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حمید مصدق

Looking out there!

I did talk to a recruiter that had reached out to me today. Just to see what is out there in the world, how I compare against it, and if I could make a greater impact there. Just to go through the exercise (last time I had interviewed extensively was when I got my B.S. for God's sake! ). Just not to close the doors to potential growth opportunities before seeing what is behind them. Just to practice being open minded, curious, and also give a boost to my self-esteem and confidence. It feels good to be wanted, and you have the advantage of not having to be wanted! I was also wondering about their hiring process. Were they searching for a specific qualification, trying to fill a specific position, that made them think I am a good match for them? Turned out no. They look for strong intelligent (...whatever other good adjective you like to put here to boost your ego) candidates and then they try to match you with best positions they have available for you. Sounded good. So I delivered my wish list of what I thought would be good areas and positions for me. After all, I am happily living my life now! No? ;-)

He proudly announced that their organization is very different from ours: we do not have any structure! That is supposed to encourage the employees' creativity and innovation I guess. I kind of like organizations and structures though, while being trusted with some freedom. I also know how miserable I feel when around people with no structure, organization, discipline, and plan! I know that about myself. In writing this, I realize I can think of a role I can play that can match my personality and their company's philosophy at the same time (Yay...I am a genius!). He claimed their office in my area has technical positions of interest to me and he is going to have them provide me more information. Their website suggests otherwise! But hey, they probably know better. He also sent me a follow-up email: "Thank you for taking the time to speech to me"! Really? You have a misspelling in an email that you probably send several times everyday as a recruiter? I feel like I interviewed and graded him. Oh well,... Yes, I am an old fashioned structured formal bureaucrat and I like it! My organization is very different from yours! How about that!? :-) Still, let's hear it from their technical people!

You know what?

I work at a place, where people take their vacation time, spend money on air fare and hotel, to go to another site of their work to say see a shuttle launch or landing, or just see it on its last flight! The employer does not have to gather employees with free lunches and events and T-shirts (nor can they do it). We even have to pay for our cup of coffee or expect to be on national news about how we are wasting tax payers' money. Projects and missions are lifetime and generational contributions to science. They take many years, require a lot of patience and perseverance through out different political and financial climates, and a whole lot more of dreaming and believing in those dreams. Bureaucracy is a very small price for living so many childhood dreams and making so many of them come true. I do not think I can find such cool/wow factor, such dedication and happiness, at any other place. At least, it would be really hard for me.

Unlived lives!

Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on children than the unlived lives of their parents.

- Carl Jung

We are ...

We are what we repeatedly do!

-Aristotle

Dancing on the Ice

We dance nicely,
We enjoy the turns and twists,
Skating on the ice,
I jump up and down,
Just to test your limits and that of the ice!
"You are walking on thin ice"
You warn me!
Your version of Do not play with fire.
And I love you,
For caring about us and the ice,
For wanting to save our dance!

Career choices

When do you know it is time to introduce a change in your career? When is the time to look for new positions and opportunities outside your own organization instead of trying to move up internally? Is change for the sake of change good enough? What are the criteria you need to have satisfied to know you are a good fit for your career? Is being passionate about your organizations' goals and objectives, having good pay and benefits enough to make you overlook the slow pace of progress and growth? The convoluted system of bureaucracy that you have mastered maneuvering in? What if you join another organization, where you grow technically, work in a fast pace, get things done, but those achievements simply do not mean much to you? How should one balance these different needs? What would call for a change?

I love my job; I like what I do. I once in a while get frustrated over some organizational rules and processes. Once in a while I am approached by recruiters of different well-known companies. On a bad day, they are tempting to act on. But should one pursue all options just because they exist?