Having met Misha several times, I can tell you that this is really who he is. And I fucking love him for it.
——
Anyhoo… I keep getting these offers for ‘start tomorrow’ temp jobs which are around the right money, for the right job, and they sound GREAT. Except that the recruiters are contracted to supply someone for a certain period of time. Those temps aren’t really granted the freedom to look for new work. Yeah, they can’t stop you, but I’m of the opinion that it’s unprofessional to leave in the middle of the contract. What can I say? I have some screwed up morals.
That job I took at the end of March was temp to perm, with the decision to be made in 30 days. The first two weeks - the getting to know you period - were awesome and I was pretty sure I was going to be there for the long haul. During those first two weeks, I missed out on second interviews (and a first) with companies I would have really loved to work for. For what? To decide to leave/be kicked to the curb in the next two weeks. When it was too late to go to those companies and be all “Hey, I made a mistake. Still interested?” (Not that I would do that. Again, unprofessional.)
I’ve gotten several calls on resumes I’ve sent out on my own and I have recruiters submitting my resume to other companies.
I’m doing well on the job search front - I’m submitting to companies I want to work for, and I’m working with recruiters who can get me to the right positions at possibly the right companies - it’s just taking forever.
——
Speaking of employment:
One of my ‘brothers’ has a very strong restaurant background. VERY STRONG. So when he comments on people who own restaurants who don’t know what they’re doing, I have to agree. To use his example, running a successful tree service for twenty years doesn’t mean you can open a successful restaurant. Shit, I’ve worked for TWO successful restauranteurs who have taken their success and opened a second restaurant. I can tell you that, in both cases, restaurant # 2 isn’t doing nearly as well as restaurant # 1.
I’m addicted to the “rescue” shows (Bar Rescue, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, and Restaurant Impossible), and nine times out of ten, the owners say “I’ve always wanted to own my own place.” or “Well, I’ve been a server for a long time and I thought I should buy the place I worked at since I know it.”
The problem with that - and again, I’ve SEEN this with my own two eyes - is that restaurants are different from any business out there. Even the way the books are kept is different. It’s not enough to be able to understand a profit and loss statement. (In a restaurant, they actually use a template that focuses on ‘prime costs’ instead of the familiar P&L most businesses use.) Not only that, but there’s health and safety issues with the food and kitchen tools. There’s the matter of training your staff so that they know the menu inside and out. There’s the issue as to whether or not your food is actually edible. Then there’s the issues of food costs, menu pricing, and even menu engineering.
Running a restaurant is not as easy as grab saw, chop down tree, drop off invoice, go home.
I’ve done the books for two start-up restaurants. I know the amount of crazy there is, even once they become established. Would I open my own? Maybe… BUT. I’d make sure I interviewed the hell out of my staff before hiring them. I don’t want to be hands on. I’d prefer to treat it as an investment because I know I don’t know enough about how to actually RUN a restaurant. I can manage the books and costs, but the rest of it? Oh, hell no.
I know what I don’t know… and that’s pretty damn good.
I’ve got an interview on Wednesday. My recruiters are picking up steam.
I’ve also played the “I’ve been laid off” card and negotiated a lower cable bill and an extension on my IMA membership. I’m trying to figure out who else I can negotiate a lower rate with… but in the meantime, the resume’s going out and the calls are coming in. Can’t ask for more than that.
——
My JohnLock fic is finally ready to get posted on FFN, but I wanted a proofreader. J is reading it, but I don’t know if I’ll get an honest opinion out of him. I don’t think I’m going to look for a beta. As far as I can tell, betas are usually good for making sure every one stays in character plus doing the usual proofreading. Since I’m using my own head canon and my personal experiences, they’re going to be a little out of character. I’m fine with that because I’ve tried to keep them as close as possible but they’re going to veer off course.
So, I asked my new friend to proofread it. It’s scary, but he’s a very good outside opinion. I don’t think he’d sugar coat his review like Rollz’ might have and definitely not like J will.
Brit-picking is something else entirely. I have a few British friends I can ask to read it, but since I’m a little nervous about putting it out in the world of people I know, I’m going to stick to the excuse that I’m an American. Plus, the more “British” fan fic I’ve read lately (both Cabin Pressure and Sherlock fan fic are based on BBC programs), the more obvious it is that the majority of Americans don’t do a whole lot of research. I know it’s really bad when *I* can brit-pick them. It’s called Google, people!!!! (And really, the last time I checked, Regent’s Park was the closest to Baker St., not Hyde Park. There’s also the small fact that a walk to Buckingham Palace from Baker St is about 45 minutes. 10 or so by cab, but they walked there (Mapquest has the UK in their database and you can get walking directions.) The sad (good?) thing is that I actually knew those facts without having to look them up. I double checked, of course, but for once, the little voices in my head were right.
I’m NEVER going to pretend I’m an expert, though, and my author’s note will probably reflect that fact.
I just need to export it from Storyist to Word and email it off.
The gist is that there’s this kid who jumps from life to life (like Quantum Leap) and he’s followed by this girl. There’s a novella, a web comic, and the album.
He’s fucking brilliant. And talented.
I’m so glad I’ve crossed paths with him and discovered his music.
And a bonus (not from The Lives of Dexter Peterson) - The song forever known MOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
the entire membership of the cumbercollective is quoting sherlock right now…
When it rains, it pours.
My favorite recruiter, Jimmy the Pimp, called me yesterday. He was unamused that I’m getting interviews on my own, so he told me HE would be the one to find me my next job.
(He really is awesome. I wish we could be friends outside of work. That might get weird, though.)
Honestly, he deserves the commission for placing me. He’s worked so hard for me on both phases of my unemployment, but I can’t just put all my faith in a recruiter. I mean, he’s sifting through their entire possible employee list, paring it down to however many, and then giving the cream of the crop to the company. Sometimes I wonder if my resume is ever presented…
I got a call today from a recruiter who’s working on a job for a CPA firm. I’m not sure I want to go back to the CPA world (I left it for a reason), but I got my resume in front of him. Whatever works. I’m not above trying some trickery. I’m desperate, not stupid.
I got a call from a company I applied to on Monday right after I hung up with him.
Again, question # 1: How much do you need to make?
Are you people freaking kidding me?!?
At least she was honest and gave me what they were looking to pay right off the bat. (I really respect her for that. She didn’t have to say anything.) I want about $10K more (on the low end) of what they’re looking to hire someone for. If they were going to pay me what I really want, we’d have a $15K difference.
Yet, she plowed on with the phone screen. The best part was when she said that she was still going to put my resume in front of the controller because she thought that the money might not be such an issue if they found the right person. If she thinks they can bridge $10K… what the hell. I’m game if they are.
This is kind of how it played out last time, too. Nothing and then BAM! Interviews up the wazoo.
Let’s hope this time both sides are a better judge of the fit. I’m a little gun shy from my experience in April.
