Job hunting

I can’t believe that it has been 6 months since I started my new job over at MACH AG. So it is maybe time to reflect on my experiences while looking for a new job. The outline for the job I was looking for were pretty clear (well, at least to me):

• Greater Hamburg/Lübeck area
• agile environment
• no regular travelling
• being able to contribute on where things are going
• Software testing

Having worked as a product owner, I realized that I wanted to go back into testing, though I would have taken on another p.o. position if everything else was given. But in the end I am more than happy that I was able to find a position within those limits. I applied for about 20 jobs, had a few interviews, declined some jobs, but made quite some experiences that I would like to share, but beware: This is probably more of a “What you shouldn’t do when working in HR” list than a real testing post.

• Some companies didn’t reply at all. While I think it can’t be that hard to answer with “yeah, thanks, but no” in the beginning, you really should send one of these if you have sent a “thanks for your application, we will come back to you within 10 days” mail.
• It really looks strange, if you have sent me a “yeah, thanks, but no” mail and send me another mail a day later saying “uh, sorry, wrong mail, of course we would like to meet you.”
• If you schedule an interview date, don’t ask to change it twice. Seriously, get your calendars clear before you talk to people.
• If you say in an interview that you will let me know within 5 days and you don’t, well, that’s a no for me. And if I send you an email 2 weeks later asking for a travel reimbursement, where I say that you probably have decided for someone else, well, don’t be surprised.
• So you want to send me a contract offer? Well, make sure it states my name, not someone else’s. If it contains the pay we discussed and not about half of it, that would be nice, too.
• Now, let’s assume you did all of the four last things, do you really have to ask why I declined?
• So you have invited me to a job interview. Great, let’s talk about testing. Oh, your first question is about why I didn’t sent my high school certificate? And your second question is about what I did in those 2 month between finishing school and serving my mandatory stint in the army back in 1998? Answer to 1: I sent my university degree as my highest educational certificate. Answer to 2: Let me quote Will Smith “On the playground was where I spent most of my days, Chillin’ out maxin’ relaxin’ all cool, And all shootin some b-ball outside of the school”.
• So you want a telephone interview before? Great, can we schedule that? You know, I am on vacation on an island and need to get to place with at least a glimpse of network coverage. No problem? Good. It would have been even better, though, if i had been able to talk to you instead of your answering machine.
• So we finally get a telephone interview going? Better make sure you have the right questions for the right available position. There is a reason why I didn’t apply for the architect position and it is probably somehow related to my skillset.
• So you are offering me a job in Munich? Sorry, that’s not really in the Hamburg area. So you are offering me that same Munich job again two weeks later? Does it really surprise you that I don’t answer?

To be honest, these were the black sheep experiences and the good ones outnumber these by far. Most headhunters/HR I got in contact with know their business, but the ones I mentioned above seriously tried to not make a good first impression on my side. In general the job hunt was – as so many other things – an inspect and adapt project, learning with every application or interview. There are many great sources of information out there on the topic of job hunting, so I won’t repeat those advices, except for being authentic.