One consequence of being unemployed this long

[annathepiper]

I'm starting to get to know all the recruiters at various local agencies by name.

Volt: Candice, Susan, Henry
Excell: Willie, Len, Erin
Comforce: Bruce, Andrew
Chameleon Technologies: Heather

Now if one of these people could ACTUALLY GET ME A JOB, life would be pretty good... Erin is the current recruiter at bat, because I have an interview today at Borg for a year-long SDE/T gig. In less than two hours. Wish me luck, folks.

Comments

[firni.livejournal.com]

Go, you! Get 'em!

Re:

[annathepiper]

Thanks!

Though damned if I know how I did. I've stopped trying to really figure out how I do on interviews; these past months I've had ones that I thought I did really well on, and on which I seemed to hit it off very well with the interviewers... only to not get any of those jobs.

This time around I got a couple of guys who were either very good at the Microsoft Interview Poker Face, or who were just tired or something from slogging through a day's worth of interviews. (I happened to notice when I got there that the person who must have been right ahead of me in the cattle call was coming out to meet someone who had to be his recruiter--she asked him how he thought he did and such.)

Not much chatting at all in these interviews, mostly just an endless cavalcade of coding and logic questions. I got all the questions that the first guy asked me, but bombed hardcore on one of the logic questions from the second guy. On the other hand--I also got "that's the best answer I've heard all day" in response to something else he asked me, so there might be hope.

Though again... damned if I know, anymore! I'm just trying to keep it cool and hang onto the mindset of "if I get the job, dandy, if not, move on". The aforementioned Erin did tell me that she had another job possibility that she thought I would be a match for if this one falls through... and for that matter, Andrew at Comforce called me this morning before I left for the interview.

Because he'd gotten my resume off of Monster.com (which I'd spent some time updating this weekend, go me!). Go figure--Monster.com actually proved useful!

[annathepiper]

And oh yeah... the first guy actually mentioned that he looked at my web site. He didn't say anything in particular about it, though the thought that somebody actually LOOKED at my personal web page off of my resume sort of made me go "whoa".

I've gotta spruce it up again. I'm feeling minimalist these days and need to give it a cleaner, less graphics-heavy look while trying to maintain some code goodness and leafy pretty.

[mizkit.livejournal.com]

Good luck!

Re:

[annathepiper]

Thanks!

[thomwatson.livejournal.com]

Wishing you all the luck of my Irish ancestors (ok, well maybe considerably /more/ luck than some of them, actually).

Re:

[annathepiper]

*giggle* I've got Irish ancestors too--though I have my doubts about their luck. ;p Thanks though!

[juanal.livejournal.com]

Hey good luck, I just landed something after 2 years out (okay only 1 really looking hard, but still) so if I can do it.

BTW, I like your list, you talked to more people than I did, but we talked to two of the same people at Excell, you should also try to see if Mike has anything for you there, he seemed to have a few good ones a week ago. He got me an interview loop at MS that went OK but then the position got re-org'd away.

You talked to a whole different set of people at Volt. If you send me your resume I could forward it on to Kathy and/or Andrea over there, they also look for SDE/T positions, and they got me my current gig, and a friend of mine that I referred to them, all in the same week. He started today.

I hope the interview today went well, I know you will get something soon, I think the SDE/T market is going through a boom right now and you definitely have the skills to land one of the open positions.

Re:

[annathepiper]

I am impressed with the people at Excell, if nothing else because they've come back into the lead for "group of recruiters who keep best contact with me"--and furthermore, I am amused that they actually seem to talk to each other. Willie was the first one I talked to there, and he's been in on the loop when both Len and Erin have spoken with me. He's been cc'd on emails they've sent me.

I've been inundating Volt with applying for stuff online at their web site as appropriate, but what the hell, I'll fire my current resume your way. Can't hurt. :)

Dar's making similar noises at me about not selling myself short as an SDE/T--I tend to not really think of myself in such terms, but after talking to the two guys today about what they're looking for I think I'll be quite comfy with such a position. I've taken some confidence from being able to discuss running automation on my last job.

[juanal.livejournal.com]

Cool, when you send me your resume let me know also if it is okay if I forward it on to SolutionsIQ. I have a contact there who did right by me, and I'd like to pass her some good resumes, too.

Re:

[annathepiper]

Will do. I've applied for stuff with them as well but not lately. I'll wing it over this morning.