Okay, the very next day I get contacted and I hear they want me. But guess what, I won't get a contract from them, but from the person that introduced me to that company. And I met that guy before I invented Golden Rule #1. So much for my €2700+ per month, and hello €2500,- per month. That an whoping increase of 2.04%. Or in absolute terms a gross incease of €46.15,-

Also the contract is on project basis, which means if they do not like me, they can let me go without any problems. For instance my previous employer hired me for a year, this one can kick me out in a month if needed.

Of course, because I am a trainee and that guy that introduced me there needs to be paid, I accept the lower pay. But I need to know what then? It would be unacceptable if they offer me the next contract, but with a little more pay. No I want the contract anyone else is getting. Yes I understand that I get less, but that hole needs to be fixed the next contract, otherwise I keep getting paid less that my peers no matter what I do. You see some companies contract pay you for performance. If you perform well you get 3% increase, if do exellent you get 8% increase. But if you start with a contract with lower pay, you will keep having the lower pay that your peers. Maybe you grow faster, but you still get paid less in absolute terms.

So many questions are open still. One being my function description another being what happens next. If will stay use Golden Rule Number 2, don't roll over and give in. Plus I always have the other option.

Another thing I am surprised that there are no more interviews, not even psych tests. After one talk they decided that they wanted me. Why? I never showed anything special, they did not even test me! But yet they see something in me. My previous employer thought that I did not fit the profile, yet they hired me. He saw something in me too. I heard my previous employer had high expectations of me. Again not sure why. Well someone is going to be mighty dissapointed in a few month. I give myself two months before they lose patience with me. Hey at least I won't have to work menial task for the rest of the year. They will just kick me out, quick and painless.

This blog is depressing. You are Iga, a terminator, of course people want to hire you.

Okay yet another job interview is done. This one was a bit dry, no laughing, no jokes, but it was servicable. Friday it is time for job interview 4.

Also a new challenger approaches. Company 5 shows its face. The want to talk to me, but they forgot to add time, place and date. Not sure when the interview is taking place!

So that's like 5 companies, damn I need to stop with looking. I am drowning in them.

Maybe this is a part of the screening process.  They want people who are determined and persistent.

Okay quick update.

Both Kepel Verolme and Damen want me. Damen has a better contract, but Keppel Verolme has better work. The differences are slight, but I am leaning slightly to Keppel.

Today I also have a meeting with TNO. Work looks great on paper, but who knows the description was vague. Could be anything.

Okay, the interview did not go well. First it was a weird concept. They would mostly talk about the result of a personality test. Oh yes personality test, I have such a great record with these. First one I did had me being a sociopath, this one had me being average at everything. And why start with a personality test? Why not tell what the job is all about? You know finding out if I even want the damn job! Basically I was getting interogated. Why did you do this? Can you give an example? What exactly was your role? And what where your grades? And the best one 6.5 for your Master Thesis, why not a 7.5?

Some interviews let you tell a story and then they ask away. It feels more like a conversation this way, but here I was getting burned. But I am used to that and I defended myself well enough. But I do not know what impression I left. Normally I can tell if I am suited for the job or not and tell if a interview went well. But here, no such luck. We hardly spoke about the job content and because it was just me answering personality questions it never took off. In the end they asked if I wanted to tell something about myself that could significantly change the way they would view me. So naturally I asked what they view of me was, so then I could better tell if it was correct or not! But they told me they have to talk with each other before they give me an answer. So I just said that I am a very perseverant guy and I never ever give up. Also they asked why they should hire me, someone who has work experience, over a fresh guy from college and I answered because I have work experience, duh.

They will call tomorrow. I expect the worst, but I hope for the best.

Yes, there was a tech guy there, but only as support. In the end I could ask a few questions about working there. But he was not in the department I applied for, so he could not answer specific questions. Also these HR people are not trained psychologists, so the test themselves are worth nothing. Heck psychiatry itself in not exactly an exact science, even well know psychiatrist are known to make extremely wrong diagnostics.

Finally they called and told me that I did not get a job. What a surprise! Not!

Of course I asked why, out of curiosity. First they said I seemed younger than my age and work experience would entail. I made a confused impression and was not able to answer all questions clearly. Also they found that the conversation did not go smoothly.

Also they said I have to watch my words. For instance I said you guys do the research mumbu jumbo, She found that a little disrespectful.

I, in my turn told them there order of things was weird. I still do not know what the job entails. Should that not be a priority? I still do not know what the job is about.

Also I also did the same thing with the word choice with all the other companies. They did not mind because they have a thing called a sense of humour and some healthy ammount of self-deprecating. Weird a company that claims to be open to have problems with some of my wording.

Also they reason I sound confused was because the questions were annoyingly vague. Like I mentioned before and they kept interupting me. Why not aks a open question first? Like tell me who Bobby is, so you have a flowing conversation and then you start the third degree. To be honest with all the lack of professionalism before (read the TNO post with me trying to call them) and this dry nonsensical psychological mumbo-jumbo (sorry not going to  watch my words, grown some balls and deal with it)  I really do not want to work there. I should threat them with more respect they say? Sorry honey, you have to earn my respect. Believe it or not, TNO is not a gift of God, I should now, for I am GOD. Puny little fleshbags tremble before my might.

bugsonglass said:

Just playing devil's advocate:

Firstly:  Some employers may feel that if you are applying for a job then you know, or you should know (if not everything) at least the gist of what it entails or at least what it's about and that may be (at least part of) the reason why you are applying.  Why would you apply in the first place if you had no idea what the job was?

I knew the gist of it. But the description was vague. Of course I tried calling before applying, I tried it 3 times, but I could not get the contact person on the line. That contact person was the same person that did the interview. Stuff like day to day activity was unknown. Stuff like what exactly do you mean with High-end equipment was unknow. Stuff like how the internal education would work was unknown. Important stuff don't you think?  I knew I would talk about the results of the personality test, but did not expect it to be 90% of the conversation. Could at least send me the results before hand so I could prepare for it.

bugsonglass said:

Secondly:  Wording and etiquette is indeed very important.  Those people are not your chums.  Whether they have have a sense of humour or not may or may not come into it but in my experience you do not win people over by being over-familiar.

Sorry, but I got 3 other job offerings by doing just that. Only two failed and they both included a personality test. The first one called me a sociopath and the second one made me look normal. At least there is some improvement there. Others failed for other reasons, but the interviews went well there. Engineers are known to be laxed and crude with their wording. It is who I am, not going to change anytime soon.

bugsonglass said:

Lastly:  Sadly they do not have to earn your respect, they can just reject you and move along to the next person.  They are the ones who can offer you the job or not.  It's the way the cookie crumbles

No that is not the way the cookie crumbles. Not at all. They have to earn my respect, because they need an employee too. I must convince them that I am suited for that job and they must convince me that the company is suited for me. They failed in that regard as I have failed in convincing them. But the thing is I already have 2 other job offers. So if they reject me then it is no big deal at all. It was a longshot at best. I can reject them and move to two other companies like they can reject me and move to other persons.

Just playing the God pounding the devil part.

Dry dock>money.