Recent Rejection Experience, but there's hope?

[datagirl]

Okay, here's my attempt to open up a little ...

I've been doing the solo, sole proprietor thing for the past 10 years.  Before that I was FTE Database analyst/programmer at the local phone company for about 9 years.  My last 3 or 4 years there had me performing many managerial tasks without title or authority.

Things are tight here money-wise.  Lots of family issues.  Currently I'm the only one of 4 adults in my household who is able to hold a regular job, so I've been looking, mostly for part-time retail or office work.  I'm willing to go FTE for the right opportunity.

Last June I came across an FTE opening at our local power co-op for IT Manager.  The req's were not too granular ( no purple squirrel stuff), and within the realm of possibility.  The starting pay was about $78k - which is pretty good for around here these days.  I touched base with my professional references (and former mentors), who all said they thought I would be great in that role and would be happy to say so if asked.  So I submitted an application, resume', cover letter and list of personal and professional references.  I knew within a couple of weeks that I didn't even make the first cut.  They never called any of my references.  Last week (mid-October) I got a formal rejection letter.

A couple of days ago I was grocery shopping and ran into a former co-worker from the phone company who is employed at said power co-op in the IT department.  He's an AS/400 operator who is not known as the sharpest pencil in the box, but is a generally nice person.  We chit-chatted a few minutes.  He said he has morphed into a "programmer" role, but really he mostly tweaks Crystal Reports as directed.  I asked who got the IT manager job.  He said "Oh, it's about to come open again.  The guy they offered the job to turned it down."  He then proceeded to give me the full low-down.

The previous IT manager "resigned" and was only there a year.  There are currently only 3 people, where there ought to be at least 5.  The C-level boss is the type who has meetings to plan the agenda for the next meeting, and is the heir-apparent for the top boss job with ambitions and "big plans" for the direction of the whole enterprise.  As a customer, I know they aspire to behave like the big corporate players instead of the local co-operative with about 100K meter base.  They have ties to "Big Coal" and only pay lip service to green energy and actively discourage customers from adopting things like on-demand water heaters and back-up generators - let alone consumer grade wind or solar.

Part of me wants to write a follow-up letter to the rejection letter with a "marketing me" spin.  Part of me thinks it would be very high stress and not worth bothering with.  One of my pipe-dream alternate careers is to run a local manufacturer/distributor/installer for household level green energy alternatives, so the corporate culture disconnect would probably be too much.  OTOH, I could be an "agent of change" if I had influence with someone in power (pun intended)  .

I'm thinking it over.  I guess it couldn't hurt to try.  Thoughts?

-DG

[The Gorn]

...local power co-op for IT Manager.
...
I asked who got the IT manager job.  He said "Oh, it's about to come open again.  The guy they offered the job to turned it down."  He then proceeded to give me the full low-down.
...
The C-level boss is the type who has meetings to plan the agenda for the next meeting, and is the heir-apparent for the top boss job with ambitions and "big plans" for the direction of the whole enterprise.
...

Thanks for posting this.

Right offhand, what occurs to me is that your take of the politics of the situation sound somewhat hopeless (sorry).

The decision makers there appear to be fixated on "best" person, and "best" person probably directly implies "not from the local area which we have utter contempt for, since we want to be world class."

I'm not posting this to make you feel bad because I have a need to make people feel bad  , it's because I sense that aspect in this situation. "They're from around here? They must suck. They actually want the job? They must suck. No, find some stuck up prima donna from the big city and make him and offer, and then I will feel better that we pursued one of the best and brightest."

Part of me wants to write a follow-up letter to the rejection letter with a "marketing me" spin. Part of me thinks it would be very high stress and not worth bothering with. 

I actually think somewhat the opposite - it would be low stress - you write a letter and drop it in the mail - but there is no direct contact with any decision makers. The letter is dispatched and you have no feedback of any kind.

I suspect that this avenue will result in immediate categorization of the letter as "from someone who we already decided isn't world class enough."

I'd say, no letter at this point. Try to figure out a different contact means.

I would favor a non traditional approach to making yourself known. What about a LinkedIn introduction? The person you want to meet has to be connected to a person that you already connected with, and the middleman decides to forward your introduction or not. The person of interest would appear with the "2" or "3" emblem next to their name in a LinkedIn search listing.

Just a thought - if a LinkedIn search does not reveal anyone inside the company in a suitable role who is "in your network (is at least a 3rd degree contact), then try to connect to that guy you ran into in the store. He may well provide the bridge (LinkedIn proximity) that is necessary.


If any introduction that way is not possible, just try to think of any possible way to get an audience with someone in the orbit of the decision maker.

IOW, don't be bashful.

[datagirl]

Thanks Gorn.

Actually, they want someone from this area who "gets" the local culture.  Well, I've lived in the same spot less than 5 minutes from their offices the past 19 years.

One of my reference/mentors used to do business with these guys.  I'll give him a call and see what he thinks.

FWIW, the grocery-store guy said that I was someone he would enjoy working for, but I don't think he has any influence with the decision makers.

Whatever I do, I just need to make sure my ambivalence doesn't show.

-DG

[The Gorn]

Ok, I was not clear on what they were really looking for so I speculated. You'd know best.

A phone call would be preferable to LinkedIn.

Why are you ambivalent? Because they shot you down the first time? Or because you don't think the work or the environment would be good?

[Origisaurus]

What The Gorn has said.

Maybe the guy you talked to can put you in touch with someone.

If you were in the Final Four on the first go-round, you should be a candidate, regardless.

At this point, the letter seems like a shot in the dark and premature.  More research is what I recommend.  Best to get a tête-a-tête, say over breakfast, coffee or lunch, with one of the influencers.  I know, easier said than done.

You just might get this one, and even if it goes sour in a year or two, you can bank some tokens to fund your entrepreneur thing.

And good luck!   

[I D Shukhov]

One of my pipe-dream alternate careers is to run a local manufacturer/distributor/installer for household level green energy alternatives, so the corporate culture disconnect would probably be too much.  OTOH, I could be an "agent of change" if I had influence with someone in power (pun intended)  .

Have you done any serious marketing in the green energy area?   I keep hearing that this will be important going forward.   I guess one idea would be to find out enough about how it would help the energy co-op and market yourself head-on in this area to them.   I doubt if the agent of change idea will work if your research shows that they don't think they need it.  In that case, the pipe-dream idea sounds to me where you should put your energy.

[benali72]

Good luck, DG!