Deleterious Ponderings

Well, I stumbled into a new job again. I realise that I've stumbled into all the jobs I've received (with the possible exception of one), but this one is a bit more interesting. For the sake of suspense and storyline, I will try to tell this in chronological order.

Thursday, 15 August, 2002 - 8:32 a.m. CDT
After becoming frustrated with my current job, I asked my mother what she'd think if I quit. She said, 'I'd hope you have a new job lined up.' Hmm.. Sage advice indeed.

I went to work that day with all intentions of finding the time to type up a letter of resignation and handing it over to my supervisors. I wasn't too concerned with the immediate future as I'd saved up a bit of money from this job and was, after all, still leeching off my parents. That would change soon enough.

1:34 p.m. CDT
I was sitting in the office helping the secretary enter the new study hall schedules into the computerised gradebook and attendance system. The phone rings. At this point, it should be noted that this is certainly not an extraordinary event, being in the office of a school and all, phones ring on a rather frequent basis. But this call was for me. On the assumption that it was yet another salesperson trying to convince me to part with more of the school's dwindling tech funds, I grudgingly accepted the call.

It was Kris. 'Get on ICQ now,' she said. 'Mike has an important question for you.'

'Lovely,' I thought. 'I have the opportunity to answer a question. This must be my lucky day.'

I explained to the secretary that I needed to check something on the computer in my office and would likely return in a few minutes.

I quickly loaded up ICQ and was surprised to find Mike there. He asked bluntly, 'Do you want a job?' Perhaps you have to know Mike to understand the trepidation that this simple question conjures.

Mike works for some company (I'm not sure what their name is) which does consulting work for the US government. He's stationed in Germany at the moment.

Seeing this as my opportunity to quit my job and fulfill the 'demands' of my mother, I replied, 'Yes!' He strongly suggested that I send him a copy of my resume to him as soon as possible, but no later than 8 a.m. the next morning. I told him that I would try to type one up and email it to him late that evening.

Friday, 16 August, 2002 - 1:10 a.m. CDT
I finished writing a quick and dirty one-page resume that was geared towards the types of technical skills and experience this company was looking for. I fired it off to Mike and went to bed.

About 2:00 a.m. CDT
I finally managed to get to sleep.

6:00 a.m. CDT
Dad woke me up and explained that I had a phone call from Germany. I groggily got out of bed and found a phone.

'Hi, Kevin? This is Kimberly from XYZ and we just received your resume and thought we'd try to catch you before you left for work. Can you do a phone interview right now?'

Apparently someone failed to inform Kimberly that I didn't go in to work until at lease 9 a.m. and rarely woke up before 8 a.m. Nevertheless, how could I refuse a phone interview with someone who had read my resume less than 5 hours earlier?

At this point, I would normally enter details about the phone interview--questinos that were asked, answers that I provided, etc. Unfortunately, I don't reclal much of it due to my unconscious state for the duration of said interview.

They said that they would let me know early the next week if they wanted to hire me.

Monday, 19 August, 2002 - 6:00 a.m. CDT
The weekend was relatively uneventful.

Once again at 6 a.m., I was awoken by a phone call from Germany. They wanted to know if I want the job.

Panic ensued.

'Um.. yes,' I responded, not entirely sure of myself. But now I had a new job and could quit my current job. Horray!

8:29 a.m. CDT
I staggered into work and type my letter of resignation over my lunch break. I turned it in to my supervisors that afternoon. There were a number of interesting reactions overall, but I think I'll save that for another entry.