One phone interview down, another coming up

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Late last August, I applied for a technical writing job at a place called Photronics. They aren't a new company but they're putting a new plant in Boise and have entered into a relationship with Micron. I didn't hear back from them and figured "oh well".

Last week, I was working at home and the phone rang. I didn't answer it because I figured it was a telemarketer and I didn't need the hassle. Turns out it was someone from Photronics wanting to talk to me. I called her back and we had a nice chat. She said she'd pass along her notes to the higher ups and she'd let me know this week.

Today she called back and they want to schedule a second phone interview. It'll be with one of Micron's technical writers (I might even know her) and someone from IS. Set for Thursday at 8 a.m. (so I won't be too late to my current job).

Here's the company's website: http://www.photronics.com/index.jsp

Looks interesting. If I get the job, I'll be the "Lone Ranger" again...the only technical writer working with a bunch of technical people to create all the documentation on all of their products. Not sure how this will work out. Depends on what the job ends up being specifically and of course the compensation.

I'd have a commute again which is kind of a drag but contract work doesn't have a huge allure for me (except that's how I'm getting paid right now). Wish me luck.

 

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I wish you all the best Trip. I hope you get this one. How long would the drive be?

 

good luck

 

Congrats!

 

It's not a done deal yet, folks. Remember, Microsoft flew me all the way to Redmond for an interview and I didn't get the job. My guess is that the commute would be 30 minutes or more one way. I'd be traveling with the rest of the morning and evening commuter traffic so it probably won't be fun.

 

I agree. I would think that is about the average. Around here there are alot of people that have atleast a 45 min commute and I know more then a few who a 2hr one.

 

Good Luck Trip


Hope this works out for ya.

 

Good luck on the interview Trip.

 

Good luck Trip!

 

All the best Tripwire. I will keep everything crossed for ya ...

 

This one sounds really promising to me Trip. Good luck!

 

Did the phone interview this morning. I had my resume, their website and the wikipedia page for photomasks pulled up on one of my computers just in case they decided to grill me. I did the best I could to leverage my current and past experience to the current opportunity. The IS guy was the one who asked the most questions...almost all of them in fact, the Micron technical writer only asked one about managing stress.

Sounds like a fast paced, multi-dimensional job that I would either love or that would kill me.

If they offer me the position, I'd have to ramp up in a hurry and it sounds like I'd learn a lot about photomask technology. I think my past experience with Micron and SharePoint are pluses.

They said they have a few more phone interviews to conduct. They'll narrow the candidates down to two or three and offer them (and hopefully me) a face-to-face interview by next week. They need someone in this position yesterday so it's a "hit-the-ground-running" deal. Now we see if the Peter Principle applies.

 

What was the tenor of the interview like, Trip?

 

I thought it was more of a soprano, actually.

Just kidding. It seemed fine but it's hard to tell over the phone. No visual cues to go by. They said it was a pleasure to talk to me but that could have been fluff. They did seem impressed by my book writing and were very curious about my mid-life switch from psychology/social work to technician/technical writing. I thought it went reasonably well, but I don't think it was my best phone interview.

Now we'll see.

 

Hmmm.... Better learn to calm down in interviews.

Well, all that curiosity might be a very good thing. It just might mean that they are fairly serious about you. Since you have worked with the Micron guy before, and he said very little, all they may have been doing was satisfying themselves that you were serious about your career change and not just a nut job that couldn't handle the psychology stuff....

 

Actually, it was the Micron gal. I know her name but there were so many writers in the IS Docs department that I can't recall what she looked like (matching the name to the face). At one point, the entire IS Docs department did interview me, so all she'd have to do is pull those notes to see what everyone thought of me. Plus she knows my former team lead at Micron and how well he liked my work. Because of all that, I'm probably more of a "known factor" than most applicants (unless they are former-Micron writers who suffered the lay offs and are applying for this job).

 

I wish you well trip and hope it all works out for the better.

 

Haven't heard back from these folks yet. The current "day job" has unexpectedly dried up for a couple of weeks and I'm stuck without a paycheck (so much for "billable hours") and in the meantime, I'm still looking around for greener pastures. I got a call out of the blue from a recruiter I've worked with in the past. Turns out this company is looking for a technical writer:

http://www.ianywhere.com/

It would be long-term temp to temp-to-hire. I have a face-to-face interview with them on Monday. Meanwhile, I'm using the time to get caught up on my book writing plus am doing another short-term project.

 

There are some opportunities I know of for Windows Server 2008 book authors, but you'd not likely be comfortable with writing those... if I hear of anything else out there, I'll be sure to let you know!