Big Wheel Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 I'm currently interviewing at this small firm downtown. It's sort of a long drawn-out process, but I'm nearing the end of it. Not what I thought I'd be Doing With My Life, but it seems an engaging and friendly enough place to work for a while. Today I got to interview with the president of the company. I'd sort of heard from the other people that he was a jazz fan, but for all I knew his collection could have been mainly Boney James with Kind of Blue and Time Out thrown in for yuppie cachet. So I walk in to his office and the first thing I see is a framed print of the No Room For Squares cover, with prints of Herman Leonard photos on the other wall. Also Herbie's autograph, framed. I had mentioned my jazz experience on my resume, so after a couple of minutes the conversation turned to that. First of all, this may have been the fastest-talking individual I have met in my entire life. And he's firing questions at me like what I think of George Coleman! (Apparently a very big Maiden Voyage fan.) When I tell him that one of my favorite piano players is Monk, he asks me what my favorite Monk record is...then heads to his cabinet and hands me a sealed copy of Monk's Dream. "Go listen to the solo on "Bye-Ya" and tell me what you think." I guess it went ok...going back in next week for the final round of interviews. Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 "Go listen to the solo on "Bye-Ya" and tell me what you think." Sounds like getting the job might revolve around your answer to that question. Quote
Big Wheel Posted November 5, 2004 Author Report Posted November 5, 2004 "Go listen to the solo on "Bye-Ya" and tell me what you think." Sounds like getting the job might revolve around your answer to that question. That is what I'm afraid of...I'm writing my follow-up email right now and have no idea what the hell to say. What if he thinks my opinion is totally bullshit? Quote
Use3D Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 Whew, good luck with that. I'm sure you'll do fine. Quote
DTMX Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 So do you have to return the copy of Monk's Dream? Wish I had cool job interviews like this. Mine usually sound like "Ya lahk music? Me, ahm partial to sawngs about Dale Earnhardt, muhself. Is thar any jazz sawngs about Dale Earnhardt?" Just give the guy an educated opinion. He's probably looking to see if you gush on and on about how "awesome" it is, only trying to suck up to him. And if he's so tight-assed that he wouldn't hire you for the sole reason that your opinion on a particular piano solo doesn't match his, then fuck 'im. And keep the recording. Quote
couw Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 of course, it IS a pretty awesome (yet typical) solo. It never ceases to amaze me how Monk visits all these wildly different places and yet make it all a coherent logical whole. Also here the guy makes me go all "How the FUCK did he get to THIS damn line here?" those were today's uneducated musings of a Monk fan, film at eleven. Quote
Big Wheel Posted November 5, 2004 Author Report Posted November 5, 2004 So do you have to return the copy of Monk's Dream? I don't know. I suspect not, but I'll probably offer anyway the next time I come in. Quote
Alexander Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 You could use my canned line that listening to/watching Monk play is sort of like watching a man walking a tightrope: You're not sure if he's going to make it, but then...damned if he doesn't pull it off again! Quote
couw Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 You could use my canned line that listening to/watching Monk play is sort of like watching a man walking a tightrope: You're not sure if he's going to make it, but then...damned if he doesn't pull it off again! been watching the man do some on DVD lately and can follow your imagery keep them LEGS moving man. Quote
JSngry Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 link Geez, you people with marketable skills sure make me jealous! Seriously, if I had an interview like that, I'd be all over that shit. Best of luck to ya'! Quote
ejp626 Posted November 6, 2004 Report Posted November 6, 2004 Well, I don't have that much interaction with my supervisor anymore (probably for the best), but he was into jazz. Not as deep as me, but he often had the new Keith Jarrett albums, he really liked Desmond's Glad to be Unhappy, and for Xmas one year, he got me the Miles Davis Columbia 4 CD sampler. The guy I work with the most, however, is a real jazz nut. If he had the money, he would have even more music than I do. A huge Andrew Hill fan. Talking to him, mostly over the phone now since I relocated, has been very rewarding. Quote
Leeway Posted November 6, 2004 Report Posted November 6, 2004 (edited) link I suspect the company has received a curious upsurge in the number of job applications from people with strong interests in jazz Seriously (I think), you're off to a really good start. Be honest, straightforward in your views. I sure he appreciates that you area jazz fan. That's a big positive. But bottom line in these matters: show the guy you WANT to work at the company. Good luck. Edited November 6, 2004 by Leeway Quote
Big Wheel Posted November 24, 2004 Author Report Posted November 24, 2004 Went in again for yet another round yesterday and interviewed with the guy again. I hear Monday or Tuesday. At least I get to keep the CD. Quote
DTMX Posted November 24, 2004 Report Posted November 24, 2004 Oh man, I'm glad this thread got updated. The president of my company gave me three classical guitar CDs last Friday (we've had this week off) and I guess I'm supposed to listen to them and give him some reviews on Monday. I forgot all about them; the CDs have been sitting in my briefcase ever since and I wouldn't have given them a thought until next Monday morning. And I hope there's good news for you next week, Big Wheel. Quote
couw Posted November 24, 2004 Report Posted November 24, 2004 Oh man, I'm glad this thread got updated. The president of my company gave me three classical guitar CDs last Friday (we've had this week off) and I guess I'm supposed to listen to them and give him some reviews on Monday. I forgot all about them; the CDs have been sitting in my briefcase ever since and I wouldn't have given them a thought until next Monday morning. And I hope there's good news for you next week, Big Wheel. tell him you were reviewing those files from your work and didn't have time to listen to the disks. Bring some disks for him to listen to in return. Quote
DTMX Posted November 25, 2004 Report Posted November 25, 2004 tell him you were reviewing those files from your work and didn't have time to listen to the disks. Bring some disks for him to listen to in return. That's a great idea! I can bury him under a 4-CD set of Vivaldi cello concertos while I listen to his recordings. Actually, I do have some work-related stuff I need to do on my home PC (more powerful than my work PC). This just might work. Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted November 25, 2004 Report Posted November 25, 2004 I think your boss lurks here. Quote
DTMX Posted November 25, 2004 Report Posted November 25, 2004 I think your boss lurks here. Eeep! Quote
Big Wheel Posted December 17, 2004 Author Report Posted December 17, 2004 Well, I got the gig. The process took so long from start to finish that it's sort of been an anticlimax for me. But at least I'm not unemployed anymore! Quote
JohnJ Posted December 17, 2004 Report Posted December 17, 2004 Congratualtions Big Wheel . Have a Sapporo to celebrate, I know I will this evening. Quote
Free For All Posted December 17, 2004 Report Posted December 17, 2004 Congrats BW. Let us know how you like the gig. Quote
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