What an interesting conversation I had with the owner. Last week he said, “Send me a quick email just letting me know you took the evaluation.” When I finished the evaluation, I did just that. I sent him a real quick email telling him I finished the evaluation. You won’t believe this but 80% of the conversation we had this morning was concerning how terse that email was and how it really made him doubt making me an offer. Yes, I found myself apologizing because the email I wrote was too short. He also said he felt I was over-confident. The good news is that the psych profile showed that I was on the cusp of good/best match for their company. Of the 5 traits they look for in a person, I possessed 3. Of the other two traits, my process orientation is apparently really lacking. I said to him that I don’t recall any questions that specifically asked about process orientation. He said they can tell this by asking me my favorite color. Why did I say red?! (I think he was joking) He wants to meet with me on Friday. Unless he continues to over analyze our phone conversation and deems I didn’t use enough words to describe how I could improve my process orientation and then he may just decide to scrap me totally. I wrote him an email after our phone conversation confirming the date and time of our meeting. I then started to worry that maybe this too was too short of an email and so I added: This email serves an ulterior motive: I want to prove to you I am capable of writing a better email than that last one. I hope he appreciates my stab at humor– if he has a problem with this email I will know this job is not for me. But I have learned my lesson. The email I wrote was too casual. I am still in that wooing phase and I should have made it more formal. I am not used to being so heavily scrutinized! (Or at least aware that I am being scrutinized) But I do understand where this man is coming from, I really do. He doesn’t want to make a hiring mistake that will cost him time, money and lost opportunity. The thing is, I am in the same situation! I don’t want to make a mistake either– like finding myself in a job I hate. And I am worrying that I am taking the easy way out by accepting the very first job offered. But that’s how I always do it. Mainly because I HATE looking for a job. But also because I feel like I am blessed. I truly believe that I am being guided and that this is the opportunity that was meant for me. Jump and a net will appear. I felt that way the last time too and it worked out for me… until December, that is. It’s going to be okay. Like I said, things have always worked out for me and I just need to trust it– all will be okay. (Do I sound over-confident?)
donnaville
sugar and spice and everything groovy
The owner sounds like a mental patient, himself. Work for a publicly traded company with deep pockets – that way you can sue without guilt if they do crazy stuff like having you take tests – ironically, claiming discrimination against the mentally ill 🙂
This company is so goofy that I’d be tempted just to
play around with them. Send them the craziest loony-toon note you can. You actually want to work for a company that overanalyzes every little move you make? When I was looking for a job right after graduating from college, some bee-yotch interviewer made a derogatory remark about the college I attended (said it was too “snooty”). In retrospect I should have told her what an imbecile she was…
Yeah, I am wondering about this hyper-analysis— I really do like the guy and that is the only reason I am sticking around. If he wasn’t so likable, I think I’d tell him to remove me from consideration.
I really wish I had a clearer idea of what to do.
Clearer idea = find something you’re passionate about, not something that fills the bill, unless you’re about to run out of cash…
Maybe I’ve misread your posts, but, without revealing the double-secret details, is this gig really what you want to be doing, or is it more of the same old stuff? Will you have a multi-year ramp to get your book of business to a point that you’re blowing out your numbers every quarter?
How was your position created (e.g. did someone leave, or is the company growing)? Does anyone else have this job currently (e.g. other reps)?
I’ve had small, nat-like companies decide I wasn’t qualified, yet, have experienced enormous success at a large, publicly traded company. There’s more room to move, fewer microscopes to live under, and a lot more flexibility – e.g. if I choose to take a day of vacation here or there, not everyone in the entire company talks (or knows) about it.
Sure he wants to find a good match but I don’t think I’d appreciate the microscopic analysis either. At least he hasn’t asked you to relate any dreams (or has he :-O )
As Harry suggests, I’d try to get a little history of this position and other positions as well.
Do employees stick around or is it a revolving door atmosphere. Try linkedin.com to see if there are any employees listed and check the dates.
Did you meet anyone else you’d be working with? Other employees can be a good source of office dynamics – how things work (or don’t).
Looking for specific personality traits is an excellent way to gauge how a person may fit in an organization.
Over-analyzing a simple email, however, gives me the impression this guy is a micro-manager who needs to control all aspects of his business and lacks the ability to delegate effectively.
I guess what is all boils down to is trust your instincts.
1. My passion is selling. And I am pretty good at convincing myself that whatever I am selling is my passion.
2. I could keep not working but I really want to work– I hate this feeling of idleness. Besides, I am going crazy watching my bank account pretty much stay flat– if it’s not growing, I am not saving, and if I am not saving, I am not preparing for my future.
3. The large companies aren’t seemingly interested in me. I kinda like smaller companies and this one is allowing me to do some cool stuff that I can’t see a larger company allowing.
4. The position existed, the previous gal was fired, she decided one day she didn’t want to cold call or go on appointments and stopped. I thought this was odd but it was backed up by other people within the company I spoke to.
5. It seems like the employees do stick around. I met 2 salespeople the other day and they were pretty cool. They made it seem like the job was very do-able.
6. There are some really good aspects to this job that I really like: There is no commute! I can have a life again! I won’t be spending 3 hours on a train every day! There is a lot of similarity to what I had been doing. The territory was apparently not well worked so there should be opp. The competition isn’t nearly as cut throat as what I had been doing– I spoke to a bunch of people about it and they said it’s not a major issue at all. These are all good things in my book… I am worried about this scrutinizing but I won’t be working directly for this guy anyway and I am sure he is just being super careful because he doesn’t want to make a bad decision.
I wish it was so simple as to find what I am passionate about– I am really not passionate about anything in particular. No one is going to hire me to watch old movies and make jello. And as I look at the job listings, I am finding less and less that interests me. This job does interest me and it gets me working again and making money again and and and….
Gosh those are a lot of words for the comments section— this is helping me hash it out in my own brain. At least if I do take it, I can at least say I really gave it thought and didn’t just jump. Right?
Sounds like you are thinking this through logically.
It is important to be passionate about your work – you should enjoy doing it (most days). There’s also the reality of needing to work which means until the position for curator of the Museum of Old Films, Bubble Gum Pop and Esoteric German Music opens up you’ll need to opt for a different passion 🙂
Whenever I hear talk of dream job I always think of this guy — http://www.portfolio.com/careers/job-of-the-week/2008/01/14/Chief-Beer-Officer
I love my job but if an opening for Chief Beer Officer at a recording studio ever opened up, I’m outta here!
Roger Ebert gets paid handsomely to waste his time so he can to convince you to waste yours. Imagine that —
he watches hundreds of movies every year AND GETS PAID FOR IT!!! It’s a slacker’s dream. Sort of like getting
paid to be a food critic (why don’t you explore that angle?).