Plays Well With Others

The Next Step …

Yesterday was my interview for the in-house position with the Design group. They need a designer and don’t want to do a search out of the company, so they are looking in-house for someone. My group was given first crack at it. My supervisor seemed kind of confused that they’d try to snatch someone from her group, and even more confused when three of the four people in my group applied for the position. That certainly says something.

So, over the past few days, the three of us have done our interviews. It’s kind of weird having an interview with people you work with. The Design group sits roughly two rows over from where we sit and we work with them all the time. It’s also weird “competing” for a job with your coworkers. Strange. I’m guessing it will be one of us, since I’m not aware that they’ve really looked anywhere else.

Here’s how we break down:

One lady has worked for the company ten years, she’s in her 50’s and hasn’t “designed” in over ten years. She has no portfolio to show them, but since she’s been around for ten years she knows them really well. Pros: She knows them really well and has ten years with the company. Cons: They probably want someone a little younger that won’t be retiring in the next few years.

The other girl sits across from me and has worked for the company five years. She’s in her 30’s and also has no portfolio to show them. She’s also pretty familiar with that group. Pros: She has more time with the company than I do and knows them better. Cons: I don’t know how much “design” experience she has. She’s my main competition.

I’m the newest of the three of us, with two years with the company. I’ve got more recent outside experience and have both web and print design experience, as well as a portfolio to show them. Pros: Skill-wise, I probably have more of what the job needs. Cons: Not as much time with the company, therefore if they go by seniority then I probably won’t get it.

A little about the position. It’s partly what I do now and partly new design work. Currently I do a lot of production type of design work, which means that I make simply layout changes to existing documents and do some updates to the text. This new position would give me more creativity to come up with layouts from scratch. A little more diversity in the work which could make a world of difference.

What I think is funny is that three people out of the four are trying to get out of my group. You’d think that that would send a clear message to the higher ups that all isn’t kosher in the land of make believe.

At the same time, since I applied for this position, I’ve been swamped with work. Like they are trying to butter me up to stay or something. They’ve been extra nice and have given me “tougher” jobs to work on where I can be a little more creative. It’s strange. If my job had been like this from the beginning, I might have actually liked it. Now I’m just disgruntled.

Anyhow … we’re supposed to hear by Friday what the verdict is. I think I have as fair a shot as the others, so we’ll just have to see. And if it doesn’t work out, it won’t really bother me that much, because when the next position opens up, I’ll have that much more of an advantage at getting it.

2 Responses to 'The Next Step …'

  1. personal avatar
    N | 17 December 2003

    I hope you get it!


  2. personal avatar
    Greg | 17 December 2003

    Thanks, N.


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