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asher553Omar came in to work around mid-morning wearing a suit. "Dressed up for the mosque?" I asked, knowing he wasn't. (For that, he normally wears his dark-blue jalabiya, which always reminds me of the gown worn by the Emperor in the Apple Video production of 'Foundation'.)
"No, an interview!" he said, confirming my unspoken suspicion. After last week's revelation about the future of Ken's job and mine, there was a good deal of talk among the four of us in the IT shop, and Omar revealed that he has been dissatisfied with his position for a while, and has been looking. Today he shared that he was one of three candidates short-listed for a position he's interested in, and that he will find out on Monday whether he is the successful candidate. I am optimistic for Omar's chances, because he's very knowledgeable and good at his job, really smart, professional, and just a super nice guy.
If he does get the job, that will be bad news for the Portland IT shop, because he'll be a big loss. But it could also potentially be good news for me, because somebody will have to fill Omar's position. (At least, until that position is eliminated too.) I've had my share of gripes about the job and the company, but if I were offered the chance to apply for Omar's position, I would definitely go for it.
In the IT field, as in any other profession that requires a specific body of knowledge and skills, there's the part that is inherent in the job itself - the basics of how to do the various basic functions that make up the job. That's the part you can learn in trade school, or college, or even from books.
But the other part is the part that's specific to the environment - the structure of the company and its policies, the particular way things are set up and configured in the company and on the site, and most especially the people you work with, in your department, and throughout the company, and people you do business with outside of the company. All of those things are unique to your company, your office, and your particular job; and no amount of schooling or self-study can prepare you for that.
So, having invested six months learning the ropes at my current gig, it does seem a damn waste to throw that all away. I won't know until next week (and I'm off Monday and Tuesday for the Jewish holiday) how Omar's interview went, or how the company will decide to proceed after that. But at the moment, it looks like there might be a possibility for me to stay on. [450]
"No, an interview!" he said, confirming my unspoken suspicion. After last week's revelation about the future of Ken's job and mine, there was a good deal of talk among the four of us in the IT shop, and Omar revealed that he has been dissatisfied with his position for a while, and has been looking. Today he shared that he was one of three candidates short-listed for a position he's interested in, and that he will find out on Monday whether he is the successful candidate. I am optimistic for Omar's chances, because he's very knowledgeable and good at his job, really smart, professional, and just a super nice guy.
If he does get the job, that will be bad news for the Portland IT shop, because he'll be a big loss. But it could also potentially be good news for me, because somebody will have to fill Omar's position. (At least, until that position is eliminated too.) I've had my share of gripes about the job and the company, but if I were offered the chance to apply for Omar's position, I would definitely go for it.
In the IT field, as in any other profession that requires a specific body of knowledge and skills, there's the part that is inherent in the job itself - the basics of how to do the various basic functions that make up the job. That's the part you can learn in trade school, or college, or even from books.
But the other part is the part that's specific to the environment - the structure of the company and its policies, the particular way things are set up and configured in the company and on the site, and most especially the people you work with, in your department, and throughout the company, and people you do business with outside of the company. All of those things are unique to your company, your office, and your particular job; and no amount of schooling or self-study can prepare you for that.
So, having invested six months learning the ropes at my current gig, it does seem a damn waste to throw that all away. I won't know until next week (and I'm off Monday and Tuesday for the Jewish holiday) how Omar's interview went, or how the company will decide to proceed after that. But at the moment, it looks like there might be a possibility for me to stay on. [450]
