Recently I decided to return to the world of IT and computing. To this end I had and am applying for various positions with the field of contract web development. To understand the following you will have to appreciate that for the last 12 years I have only ever taken contract positions. In fact I have only had one permanent (permie) position…the first ever job I had about 15 years ago.
So…I had applied for a contract position training IT, something which I had done many years ago. A couple of days after my application I received a call to ask whether I would take a permie position. I was loath to say yes, but the salary was reasonable and I do like training so I thought I would try the interview at the very least.
A couple of weeks later the day of the interview arrived (that’s one of the differences between permie and contract…how fast do they want you). I had got dressed up in the usual…shirt/waistcoat etc…and I went down the stairs and set off…the sun was shining splendidly.
There is a bit missing here which I will add at the end of the post!
The interview went extremely well. I knocked their socks off. So much so they called me in to meet another couple of bods the next day and they were blown away to. The result. “Come and work for us”
I spent two days pondering whether I should accept the position. This in and of itself should have warned me but I ignored my inner sense and went with my rational brain and took the job.
Today I went in for the first day and honestly I was looking forward to it. I had started at 10am (a late start). It was going good. I got the normal permie treatment…here is an introduction to the company…blah blah blah. This didn’t phase me as I had expected it. But I confess it started the itch in my neck.
About half of the morning in and I was called in by the head honcho…it is always a worrying sign when the headman calls you in for a “private” chat.
“Err we have a few concerns, first you have to wear a tie when you come into work.”
“Ah, I don’t wear ties”
We both laughed, he thought I was joking, I was serious.
“Oh, and I don’t think the waist coat is going to go well when clients (their predominant client is financial institutions) are in”
“Oh ok, I guess I can give you that one.”
“…and, then there are the jeans, we prefer pants”
“Hmmm I’ll do you two for one, Jeans and Waistcoat for Tie?”
Again we both laughed, he thought I was joking, I was serious.
Does this sound a bit pedantic? That is an opinion and in my opinion, I was dressed clean and tidy and reasonably smart. But it added a little more to the pot.
After this small exchange I carried on the tour of the company. After another half hour I got friendly with another of the bods working there and questioned him regarding the more “work/play” attitudes. For example…
Was one able to access external emails? No, What, not even at lunch? No
How often was overtime? Very often. Was it paid? No, Again, to laughter I pointed out that I didn’t do unpaid overtime…what is it with these guys? The reply, “This isn’t a contract job” Seriously!
By lunch time, the pot had overbalanced…
In the interview they had said that I would be doing 30% job coaching. Actually this was non-existent, all in all I was all but ready to walk. Wow! I went out into the sunny afternoon and sat in a nearby park to consider my position (pun intended).
Fifty five minutes later I returned and called the guy into a private chat of my own (oooh that felt good) I pointed out to him the various (small and petty) reasons that I had for my decision but in the balance of things, it wasn’t going to work. Five minutes later…adieu!
Now then, what the Zarquon has this to do with Dowsing? Well, remember I said that something happened when I was setting off for the interview – back at the top of this post?
Well, at the bottom of the stairs in my house is a mirror on the wall. It has been there for about 12 years and has never caused any problems. The day of the interview just as I was by the door ready to set off it fell on the floor and smashed to bits.
A rather unfortunate mishap you might think, but fortunately we have a way to bring meaning from chaos. I dropped the pieces in the bin and my mind was wondering about the significance of this event. 7 years bad luck – hah! I don’t believe in that but I had a feeling…So, even though I was rushing for the interview by now I grabbed my dowsing rods and asked a few quick questions…
- Should I go for this interview? No
- Should I accept this job if I am offered it? No
- Should I wait for a more appropriate position? Yes
- Will another position arise soon? Yes
With these answers playing on my mind I continued on for the interview anyway. Twenty minutes later I was on the train musing about the mirror with my feet propped up on the opposite seat (sorry) I noticed that in the confusion I had forgotten to change my shoes…and was wearing trainers! Sigh! Fortunately, I was early enough to be able to get some new shoes before the interview.
And there you have it, what do you make of it? A sign ignored? A coincidence, Just madness?
Kal Malik
I like your story & feel you done the right thing overall. Always trust your intuition though & always keep it real.
In Lak’ech.