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Do you have weird job problems? I have.
I've been to two interviews in a very short period of time. They've been all nice positions. But today was special because they looked for a person with the exact same experience that I have. The fit could not be better skill wise.
So they call me, it turns out I'm the first one to be interviewed. Also, they will go to their Christmas holiday's tomorrow, so I guess I was the only one. Their head of HR basically just asked me how much I would ask for salary and I said what I expected to get. Because it's not a private business, I know how much they pay so I said the maximum of that (which is double what I can pay myself as an entrepreneur). So the head of HR said "can do!" basically and marked it down, "this can be arranged" I think was his exact words.
My interview lasted 2 hours. A nice chat, we got along great with the would-be-my-boss. But the would-be-my-boss got back to one issue at least 5 or 6 times. He asked me why I want to join them, because I'd get paid more in the private sector. I explained that money is not my biggest motivator, I find the organization interesting from my POV (which I honestly do), and that I like the kind of work they have to offer me, the exact work is something I know best and I would like to do it in a bigger play field, which they would offer. I've been a researcher, I've been an entrepreneur, it's not like I value money the most, and I've come to a solution that I need this job and out of other organization (government), this was the least regulated, as in least restricted, meaning that we could possibly do things and try things without the inferno one would go through when trying to budget/etc/etc with any other government organization.
So he came back to me, "but you know, this would be a starting salary, if you are ambitious, you can always advance from this position. I don't understand your motivation, why would you want to work for us?". I kept saying around same things with different words. He wouldn't believe me basically I figure. It was a bit frustrating, he was a nice man and I think we got along well, but we had broken communication, I tried to say listen, I want the job, OK? He kept saying OK but why, and then on top of it (here's the weird part), he kept upping the offer. He then said "This is like a mold, you could mold our playing field" and I was like yes, that is excellent, and he went on "you know you would be a supervisor to many our people", sure, OK, sounds good. "This would be a great case for you, if you have your sight set somewhere else in the future, you could say you did this and that in here, like a great case", and I was like yes, sounds great, I'm going for the longer haul now though, I want to do something and see the results and grow, not jump around too much. He just kept upping the offer, I didn't get it. Last he even said "I can get you the resources you want, I can do that, we have better budgets already and I got my hands all over it".
It is as if this guy is almost desperate to get me, and I'm desperate to say OK!! It was good the first time, that's why I was happy to come to this interview... if I was not interested, I would not be here.
Maybe he thought I was making a lot of money as it is, which is of course not true. They even said, the both of them, that it's not a problem should I want to keep being with my company _at the same time_. Usually you just don't bring it up during the interview too much, but they already green lighted it, saying that sure, you could do some side business and consulting - of course, we pay you so little. Seriously, it might sound funny but it isn't. First of all, I'm kind of desperate about my economic situation and it'll get a whole lot worse in few months. If I got the job, I would actually make the most money I ever had, on a steady basis. I could pay off all my credit, buy some stuff we need and some fun as well, and save the rest. Just from the first 3 months salary! We could get holidays, we could travel somewhere with the family, this very next summer. Important things, and less actual work than I have to now do.
Needless to say this would be very important. So while it's amusing, I truly hope I get the job and not that stuff where "but we can't keep you motivated". Not being able to pay bills in the future motivates me. Forget that, the job does motivate me. I don't know what else I could have done or said. They liked me and thought I was a great fit skill wise, but the motivation thing bothered the would-be-boss. Not that I wouldn't be because I would, but I couldn't prove it to him in a way that he would also believe me.
I just can't believe it if they are going to interview others (since they haven't and didn't plan to) in January if they thought they are not able to motivate me. Professionals motivate themselves.
I've been to two interviews in a very short period of time. They've been all nice positions. But today was special because they looked for a person with the exact same experience that I have. The fit could not be better skill wise.
So they call me, it turns out I'm the first one to be interviewed. Also, they will go to their Christmas holiday's tomorrow, so I guess I was the only one. Their head of HR basically just asked me how much I would ask for salary and I said what I expected to get. Because it's not a private business, I know how much they pay so I said the maximum of that (which is double what I can pay myself as an entrepreneur). So the head of HR said "can do!" basically and marked it down, "this can be arranged" I think was his exact words.
My interview lasted 2 hours. A nice chat, we got along great with the would-be-my-boss. But the would-be-my-boss got back to one issue at least 5 or 6 times. He asked me why I want to join them, because I'd get paid more in the private sector. I explained that money is not my biggest motivator, I find the organization interesting from my POV (which I honestly do), and that I like the kind of work they have to offer me, the exact work is something I know best and I would like to do it in a bigger play field, which they would offer. I've been a researcher, I've been an entrepreneur, it's not like I value money the most, and I've come to a solution that I need this job and out of other organization (government), this was the least regulated, as in least restricted, meaning that we could possibly do things and try things without the inferno one would go through when trying to budget/etc/etc with any other government organization.
So he came back to me, "but you know, this would be a starting salary, if you are ambitious, you can always advance from this position. I don't understand your motivation, why would you want to work for us?". I kept saying around same things with different words. He wouldn't believe me basically I figure. It was a bit frustrating, he was a nice man and I think we got along well, but we had broken communication, I tried to say listen, I want the job, OK? He kept saying OK but why, and then on top of it (here's the weird part), he kept upping the offer. He then said "This is like a mold, you could mold our playing field" and I was like yes, that is excellent, and he went on "you know you would be a supervisor to many our people", sure, OK, sounds good. "This would be a great case for you, if you have your sight set somewhere else in the future, you could say you did this and that in here, like a great case", and I was like yes, sounds great, I'm going for the longer haul now though, I want to do something and see the results and grow, not jump around too much. He just kept upping the offer, I didn't get it. Last he even said "I can get you the resources you want, I can do that, we have better budgets already and I got my hands all over it".
It is as if this guy is almost desperate to get me, and I'm desperate to say OK!! It was good the first time, that's why I was happy to come to this interview... if I was not interested, I would not be here.
Maybe he thought I was making a lot of money as it is, which is of course not true. They even said, the both of them, that it's not a problem should I want to keep being with my company _at the same time_. Usually you just don't bring it up during the interview too much, but they already green lighted it, saying that sure, you could do some side business and consulting - of course, we pay you so little. Seriously, it might sound funny but it isn't. First of all, I'm kind of desperate about my economic situation and it'll get a whole lot worse in few months. If I got the job, I would actually make the most money I ever had, on a steady basis. I could pay off all my credit, buy some stuff we need and some fun as well, and save the rest. Just from the first 3 months salary! We could get holidays, we could travel somewhere with the family, this very next summer. Important things, and less actual work than I have to now do.
Needless to say this would be very important. So while it's amusing, I truly hope I get the job and not that stuff where "but we can't keep you motivated". Not being able to pay bills in the future motivates me. Forget that, the job does motivate me. I don't know what else I could have done or said. They liked me and thought I was a great fit skill wise, but the motivation thing bothered the would-be-boss. Not that I wouldn't be because I would, but I couldn't prove it to him in a way that he would also believe me.
I just can't believe it if they are going to interview others (since they haven't and didn't plan to) in January if they thought they are not able to motivate me. Professionals motivate themselves.
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