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Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2007
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I was in a job interview this afternoon for a prominent Alabama tech company, and they asked me "If you could describe your life with a song title, what would it be and why?" Before I could stop myself, honesty struck; deep heartfelt honesty. My answer was Marooned by Pink Floyd. Immediately, I regretted my answer as it was inappropriate for the interview. My gut told me I'm all instrumental and no vocals in the south, all thunder and no fury, going through the motions. Marooned and imprisoned in the south.
I've had six face-to-face interviews this week, all of which have gone well. I've got an offer to start on Monday in a great job, for a great company, making over 50% more than my last job. Yet everything feels wrong. I desperately want to live in the mountains where I can hunt, fish, hike, ski, and work like a madman. I've applied to over 100 jobs, mostly in Colorado, Alaska and a few in Montana. I've talked with over twenty headhunters across three states. I've searched religiously for jobs every day in over thirty cities in five states. I check Monster, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed, JobHunter, ZipRecruiter, Craigslist, local school district websites in every city, every day, and more. But for all of my effort, all of twenty interviews over the last month, all I can reel in are jobs in Birmingham.
Am I doing something wrong?
Am I being punished? Who the fug under 50 listens to pink floyd? Leap and the net will appear. Sack up, move where you want to live. Bartend, pound nails, live in your car, whatever you have to do to get roots down, while networking and beating the bushes. You'll find the job. Hopefully one without the idiot HR drones. Or, take the job, bank the extra cheddar, & start building a network in the areas you want to live. No, you won't be able to rub elbows at the country club in the towns of your choosing. But, you could make contacts even through 24HCF, and call real live people at companies for "informational interviews", asking what they're looking for, and if they know anyone who's looking. This would make it more personal & concrete for them, than for the e-resumes they look at on Monster, ZipRecruiter, etc. It could be they're not taking seriously, your desire to move. What you're looking to do is a challenge, but not an insurmountable one. Good Luck, FC
"Every day is a holiday, and every meal is a banquet."
- Mrs. FC
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 20,379
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Dec 2004
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Taking another job where you hate to live isn't in the recipe for personal satisfaction.
But you guys go ahead and hash it out, I'm going out to run an arra through a bull.
I replace valve cover gaskets every 50K, if they don't need them sooner...
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 5,866
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Sep 2013
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George, I'm gonna give you the same advice you give me a few days ago. Dont mind [bleep] it, just move to where you want to be then find a job. You live in the south the jobs you get are in the south. If you lived in the west the jobs you get will be in the west. Which is more important to you, the perfect job or the perfect location? One of them you may have to compromise on.
Eating fried chicken and watermelon since 1972.
You tell me how I ought to be, yet you don't even know your own sexuality,, the philosopher,,, you know so much about nothing at all. Chuck Schuldiner
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Joined: Oct 2002
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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My wife runs a personnel placement agency (headhunter) & has had clients ask some very strange questions of job applicants. Usually by some HR person educated beyond their ability to comprehend reality. I would disregard the stupid question. Every area has disadvantages & advantages. Use the increased income to purchase a cabin, trailer, or camp some where that you can hunt & fish. Use vacations to hunt & fish in the places you desire. I live outside of DC & accepted a great job here over 40 years ago. I hated the area & all the congestion, but from a career stand point it was the right decision. I purchased a vacation home on a great fishing lake & also hunt nearby. I used vacations to hunt most Western states, Canadian Provinces, Africa, & Europe. Best of luck with what ever you chose.
Life Members SCI & NRA. NRA Instructor & RSO. What have YOU done to support hunting & gun rights?
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Joined: Jan 2014
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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I'm thinking that "Sweet Home Alabama" would have been a better choice. Hell no. I was thinking I-20.
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,542 Likes: 7
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 8,542 Likes: 7 |
I think your answer to the song question shoulda been��"I wanna hold your hand"
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,408
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 14,408 |
surprised none a you old boys suggested Johnnie Paycheck's famous ballad.
but seriously, i have been in similiar situations. being offered jobs that just did not seem right. money good, bennies good, etc but something did not seem right. twice i declined, once i didn't. while i have never regretted the ones i declined, i almost immediately regretted the one i accepted. life situation will dictate a lot of decisions. age, financial situation, wife, kids, mortgage, etc. i have carved my life and career up into chunks of 5-year plans. what will get me to the goal of my 5-year plan? if moving to alabama and working at a job for a while there will get me the experience i need to get me a job in my preferred area, i do it.
i lived in philly for 8 years for gods sake. i can do anything now. you talk about a soul sucking experience. but it got me the experience i needed to get where i wanted to be.
My diploma is a DD214
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,056
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Good luck on the hunt George. With this economy, and the line of business youre seeking, job seekers got it rough. But youve got some good advice so far. Lifes short. I wont say abandon your efforts to get where youre at today, but to me, it sounds like you might outta think about it. At least keep an open mind.
Im in a similar position. Spent the last 8 years in Defense. Got an offer yesterday, still Defense....10/hr less than what I was making. I was told im over qualified, but they really think they have a need for me and would like to see me move up fast. Then asked what more could I bring to the table. I said for that money youre lucky id show up and walked out. Theres no way im working this industry for less than 20, and even thats pushing it. What burns my ass is, because I dont have a degree, im less than dog schit. Yet some young punk will get hired because he has paperwork yet needs 3 assistants and 20 calls to Santa Clara to find out which part to use.
Sorry for the rant. Good luck to ya!!
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2001
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Should have told them that you don't think of your life in the form of some musical, and that a job interview shouldn't be based on the questions of a comedian!
Phil
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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A friend of mine was once asked, "If you were a fruit, what would it be?" The answer of course, is "grape", since it shows you like to work with others and be part of a team. lol. What a joke. While showing the same teamwork spirit, I'd pick a banana. A really big banana. 
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever."
-S. M. Stirling
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,651 Likes: 4
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
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The real experts in areas such as employee selection, industrial psychologists, stress objective, job related, information collection and analysis, and appropriate training of interviewers.
The stupid head games described here are the province of amateurs who think they are shrinks. HR and line management alike are full of them, and they cost their companies big time. I spent some time working for a consulting firm that made big money straightening out messes made by managers who thought they were experts in the people business.
Paul
Stupidity has its way, while its cousin, evil, runs rampant.
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Joined: Jan 2010
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 23,581 Likes: 3 |
He could have said "Helter Skelter" . I suspect the job interview would have come to an abrupt end.
I would have said "All my rowdy friends have settled down"
You could twist that into a great answer as to why they should hire you.
The golf ball question is interesting. I assume there is no wrong answer as long as you work thru whatever answer you come up with to justify it.
have you paid your dues, can you moan the blues, can you bend them guitar strings
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Joined: Oct 2002
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 96,121 Likes: 1 |
If the litmus test for hiring is 'What song', I'd not want any part of that place nor that field.
"Dear Lord, save me from Your followers"
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Joined: Jan 2001
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2001
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Guess I was lucky never having to deal with people like that... any interview I've ever had to go through was usually out in a yard boots on the ground talking directly with owners who only wanted to know if I could do the job... and since I've worked in the industry for years, most knew me already or knew of me.
Phil
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,307 Likes: 2 |
George: For one thing, if you apply for any job in MT be prepared for a pay cut. If you have a preconceived notion of what you 'need' to get by�be prepared to 'modify' it�
Our per capita income is not good here�and you pay for the privilege of living here.
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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The problem with most companies are due to downsizing. They either eliminated HR altogether and went with software analyzation or limited HR to one or two people, people that have no clue what the true business needs are.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 15,652 Likes: 3 |
George,
If you wanna be somewhere and live a lifestyle do it - Don't make excuses why you can't do it at this time.
As Rancho said, make sacrifices, extreme sacrifices if you have to. If you have the gumption and stubbornness, and are a competent dude, it will work out in the location of your choosing.
Good luck to you as I was in your shoes -
- Greg
Success is found at the intersection of planning, hard work, and stubbornness.
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 23,660 Likes: 1 |
If the litmus test for hiring is 'What song', I'd not want any part of that place nor that field. Agreed. Lots of silliness in lots of companies today. Jobs in your field & many others, are hard to find in the mountains state areas & there is usually a loooooong line of candidates when there are positions available. Lots of service jobs & a fair amount of health-care jobs, not much in industry or technical fields. Also, re-read Ingwe's comments regarding compensation as it's on the money. Essentially, you have two choices: stay where you are & keep looking while you're working, or move to where you want to be & take what you can find & can get until you find what you want; just be prepared for not finding what you want in a job for an extended period. Good Luck. MM
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Joined: Jul 2007
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 24,665 Likes: 6 |
George, Personally, I'd take the money and the new position right now. Spend the extra cheddar traveling to some of these places you think you want to live, then decide for certain that's the place to be. And I'd make it a point to visit some place of employment that were high on my list. I've been to many of the places you've listed. Great places to visit - just wouldn't want to put down permanent roots there. I might also add that I think I read not too long ago that you want to retire when you're 40. While it is possible to have your cake and eat it, you really need to decide what you want from life. Balls-to-the-walls to hit the retirement mark or have a quality, recreational life. Personally, unless you've got dreams of your own tech firm, I'd plan on working a "few" more years past 40. 
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/X0n16mr.png) WWP53D
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13
Campfire Sage
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Campfire Sage
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 115,424 Likes: 13 |
I was in a job interview this afternoon for a prominent Alabama tech company, and they asked me "If you could describe your life with a song title, what would it be and why?" Before I could stop myself, honesty struck; deep heartfelt honesty. My answer was Marooned by Pink Floyd. Immediately, I regretted my answer as it was inappropriate for the interview. My gut told me I'm all instrumental and no vocals in the south, all thunder and no fury, going through the motions. Marooned and imprisoned in the south.
I've had six face-to-face interviews this week, all of which have gone well. I've got an offer to start on Monday in a great job, for a great company, making over 50% more than my last job. Yet everything feels wrong. I desperately want to live in the mountains where I can hunt, fish, hike, ski, and work like a madman. I've applied to over 100 jobs, mostly in Colorado, Alaska and a few in Montana. I've talked with over twenty headhunters across three states. I've searched religiously for jobs every day in over thirty cities in five states. I check Monster, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Indeed, JobHunter, ZipRecruiter, Craigslist, local school district websites in every city, every day, and more. But for all of my effort, all of twenty interviews over the last month, all I can reel in are jobs in Birmingham.
Am I doing something wrong?
Am I being punished? Since you're quite obviously a nerd that needs guidance in life, why don't you create a matrix that assigns appropriate values to things you are weighing in this decision and whatever it tells you can be your guide. Travis PS- The correct answer was "Big Bottoms" by Spinal Tap. You fugged that one up. Big time.
Trump being classless,tasteless and clueless as usual. Sorry, trump is a no tax payin pile of shiit. My young wife decided to play the field and had moved several dudes into my house
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