On Selling Out

How long do I have to work at Evil Corp before getting my own underground lair?

I'm curious as to why this is "selling out" for you? Were you hoping to open your own library?

Without knowing much about the company it is hard to determine what kind of questions you should ask but if you've been temping there you might start with how the job will differ from what you've done as a temp (other than hours and salary).

Maybe like....

As a temp I copy edited documents/letters/memos dealing with X, Y, and Z. Will I still be working with these type of documents or will there be other things (vocabulary, technical terms, industry specific jargon) I should familiarize myself with?

Congrats on the interview.

Hmmmm...if you already work there, why the need for an interview? Everytime I've worked freelance somewhere and a position opened up, they just offered it to the freelance person who's work they liked the best and the interview was basically a formality.

I'm hoping it is a formality. This is unique because I've essentially created this job description for myself. Their "library" was in shambles, and I barcoded everything and got the circulation software up and running, etc. I just have to convince them I'll still be essential now that the library has been resuscitated.

Yeah, Boomerang, I do look forward to living above poverty level, in spite of the title of this thread. It's just a new transition after having been in school for, oh, about 25 years, including four years of art school, playing in bands, drinking at 3 in the afternoon, basically having no responsibility and making fun of people who do.

One question I would ask probably: will I be able to work independently
on a project? Will I get enough responsibilties to see the project from
beginning to the end i.e. with all necessary decisions?

Questions along these lines would be important to me.

Salary negotiations come last and never ask for fringe benefits up front.
First you have to prove that you're an asset to them, not the other way
around.

Ahhhh man. I still recall the day I "sold out".

I was sitting in photo class when the teacher, trying to seperate the true atrists from the hacks, proclaimed "SOME of the people in this room will end up shooting bottles of catsup and bars of soap" and intead of filling in "and the rest of you will become reknowned artists" my monkey brain said "and the rest of you will wait on their tables".

At that moment my life flashed before my eyes and I knew that I would rather shoot endless bottles of catsup than not shoot anything at all and I ended up doing studio portraits for a bazillion years before I finally got to shoot the kind of portraits that I wanted to shoot.

Living above the poverty line can help make all of your dreams come true.

But enough about me....

In your situation I would pose ambitions and ideas as questions to make them realize how essential you could be:

"I think the library could really benefit from <insert your idea here>. I could implement this by <insert method here>. This would benefit Evil Corp by <insert reason here>. Do you think Evil Corp would be interested in such a program?

From the copy editing standpoint, I was reading something not long ago about how companies are hiring people to teach their executives how to write in a way that is understandable -- cutting out the jargon and legalese and there mumbo jumbo. Depending on what Evil Corp does you might be able to work your writing skills into something like that.

boomerang, that was a riot!

Actually, I learned more from that teacher in just that one sentence than I learned the rest of my years in art school.

My logo should be a catsup bottle.

I know nothing that will help you, little pitcher, but I wish you much good fortune.


I can tell you right now, though, that you're gonna miss the freedom of life below the poverty line, but not the poverty itself.

Jeez. I miss it already.

There are always writing fellowships though.

As you can see with my work on the library, I live to make thing run more efficiently; do you have any other projects in mind? Or would you like me to just continue to improve what I see on my own? I'm really looking for a permanent home; do you see a long term future for me here? Once I've proven my value; where do you see me going in this company?

Also, try to come up with a reasonable take-away that simultaneously demonstrates your sense of self-worth, and acquires you something that would be difficult to negotiate for down the road. My personal favorite was:
Are you ready to hear the downside? I smoke at least once an hour, I do not work while the Green Bay Packers play football and I have no intention of getting a haircut. To date: No employer in the last decade and a half has even tried to make me work while the Green Bay Packers play football... though I have occasionally watched it on a portable TV while acting as supervisor. :wink: Had this not been negotiated in up front; I don't think many employers would consider it reasonable... but at negotiation time it's generally met with a laugh and an "I can live with that".

And always try to end an interview with "Look no further. I'm your man" while looking them square in the eyes with an easy confidence and a firm handshake.

I think eye contact is important, definitely. And there may be some negotiation regarding the Pack AND the Brewers--when they come to Wrigley.

and DON'T rub your hair!


You used to drink at three in the afternoon?

Do I rub my hair? What does that mean?

And, well, of course I drank at three in the afternoon. I lived in Alabama. I was in writing school. There was nothing to do but drink and write, though never at the same time. Should I take, "Drank at 3pm" off my resume? Is that what your'e saying?

Maybe you only rub your hair when you've been drinking since three in the afternoon.

What's going on? Is this an idiosyncrasy of mine you detected at Martyr's? I feel so exposed.

I don't know whether it's something you do regularly, occasionally, or the one night in your life you happened to be sitting across the table from me. Don't give it (or me) any mind.





Good luck with your interview. You'll do fine.

Listen up, bitches:

You're in the presence of a multi-thousandaire, so recognize!

I am going to buy:

1. a fur coat
2. a golden limousine
3. you and sell you

I am going to live in a chocolate mansion.

Can I get a witness!?

Congrats to you, Gargamel!

The most important questions are probably those you should ask yourself.

What sort of job do you want? Is it the one you're being interviewed for, if not can the position lead to something close to the sort of work you want to do? Maybe you should be looking for work with an outfit you seem to regard as an evil empire. Why should you want this particular job? be clear, at least to yourself, why it is that you want this particular job.

Here are a few pointers:

The interview starts when you leave the house in the morning and isn't complete until you are back home in the evening. By this I mean that you put your game face on and focus on the interview completely for the day. The impression you make from the time you "sign in" until you are well away from the interviewer.

The first impression is formed in the first few seconds, and that impression will largely dictate the outcome of the interview. Be precisely on point. Nothing in your dress or demeanor should be negative. You have to expect that the interviewer is probably conservative in outlook, and wants to insure that people he recommends hiring will not later embarrass him. Confidence, builds confidence.

Interviewers tend to start off in a few standard ways. They may try to put the subject at easy with "small talk". Don't be fooled into thinking that "small talk" isn't going to be a factor. Size your inquisitor up fast, and play the game ... sincerely. You want to leave the strong impression that your future boss and fellow-workers will find working with you an easy thing to do. Mavericks and eccentrics are screened out for most jobs where the job involves dealing with other people. Segue ASAP to the business at hand.

The other principle opening is for the interviewee to be asked to tell the interviewer a bit about themselves. Stick to the stuff relevant to your education, training, and skills; the interviewer really doesn't care if you are a lovely human being whose Mom and dog think you are a great guy. This is a good place to state your long-term goals within the career field you are being interviewed for. The interviewer WANTS you to give some indication that your goals can be satisfied by taking the job your seeking.

In a thirty minute interview the opening gambits may vary. The stronger the candidate, the faster they should move to "substantive matters". The mid-portion of interviews typically explore the candidates Interviewers aren't typically techno-wizards and they may know almost nothing about the actual nuts and bolts of the job they are screening applicants for. Don't blow smoke up their butt, but try to communicate your own passion for the sort of work the job will involve. If you are asked a hypothetical question, then give it your best shot and stick with your answer virtually to the death, but be able to defend your reasoning. If the question is one of fact, and you error it is acceptable to correct yourself later. Do it graciously. If you're confident in yourself to do the job, short direct answers usually go down better. The number of questions that can be asked is limited by the time constraints of the interview. As the interviewee, you control how many questions can be asked in the way you choose to answer. Be thorough, but not prolix.

As the interview winds down, you may be encouraged to ask questions of the interviewer. This is usually an offer about the time the interviewer wants to get you up and out of his office. It is an informal way to cue the exit rituals. (Ah Hah! finally Ash gets to the point) In the case as you describe it, I think the following might serve:

"I've come to know the company well during these last months as we've worked together. I know you pay a fair wage with good benefits, and are concerned with delivering a quality product. These are challenging times, and I could ask what the prospects are ... but I won't. All I ask is to be given the opportunity to demonstrate the full scale of my abilities to perform this job in the way you want it done." Then, stand and offer your hand. Smile say thanks for your time, and leave.

Giving a candidate an opportunity to ask questions, generally reveals that the candidate hasn't done their homework. Before you walk into the interview you should already know the answers to all of the questions you might be prompted to ask ... wages, hours, vacations, etc. Asking about those sort of things shifts the impression from what you can do for them to what you want them to do for you. Wrong. They have to want you more than you want them. You are the prize, and if you aren't then someone else of "greater value" will out-point you in the competition. Care, but NOT TOO much!

Good luck, and good hunting.