I hate this industry

I hate it. I really do.

I got a job offer from a great company. Doing multithreaded systems programming in Java, something related to the 3G infrastructure. The interview went ok. They apparently liked me. My core skills were in all the areas they worked.

This was last week. I bought Sedgewicks algorithms book, not cheap, because they said this was going to be a half-development, half-R&D position. I wanted to be ready.

Now they called back and said, "Sorry. We don't need you anymore". After they said they did. After they created in me the hope of working in a great project. After they made me buy that goddamn book.

Now the book sits on my desk, a symbol of another punch I took from IT. I'm seriously thinking about working as a chef.

Cheese eating surrender monkey
Friday, June 4, 2004

Look at the bright side - it's a great book.

You probably have a lot of free time now, so grind through it and you will ace any interview.

Eli Bendersky
Friday, June 4, 2004

Yes, but how many interviews are there left?

Cheese eating surrender monkey
Friday, June 4, 2004

That sucks

anon
Friday, June 4, 2004

That totally sucks.  At least you didn't quit a job after you got the offer.

Make the most of the book, there will be other interviews.

Furious George
Friday, June 4, 2004

I don't think a chef has an easier life =)

_
Friday, June 4, 2004

No. He most certainly does not.

.
Friday, June 4, 2004

Can you return it? I bought a book from Amazon once that was not exactly what I expected so I returned it. They refunded the money no problem.

Interaction Architect
Friday, June 4, 2004

It wasn't Cramer was it?

maybe we're competing for the same job
Friday, June 4, 2004

If they actually made you an offer and you have consequent expenses bill them, and bill them for the interview as consultancy.

Then when they don't pay sue them under whatever small claims court you have.

Simon Lucy
Friday, June 4, 2004

As long as you didn't bring the book with you in the bathroom, you should be able to return it. At least if your name ain't George.

Fred
Friday, June 4, 2004

This reminds me of a story...

At a company I worked for, we had a meeting with a potential client doing some web design work.

We had a younger employee sitting in on the meeting to get his feet wet.

Two days after the initial meeting, the younger employee says, "Hey, check this out."

He went ahead and created a website for this company..  Stated that he stayed up all night working on it...

I said, "Why would you do that?  We have no idea if we are going to get the gig or not."

Turns out we didn't, and the work was throw-away.

-----------
Sounds like you jumped the gun.

If anything, they just gave you a free lesson (well not free, but for the cost of that book)

Anon
Friday, June 4, 2004

My brother is a chef, and lucky to be working.  Forget it - it's like IT - too many people, too few jobs.  Besides, the hours suck (6 days/week, 12+ hour days).

TooManyChefs
Friday, June 4, 2004

Is there an industry where there aren't too many people and too few jobs?

RP
Friday, June 4, 2004

>> Is there an industry where there aren't too many people and too few jobs?

I'm sure there are.  And they're that way for very good reasons.

Dignified
Friday, June 4, 2004

>> "Is there an industry where there aren't too many people and too few jobs?" <<

I hear the U.S. Army has good job stability. :-)

Anon
Friday, June 4, 2004

Mine was a rethoric question. Everyone is facing hardships these days.

RP
Friday, June 4, 2004

I understand you might be frustrated, but c'mon...buck up.

And it isn't just this industry that will do that; its any industry because that's just the way life goes.

Get up, get over it and move on.

Oh for another
Friday, June 4, 2004

> After they made me buy that goddamn book.

How come you don't have that book already?
Be a chef. You clearly don't care about
software development as a profession.
You should be buying more books and actually
reading them and actually using them to
make yourself better.

son of parnas
Friday, June 4, 2004

I second the warning about working as a chef.  Haveing come from restaurants before IT.  Remember that a chef will work minimum 60 hr weeks.  He or she will probably be burned or cut every day and spend a good two hours yelling if he / she is a "Working Chef" otherwise it will be four or more hours yelling and burned cut twice a week.  Poeple watch the food shows and think chef is a glamerous job.... The only good thing about "The Restaurant" is that it effectively dispels that notion. Even the glamourous celebrity chef has a sucky life (although he does a good job of bringing a lot of it down on himself)

K
Friday, June 4, 2004

Keep your head up, don't give up. Trust me I have been there too so many times, you just need to keep fighting. Its a bitch out there. The Jobs are goimg to god damn India, and we are screwed here. Don't give up dude. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

De Napoli Le fou Hawari
Friday, June 4, 2004

>>>After they made me buy that goddamn book.

They _MADE_ you buy the book?

If it was critical for your 'job', why wouldn't they buy it?

Why would you do _ANYTHING_ until you signed your employment papers?

You are young, no?

Anonymous
Friday, June 4, 2004

Shush, guys.  If he becomes sufficiently disgruntled to leave the industry, that makes it that much easier for the rest of us.

Wally
Friday, June 4, 2004

"Is there an industry where there aren't too many people and too few jobs? "

Nursing.

Norrick
Saturday, June 5, 2004

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