So ... it appears we're not moving to Lakewood.

[unixronin]

Short version:  The Americorps program in Lakewood contacted us about a week and a half ago and offered us both places in a program teaching small businesses about computer security.  I, meanwhile, had just two days earlier interviewed with Yahoo, and had been told to expect an interview with UBS (think Gnomes of Zurich) within 48 hours.  So we said, "Can we have a couple of days to think this over?  I just had an interview with Yahoo and I'd like to find out how it went before we decide."

"Sure," they said.  "But we probably need to know by August 4th."  So on August 3rd, three busiiness days later, we sent mail back accepting the Lakewood offer, only to hear nothing for five more days and then learn that because we'd asked for time to consider instead of accepting right there and then on the phone, they'd gone off -- after telling us we had time to think it over -- and interviewed some more people and given the positions to someone else.

Yahoo, meanwhile, had decided (it appears) that I don't have enough NAS experience (which is to say, none), and UBS are still sitting on their gnomish hands in Connecticut and haven't interviewed anyone for the position I've been presented for there (for which, if you believe the recruiter, I'm an excellent match).

You know the job market is bad when it's an employer's market even for subsistence-level volunteer work.

And yet....  and yet the fellow geeks I know in Silicon Valley seem to be getting hired left, right and center.  (Mostly by Yahoo, ironically.  paeyl just got hired for the job I interviewed for.)  This makes me feel like an abject failure.  There is no future in being a polymath.  If there's a sweet spot between "You're overqualified for this position"/"This job pays $amount-you-can't-support-a-family-on" and "You don't have enough experience in $specific-field for us" in this economy, I have yet to find it.

Comments

[ilcylic.livejournal.com]

I suspect you've already taken this lesson away from the scenario, but here it is in black and white just in case: the next time you get an offer, take it. Then, at least, you will have income while you look for the next thing.

"The bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."

-Ogre

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Yes, and that thought did not escape us, and we spent about half those three days agonizing and tearing our hair. We didn't even take as long as they'd told us we could. But if UBS in particular had come through .... well, it would have been the difference between spending a year in poverty-level subsistence, or getting us completely back on our feet in that same year. Or if Yahoo had said yes, I'd have been back working with other 'miners again, and that counts for a hell of a lot in my eyes. Once people finally got the idea into my head that I was good enough, I took an almost $10K pay cut from Cardima to work with 'miners.

All the same, yes, I was very very strongly leaning towards taking it right then on the phone, poverty level or not. Especially since we'd promised ourselves we would take the first offer we got, lest we lose it. And then we let it slip away because Yahoo and UBS looked so good.

As previously mentioned, I am finding myself increasingly unable to make any decisions of consequence because I'm so afraid of making YET ANOTHER wrong decision. I increasingly frequently find myself wondering if I have ever made a single right decision in my life.

Decisions

[felinecanine.livejournal.com]

As previously mentioned, I am finding myself increasingly unable to make any decisions of consequence because I'm so afraid of making YET ANOTHER wrong decision. I increasingly frequently find myself wondering if I have ever made a single right decision in my life.

I don't think you should second-guess yourself here. Despite the consequence, I still think you were right to think about the position before accepting. In particular, this position carried a commitment with it that you might have had a hard time backing out of if conditions changed.

It sounds like the other party in this failed to honor their commitment to you. Maybe the only lesson here is to get more clarification the next time, but I wouldn't use that as a reason to rush into things in the future.

Re: Decisions

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

I hear you, on both points.

Sure, it carried a commitment ... but what job doesn't?

Re: Decisions

[felinecanine.livejournal.com]

Sure, it carried a commitment ... but what job doesn't?

I thought there was a contractual commitment to the Americorps job. Sometimes there's a commitment where you'd have to repay relocation expenses or things like that. Otherwise, most companies would be understanding if you received a much better offer from somewhere else and left them at the altar or soon after joining. Or at worst, you could just do it and not be stuck
with any contractual obligations.

Re: Decisions

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

There is a contractual commitment, and if you don't fulfill your commitment, you do not get the stipend or educational award at the end. As far as I know, there is no other penalty. That's little different than, say, going to work at $COMPANY and deciding to leave before your first year's stock options vest.