A friend and former supervisor emailed me a job posting a few days ago; he's hiring a web developer and the job would be almost perfect for me and my skill set.
I'm not exactly looking for a job, but I'm not perfectly content, either. I sent him a resume and he sent me a list of questions (in an email that began 'Dear Applicant'.
1. Do you have recent (last 5 years) experience developing websites? Please provide live examples and/or samples.
I’ve developed several websites over the past few years using Dreamweaver, HTML, Active Server Pages, CSS, Javascript, and Flash, among others.
2. Are you creative? Please give examples.
Aside from web design, I write, I paint, I make garden sculpture out of copper plumbing (shown in progress in the photo on the left), I garden, and I do a lot of digital photography and Photoshop work – from simple photo enhancement to removing my brother’s inconvenient ex-girlfriends from otherwise-cherished family photos.
I do these things with varying levels of skill, but a fairly consistent level of enthusiasm.
(You asked.)
3. How do you cope with stress? Please give an example.
I work to change what I don’t like. If I can’t change it, I try to eliminate it. If I can’t eliminate it, I find a way to live with it. I have built a fairly well-balanced life filled with people I love, satisfying work, creative pursuits, and reliable transportation (a dodgy vehicle should not be underestimated as a source of stress, in my opinion).
4. This position will require overtime. How do you feel about that?
Deadlines loom, bugs crop up, servers crash… overtime is common in technology jobs, and under those kinds of circumstances, I will cheerfully stay as long as it takes. I expect to be held accountable to any employer for being useful in meeting the employer’s obligations in a timely fashion.
At the same time, I am a person with interests and responsibilities outside of work. Balance is important to me, and I believe it makes me a better employee. I expect an employer to honor my need to be as trustworthy a family member and friend as I am an employee.
5. How would you describe your work ethic?
It is yellow with purple spots.
6. What do you like best about your work? What do you love to do?
I love results. I love being able to sit back at the end of a stretch of work and say, “I did that.” I love to solve problems, to figure out how to make things work, and to turn ideas into concrete (or virtual) reality.
7. What about your work do you not enjoy and would rather not deal with?
Answering the phone.
