Preparation

In all that excitement yesterday I forgot to mention that I managed to squeeze off an application. Mind you, I'd have probably forgotten anyway - it was one of those job adverts which are a bit non-descript and probably doesn't have a real job at the end of it.

Today I also managed to squeeze off another application.

I also sent more details to the agency I contacted yesterday.

In the afternoon I got prepared for tomorrow's interview. Apart from getting out an appropriate shirt etc I made sure my shoes were polished. They are now. If you look at them in the sunlight you'll probably go blind.

A year or so ago an MBA graduate told me about one interview he had on Wall Street. The investment bank interviewer commented on his well-polished shoes. It showed attention to detail, he said. I guess when you're setting up fake companies, and routing funds off-shore to evade tax payments, then attention to detail is required. And when you come out of Club Fed your skills in shoe polishing may open the one career left to you. So, it's important.

My shoes are so shiny that I could probably have got a job at Enron. In fact, a few years back I did have an interview with them. I'll write about it another time but after the interview I told my recruitment company that I wasn't interested.

My preparation ritual also involves finding out about the prospective employer. But this is now very difficult. The information, from sources such as The FT, are no longer free.

The company I'm seeing tomorrow doesn't have any financial information on their web site (I bet their web server is full-up just with all the Flash animations they use).

No fear. When I get to London tomorrow I'll visit the City Business Library. They have free financial and news clippings of practically all listed companies.

Professionalism

People who suffered infarcts yesterday should probably not read this bit.

After I updated this blog yesterday evening, quite a bit later, my mobile rang again. It was the recruitment agent handling the company I'm seeing tomorrow. He confirmed the interview then spent over half an hour going through the details. Appreciating he was still in the office I suggested he called me today but he was quite happy, in fact insistent, that he would brief me there and then.

For those readers who are still conscious I'll reiterate. A computer recruitment company calls at the weekend and after hours during the week. Moreover they're courteous.

Compare and contrast with:

Today I phoned an agency about the details I sent them. They were fine but it was clear that they hadn't got round to sending off my details. Not because of pressing tasks, they just hadn't got round to it.

I phoned another agency about a different role. We had a bit of a chat but in the background I could hear "Let me be your fantasy" by Baby-D.

In case you haven't been following this blog astutely I should remind you that I'm not trying to be:

a. a plumber or

b. a sales assistant at Miss Selfridges.

(Not yet anyway)

And even if I was trying for one of the above positions I still wouldn't expect to hear classic Euro-house music in the background. Or any other sort of music for that matter.

Trick advert

In my daily trawl I noticed this job advert:

"...dynamic individual to head up one of their main projects. The role is one, which will require a good technical skill set, with an appreciation for the commercial aspects of the projects. You must be able to demonstrate experience within the Web field. An interest in Golf is essential, please do not apply for this position unless you can demonstrate a good understanding and passion for Golf. The PM is responsible for delivering single or multiple projects of high quality, on time and to budget through the effective management of people ...". See how they treat the word "golf" with a capital G.

Don't worry, I didn't apply. But maybe I should have done. Lied outrageously and got an interview. Then taken an AK 47, or maybe an Uzi, to the interview and gone postal.

This must have been a trick advert. Maybe anyone who applies and confirms their "passion for Golf" has their details put on a recruitment blacklist. And maybe that blacklist gets sent to the police so they can be framed for various serious crimes. Though, of course, playing golf is in itself a serious crime.