Scribbled by Matt Wilkinson
JustCallMatt.net

2004 has been an odd year for me in many ways. I’ve been straddling two worlds career-wise. My 14 year run up the corporate IT food-chain from Help Desk Guy to IT Director came to an abrupt end (or a long pause) with a downsizing at the beginning of the year. It was like somebody pressed CTRL-ALT-DEL on my career path. I’m not asking for pity or validation here, I’m just telling a story.

In some ways, I’m still bitter about losing my last job. In other ways, I’m thankful not to be there anymore. I miss the perceived continuity and certainty of a full-time position. But I don’t miss the politics and the repetition. I look back and, like the saying goes about hindsight, I did things that maybe spoiled my chances of not getting voted off the island.

The thing I’m most conflicted about at the moment is trying to get back into an employee position, or to continue on the entrepreneurial path. I’m nearing the end of very lucrative contract gig, that’s when the clock will really start to click on the financial front. I’m also managing to build my customer base for my JustCallMatt.net business, albeit I’m not aggressively marketing or advertising myself yet.

I’ve also investigated some of the “big fish” in this space, including Geek Squad, Geeks on Call, Nerds on Site, etc. They each have some compelling aspects to them, although most ask for franchise fees and/or a percentage of your gross billing. I’d be curious if any of you have had experience with them.

I have an “elastic” set of requirements for taking a job (hypothetically speaking, it’s not like I’ve had offers dangled in front of me that I’m just dismissing). This elasticity diminishes with the amount of money I have to live off of and keep the bills paid. I’ve had a series of interviews for full-time positions, some of which my heart was in it, but others not so much. I have one outstanding interview that I should hear something back from right after New Years. I’m fairly enthusiastic about it, because it’s a very unique organization. But I’ve learned not to get hopes to high, especially in the job market we’re in right now.

Being the best person for the job doesn’t always mean you get the job. There are so many other variables, some in our control, many not. Luck, timing, you name it. Persistance certainly plays a role.

Insert your own cliché.