I get knocked down...
During my phone interview (I know, I know - you're thinking "Dear god, doesn't this man ever talk about anything else?". Well for the moment, the answer is "no". We're on my dime here, after all, so you'll just have to put up with it), I tried to fish for a few more details about the job. The description of it I'd read was intriguing rather than enlightening, which is to say it was vague, but contained several tantalising details - more than enough to whet my curiosity. However, my attempt to shed some illumination on the subject went nowhere - I received something close to a non-answer, saying that whatever the role was, it was likely to change within six months anyway.
I went back and stared at the job description I had, occasionally squinting and scrunching up my forehead at in a manner which is probably terribly endearing, if not very helpful. There were two ways to interpret it: either they're looking for a designer with some programming ability, or a programmer with some design skills. I was hoping for the latter. It turns out they're looking for the former.
I'd been promised a pack containing more details about the interview process in addition to what I'd already been told on the phone. I'd expected it several days ago, (indeed, I found myself excitedly running downstairs to check the post each morning) and It finally arrived today, containing a detailed description of exactly what they're looking for. They seem to be looking for someone with proven design skills, and that's just not me. I can coax Photoshop into providing me with a reasonable facsimile of what I originally had in my head, but they state again as essential several skills I simply don't have to the level they're looking for. Like I'm said, I not the person they're looking for.
...And I get up again
Or am I?On the other hand, the package also contained a cd with several videos on it. Feeling funked out after having read the job spec, I set it to one side for a few hours before I finally plucked up the courage to have a it's contents. As I expected, many of the videos were typical corporate rah-rah fare (of the sort that Disney proved particularly expert at producing), but others delved into the rational for the new development center, as well as showing the team leader talking about what he expected from the role Gratifyingly, he talked about the various types of people he thought might suit the role (notice the plurals: types, people). Most these of these were not me. But the last was.... well, go watch Groundhog Day again. There's a scene where Andie MacDowell describes here ideal man as Bill Murray stands by, repeating "me" to each point she lists. It was rather like that - he listed several qualities, and to each I responded with a hearty "me!" to each. It was me to a tee, in fact.
So I'm feeling cautiously buoyant for the time being. I still suspect I'm a marginal candidate given my skill set, but I'm not ruling myself out of the running. And, if worst comes to worst, I still come out of it with an extended weekend in Edinburgh.
There are worse fates.
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Right, pay attention. This is the last time I'm going to tell you this. And I'm going to be blunter this time >:-\
You are, quite simply, not qualified to determine accurately if you are the person they're looking for. That's their job. And they go about it in three ways, at threee different levels of detail.
First level, the application. Your application had enough of what they're looking for to: a) catch their attention out of potentially dozens if not hundreds of applicants - this is a huge accomplishment these days in the tech field; b) keep their interest, indicating that your listed skills and written answers conveyed a lot of what they wanted to see; c) prompt them to speak to you live to get a better look. You came across on paper as a good first level match.
Second level, the phone interview. Yours went well enough to: a) indicate that personality clash may not be an issue; b) convey that you can think on your feet and expand upon items covered in your application; c) your CV was not as much b/s and that you actually knew what they were talking about and could speak to it. You came across on the phone as qualified enough to merit a really close look.
Third level, the in person interview. You simply don't get to this level unless the employer has reviewed your application, skills and phone interview and determined that you are potenially a damned good fit for their position. Trust me, they do not want to waste their time on people as far off base as you occassionally think you are.
The other thing to consider is that, well, job descriptions often suck, or at the least do not (can not?) accurately convey the nuances of what the employer is looking for. Sure, they can list the relevant skills, but any employer worth working for is looking at a whole lot more than that. Again, particularly in the tech world, a good employer is looking at your existing skills and using that and other details to guesstimate how quickly you could pick up new skills. e.g. you may not currently be a whiz on Photoshop, but frankly, looking at your CV and experience to date, it's safe to say you could become a whiz with a few weeks dedicated use on a focused project.
You are a potentially good fit. At least they seem to think so.
Sermon over. Glad you were able to find at least one position you felt qualified for ;-)
Firstly: technically, we're not on "your dime"; you're on mine. Pfah!
Secondly: Kevin knows whereof he speaks. Heed him well.
Thirdly: Good to see you yesterday.