I'm blogging about my trip to the Bay Area: http://chuck.mahost.org/weblog/
Early last week I had an interview for a web development position with a large regional bank. From what they told me, they have something like $40 billion in assets and they were considering me to help them develop new web products. I thought I nailed this interview, but they rejected me by the end of the week. I was coached through the process by an HR recruiter for the company who was located at their HQ several states away. She gave me some good tips, including being honest about the tech I didn't know and bringing a laptop to the interview to show off my portfolio. I've never done the latter before, although I think that pop|bitch has recommended that here.
I've done dozens of interviews over the years, so it is really hard to phase me. I felt that my performance in recent interviews was a bit passive, so I decided to be a bit more aggressive in this interview. I was more active in showing off my projects and I made an attempt to be more personable. The latter part wasn't too difficult because the first part of the interview involved two of the techies who I'd be working with. I think I clicked with them, although the subsequent rejection may indicate that I didn't click.
The tougher part of this interview involved talking to one of the office's higher-ups, one of those glad-handers with a firm handshake and the veteran salesman attitude. Talking to the tech was easy--you get to discuss projects, technology, training, and basic stuff. Talking to the higher-ups is more of a challenge, because you enter the Bullshit Zone. This guy was very upfront that he wanted to find out if I would be happy working for the company. This approach always baffles me, because I look at employment as a place to get a paycheck, not as a venue for enjoyment and self-actualization.
The VP informed me that he had worked for some Silicon Valley start-ups and for a major tech company. He said that he had gotten tired of the bureaucracy of those places and liked his current job because they could do entrepeneurial stuff in a structured enviroment with the backing of lots of capital. They were rolling out new financial instruments and web services on a short quarterly cycle, all the while being mindful that the banking industry has to keep a close eye on everything.
It all sounded pretty interesting to me, but I kept wondering what the fuck I was doing there.
The rest fo the interview involved more talking about where I wanted to see myself in 10 years and what I wanted to get out of working for the company. In other words, total bullshit. The Generation X anarchist in me was busy keeping up a poker face while this slick-talking manager sold me some line about how his company was such a wonderful place to work for. The guy was a nice guy, but I couldn't help thinking about how much money this company was making off of poor working class people who are being screwed by these new combined financial-healthcare instruments.
My interviewer kept talking about billions of dollars, so I guessed that this new financial stuff would turn into the next Enron-fuck of the working class.
I didn't feel dirty walking out of the building, but I had a good laugh walking through the parking lot.
Meanwhile, I've been badgered by 5-7 recruiters about a user interface designer position at a large telecom headquartered in KC. I already interviewed for the same position six months ago and was rejected. I suspect that these freelance recruiters spend lots of time fighting over corporate jobs. Last year when I interviewed for this job, the recruiter told me that I was a sure thing. He seemed shocked when I didn't get the job and was upset when he found out that the company was talking to other recruiters.
It's too bad, because I wouldn't have minded getting paid $29/hour to draw shit on napkins.
Chuck