Job Offer

Posted on 2006/10/07 03:47:57 (October 2006).

[Friday 6th October]
On the quiet (at least as far as this blog goes), I've been in the process of applying for a job for some time now. Finally today I got the offer, and I have to say I am rather pleased with it.

I'm still a little reluctant to publish the name of the company etc here, but if any of you regulars happen to be curious and don't already know, please feel free to mail me!

The job is based in London, and I have a provisional start date of January 8th (they were really cool about my long notice period etc, which I thought was really great). I haven't actually signed on the dotted line yet, so to speak, but it seems really unlikely that anything better is going to come along. It's a great company, great money and benefits, the people I met so far all seem really nice, and the project sounds pretty exciting too, with plenty of freedom for me to input my own ideas. On top of all of that they have such a great attitude - a "we really want to have you" approach rather than the "you're lucky we're offering you a job" which was more the impression I got from my current place.

I recall back in August last year, when I was applying for my current (soon to be previous!) job, I wrote this article about how indecided I was on whether or not to take it. One of the chief problems there was that "you're lucky we're offering you a job" mentality. I often think back to a comment from Tim on that post -

All this said you also need to count your blessings (you have many) and stop looking for external validation/approval (certainly from corporate-types).

Despite this sage advice, I don't think I ever really stopped looking for that "external validation/approval", and this is probably one of the main reasons I have been so unhappy in my current job. It wasn't until I told them I was leaving that they started to get all up in arms about how valuable I was to the team and all that - well, not that it isn't appreciated, but sorry guys, it's too little, too late. Maybe the new place just has silver tongued recruiters, but thus far I really feel like they want to have me and for me that is a great feeling. They even seemed to recognise the value of having a PhD, all in all I feel like all the work I've put in up to this point (in my various jobs and academic activities) has been justified by this job offer.

I got the call shortly after I got home from work, and then proceeded to spend the rest of the evening feeling utterly jubilant (and not to mention a little full of myself, for which I can only apologise). Naturally a few celebratory drinks were involved, and I also took the opportunity to phone Vera and my Mum, to spread the good news.

Good show, young man, jolly good show !

Posted by Sheri at 2006/10/07 07:16:11.

I heartily agree with Sheri!! Really good news!

Despite Tim being absolutely correct in what he says (I need to heed this advice too, I know!), after the supreme effort of a degree and then the "small" matter of a PhD you actually deserve a little appreciation!

Plus you now have a firm goal which takes away a lot of that crippling uncertainty! (Actually it might not be "crippling" to your good self, but this is the effect it would have on me!!)

I am intrigued to know who the new employer could be... ;)

Posted by Nigel at 2006/10/07 09:36:32.

Go For It John..... chances don't come along too often.... don't put up with a job you can't stand... Just Go.... sod 'em

Posted by Jerry Groome at 2006/10/07 24:33:18.

Good news, John!!! Although your blog is fascinating reading, it is clear that you are not as happy as you would like in Tokyo, and being unhappy in a place is not what anybody wants out of life. As for the "external validation/approval" issue, I think that, hard as it is to do so, getting to the point of saying in life "This is who I am, take me or leave me" is a crucial achievement, one which very many never reach, and those who can stand up and say "I am happy with what I can do and who I am" have arrived at true happiness. I just wish I could count myself amongst them!!! :-)

Posted by Bryan Hollamby at 2006/10/07 13:38:04.

Sheri / Nigel / Jerry / Bryan: thanks!

Actually this time round there's a lot less of the indecision I was suffering back in August. What I was trying to say in the post was that I feel like I got that external validation with this new job offer - the actual offer itself was something I could really feel proud of, rather than the general sense of disappointment I had with the current job.

Moreover, the whole presentation from this company was "we think you're really good at what you do, and we really want you to come and work for us". Maybe that's just a recruitment tactic - to massage people's ego as a tool to persuade them to sign. I almost don't care though, I am happy to be deluded on that front having heard exactly the words that I wanted to hear all along.

From a normal company's point of view I guess they look at a job offer as a negotiation process, so maybe they're afraid of looking too interested in the product (i.e. the potential emplyee) in case the candidates gets too full of themselves and start asking for more money. However, as I experienced last year, this runs the risk of making someone feel unwanted and putting them off altogether.

Personally I feel much better about the way my (hopefully) future company handles this sort of thing, and I'd like to think this sort of positive and friendly attitude is one of the reasons they're doing so well right now.

Posted by John at 2006/10/08 03:20:41.

Though I do not know who is your next employer, your current one sees a gazillion people every month for employment prospect. I think that they see too many of them and they consider themselves a target that everyone wish to reach, rather than a normal employer. Hence the general lack of respect fron the candidate. Maybe this other company looks more at the human values, maye it's just another scam and then you'll feel shite after 1 month. But since a "good morning" depends on the sunrise (as we say in Italy, il buongiorno si vede dal mattino), I'd say that you are on a good path at the moment! Better than the previous one at least...

Posted by Lox at 2006/10/08 10:56:15.

Apart from the London bit, that's smashing news. You know how I hate London. See you soon then?

Posted by Tom at 2006/10/08 22:22:34.

Ah Tom I think our experiences of the big smoke have been very different then - I love the place! I lived there for a year and a half and really enjoyed that time, and have also been back many times since. I guess you look on it as a place of work - for me though it's a place of fun, so much variety, so many things to see and do, I really believe in that "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life" quote (Samuel Johnson?).

Still, horses for courses though - I guess it isn't everyone's cup of tea!

Posted by John at 2006/10/09 10:25:11.

Anyway Tom, the pros and cons of the capital aside, I'm sure me and Chie won't be wholly adversed to taking a train out to the sticks once in a while, so hopefully we can catch up some time in the new year!

Posted by John at 2006/10/09 10:30:24.

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