Facebook

For those of you who actually pay attention to my LinkedIn profile and therefore know about this blog has probably also noticed that I've moved to Facebook.

It's really quite perfect actually. I stalk Facebook all the time, so what's better than working at the company itself?!

For now I'm done with Eng recruiting, and working more with Marketing & Communications, so I've had to completely switch my focus and curse myself for not making more connections with people outside of Eng on LinkedIn. But I guess this just means my network is going to get even larger ;)

Overall though things are going well. So anyone interested in working at Facebook, contact me!!

Very ready for the weekend :)

Long overdue update

Woohoo, I've worked from 17 reqs down to 6, finally got some room to breathe :)

First let's go over my latest requirements in case you happen to be my potential next hire. There are 2 main categories: 1) you create your own Silktest or Python scripts, or 2) you're a software design engineer well-versed in C or C++, and work with Win32 API. If you fit either of these descriptions and you'd like to work at VMware, remember to contact me!

It's been 3 insane months that flew by at the speed of light. I'm glad to be able to sit down and blog again. Even Facebook has been put on the backburner, and those of you who know me know I <3 my Facebook!

Now onto something totally NOT recruiting related, but has done its fair share of taking up my time: weddings. 1 down, and 3 more to go. Not really my friends, but the bf's friends, maybe because he's a couple years older, but everyone is settling down!

For me, personally, the idea of marriage is terrifying, I'm still trying to talk my bf into letting me get a puppy. So why everyone's in a total hurry to get hitched is a mystery to me. Whatever floats their boat I guess. I just really want a Goldendoodle.

Last weekend I was at Point Reyes at a couples' picnic. Fresh oysters! Everything was great, except that we dressed for the summer and by Sunday it was Winter again. Good thing my taste buds still worked! The low point occurred when I managed to bruise and cut my back when I got home. One of those freak accidents where I'm kneeling and intently inspecting my cooler and cleaning it and bf pulling out the cutting board from the drawers to cut up oranges, then BAM! My back hits the corner of the wood block. I was going to go play paintball tomorrow but I think I'm hurt enough...

Today I have to go to a rehearsal for a fashion show event. It's a new venture that my bf and some of his friends are doing, a makeup service called Pureblendz (www.pureblendz.com). They've got some crazy good makeup artists, and the girls are gorgeous, but I'd prefer to be watching Angelina Jolie in Wanted. Hopefully I can still make it after rehearsals. *fingers crossed* Then tomorrow, Brazilian BBQ in the city at Espetus Churrascaria!!

The next big thing: I'm turning the big 2-5 and going to NYC in July! I'll definitely make an effort to update about that when I return! ;)

Waiting, endless waiting

So I've been sitting here ALL DAY now, on my laptop, waiting for a miracle to happen.

My contract "ended" which triggered Oracle to expire my account, which in turn caused me not to be able to log onto my work computer, or access email from anywhere.

If you think this sounds bad, just think about how it felt yesterday when I was sitting here WITHOUT my laptop, just SITTING all day.

I'm so brain dead I really don't have much to say. I just wish they'd figure out whatever bug this is that makes me invisible in the system.

I would go home but then I wouldn't get paid. BLAH, going out drinking on a Monday night, even if it's St. Patty's Day, was not the brightest idea. I wouldn't say I'm hung over, but just feel so out of it right now, haha.

Hopefully I'll report tomorrow with better news.

The general opinion

Something I've learned since my time at VMware, which was not so apparent to me before: Most people despise recruiters.

Now definitely this claim is not aimed at anyone in the industry in particular, and it's almost understandable why we're so hated.

There are alot of headhunters out there who SPAM.

Now while most of us, myself included, would be incredibly flattered that someone went through all that trouble to find me and offer me a job opportunity because they recognize my skills and talent, I think there are others that are just plain fed up, always being called or emailed at work, sometimes regarding positions that have nothing whatsoever to do with them. They start to regard these calls as those made by dreaded telemarketers that most of us screen or hang up on.

Now this is my opinion on this topic:

1. I NEVER email or call anyone at a work related address/phone number. I wouldn't want you to ambush ME at work either.
2. If you're not interested in what I'm presenting, a simple "no thank you" will suffice. Otherwise I would probably follow up with you to make sure my email somehow didn't end up in a spam folder but you were actually interested (this actually happens quite often). Please don't get too worked up about me following up, since that IS my job.
3. Please consider my feelings as a human being before you come back with some harsh or unnecessary response when all I did was ask you about your interest in exploring new opportunities.

For the most part, those I've contacted are easy-going when I approach them, so keep in mind my opinion is aimed at the general masses, and not at any one person in particular.

On a lighter note, I'm STILL looking for that hardcore Silk programmer. Do you or anyone you know fit that description?

Making up for lost time

OMG it's been a WHILE since I last wrote in here! Thanks to one of my wonderful candidates for reminding me I still have a blog! :)

Also recently I got a less than nice message about my LinkedIn profile picture, sent straight to my vmware.com account. Just want to say to whoever it was: NOT COOL! Definitely NOT appreciated! And unless you have something nice to say, find something better to do with your time instead of writing hate mail!

That picture was actually taken during my Hawaii vacay with bf. I did remove it from my profile though because I'm scared there are other less than nice people out there just dying to send me an email about it.

So since the last time I wrote, a few things have changed. My dear friend who came on board at the same time as I did has gone back to Google. I'm sad I no longer get to see her every day, but at the same time I'm so glad I get to enjoy Google lunch once every two weeks now.

I eat at my desk just about every day now, especially since my other close friend who came from Google is on vacay in Thailand. So please, send me emails telling me you're looking for a job. I'm definitely available to help!

So just to update what I'm looking for right now: the Russian G11n person I was previously looking for is no longer needed, my main goal is to find a super hardcore Silk programmer. Otherwise my main criteria for my other reqs are still UI QA, mainly manual testing but experience in automation on the Linux or Mac or Windows platform. If you are a great Windows/Networking admin, I'm also looking for you!

I'm excited that I now get a chance to meet my candidates who make it onsite, since I'm now training to be full-cycle and more involved. I've been given the privilege now to extend intern offers, and God willing, if I ever hire another person (yes btw hiring has been slow...) I might get to extend an offer to a FULL-TIMER. Then FINALLY I'd feel I've accomplished something. (It might sound weird that I get so excited about this stuff but I'm all passionate about all of it! I'm guessing I actually like my job!)

So please, if you or anyone you know is interested in working for us, contact me! I'm scouring LinkedIn, job boards, the internet every day trying to find you people! Why not just come straight to me? ;-)

It's just lovely weather outside!

Ugh. It's only 5pm and it's super dark and gloomy. That is the down side to sitting so close to windows and the door. I think if it wasn't for my heater I'd freeze to death from the draft that comes in every time someone opens the door facing my cube.

Recruiting is slowly picking back up. My brain has somewhat defrosted and I'm filling my pipeline.

So onto more interesting stuff. I'm actually looking for a room right now. Last night I drove to this place in San Jose. I was so convinced that it was the same distance as going to Milpitas, since Google maps told me so, but in the end the drive was almost an hour long through some pretty horrendous traffic. The place itself was decent, in the nice neighborhood off of Capitol Expressway. $700 for the entire first floor of the house with private entrance and patio, plus utilities and internet included. The catch being the washer and dryer would be right outside my door, shared with 2 other house mates. That and the thought of keeping house when both my other house mates will be guys was pretty much the deal breaker. At least the drive back home to Milpitas was short and painless.

I also just got my tattoo redone. Finally! I spent like half an hour yelping about the place I went to so I'm not going to go through that here again, but feel free to look up Da Wei Tattoo if you go on Yelp! and you'll see what I mean.

Another funny thing, well curious thing I guess. My good friend whom I met while studying abroad in Singapore, he's from LA but feels that Singapore is home, so he spends alot of time out there, just messaged me today and told me that he broke up with his gf out there. Now I wonder if this is every guy, but when I asked how he felt he actually said he felt relieved, because he's been wanting to break it off but just wasn't sure how she'd handle it emotionally. I just always thought guys don't really care about stuff like that but my friend maybe a particularly sensitive soul.

I just also told another friend to get mojitos at XYZ bar inside the W in SF when he meets with his ex gf whom he broke up with back in 1996, lol. Hope that was a good idea...

Sourcer's block

Kind of like writer's block I guess? I'm at my wit's end right now trying to figure out some new ways to source. I keep on running across the same people, either qualified and not interested, or super-interested but not qualified.

A friend suggested to me that perhaps I should think about a career change, after all, I am a psych major, IT might not be my interest and I'm just fooling myself into thinking this is my dream job :-(

Things took a down turn after I got my Fit n Fruitful smoothie at Jamba Juice which was messed up and tasted like nasty goop. Usually it's my favorite smoothie. (Note: stay away from the Jamba Juice next to Palo Alto High School during their lunch time.) I might need to go write about it on Yelp, it has become my latest and greatest obsession to write trashy reviews.

The gloomy weather isn't much help either.

If only there's a magical way to reach out to all the QA engineers out there. And if only my candidates stop getting rejected for being "over-qualified."

Alright I'm downright whining! Tomorrow will be a better day, after all, there will be another beer bash!

Russian Globalization QA Engineers anyone?

So one of my hiring managers came to me today and asked me to help her find Globalization QA Engineers that speak Russian. Easier said than done. If anyone out there knows of anybody, please PLEASE clue me in!

To backtrack a bit, it's been a pretty hectic month. I was in Chicago visiting my parents for the week of Christmas, came back just in time for a black-tie NYE event, then just braved a wedding last night. Hectic but awesome because I get to keep dressing up in new dresses and shoes :-) The getting ready part is annoying but then you get to look all nice at the end.

I also got my first passive hire at VMware while I was in Chicago (yay!) so that was pretty good news. Also just been working out alot. NY resolution: back to college shape. Now that I'm done traveling and all the annual festivities are calming down I'll be more regular about updating my blog.