Diesel
02-03-2004, 09:13 PM
Got a little dilema here, could use some advice. Most of you are familiar with my situation at my current job, and how desperate I am to get out of it, so I won't bore you with the details. For those who don't remember, here's a reminder: http://tinyurl.com/27me7
My current job search has been totally fruitless since it started 15 months ago. The *most* promising lead was a callback from Primerica, if that gives you any indication of what I've dealt with.
Well, last week I got my first real callback from an ad online. It led to an interview yesterday, which went very well from the perspective of my presentation to the interviewers. However, my initial impression was that the position wasn't really what I was looking for, the salary didn't seem like it was going in the direction I needed it to go (although they didn't specify), and the company didn't really seem that together based on the facilities.
I'm currently working as a Sr. Network Engineer, being the point person on major projects and personnel, taking advantage of my managerial experience
in various environments. The position they're hiring for is basically phone support for their products (CAT5 KVMs and related equipment), along with some on-site training and product support for customers.
They asked me in advance for my salary expectations, which I was fairly sure would scare them off. My current salary is woefully low, as I took a significant paycut for my current job, and am over 12 months overdue for a promised raise which I don't expect to be honored. Despite that, they asked during the interview how flexible I was with the salary requirements, so my expectations are not that there would be a significant increase.
In preparation for the interview, I checked the companies website, which had a very professional look for a computer hardware manufacturer. The office I had my interview in was their North American HQ. In actuality, the office space is in a run down building in a run down part of town, taking up some offices on the 2nd floor of a 2-story walkup. Although they've been there 6 years, my intial impression was that the office had not been used for some time because of the dire condition of the premises (water damaged ceiling tiles, computers set up on folding tables, etc.). Further, their "North American HQ" housed a total of "5 or 6 employees" (when I asked the interviewers, it took them roughly 45 seconds of discussion between them to figure out if they had "5" or "6" people in the office).
In total, they estimated the company size at about 80-90 employees. Their website lists several continental HQs, which I can only imagine would be in the same condition.
Some other issues:
The interview was constantly interrupted by telephone calls. Since no one else was there to take the calls, the one interviewer kept breaking off from the interview and taking the phone call without excusing himself, while I completed my answers to the other interviewer.
The position would require corporate training at their global HQ in Jerusalem, which isn't exactly a friendly environment ATM. Not a place I'm really too keen on going for 1-2 weeks. No job is worth getting killed by a wayward bus tire, IMHO.
Here's the catch:
I'm REALLY anxious to get out of my current position, and this place has called me back for a 2nd interview.
Do I...?
a) Take the 2nd interview on the chance that I can get out of my current nightmare of a job, if even for a little while.
or
b) Politely thank them for the consideration for the position, but explain that it's not exactly what I see fitting into my career plans at this point.
or
c) Another suggestion.
My current job search has been totally fruitless since it started 15 months ago. The *most* promising lead was a callback from Primerica, if that gives you any indication of what I've dealt with.
Well, last week I got my first real callback from an ad online. It led to an interview yesterday, which went very well from the perspective of my presentation to the interviewers. However, my initial impression was that the position wasn't really what I was looking for, the salary didn't seem like it was going in the direction I needed it to go (although they didn't specify), and the company didn't really seem that together based on the facilities.
I'm currently working as a Sr. Network Engineer, being the point person on major projects and personnel, taking advantage of my managerial experience
in various environments. The position they're hiring for is basically phone support for their products (CAT5 KVMs and related equipment), along with some on-site training and product support for customers.
They asked me in advance for my salary expectations, which I was fairly sure would scare them off. My current salary is woefully low, as I took a significant paycut for my current job, and am over 12 months overdue for a promised raise which I don't expect to be honored. Despite that, they asked during the interview how flexible I was with the salary requirements, so my expectations are not that there would be a significant increase.
In preparation for the interview, I checked the companies website, which had a very professional look for a computer hardware manufacturer. The office I had my interview in was their North American HQ. In actuality, the office space is in a run down building in a run down part of town, taking up some offices on the 2nd floor of a 2-story walkup. Although they've been there 6 years, my intial impression was that the office had not been used for some time because of the dire condition of the premises (water damaged ceiling tiles, computers set up on folding tables, etc.). Further, their "North American HQ" housed a total of "5 or 6 employees" (when I asked the interviewers, it took them roughly 45 seconds of discussion between them to figure out if they had "5" or "6" people in the office).
In total, they estimated the company size at about 80-90 employees. Their website lists several continental HQs, which I can only imagine would be in the same condition.
Some other issues:
The interview was constantly interrupted by telephone calls. Since no one else was there to take the calls, the one interviewer kept breaking off from the interview and taking the phone call without excusing himself, while I completed my answers to the other interviewer.
The position would require corporate training at their global HQ in Jerusalem, which isn't exactly a friendly environment ATM. Not a place I'm really too keen on going for 1-2 weeks. No job is worth getting killed by a wayward bus tire, IMHO.
Here's the catch:
I'm REALLY anxious to get out of my current position, and this place has called me back for a 2nd interview.
Do I...?
a) Take the 2nd interview on the chance that I can get out of my current nightmare of a job, if even for a little while.
or
b) Politely thank them for the consideration for the position, but explain that it's not exactly what I see fitting into my career plans at this point.
or
c) Another suggestion.