Useless Conversation

[Engels]

I'm a bit surprised that Lamaros thinks bhodi's idea about asking the interviewers about what sucks where they work is a bad idea. I'm imagining my own co-workers as interviewers in that scenario, and they'd be able to tell you many things that suck and they'd tell you openly, in front of the boss, without a problem, since we've all talked and talked about our 'issues' ad-infinitum before. Not that we're any where close to fixing any of them, since its largely tied to fiscal constraints, but we're open about it.

Any company who's employees can't be open with management about what's wrong, and what's wrong is so terrible that it can't be told to an interviewee is a company you'd be well advised to run the fuck away from.

[WayAbvPar]

Exactly.

Had a director come to my cube yesterday to grab some DVD blanks...he sat down and chatted with me and the guy next to me for 20 minutes about how our parent company seems to relish in fucking everything up. It was nice to know that my perceptions were accurate, but also depressing because those people hold my employment and financial well being in their hands.

[Salamok]

I'm thinking Ironwood's approach may be best, be honest and give it a good try.

The best advice Ironwood gave was to answers questions in the context of your previous experience, if you don't have previous experience with the specific scenario laid out then you flip it to a similar situation.  I'm sure doing the day+ long interview process at google and the like is a completely different level but for most of the rest of us another good tip is walking in with the attitude that your interviewers should have to prove to you that they are qualified to interview you, this will lead to you asking the right questions and demonstrate that you are the correct candidate for the position.

You can pick up technical skills, but a jackass is always a jackass.

IT will turn you into a jackass it is inevitable.  My last interview I swore like a trucker and repeatedly insulted the fucked up environment that they had enabled (Windows 2000 servers? No DHCP? really...), after I was hired and went to the first meeting I realized we are all assholes, if there was a turkey and a copy of Trivial Pursuit present it would have been a mirror image of some of the larger Thanksgiving events of my youth.

[Ingmar]

Raaaaaaaaaargh. Nothing like a little 11th hour "actually maybe we shouldn't do this project" from the CFO to cause premature grey hair. Managed to finally get approval but seriously, someday I want to work with a company that has money to spend.

[ezrast]

I realized we are all assholes, if there was a turkey and a copy of Trivial Pursuit present it would have been a mirror image of some of the larger Thanksgiving events of my youth.

If it weren't for the fact that my family is full of vegetarians I'd say we must be related.

[lamaros]

I'm a bit surprised that Lamaros thinks bhodi's idea about asking the interviewers about what sucks where they work is a bad idea. I'm imagining my own co-workers as interviewers in that scenario, and they'd be able to tell you many things that suck and they'd tell you openly, in front of the boss, without a problem, since we've all talked and talked about our 'issues' ad-infinitum before. Not that we're any where close to fixing any of them, since its largely tied to fiscal constraints, but we're open about it.

Any company who's employees can't be open with management about what's wrong, and what's wrong is so terrible that it can't be told to an interviewee is a company you'd be well advised to run the fuck away from.

Yeah I'm coming around on that. It's less of a dicky question than the personal one, y'all have convinced me.

[ezrast]

Ghost, I'm looking for a general dentist in a new city (St Louis). Any red flags I should avoid before picking a random name from Yelp?

[IainC]

Ghost, I'm looking for a general dentist in a new city (St Louis). Any red flags I should avoid before picking a random name from Yelp?

Make sure you ask them some kind of brainteaser as a way of assessing their ability to put sharp things in your mouth.

[schild]

In about 3 minutes I'll be streaming Amnesia for about half an hour.

http://www.twitch.tv/drecktech

[schild]

I have never actually played the game for more than 5 minutes.

[schild]

Games where nothing happened are terrible for streaming. I felt like I was streaming the sequel to Myst. Myst 2: I've Seen Things

[ghost]

Ghost, I'm looking for a general dentist in a new city (St Louis). Any red flags I should avoid before picking a random name from Yelp?

Avoid chains.  Make sure the office looks clean, but not too fancy.  Use your gut instinct when you walk into the place and have the initial exam.  If they don't charge for an initial exam, or charge a very low fee, they are very likely to push treatment.  Make sure the treatment plan matches your prior dental history. 

[Paelos]

Games where nothing happened are terrible for streaming. I felt like I was streaming the sequel to Myst. Myst 2: I've Seen Things

I watched about 5m and it was like The Blair Witch featuring Schild.

[ezrast]

Avoid chains.  Make sure the office looks clean, but not too fancy.  Use your gut instinct when you walk into the place and have the initial exam.  If they don't charge for an initial exam, or charge a very low fee, they are very likely to push treatment.  Make sure the treatment plan matches your prior dental history. 

Thanks! All I need for now is routine checkup stuff so if I choose one that's evil/incompetent hopefully I'll pick up on it before they turn my teeth inside out, or something.

[Hawkbit]

Should be saved for the dentist thread, but I had a dentist for 10 years or so, and he retired.  He sold his clientbase to a younger dentist, who I saw once.  They did their cleaning and told me I needed 11 fillings across three sittings.  So I took their quote to another dentist for a second opinion.  He looked at mouth, compared it to the quote and literally said "What the...". 

He said of the 11 fillings recommended by the first dentist, he only saw one that needed filled and another was a weak spot that will become a cavity in time.  The first dentist was planning to fill in anything he could find in my mouth. 

Anyways, I learned a lesson.  If it doesn't seem right, it likely isn't. 

[Signe]

Chains?   

[Selby]

Chains?   

Western Dental!  They have payment plans and financing!

I've never been able to find a dentist interested in my teeth.  My last one saw I didn't need anything and wasn't interested in the invisalign so I went in for my routine cleanings and never saw him again, always a bimbo dental tech.  My current one is really good and explains everything he sees and does, but flat out said I don't have any issues or cavities in my mouth, so he can see why some dentists would lose interest compared to people who actually do have problems (not that he excused their behavior).  Although his hygienist was a horrid woman who lectured me the entire time that I was using the wrong floss and my brushing style was terrible - I felt that not having seen a dentist in 5 years and only flossing and brushing on my own with no issues should be commended vs. told how horrible of a person I was.

[Strazos]

Heh, denistry. Whenever I next see a dentist in the US, I'm sure they'll bitch me out hard.

Luckily, I don't appear to have any issues, at least as per the dentist I saw locally here...which was funny, since she's US-trained, and had a nicer office than any dentist I'd been to in the US. Was just worried about wisdom teeth coming in and causing me headaches, but I think it's probably just my jaw clenching or something. No cavities or other outstanding issues, which I consider a victory considering I haven't been to a dentist in about 4 years. 

[Abagadro]

Really bad shit going down in Arizona right now. Lots of firefighters dead.

[Signe]

I know.  19.  And their shelter thingies didn't work because the fire was so bad.  Maybe it's just too new a story but I can't seem to find out exactly why they got so cornered.  I mean they're the elite guys.  This fire must be moving so fast that it even takes the experts by surprise.  Very scary!

[Paelos]

These things can pick up on the wind and change direction, moving at speeds of up to 14mph. You can't really outrun them if you're stuck on the ground with no vehicles. It's what makes them so extremely dangerous.

[ghost]

It's a risky business.  I deal with a lot of Firefighters, both as parents of patients and patients themselves.  All of these guys know the risks going in, though, and particularly the guys that are doing this sort of firefighting.  This is a very, very sad thing and my heart goes out to their families. 

[Sky]

My dad was a firefighter, so it really is a vivid thing. I can't even imagine the horror.

[Nebu]

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a serious concern when working on mass fires.  The wind shifts a little and bad things can happen. 

This is a terrible tragedy.

[Xanthippe]

Wildfires can race so fast. Firestorms produce their own winds. It's hard to believe until you see it.

19 people. Wow.

[Nebu]

Just had a granting agency request that I drive a total of 5 hours (2.5 each way) for a 1 hour meeting.  6 hours down the drain for a meeting that will tell me nothing.

Have people not discovered fucking skype yet?  NOT HAPPY!

[ghost]

Suck it up, buttercup.  The world of academia is not for the faint of heart.   

[Ironwood]

Be The Change, Bawbag.  Tell them you'll dial into it.

[Nebu]

Be The Change, Bawbag.  Tell them you'll dial into it.

I already sent them a response asking what number I needed to dial for the teleconference (being all sneaky).  They told me that I needed to be there in person.

I think I may develop the flu.

[Ironwood]

Oh, right, they're firing you.  Fair enough.

 

[Signe]

Academics who use technology are obviously being controlled by a "diabolical machine".  Maybe you should give in to your inner Luddite.  Not srsly.

[Sky]

Do you get mileage + meal? Road trip!

[Yegolev]

Academic deans: the original hipsters.

[RhyssaFireheart]

Fuck doing accruals for monthly financials.  Fuckity fucking fuck accruals. 

[ghost]

Just finished mine. I actually find it rather enjoyable to have everything reconciled.  I'm hardly OCD.