Sense and Sensibility-ness-ing-ly

...but just 'cause I been busy at the new place means the blog has been somewhat ignored. That, and the immediacy of Twitter has meant that by the end of the day I feel like I've blogged when I haven't really. Need to sort out the priorities.

Off to Sydney next week to start to catch up on the chaos that end of the network is (drop me an e-mail, friends in Sydney, and let's do lunch or dinner or something). Just *starting* to get some order in Brisbane, and then there is Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth to contend with even before we look at things they want to do, like look after a joint venture partner in NZ plus further acquisitions. To say that I'm busy and that we're short handed is an understatement. I've just put together my 3 month project plan (over and above BAU work) and submitted it to the Tech management team (my boss and peers) for discussion and approval before we submit it next week to the Executive and business for their approval and funding. The catch is (with just about every business case for each project listed) - if we don't do the work, the system will at some point break so catastrophically that I just don't even want to consider the implications.

We're getting there - just slowly.

The commute isn't too bad - I hate the slow traffic portions, and it costs a little more with fuel and time and tolls (if I go that way) - but it'd be nicer if it was the city or closer. It may be the city in couple of years I learnt week, but that's been in progress for a couple of years.

The short answer: This is a company that if they prove themselves to back me will be worth staying with, at least during the impending recession era of Australia's history. I really want this to work... but I've already nearly chucked it all in once because everything is just so broken (which, of course, I'm trying to fix as quickly and robustly as possible) that I'm just feeling a little flooded and overwhelmed that if I don't get the support I may need to reconsider my position. We'll see - not there yet, and there are promising signs with this group of projects I've proposed. Bottom line is my sanity needs them all to get up, or I'll go out of my mind trying to tape and tie it all together to keep it running.

This just in: I've accepted a job at Eagle Farm as Infrastructure Operations Manager starting Monday 16/03. More news to hand as the situation develops...

I'm feeling very 'Groundhog Day' right now.

Due to some PR issues requiring my attention, I'm back in Perth to help smooth things over. The trip for the migration went well, but some things didn't quite get finished and in dribs and drabs the team went back east. We should have stayed until all was well with the western world - so I've spent most of the weekend trying to sort as much out remotely as I could, and then hopped on a plane this afternoon to get back here to ensure the staff in Perth felt the love.

So... time to finish the clean up, and get to bed so that I'm up bright and cheery at work tomorrow 6am Perth time. Yay!

I know that to hire a good IT person at the moment, things are pretty tight - at least in Brisbane. Demand is high, and so anyone that's any good is locked down doing something decent. I expected the same in Perth... and I'm pretty shocked at what I've experienced in the past two days.

I'm in the west to recruit someone for our Perth office, and so to support this I've got 7 interviews lined up. To assist in the process (as the role we're recruiting for is a desktop/customer-facing technical one) I'm using a prac and theory test additional to the normal face to face interview to ensure we find someone that can not only talk the talk, but walk the walk also. With 6 interviews down, I've so far only identified 2 people who passed the testing with an appropriate level that matched their face to face... ouch.

To make matters worse, the HR officer over here used to help her husband (who still works for the company, but not doing IT stuff any more) deliver the IT stuff for the business. She sat the prac and theory stuff and is currently sitting second on results alone!

Ouch part 2.

Recent pressure from the collective readership of this blog (Brett, Louise & Maureen, just to name a few) has led to what I now offer...

I must admit that my first 8 days at work have been... well... frustrating. Partially because I have high expectations on myself as to how quickly I become 'helpful', and partially because the whole IT department is in such a state of flux with my new boss boss finishing his first 90 days and starting to make his changes and impressions on the department and my immediate boss being away for the past 7 days. So, while my new boss gave me a brain dump before he left at the end of my first day, the goalposts have somewhat changed in his absence.

Work is going well in itself. There's lots to learn, lots to review, and so very little time to do it in. The new boss boss has set a deadline on all his teams to have their areas of influence in place by Dec 31 - this is rumoured to be because the company is planning to start its new acquisition phase come January 2009 thus everything needs to be prepared. One of the difficulties I've had is working with the new boss boss to come up with a new structure and organisational flow for my team (without the input of my new boss). He's an interesting character that I will learn a lot from, however I'm still trying to get a mark on how he operates. That said, I think I am making inroads and starting to get there. I'm having some small wins with my team delivering some stuff that was pretty simple (and that I can't believe they hadn't delivered prior to me coming on board), so that's at least a good step forward.

Reflecting this morning, I've gathered all the bits of info I need over the past 8 days to really move ahead with the team now. I'm planning to meet with my new boss on his return from leave tomorrow and not only bring him up to speed, but also get a marker on what he wants me to achieve. I think this will be good, but also a little frustrating for him given what he spoke to me about before he left and what has happened in his absence. I'm there to help him, so we'll manage to deal with it I'd imagine. I'm not sure my new boss will necessarily be happy with some of the new boss boss's ideas and that may be additional straws for his camel's back - but I hope they won't break said camel's back... just yet...

Very shortly I expect to have my new team structure approved and in place, which will mean an amount of immediate hiring, and an amount of travel to meet the existing team members who are remote (Townsville and Santiago, Chile). I'll probably also have to go to Perth in October to support/work with my team to deliver the integration of a company we acquired 12 months ago but haven't yet brought into the company proper. So there's no shortage of stuff to do... and learn... and change.

I think the thing that has made me most uncomfortable so far has been that I've had to come in and review and prepare changes really quickly after starting - I'd much prefer to settle in and learn the lay of the land over a couple of months - no such chance here. So keep watching the skies and asking me how it's going - it certainly will be an interesting couple of months.

...and having a weekly pay day for the first time in nearly 20 years isn't a bad thing either! I've not been paid weekly since I worked part-time at the local Fruit Shed during high school...

I knew going into day 1 of my new job as IT Manager for this engineering services company it would be pretty easy - it was mentioned in the interview that if I started on Friday it was a pretty good way to start, as the company was having its 6 monthly corporate update Friday afternoon. No idea what it meant, but it sounded good. Little did I know...

The recruiter also found out for me that they wanted me to start at 10am, so that my new boss could get a little sorted and tell the team - which he hadn't done yet (so I found out later). So all in all it sounded like an easy start - get in there mid morning, and then have some sort of meeting in the afternoon. Not too bad. When I got in, one of the HR people that interviewed me met me at reception and took me down to the IT area, where I was introduced to a couple of people and eventually handed over to my new boss, Brett. We talked a little, he took me out and introduced me to the whole team (mine and associated others), and then took me on a tour to meet a bunch of people - most of whom I can't remember - and see the place and get a general vibe. All of the people I met pointed out how good a day it was to start with the corporate update on that afternoon... a common trend I was soon to appreciate.

We got back to Brett's office eventually and sat down and started a basic brain dump - all of which is necessary as he is going on leave for 10 days at the end of the day... so whatever he could give me was important. we were called into Brett's boss's (Peter) office for a basic discussion around projects on the go or needing to get started. It's some list. Luckily nothing is expected of me to progress any of these in the next two weeks.

Then it was outside with everyone else and onto buses that took us all to St Lucia Golf Club for the staff update. We were all greeted with wine and beer (BEFORE the update?! Normally the grog comes out after the presentation, doesn't it??) and then inside to our tables. I knew I was seated with Brett, so pretty much shadowed him, being introduced to a lot of people on the way. The wine and beer flowed freely before, during and after the presentation - the joys of working in an engineering company I guess. The presentation was excellent... given by the CEO, COO of the Coal division and the CFO (his presentation on the sub-prime crisis and how it is affecting everything on the share market, including the company's share price, was enjoyable and informative to say the least). Not overly long, and set out the 5 year plan for the company, and WOW... with such a clear vision and very bold and audacious goals, it was a great day to have as your first - I'm in. I want to be a part of a company that is achieving what it is and wants to achieve what the plans are. Just spectacular.

Brett made sure I was introduced to all the 'important' people at the end of the presentation, which was nice - and they were all really nice and happy to speak with me. I also got to spend a little bit of time with a couple of my time, which was very cool. So far, they've taken the news they have a new boss pretty well. Opinions have been formed.

Back on the buses after a yummy lunch during the presentation and then the buses stopped at the Regatta Hotel (just down the road from the office) - and everyone promptly got off: CEO, CFO, everyone. Nice after party. A very casual hang around and have a couple (hundred) more beers or whatever with everyone. It proved for me to be a great time to speak to a couple more of my team, speak with Brett about work a little more, and then have both of us be roasted by my opposite number the Information Systems Manager (Ross) over talking about work at the pub. Ross seems very cool - a volunteer lifeguard at Broadbeach and I've already learnt he plays guitar, so I'm sure we'll have something to talk about next week once we've worked through the work stuff.

At the end of Friday I could actually remember the names of everyone in my team. Now, not a chance. I'll have next week to learn them again as I take the time to meet with them all and listen to them and learn from them. I'm really looking forward to the relationship building there, as I know that is gonna be core to my success (and it is something I do well). The short answer is I have 10 in Brisbane, 1 in Townsville, 1 in Perth and 1 in Santiago, Chile. To add to this I know already I'll have to hire extras for the team to achieve what is being asked for this coming year, and Brett has the money in our budget to do so - so as quickly I'll settle in, I'll be growing the team.

I am really excited about this new job and am really looking forward to how it is gonna play out. I've already been told by Brett that he sees no issue on me becoming permanent after the 3 month contract is up, and he and I see eye to eye on a whole lot of things and have a very dissimilar disposition on things. I think we'll make a good team... bring it on. I can't wait.

Enough of the clandestine updates - now for some real news...

It all happens at once. The interview I had 4:30pm Wednesday afternoon went really, really well. The company is super progressive with a real challenge on their hands - they've grown very fast and need to restructure their IT team to suit their growing environment so that it can grow and roll with the punches. I was interviewed by the role's manager, his boss (the Executive Manager Business Processes) and two HR ladies, and they were really interested in me and what I'd done, as much as what I wanted to do. They spoke clearly and directly about the challenges facing the company and how they perceive the role to fit in.

They made it extremely clear that the role is a 3 month contract only becase they are working out how they want to structure and situate the team as part of the growth phase they are undertaking, but did ask if I was interested in a full time role at the end of the contract if it were offered and I said yes - to which they replied that was good and so they'd run the interview with that in mind. The whole process was very encouraging, and I felt like I'd nailed it once I'd left. I got good verbal and non-verbal feedback to my responses, and they all seemed very positive about me.

Thursday morning, and I was expecting a phone call from the recruiter about this "engineering services to the resources industry" IT Manager job, and figured I'd get something later in the morning. This recruiter rang 8:45am, just after she'd got in and checked her e-mail. It seems company I interviewed with were so impressed with me that they not only wanted me to start, but start tomorrow (Friday). The recruiter read me a line from the e-mail they sent her: "We're confident Steve will work well with the culture here and are excited about having him join the team". Thank you very much. So a meeting was setup for 2pm this afternoon (Thursday) for me to sign the contract and all the paperwork so I could start tomorrow. No problems, after all, it's not like I'd seen the Rio Tinto contract at all and had no indication that it would surface any time soon (the one I'd been waiting for now for over two and half weeks).

Then, at 10:30am, the phone rings again - this time, it's the recruiter for the Rio Tinto contract. "Hooray", she offered, "I've got the contract in my hands FINALLY! I'll be drawing up our contract for you and sending it through in an hour". Oh crap. You mean I have to choose now? It was gonna be easy when I only had one offer on the table and it was the recent one, and not the one that had screwed me around. Now I had both, offering similar packages, with vastly different companies and roles. What do I do? Wait to read the Rio Tinto contract, I guess.

Wait.

And wait.

And wait some more.

It still hadn't arrived by 1pm when I had to leave to get into the city to sign the other contract. Before I left I'd laboured with Michelle to make this decision, and apart from the obvious 'screw them for screwing me around, they've missed out' it realistically was the recent role looks more in line with what I want to do and what I can do, without falling between the cracks in a giant like Rio Tinto.

Into the city, sign the contract, all good. I call Michelle afterwards only to find out the contract arrived at 1:40pm, just before I was to go into the meeting to sign the other contract. To quote a couple of my friends today, "too bad, so sad".

I also laboured this afternoon/evening as to when to tell the Rio Tinto recruiter. After some discussion with Michelle, I called her this evening and filled her in basically saying that Rio Tinto has missed the boat with all their stuffing around. She was flabbergasted, as I hadn't told her I'd kept looking until now, but I had to. I HAD to. This was my family we're talking about... I can't go through the stress and crap of not having a job and nearly having a job again and again.

So, by 6pm, all done. Cut Rio Tinto loose, signed a contract, and start with the new company in the morning. As it turns out, they are having a corporate update tomorrow which means the whole Brisbane (and head) office is bussed off to a local conference place for a kick-ass lunch and 5 year plan presentation. What a way to start with the company - nothing like getting the business laid out before you so that you know where you fit and what you can do to align IT with the company strategy.

This is looking like it's not only gonna be a lot of fun, but also a very cool and interesting ride. Bring it on.

Shhh! Can't talk now, but will update you all later, after I've signed the contract (YAY!)...

31/07/08 10:30am UPDATE :: OK, now I'm in a pickle. The long overdue OTHER contract has arrived also... now I have have two firm offers and I don't know what to do...

(Settle in, this is a biggie...)

Ew.

I was gonna lauch into a massive diatribe about how soul-less these vile creatures are, and the necessary evil to whom you sell your eternal commitment to when looking for a job. They feed off you, tell you everything that you need to hear so that you commit to them and their role. They'll straight out lie to you and you won't even know it. They'll string you along if they think it will do them and their commission well.

There are, of course, exceptions to every generalisation. I can gladly report I've found a few angels among the demon spawn. It's these ones that give me hope that the industry exists to place people in the right job, not simply build up a database of humanoids they can dsiplay to potential money bags at their will.

I've tried very hard to keep all the recruiters I deal with onside and wanting to help me. I'm polite. I return their calls promptly (hardly a personal trait of recruiters, let me tell you). I am helpful and slightly humourous (at least I attempt to be) so that they warm to me in a way that hopefully makes them want to help me and most importantly... remember me. If this role that I've applied for doesn't pan out, I need them to think of me above the others when the next role comes about. This may be the next day, week or even month(s) later.

What hurts me is when they are plain rude to me, when you can tell they haven't even gotten past page 2 of your resume (and I've worked hard on mine to make it helpful but not voluminous) and have pigeon holed you already, when they fail to return calls ("sorry, I've been caught up all day"), and the killer - when they fail to do what they say they are gonna do. This is what reminds me that human nature isn't all cherubs and pretty fawns frolicking on grassy hillsides.

So, where am I at?

I missed out on the RedHat (open source operating system company) role - and only got told by e-mail after the recruiter returned from holiday. Where's that relationship we were working on? I had two interviews, for goodness sake! Meh. The irony of it all is that the support manager from Scodge's work got the job. Good on him - it'll be a cool role at a cool place to work.

I passed up the Canon (IT peripherals company) role - mainly because they weren't offering the package I was led to believe they were, even after I knocked back their first offer saying exactly the same thing. At least they counter-offered. It also represented a change to the plan I think I have professionally, and I'm not sure I'm ready to go through the job change like that just yet. Plus I couldn't see an easy progression path with them. The GM of Canon had a concern that I might start and after 6 months be bored or disenchanted and go off and get something else, so was after an assurance that I wouldn't do that. On reflection in conjunction with the offer, I couldn't promise that (given it was such a big change professionally for me - what if it didn't suit?!). The recruiter for this has been one of those angels... very helpful and supportive, and understood when I said no.

I am still - yes, STILL - waiting for the contract to materialise from the multi-national mining company. Thanks TJ for your words of wisdom too... hard words to hear, but I totally get it. The suckiest part of this now is that I called the recruitment company yesterday to speak with the recruiter to find out the latest and if I hadn't had the phone on speaker I don't think Michelle would have believed me - I got the recruiter's boss, and he basically chewed me out for calling her (the recruiter I've been dealing with) "every day - after all, as soon as we know something, we'll call you". He then went on to say how the company had called me and been keeping me in the loop also, and THAT was not true. I was gutted. Here are the people meant to be helping me (or so I thought) and I'm getting roasted by them. The end result is that I am now to deal with the recruiter's boss and not her, and I am not to call them unless I get a message to do so. This kils me. I've had nothing but good conversations with the recruiter; I understood that she and I both felt left out in the cold on this, but we were in it together. Seemingly not. I got a second phone call from the recruiter's boss yesterday to tell me they'd heard from their client and they still want me, blah, blah, blah, just that they were waiting for my desk to be in place before they could release the contract so I could start (apparently a WH&S requirement for the company, which I can understand). I have heard that excuse at least once in the past two weeks, however.

It now just makes me question if I want to work for this company and even deal with the recruitment company at all, but at the moment I don't really have a choice. There's great opportunity here in the role itsef, and a chance to really get my hands dirty at a management level in a serious global company that would hold me in good stead anywhere. But to get there I have to deal with all this inept communication and management too. So what am I to do?!

All is not lost. I have been looking still, and saw an ad for a 3 month contract for an IT Manager that is effectively serving as the probation period for a full time role - the ad clearly states that the company (no hint as to who they are) looking for this IT Manager are offering the contract as a "two way try before you buy" deal - at the end of the contract, if either party aren't interested, then it can all be terminated without a problem either way. It's a risk, sure, but given it's a 3 month contract both sides are gonna know within the first 3-6 weeks if it is going to work. So I applied. On Friday last week, while waiting for this now 'magical' contract to appear.

I got a call Friday arvo from the recruiter to discuss me and the role. She would put me forward, but wouldn't have feedback on her shortlist until Tuesday. No worries - if I get the contract then I just call and say I've got a job. Tuesday comes, still no contract, and the recruiter calls to say they want to meet with me as the only person they've picked off her shortlist. The company is "a leading provider of engineering services to the global resources industry"; they have an IT team of 8 (with no manager?!); they have offices around Australia and in Chile, with other offices to come in Russia, China and the US soon, and they have business in a number of places around the world. So, this afternoon at 4:30pm, I've got that interview which I am really looking forward to. Who knows what could happen with this?! Michelle is so stressed about the protracted process with the missing contract that she now wants me to get a job - any job - so I can tell them where to stick their "it's coming" contract. Maybe this is the better job that people keep telling me is coming (and that I feel I so sorely deserve)?

A little while ago I spoke with my mate Brad who suggested quite nicely and innocently that maybe in the interim until I found a job that I could become an IT recruiter with a company and earn a wage there. I do appreciate he has my best interest at heart, and that there is some decent cash to be made as a recruiter if you're any good.

But become a recruiter?

Ew.

OK fellow settlers, this is where we're at...

It's been two weeks since interview with the mining company. Contract was offered quickly after the interview, but nothing has physically materialised and this is necesary for me to start. I've heard possibly every reason in the book, the most recent reason has been that "it's caught in HR". Apparently it's still there, and all of the contacts the recruiter has have been in working groups all day and so even the recruiter hasn't had any contact with them today (so she says). I'm at a loss, and it's mentally cruelling me and the stress is having significant impact on me and my family.

I was offered the job with the IT peripherals company, but their offer was a joke. I told them so (nicely), and the last I've heard from them was they'd see if they could come up with a better offer. We'll see (that was 10am this morning). The recruiter for this job is now also sussing out another role with a different mining company which sounds OK.

I've still heard nothing in feedback from the open source operating system company, but I expect that will come tomorrow. At least, again, I hope it will.

There are a couple of other jobs that have popped up and I am now waiting to hear on my applications for them... however they'll take at least a couple of weeks to play out, so we'll just have to make ends meet in the interim (we were expecting me to be working LAST Monday, and here we are with nothing even for me to start on tomorrow).

I now just want to know either way so I can focus on starting with this first job, or give up on it and look for something else. Soon.

I'm keeping hush about the whole job thing because I'm on the edge of receiving an offer, but haven't yet received it. Figure I can't shout about it until I know for sure...

Of course I'll then let you all know too! Things certainly looking up such that, all going well, I start work tomorrow... PHEW!

21/07/08 6:30pm UPDATE :: Apparently my new employers have failed to work out how to attach files to e-mails, as I am yet to get the offer I am waiting for... at this stage now, I am waiting to see what Tuesday brings...

22/07/08 5:30pm UPDATE :: Hmm... it's no better, yet. The word from the recruitment firm is that because the contract is a long one (2 years) they have to get special approval within the company the purchase order to cover me as a cost centre - so here I am, still waiting. The recruiter was assured that they'd have the contract to her by close of business today. It is still yet to surface, and so I face another anxious day of mental stress. At this rate, it'll be for me to start Monday, so I should just relax and enjoy the last days off I'll have for a couple of years. It also gives me a chance to have the other interviews I already have lined up/know are coming. I may yet end up somewhere else...

25/07/08 7:30am UPDATE :: Still nothing, although I have been assured they are expecting me to start on Monday 28/07/08... but without a contract, I don't think so. It's apparently caught in the haze that is HR now. It may surface this morning or later this afternoon - I have a final interview this afternoon! Someone better sort something out ASAP!

(You must forgive me if this is all over the place - the kids are watching In The Night Garden and all I can hear is the music and it is just inane...)

The interviews last week went really well, I though. Quite surprising, actually.

The feedback I got from the mining company interview on Tuesday was that they weren't sure if they wanted to interview me one more time or just give me the job (I've got a simple answer to that!). So, 2pm this Tuesday I'm going in for a 'meet and greet' - whatever that means. No more details than that however I am really looking forward to it. I just hope they offer me the role so I can get started and start getting paid again. I'm looking forward to the interview as much to get a real picture on what they want me to do - the first interview was good, but a little light on with detail around the role, etc. All I know is that it reports to a global IT manager based in Melbourne, and is to assist him with a number of global projects they have on the boil or about to start... which would be AWESOME.

The three interviews on Thursday were... educational. The first with the open source software company sold me - If I don't get the mining company role I want this job. Great culture, great environment, totally focused on quality customer service - everything I am looking for in a job, plus great opportunities for me globally while still living in Brisbane (not many places offer that) as well as relationship building with customers working with the sales team. I was told during the interview by the guy who would be my boss that he was putting me forward for the second round of interviews straight away... which is a great feeling. So sometime today (I hope) I'll hear about a second interview with them with the incumbent in the role and the company's HR manager.

The second of the interviews (the one with the accounting firm) was OK, but everything I expected. Corporate, and LATE (I waited for 30 minutes past the interview time because the HR manager had been called into an emergency meeting with the managing partners). I was the first they'd interviewed for the role and had FIFTEEN (count 'em) more to do as their shortlist. At least they are being thorough. I don't expect to progress, in that I'd be suprised if I did, but I don't think that this is a job for me.

The third interview with the IT peripherals company was one I was basically sussing out, as the process to that point had been very... weird. Almost the source of another whole blog entry for itself. I met with the Services Manager, who the role would report to, and he grilled me about my experience, etc. It's basically a pre and post sales technical role implementing their solutions for businesses which I'm not that shy on but it doesn't necessarily light my fire. I may be surprised though - he told me that he'd put me through to the second round for interviews along with one other, and the recruiter said when I told him that he only interviewed one other, so either one of us is making up the numbers or they actually thought either of us were suitable. Either way, if I do this second interview, it will be an interesting addendum to the process for this role.

Then, out of the blue on Friday a job that I applied for that I don't really want but went for out of simple self-pressure (I need a job, I need a job, etc), I got a call that they want to interview me for a senior tech role with this services company. You get a car/laptop/phone, etc, but I'm not sure I'm that keen on getting around in a little Hyundai thing going and helping out places with their IT problems unless it was my own business (which I've toyed with starting, but so many other places do that it means the market is pretty full). I can only think of the worst case scenarios of having to 'waste' time to milk money out of customers that I've heard, and it's enough for me to not want to do - not that this place (I don't even know who they are) does that, but it's an industry thing. I couldn't do it to people, and I am loathe to try and cold call/work up new leads. Just give me a damn job to do. We'll see - I was straight with the recruiter and told him I am expecting an offer this week, but he said he'll schedule an interview anyway and we'll work it out once I know if I've a job or what.

But wait - there's more. One IT Manager role I applied for I expect to hear today about interviews for later this week. It would be an OK job, but a small-ish team and so forth. But it would be a  'real' IT Manager's job. More to come, I guess. I've also had to knock back a role because they were interested to progess with the interviews after the first but offered me $40K less than what I'd asked for!!! They had asked me three times before the interview and once in the interview what dollars I was after and I was straight, and yet they told me when they spoke with me about the second interview that their dollars were much less than what I asked for - SO WHY INTERVIEW ME IN THE FIRST PLACE!?! Just seems silly and a waste of our collective time...

Additionally, there's a role that has been dragging on since the start of June that I heard from the recruiter on Thursday last that interviews will not be scheduled now for another two weeks - I told him to line me up if he wants, but that I expect to have a job by then. It'd be a good role, but to be fair if this is how much the company want to stuff around prospective candidates that want to work for them, how do they treat their employees?!?! Just craziness... plus, in speaking with a number of recruiters they've spoken about how companies that are serious in employing the best don't take forever to interview, etc, because they know they'll be snapped up. I can see that in some of my interviews in the last week proving the point, and the flipside is I see a number of companies dragging their feet and clearly missing out on great people (like me) because of it.

During this whole process I've been navel gazing a little, trying to work out what I want. I did a behavioural profile for one of the roles I've been interviewed for, and I've posted the results here. The thing that surprised me is that I've done a number of these things over the years, and this one seems to have hit the nail the most on the head for me. I really am looking for a place to hang my hat that is somewhere that is high profile, somewhere I can hang my hat and do a great job, somewhere that I can tell people I work and they'll be impressed. It sounds really egotistical I realise, but in reflecting I realised that I want to impress me the most. That I have the skills a company I'd want to work for wants, that I can deliver a service that impresses them enough to hire and keep me, and that this company wants to keep me as a valued employee. Crazy, huh. It all seems way too self-involved... but I figure if I am gonna devote 40+ hours of my life a week to a company, they better be worth it.

So, here I sit, 9:45am Monday morning, wondering if I should follow up with any of these recruiters as I've suffered through the weekend and here we are... our week is basically on hold waiting to hear about the next steps in these and the other jobs I have applied for, so I'm at a bit of a loose end.

Sounds like time to get a job and get into it, if you ask me...

POSTSCRIPT - I post this, and then I get a phone call about the IT peripherals job second interview (tomorrow @ 9am) and an e-mail arrives at the same moment about the mining company job second interview (tomorrow @ 11am). To quote Charles Montgomery Burns, "It's all falling into place...".

I did a behavioural profile for one of the jobs I applied for... and thought the results would be interesting to share. I've referred to it here.

SUMMARY 

Steve, your responses indicate that you are a very friendly, warm, and calm individual. You use persuasion to influence people and do not make unnecessary demands upon them. If you are called upon to delegate both authority and details, you do so with ease. When you are dealing with an idea or project, you prefer to focus on its overall substance rather than on its specific details. Too much structure or too many rules is not appealing to you. Since you enjoy interacting with people, it follows that you are highly effective in activities involving them.

This will have to be quick, but only because my unemployment *looks like* it is coming to an end. Fingers and all other digits crossed.

I had an interview on Tuesday with a large mining company (30th largest company in the world I was told in the interview, and if the current takeover happens as planned by another large company, the resulting company will become the 2nd largest company in the world). It was for a 6 month contract plus plus (meaning more likely 12 months plus some more extensions depending on how the work I'm lining up for goes), and they'd whittled down all the applicants to two - me and another. Got a call today to say that they were working out if they needed to have a video conference with me and the person I'd report to (who is based in Melbourne) or if they should just plain offer me the job and have me start on Monday. They weren't VC-ing with the other candidate. So, now, I am just waiting to hear all the what and whens... of course, considering I'm in the city a bit tomorrow, I should be able to squeeze in the VC at pretty short notice.

The reason I am in the city so much tomorrow is that I have 3 (count 'em - more than 2 and WAY more than 1) separate interviews for roles. One for the Support Manager role for an international open source software company; one for the ICT Manager role for the Qld office of a large accountancy/law firm; and one for the Professional Services Consultant role for a large printing hardware company. Wow. When it rains, it pours. As I haven't been yet offered the first role, I'll go through with the interviews and see what progresses. To be fair, the first one I don't think is me; the second I'm very interested in but their offer will have to be good to beat the one almost on the table; and the process for the third has been so confounding that I simply have to go through with it to find out what the role is REALLY all about, as the paperwork they've given me and what the recruiter has told me to date has been a little... well, 'interesting' is the easiest way to put it.

I'll just have to blog about it all tomorrow night when I'm back from them all... unless I get some PC action while I am waiting in the city... which I may seek out, as I've time to kill between all the interviews.

BTW - I spent today down the Gold Coast working on my first paid acting gig - as a background extra for a VB Gold commercial. I doubt highly you'll see me, but it will be interesting to the see th final cut. My agent (yes, I have representation!) finally came through. Get a real job and I should be able to afford to get a decent head shot and then I'll see what kind of work I can get for real?!

Thanks to all those who have been caring for and praying for me, Michelle and the family as a whole while this whole process has been as it has been. I've been pretty down about it (as you may have read), however things are looking decidedly sunnier after today... and about time, too...

I'd forgotten how disheartening it can be to remember you don't have a job to go back to after a day off... which is what my time feels like at the moment. Just a day off here and there that somehow has lasted a month.

When you have a job, life can be crazy busy. Stuff happening here and there, this pressure, that trip, this deadline, that staff/interpersonal issue - it all adds up to waiting to get out of there and home, away from it all. Then you go home and try to unwind and forget about work (that's if you're not working that night, or have a report to do, or some article to read or write). Then it's back to work tomorrow.

I find that at the moment I have too much free space in my head. It's now being used to over-analyse what went wrong in my last job that my boss so unceremoniously dumped me like yesterday's hero. That's a bad thing, because I know I was doing a good job and doing the right thing... he just didn't like me and is so emotionally disconnected he wouldn't know how to communicate if someone wrote him a letter and stuffed it down his throat.

That's all I'll say on that.

I'm working hard on looking. I've called in my network of vendors, friends, fellow geeks, people I know in recruitment, and checking places like it.seek.com.au far more frequently that I need to - it's not like the first person to apply gets the job(!). I'm just paranoid, and feeling pretty worthless to my family by knowing that, while we're not on the ropes financially yet, if I don't get a job at the end of the next 6 weeks we could be. Please understand that is not a grab for sympathy or a call for donations - that's just how it is. I'm confident I'll find a job by then, I'm just not sure it will be the right one. I'm working hard in trusting God and being patient (which is always a hard thing for little old me)... I know I am a competent, strategic, hard-working, strong technical leader and manager. I am working so hard to convince anyone who'll sit down long enough that I am the person they need to revolutionise their IT department. Soon... someone will believe me, and they won't regret it.

Until then, I continue to battle my demons... the ones that whisper in my ear that I'm not good enough to be employed, that I have no idea what I am doing, and have no business managing a team of IT professionals. The ones that tell me that even though I've lost over 40kg I'm still fat and no one likes a fat person. The ones that tell me that I'm a crap father/husband/provider because I can't even keep a job. The ones that play on my personal fears and vulnerabilities and enhance and rub at them with their irritating sandpaper. It's a daily struggle to rise above all that. So far - I know I am good enough. So far...

It has begun, and I am feeling a lot excited (still), a little overwhelmed (it is only day 1) and just plain keen to get into it.

I got to spend a little bit of time with my new boss (who explained his army background and their move of him into IT management - which explained a lot!), spending a LOT of time with the outgoing 2iC who has a lot of knowledge that isn't yet documented about the systems and network... which is key, because once he leaves, it's up to me to keep it all together, and met with a couple of the team individually to discuss various things. Met with the HelpDesk team leader to talk about the 400-odd calls we have to get on top of ASAP, and also met (briefly) with our new Exchange guru who has only been with us for a week.

My head is spinning, but all for good reasons. I have walked into chaos - no question - but into it with what seems to be a great team who are keen to work together to deliver quality and customer-focused information services solutions. I just cannot wait to get in and really make a difference. I've set a personal embargo on big changes of at least 3 months... we'll just do things as we always have for that time, and after that, pretty much anything is fair game (within reason).

It will be more work, more stress, more hours (sometimes) and a more diverse business environment to learn. All of that, coupled with the chance to really develop the team and the individuals within it is what is pushing all the right buttons for me.

Further to my not-that-secretive post last week, the job that (to me) showed the most promise has come through, and yesterday I was offered the role of Information Systems Operations Manager for Laing O'Rourke. The job is based in Moorooka (half the travel in and out a day - it's not the city), I get a reserved car park, it is MUCH better money than what I am on at the moment, I'll be leading a team of 13 to deliver all the Infrastructure, telephony and computing services for the company in the Asia Pacific region, and it's a golden opportunity to 'settle' in somewhere and learn the business and make a real difference.

It has been no secret that I haven't been the happiest in my current role. It's not the team or the team leader, it's the complete and absolute FRUSTRATION in trying to actually complete or achieve anything for our customers. It's damn near impossible. Then you layer in a team we have to work with who are all about power and control and "they own everything" such that we can almost do NOTHING with them approving it.

So... that's no longer a problem. Well, not from Friday, when I finish.

There is so much that is spinning in my head about how I feel right now. I'm really excited about the new role, company and team. I'm excited about the opportunities this represents for me professionally and for my family (in being able to provide that little bit better for them). The challenges of learning a new business and offering solutions that (hopefully) blow their mind and excite them about what Information Services can really do to help them do their job. I then feel a sudden stomach-sinking reality kick in when I realise that not only will I be leading a team (that I want to), but that their careers are in my hands. I so look forward to learning about them, developing them, growing them, investing in them...
...meeting them...

...oh crap... then there is the "will they like me" and how do I handle the "we didn't/never used to do it like this". I actually am looking forward to that, though. Maybe it's the masochist in me.  ;)

Of course, you realise, this means that because I'll be actually working for a living I won't be able to blog or comment as often. Now THAT is gonna be a hard habit to break...

While for those of you who follow my tweets in the sidebar will probably have already out this together, I'm gonna have to remain a little cryptic about this (as Jonathan did, but not as bad as him!) so that I don't get too excited about it and don't ruin for myself.

It's been no secret that I am not happy per se in my current role. The people are nice, the building is OK (in the city) and the environment I get to walk in every lunch hour is pretty good. It's just WHAT the job is... I'm bored. If you've been paying attention and have a mathematical bent to your view, you'd notice that there is a direct correlation (I see it as directly proportional) between how much work I get done and how much blogging and commenting I get done. It's a no brainer - work isn't challenging me.

If I was to hang around - which I will at the moment as I have nothing else to go to - there will be some challenges. They want to send me to a Microsoft clustering course, they want to send me to get my VMWare ESX certification, all of which would be great... but they'll just be small diversions on a pretty dull road. Additionally, I can keep getting geek credentials for the rest of my career, but that isn't gonna cut the mustard for me. I have been, am, and plan to be a good people manager and leader and that's where I want to be. Now. It's where I was. I feel like I am in some surreal sort of job purgatory.

I've scored a couple of interviews this week that are both for "IT Manager" roles. I also have a phone interview with a guy in the US in an hour for another one based in Brisbane also (poo-poo to those who think there aren't serious companies with global reach with meaty roles in Brisbane - I've found them, at least to apply for them!). Of the two interviews so far, the one on Tuesday would be great but it is the one last night that has me excited. The worst part is I don't want to share too much for fear of disappointing myself in case I don't get it - but WOW!

Of course, this interview this morning may blow it out of the water. It's for a Regional IT Manager for a US-homed company. Wow. God has laid out some good options... I just need to trust Him now and seek to make the right, Godly decision that will provide the right challenges for me and the right provisions for my family.

I just can't contain how real and exciting the opportunity is from the interview last night... Wow... and I just had to tell someone... well, sort of...

Just got a pretty average, 2 line e-mail saying I didn't get the Sastek job (no real stress or surprise with that).

The thing that I find disgusting about that is the fact that after two interviews, I get an e-mail (not even a phone call)!!! How slack is that? It's not like they would have had to call many people - the GM told me they were considering 3 people. Three phone calls!

Maybe it is just my customer focused sensibilities (aka my spidey sense), but if that is how they do business, then I am pretty sure I do not want to be a part of that...

Following advice from my sage friends and family (and the oregano, basil and thyme ones too - sorry, bad herb joke), I have accepted a job with [COMPANY], starting Monday 02/04/07. This in itself is a good thing... except for the commute to the city, but I am sure I will get over that.

The thing that makes it more interesting is that I was invited to and went to a dinner with some of the team I will be working with on Wednesday night past, and was able to meet and observe them in a social environment. This proved to be a good an bad thing. Good = there are some nice people that work there. Bad = all they talked about when work was mentioned was the bureaucracy that I'd be walking into, and how hard it was to get things done. That, and then they fact that it seemed to me like a little bit of a boys club with some unsavoury jokes, etc. I guess I can deal with that, but the former I am not so sure. I guess that I will just see how I go over the next four days leading into Easter, and make a decision from there. It's also muddied by the fact that I have spent all week expecting my letter of offer, and nothing has arrived. My new team leader assures me that all is well, but I have no idea what the benefits are of working there, what their generic agreement is, etc, etc. If I am offered something else, I have no comparison from [COMPANY]'s end!

The decision is also muddied by two things:

1. I applied for and was interviewed for a Senior Technical Architect role with Suncorp - which I found out I missed out for on Friday (an internal applicant got the role, which makes sense). But in the same breath the very nice HR lady asked if I would be interested in a contract role with them doing the same thing, as the team leader that interviewed me thought I was very suitable. So, I wait to hear if they want to pay me a stupid amount of money to do that, and if they do, then I HAVE to decide which way to flop; AND

2. I interviewed for a Technical Project Manager role with Sastek, which I am yet to hear about. The things that I like about this role is the responsibility, it's a small team but are the leaders in their field, it would mean a bit of travel, it would be a job where I could really make a difference. The GM who has interviewed me seemed really nice, same with the Operations Manager and the National Sales Manager. So... they were deliberating on Friday, and I guess I will hear next week - and if they want me, I have another decision to make.

There are pros and cons with all three positions (location of job and how to get there, $$$, environment, etc). I guess now I just need to knuckle in and trust God to help me make the right decision when and if I face it. Onward with the adventure...

It's finally happened - someone has offered me a permanent job.

The past 5 and a half weeks have been pretty full on. Layer in no job and a family and bank to provide for, and it raises the stress levels just a little bit. In the midst of all of it, God has been good and faithful and provided for us and ensured we were cared for in times of most need by our friends, family and church family. That doesn't mean that it's been all cruisy - I have tried really hard to run a good campaign (yes, that's what employment consultants like the one that has been helping me call it) that has meant tidying up my resume (with help), targeting jobs in Seek and places like that, following up with recruiters after the application goes in, etc, etc. And don't start me on recruiters and agencies... that's a whole other blog post (in fact, may be a whole other blog)!!!

All of that makes for a lot of work, a lot of (sometimes expensive) phone calls, a lot of raised and dashed hopes, and a lot of frustration.

The job has been offered and accepted verbally... the letter of offer is in the mail, so I'll let you know who it is with once I have signed the bits. That said, I still have one other interview on Tuesday that I'll do (the job doesn't want me to start until Monday April 2) and of course a number of other applications out "there" that I should start hearing back about next week.

Which poses a new dilemma, and one I continue to struggle with - am I being stupid/greedy/vain by not just signing the forms and grasping this job with both hands (which is a GREAT job and a GREAT opportunity), or being wise/smart/sensible to hold off signing the forms until the last possible moment so as to keep my options open? Is this job that is coming in the mail the one that God wants me to have, or is it the first train out of unemployedsville and really should catch it in case there isn't another (because trust me, that pressure is on a daily increment akin to a serious hyperbole)? I want to settle down, but this isn't the management job I think/thought I really wanted... but looking at the place, that doesn't mean that management job won't be available over time, and it would be a cracker to score when it does materialise... Methinks either way, it might just be time to suck it up, trust God completely, and sign myself up to this IT firm in the city (ugh! - 2 hour bus commute each day) and get on with the job of being the best father, husband and provider I can.

As a part of my job search, I have had my search preferences for it.seek.com.au and www.mycareer.com.au set as home tabs that appear each time I open Internet Explorer 7.0. Removing these will signify that I am no longer tied to what at times has been a seemingly fruitless search for something that doesn't define me, rather helps me meet the bills and care for my family. I really look forward to SOON returning my home page to about:blank, and hoping it stays there for a looooooooong time - it'll happen once the forms are signed. Actually, it would probably be better served by making it Freaked Out Fathers - at least that will keep me grounded and offer the occasional laugh...

So I just found out... didn't get the National IT Manager role like I hoped. It came down to me and one other guy, and apparently he'd be a better team fit. What does that mean, anyway?!?!

Oh well... back to it.seek.com.au and annoying recruitment consultants again...

Anybody want an IT Manager who is looking for the right opportunity?

I'm starting to feel like this "patience" thing is over-rated... It's Friday 09/03, 11:35am, and I've heard nothing yet. Either it's a really tough decision or they are avoiding disappointing the one who didn't get it or they haven't made the decision yet, or whatever...

I am starting to go out of my mind.

Please pray for me at 2pm Qld time this afternoon - I have the second interview for the National IT Manager role that I'd really like. The meeting is with the CEO, Group Financial Controller and the Group Operations Manager (the executive team for this company) and THEN it's a meeting with the IT team! Talk about pressure!

Then... I just have to sit tight and see if they want me. I am sure all will be revealed soon enough, I just have to be patient. A LOT more patient.

Decisions, decisions...

Got the contract with the Mt Isa mine, but as the second interview (the job I really want) went so well and that they want to have second round interviews next week with a decision by Friday 09/03, I had to say no to it. A tough one, as it would have been a great opportunity and great money, but the contract needed me in Mt Isa this Friday 02/03 for a week and that would have meant missing that job. No way - it is too good to pass up.

I got really good feedback from the people interviewing me in the second job - one person interviewing me is the HR Manager, and the other is the Financial Controller who the position reports to. They seemed really responsive to me and my ideas, and very open to what I had to say. I don't think I mis-read any of their signals... so all going well, it will be second interview with the Executive team from that company next week, and then a couple of sleepless nights.

I will just need to be way more patient than I currently am, and trust that God has His hand on all of this.

I will continue to search for a job - can't rest on that. Just remain faithful to what God can and does do. There are still things out there - heck, when I spoke to the contract people this morning and explained my situation as to why I passed up the contract they understood. They recommended that I keep in touch with them in case this didn't work out as they doubted they would find someone else to fill the contract in a week! We'll see... don't want to pass up the lifeboat just because the helicopter is on the way (ask me when you see me, and I'll explain that reference).

Just please continue to pray for me, for my job hunt, and for us - themolks. Thanks again for all the continued support of you, our friends and family.

Feast or Famine?!

God has certainly been good... it's been a week since I was made redundant, and the number of people calling/e-mailing/looking out for us has been phenomenal. Thank you everyone for your love, care, support, free dinner, and general thoughts and prayers.

Things have progressed well so far on the hunt - been applying for a few positions, and been speaking to a LOT (it seems) of recruitment consultants. A few meetings with them, and a few leads because of it. I feel I present really well in person so these meetings are critical in leaving a good impression and (hopefully) having my resume sit at the top of their pile as they get jobs thrown at them. As one told me at a meeting yesterday, it should be easy at the moment for someone like me (with skills like me) to find a job as there is a pretty big people shortage in IT at the moment.

Today I was offered a 3 month contract with a mine based in Mt Isa, which will  be great as both income and experience. They are even being nice enough to adapt the role to allow me to do most of the work in the next 5-6 weeks from Brisbane because of impending baby. There will be some Mt Isa-based work, but it is fly in Monday am fly out Friday lunch so that isn't so bad. I also have been shortlisted for a National IT Manager role with... I'll let you know if I get it.  ;)  It would be a sweet position, and one that is not only aligned with my skills but also a challenge in itself. All this, and I have at least 4 other roles pending interview calls that the recruiters told me they had shortlisted me for. The feast has begun - I may have to choose what job to take come early next week!

I also have to sit my final exam for my MCSE upgrade next Friday, so I better start studying for that again too.

Please continue to think and pray for us - mainly for Michelle, as she is understandably pretty stressed about the whole situation due to its timing. She had a few choice words to say about my ex-boss last Wednesday too, which is also understandable. Michelle has been mostly better the last few days, more relaxed and less generally/baby ill, which is a bonus for her. Now, if we could only arrange for her to be sleeping better...

It has begun - contacting recruitment firms after getting my resume in order, contacting vendors I used to deal with to have them put their feelers out (and to see if they have anything), contacting friends in the industry, checking Seek and MyCareer on a four-hourly basis... not much of a life, but all I have until I get the job I'd love (or, in a few months time if I haven't found that job yet, any job that will keep the money wolf from the door).

On the whole things are pretty promising. It looks like I may have a lead on a 2 month contract, and the recruitment people I've been speaking to have been extremely helpful. I'll contact the career services firm that my old company has made available to me on their dollar, just to see what it is all about and see if it will help. I have a few meetings next week also, so they might blossom into something.

On the whole, I feel pretty hurt by what happened. Absolutely no idea it was coming, and I had been effectively lulled into what turned out to be a false sense of security by my ex-boss with the ongoing reaffirmations of me and my position. While I appreciate that the things my ex-boss was saying during and after the "notification of redundancy" were his attempt at trying to make me feel better (I quote: "If it's any consolation this was meant to happen two or three months ago" - what the!?), they did the exact opposite. He needs to learn a few things about dealing with the people he has CHOSEN to shaft when speaking to them immediately after he has shafted them.

<<< edit >>>

All of that said... this is will be the only time I let off steam about this. Emotions, feelings... they are all so difficult to understand... I'll get my head straight soon. After this I believe I now have forgiven my ex-boss and his actions, and bear him/the company no malice or ill-will. I was really looking forward to the position I was told I would have this year - this redundancy now means that I am in complete control of whatever that will be.

NOTE: As you can tell, I have edited this entry a little (for those with sharp eyes that read it after I posted it, a couple of paragraphs are missing). I felt that some of the things I said may have been misinterpreted... if you really want to know what I said, drop me an e-mail or give me a call...