Firstly, I thank everyone out there for not giving me a hard time during my non-blog period. The simple fact is that I was bored with the whole thing and simply didn't feel like it. Several things have occurred last month, but even though they were blogworthy, I simply couldn't be bothered to talk about it. However, here are a couple of salient points.
I think that I may start a job soon, as in the next two to three weeks. I have been interviewing like mad lately, and I have been able to have two companies keep a real interest in me. I have had second interviews with both of them, and I could get an offer as early as Monday.
Company #1: Huge company. It would be my first of this size. Fortune 100. Incredibly stable. Insanely rich. The benefits are crazy. I got this interview through a headhunting agency in Toronto. I didn't expect too much out of the whole deal, but then they called me to prep me for the interview. These guys did their homework. They emailed me a checklist sheet of the types of questions that get asked in their interviews. They did a conference call with me to prep me, telling me the personalities of the people involved. They knew everything about what was going to happen in the interview. It was like having a copy of the exam. When I asked why they do all this, they told me that there are as many headhunting agencies in Toronto as there are restaurants. They need to stand out. And they certainly did and do as far as I am concerned. Naturallyu, I smoked the first interview. I even smoked the personality quiz that was emailed to be afterwards.
The second interview, however, was not quite as well as I had hoped. Again, I received a cheat sheet and was told to "really bring it" the to interview. This time it was with the director of the entire Small Business Division. I excelled at pretty much all aspects of the interview, except one thing: my experience didn't quite come across. If this sounds familiar, it's because it has happened before. But this time I understand why.
I am applying for sales positions, and in this company especially, they are looking for people who dream about closing business. Live for it. That's not how I approach it. They are looking for people that cry RAH-RAH-RAH_SALES! SALES! GOOOO SALES!! And my approach is more methodical and deliberate than that. The position is high-volume and low $$. I do better in low-volume high $$ situations, where you can develop a relationship, do research and so on. Each prospect is almost like a little project. But I was able to bullshit my way with the Director just enough that they agreed to bring me in for a "trial" day sometime next week. Then we'll see if I/they think that the environment is the right one for me.
I want this job because of the benefits. They offer $5000 a year for education, and my would-be manager seemed to really think that my project management aspirations would be easily accepted as being appropriate for my growth with the company. $5000 a year pays for most of what I could take in a year. Furthermore, this is the first company in a long time where I feel as though I could actually grow within the company and do something else. Something I want to really do. This would certainly benefit the company, or else they wouldn't pay for it.
But on the other hand, I have to really get out of character for this position. It's a real go-getter type of thing. I am still somewhat jaded by my experiences from before, especially the last one. However this (and the other job), has an advantage that I have never had before. I would not be selling software. I would be selling real things that people clearly understand. Something that has been through QA. It makes a huge difference.
Company #2: This lead came from Workopolis. The company is also very large, not as large as the first one, but far bigger than anything I have ever been a part of. The office in Montreal, though, is very small. I think that there might actually be 10 people there. This job is not actually sales at all, but business development in the sense that I would simply be farming a market and making appointments for outside field reps. The sales ops manager doesn't even work out of that office (a beautiful little place in Old Montreal, where I have always wanted to work). She works from home in St-Lazare.
I had two phone interviews with her, and a face-to-face. The work environment is the opposite of what it is at the other company. Very low-key and easy-going. Just the way I like it. I even met the staff. And the job seems very simple. The problem? They give me a quota, but aren't giving any commission. That's right. No commission. It's a little silly, I know, and it would be a deal-breaker if I this were the career I wanted to have, but if I can just coast along here for a couple of years, It might be doable. Besides, the pay is higher than the base pay at the other company if you don't include the educational supplement. And she did say that I am the leading candidate from what she knows of the other two people that she has to interview. She wants to make her decision by Monday. This alone could tip the scales in her favour.
It's a tough decision. I don't have any offers yet, but I feel pretty confident that one is coming.
In other news, next week I should be picking up my little Toshiba laptop from HEC. Well, it's not THAT little, but it's new and very well-taken care of. And it has lots of software that I didn't steal from somewhere. I am really looking forward to it. Also, in two weeks I am going to be visiting Brockville as family that I haven't seen in 20 years will be coming to visit. It should be a riot. 20 years. Hm. There is another generation younger than me now. Whatever. Being in the 30s rocks anyway.
Oh, Happy Canada Day.
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