Pocketful of Change
My job search is something I haven't talked about much in my journal. The superstitious part of me, tiny though it is, was worried about jinxing it, I suppose. But now it's too late to jinx.
I've been offered a job at BMC Software's Austin offices. I don't remember what my title will be, but it's something close to "UI Engineer." They do a bunch of web applications for businesses, enterprise-level stuff like server monitoring, and I'll be doing stuff with the presentation layer - HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and stuff like Ajax and Flash.
The interview process was more rigorous than I am used to. An initial phone interview, then an in-person barrage of meetings: a designer, a manager, then three different meetings with developers who quizzed me on various aspects of my alleged expertise. Inasmuch as I could read their reactions, I thought I did well, and evidently I was right.
The inquisition was worth it. Their offer includes a 50% salary increase over what I was making at UT - due partly to the fact that I've moved from public sector to private sector, and partly because I'm no longer in an entry-level position. The day after I got the offer, I went to Fry's and walked around the entire place for about 45 minutes, trying to find something halfway-extravagant I could buy in celebration, but to my surprise I couldn't think of anything I wanted that wasn't completely extravagant.
Just as well, since I'm also looking for a new apartment. The offer comes at the perfect time, more or less, since my current lease is up at the end of November. The rent can't be beaten here, but I have no particular attachment to this complex, and the commute is somewhat undesirable.
In many ways, in fact, the timing of this job offer is perfect, since there are some real expenses coming up: my car is really starting to show its age. Also, I really should start doing some long-term financial planning, because it would be nice to own a house someday. My salary at UT made it so that I was still ever-so-slightly financially dependent upon my parents. No more! Now I can start feeling like an adult. (Like that's ever going to happen.)