The rest of the evening I was just thinking about how great it would be to have someone to share the night with, but that it would be so awkward. This crowd was very aloof-- and not 'diverse' at all. I don't think I saw a single non-Caucasian person in the crowd. Certainly there was no one that I could immediately identify as gay (although the same could be said about me). I guess I will have to muster the courage to bring some diversity to this little suburb...although I first have to actually pursue that whole 'boyfriend' thing. One day, I'll make some time for myself.
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So I got back from spending the whole week in Dallas at one of our bigger offices. I like that office because its very nice and they have a nice gym in the basement. On Thursday, I got a big promotion (well it hasn't been announced yet, but they told me). I was made the software architect for our new product suite. This is great for the resume, and it will be a lot of fun, because I will be able to decide the direction for all of the technical aspects of the project. Also, there will be a sizable raise involved too :-)
The bad news is-- I'm not really qualified to be a software architect at this point in my career. I am recognized in the division for being a 'prodigy' (their words not mine, I would never call myself that) and have been setting the direction for two of our products already, just as part of a committee, not formally recognized. However, if I went to a real company (google, ibm, microsoft), that hired real developers not these 'i read a book ergo Im a programmer' type of people we have here-- then I would not be an appropriate choice. So all in all I have very mixed feelings about this: part of me is excited, because this is my dream role in some organization at some point in my career-- part of me is embarrassed, because I just don't have the experience to call myself an architect.
But I don't plan on being here after I finish the MS, so I'll take the resume bump (and the pay bump)!
Oh- still reading? Wow I'm surprised: here's a treat for you:
7 comments:
don't be too hard on yourself - if they think you're a prodigy you must be making a good impression.
if you can bear to stick around for a while, that level of responsibility is bound to look good on your resume.
best of luck with it, and i hope there's no hitches with the promotion or the extra money.
torchy!
ps. what exactly is a 'chruch'? lol
It's just like a church, just misspelled :-)
Fixed.
Steve
When I first moved away (meaning 650 miles away rather than merely 100), my parents used to tell me all the time that church was a good place to meet girls.
:-D
After I came out to them a year or so later, it changed to church is a nice place to meet men.
I openly gay to my family but still a closet atheist, on the other hand. I think that would be worse for them.
Hey, it's resume fodder. You just have to be honest about what you started out as, and what you finished as when you interview at a shop that's different from a "small company" environment whether that's a startup or a Fortune 50 corporation.
Hopefully you can tell a story that's something along the lines of "They recognized me, gave me this opportunity, I grew into the role, and by the end I had changed X Y and Z."
I have the SAME exact problem, because I want to find that next kick ass job, blow it out of the water, and then either go be an exec, join a startup, or found a startup.
Gauss Jordan makes some good points.
The thing to realize is that they see you as the one who is the best qualified they've got for the position. And I think they're probably right. So just approach it with that attitude: there is nobody better able to handle the job than you are, so go to it and give it your best shot. And if you know of anybody, or find anybody, with the skills to help you succeed, maybe to fill in any weak spots in your background, be sure to get all the help from them you can, and pull them up as much as you can in the organization.
Surely you know that the lady who asked about your church was just propagating Southern culture.It would be nice if there was more of an universal bonding medium available, but there isn't.The poor thing was just trying to be nice, but its a good thing you didn't tell her you had no interest in organized religion. I'll bet that would turn her hospitality to stone.
@gauss
Very true- what's sad is that I work for a large company writing mission critical software! That's the problem is the manager right above me is way over his head, and because of that I don't feel my group can succeed...which makes my resume story a hard sell. Due to factors outside of my control, I don't think we can succeed with or without me or some other architect... but Im stuck. I don't have any other good options at the moment. I'm in to the company for 10k for the masters degree which I still have 9 more credits to go, and I own a home in Memphis. I've dug myself a nice little hole here :-/ But thanks for the advice.
@NG
Yes- I do have a lot of resources, and to be honest the projects we are working on are very technically feasible using the types of technologies that I am very familiar with. So I don't really have to do a lot outside of my comfort zone. My biggest challenge will be productively encouraging change in a number of the lesser knowledgeable teams and team leads working with me.
@J
Oh yes absolutely, and she was a lovely woman. Regardless of how some of my prior aggressive and insensitive comments towards religion-- I am a very cordial and respectful person IRL. I grew up in the south and my mother is a very typical upper middle class southerner. So I have the 'smile and nod' be giddy friendly thing down pat :-) I mention the story only to illustrate the southern culture that you recognized.
Thanks for the comments!
Steve
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