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For discussing anything related to a software developer's life but is not for programming questions. Got a programming question?

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GeneralRe: Merry Christmas to all my CP friends... Pin
Patrice T24-Dec-15 5:15
mvePatrice T24-Dec-15 5:15 
GeneralTick Tock Pin
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GeneralRe: Tick Tock Pin
Chris Maunder24-Dec-15 3:36
cofounderChris Maunder24-Dec-15 3:36 
GeneralSong of the week Pin
Sander Rossel23-Dec-15 23:46
professionalSander Rossel23-Dec-15 23:46 
GeneralRe: Song of the week Pin
BillWoodruff24-Dec-15 0:09
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GeneralRe: Song of the week Pin
Slacker00724-Dec-15 0:45
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GeneralRe: Song of the week Pin
Sander Rossel24-Dec-15 1:34
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GeneralA Right Religious Resignation PinPopular
chriselst23-Dec-15 22:59
professionalchriselst23-Dec-15 22:59 
So I've just handed my notice in, wrote it on a Christmas card, my boss laughed a lot and then asked for a proper version to give to HR. I have three months notice which would make my last day Maundy Thursday. Just got to get through Christmas to Easter and then I'm out of here.

I wanted to write a bit about my job seeking experience, but I'm afraid I can offer no advice or hope to those searching, I was lucky in that I was looking for a new job whilst still gainfully employed.

Like most people who have been somewhere for some time there were lots of things that irritated me about my job, the company, the people, but mostly little things, mostly that made me grumble and think about maybe doing something else but not enough to make me actually start to look.

Then one person tipped the balance, I had a week working from home and began searching job sites, I applied for a job, ticked the 'make my CV visible to recruiters' box, and within half an hour I had a call asking if I was interested in a different job. Sure I said, and within the day I had my first interview.

I applied for maybe a dozen jobs in total, I didn't get an interview for any of them, although I did have interviews for different jobs at two of the companies I applied to.

I interviewed at 8 companies in total, ignored calls from recruiters up to ten times a day, although did phone a few back if they left interesting voice mails. Most were irritating, a couple were really good people. I also received dozens of emails asking me to apply for jobs, some of them even got my name right.

The first interview was a nice place, slightly shorter drive, more money, fewer hours, they were not interested in taking it further because they didn't think I did well enough in the technical part of the interview. The agent phoned my a month or so later and said they still couldn't find anyone, she thought the were being too picky and was going to ask them to look at me again. I heard nothing more.

The second was out in the countryside, a small and chaotic company, I got the impression that the two blokes interviewing me were a couple. They were concerned that I was missing a skill they wanted and weren't prepared to pay what I wanted.

The third interview was a five minute drive from my house, I didn't like the place, or the bloke, then they gave me a 5 page written technical exam to do and said they'd be back in half an hour to mark it. So I spent half an hour on my phone then left when they came back.

The fourth was at a company with benefits like free coke, it was also next door to a Chinese restaurant, again a nice half hour drive through countryside and forest. This was a development team lead role, except they had recently relocated from Manchester, both existing devs were leaving in February and so it would be leading a team of none. I heard nothing more.

Then things suddenly got a bit mental, I ended up having 5 interviews in a four days, some of them second interviews.

I had a phone interview for a job in the center of Birmingham, then a second interview in person. Didn't get a great feeling for the place, and would have had to travel by train, but the bloke in charge was nicely jaded and highly cynical. Turned them down in the end, although I don't know if they were going to make an offer.

I had an interview with a company near Birmingham Airport that I had been to on a visit from a previous company around ten years earlier. They use a technology that not many people have ever heard of, let alone used, but I had so it was a good fit from that point of view. At the second interview they raised an interesting point, they asked how I could prove I could do the things I said I could. They wanted me to have a portfolio of emails or letters praising me or the work I had done. I don't know about the rest of you, but I work in a culture where that sort of thing doesn't happen. They went with someone else in the end, which did not concern me, I didn't really want to be doing that job although I understand they are extremely well regarded as a company and with what they do.

In the day before the first interview at this place I had seen the following joke;
What's your greatest strength?
I fall in love easily.
Er OK, what's your greatest weakness?
Those big blue eyes of yours.

Then when the woman interviewing asked me the question I just burst out laughing, which was unfortunate.

Then I has an interview in the same building as the one I had walked out of a few weeks earlier, although with a different company. This job I really wanted, very nice place, interesting work, good people I enjoyed interviewing with, 5 minutes drive from my house, and they don't work Fridays, also very good benefits. Unfortunately I didn't hear back from them, whilst you are still in with a chance somewhere recruiters are constantly on the phone then disappear completely once all hope is lost so I didn't bother chasing.

Which brings me to the job I have accepted.

I was contacted via LinkedIn by a recruiter, he had been charged to find someone who had experience of a technology he had never heard of and didn't find many people on LinkedIn who mentioned it. As chance would have it most of my job these last 5 years has been using that technology. Furthermore the company that provides it has sent a number of consultants over to work with me over the last few years, they have also sent them to work at the new place so people there knew me, and knew what I could do. After the initial face to face they wanted a quick phone followup where they had a consultant asking me questions, I had a consultant from the same company sitting with me at the time.

My first serious job out of university I got because an old school friend of mine worked there, my next (and current) job I got because a previous colleague had moved here a few years earlier. And with this new job it ended up being a similar setup, I think all I really had to do was turn up and not call anyone a sunshine and the job was mine.

So I can offer no advice on how to get a job, I still don't know, jobs keep finding me.

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them.

GeneralRe: A Right Religious Resignation PinPopular
PompeyThree23-Dec-15 23:31
PompeyThree23-Dec-15 23:31 
GeneralRe: A Right Religious Resignation Pin
OriginalGriff23-Dec-15 23:39
mveOriginalGriff23-Dec-15 23:39 
GeneralRe: A Right Religious Resignation Pin
chriselst23-Dec-15 23:42
professionalchriselst23-Dec-15 23:42 
GeneralRe: A Right Religious Resignation Pin
chriselst23-Dec-15 23:40
professionalchriselst23-Dec-15 23:40 
GeneralRe: A Right Religious Resignation Pin
raddevus24-Dec-15 3:49
mvaraddevus24-Dec-15 3:49 
GeneralRe: A Right Religious Resignation Pin
OriginalGriff23-Dec-15 23:43
mveOriginalGriff23-Dec-15 23:43 
GeneralRe: A Right Religious Resignation Pin
BillWoodruff24-Dec-15 0:13
professionalBillWoodruff24-Dec-15 0:13 
GeneralRe: A Right Religious Resignation Pin
Slacker00724-Dec-15 1:19
professionalSlacker00724-Dec-15 1:19 
GeneralKill Me Now Pin
Michael Martin23-Dec-15 22:47
professionalMichael Martin23-Dec-15 22:47 
GeneralRe: Kill Me Now Pin
Keith Barrow23-Dec-15 23:04
professionalKeith Barrow23-Dec-15 23:04 
GeneralRe: Kill Me Now Pin
OriginalGriff23-Dec-15 23:36
mveOriginalGriff23-Dec-15 23:36 
GeneralRe: Kill Me Now Pin
BillWoodruff24-Dec-15 0:14
professionalBillWoodruff24-Dec-15 0:14 
GeneralLMQOTY Pin
V.23-Dec-15 22:23
professionalV.23-Dec-15 22:23 
GeneralRe: LMQOTY Pin
Michael Martin23-Dec-15 22:57
professionalMichael Martin23-Dec-15 22:57 
GeneralRe: CCC-WSO-24-12-2015 - Solution Pin
pkfox23-Dec-15 20:58
professionalpkfox23-Dec-15 20:58 
QuestionRe: CCC-WSO-24-12-2015 Pin
Richard MacCutchan23-Dec-15 21:42
mveRichard MacCutchan23-Dec-15 21:42 
AnswerRe: CCC-WSO-24-12-2015 Pin
pkfox23-Dec-15 21:52
professionalpkfox23-Dec-15 21:52 

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