on my door, I will post them here, for your enjoyment.

Company names have been omitted, and people's names changed, to protect the guilty.

#1

Thank you for taking the time to apply to [company name]. Unfortunately, we will not be able to extend you an invitation for a first round interview. Please be assured that this is not a reflection on your fine achievements, rather, that we can interview only a very small percentage of the large number of highly qualified candidates that apply. There is a team of [company name] consultants and recruiting staff that review all incoming applications. I can not tell you specifically why your application was not selected, however, I can share with you a few of the things that we look for in screening candidate applications: leadership, commitment, academic excellence, analytics, and knowledge of [company name]. I hope this is helpful.

Best of luck with your employment search,
N-----

|| Well, N-----, I appreciate your taking the time to send me a stock letter in which you didn't even bother to write my name. Unfortunately, all of the things you look for were specifically addressed in my resume and cover letter. So no, not helpful in the slightest.

#2

Dear Andrew,

Thank you for your interest in -----. Although it is clear that someone with your qualifications has much to offer, we have
been unable to identify a good match between your particular background and experience and our immediate requirements. However, we will keep your resume in our files on the chance that a suitable position should become available at a later date.

We appreciate your taking the time to contact us and wish you the best in your job search.

Sincerely,

Strategic Growth
[company name]

|| Well said, anonymous person from the Strategic Growth department. Your letter has just enough flattery that I still feel warm and fuzzy inside, and I have absolute confidence that you'll call me the very second a suitable position becomes available. And hey, thanks for actually looking up my name.

#3

We appreciate the time you spent interviewing with us and thank you for the interest you expressed in [company name].

We have now had an opportunity to review all of the candidate's credentials. Although your educational background and skills were impressive, we believe we must consider other candidates whose experience will more closely match the needs of the organization.

We regret that at the present time we do not have another position available to utilize your skills and training. We shall keep your resume on file should this situation change in the near future.

Thank you for your interest in our organization and best wishes for continued success in your career endeavors.

Very truly yours,

L---- B----
NY Recruiting Coordinator
[company name]

|| L----, the reason I contacted you was to get an interview, so while I appreciate your appreciation of my time interviewing, there was no interview. Does that mean there really is no appreciation? That makes me sad. However, now you're in a race with anonymous from above to get in touch with me when another position opens. The ball's in your court, L----. By the way, unless I was the only candidate, you misplaced the apostrophe in the second paragraph.