I think I just tanked an interview
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Chat with CFO guy went well. He said he's already going to recommend me. No talk at all about the remote work thing, but he did clue me in to why everyone's so disjointed: for an American company they sure do act pretty Japanese. They used to be three companies, and they're all completely different from one another and in different time zones. And these acquisitions are so new that the employees are just now wrapping their heads around the idea that they're part of a bigger organization. Because of that, I think I can make a pretty good case that for my position, there'd be no incentive at all in working in an office, unless they plan on flying me around all the damn time to talk to these other people in person, which of course they won't, that'd be silly.
Meeting with the other C later today. She's been there for only three months so I don't anticipate a hard interview.
Looks like the Hard Word is going to happen once I finally talk to the HR person again about brass tacks in the employment offer.
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@Aqua-Letifer said in I think I just tanked an interview:
@Catseye3 said in I think I just tanked an interview:
@Aqua-Letifer said in I think I just tanked an interview:
My boss keeps getting emails like, "Haven't found it." "Keep calling, I can't hear it." "Are you still calling?" "Keep calling."
That is absolutely . . . forget it; there are no words for what that is. In an adult.
That's today.
Every day is something. Every single.
Are you absolutely 100% sure your bosses boss isn't POTUS?
Proud supporter of Plan 2525. Everything you think, do and say will be in the pill you took today.
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@Doctor-Phibes said in I think I just tanked an interview:
@Aqua-Letifer said in I think I just tanked an interview:
@Catseye3 said in I think I just tanked an interview:
@Aqua-Letifer said in I think I just tanked an interview:
My boss keeps getting emails like, "Haven't found it." "Keep calling, I can't hear it." "Are you still calling?" "Keep calling."
That is absolutely . . . forget it; there are no words for what that is. In an adult.
That's today.
Every day is something. Every single.
Are you absolutely 100% sure your bosses boss isn't POTUS?
Oh trust me. He absolutely thinks that he is. This isn't The Office. My job is like a love child between Wes Anderson and David Lynch.
Another update: My boss is in the final stages of a job offer as well. It's for a startup-ish place (new, but not so new that they don't actually have revenue money coming in to pay for their existence). They're asking for him to build out his team. He said there'd be a position there for me if he gets the job.
So if Crazy Place gives me an offer and they don't give me any shit about remote work, I'll tell them I need a 2-week buffer to start work, so I can wait to hear back about my boss's thing.
Please love yourself.
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@Aqua-Letifer
that is awesome!!! -
that's great!
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Highly entertaining thread. Not surprised though that Aqua pulls through, I see a pattern here.
I don’t believe remote will be an issue in terms of them rescinding an offer.
What will be very funny is if you end up ghosting them anyway after the offer comes.
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@Loki said in I think I just tanked an interview:
Highly entertaining thread. Not surprised though that Aqua pulls through, I see a pattern here.
I don’t believe remote will be an issue in terms of them rescinding an offer.
What will be very funny is if you end up ghosting them anyway after the offer comes.
At this point, that's the most probable outcome! I'm not out of the woods yet, though.
Had a video chat with the final C at the end of the day today, by the way. The woman was singularly hung up on the necessity to wrap your head around technical information. So I said I'm comfortable with that, and have a lot of experience having to do so.
"What I'm saying here is that disseminating technical information is very important."
"Understood and I agree, it seems pretty central to the job and the needs you have in the department."
"I guess what I'm saying is, you need to explain technical information to a non-expert audience, that's probably the biggest asset we're looking for. How do you go about doing that in your work today?"
"..............Well I think it's important to be flexible, after you have a handle on the material. Finding a handful of different ways to explain the same thing, for example, is a good practice, in case you have to readjust after not making your message clear the first time around."
I couldn't help it. She seemed not to pick up on it.
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Got a pre-emptive offer. Doesn't look good. Here are the salient points:
I'd be remote for awhile, but:
- I'd have to pick up all my equipment at the office. (Which is weird, because my current office, backwards as it is, has embraced adoption of the U.S. mail as part of its workflow.)
- I might be asked to come in from time to time for training, orientation, etc.
Once they fully open the office, which they don't say when or how they'd even determine when, I'd have to go in. - This is my favorite: they were in the middle of developing some work from home day policies, but that's been postponed due to the pandemic. (I would argue that because everyone's working remotely right now, they already have a policy in place.)
Looking like a no-go, because I seriously doubt they're going to be at all flexible, but I'm having trouble knowing how to pose questions. Is it reasonable to:
- Just reaffirm with them, once again, that my boss, his boss, and the CEO are all remote, always have been remote, and will continue to be remote after the office opens back up.
- Ask them why they're incapable of mailing things or using, I don't know, any video software for mandatory meetings.
The actual offer's pretty decent, other than, y'know, this bullshit.
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@brenda said in I think I just tanked an interview:
Time for line in the sand? Make it clear that you will determine when it' safe to return to the office setting. Get it in writing as part of the job offer, or they might conveniently forget.
When did I get so cynical?
That would be a way to frame it. Especially since I know absolutely nothing about the building, who they share it with, etc.
ANy other way to frame it?
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@Aqua-Letifer Is there someway you could ask them for a year period to work from home and see how that does? If is satisfaction from both sides, you can continue to operate from home.
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TG's suggestion might be easier for them to swallow since it eaves them in some control rather than just handing it to you.
But as far as the C level's questions, they do not lend themselves to a pat answer. Who is the audience? What is their technical and educational level? What exactly about the technical detail do they need to walk away with? Do they just need to grasp it a little or in depth?
Dumb question leading me to the conclusion that she does not understand it either.
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@Aqua-Letifer said in I think I just tanked an interview:
@brenda said in I think I just tanked an interview:
Time for line in the sand? Make it clear that you will determine when it' safe to return to the office setting. Get it in writing as part of the job offer, or they might conveniently forget.
When did I get so cynical?
That would be a way to frame it. Especially since I know absolutely nothing about the building, who they share it with, etc.
ANy other way to frame it?
Make it clear you have health history that indicates you need to be especially cautious during the pandemic, and working remotely is a necessity for you now and into the future.
As the medical community comes to a better understanding of the virus transmission, the criteria for safely opening an office continues to change. You will be following the advice of the medical community. (The company doesn't get to declare what's safe, the medical community is still determining that criteria.)
Cite the current situation of no vaccine, poor social distancing that they will be outside their control, cases continuing to grow in many regions, etc.
Cite the technology you have available and are adept at using, which is a key reason to hire you, and makes it a wise decision for them to retain during a time when those skills are key to keeping a business open.
Cite the uncertainty that the pandemic situation will be any better for a very long time, and the need for staff who are able to make the commitment to successful and productive telecommuting, as you are.
Cite the cost savings to them for not using any of the typical space, office amenities, parking space, etc.. (If you think humor is appropriate here, let them know you will be providing your own toilet paper, hand towels, and coffee! )Other folks here can add to the list, but this is a start for you to consider.
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@Mik said in I think I just tanked an interview:
Dumb question leading me to the conclusion that she does not understand it either.
She doesn't. She was a pushy dumb person. So, I let her be a pushy dumb person for awhile because I knew her vote would count the least. She's only been there 2 months.
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@taiwan_girl said in I think I just tanked an interview:
@Aqua-Letifer Is there someway you could ask them for a year period to work from home and see how that does? If is satisfaction from both sides, you can continue to operate from home.
Yes, if you want to have them review it in a year to verify that you have met their expectations, that is an option. However, if you wish to work remotely for longer than that, you may only be kicking the can down the road a year.
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@brenda said in I think I just tanked an interview:
Other folks here can add to the list, but this is a start for you to consider.
Think it's cool to back up my position in this way? Have you seen that before? A lot of your suggestions would be absolute go-tos for me, but I also suck at this kind of thing and so don't know how to navigate it properly.
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@brenda said in I think I just tanked an interview:
@taiwan_girl said in I think I just tanked an interview:
@Aqua-Letifer Is there someway you could ask them for a year period to work from home and see how that does? If is satisfaction from both sides, you can continue to operate from home.
Yes, if you want to have them review it in a year to verify that you have met their expectations, that is an option. However, if you wish to work remotely for longer than that, you may only be kicking the can down the road a year.
A year would be more than fine. Outside of this particular situation, think that's reasonable in general? I mean really, there's zero reason to be physically anywhere for this position.
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Education is extremely important.
