Thursday 7 July, 2005

I must be dreaming

Well blow me down. I have an interview in an hour.

Yes. Another one. What is this, April Fools Day?

First nothing for months, then all at the same time.

And get this, before I had even reached home from the first one, I was made an offer. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Here's what you do when you have an hour before an unexpected interview. First, you blog about it. Then you chat with your friends that happen to be on-line about it. Then you start frantically looking for suitable clothes, try out three outfits before deciding to change once more a minute before you're out of the door. You fix your only interview-able shoes with a bubble gum as the heel is about to fall off (note to self: buy more shoes). You notice you don't have enough cash on you for a taxi, so you need to go and get some. While on your way to the cash point your heel falls off so you decide to go and buy some superglue. There is a long queue in the shop, and in the phone while trying to get a taxi. While waiting for the taxi you perform a complicated one-leg one-hand operation and glue your heel back on. In the taxi you perform another complicated manouver while trying to get the tube of glue back to it's box without glueing yourself or the taxi to anything. You spend the rest of the journey trying to get the superglue off your fingers. You arrive three minutes before the interview is to start.

Interview was good, the company looks really nice. You always know it's a good sign when most of the people have been working there for years - they actively want to stay there for a reason. Guys who interviewed me were nice, the office was nice. They liked me, and when asked the QA manager said that I was in the "top two" of the candidates they've interviewed (and the last one). He said that he wanted to check my references - although he admitted he knew I wouldn't give him bad ones - and would want to get me in for another interview on Monday, one with a technical test. I got the grand tour - I can see my house from their window - and we shook hands and I left.

I was playing with an idea of getting a bus, but decided to try how long it would take to walk home. The place is about ten minutes walk from Granville Island and I was home under 45 minutes which is nice.

But about two minutes before I was home, my mobile rang. It was the QA mangager saying that he just spoke to the other two guys that inverviewed me and they had just put me on the top of the list - and that he wanted to make an offer immediately, as he's of the school of thought that believes in immediate action - he thought I was the best candite and he didn't think anything would change that.

There's a catch though. The company's business is in a morally questionable area - on-line gambling. I've personally never thought about gambling that much - it's never appealed to me, nor has it ever had an impact (positive or negative) on me or my family or friends. But it is something that's commonly considered to make a lot of people very unhappy. In many places it's illegal (I learned that it's illegal to host gambling servers in North America). Most of spams on this blog are from on-line gambling sites.

Where to draw the line, then? This company is a pure development house - nothing to do with hosting and running the services. They are owned by a big reputable company in UK. Is that big enough separation? This is too difficult. For once I hate the fact that right now I can't talk to anyone whose opinion I respect about this, it's 2am in Finland and I don't know how to get hold of Dragon in California.

Posted by kolibri at 7 July 15:35, 2005
Comments
# 1 - Mikki (on July 7, 2005 07:03 PM):

There's nothing immoral about gambling as long as cheating isn't involved. You don't have to be a genius to know that the odds -- which are public knowledge and available to anyone who bothers to read a book or use Google -- favor the house. That's why casinos don't cheat; they don't have to -- in he long run, the house always wins, and anyone who participates knows the risks. It's a form of entertainment that costs money; unlike most other forms of entertainment, it may also bring in cash, but it probably doesn't -- not for most people, anyway, since the probabilites always favor the house.

Still, it's straightforward enough. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but that doesn't make it morally questionable -- hell, you might as well say that people who work for breweries are working in a morally questionable environment because their work enables alcoholics to fuck up their lives (or the people who work for RAY in Finland, for that matter). Or the lottery -- but of course that's not usually considered to be gambling, even though some people sink ridiculous amounts of money into it and never win anything. The fact that the United States has its panties in a bunch about gambling hasn't kept them from making a boatload of tax money in Las Vegas and Reno; that double standard pretty much describes the strengths of that particular facet of morality.

If these guys just work on the technology, don't spam or cheat anyone and don't rape children in their basement or finance international terrorism with the profits, there's no moral problem here. It's a perfectly honest job.


# 2 - kolibri [TypeKey Profile Page] (on July 7, 2005 07:23 PM):

You can't believe how relieved I am to hear you say that. I've now managed to talk to couple of people about this but no-one has been able to put it to words quite as well as you have.

The more I think about this, the more I want this job - it felt like a good place to work. Best indicator of this was probably the fact that most people had worked there for years - especially in IT this is a very good sign as it's an industry where people move about all the time. And despite the product, it felt more like a "normal" software company than a gaming company, with culture and and working hours to match that. Flexible work times and very international crowd working there, even several women - before this I once worked with one woman at one time, at least in England this wasn't common at all.

Yeah, more I think about this, the more I like it. The other company I have an interview with would be offering a contract job, for maybe 3 to 6 months doing much more techincal work than this. This one feels better.


# 3 - Hakkis (on July 7, 2005 07:50 PM):

Also, it is always easier to look for a new job when already employed. While I agree with Mikki here, even *if* there were problems, you could move on, but do that from a much more comfortable position than the one you're in now.


# 4 - kolibri [TypeKey Profile Page] (on July 7, 2005 08:01 PM):

Another good point. Thanks.


# 5 - Jaana-Mari (on July 7, 2005 09:32 PM):

Have you said "I do" yet? When do you start? How many new pairs of shoes have you bought? The planets have clearly shifted, it´s time for a new chapter. You´ve ditched the pill-blanket and a new job is on the platter, fantastic!


# 6 - kolibri [TypeKey Profile Page] (on July 7, 2005 09:39 PM):

I'm planning to sign the contract tomorrow, buy shoes on Saturdy and start on Monday. How's that for a plan :)


# 7 - Henri (on July 7, 2005 10:07 PM):

Effin' A! Or "Naima-A" as we say here. I had a good feeling about this, and I agree with everything stated above, with the possible exception that you CAN have too many shoes ;-)

So happy for you.


# 8 - rannva (on July 7, 2005 10:46 PM):

Congrats to your new job! It is a big deal getting the first job in a new country - I remember how nervous I was. I am sure you'll do well, especially if they called you so soon after the interview!

Oh, and Kenneth Cole has really cool looking and comfortable shoes.


# 9 - Jaakko (on July 8, 2005 12:31 AM):

Congrats. Take the job already.


# 10 - Orava (on July 8, 2005 06:28 AM):

I'd also say "go for it".

If it later becomes clear that the company is involved in something unethical, you always have the option to quit. But gambing is in itself not unethical - it cab be problematic, of course, but it's not straight-off bad.

'grats, and all that :)


# 11 - hfb (on July 8, 2005 07:51 AM):

The US has a lot of issues with gambling as it has long proven ties to organized crime. I'd find it a difficult choice as well....much like objecting to war while contemplating a job in a bomb factory. Congrats and good luck with it. :)


# 12 - woja [TypeKey Profile Page] (on July 8, 2005 08:26 AM):

Hey well done! Hard work paid off. Hope it all works out well, as I'm sure it would, I mean how can people fail to enjoy working with you?! I know I didn't (there's too many negatives in that sentence, but I think you catch my drift!)


# 13 - Rel Fexive (on July 8, 2005 09:46 AM):

Just to repeat what everyone seems to be saying, take the job, run with it, and if you don't like it you can always get another. It's not like they're making you sign anything in blood.


...They aren't making you sign anything in blood, are they?


I reckon it's just what you need. A job, I mean. Not the contract in blood thing.


# 14 - Dragon (on July 8, 2005 10:47 AM):

There are people addicted to gambling who harm themselves. There are also people addicted to drinking water who harm themselves by drinking too much of H2O. Would that stop you from working in a company that makes caps for water bottles? Far-fetched, I know, but for vast majority, playing a few games of Texas Hold 'em up a month is just a very pleasurable past-time.


# 15 - Outi (on July 10, 2005 05:22 AM):

Congratulations! :D I'm late as usual, but hey, I'm in Prague, in an Internet Cafe, so what can you expect... :) We're having a wonderful holiday and it's always nice to come online for a little while and then get good news like this :) So happy for you now!


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