Update Season XIV: The new chapter

[J-Mann]

Jeff, open that thread back up! I've got stuff to add! And since my memory is an absolute piece of s[hit], I won't remember my pearls of wisdom in 15 minutes.

[J-Mann]

Why does bushie leave everywhere on bad terms?

the gas company
utah
metrotech cadd

I can't imagine ON Company is thrilled with him ...

[J-Mann]

Here's the thing, Jeff -- threats aside, joshgreen is right. If you have an opportunity to correct mistakes you've made in the past (and apparently you really crapped the bed on your last couple of projects at Metro Tech), then you take it.

That doesn't mean you put life on hold. You need to be creative about it.

So you're "confident" about this interview in Tulsa tomorrow. I've coached you on questions to ask your interviewer(s) in return and hope you do so, because your curiosity about the company and your role there will mean a lot more to a hiring manager than if you swagger in thinking the job is a lock.

But imagine this as your final discussion:

"Before we wrap up, I've got one final question for you and whether or not this request might be something the company would support. While I was getting my CADD Certificate [or whatever it's called] from Metro Tech, there were a couple of projects that I didn't score as well on as I would have liked. The instructor has offered me the opportunity to submit revisions and score a higher grade in the overall program.

"If I were to be hired here, would I be allowed to use the design software either before or after hours to edit those projects and resubmit to Metro Tech? It would allow me to receive some additional feedback from my instructors and wouldn't interfere at all with my on-boarding here. Does that seem like a possibility?"

There are two outcomes -- either a "yes" or a "no." But my gut tells me that if the hiring manager is worth anything, he'll appreciate that you're already working on tightening up your skills outside of their internal training and tasks, and he'll probably recognize that "mediocre" isn't good enough for you.

It's unrealistic to assume you'll put off the job search while you redo any poor project work -- so do both in tandem, and leverage a potential employer to help. And if the interview tomorrow doesn't result in a job offer (and I sincerely hope it does), you still ought to fix your sub-par projects. If nothing else, doing so gives you a story to tell during future interviews.

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As for confidence ... confidence in your abilities (to either do or learn a job) is one thing in an interview. Confidence that the job is yours is another ... and quite frankly, it's a turnoff. I have not hired individuals who come in and act like it should be my honor to hire them. An interview is a sales situation -- you'll be selling your abilities. Remember that.