Update

Hey Guys,

Well, I'm not sure if you have all heard, but I recently started a new full-time job with OnX Enterprise Solutions. They are an IT consulting firm.

You've probably seen their sign, on the building near the Leitch building while travelling on HWY. 404/DVP.

I'm working there as a Usabililty Specialist. I'm Ecstatic about the position

I think it's a pretty funny story about how I got the job. My friend Felix (we worked together at Critical Path) and I had been unemployed for about the same time. I had been been working on small contracts, he had been working with a new start-up. He and I have similar qualificaitons (he's more skewed to UI design, while I specialise in UI analysis and Usability), and about the same working experience.

In my final visit to Critical Path, my co-worker Peter Rogers (one of the funniest people I have ever had the honor of working with), had mentioned a UI design opening at a company called OpenCola. They were located in Markham, and seemed to be an ideal position for me.

Anyways, right before I submitted my resum� to OpenCola, Felix and I were chatting. The conversation went along the lines of the following:

Felix: Hey Tai, how's it going?
Tai: Not too bad, looking for a job, but I found this sweet position in Markham.
Felix: Really? I just started working in Markham, at a place called OpenCola.
Tai: Really? Well, I guess I won't be applying to them...HA HA, since you just got the position I had in mind.

Brutal, but it gets better...

Tai:Congrats man! When do you start?
Felix: I started today actually [Monday, Oct 7th].
Tai: Cool.

Fortunately this conversation was over Yahoo! Instant Messaging; he couldn't see my envy. He went on to talk about his final round interview with CIBC; I didn't even get passed the first rounds.

Felix:Hey, did Onx.com call you?
Tai: No, why?

I'm thinking, "They called you and they didn't call me?! ARGHH!" I was frustrated.

Felix: Really? I thought for sure they would call you. Take look at their website, you can apply there.
Tai: Yeah, I will. Definitely. Thanks for the Tip.

In a nutshell, I applied Monday, received a call from the HR representative Tuesday, interviewed on Friday, and received and accepted an offer to work Friday afternoon. Felix, to his credit, even called the HR guy mid-week to chat them up about me.

The night before the interview was particularly bad. I had went to sleep early at 11:30 pm. Jen called at 1:38 am. The phone call went like this.

RING! RING!
Tai: <silence> Hello?!
Jen: Oh my God! You're sleeping and you have an interview tomorrow. I shouldn't have called
Tai:Bye.
Jen: Bye. <click, dial tone>

After that 10 second conversation, I was never able to fall back asleep. I was so pissed at Jen. If my lack of sleep screwed up this interview--I didn't know what that would do to the relationship.

So with a scant two hours of sleep, I went into my interview. It was good. I was very happy with it--even with the lack of sleep. They loved my turkey stories. You could say that they ate it all up.

As you know, they called back in the afternoon. I started work on Wednesday, and that's about that.

Exciting stuff is happening at OnX.com, and I've already learned a lot...but I'll talk about that later.

So this year's Thanksgiving felt especially appropriate.

Thanks a lot Felix, I don't know if I would have found this job without the tip you give me.

Tai

Posted by taitoh at October 20, 2002 08:30 PM