Preparing to land that dream job
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I'm getting very close to 15 years in IT. I've steadily worked my way up and have job hopped every 3-4 years. I am in the IT security side which has really ramped up in the past 3-4 years.
Opportunities for major increases have presented themselves a couple times without me looking and have promised considerable increases like 35-45%. In two cases, location has kept me from pursuing these positions. I was able to decline one position after going through all the hoops, and the other position never got the go ahead from HR. The second company has asked me to wait till March as they intend to open it.
Neither of these jobs have the location I want, and a third opportunity has presented itself again not in the location I want. I do feel like I am gaining valuable insights by doing these interviews.
I guess I just want some discussion here, but my question is something like this... How do you prep for that dream job? How many interviews do you do for practice, how hard do you look? Do you let it come to you?
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@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
How many interviews do you do for practice, how hard do you look?
Hundreds. During my growth days, I would do interviews continuously. I was also consulting, so finding "the next thing" was a constant pressure. But doing non-stop interviews for years did tonnes to hone the process both of being better at being interviewed, and understanding how companies would fail from the other side.
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@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
Do you let it come to you?
That's often how I find the good ones, but no, being active is important.
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@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
How do you prep for that dream job? How many interviews do you do for practice, how hard do you look? Do you let it come to you?
No prep and I've never done a practice interview. But I don't know what my dream job looks like. What is yours? Same as your current job but with a 40% higher salary. Is that realistic?
I guess it's a bit like finding love, with your "dream job" being like love at first sight. How common is it for someone to know they will marry someone based purely on a first date? And did they practice for that date?
My point being, you don't always know what your dream job is until you've been working there for a while and realise how happy you are.
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@Carnival-Boy said in Preparing to land that dream job:
@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
Same as your current job but with a 40% higher salary. Is that realistic?
I've had it offered at least once and I'm told this other position will be opening up, in addition to this third opportunity. Now I'm not talking about these locations being across country or even across state. The location just isn't ideal for me.
IT security is wiling to pay alot of money right now. No degree and a few years experience with the right certs and you can easily do $100k in most markets. I'm not talking huge markets either.
That being said, I think it's a horrible time to start a security career as everyone is going doing that now. For those of us who already have experience, we are in a sweet spot.
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@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
@Carnival-Boy said in Preparing to land that dream job:
@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
Same as your current job but with a 40% higher salary. Is that realistic?
I've had it offered at least once and I'm told this other position will be opening up, in addition to this third opportunity. Now I'm not talking about these locations being across country or even across state. The location just isn't ideal for me.
IT security is wiling to pay alot of money right now. No degree and a few years experience with the right certs and you can easily do $100k in most markets. I'm not talking huge markets either.
That being said, I think it's a horrible time to start a security career as everyone is going doing that now. For those of us who already have experience, we are in a sweet spot.
While the location is not ideal for the jobs... Is that something that will potentially keep you from accepting the position if the salary is right?
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@dafyre said in Preparing to land that dream job:
@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
@Carnival-Boy said in Preparing to land that dream job:
@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
Same as your current job but with a 40% higher salary. Is that realistic?
I've had it offered at least once and I'm told this other position will be opening up, in addition to this third opportunity. Now I'm not talking about these locations being across country or even across state. The location just isn't ideal for me.
IT security is wiling to pay alot of money right now. No degree and a few years experience with the right certs and you can easily do $100k in most markets. I'm not talking huge markets either.
That being said, I think it's a horrible time to start a security career as everyone is going doing that now. For those of us who already have experience, we are in a sweet spot.
While the location is not ideal for the jobs... Is that something that will potentially keep you from accepting the position if the salary is right?
Yes, the salary is right and it seems easier than it should be to ask for more. One place talked about 25% increase, I told them I wouldn't be interested unless they went to 45% increase in which they responded to ok. We think you are worth that. It kind of threw me off! I was expecting no or at least a counter.
I know from being involved in the hiring process for my company that it takes both a lot of time and money to secure these personnel right now. We had a competing company offer huge increases to our employees. They were able to steal quite a few.
The other thing is I really like my current job and employer so it makes it difficult. Ideally we'd like to look in new York near Utica (which is out of state for us). I've been kind of stuck local because of therapy situations for my kids. However, we know they offer similar benefits in NY.
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@Carnival-Boy said in Preparing to land that dream job:
I guess it's a bit like finding love, with your "dream job" being like love at first sight.
Maybe you have to work your dream job for a while before you realize that you found it?
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@Carnival-Boy said in Preparing to land that dream job:
But I don't know what my dream job looks like.
Nor do I. It's so hard to know what is really going to be the combination of things that really makes us happy.
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Why do you have to move at all? Why can't this job be done remotely?
IT security right? -
@Dashrender said in Preparing to land that dream job:
Why do you have to move at all? Why can't this job be done remotely?
IT security right?Yeah thes positions are not remote. Mosts tasks in IT can be done remotely, but I'm not seeing that with these large companies I've talked with. They seem to want everyone in a building.
Ideally I'd like to work remote, but come into the office at least once a week.
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@scottalanmiller said in Preparing to land that dream job:
@Carnival-Boy said in Preparing to land that dream job:
I guess it's a bit like finding love, with your "dream job" being like love at first sight.
Maybe you have to work your dream job for a while before you realize that you found it?
Yeah I think that's the true.
What I'm looking for in this job is a specific location increased salary, and a relocation package would be ideal.
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@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
Mosts tasks in IT can be done remotely, but I'm not seeing that with these large companies I've talked with. They seem to want everyone in a building.
This tends to mean you are talking to companies that aren't as good or aggressive. But remember, big companies hire to the middle, not for experts. To get higher end jobs, you almost always have to go to smaller firms.
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@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
I'm getting very close to 15 years in IT. I've steadily worked my way up and have job hopped every 3-4 years. I am in the IT security side which has really ramped up in the past 3-4 years.
Opportunities for major increases have presented themselves a couple times without me looking and have promised considerable increases like 35-45%. In two cases, location has kept me from pursuing these positions. I was able to decline one position after going through all the hoops, and the other position never got the go ahead from HR. The second company has asked me to wait till March as they intend to open it.
Neither of these jobs have the location I want, and a third opportunity has presented itself again not in the location I want. I do feel like I am gaining valuable insights by doing these interviews.
I guess I just want some discussion here, but my question is something like this... How do you prep for that dream job? How many interviews do you do for practice, how hard do you look? Do you let it come to you?
First you have to wake up and realize , that there are no such something as dream job. Except starting your own business.
All jobs sucks man, your literally wasting your life that you can spend outside, except if you live in Canada where it is -30c outside.
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@Emad-R said in Preparing to land that dream job:
First you have to wake up and realize , that there are no such something as dream job. Except starting your own business.
Actually most people hate running their own businesses. So much risk, so much work, so scary. People who do it often quickly realize how nice working for someone else is.
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@scottalanmiller said in Preparing to land that dream job:
@Emad-R said in Preparing to land that dream job:
First you have to wake up and realize , that there are no such something as dream job. Except starting your own business.
Actually most people hate running their own businesses. So much risk, so much work, so scary. People who do it often quickly realize how nice working for someone else is.
Here Here!
taxes, etc paperwork - they all suck!!! -
@Dashrender said in Preparing to land that dream job:
@scottalanmiller said in Preparing to land that dream job:
@Emad-R said in Preparing to land that dream job:
First you have to wake up and realize , that there are no such something as dream job. Except starting your own business.
Actually most people hate running their own businesses. So much risk, so much work, so scary. People who do it often quickly realize how nice working for someone else is.
Here Here!
taxes, etc paperwork - they all suck!!!Hiring, firing, bankruptcy
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Most people mentally associate "owning a business" with "being rich" which rarely go together.
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@RandyBlevins said in Preparing to land that dream job:
I'm getting very close to 15 years in IT. I've steadily worked my way up and have job hopped every 3-4 years. I am in the IT security side which has really ramped up in the past 3-4 years.
Opportunities for major increases have presented themselves a couple times without me looking and have promised considerable increases like 35-45%. In two cases, location has kept me from pursuing these positions. I was able to decline one position after going through all the hoops, and the other position never got the go ahead from HR. The second company has asked me to wait till March as they intend to open it.
Neither of these jobs have the location I want, and a third opportunity has presented itself again not in the location I want. I do feel like I am gaining valuable insights by doing these interviews.
I guess I just want some discussion here, but my question is something like this... How do you prep for that dream job? How many interviews do you do for practice, how hard do you look? Do you let it come to you?
The right thing coming to you is strictly luck. There are factors that can increase the chances of course, but if you want something, you need to go out and get it, and you need to work for it with persistence.
Interviewing often can help you get better at interviews and the interview process. I believe there's a lot of good value there, so long as the interviews are relevant to what you are looking for.
Know your resume well, and make sure you really know what you put on your resume. It should hold up to any potential (and likely) scrutiny.
Also, be prepared for questions that seek your character regarding your profession.
