Interview 1 for the week

I actually got some sleep last night, which was a very good thing!  I still didn’t want to get out of bed this morning.  I moved the alarm up 15 minutes but after 5 minutes I got up and got moving.

I had some time to kill, so I caught up on e-mail and spent a little time with the kids before I had to start getting ready.

I made it to the interview with 30 minutes to spare.  I sat in my car for 15 minutes and then went inside.  The interview didn’t go as long as planned, I was out and home in an hour and a half. 

So it sounds like I am the only person that they are interviewing for this.  HR gave me a very different impression but the hiring manager intimated that the job was mine.  At the end of the interview he said he needed to check out my skill test, look at my job application and check on a couple more things.  Then they would be in touch soon but he didn’t have a time frame in mind.

Going in I was super excited and looking forward to this.  After hearing about the job I am a little taken back.  They want a jack of all trades.  A Programmer (which I am not), A Network Technician (I know basics), A Desktop Support Person (totally my forte) and a Help Desk Person (done that before).  Plus a Contract Negotiator, Phone Person and IT Procurement person.  So to say there is variety in this job is a understatement.  It sounds like I would be going nuts trying to stay a float and always juggling several things at once.  It’s a salaried position, which is great except they work you 45 hours per week instead of the normal 40.  Being salaried you don’t get overtime.  They don’t impress me as being a cheap company so if an offer does come through I think it will be something substantial or so I hope!

I made it perfectly clear that I am not a programmer.  We also talked about the travel and they rent cars to drive to all but one location.  That other location they fly to.  It depends upon the work load but typically they send one person.  If I get this job, come travel time I’d like to buddy up with someone to visit each site at least one time.  That way you get to know the lay of the land.  The company picks up all expenses which is nice but they expect you to put everything on your credit card and then reimburse you after the fact.  That would be fine except I have no credit card.  Most companies that do any type of travel on a regular basis have corporate credit cards for their people.  Perhaps I can talk them in to one, time will tell and right now that is the least of my worries.

I got home and talked things over with my partner.  He really hopes I get this.  I was hoping to pass but after thinking about it, the opportunity to learn so many new things would be interesting.  So long as they aren’t expecting perfection out of the box, it sounds like something I could work with.  Besides that it would break up my unemployment and if they wound up letting me go, I would be able to start a new claim all over again.  Not that I want to.  I do thing that if I get this, it will probably be a stepping stone either into a different position within the company and/or a position with another company.  That would depend a lot upon how the job goes. 

I’ve sent my thank you email and now we play the waiting game.  I have prepared for tomorrow which will be the early wake up call.  No naps for me today and I am tired so sleeping tonight shouldn’t be any problem.

That recruiter I was waiting to do a phone interview with called while I was out today.  I called back and she wants to meet in person later this week.  I am so not a fan of doing this.  However, we are down to crunch time so against my better judgment I will meet with her.  You just never know when/where my next opportunity will come from so might as well tackle all opportunities that come my way.

Wow, this week is turning out to be way busier than last week.  In fact 3 face to face interviews in one week, that is the most I have ever done since I started this process.  I just hope something comes through soon so I can avoid further financial problems.

I’m off to surf a bit and then start my night time chores and hit the sack early.  That hopefully will help me adjust to the early morning wake up call.  Not to mention the fact that when I do go back to work, I will getting up early every morning.  Ugh!