Another dilemma

Take the suit and tie job? (Read the message)

  • Take the job, then ditch them - They would ditch you

    Votes: 6 100.0%

  • Take it and keep it

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Pass it up - Screw the su

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    6

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Celerity

Celerity

Well-Known Member
I have this job opportunity coming up that actually presents more of a problem than take or leave.

A consulting firm that I have worked with for years has set me up in an interview next week. The job is for a lawyers office located in Stamford. As you know, Stamford Connecticut commutes are some of the worst in the world. It takes me 1.5 to 2.0 hours to get one way during rush hour, and I live 32 miles away.

The position is for tech support. They seem to change the description. First it was for tech support, then move to management. Now it's I.T. only, and menial tasks. No administration, no design, no engineering. Just break-fix.

The position pays $45k a year, coming down to roughly $20 an hour, which to me is horrendously low to work in Stamford. It's simply not worth me getting up in the morning.

Now, as consulting firms would have it, If I go on this interview and they like me, and I turn it down that firm will never work with me again. That's just how it works.

Something else that's funny: Slight work warning: Obey the Suit


So I get it - It's miserable work that I'm going to leave anyway. If I work there for a few weeks then report that I Don't like it chances are great I will be out of cahoots with the firm still.

I don't get it, no paycheck.

Benefits suck. Pay sucks. Commute sucks. And I was requested to "Smooth over my over-qualifications".

So Take it and screw em later, Turn it down and use my time (That's 10 to 12 hours a day) to find another job, or take it and shut up ?

-> Steve

This also will not be conducive to me going to college. I will have to ditch them sooner or later.
 
Originally posted by Celerity@Oct 10 2003, 01:43 PM
"Smooth over my over-qualifications".
Click to expand...

The period still (and always) goes inside of the closing quotation mark. Same with commas.

But back to your dilemma.

If you really don't want to take it and are worried about them not offering you another position in the future, just tell them you're currently in the middle of a semi-long term consulting commitment. If they value your services, they'll call again - unless they find someone who's better than you. But that's the risk of being in business.

Again, another tough decision, but one only you can make. Good luck.
 
Options as I loosely interpret them...

1. Take job, skip school, guarantee that you're pigeonholed into a no-advancement role, be pissed and hate life
2. Skip job, take school, beef up qualifications and open up doors to get even better jobs
3. Take job, take school, take money and be miserable while driving to a job you don't like, burn bridge with firm later when school gets too heavy but walk away with a few thousand in paychecks

I'm biased though... so I would say screw the suits.
 
go to the interview, and speak poorly.

say "ain't got none" a few times, and you simply won't get the job, won't have to wory about future work with the placement agency, cuz you went, just didn't get hired, and you don't have to work for that place.
 
I'm pretty sure it's the booze talking tonight, and my sky high adrenalin from getting in a fight - But I'm pretty sure I want to just strap a bomb to myself for this interview.


Thanks for the input.

-> Steve

And according to The Elements of Style and grammar rules written by Simon and Shuster Punctuation belongs with the statement - If it is indeed part of the statement - or with the quote (If it belongs to the quote).

There can only be one punctuation mark around the Quote mark, and Question marks (?) and exclamation points ALWAYS exist outside of the Quote marks.
 
Originally posted by Celerity@Oct 11 2003, 01:46 AM
And according to The Elements of Style and grammar rules written by Simon and Shuster Punctuation belongs with the statement - If it is indeed part of the statement - or with the quote (If it belongs to the quote).

There can only be one punctuation mark around the Quote mark, and Question marks (?) and exclamation points ALWAYS exist outside of the Quote marks.
Click to expand...

You're correct. Sort of. Exclamation points and question marks are indeed usually outside of the ending quotation. The only exception is if they're part of what being quoted.

For example: I can't believe she shouted, "holy hondas!" when she walked into the showroom.

However, if it's NOT part of what's being quoted, you put a question mark or exclamation point on the outside (as you pointed out). For example: Am I getting "OT"?

But periods and commas are always inside of the closing quotation no matter what. As proof, any newspaper usually has hundreds of examples of this. It looks "strange," but that's the way it "is."

Sorry about all of this. The only reason I brought it up is I've pre-judged hundreds of job applicants based on how they write a cover letter. When you have 40 people applying for one position, you tend to look for really mundane reasons for thinning the herd.

I promise, I'm not going to talk about this stuff anymore!
 
Yeah mundane reasons they look for - And mundane reasons they find.

Ok. I'll stop too.


Today I find out if I get a job that will suffice me - Chauferring pizzas around town.

If I get that, then the interview is kinda offed. But other than that, my suit is ready to go anyway.

-> Steve
 
Just got back from that interview.

The job req was changed twice - In email. The woman holding the interview said she wanted someone that "Wasn't going to want to move up in the company" and yadda yadda. It was suggested (requested) that I downplay my talents and past experience.

So I did that. I felt like a rube, but I did it anyway.

Then half way through the interview they said that it was Level 3 and Level 2 support, with a project managment need. So all the downplay I was doing wasn't NECESSARY. They changed the rules again. I had 30 minutes to turn it around and make myself out on top again.

This is why if you're in a hiring position, be very clear as to what you want !

-> Steve

So I think I flubbed it. We'll see. I asked them for the job.
 
Write a follow-up letter reiterating your qualifications.
 
Done. I always do that, and write thankyou notes. The email has to coincide with the physical mail though, and I try to make the thank you card make it before the email.

-> Steve

If there is one thing being a consultant teaches you, is how to interview like a damned pro.
 
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