Careersn (was Certification) -- MIDRANGE-L

>>> DAsmussen <DAsmussen@aol.com> 04/05/98 08:38pm >>>
<snip>
> If you don't _really_ want to change, _DON'T_ make other people
> work their tails off for you only to give the Emily Latella
> response of "Oh, that's quite different -- never mind".

> If you _THINK_ you want to change, establish metrics up front as 
> to what sort of increase you are looking for, and what sort of
> company you want to work for.  DO NOT apply for jobs that you
> don't want in the first place, and DO NOT say you want one thing
> and then decide you want something else.
<snip>

Then, for the sake of my own curiosity, I have an "ethics" question:
how does one with a comparatively satisfactory job keep one's "ear to
the ground" so to speak, looking for that elusive Nirvana-like job
without making someone like you "work their tail off" only to get a wet
noodle response?  Let me illustrate (preface to keep post somewhat
w/in list guidelines: I AM NOT TROLLING FOR A JOB HERE!  I'm merely
using a personal example to illustrate why I ask a specific question):  

My wife is German, her entire family lives over there.  Naturally,
we'd like to get to see them occasionally, but finances preclude
doing so more than every 3-4 years.  Oh well, that's life.  But, that
means a very appealing aspect of any employment opportunity for me
personally would be the requirement for occasional business trips to
Europe in general, Germany in particular (rack up frequent flyer
miles, write off family vacations, etc.)  Therefore, when the bi-weekly
headhunter call comes to my desk, I have a pat response: "I am not
looking to move, I'm pretty happy where I am.  However, these
specific things would appeal to me: <list off 4-5 very specific things,
including international travel but pointedly not including salary>. 
Conclusion: if you've got a position w/3-4 of these, let's talk." 
Inevitably, I get calls back w/positions essentially equivalent to what
I'm doing now, just more (sometimes lots more) money, at which point
they're turned down.

Summary: I'm sure there are recruiters out there who feel much the
same way about me that Dean does towards his contractor, e.g. "What
the heck does this guy want - I'm offering X, Y, and Z!"  I'm always
interested in something better, but I'm happy enough that it's got to be
really really better.  Am I taking unfair advantage if I describe my
ideal job, then turn Joe recruiter down when he comes w/something
that just doesn't, in MY book, measure up to what I want, even if, in
HIS book, it does?  Personally, I don't think so - I thought that's what
recruiters did, root about for stuff I can't/won't find using sources
to which they (presumably) have access but I do not...but what sayeth
the list?

Scott Cornell
Mercy Information Systems
+---
| This is the Midrange System Mailing List!
| To submit a new message, send your mail to MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com.
| To unsubscribe from this list send email to MIDRANGE-L-UNSUB@midrange.com.
| Questions should be directed to the list owner/operator: david@midrange.com
+---