ryan.bloghorn.com

too early to call.

ever since i was deactivated back in December (and a little prior) i've been looking for a job.  last week, i had two interviews:

#1:  a small privately owned web development firm.  they had a list of required skill requirements and i nailed every one of them.  they ran down the bullet list, and i rattled off experience in each of them dating back to 1997.

i thought the interview went well.  really well.  it wasn't really like an interview at all.  it was more like talking with a couple of guys that i just met at a bar without the beer.  the only thing that made me nervous was that the interview was on Friday, and they were interviewing people through Tuesday (today) of next week.  they offered me a Monday interview slot, and in hindsight, I should have taken that.  maybe.  i was thinking that the impression i made may not last until Tuesday.

#2: completely off the beaten path for me, a manager-in-training postion with a large contractor supply company.  the idea is that i would be in training for a year or so, then become a co-manager, then eventually after 3 or so years, get my own store.

the initial phone interview was 20 minutes or so.  the face-to-face interview was maybe 30 minutes.  it all sounded to easy - no difficult questions.  then again, they train you, so you don't need to have prior management experience.  i believe the *only* reason i was interviewed was the fact that i have a degree and my (short) military experience.

i have a third interview with this company in 9 hours.

i've been debating in my head about which i would take if offered both.  having written code for most of my life, i can't help but feel the twinge of excitement of a small company where i will be only the fourth developer.  it also sounds like they're starting to move in some directions that i would like to be a part of.

on the other hand - there's the whole management position.  no matter what company you work for "manager" looks good on a resume?  income potential can reach into the lower six digits IF your store does well.  ugh.  sales.  however, there are sales guys whose sole purpose is to make sales, and from what i can gather the manager "manages" customer relations, makes sure that inventory is loaded and delivered on time, and then there's payroll and making shift schedules and all that jazz.

as far as money, #1 starts out better, but #2 catches up in a few months time (you get a raise after you finish an independent study on their management program).  i know #2 sounds like some kind of pyramid scheme or something, but it's not.  it's a very large (400+ stores nationwide), well established company.  and no, it's not Lowes or Home Depot.

so that's where i was in the debate until around 10pm tonight when i checked my email.  company #1 is prepared to send me a formal offer.

i think i'm going to call #1 tomorrow after my interview with #2.  i have a butt-ton of questions for #2.

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