The job interview

So I work in the IT field. I'm what, what we would call, a "Junior Systems Engineer". I'm going to translate that as "I know what I'm doing - sort of". I don't paint myself to be any better than that to the world because it sure would be scary as hell to be put in front of something I've never worked with in my entire life - or even worse - be expected to then tell that server to do something.

But I'm not an idiot either.

I learn very quickly, given the opportunity. I love a challenge and I love complex heterogeneous environments. I build Windows servers on virtual machines on a monthly basis. I play with VMWare and SCCM when I'm bored. I build installer packages from AdminStudio just for the hell of it. I read slashdot, wired, packetstorm, and sans on a daily basis. I love IT - it's my life and my passion. I'm TIRED of desktop technician jobs and although they bring in money to eat they are way too easy; and if you think I whine too much as it already is try getting me on a day where Sally can't open her email because she deleted the icon to Outlook.

I've recently been in a string of contract jobs where i'm extremely undervalued. It's a lot of "plug this in" and "install this" on some PC. It's a lot of "reimage this PC" and "jump through this hoop" and "do this completely pointless task so you'll look busy for hours on end". Most of the time I'd just get on facebook and slashdot and watch the flamewars on YRO and then go eat something from the cafeteria. It wasn't horrible, but I was always envious of the server team or the network team beacuse they were doing the jobs I know I could do (given the chance). I think what killed me the most was that everyone I worked with on the Desktop team was happy with what they did. I hate to say it, but for most of them, it was the limit of their mental capacities and efforts. They didn't love what they did, most of them just fell into their positions from other jobs a long time ago. To them, it was just a job.

So as the contract ended I began to look for another job. I'm getting married soon and I'd like to make some extra money before I start school again. I look around on Craigslist, dice, monster - and find close to nothing. This economy makes me want to choke a cubscout. I apply to a few positions, most of those positions being a little above my qualifications but I don't try to hide that fact.

So a day later I get a phone call from IDR Resources asking me to come in for an interview for a "Network Engineer" position. They listed some pretty basic reqirements for the position (with networking experience, oddly enough, not being one of the requirements). I fit all of the requirements except for two: I don't have any real life Server 2008 experience and I don't have any VMWare ESX server experience. I don't tell them I do and my resume doesn't say I have any. They have a phone interview with me and talk to me about the position a little and ask me about my experience and go over my resume. They ask me to come in.

I think, great! I'm going in for an interview and I have a chance at landing this job!

I think I forgot I was nobody.

I went in to their office over off of Elm Hill Pk. where every other IT recruiting office on the planet is to meet my new IT overlords. I wear a nice shirt and tie and my best slacks. I walk into the office and it looks like every other freaking IT recruiters office I have ever stepped into with your standard cliche wall plaques like:

Our mission is to blah blah blah be the best
Our goal is to blah blah who cares be the best
Our whatever blah blah blah we are no different than anybody else

Then I tell the receptionist, who looks like she hates her job just as much as I hated my last job and I tell her I'm there to see (name redacted).

He comes out and he's NO OLDER THAN I AM. I think to myself "who is this tool" and "how is this fool going to judge me and my knowledge" while I quietly shake his hand and introduce myself. At this point I'm going to admit a mistake - I didn't fill out one secion on their "IDR Resources application" because it asked for information that was already on my resume. It wanted job history and references - which I conveinently include on my resume so I don't have to effing regurgitate it every time I apply for a job. He then tells me I have to regurgitate this information for him by hand and that he will be back when I've completed this waste of my time.

He returns shortly and I'm not completely done with my copypasta when he sits down and asks me the same questions he asks me on the phone. "Do you have any experience with Server 2008?" and "How well do you know VMWare ESX?" I tell him I don't have any experience, which I TOLD HIM THE DAY BEFORE AND IS CLEARLY MISSING FROM MY RESUME. This giant Douche then tells me that his manager told him that they NEED somebody with skill in Server 2008 (which isn't much different that server 2003, if you know what the crap you're talking about) says they probably aren't going to get me the job.

I wanted to shoot this guy in the face. I drive 30 mintues across town, wake up early, prepare for an interview, and then I'm given 5 minutes with a guy who knows NOTHING about IT and what its demands who tells me that I don't have what it takes to perform on the job. I want to tell the pretty boy to go back to MBA where he came from and let me talk to the guy who knows what the hell they're talking about. I want to talk to their client and tell them I'll work my ass off for them. I want to sceam this at the world. I want to tell the world that I have what it takes and to give me a chance and I'm DEFEATED by the 24 year old college graduate that gets paid 30,000 a year to recruit IT people when he knows nothing about the field.

I leave and go see Kristen. I'm happy again. I remember that I'm nothing special and I feel comforted.