Simon

I met Simon in January in Denver. I have nothing nice to say about this man. He mislead me, and caused me to hide and leave this blog for several months. Now I am back and will blog for all the world to see, including Simon and his precious, albeit overly liberal, DRCOG.

So what's the story behind all this?

In January I interviewed with Denver Regional Council of Governments. The phone interviews went very well. I was impressed with the organization. At the time, they were impressed with me. Well, Simon Montagu, the man who was heading the interview process, called me up and told me I was flying to Denver for an all-day interview. He asked if I had any questions before the interview and I mentioned that I had "googled" him.

I flew down to the interview, spent a very nice, but grueling day talking with many folks at DRCOG. Simon and others lead me to believe that a job offer was pending. At the end of the day, Simon and I met one on one. He told me that he deiced to Google me and that in the process he found this blog. I am not ashamed of anything I have written here in this blog. Simon went on to make me feel guilty for having this blog and was even so bold as to tell me where he found problems in my blog. I also think during this process he was trying to get me to commit to a salary offer much less than what I was currently making. Only in retrospect do I now realize old Simon was playing me. Drop some bad news on me with the hopes that I will drop my offer. I didn't change my negotiating stance. I said, here is what I am making now, and I will consider any offer you put forth. I leave Simon's office fully expecting at least an offer in two weeks. (That's how long it takes to get an offer of employment approved, Simon tells me) BULL CRAP!!!! He could have approved that offer in two days.

On the Monday after the interview I get a very friendly email from the HR person with benefits information. I ask her a question and she emails me the answer right back. That afternoon I emailed a follow-up question and did not hear from her for three days. The answer she gave was cut and paste right from the same stuff she had sent me before. I am no chump, I figure it out pretty darn quick that the "two-week" approval process is not going to happen.

I waited out the two weeks and then, so I could better prepare for the interview I had for the job I have now, I emailed Simon asking for some feedback as to why I wasn't offered the job. His reply was, Oh yeah, we aren't offering you the job now and I can't talk about why right now but all the candidates were not the "complete package" we were looking for. Simon knew this on the Monday after I left Denver but let me sit for two weeks without telling me. Simon also promised that though he couldn't talk abou it now, he would be happy to talk about why I did not get the job offer. That was two months ago. Somehow I don't think Simon intends to get back to me. Two words: Jack Ass.

I will tell you what DRCOG's complete package is: Expert at ArcIMS and ArcSDE, programming skills out the wazoo, several years of DBA experience, experience managing people, PM experience, marketing experience, training experience, great interpersonal skills, opposed to the consumption of meat, opposed to cars of any type, opposed to republicans and capitalism and willing to work for $45,000 a year...IN DENVER.

So Simon, I am back out there baby. Bite me.