Randomness XIV: THE FLOOR IS LAVA!

[WhiteWulfe]

8 hours ago, Morihalda said:

 

I think it will work great! Drybrushing also goes a long way for "broken hell terrain." 

 

Glad to hear!  The fun part is going to be teaching him drybrushing, since he's at that stage where he's having trouble wrapping his head around the concept and I'm terrible at teaching.  He's happy though, I filled gaps on four or five of his minis, and will be priming them for him later today so he'll have more stuff to work on (he doesn't like all the initial fiddly stuff like cleaning, assembly, gap filling and priming (although priming might change once we have an airbrush in our place), but he absolutely loves painting) 

 

4 hours ago, SisterMaryNapalm said:

 

Yeah, me neither, though I've been doing that stuff for 15 or so years.

 

I asked my mum (she is from "the older" generation), and as for Germany, I can tell that it is pretty uncommon to send a "thank you"-letter after an interview and especially follow-up letters/e-mails are considered rude by some companies. A thank-you letter is a nice goody and can increase your chances in job hunting, but most companies nowadays don't even care about it.

 

I was originally taught to do the thank you letter thing, but it seems a lot of places are recommending against such now for a few different reasons.. 

- you don't always get an actual email address you can write to.  Usually it's what I'd call a "dump bin", aka a mailbox where everything goes into for HR and isn't always actually checked often (this is especially true for large companies) 

- HR sections in larger companies for some reason have been getting SMALLER so the workload on their staff has been getting bigger.  The company I work for used to have regional HR departments in each province with several staff, but now it's just two people for the whole country. 

- even if you do have an email address to contact, it seems to come across more as a nuisance to most recruiters...  Partially because a few too many people have used such methods to try and force an answer (one of my customers had someone who filled the HR person's voicemail box in three hours, and that was 25 messages.  We won't comment on how many emails were sent in that timeframe by the same person...) 

 

On the flipside though, I still believe in them, although I usually wait 48 hours as it has a bit of padding in between the interview and the timeframe that was mentioned (usually "we will be contacting those who qualify for the short list in 1-2 weeks"), and helps give that professional courtesy vibe without being overly desperate.  If the timeframe given is shorter (say 3 or 4 days), I send it the next business day. 

- one thing I was taught as well is to have at least a few questions ready to ask the interviewer, even if all of your questions were answered. The most common one I was taught was to ask the interviewer what they like the most about their company

[Crowley]

I still send thank you notes, and up until this last round of job hunting, I still sent PHYSICAL thank you notes. Usually they were already started, with the envelopes addressed and stamped before I even went into the interview. I'd then, immediately finish it and drop it in the nearest mailbox. Once I just left it in the internal mail bin at the job I'd applied at. I know there was at least one job that I got because of that note when it was between me and another candidate. 

 

I... don't understand why this topic would be a contentious one... 

 

Alice still seems to be on the road to recovery. But we're all hot. Going out to dinner tonight though. So at least we don't have to cook. 

[Pegazus]

18 minutes ago, Crowley said:

I... don't understand why this topic would be a contentious one... 

 

I'm trying hard to think of how I could make it contentious. Maybe start fighting over what the right and proper way to do it is?

 

So... uh... all the posts above me are wrong, and you all are going to get giant flaming pitchforks stabbing at you for eternity because of it.

 

And yes, I know my posts are in there. I just want the company later.

[Chaoswolf]

28 minutes ago, Crowley said:

Alice still seems to be on the road to recovery. But we're all hot. Going out to dinner tonight though. So at least we don't have to cook. 

Glad to hear it!

[Froggy the Great]

7 minutes ago, Pegazus said:

 

I'm trying hard to think of how I could make it contentious. Maybe start fighting over what the right and proper way to do it is?

 

So... uh... all the posts above me are wrong, and you all are going to get giant flaming pitchforks stabbing at you for eternity because of it.

 

And yes, I know my posts are in there. I just want the company later.

 

 

[Dr.Bedlam]

I've been painting miniatures for 42 years now. Realized that yesterday.

Like many of us, I went through the hellish period of Learning To Paint Eyes; we're hardwired to think that eyes should be IN FOCUS and both pointed at a particular thing, and this is a thing you have to learn to DO when you paint miniatures, because if you DON'T, your minis look all Uncanny Valley because the eyes look wrong. We've all been there.

So I'm painting the figures that come with the Labyrinth board game and its expansion. Bought 'em because I so love the art of Brian Froud, and now I have his goblins! And last night, I was working on the Goblin Brute, which in Froud's art book is named "Roem Baaba."

 ...and although you can't see it very well in the picture? He's slightly crosseyed.

And for the first time in YEARS, I had to repaint his ^$%# EYES four times... because I couldn't get him slightly crosseyed. First attempt, his eyes were perfect. Second attempt, perfect. Third attempt, WAY crosseyed. 

After 42 years, I have to WORK at it to get eyes WRONG!

[Unruly]

37 minutes ago, Crowley said:

I... don't understand why this topic would be a contentious one... 

 

Well, I could say that applicants are cheap and should be treated like cattle, and if you don't answer my job offer call right away then I should be allowed to bill you hourly for wasting my time until you call back or answer the phone. Minimum billing 1 hour, at $27.65/hour. Even if I then turn around as soon as you don't answer and hire the next guy in the line.

 

And if they don't answer, I bill them, too! I'll make a killing! Just imagine, they have to sign a document that I'll pass off an an NDA or something when they do the interview. But it'll have a clause in it that says they have to answer any future call from me or else I get to bill them. They don't read it, because it's 5 pages long, and they just sign it. Then they don't answer when I call them a week later, and they don't call back either. Next thing they know, they've got a bill in the mail for a couple thousand dollars because of that contract they signed! I'll even include a copy of the signed contract, with the relevant section highlighted for them. And if they don't pay, I'll sue them for breach of contract!

 

I'm a geniu$!

[Chaoswolf]

I'd just burn your business down.

[Werkrobotwerk]

16 minutes ago, Unruly said:

 

Well, I could say that applicants are cheap and should be treated like cattle, and if you don't answer my job offer call right away then I should be allowed to bill you hourly for wasting my time until you call back or answer the phone. Minimum billing 1 hour, at $27.65/hour. Even if I then turn around as soon as you don't answer and hire the next guy in the line.

 

And if they don't answer, I bill them, too! I'll make a killing! Just imagine, they have to sign a document that I'll pass off an an NDA or something when they do the interview. But it'll have a clause in it that says they have to answer any future call from me or else I get to bill them. They don't read it, because it's 5 pages long, and they just sign it. Then they don't answer when I call them a week later, and they don't call back either. Next thing they know, they've got a bill in the mail for a couple thousand dollars because of that contract they signed! I'll even include a copy of the signed contract, with the relevant section highlighted for them. And if they don't pay, I'll sue them for breach of contract!

 

I'm a geniu$!

... you realize after the first one they will likely burn your business down, right?

 

edit: didn't even notice wolf said the same thing

Edited June 30, 2018 by Werkrobotwerk

[Unruly]

Just now, Werkrobotwerk said:

... you realize after the first one they will likely burn your business down, right?

 

That's why you start the "business" and all it is is a business of hiring people. You make all your money off of the people who don't respond to your calls. So what if they burn down the office, it was just a rental space. The company still exists!

[Green Eyed Monster]

1 hour ago, Werkrobotwerk said:

... you realize after the first one they will likely burn your business down, right?

 

edit: didn't even notice wolf said the same thing

Or, they'll hire a good Contract Lawyer and you'll burn the business down yourself just to get away from the clutches of the legal profession.

GEM

[SparrowMarie]

Got my first blog up since May. It's shortish but I think it covers the basics of the topic. Now to research the next one if I can find any info about resin minis that isn't people being broccoli about finecast.

 

Wanted to start getting things that need doing done by now, like grocery shopping. But Husband had a sudden neck and headache crop up out of nowhere. So hopefully shortly he'll wake up and we can get going. Sibling is coming over tonight to help out around the apartment so I'd like to get our running around done before they get here.

 

ETA: Found a set of 72 fine liner pens for under $20 with free shipping because holiday codes. Hoping Husband will let me order today before they run out.

Edited June 30, 2018 by SparrowMarie

[TheAuldGrump]

6 hours ago, Chaoswolf said:

How many rooms?

 

I say a bunch of us pool our money and buy it.

Beckett Castle in Cape Elizabeth - three bedrooms, three bathrooms, 1,981 sq ft of space - 2.5 Million Dollars.

 

 

A long walk from where I live, but not impossible.

 

Down in price by one million since it was first listed last year - the place is more a cross between a summer cottage and a folly than a true castle - and the ghost is, reportedly, a pain in the posterior.

 

The Auld Grump - it is possible that I have looked at it and wished that I had the money to spend....

[OneBoot]

6 hours ago, klarg1 said:

My memory could be fuzzy, but didn't you report turning into a Boot puddle the last time you were using the relaxer? It sounded pretty effective.

 

I hope you slept well, and feel better!

 

I did, it was, I very much did, and I'm getting there.

 

The one she prescribed me this time is I think slightly stronger than the last one. The first night I used it, I needed to use the bathroom, tried to get out of bed, and ended up slithering to the floor in a giggling heap, much to the amusement of my husband.  It's such a weird feeling, kind of like how after you've been in a hot tub for awhile you feel all limp and heavy, only without the happy warmth. I described it to MrBoot as transforming into a jellyfish.  The downside (?) is that it makes me sleepy and groggy the next day, so I've been sleeping a lot (such as the 11 hours I got last night; despite that, I feel ready for a nap ). 

 

 

My mobility has improved some, thank goodness; I felt like an old lady slowly hobbling around the past couple of days and needing assistance to get out of the car.  Needless to say, I'm going to be very diligent about doing my PT exercises, because this has been super annoying. 

 

Huzzah! 

--OneBoot :D 

Edited June 30, 2018 by OneBoot
formatting

[Kangaroorex]

5 hours ago, WhiteWulfe said:

I was originally taught to do the thank you letter thing, but it seems a lot of places are recommending against such now for a few different reasons.. 

- you don't always get an actual email address you can write to.  Usually it's what I'd call a "dump bin", aka a mailbox where everything goes into for HR and isn't always actually checked often (this is especially true for large companies) 

- HR sections in larger companies for some reason have been getting SMALLER so the workload on their staff has been getting bigger.  The company I work for used to have regional HR departments in each province with several staff, but now it's just two people for the whole country. 

- even if you do have an email address to contact, it seems to come across more as a nuisance to most recruiters...  Partially because a few too many people have used such methods to try and force an answer (one of my customers had someone who filled the HR person's voicemail box in three hours, and that was 25 messages.  We won't comment on how many emails were sent in that timeframe by the same person...) 

 

On the flipside though, I still believe in them, although I usually wait 48 hours as it has a bit of padding in between the interview and the timeframe that was mentioned (usually "we will be contacting those who qualify for the short list in 1-2 weeks"), and helps give that professional courtesy vibe without being overly desperate.  If the timeframe given is shorter (say 3 or 4 days), I send it the next business day. 

- one thing I was taught as well is to have at least a few questions ready to ask the interviewer, even if all of your questions were answered. The most common one I was taught was to ask the interviewer what they like the most about their company

 

I'll admit part of the issue is the type of job too.  I never did much of this for my college jobs and for those that weren't part of my career.  Those I either knew someone directly or found someone I could contact or I just considered them throw away and they would contact me if interested.  On those interviews though, I was sure to inform them that I was seeking other positions and it would be first come, first served .

 

For my career path jobs I was sure to collect addresses and emails as I did my interviews.  There was one person I interviewed with that i wound up corresponding with for about 3 years even though I didn't get the job (we were both brewers)  Once I had the collection of email addresses and snail mail addresses, out went the letters and emails to their specific recipients.  Mainly to make sure that my correspondence didn't wind up in a junk mail folder.  Its still the reason I keep one email address for myself with my name on it, kangaroorex@ not being the worlds most professional sounding .  HR was usually the last on my list for saying thank you to, normally I sent that prior to the interview as a thank you for setting up the meeting.

 

The world turns and customs change, but as a manager, I know that in a decision between someone who thanks me for my time and someone who doesn't, I know who I will be giving the job to, sometimes even if the skillset of the person with the thank you is weaker.  People can be trained, habits and mannerisms are much harder to adjust

 

And, thank you all for the information on your experience, I will probably be hiring 3 new members to my team over the next 2 years and this has explained a lot of the odder mannerisms (to me) that i have run into with younger applicants as well as some of the strange (again, to me) reactions I have gotten on some job interviews.