The joy of not being tiny / Last time on tribes / Flu worse than terrorists / No trip…
If people never did silly things nothing intelligent would ever get done. Ludwig Wittgenstein
I talked to a friend of mine, who also had an interview with the consulting tribe on Wed. He did not get a free trip to Chicago either. He is very much like me in terms of experience etc. He got feedback, which I assume applies to me as well, saying that he is too well molded, has too strong predefined opinions, and cannot really be looking for a consulting job: anyway he should be the guy the consultants are working for (CIO or CTO or so). So, the puzzle has been solved. The consulting companies are not willing to recruit experienced professionals for self-evident reasons. Instead, they want to hire young, inexperienced guys, as I have been thinking all along. The main puzzle still remains: why are the corporations willing to pay the consulting companies for the services of the inexperienced persons? Is it just that consultants are secretaries with a bit higher salary? (but wait, the consulting business is not going that well - the stock of the tribe in Chicago trades at its all time low). Anaway, a business which deliberately hires not the most knowledgeable, most experienced people is a bit weird in my mind.
The other puzzle is why I and my friend were called for the interview in the first place.
I decided with my friend, that we are not going to talk or worry about job search anymore. We will revert back to talking about science and systems architecture. As I have threatened/promised many times, but this time it is final. The tribe-stuff has taken way too much time.
From Reuters AlertNet
Well, I have to acknowledge that the US government has decided to invest some 500 million dollars in flu prevention in Asia.
I was not accepted to the second round of initiation rites of the Chicago-based consulting tribe. Somehow their telecom practice is so strong, that they can ignore one of the system architects behind 3G networks. It is very surprising, the tribe is very strong. I just wonder what I did wrong? Was it the not wearing a tie, the official omen of good fortune? Or was it the lack of prefab answers? Or was it my honest way on answering questions; avoiding second guessing what the initiation officials would like to hear? Or, simply, am I not so smart and good as I think I am? Or, maybe I am simply just too old, and they know from experience that it is better to get new young members?
The 2005 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Mohamed ElBaradei, gave a speech today in MIT. He was invited before he got the prize, or so they say. It was a good speech, and made me reconsider my opinion on increasing use of nuclear energy as source of electricity and heat. I will write more about this once my opinions settle down a bit. Meanwhile, listen to the speech, if you are interested in the future of the world, and have time. The speech is about 45 minutes, followed by 15 minutes questions, answers, laughter, and applauds.
The last time I saw a Nobel peace laureate in real life was when I saw Nelson Mandela in Helsinki in 1992. He received the prize in 1993, so in the strict sense this was the first time. Clearly, I am not too old yet.
I used today's 30 job-search minutes by agreeing an interview, applying for a couple of jobs. I also made a list of open applications. I can remember at least 8 (still open) applications I have submitted. In addition, I have applied for many jobs in UK - I was careless enough not to keep track of all of them. But it seems, that I may still get a chief architect job - maybe there is some demand for my skills after all. Not anyone can get such a job, let's see if I can.
Alun perin julkaistu kuukausikoosteessa "Blogs November 2005".
The joy of not being tiny
The joy of not being tiny is indulgence. It is rather nice to be able to drink wine as one pleases, not to be wary all the time. I like to buy a bottle of wine, chat with friends while sipping wine. The bottle ends up being empty and recycled. The other joy is to be able to eat somewhat much without getting overly full or much bigger. Or so I think. Maybe that's why I am not tiny. Making virtue out of reality. As we say in Finland: "Anyone less than 100 kg has no say in business (of large scale product development).`" This does not apply to women, who always have a say.Last time on tribes
I talked to a friend of mine, who also had an interview with the consulting tribe on Wed. He did not get a free trip to Chicago either. He is very much like me in terms of experience etc. He got feedback, which I assume applies to me as well, saying that he is too well molded, has too strong predefined opinions, and cannot really be looking for a consulting job: anyway he should be the guy the consultants are working for (CIO or CTO or so). So, the puzzle has been solved. The consulting companies are not willing to recruit experienced professionals for self-evident reasons. Instead, they want to hire young, inexperienced guys, as I have been thinking all along. The main puzzle still remains: why are the corporations willing to pay the consulting companies for the services of the inexperienced persons? Is it just that consultants are secretaries with a bit higher salary? (but wait, the consulting business is not going that well - the stock of the tribe in Chicago trades at its all time low). Anaway, a business which deliberately hires not the most knowledgeable, most experienced people is a bit weird in my mind. The other puzzle is why I and my friend were called for the interview in the first place.
I decided with my friend, that we are not going to talk or worry about job search anymore. We will revert back to talking about science and systems architecture. As I have threatened/promised many times, but this time it is final. The tribe-stuff has taken way too much time.
Flu worse than terrorists
From Reuters AlertNet"An influenza pandemic has the potential to cause more death and illness than any other public health threat," the Health and Human Services department says in its new flu plan, posted on the Internet at http://pandemicflu.gov.The flu may kill up to 2 million Americans. So, why is the goverment using 1.65 billion dollars per day in arms in the name of "defense", when the real threats are not solvable by guns, bombs, and killing other people in far-away countries? It is strange, that the CEO-president and his cronies are so unaware of normal risk assessment and risk management. I assume it is wiser to leave this country for the relative safety and sanity of Finland and Europe in general.
Well, I have to acknowledge that the US government has decided to invest some 500 million dollars in flu prevention in Asia.
No trip to Chicago
I was not accepted to the second round of initiation rites of the Chicago-based consulting tribe. Somehow their telecom practice is so strong, that they can ignore one of the system architects behind 3G networks. It is very surprising, the tribe is very strong. I just wonder what I did wrong? Was it the not wearing a tie, the official omen of good fortune? Or was it the lack of prefab answers? Or was it my honest way on answering questions; avoiding second guessing what the initiation officials would like to hear? Or, simply, am I not so smart and good as I think I am? Or, maybe I am simply just too old, and they know from experience that it is better to get new young members?2005 Nobel Peace Prize recipient at MIT
The 2005 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Mohamed ElBaradei, gave a speech today in MIT. He was invited before he got the prize, or so they say. It was a good speech, and made me reconsider my opinion on increasing use of nuclear energy as source of electricity and heat. I will write more about this once my opinions settle down a bit. Meanwhile, listen to the speech, if you are interested in the future of the world, and have time. The speech is about 45 minutes, followed by 15 minutes questions, answers, laughter, and applauds. The last time I saw a Nobel peace laureate in real life was when I saw Nelson Mandela in Helsinki in 1992. He received the prize in 1993, so in the strict sense this was the first time. Clearly, I am not too old yet.
On case interviews
Mikko put it much better I could ever: The gift to give prefab solutions to inadequately explained problems, truly a special one. I think I do not have that. Mainly because I think that prefab solutions are of no interest and value. Having to solve any problem twice, which is what prefab is about, is insulting and waste of life.Today's 30 minutes
I used today's 30 job-search minutes by agreeing an interview, applying for a couple of jobs. I also made a list of open applications. I can remember at least 8 (still open) applications I have submitted. In addition, I have applied for many jobs in UK - I was careless enough not to keep track of all of them. But it seems, that I may still get a chief architect job - maybe there is some demand for my skills after all. Not anyone can get such a job, let's see if I can.Alun perin julkaistu kuukausikoosteessa "Blogs November 2005".
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