Tag Archives: interview

Circle of Trust? Are you in or out?

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I get tired of rambling on about work. I know we each lead different lives with different jobs and the things that occur in my position as “middle management” probably happens in many other companies. I had made a few observations that I cannot escape, such as those people in the “Circle of Trust” [stealing a line from the Fockers] and those outside it. Also, the fact that rarely are you complemented for doing a good job by your superiors.

Ah yes, the Circle of Trust, as I said you are either in it, or not. But there is also a gray area. I have never been inside the circle, unfortunately. At one time or another, I had the desire to be “in the circle” and maybe was in venturing into that gray area, but never was accepted. In the same position in Los Angeles I could just not break on through to the next level even though I was plenty capable and qualified to do the job. But when it came time to hire, HR turned to the “skirts” [yeah, I know its sexist, but its the truth]. Not one, not two, but three all in a row. I guess this was “diversity in action.” But the “capable” and “qualified” left a lot to be desired.

I left Los Angeles for supposed greener pastures in San Francisco. Initially, the doors were open and arms were wide. It felt good to know I had a clean slate and the possibility to advance within my company. Early on I had that chance, I studying and passed the interview [which was a huge plus in itself], but then was given the mixed news. The good news, I was a “successful candidate and passed the interview.” That was a good feeling, but I was not offered one of the two positions. The reason for not being selected as given to me by my manager, “Steve, many people don’t know you up here yet.” WTF? So who did they hire, some guy from Denver who was an unknown and a woman, who was more less given the job regardless of her interview. This information from a very reliable source and a previous manager [one of only a few I respect].

Again frustration set in, I was so close to getting in the circle I could taste it. But after the interview I was given the chance to temporarily “upgrade” to the manager position I had just interviewed for, but would not get on a full time basis. I accepted on the off chance there would be another opening in the future and I might be considered. That would not be the case due to lack of pay they were going to provide, which was only 10% [maximum] over what I currently make. I decided not to interview, as I felt it was not worth my time or effort. And because I did not look good in a skirt. As it happens they hired another female who happens to not only be in the circle, but on the “fast track.”

But I have accepted I am in a dead end job that will lead nowhere at the company, but what is even more frustrating is the fact that managers do not complement you for a job well done. The last few occurrences I have had with upper management have been all negative. Such as something you forgot, or did not do, or could have done differently. I guess next time at 2am when I have a situation arise I will take the time to call upper management and get their input before I make a decision. Unfortunately, that scenario is a bit absurd, I make decisions by myself on my shift, since I am the only one in the building.

Some of the other minor issues recently include the day and date not matching on an Excel report and the department manager wanted it fixed immediately when she had known about this for a week prior. The company manager wanting to know what I could have done to save [not cancel] some early, important flights in the morning. Of course he is ex-maintenance and does not want to point the finger at a department who still cannot do the job correctly. Information is the key! If I get good information from them, then I can make good decisions, but if that information is wrong or they don’t give me the full story, then we run into problems.

Again, this is not only concentrated on me, my job or position. Things of this nature occur in all companies, but the frustration level is at an all time high and I am doing my damnedest to get the hell out. With any luck, this could be my last month here and then I can really divulge all the happenings behind the scene. It is simply amazing at what goes on, or shall I say what they allow to go on that is considered standard operating procedure.

Little Bit of Everything

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April 15 is quickly approaching, unlike other tasks I procrastinate accomplishing, taxes are not one of them. Why? It should be obvious, because Uncle Sam owes me a refund. Granted, I don’t get back nearly what I paid in over the course of 2005. But it is nice knowing I have two refund checks, state and federal, that will be arriving in my bank account.

That leads to another question, what to do with this “new found” wealth. Would you believe I am already looking into saving for Zachary’s future? Yup…what a dad I am! They are called 529 Plans, education savings plan operated by a state or educational institution designed to help families set aside funds for future college costs. I was originally planning to place money in a separate account and buy the S&P 500, but these plans look a much better choice.

Christal and I are also looking at some upgrades on the house. Did I mention, I can’t stand living there any more? It’s amazing how much shit I missed when I walked through prior to purchasing it. If I knew then, what I know now, I would not have offered the price I did. We have made some quality upgrades, such as a new master bathroom, a new cedar fence and a 10×14 shed for storage or as a workshop. That should surely add to our overall valve of the house. Not to get too sidetracked, check out Zillow.com, it gives you some statistical information on your home.

Once the winter stops in the next few months, I will start in on the landscape, both front and rear. I paid to have some plans professionally done and already have a gift card for $300 worth of plants. But that is for later. As for those upgrades, we need some new 1″ horizontal blinds in the living room and master bedroom. My STD list is growing at a phenomenal rate! Damn the rain for not allowing me to accomplish these needed tasks and home improvement items.

Speaking of the house, we are refinancing for the second time in two years. The current mortgage is killing that thing called cash flow. It’s more like a cash trickle at the moment. But this new loan will allow us more cash flow on a monthly basis, which should help out. This was the third different mortgage specialist I spoke to [a friend of Christal’s] and oddly enough, all three offered me the same sort of loan, while the terms were slightly different.

Hopefully by the end of March we will be refinanced and on the two year clock to sell the house and move. Going back to what I said earlier, I want to get out of this place. Aside from gaining equity, which is very nice, there is not much else I can say good about the house. The commute sucks! The neighborhood is okay, some trash and rather “diverse” in parts. We will have to see what happens to real estate the next few years. I still think I could sell the house inside of 30 days once it went on the market.

Of course this is all on hold until I leave my current job or hahahah….get a pay raise. Right, my company actually rewarding employees based on performance. Pfft…never happen. I even wonder why they give us “performance reviews.” So what if I sucked in 2005? Would I not be getting a raise? Nope.I do have a rather hot prospect that will hopefully pan out. I spoke to an ex-coworker, who is now employed locally. He has spoke to the manager of a department and made mention I would be a perfect fit. So hopefully I will meet this lady, tour the facility and be “prepped” for a potential job interview and offer. Won’t give away the details, for fear I would jinx it.

Let’s Job Hunt

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I don’t know what is more frustrating, the actual job hunt or sitting through an interview? I bring this up because I fulfilled my 2006 New Year’s resolution, as posted back in January. I enrolled the services of an online company at e-resume to help me update my outdated resume and supply me with a cover letter. Well, it has taken five revisions and some discussion with my “mentor” but I believe we have a winning resume.

I have already applied for three different jobs (Maersk, BNSF Railway & Virgin America), feeling more confident about being contacted for potential interviews and future employment. While it is still very early in the process, my only concern now is the handling of the interview. The resume will score you the proverbial “foot in the door” but a resume will not pass the interview process for you.

While I am waiting I have been brushing up one the interview process, going over some 250 questions that are asked by some of the top business. Wanna know something funny? As I was going through these questions, I was not asked one of them by my current employer (but they interview process is all fucked up anyway).

I think we (wife and I) have finally agreed at California is just too damn expensive (Jen, Marcus am I right?). But it was not always that way. Looking over my salary history of my current employer, my salary has decrease…are you sitting down…nearly $12,000.00 or 20.3% since 2001. And I ask myself continuously, WTF am I still doing here? Thus the frustration I continue to feel and the need to get out and get paid what I am worth.

Not sure I have completely sold Christal on the idea of moving away from her family and friends. I on the other hand am okay with being away from my family…as for friends, I find most of them on the Internet these days. Seriously, I only have a few friends in San Diego I see once a year when we draft fantasy football, my buddies Greg and Tom in Los Angeles and Greg’s brother Dan, now in Washington.

Possible areas of relocation? I still like the idea of Montana. Found a new city…er town called Havre. Ever hear of it? Neither have I, population about 9,600, located 30 miles south of the Canadian border, almost smack dab in the middle of the state. “Honey, you can have all the horses you want!” Hahah…so stay tuned as the job hunt progresses.

Oswald Rant: Female Gamers: isajones

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Given Name: Isabelle
Alias: isajones
Age: 19
Location: Australia
System: Nothing special…AMD Duron 1200, 351 MB RAM, S3 Graphics ProSavage, MS Wheel Optical Mouse, 17″ monitor
Oswald: How do you balance your real world social life with that of your Internet life?

isajones: Well because I’m also studying, I’ve had to make time for friends and relationships. That’s what I use weekends for. It’s working okay so far. I just have to plan a week in advance in case anything comes up. Although it’s tough only seeing my bf once a week, we both play UrT, so it’s not so bad.

I usually play UrT in the evenings, when most of my friends are playing. I also keep up with everyone by chatting online. I think I spend too much time in front of my computer to be honest.

Oswald: When did you start playing games and how were you introduced to it?

isajones: I grew up amongst Macs, and Dad made little programs for me and my brother to play. But growing up, I wasn’t really interested in FPS’s. My brother was, so it eventually rubbed off on me. I’d sit and watch him play Action Quake, but I wasn’t hooked on computers like I am now.

Oswald: What drew you to Internet gaming?

isajones: Well I’ve only been playing online since I moved back home, and I’ve been playing UrT regularly since January I guess. Sitting around watching my dad and brother play got me interested. I started with Quake 3 though, then moved onto UrT. It seemed more of a challenge, and more fun. I loved Rommel. It’s such a great map.

Oswald: What sort of reactions do you receive from your friends when they find out you enjoy computer games?

isajones: They already know I’m not your stereotypical 19 year old, so I don’t think it surprises them the least. When I try to explain it to them, they just smile politely and nod. But I don’t think I’m going to be converting any of them soon.

Oswald: Do you feel a difference in how you are perceived because you are a female gamer?

isajones: At first I was chatted up a lot, and I guess treated like a novelty. But now that I’ve been playing for so long and I’ve formed a lot of friendships, and met a lot of people in person who also play UrT, I’m hoping other gamers don’t see me just as a ‘female gamer’. Also having a female clan, |d’angels|, kinda broke down barriers between sexes and all the misconceptions about girls playing online. But then, when I first started playing, I had no idea rustyTNT was a girl. So I fell into that trap as well.

Oswald: While it might be a misconception, some males are more serious when it comes to online gaming. How serious are you when you sit down in front of you monitor?

isajones: *blushes* Sometimes I get frustrated at my team for various reasons and start yelling at my screen. My computer is in the living room and I share a desk with Dad, so I’m sure he doesn’t like it when I get all wound up over flag caps. But other times I’ll be having fun and not give a stuff coz I’m playing with my friends, and that’s what I have to keep telling myself.

Oswald: In many of the school related shootings, one contributing factor that seems to rear is head is computer gaming. We hear, “He played Doom, that is what drove him to commit this act of violence.” What are you thoughts on violent video games and how they effect kids today?

isajones: I think kids today are smart enough to know the difference between video games and real life violence. People are always looking for something to blame, and violent video games are an easy target. I know no one in my family has thought about going out and gunning people down with M4’s. I mean, seriously.

Oswald: Are you known in the gaming community because you are a skilled gamer or because you are female?

isajones: Tough one there. I’m certainly not skilled in the ‘l33t’ sense, and I sure hope I’m known more for being a fun person to play against than the fact I’ve got boobs. You’ll have to ask around, as I’m not really sure what people think of me. They might mention something about the local forums and spam. *blushes*

Oswald: How does your online persona differ from who you are when you are away from the computer?

isajones: I have to say that I’m more outgoing online than in real life. There is no way I’d tell someone bluntly to STFU. I have more discrete ways of getting the message across. I’m very quiet in real life. But I think I’ve got more confidence than I used to. I’m more cheeky online too, and I especially like that I can get away with more things by hiding behind my screen.

Oswald: Any thoughts, comments or shout outs you have for the community?

isajones: Nothing, except thanks to Dad and my bro for getting me addicted to UrT. Ya buggers… : )

Coming Friday, the conclusion to the Fem Fatale Series

Oswald Rant: Female Gamers: rustyTNT

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Given Name: Michelle
Alias: rustyTNT
Age: 26
Location: Australia
System: AMD Athlon 700, GeForce II MX (but for the most part I ‘dunno’). The boyfriend sorts it all out for me, I just get on and play and nag at him when things aren’t going smoothly.

Oswald: How do you balance your real world social life with that of your Internet life?

rustyTNT: Mostly I was working too many hours to have much of a social life. Internet was something easy I could do with minimal effort.

Oswald: When did you start playing games and how were you introduced to it?

rustyTNT: A bit of quake three a year ago, and Urban Terror (the mod) since the beginning of 2002. Was introduced to it via my boyfriend (in an attempt to keep me from nagging him about the time he spends gaming lol) If you cant beat ’em girls, join em.

Oswald: What drew you to Internet gaming?

rustyTNT: I had a deprived childhood (joking). Never had exposure to the nintendo’s etc that were around so I’ve always been partial to the computer games. Then I came across the Urban Terror mod, and holy shit.I actually made some kills. Addiction from then on.

Oswald: What sort of reactions do you receive from your friends when they find out you enjoy computer games?

rustyTNT: Um, er…I’m a closet gamer. None of my friends know that I indulge in such things.

Oswald: Do you feel a difference in how you are perceived because you are a female gamer?

rustyTNT: Yes. Most guys are ok with it, but because most of my clan got into this via their partners or male family members we sometimes get accused of having our other half’s sub for us when we start owning.

Oswald: While it might be a misconception, some males are more serious when it comes to online gaming. How serious are you when you sit down in front of you monitor?

rustyTNT: I like to tell myself that I really don’t give a damn, but…I sorta do. It does depend on the crowd I’m playing against though. Sometimes it’s just great fun with a group of great people. Other times its like pressure…

Oswald: In many of the school related shootings, one contributing factor that seems to rear is head is computer gaming. We hear, “He played Doom, that is what drove him to commit this act of violence.” What are you thoughts on violent video games and how they effect kids today?

rustyTNT: I disagree. They are just games. Provided the child has normal social development and respect for others their interactions with other gamers should be amicable and not drive them to any criminal acts. If the child does not have normal background then it’s not the game at fault is it? There were underlying issues to begin with.

Oswald: Are you known in the gaming community because you are a skilled gamer or because you are female?

rustyTNT: Bit of both. Mostly I’m known for whining about the unfairness of the teams lol ie: skill level not evenly distributed to give both sides fighting chance etc. Most of our community know our |d’angels| tag and that we are all chicks.

Oswald: How does your online persona differ from who you are when you are away from the computer?

rustyTNT: Not much difference. in real life I’m a bit standoffish, but with underlying strength and sense of fairness and a temper that I usually bottle up. Online I need not be quite so shy and the temper might come out a bit more but it’s still essentially a reflection of me.

Oswald: Any thoughts, comments or shout outs you have for the community?

rustyTNT: Um, I’d like to get into something really deep and meaningful in answer to this question. But I can’t think of nuffin.. (how embarrassment) lol.