Internet Explorer – yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m a freakin’ luddite, sue me. It may be about needing a Java update, though.
Thanks!
OMG OMG OMG! I just got a voicemail from that job I mentioned earlier that said my resume was being sent on for further consideration. I would have answered my phone outright, but something was weird with the caller ID and it said the number was like 480-60 or something…I figured it was some kind of telemarketer or something. But the guy who currently has the job I’m applying for (I’m assuming he’s either leaving or they want another person to work with him) said he’d like to talk with me about the position.
I’m kind of excited, but I don’t want to get my hopes up. Now I have to work up the nerve and call him and not come off sounding like a total ass-cock. It’s not the most ideal job for me, but it is something a little different and might be kind of cool. I’d be assisting with patient simulations. Setting up, maintaining, and running patient mannequins, VR simulators, and so forth. So it’s similar to what I did as a biomed tech, but in an academic setting, and with less variety of “things” for me to work on.
The best part is that, in theory, I could take classes through the university (I’m assuming that, like most universities, one of the benefits is free tuition for a set number of credits) and perhaps eventually finish my master’s.
I use Firefox 2, and I do have problems, but that seems to be a result of having NoScript on. I’m still trying to figure out which sites/scripts I have to allow in order to get my search agents to run properly. It’s annoying that trying to be safe in one way screws you over in another. :mad:
One very good development today (though not a lead on a FT job, so don’t get *too * excited) – there was an ad on Craigslist the other day looking for freelance writers for a new locally-oriented publication about sustainability issues (reducing carbon footprint, new energy technologies, etc.). Sustainability, aka permaculture, is the area of gardening I am absolutely most passionate about – the broader environmental implications of the choices we make in our own gardens, in terms of the impact of chemicals, providing habitat for wildlife, etc. etc. etc.
Wrote a brief email to the guy – he wrote back, asking for a writing sample, which I provided yesterday. When I didn’t hear back today, I got antsy, so I wrote a rather long letter waxing eloquent on what I see the issues as being, and attaching two more writing samples.
He called me, on the phone, a couple of hours later, right before leaving the office for the day, to say that he’s swamped with responses to the ad right now but is absolutely interested in working with me. We’re going to get together as soon as the smoke clears for him a bit – he’s answering every email he got, except maybe a few from the real wackos.
So – not a FT job (probably … sigh) – but the oppty. to communicate with people about issues I feel passionately about. And that, my friends, is very, very cool.
Just got off the phone. What started off as just a “here’s more stuff about the job, any questions?” turned into a full-fledged phone interview. Lasted over an hour and a half. :eek:
I came off pretty well, for the most part. I’m not gonna lie, there were several questions he asked me I had no good answers for…like if I have any server experience, coding, or 3-D modeling other than CAD/drafting. He also said he would have liked more design experience (I only have a couple classes worth of it, nothing “real,”) but on the other hand, he liked that I had classes in physiology, and that I have hands-on experience fixing medical equipment, and he LOVED the fact that I have acting experience, cause that’s a big requirement of the jobs as well.
So now we’re working on setting up another phone interview with his boss, the director of the program. If that goes well, I might have an interview down there. If it goes REALLY well, they might skip that, because they aren’t normally budgeted to pay for face-to-face interviews, so if they can avoid having to find money for a plane ticket and hotel room in their budget, they’d like that.
He mentioned there are other candidates, but he also said I was towards the top of the list, so that’s a plus.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you, bouv. Here’s one thing to keep in mind. My husband, the mechanical engineer, pointed out that in your field, you’ll probably be out-earning us within a few years and we’ve been at our jobs a bit longer.
Good luck to you and twickster!
Whoohooo bouv! Sending you lucky thoughts.
Yup, I updated Java and the problem was gone. Thanks!
sigh
I knew this would come up, but it still sucks. I got an email saying they would just love for me to send over my transcripts from my undergrad and grad schools. Well, the undergrad is no problem, other than a sub-stellar GPA (2.7), but the grad school poses a problem.
-
I failed two classes in the fall semester. I emailed the profs on getting the F’s changed to W’s, because that’s what happened, but they haven’t gotten back to me yet. But, even if that happens, there’s this:
-
I have a hold on my account because I owe the school over $3000. I’m on a payment plan, but the hold remains until every dime is paid off, so I can’t send out transcripts. I don’t even have an old personal copy lying around I can fax over.
Fucking great.
I’m a bit confused on your F vs. W situation. [prof speaking]
Did you withdraw by the deadline for withdrawal? If so, there should have been a W on your transcripts. Also, did you drop on your own or simply stop attending? The latter situation could have led to the F.
Just asking because I don’t have all the info.
Oh, I was just a giant dumbass and stopped attending. I an’t really tell you why, because I honestly don’t know. For some reason, I just never dragged my ass down to the registrar’s office to fill out the form to drop out of school until after the semester was over.
It seems now I have to fill out a consultation form for a “retroactive academic adjustment.” It’s basically out of the professors hands, and is up to the Dean’s office. I don’t even have any excuse, other than “it was hard so I quit.”
And again, regardless of whether or not I can get the grades changed, I still can’t get a copy of my transcript.
Yup…definitely fucked.
I hate to keep bogarting this thread, but I just got off the phone with my second phone-interview for this same position. I don’t think this guy (previous guy’s boss) liked me as much, but at least it was short. Only 30 minutes, not an hour and a half. He basically asked all the same things.
So I still have that transcript problem to deal with…though I did find a form online at UVM called a “verification request.” Basically, I can fill it out and they’ll notify whoever I want that yes, I did attend UVM for X amount of time. But that’s basically all they can say. They can’t give grades, or even the classes I took. Only that I was there, and that I did not get a degree.
I will de-lurk and say I have made it to the final rounds of interviewing for a company in Boston. If they are as they’ve seemed in the two phone interviews and as their website portrays them, I would love to work there. I am overqualified for the position, which they know. They must be OK with it, since I’ve gotten this far. For this position and this company, I’m OK with it also. I wouldn’t say that about just any job, or just any company.
It’s been really hard getting past the first round when I am not actually IN Boston just yet but am applying for jobs there. As I told the first interviewer, I am the trailing spouse, and all my professional experience and network contacts are in the Midwest. That means precisely zero in the northeast.
It’s an all-day event tomorrow. Wish me luck.
Good luck to those with interviews!
My boss spoke to me today and said that of the 8 people in our group he has managed to save 5 of them. I was not on the 5 list.
But he has high hopes. (His new mantra is: if we make it until July we are golden.)
I don’t guess I really care. I had said that if I made it until after my operation on May 30, I was fine with whatever they do.
Uh, I guess I’ll drop by just to say that I’m leaving the club. I found a new job that I’m really excited about. It wasn’t even advertised, just one of those things where I called someone to take them to lunch and chat and they said “you want to do X? We’re looking for someone to do X!” It’s a new position so I can make what I want of it to a certain degree, and I’ll really have the opportunity to show them what I can do. The only negative (if a negative at all) is that I’ll have to relocate again. But since I’m single and mostly fancy-free, that’s not that big of a deal.
Honestly, I’ve been so unhappy where I am that to have this new opportunity work out for me feels like a cosmic blessing. I’m just really, really grateful. I hope everyone else’s searches work out for them. I’ll be following this thread and wishing everyone the best. In the meantime, feel free to hate my guts for a while if it makes you feel better. Not too long though, please. 
Congratulations!
grumble grumble grumble
Congratulations Jodi. Wishing you luck and joy in your new career.
I’ve been told that I’m a fairly smart person. Still, I don’t have the mental capacity to complete some of these job applications, especially the ones that want you to provide details about EVERY JOB YOU HAVE EVER HAD SINCE YOU FIRST STARTED WORKING. We’re not talking about jobs with the CIA or FBI here; we’re talking about plain old urban planning positions. Seriously, why do they care? I mean, even if I can remember the dates and places, I can’t remember supervisors, phone numbers, salaries and whatnot of supermarkets, pizzerias, two-weeks-this-sucks-I’m-outtahere jobs when I was in college, and other trivial gigs from the time before New York State would allow me to legally consume alcohol.
Advice to those starting off in their careers: while you’re young, and you can still remember it, write down all the details about every place you’ve ever worked; exact employment dates, supervisors, phone numbers, starting and ending salaries, everything for every place. Really, save EVERYTHING.
Also, the very invasive questions: no. I leave 'em blank. It’s none of your fcsking business what my Social Security number is, at least until you hire me. I don’t care if it’s voluntary, but I’m not going to tell you my race. No.
Okay, I think I mentioned that there’s a guy starting up a locally oriented magazine on sustainability issues, who’d indicated that he’d probably be able to throw some writing my way on growing/gardening/food.
Just got back from finally meeting with him, and we found eatch other deeply simpatico. Plus, he doesn’t want to edit this puppy himself. I indicated my deep desire to (and incredible qualifications to) serve as editor for it – he indicated that that certainly would be a really good way to proceed. We are in agreement that we will be working together. The specifics – like, yanno, money and shit – have not been discussed.
Oh. My. God. I want this job. Phalanges at the ready, fellow sufferers!
Good luck to you on that, twickster.
Do you remember a magazine called Kitchen Garden? It was in print for a few years, and I loved it. It was full of articles of how to grow vegetables, the photography was beautiful, and all of the info useful. I still have every issue except the first because I can’t bring myself to throw them away. I don’t know why it went out of print - I guess vegie gardeners were not a very attractive demographic group to advertisers. We tend to be a thrifty bunch.