How Not To Get Hired
by | posted in: Red Herrings | 0

Do you sense a theme in my posts lately?

So, yes, I’m still looking for work and it’s still on my mind.
I’ve had some phone interviews and I think something is about to break, but I don’t want to jinx it by going into details.  So, instead, I’m going to talk about what terrifies a job candidate most; the interview.  Let’s face it, even those of us who have done a bunch of these still dread them.  I, personally, think I interview well, but I still hate having to do them.  I’m always sure that I’m going to say the wrong thing and submarine my chances.  And, to be completely honest, at least once, I did.  Granted, that was fourteen years ago and I’ve learned from the mistake, but, still, I think about it every time I get ready to interview.
But, it’s Friday, so let’s not dwell on the existential dread of job interviews.  Instead, let’s laugh about them!  Vitamin T, with the help of the Webbys and Upright Citizens Brigade, have put together four uncomfortably funny videos about How Not To Get Hired In the Tech Industry.  I can tell you that I’ve encounter all four types of people in the tech industry, though, thankfully, not when I was a hiring manager.

In any case, it’s Friday and the videos are funny, so enjoy!  (And have a Happy Easter!)

Haphead: A SciFi Webseries
by | posted in: Fun and Games, The Infinite Library | 0

As my long-time readers will know, I love science fiction and I love free.

Haphead is both.
Haphead is a science fiction webseries available on YouTube and is about a dark future where interactive gaming has taken on a level of interactivity and realism beyond anything we could have hoped for.  The “haphead” referred to in the title is a slur used by the mainstream to describe the hackers who use computer/brain interfaces to actually feel the games they play.  The series follows one haphead in particular, a young woman, who gets a low-end job at a factory making the high-end gaming gear so that she can steal some of it and play the mysterious, cutting-edge game.  Or, as the marketing materials read “A cyberpunk webseries about a girl who’s literally empowered by videogames. In 2025, games are so immersive that teenagers learn skills just by playing.”
I’ve only seen a little of the series, but it looks great.  And, it’s from the same people who did the Kickstarter I backed a couple years ago Ghost with Shitjobs, which is excellent.

So, if you’re looking to kill a couple minutes, since each episode is short, hit the link and check out Haphead. But, do be careful, these episodes may not all be entirely safe for work.  Or kids.
Have a happy Friday and a great weekend!

Positive Thinking
by | posted in: Marginalia and Notes from the Editor, Personal Care | 1

I think everyone could use a little positive thinking this week.

I know I sure could!
I have read more than my fair share of self-help books and the one thing they all mostly have in common is the idea of “positive thinking”.  Whether it’s The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale or How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie or Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill or A Better Way to Live by Og Mandino, the underlying message is the same; there is definite power in the ability to think positively in any situation.
But, here’s the thing, not only is this a relatively new idea dating back to just the mid-19th century, but it’s an idea who’s history can be traced.  Check out this video at Boing Boing from author Mitch Horowitz, The Secret History of “Positive Thinking” and the New Age.  His book, One Simple Idea: How Positive Thinking Reshaped Modern Life, looks at the history of this life changing idea.  Simply, that a positive mental attitude can affect our health and, even, our financial success.  I have seen this actually work in my own life by, yes, applying many of the principles I found in those books I mentioned.  He lists more of these books in a second article at Time; The Ten Best Self-Help Books You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of.  Except, of course, I have heard of several of them.  For instance, I read the Kybalion back in the early 90’s before I moved to Houston.  You can get a free, ebook version of it at Project Gutenberg.  (You can read other books by the actual author of that book, William Atkinson Walker, for free, too.  I recommend The Hindu-Yogi Science of Breath.  It’s actually really good.)

So, if you’re in a funk and need a little lifting-up, don’t discount the idea of positive thinking.  Checkout the video and the books.
And, remember, eventually things will change!

Re-Organizing
by | posted in: Marginalia and Notes from the Editor, Stimulus and Production | 0

It’s time to clean up my act.

Seriously.
My wife is a professional organizer and decorator, so those of you who know me well know how she suffered when she first moved in with me.  I hadn’t devolved into a complete hoarder, but I had gotten an unfortunately significant start.  She dug me out.  Honestly, I wish I had her ability to let go of things, but I tend to hold on to too much.  Naturally, when she asked me to read…
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A Free Civilization
by | posted in: Fun and Games | 1

No, this is not a political post.

I do my best not to openly participate in politics, frankly, because it all seems like a fool’s game.  On the other hand, simulation games have been known to unduly entertain me for embarrassingly extended lengths of time.  For a lot of my childhood, I played role-playing games.  For those of you familiar with my chosen profession probably won’t find that too surprising.  It seems like all the middle-aged professional geeks I know played RPGs as a kid.  And, I mean the pen-and-paper versions, not the video-game versions.
But, today, I’m sharing something a little different.  I’ve had more than one person tell me that I’d enjoy a simulation game called “Civilization”, but Sid Meier.  Basically, it’s an empire building simulation where you try to take over the world.  I’m not going to read too much into those suggestions, though I have actually listed a career goal as “Take over free world with an army of flying monkeys.”  I’m sure they meant that the challenge of the game would appeal to me.
So, today, since I’m out of work still and a lot of other gamers are as well, I’m bringing you a link to a free, open source attempt to capture the same idea and game play called “Freeciv“.
I’ll be perfectly honest and admit that I haven’t downloaded it and played it in ages, mainly because I’m still very focused on my job search, but, for those of you who need the distraction and don’t want to shell out a fist full of cash right now, this might be a fun alternative.

And, hey, it is free, after all, so why not take a break this weekend and give it a try?

Interview Questions
by | posted in: Red Herrings | 0

I’m prepared to answer these, are you?

So, I’m still looking for work, but at two weeks, I suppose that’s to be expected.
I’ve had a couple phone interviews and I’m waiting to have a couple more.  Generally, if I can get an interview with a technical manager, I can sell myself well enough to get a job I have the experience to actually do.  Often, I can sell myself well enough to land I job I don’t know how to do,…
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Job Search Log
by | posted in: Marginalia and Notes from the Editor, Red Herrings | 0

So, I was laid off Tuesday.

I wasn’t surprised by it, for sure, since they’ve been laying off two and three people a week for the past six weeks or more.  I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed, though.
A couple weeks ago, another sort of IT person, who’s here from the real parent company in China, was sent over to my location to gather up all the passwords and access I had.  Probably to make a copy of my…
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Get More from Your Commute
by | posted in: Personal Care, Red Herrings | 2

Our commutes don’t have to be dead time.

Who doesn’t have a commute any more?  Mine is relatively short now.  Less than 30 minutes, actually.  But, when I lived in Chicago, it was at least an hour each direction, whether I was behind the wheel driving or riding on a train or bus.  I used to read during the riding part of my commute, but, when I was driving, I would have loved Commute Kit.
Commute Kit is a website that gathers together Podcasts, Emails, Aggregators and Apps with various themes to help you fill the time on your commute.  The podcasts are split between those under, or over, thirty minutes, depending on your commute.  Obviously, the non-podcast options are only really suitable for people who have a passive commute either as part of a car pool or a mass transit rider.  Since I live in Houston, where most commutes are measured in drive-time, not miles, the podcasts are what interest me the most.  Those are broken down into “Fascinating Stories”, “News”, “Great Interviews”, “Fun, Games and Comedy”, “Big Ideas + Creativity”, and “Business Startups”, to match your desires and goals.

I haven’t actually started using this yet, but I think I may.  If nothing else, it may give me something else to talk about in interviews, when I start having them, besides the business at hand.  My experience has been that getting people to like me in an interview matters more than my actual qualifications, which, theoretically, they’ve already determined by what my blushing bride assures me is an impressive resume.
Anyone use something like this to make their commute better?  Share in the comments!

Tools for Job Searchers
by | posted in: Personal Care, Red Herrings | 3

Not exactly a set of “fun” links, really.

I still work in Oil and Gas, albeit in IT, which means there are a lot of layoffs.  And, there are more coming.  Even though I’m in IT, and they need use like they need electricity, I could go at any minute.  So, in solidarity for those who have already lost their job and those who might still, I’ reposting several links to resources for job seekers.

First, for those who are still employed, but who have lost their boss, here’s some advice from The Muse, via LifeHacker, about what to do when your boss resigns which might prove useful.. The first suggestion is good advice for us all right now; Don’t Panic. And, frankly, I’d add to the list they give you a bit of my own advice. Be helpful to the new boss, or anyone who’s left. They probably just walked into a bad situation that they may or may not be fully prepared for so do them, and yourself, a favor and help out. For that matter, make sure you’re a team player and everyone knows it. Naturally, you should have been doing this all along, but, if you haven’t, now’s the time to start.
Secondly, if you are out there searching already, or think you might be, make sure your resume is in order. Need help? Try this collection of Five Free Resume Building Apps from Techrepublic. If you’re stuck writing your resume, maybe because you haven’t written one in a while or even never have, these can be a good way to get started. If you have a resume already, and are searching, you may want to try customizing them to the particular job you’re applying to at any given moment. If you need help with that, check out Resunate, the Smart Online Resume Builder.
You just load up your current resume, then add in the job you want to apply for and let this website tell you where your resume matches, or doesn’t match, the job description. Then, as if that weren’t enough, they actually let you create a new resume based on the changes, automagically!  Of course, always run it by an actual human being that you trust before sending it to anyone. If you’re using a placement firm of any kind, a good way to test their quality is to send the resume to them for feedback. The good ones will actually give you feedback.
Finally, once you get as far as an interview, Fortune and CNN have a list of Five Questions to Ask Your Next Boss to determine if you’ll be a good fit. People always forget that an interview is for the candidate to evaluate the company, position and boss, as well as the company to evaluate the candidate. This article gives you some great ideas to try and see how you’d fit into a new organization.  Just because the job market is tough doesn’t mean that you should just grab anything, if you can help it.

So, I hope that none of my readers has lost their job recently, or been too greatly effected by layoffs, but, if you have been, I hope these links help. Also, remember, we aren’t our jobs, so go do something fun this weekend that connects you to people outside of work.
Good luck, y’all.

Makin’ Bacon
by | posted in: Personal Care, Red Herrings | 1

No, seriously, I’m talking about actual bacon not some silly double entendre.

Also?  If you don’t like bacon enough to read this, why do you even read my blog?  I mean, seriously, do you even get me?
I actually had a talk with one of my doctors about bacon and how if I had to die of something, I was okay if it was bacon.  She suggested that it would be healthier for me to pass it up occasionally.  I responded with the idea that life is short and every opportunity to eat bacon may be my last, so could I afford to pass it up?

In any case, I’m talking about making bacon.  Or, rather, the folks over at the Art of Manliness have shared a tutorial for making your own bacon.  Real bacon, mind you, not some sad, turkey substitute.  And, well, thoughts on manliness aside, I can’t help but wonder if I can convince my wife to maybe try this with me.  I’d have to invest in a smoker again, since our old charcoal grill finally gave up the ghost, but I think it would be worth it for home-made bacon.  Man.  That sounds good this morning.  Bacon.
Hey, do what you want, but I’m going to go get some bacon.
Enjoy your day and your weekend!

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