Thursday, July 20, 2006

What Hunts the Hunter

It's been a month since my actual resignation from my former company, and a large, well-established corporation seems to be interested in acquiring my services. I've got over twenty other pending applications to other companies at the moment, but these people have the distinction of being the first ones to reply.

The good news:

- It's a relatively high-profile position. If I don't come in as a project manager, I'll be performing similar duties and will probably receive extensive training for actual project management tasks.

- I appear to have experience in most, if not all, of the tasks of my expected position. This is a huge leap ahead of any other applicants, and my writing skills look like they were a definite factor in my consideration. (Not to mention the possibility that they're probably looking at this blog, too. Hi, guys.)

- The compensation package looks pretty good. I named a relatively high price range for my services, and they don't seem to be hesitating at the numbers.

- I'll only have to work four days a week.

- The job will involve international travel, and feedback from the company's other managers is that this makes for a good amount of R&R as well as business exposure.

- The office location is well within my convenience.

...

Sounds pretty good so far, right?

Now, the bad news:

- Two words: NIGHT SHIFT.

- Thirteen more words: I'LL BE REQUIRED TO WORK THIS NIGHT SHIFT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

...

Darn it. Decisions, decisions...

9 comments:

skinnyblackcladdink said...

as a friend of mine would say (though the two-year contract thing does complicate things):

Take the money and run.

Sean said...

Skinnyblackcladdink: I haven't gotten a formal offer yet, actually. But I suppose that I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch.

Nuninuninuninu...

skinnyblackcladdink said...

ah. good luck with that then. and the ensuing decision-making...

Sean said...

Skinnyblackcladdink: Thanks. :)

Kat said...

Ah, night shift. My friends say that after a while you get used to it, but I still prefer the regular day shift. I get to work at the night shift once every few months though. Good luck on your job-hunting. :)

Dom Cimafranca said...

Good luck, Sean. I hope you get the formal offer.

One thing I don't get, though: there's international travel but you're also expected to work on the night shift? Hmmm....

Sean said...

Kat: My problem with the night shift is that it'll play havoc with my family's schedules. There are effectively three of us working regular jobs, and the fourth will be riding to college for the next four years.

The second point, for that matter, is emphasized because the night shift requirement is effectively permanent for a minimum two-year stay. If I ever land the job, I won't be seeing a morning breakfast for a good long while. :)

Dominique: It's not necessarily a "night shift" requirement as much as it is a "US time" requirement. That should give people an idea of where the client base is from. :)

cstiu said...

'NIGHT SHIFT?????? egad. But I guess, I mean, if you get bored, at least you can make sure that there will still be shops open during the daytime. Compared to normal shifts... where you end up not seeing the sun when you come into the office early in the morning, and not seeing the sun when you leave the office... at the only shops open for normal morning shift people is 7-11....

... I haven't seen a sunset in a while already... *sulk*

AM I EVEN NORMAL??? *boo-hoo-hooo!!!!* ~>.<~

Sean said...

Cstiu: This particular night shift is timed so that I never even get to see a single sunrise or sunset, so it's not quite as good as you hope. :)

No, you're normal. Not many office workers see much of their weekday sunsets in the first place. I should know. :)