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My Rhythmic Crotch
Jan 13, 2011

Seems a little off-color to criticize them for not making budget on a childbirth. Did you want them to skip the epidural or something? I'm confused.

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Antifreeze Head
Jun 6, 2005

It begins
Pillbug

Knyteguy posted:

Final May Budget:


On to the charity month.

Months

Horking Delight posted:

$100 to the charity of your choice if you come under budget for three months in a row, starting in May, budgets posted before the first of the month and spending posted within 2 weeks after the end of the month. If a legitimate ("lost my job", "hit by car", not "sister had a bad week" or "I needed new shoes" or even "I needed cab fare for interviews") emergency happens, the month isn't counted but you'll need one more good month (3 good months and one emergency month in total then, instead of 2 good and one emergency).

And I will call you Spiderman.

But I also want your budget to answer the question of "at this savings rate, when will I be out of debt and with a fully-stocked emergency fund" and for that answer to be one you are honestly, truly willing to accept.

So if you make a budget where "everything is discretionary and I only pay down minimum payments", you better also say "I will be out of debt in 15 years and I'm accepting that for now".

Aagar posted:

Count me in - $100 to the charity of your choice, if you meet the conditions as set out by Horking. If this is what it takes to push you to stick to a budget for 3 months straight, and raises money for a good cause, it's win-win in my book.

slap me silly posted:

Ditto.

Feel the pressure

IllegallySober posted:

Good answer. I'm also in for $100. :toxx:

Furthermore, you didn't say when you'll be out of debt in that post. Perhaps Horking Delight and the others will extend their charity and decide to not observe that particular fact right away and allow for it to be inserted or perhaps consider it good enough if it is posted after the start of May.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

Antifreeze Head posted:

Months





Furthermore, you didn't say when you'll be out of debt in that post. Perhaps Horking Delight and the others will extend their charity and decide to not observe that particular fact right away and allow for it to be inserted or perhaps consider it good enough if it is posted after the start of May.

The last out of debt post still stands. I went conservative on the estimate of excess income that can go towards debt or savings ($800). We're already $200 ahead of that.

Got an interview can't address the rest right now. Bugamol I originally budgeted $10,000 for the pregnancy bills which is why we had almost no income from my wife half of last year (most into the hsa).

Colin Mockery
Jun 24, 2007
Rawr



Pfox posted:

I actually disagree here. If he's applying to a place that's not going to pay him based on his experience, skills, and qualifications, but rather on his previous salary, then he should just walk. Self-taught or not, he's cleaning up on interviews. Knyteguy, next time you're in a situation where someone demands your current salary, and won't move on until you disclose, end the interview. Stand up, say thanks, and exit. You've clearly got skills in demand, and saying no to one company certainly isn't going to stop you. If they back down, great, if they don't, it honestly wasn't worth your time to begin with.

My understanding was that it's the recruiter (from a firm, not an in-house one with the company) who wouldn't drop it and that it's the only recruiting firm in the region or something stupid, which makes it harder. But your point still stands -- he shouldn't and doesn't have to put up with being jerked around after already saying no, especially if he's only testing the market.

Also IIRC, he gave a no-debt estimate in his previous, unfinalized budget -- it was like 3.5 years (or 9 if he paid only minimums to debt), I think. He should probably add it to the finalized budget because the numbers might have been tweaked and it's nice to have the info all in one place, but I think he's following the spirit of the challenge so I'm happy.

ExtrudeAlongCurve
Oct 21, 2010

Lambert is my Homeboy

Knyteguy posted:

~$300 for the delivery
~$2,800 for the hospital
~$600 for the false labor
$100 for rounding
Probably another $1,000 for the epidural
$500 for whatever we may be missing
---
$5,300 (hopefully a high estimate)

Are these your wife's bills only or does it include bills for your son? I know for me, the bills were separate for the two of us (hello brand new deductible!). Wanted to ask so that if you also get bills for your son's hospital care, you are not caught unaware.

Medical costs get so crazy. My bill (and just mine, not even the baby's!) told me without insurance it would have been like, 20k or something absurd like that.

Colin Mockery
Jun 24, 2007
Rawr



FYI:

https://modelviewculture.com/news/lets-talk-about-pay

quote:

On May 1st, International Workers’ Day, I will be publicly discussing my job title, my experience and my salary on #talkpay and I urge everyone to do so as well.


If you want to re-calibrate your expectations.

dreesemonkey
May 14, 2008
Pillbug

Bugamol posted:

No you didn't.

You came in over budget. You luckily have enough money to pay for it, but you didn't come in under budget. You're actually $1,600 more expensive than your original quote and $1,105 over your HSA balance on March 2nd.

The reason you were able to afford it is because you are sticking to your budget, which is great, but this is another example of "things are more expensive than Knyteguy thinks and he quickly forgets that".

He gets a pass for this, there is nothing sensible about healthcare costs / billing or trying to estimate these costs.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal
Just to clarify: delivery bills include both wife and baby (we chose the cheaper hospital)

I just passed the first technical interview for a new company today. It's very much a Slo Mo type job where I would need to hit minimum billable hours, and then I would bill $75/hr for every hour after that. It also includes incentives for certifications (training material provided by the company), deliverables, helping other teams, etc. The interviewer seemed very excited with my resume. He said that whatever my career goals are they are willing to do that for me. They potentially want me leading a team along with someone else after I get into the swing of things. It would require learning new material on my own time at first, so work would become a very dominant force in my life. I'm OK with that since it's not forever.

My head is spinning with this one. The base salary starts at the $90,000 range. Then the monthly bonuses, and quarterly bonuses on top of that. And then incentives on top of that. The numbers that he was talking my wife could stay home.

The problem is I have to pass an algorithm interview on site in the next couple of weeks (so it's very likely I made it to the second stage, but the recruiter will tell me more before eod). The interviewer said "concatenating strings together and things such as that." That's certainly a concern as it's one of my weakest areas. However I do have a resource for that that I've been working on (but obviously that needs to ramp up).

I'll find out more about that one, and then I have a Skype interview Monday (final). No word on what I should've heard about already.

I don't even really know what to say. I'll try not to make this place my white whale.

Horking I'm glad you accepted the debt-scenario. I'll get that posted shortly with the final budget just for clarity.

HSA has ~$6,000, but about $1600 is sitting in our checking account right now (I have the exact amount as "pregnancy bills" in the budget)

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 21:53 on May 1, 2015

Bugamol
Aug 2, 2006
Where is the job located?

EDIT: Also try and connect with a few people that work at the company and talk to them about how it is. It sounds like you're currently in more of a 9-5 type role and this job sounds more like a work 60+ hour weeks because everyone else is doing it type of role. I would try and talk to a few potential coworkers and asked some pointed questions.

Otherwise that sounds pretty promising.

Jeffrey of YOSPOS
Dec 22, 2005

GET LOSE, YOU CAN'T COMPARE WITH MY POWERS
describe how you'd write a function to reverse the order of the words in a string (so "I devour kittens" becomes "kittens devour I", etc)

e: seconding the above, look at glassdoor for their company

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal
No Glass Door entries at all yet.

Jeffrey of YOSPOS posted:

describe how you'd write a function to reverse the order of the words in a string (so "I devour kittens" becomes "kittens devour I", etc)

e: seconding the above, look at glassdoor for their company

I'm going at this cold, and as I said this is my weakest area right now.

I would first try to find out what this is for, and whether it would be for internal use or end-user use (do I need null checks or can I rely on the data being sent?), then what type of data would be sent (will there always be spaces or could there be iDEVOURkittens?)

The following is unedited as I would work through it during a test:

[INTERVIEW]

Likely I would create a for loop, as so:
C# code:
for (int i = 0; i < param.Length; i++)
{
    
}
And then an array above that, as so: string[] reversedParam = new string[param.Length];

Totaling:
C# code:
string[] reversedParam = new string[param.Length];
for (int i = 0; i < param.Length; i++)
{
    
}
Inside the for loop I would then get the last char of the param minus "i", ie param[param.Length - i] which in c# returns a single character. This last character would be added to the new array, totaling:
C# code:
string[] reversedParam = new string[param.Length];
for (int i = 0; i < param.Length; i++)
{
    reversedParam[i] = param[param.Length - i];
}
This would add the letters s,n,e,t,t,i,k, ,... to the new array

Finally after that was done I would return or print as needed in the function.

Here is the total function:

public string

(would the function be static? ~~)

Here's the final function:
C# code:
public string ReverseInput(string param)
{
    string[] reversedParam = new string[param.Length];
    for (int i = 0; i < param.Length; i++)
    {
        reversedParam[i] = param[param.Length - i];
    }
    return reversedParam.ToString();
}
[/INTERVIEW]


There's how I would have done it off hand. Here's what I had to change to get it to compile and get what I want:
C# code:
string[] reversedParam = new string[param.Length];
for (int i = 0; i < param.Length; i++)
{
    reversedParam[i] = param[param.Length - (i + 1)].ToString();
}
Console.WriteLine(string.Join("", reversedParam));
Linear growth? (O(n)?) The run time grows linearly to the size of the input string?

Whiteboard coding time!

I tried to keep that as honest as possible and wrote things out how I would have done it during an interview. I didn't use a compiler except to get what I would use as a final solution (and I'm feeling like there's almost absolutely a better way of doing this from what I've seen on these problems). I assumed internal just because I didn't feel like writing null checks. That could be achieved with string.IsNullOrEmpty(param);

Edit I just realized the string.Join would add runtime as well. Perhaps O(n^2)? I dunno. I'll get some practice in.

edit 2: I knew there was a better way
code:
    public static string ReverseXor(string s)
    {
        if (s == null) return null;
        char[] charArray = s.ToCharArray();
        int len = s.Length - 1;

        for (int i = 0; i < len; i++, len--)
        {
            charArray[i] ^= charArray[len];
            charArray[len] ^= charArray[i];
            charArray[i] ^= charArray[len];
        }

        return new string(charArray);
    }
edit 3: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/228038/best-way-to-reverse-a-string

ouch. I'll get as many hours as I humanly can until the interview practicing this.

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 23:13 on May 1, 2015

Jeffrey of YOSPOS
Dec 22, 2005

GET LOSE, YOU CAN'T COMPARE WITH MY POWERS
Cool,. thanks for doing it! You missed a step though - I believe your program would return "snettick ruoved I", while I want the words to stay english words, and say "kittens devour I". (No worries if you don't have time to fix it - that's just the sort of questions I expect you'll get.) An explanation of the algorithm would be cool too if you don't want to write the code.

I don't know enough about C# string libraries to say if that's O(n^2) or not - O(n) is definitely achievable. It's okay to do it in-place if you want - I don't care about the original string.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

Jeffrey of YOSPOS posted:

Cool,. thanks for doing it! You missed a step though - I believe your program would return "snettick ruoved I", while I want the words to stay english words, and say "kittens devour I". (No worries if you don't have time to fix it - that's just the sort of questions I expect you'll get.) An explanation of the algorithm would be cool too if you don't want to write the code.

I don't know enough about C# string libraries to say if that's O(n^2) or not - O(n) is definitely achievable. It's okay to do it in-place if you want - I don't care about the original string.

Ah, and a big error there as well. I'd have to approach that much differently.

So... I rushed it and it led to those mistakes among others (though some of it was knowledge based).

I'll become more comfortable with these types of problems. Even if this particular place says no (though I'm going to study my rear end off to try to get in here), I think if I pick this skillset up I can land somewhere similar. I did start this stuff a couple of weeks ago, but doing well with the other technical parts of interviews had me too comfortable and I neglected it. I want to go with a company who is picky with their candidates. I don't want mediocrity.

interrodactyl
Nov 8, 2011

you have no dignity
Have you gone through this book? http://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Coding-Interview-Programming-Questions/dp/098478280X

If not you really should. If you don't want to take it out of your discretionary or the book won't arrive in time, I'm sure you can find it in a way that doesn't cost any money!

e: I forgot the old version comes free of charge as a PDF: http://www.valleytalk.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/CrackCode.pdf

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

Jeffrey of YOSPOS posted:

Cool,. thanks for doing it! You missed a step though - I believe your program would return "snettick ruoved I", while I want the words to stay english words, and say "kittens devour I". (No worries if you don't have time to fix it - that's just the sort of questions I expect you'll get.) An explanation of the algorithm would be cool too if you don't want to write the code.

I don't know enough about C# string libraries to say if that's O(n^2) or not - O(n) is definitely achievable. It's okay to do it in-place if you want - I don't care about the original string.

I just caught that you were asking me to actually do it (or explain it)

It could be done... like this:

C# code:
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    string param = "I devour kittens";

    Console.WriteLine(ReverseWords(param));
    Console.ReadLine();
}

// assume internal input
public static string ReverseWords(string input)
{
    input = Reverse(input);

    string[] inputWords = input.Split(' ');
    for (int i = 0; i < inputWords.Length; i++)
    {
        inputWords[i] = Reverse(inputWords[i]);
    }

    return string.Join("", inputWords);
}

public static string Reverse(string input)
{
    char[] inputCharArray = new char[input.ToCharArray().Length];
    for (int i = 0; i < input.ToCharArray().Length; i++)
    {
        inputCharArray[i] = input[inputCharArray.Length - (i + 1)];
    }
    return string.Join("", inputCharArray);
}
I'm sure there is a better way of doing this though. I had this algorithm in mind when I started, but it took me a minute to get it to compile since I couldn't figure out an easy way to edit a string character in place. SFoo[0] == S, but you can't do a set here.

O(n^2) I think due to the two for loops?

edit refactored one thing to clean it up (same functionality ofc). Making small mistakes since I'm running on E.


interrodactyl I'm on it in about 30 minutes.

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 00:22 on May 2, 2015

egoslicer
Jun 13, 2007

Knyteguy posted:

I just caught that you were asking me to actually do it (or explain it)

It could be done... like this:

C# code:
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    string param = "I devour kittens";

    Console.WriteLine(ReverseWords(param));
    Console.ReadLine();
}

// assume internal input
public static string ReverseWords(string input)
{
    input = Reverse(input);

    string[] inputWords = input.Split(' ');
    for (int i = 0; i < inputWords.Length; i++)
    {
        inputWords[i] = Reverse(inputWords[i]);
    }

    return string.Join("", inputWords);
}

public static string Reverse(string input)
{
    char[] inputCharArray = new char[input.ToCharArray().Length];
    for (int i = 0; i < input.ToCharArray().Length; i++)
    {
        inputCharArray[i] = input[inputCharArray.Length - (i + 1)];
    }
    return string.Join("", inputCharArray);
}
I'm sure there is a better way of doing this though. I had this algorithm in mind when I started, but it took me a minute to get it to compile since I couldn't figure out an easy way to edit a string character in place. SFoo[0] == S, but you can't do a set here.

O(n^2) I think due to the two for loops?

edit refactored one thing to clean it up (same functionality ofc). Making small mistakes since I'm running on E.


interrodactyl I'm on it in about 30 minutes.

This is what's important, whiteboarding and showing your thought process. You don't need to be 100% dead on, necessarily. If I were interviewing you, I'd be interacting and we'd be solving the problem together like you are doing in this thread. Good job :)

dreesemonkey
May 14, 2008
Pillbug
Before you get too pumped about that job, ask yourself if you really want to work that much.

I generally have really low stress job but last year I was the lead (read: only person) on a hugely massive project with an unbreakable deadline and it was incredibly draining to do nothing but work all the time. I'm an in house developer.

Things have calmed down by orders of magnitude since we (I) met the deadline and it is so so so much less stressful. I honestly don't think I'd go back to being that busy even if someone offered me 30k more or something. (FYI I make about what you do now)

My best friend just left his own cushy in house job to do Web Development at a private company and he hates it. He can't do things right, only fast. The project managers don't ask him input on how long he thinks things will take so he's already behind the gun. Every second of your day is accounted for and it is so draining to be thinking and working all day every day.

Sounds like it could be good money but that's it. Money isn't everything.

Jeffrey of YOSPOS
Dec 22, 2005

GET LOSE, YOU CAN'T COMPARE WITH MY POWERS
Solution looks good, and at least in terms of character swaps, it is O(n) - each character will be swapped exactly twice. The inner loop is only over the letters in one word, and the outer one is only in the number of words, so it is roughly O(letters/word * words) or O(letters), ie O(n). That's handwavy but trust me. This is the solution that I had in mind.

As someone else said, the thought process is what counts - I wouldn't think less of a candidate who gave your first solution, but then was able to revise it into the proper one.

e: at a glance, interrodactyl's book seems good, read that

Jeffrey of YOSPOS fucked around with this message at 02:45 on May 2, 2015

Banzai 3
May 8, 2007
I'm only here for the weekly 24 bitchfest.
Pillbug
Knyte, where’s this new job located?

Saros
Dec 29, 2009

Its almost like we're a Bureaucracy, in space!

I set sail for the Planet of Lab Requisitions!!

Banzai 3 posted:

Knyte, where’s this new job located?

Seriously.

AbsenceVsThinAir
Jan 29, 2007

Maybe you do not even *smell*? That is sad.

*Smelling* *pretty colors* is the best *game*.

interrodactyl posted:

Have you gone through this book? http://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Coding-Interview-Programming-Questions/dp/098478280X

If not you really should. If you don't want to take it out of your discretionary or the book won't arrive in time, I'm sure you can find it in a way that doesn't cost any money!

e: I forgot the old version comes free of charge as a PDF: http://www.valleytalk.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/CrackCode.pdf

I've got a coding interview coming up and I just ordered this thanks to your post.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

Knyteguy posted:

Final May Budget:


Knyteguy posted:

Using this budget we should have our emergency fund to $10,000 by July (including 1 month ahead money of $5,155). And then starting in July we should be in a position to start paying down debt.

It's extremely difficult to estimate accurately how long it will take us to get out of debt, but using our current debt paydown rate of $500/mo (after interest), and adding our moderately conservative debt paydown of $700-$800/mo to that, and using that against our total debt of $54,500... we should be out of debt in 3.5 years. However that assumes that all debts continue to accrue interest even after they're paid off.

Assuming we tackle the car first however, we can have that paid off by December 2016 using the same relatively conservative estimate of $800/mo. 1.5 years after that medical debt of $20,000 would be paid off. About a year after that student loans.

So applying $800/mo additional to each individual debt would take this long:
Medical Debt ($22,000 @ 0%): 2 years 3 months
Car: 16 months
Student Loans: ~8 months
Grandma Debt (~1600 @ 0%): 2 months

Now this process would be expedited by freeing up money as we pay off debts (snowball). So for example if we paid off the car we would have an additional $510/mo to use towards other debts.

If we just spent that $800/mo on whatever and made minimum payments forever we would have debt paid off by February 2024. I would be 37 years old. My son would be 9. Holy poo poo.

So basically stuff will get more interesting come July. Just as a note my time estimates to payoff debt are probably imperfect.

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 15:53 on May 4, 2015

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

Banzai 3 posted:

Knyte, where’s this new job located?

Big city in SoCal

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal
Does anyone have tips on declining a second interview, without perhaps burning a bridge (with the recruiter who brought me the SloMo type job)? It's another company in SoCal that I scheduled for today, but I don't think I'm interested in it any longer. Flex scheduling, but you're expected to be on call during the weekends, and 5-7 hours of unpaid overtime every week was mentioned and I don't see the benefit.


dreese I've been thinking about the amount of commitment necessary for the consultant job (again the SloMo type one). I've done consistent 6 day 14 hour shifts before and I was pulling maybe $600 a week (cable installer). It may be worth it, especially with the opportunities to move up, but I don't know if it's necessary to work so many hours. If I put that amount of time into my education I could finish my bachelor's degree in CSE (our university has a decent program http://catalog.unr.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=8&poid=3515&returnto=1858), or I could possibly get a job paying similarly without having to work consultant hours, though it could take a couple more years to get more experience (I'm talking experience for the big tech firms).

Anyway getting off track. I'll be going to this interview for the consultant job if it's offered, but even if the offer came I'm not sure if it would be the best career move. I don't think I'd say no of course, but it could be worth it to go for the same base salary somewhere and work remotely.

Hey by the way the algorithm problems are a lot of fun to try to solve. I wish I'd taken the advise sooner.

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 18:34 on May 4, 2015

Bugamol
Aug 2, 2006
I'd just say "After the first round of interviews with company X I don't feel that it would be a good fit". They'll probably ask you "Why?" at which point just rattle off a few either bullshit or real reasons "I prefer not to be on call, I prefer a more standard schedule, I didn't get a good impression from the person I interviewed with".

That's what I used to say essentially. If this is somehow considered "inappropriate" then I burned quite a few bridges during my last job search.

Jeffrey of YOSPOS
Dec 22, 2005

GET LOSE, YOU CAN'T COMPARE WITH MY POWERS
You can just be honest there - the inconsistent scheduling and weekend work are incompatible with raising an infant, especially given your wife's work schedule.

ufsteph
Jul 3, 2007

Knyteguy posted:

Does anyone have tips on declining a second interview, without perhaps burning a bridge (with the recruiter who brought me the SloMo type job)? It's another company in SoCal that I scheduled for today, but I don't think I'm interested in it any longer. Flex scheduling, but you're expected to be on call during the weekends, and 5-7 hours of unpaid overtime every week was mentioned and I don't see the benefit.

Don't forget that they are not just interviewing you - you are interviewing them, too.

dreesemonkey
May 14, 2008
Pillbug

Knyteguy posted:

dreese I've been thinking about the amount of commitment necessary for the consultant job (again the SloMo type one). I've done consistent 6 day 14 hour shifts before and I was pulling maybe $600 a week (cable installer). It may be worth it, especially with the opportunities to move up, but I don't know if it's necessary to work so many hours. If I put that amount of time into my education I could finish my bachelor's degree in CSE (our university has a decent program http://catalog.unr.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=8&poid=3515&returnto=1858), or I could possibly get a job paying similarly without having to work consultant hours, though it could take a couple more years to get more experience (I'm talking experience for the big tech firms).

Just a quick comment, but I honestly don't know how beneficial getting your bachelors would be. I would think experience trumps all when looking for a developer, but I guess it all depends on the employer.

Unless you want to get into management someday or something more specific like project management, man gently caress going back to school.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal
Alright dreese something to consider.

Thanks for the interview cancellation tips; I went ahead and cancelled as specified.

lord1234
Oct 1, 2008

dreesemonkey posted:

Just a quick comment, but I honestly don't know how beneficial getting your bachelors would be. I would think experience trumps all when looking for a developer, but I guess it all depends on the employer.

Unless you want to get into management someday or something more specific like project management, man gently caress going back to school.

While it isn't the end all/be all, there is definitely a benefit to getting one. I know that you will have SERIOUS hurdles advancing into a managerial role in most companies without a degree of some sort. A Master's in something is even better, but I'm proof that you don't need an MS to be a manager. It probably took me a year or two longer then it would have otherwise.

Colin Mockery
Jun 24, 2007
Rawr



lord1234 posted:

A Master's in something is even better, but I'm proof that you don't need an MS to be a manager. It probably took me a year or two longer then it would have otherwise.

Of course, it takes a year or two plus tuition to get a Master's. Good with money.

Ultimate Mango
Jan 18, 2005

Knyteguy posted:

Big city in SoCal

Dude it's all one big city here. It's pretty much paved from Mexico to Ventura at least.

ufsteph posted:

Don't forget that they are not just interviewing you - you are interviewing them, too.

Yes! This is great advice.

lord1234 posted:

While it isn't the end all/be all, there is definitely a benefit to getting one. I know that you will have SERIOUS hurdles advancing into a managerial role in most companies without a degree of some sort. A Master's in something is even better, but I'm proof that you don't need an MS to be a manager. It probably took me a year or two longer then it would have otherwise.

This is true. I didn't actually finish my theater degree but I have been able to progress into middle management. I think I have been pretty freaking lucky, and I also work hard and have gotten really good at what I do. I can't say if it took me longer or not than it would have otherwise. I still have the goal of being VP by the time I hit forty but that seems pretty ambitious from where I sit right now.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal
OK consultant job wants me to go down next week. They wanted to fly me, but I asked the recruiter if they would recompense gas for a drive instead. It's about 8 hours away, and that way my wife could come with me. That's what I'm thinking anyway I asked the recruiter to hold off committing to anything travel-wise while I figure it out. The recruiter liked the idea of my wife coming along and said that fuel compensation instead shouldn't be a problem.

Driving would complicate things, but we were going to Sacramento that weekend anyway for an in-law visit, so we could just make a little detour to the city I'm taking the interview in and see the place. We haven't seen the ocean in roughly 5 years. Anyone who has done the whole job relo thing did you take your SO along for any of the interviews? Would you do it again? The office is right on the beach so she could hang out there while I interviewed, but I don't want to overcomplicate this either as my focus needs to be on the interview. Some input would be appreciated if anyone has any.

But just to note I'm not counting on this. I'm hoping it pans out but as far as I know the second interview could cancel again, so I'm still pursuing other opportunities.

Edit:
Knyteguy,

%Person% at %Company% is not available next Friday. Is there any way that you can make it on Friday down to Southern California?

Recruiter


Shoot I don't want to give my boss so little notice. Postpone to the following Friday?

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 18:33 on May 5, 2015

My Rhythmic Crotch
Jan 13, 2011

If you're serious about the job, then go asap.

Who is watching your kid while all this is happening? Are taking the kid in the car for 8 hours?

Ultimate Mango
Jan 18, 2005

Remember that the cost of living in another city may not be the same as where you are now. And can the wife find comparable work, or stay home and what about childcare.
If you go for another interview know what it will take for you to live on your own salary for at least eight months.

MrEnigma
Aug 30, 2004

Moo!

Knyteguy posted:

OK consultant job wants me to go down next week. They wanted to fly me, but I asked the recruiter if they would recompense gas for a drive instead. It's about 8 hours away, and that way my wife could come with me. That's what I'm thinking anyway I asked the recruiter to hold off committing to anything travel-wise while I figure it out. The recruiter liked the idea of my wife coming along and said that fuel compensation instead shouldn't be a problem.

Driving would complicate things, but we were going to Sacramento that weekend anyway for an in-law visit, so we could just make a little detour to the city I'm taking the interview in and see the place. We haven't seen the ocean in roughly 5 years. Anyone who has done the whole job relo thing did you take your SO along for any of the interviews? Would you do it again? The office is right on the beach so she could hang out there while I interviewed, but I don't want to overcomplicate this either as my focus needs to be on the interview. Some input would be appreciated if anyone has any.

But just to note I'm not counting on this. I'm hoping it pans out but as far as I know the second interview could cancel again, so I'm still pursuing other opportunities.

Edit:
Knyteguy,

%Person% at %Company% is not available next Friday. Is there any way that you can make it on Friday down to Southern California?

Recruiter


Shoot I don't want to give my boss so little notice. Postpone to the following Friday?

Compensation for driving is usually based on per mile, IRS guidelines are 57.5 cents per mile. That's what you should be asking to be reimbursed for. The problem is that it's going to come to $550-600 bucks in your case, which is probably more than the plane ticket would be.

Jeffrey of YOSPOS
Dec 22, 2005

GET LOSE, YOU CAN'T COMPARE WITH MY POWERS
Can you do it on a Monday? Fly in the night before, fly out the night of is also an option for a weekday. I wouldn't want to wait two weeks but it's up to you.

Knyteguy
Jul 6, 2005

YES to love
NO to shirts


Toilet Rascal

My Rhythmic Crotch posted:

If you're serious about the job, then go asap.

Who is watching your kid while all this is happening? Are taking the kid in the car for 8 hours?

Trying to figure that out. The kid actually loves car rides so he could manage if we stopped to feed him and change him as necessary. But we're not going to drive down actually (see below).

By ASAP does that mean putting my current job into a precarious position? That's a real risk I think. Bird in hand and all that?

Ultimate Mango posted:

Remember that the cost of living in another city may not be the same as where you are now. And can the wife find comparable work, or stay home and what about childcare.
If you go for another interview know what it will take for you to live on your own salary for at least eight months.

Base would be $90,000-$100,000 with $75/hr paid as a monthly bonus over 130 hours billable. The recruiter told them they want my salary to be $120,000 (the company told me this). The interviewer said I could make at least that if I put in the work.

As long as I'm making more than base pay I think we could manage. I suppose she could try to transfer her current job down there. But really I think she could stay at home if she wanted to.

MrEnigma posted:

Compensation for driving is usually based on per mile, IRS guidelines are 57.5 cents per mile. That's what you should be asking to be reimbursed for. The problem is that it's going to come to $550-600 bucks in your case, which is probably more than the plane ticket would be.

Gas would cost $100 or so round trip (30/42 MPG). I'd probably be willing to eat the depreciation. Beyond that though it's looking like my wife will not be coming along despite the want anyway. If we had money in the budget for a plane ticket we would, but I don't see a way to make it work. I don't think driving down there would be worth it. If I receive an offer we'll have to find a way to get down there to see the area, but without something solid it would be foolish to commit our own money considering our financial goals.

Jeffrey of YOSPOS posted:

Can you do it on a Monday? Fly in the night before, fly out the night of is also an option for a weekday. I wouldn't want to wait two weeks but it's up to you.

I'd like to Monday but my boss will be here Monday, Tuesday next week before leaving for 2 weeks on a vacation. He'll definitely want me there for those two days as he has been gone this week as well.

I'm extremely weary to ask for this Friday off as they want me to. My boss could easily think something is up considering I just asked for PTO for last Friday as well.

Knyteguy fucked around with this message at 19:50 on May 5, 2015

My Rhythmic Crotch
Jan 13, 2011

I don't think it needs to be risky. What you do with your PTO is your business. Just send an email saying "I know you really want me in the office monday but something came up" or whatever. Don't volunteer anything beyond that.

What would you be doing in this position? Sorry if you already described it, it's kinda hard to keep all the jobs straight.

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KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22
You dumb bastard, why would you eat money to go on this interview if you don't have to? Get the federal rate for mileage reimbursement. This is what civilized companies do - if they aren't willing to do this, you don't want to work for them.

edit: I would strongly recommend against taking your SO unless you have an offer in hand. Are you going to then try to take her on all your other interviews as well?

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