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Job interview! Oh boy oh boy.
Mar. 19th, 2009 06:40 pmI just got called to interview for a position tomorrow! My first interview in three months of looking and applying. Yikes.
Hello from New Jersey! I'm writing this entry on my brand new Asus Eee PC netbook! That's right, I have been catapulted into the 21st century! Kinda, considering its got a hard drive smaller than that of my 10-year-old, Win98-running desktop. Point is, I have a portable machine that I can type on and connect to the internet with. Finally! And the best part? I paid less than $300 for it. Merry Christmas to me. :-P It isn't exactly what I wanted; I originally planned to get an Acer Aspire One netbook, but nobody had them in stock and I wanted a lil' 'puter NOW. Probably the biggest issue I have with this thing right now is the slightly wonky keyboard. It's a little cramped in ways my fingers don't want to adjust to (I keep overshooting and hitting the enter key when I want to type an apostrophe, for example). And it's white, which means any scuffs and scratches will show. Minor quibble. Other bonus? It's running Linux! So I'll finally be able to toy with my OS like all the other nerds out there. Yay open source! And so far everything on my flash drive is compatible with it, including my Word documents, which are opening in StarOffice. (Which I've never used before, but it seems pretty similar to OpenOffice, which I'd put on here, except that I'm not sure I have enough hard drive space for it, and it may turn out that StarOffice works just as well, anyway.)
Other bits from RL: So far I'm enjoying the new job. I don't feel completely inept at it, but I certainly would like to be able to do it faster than I am now. I worry I'm slowing everybody down, which is why the principal investigator took me along to help flag more of the survey corridor today instead of leaving me to dig and screen. I'm probably just being neurotic, but I have a rocky past with phase I archaeological surveys. Here's hoping this job turns things around. Also? It so happens that one of guys I worked with in Ohio is working with this crew, too! So that's pretty awesome.
Okay, well, that's quite enough pointless RL rambling from me. (One of these days I'll go back to posting fun stuff, I swear.)
Other bits from RL: So far I'm enjoying the new job. I don't feel completely inept at it, but I certainly would like to be able to do it faster than I am now. I worry I'm slowing everybody down, which is why the principal investigator took me along to help flag more of the survey corridor today instead of leaving me to dig and screen. I'm probably just being neurotic, but I have a rocky past with phase I archaeological surveys. Here's hoping this job turns things around. Also? It so happens that one of guys I worked with in Ohio is working with this crew, too! So that's pretty awesome.
Okay, well, that's quite enough pointless RL rambling from me. (One of these days I'll go back to posting fun stuff, I swear.)
Attack of the Job 5
Dec. 1st, 2008 01:28 pmSo here I was, just back from a whirlwind trip to VA to visit some new friends, chillaxing with some Doctor Who DVDs and still feeling rather woolly-headed from the 9 hours of sleep I've had in the past two days (Virginia was fun), when my phone rings. It's an unfamiliar number with an unfamiliar area code, so I hesitate, wondering first if it's a friend whose number I forgot to put in my address book, or (more likely), just a wrong number. I answer it: "Hello?"
A man answers in a brisk, almost breathless manner which means that I completely miss who he says he is and who he's calling on behalf of, though I register enough of his words to know that this is a business call. I finally catch up to his verbal motoring to hear him ask to speak to "[my name]."
I feel slightly disappointed, thinking he's probably a telemarketer conducting a phone survey or something. But I answer, "This is she."
"Hello, I'm calling because I received your resume last week and we have some work in New Jersey right now and I was wondering if you're still in the job market?" he motors.
Apparently, part of my brain took his gobbledygook opening sentence and was quietely deciphering it all this time, because suddenly I recall what company he said he was with, and realize that this telemarketing call is actually an interview-by-phone for one of the archaeology positions I pessimistically applied for last week. When that bell finally goes off in my fuzzy brain, I immediately answer with "Hell YES I'm still avaiable!!" (paraphrasing slightly).
From here, though, the interview got a lot more difficult. First he asked me about my prior experience in the field. I think to myself, Dude, you have my RESUME. READ IT. But after some mental reorganization, I regurgitate everything on my CV faithfully.
Then he says, "I'm going to ask you some personal questions. What race are you?"
Thrown, I wonder, Is this company being openly racist in the interview?? and answer with, "Are you asking out of, like, curiosity or something?"
I can only imagine what his face must have looked like as he rushed to explain that he was asking so that he could start filling out some of my new-hire paperwork. As soon as he says it, that delayed-circuit-deciphering program I've got in my head informs me that he mentioned it was for the paperwork before he asked. D'oh on us both, then.
Once that gets ironed out and I finish giving all of my stats and personal identification numbers over the phone to this dude I don't know, he asks me the toughest question of all: "When can you start?"
Now, it being the holiday season, and me having been all over the place lately, I know I probably have various plans made for this week. But he sounds really rushed, so it's making me feel really rushed, so naturally, my mind goes completely blank. The way he's talking, it sounds like he wanted me on the job site YESTERDAY, and actually asks if I could hop in my car TODAY to be starting work TOMORROW. Given that it's contract archaeology, these kinds of short-notice situations are fairly common, but I talk him into letting me start on Wednesday. Which means leaving tomorrow for New Jersey. Which means not being able to help my aunt decorate her church for Christmas as I had originally planned, but seeing as I'm bailing for employment reasons, I know she'll understand.
So, I've got myself another job, the fifth for this tax season. And hopefully this one will last me through the end of the year, and possibly beyond.
In conclusion, the gods must be crazy.
I already know I am.
A man answers in a brisk, almost breathless manner which means that I completely miss who he says he is and who he's calling on behalf of, though I register enough of his words to know that this is a business call. I finally catch up to his verbal motoring to hear him ask to speak to "[my name]."
I feel slightly disappointed, thinking he's probably a telemarketer conducting a phone survey or something. But I answer, "This is she."
"Hello, I'm calling because I received your resume last week and we have some work in New Jersey right now and I was wondering if you're still in the job market?" he motors.
Apparently, part of my brain took his gobbledygook opening sentence and was quietely deciphering it all this time, because suddenly I recall what company he said he was with, and realize that this telemarketing call is actually an interview-by-phone for one of the archaeology positions I pessimistically applied for last week. When that bell finally goes off in my fuzzy brain, I immediately answer with "Hell YES I'm still avaiable!!" (paraphrasing slightly).
From here, though, the interview got a lot more difficult. First he asked me about my prior experience in the field. I think to myself, Dude, you have my RESUME. READ IT. But after some mental reorganization, I regurgitate everything on my CV faithfully.
Then he says, "I'm going to ask you some personal questions. What race are you?"
Thrown, I wonder, Is this company being openly racist in the interview?? and answer with, "Are you asking out of, like, curiosity or something?"
I can only imagine what his face must have looked like as he rushed to explain that he was asking so that he could start filling out some of my new-hire paperwork. As soon as he says it, that delayed-circuit-deciphering program I've got in my head informs me that he mentioned it was for the paperwork before he asked. D'oh on us both, then.
Once that gets ironed out and I finish giving all of my stats and personal identification numbers over the phone to this dude I don't know, he asks me the toughest question of all: "When can you start?"
Now, it being the holiday season, and me having been all over the place lately, I know I probably have various plans made for this week. But he sounds really rushed, so it's making me feel really rushed, so naturally, my mind goes completely blank. The way he's talking, it sounds like he wanted me on the job site YESTERDAY, and actually asks if I could hop in my car TODAY to be starting work TOMORROW. Given that it's contract archaeology, these kinds of short-notice situations are fairly common, but I talk him into letting me start on Wednesday. Which means leaving tomorrow for New Jersey. Which means not being able to help my aunt decorate her church for Christmas as I had originally planned, but seeing as I'm bailing for employment reasons, I know she'll understand.
So, I've got myself another job, the fifth for this tax season. And hopefully this one will last me through the end of the year, and possibly beyond.
In conclusion, the gods must be crazy.
I already know I am.
"Hello!" and..."Crap!"
Sep. 1st, 2008 08:33 amI'm back from my first-evar paying job in archaeology. I won't bore you all with the details. Suffice it to say I got stung five times by bumblebees, fell into a stream, broke two tape measures, and was the slowest and dirtiest member of the work team. I got to dig holes in people's backyards, explore thick patches of wetland, and blaze a trail through green briar and thistle. I also learned how to find my bearing using a compass, and bought a pair of brown rubber boots that are not only great for walking through marshes, but I think may serve as awesome Jedi boots with the right alterations.
And despite my paranoid and knowledgeable preparation, I somehow managed to get a big patch of poison ivy rash on the back of my right shoulder, which I am sure was always covered by clothing, so I think nature is really trying to tell me something about my future in archaeology. (*&$!#@!!!)
Suffice it to say, I will probably not be taking this kind of work again for a while, partly because there isn't any in close proximity and I don't want to kill my car by putting 500+ miles on it every week, and because I kinda suck at it and hate feeling like I'm holding everybody up. But at least I'll get paid for it in a couple weeks. Until then I think I'll take some temporary retail work of some sort and read up on all the aspects of the job I realized I was ignorant of this past week.
*itch* *itch* *itch*
And despite my paranoid and knowledgeable preparation, I somehow managed to get a big patch of poison ivy rash on the back of my right shoulder, which I am sure was always covered by clothing, so I think nature is really trying to tell me something about my future in archaeology. (*&$!#@!!!)
Suffice it to say, I will probably not be taking this kind of work again for a while, partly because there isn't any in close proximity and I don't want to kill my car by putting 500+ miles on it every week, and because I kinda suck at it and hate feeling like I'm holding everybody up. But at least I'll get paid for it in a couple weeks. Until then I think I'll take some temporary retail work of some sort and read up on all the aspects of the job I realized I was ignorant of this past week.
*itch* *itch* *itch*
Let's hear it for sticking to your guns! Ladies and everybody, I has got myself archaeology-type employment!
Of the paying kind!
...For a week, anyhow. Last Friday a job opening appeared on shovelbums.org for a week-long excursion in a neighboring state, and, having nothing to lose, I threw my hat in the ring. Dude called me today, and I leave tomorrow for a 4 1/2 hr. drive to my first-ever paying job as a non-student! It's got a per diem, they're providing lodging (which is awesome because the ad originally said they weren't, which caused me some anxiety since I, y'know, don't have any money. Imagine being able to say "I can't afford to work." Heh. Anyway, it's settled), and paying more per hour than I've ever gotten paid at any job I've ever had. I could clear like, $700 after taxes for one week's work, if all goes according to plan.
...Which, considering there's archaeologists involved, is always a risky thing to count on. I also haven't done this exact kind of work in like, two years, so there's every chance I'll end up being an incompetent drag (not a high chance, because experience has taught me that I'm not the incompetent type, and as memory serves, the last time I did this kind of work I didn't have a clue what I was doing and now I do, so fingers crossed).
But I'm not just writing all this to gloat. Well, not entirely. Since I am a caveman with no laptop, it means I will be out of touch with teh internet-land until I get back with my monies, so you all will have to do without my sparkling lj presence for a week.
(The major gloating will take place when I get back, if everything went awesomely and I find myself with a Shiny New Career.)
So, until then, my pretties! Know that my heart goes with you, and plz to not be doing anything too spectacular until I get back! XD
Of the paying kind!
...For a week, anyhow. Last Friday a job opening appeared on shovelbums.org for a week-long excursion in a neighboring state, and, having nothing to lose, I threw my hat in the ring. Dude called me today, and I leave tomorrow for a 4 1/2 hr. drive to my first-ever paying job as a non-student! It's got a per diem, they're providing lodging (which is awesome because the ad originally said they weren't, which caused me some anxiety since I, y'know, don't have any money. Imagine being able to say "I can't afford to work." Heh. Anyway, it's settled), and paying more per hour than I've ever gotten paid at any job I've ever had. I could clear like, $700 after taxes for one week's work, if all goes according to plan.
...Which, considering there's archaeologists involved, is always a risky thing to count on. I also haven't done this exact kind of work in like, two years, so there's every chance I'll end up being an incompetent drag (not a high chance, because experience has taught me that I'm not the incompetent type, and as memory serves, the last time I did this kind of work I didn't have a clue what I was doing and now I do, so fingers crossed).
But I'm not just writing all this to gloat. Well, not entirely. Since I am a caveman with no laptop, it means I will be out of touch with teh internet-land until I get back with my monies, so you all will have to do without my sparkling lj presence for a week.
(The major gloating will take place when I get back, if everything went awesomely and I find myself with a Shiny New Career.)
So, until then, my pretties! Know that my heart goes with you, and plz to not be doing anything too spectacular until I get back! XD
