She knew nothing about GIS

I wrote that after I gave up on the Tumblr account I watched Baltimore win against Detroit and watched Family Guy.  The next day I got up at 645 and left an hour later to catch the 16x.  I read the paper and walked to Peet’s on California and Market.  I then went to New Montgomery for my interview with Insight Global.

Some young gangly man guided me to the conference room and that was where Ana Cyr interviewed me.  She asked me all of the same questions about my work experience that she had over the phone.  She didn’t have my resume.  All she had was a notebook and her card.  It felt like this was just consulting and that I should have been paid for what we discussed.  She knew nothing about GIS and asked me what ArcFM was.  It was clear that she needed that bit of information and that no one was providing it.  I think that while they may have used Career Builder or Monster to find me initially, the fact that they had an old resume means that they hadn’t used it recently.

I caught the L home and walked.  At home I ate a sandwich and started editing my bibliographic notes.  I wrote that I had been reviewing the aggregators.  I wrote that I did a little bit of the acknowledgments page and loaded all of my photos to Tumblr.  I also noted that mom and dad were nearly done with the tree.  I helped dad carry the tree upstairs and then helped mom put the lights on.  I wrote that I would leave for the cleaners to get my pants and then meet Kathryn.

Fwd: Fwd: Staff GIS Position (walnut creek)

Staff GIS Position

Date: 2013-03-22, 12:16PM

Lettis Consultants International (LCI) is looking for a GIS Specialist to support various GIS tasks applied to the general fields of engineering geology and seismic hazards assessment. This is an entry level position which could be filled by a GIS Specialist with less than 4 years of experience. Please see the job description below and submit your resume and a cover letter with "Staff GIS Specialist" in the subject line. You can also submit examples of your previous work products as PDF files or as website URLs.

LCI is an Earth Science consulting firm specializing in engineering geologic, seismic and natural hazards investigations. LCI is a small business located in the San Francisco Bay Area that is dedicated to providing its clients with science-based solutions to technically challenging Earth Science problems. LCI personnel have extensive experience conducting large, logistically complex, multi-disciplinary studies for critical facilities such as nuclear power plants, dams, ports, bridges, pipelines and LNG terminals.

Skills & Experience Required:
• Degree in GIS or Earth Science-related field with coursework in both disciplines (Masters degree is a plus)
• ArcGIS 10 or newer (intermediate/advanced)
• Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat Pro (intermediate/advanced)
• MS Office Professional (intermediate/advanced)
• Knowledge of additional ESRI or non-ESRI GIS products is a plus
• Knowledge of GPS data collection and processing is a plus
• Knowledge and processing of 3D datasets is a plus
• Knowledge of IT related to hardware and software is a plus
• Knowledge of website design and update is a plus

GIS Specialists possess the following skills, knowledge, and abilities:
• Earth Science: A basic understanding of physical geography and/or geology.
• Communication, Written, Oral, and Cartographic: The ability to convey GIS and spatial information to non-technical people.
• Analytical Skills: The ability to solve problems using the GIS suite of tools.
• Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
• Information Gathering: Knowing how to find information and identify essential information, and validate the information.
• Information Ordering: The ability to correctly follow a given rule or set of rules in order to arrange things or actions in a certain order.
• Computer Science: Using and/or developing computer programs to solve problems.
• Graphical Presentation: Creative production of high quality figures and maps for technical reports.

GIS Specialists perform the following tasks:
• Create maps and graphs, using GIS software and related equipment.
• Work with LCI geologists or clients to define data needs, project requirements, required outputs, or to develop applications.
• Gather, analyze, and integrate spatial data and determine how best the information can be displayed using GIS.
• Compile geographic data from a variety of sources.
• Analyze spatial data for geographic statistics to incorporate into documents and reports.
• Maintain and update of large spatial databases.
• Ability to work under QA/QC (quality assurance and quality control) projects environment
• Enter new map data by digitizing or by direct input of coordinate information using the principles of cartography including coordinate systems, longitude, latitude, elevation, topography, and map scales.
• Analyze geographic relationships among varying types of data.
• Prepare metadata and other documentation.
• Operate and maintain GIS system hardware, software, plotter, digitizer and printers.
• Present information to users and answer questions.

LCI supports a diverse workforce and collegial working environment. We support active research and professional development for all employees, with a strong belief that good science and good people make good business. LCI supports all full time employees with health and dental coverage, a 401(k) retirement plan, and other benefits.

Google Interview

I got up at 730 and was on my bike by 930.  I rode up Pacheco and then climbed to 22^nd and took a short stop in Stern Grove.  I walked across 19^th and rode Junipero Serra to BART, where I caught the Milbrea train.  There I discovered that I had missed the last train and would have to wait an hour.  I was really angry but realized that I had no choice.  I could only afford one hic-up before I didn’t make it on time.  The train came a few tweets later and secured my bike for the trip to CA Avenue.

Once there I rode CA, Cowper and Loma Verde to the slough and then there is a freeway underpass that connects to the Intuit campus.  I thought I was lost but it was easy to find the Google Campus.  There I asked for the main building and then found the bike stands.  Throughout there were affluent young professionals everywhere—a world cast—variously Asian and Caucasian and there were certainly a lot of H1B Visas.

I found the main building and checked in with Dominique at the front desk.  I sat in the lobby and got on the wifi.  I turned off my devices as Alejandro entered the room.  He was dressed in a down jacket vest and had plugs in his ears.  He was wearing glasses, a beard and had an easy but business like demeanor.  He wasn’t a typical businessman—a hipster rather than a big blue type.

I got some water from the kitchen with him and we went into a conference room.  He basically asked about my job experience.  I started with the San Bruno incident and stopped at my experience with Recology.  He seemed keen on my experiences up to then.  I told him why I loved Geography.  I told him the story about the AAA maps that pops brought me as a kid and how that taught me what scale meant.  I talked about going to the high mountains as a kid with my uncle.

I went over MAOP and we got into my experiences as a coordinator and essentially said a GIS analyst is a coordinator and an administrative assistant.  I sort of was just glossing over a lot of stuff and until I sat down to write up these notes I hadn’t really thought about whether the interview had gone very well.  For the last 20 minutes I think we just did a rehash of the conversation.  When I wrote this I felt like there was a lot of stuff conveyed but didn’t really remember.  I also wrote that I talk too much and that there were a lot about academics that I could have done without.

Alejandro said that at one time geography was unrepresented in the area that google was involved but not anymore.  He also said the job was going to be really rote.  We ran out of time and finished the interview in the hallway.  I wanted to get to know him but never cared to try.  I returned to the bike and rode back through Intuit.

I saw a Google bike there and left mine to ride it.  I had some contractor on his own Google bike photo me.  Then I called G Security to have the bikes picked up.  I went to the bay marsh.  There I discovered I still had wifi so I looked at the front entrance to the building I was near and discovered it was a Google-like daycare or residence.  The building was fully a mile from the campus.

Bicycle Facility Planning Intern

Kevin Flaherty Kevin Flaherty

1915 44th Avenue

San Francisco, CA

November 06, 2013

knf100@gmail.com 

Mobile: (415) 994-4637

 

ATTN: Jason Patton

 Bicycle & Pedestrian Program Manager

RE: Bicycle Facility Planning Intern

City of Oakland, Public Works Agency

250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Suite 4344, Oakland, CA, 94612

Dear Jason Patton,

I am interested in the Bicycle Facility Planning Internship.  I think this position is well suited to my skill set because of my background in geography.  I see it as a way to translate my research experience into a career since it complements my years of background in GIS and cycling.  I am intrigued with urban society and find that riding a bike or walking from place to place is a great way to explore this fascination.  I have the experience and education to qualify for this position because as a GIS analyst and cyclist I have a stake in it.  While my resume provides the finer points of why I am so well prepared for this job, I will relate to you the basic elements of my experiences.

I am comfortable pursuing quantitative research and analysis because of my academic background.  I hold a BA in Geography from Humboldt State University and have had plenty of training in GIS from SF State University.  I am also currently enrolled at CSU Long Beach as a Master's student in geography, where I am studying goal achievement amongst community groups.  I have interviewed many public employees as well as conducting an extensive community survey.

This research has provided me with gainful employment at a multitude of organizations, firms and agencies.  While working as a graduate assistant at CSULB's Geography Department and a surveyor at Nelson/Nygaard, I often had to be comfortable working in the field without supervision.  Additionally, while collecting data and assisting planners at SCANPH and SCAG, I regularly helped develop regional design and policy recommendations.  I also documented field conditions, collected observational and GIS data and designed maps as well as other spatial resources for these and other organizations including Housing Long Beach and Long Beach Cyclists.  Finally, I have put all of these skills to work in the private sector as a GIS Specialist at companies like Frontline and Recology.

My life's goal is to put theory into practice, which is why I have been a long time member of multiple housing, cycling and other civic groups.  Specifically, I think that my best experiences have all related to cycling.  For instance, I started a campus club called CSULB Cyclists.  In the process of organizing meetings and communications for this group, I also got to know regional and state planners and advocates at a broad array of organizations including the League of American Bicyclists and the LA and SF Bicycle Coalitions.  Most importantly, I have played a role as a League Certified Instructor at all of these and other organizations throughout California.

I have continually been amazed at how far a little bit of effort can go.  For instance, I found that my efforts at the campus level were a success because of the way that the organizations I worked with focused on using available resources to accomplish real results.  This approach allowed us to push local leadership to adopt some of the most notable designs and practices from across the US.  It also provided us with the unprecedented chance of making surveys and collecting other, more qualitative, data to apply nationally recognized guidelines in the development of local facilities.

If I am hired for this position you will find that I am skilled at working on assignments which require attention to detail and multitasking.  You will also find that I am well-suited to policy support, outreach and map development.  Additionally, while I know you are looking for a candidate that is comfortable with meeting deadlines in an independent manner, I know you are also looking for a candidate that is able to work wll with others and is comfortable working on multiple projects simultaneously.

In closing I must stress that my more recent experiences have provided me with ample opportunity to hone my database management, graphic design and GIS skills.  I have nearly ten years' experience using GIS software such as ESRI's ArcMap and I am skilled at software packages such as MS Word, Excel and Access as well as Adobe Illustrator and PhotoShop.  Also, while I am happiest developing maps, reports and graphics for use in planning and education, I am also an accomplished interview and survey data collector with some international experience speaking Spanish and Mandarin.

Please give me a call or email me,

Kevin Flaherty

Master's Candidate

CSULB Geography

Update on my Jobs Bib

Later I looked through my emails looking for a job search.  I also reviewed my job resources, which I felt were useful but difficult to manage.  I decided that I would expand my master bibliography and then reworked the annotated one.  Reading through these new things began to emerge.  For instance Craigslist, Monster and Career Builder are more important since they constituted the basis from which I look for anything.  For Craigslist, I built some feeds with Yahoo Pipes.  However, I don’t really like Pipes because they don’t allow me to have a list of postings that exceeds 25.  I also noted that while these were the most recognizable there were others that were similar, such as Beyond and Indeed.

There are several other types: recruiters, companies, government agencies and entities.  There are also staffing agencies.  I then considered government exams noting that an application for a GIS job with the government required an exam that isn’t offered very often.  I also have a giant number of email job lists.  Some of these are related to list serves and others are associated with job listing sites that I have neither signed up for or have even visited.

Interview at FES

I went to an interview with a company I used to work for FES.  I had been concerned about the BART strike so I got up at 4 and left a little later to sleep in the parking lot at Peet’s Walnut Creek.  I got there at eight.  I met Brian House in the conference room.  He introduced himself and we talked about my MAOP experience.  He said that my SQL experience was strong and wanted to know about my cartographic experience.  He was also interested in my communication skills.

Nearly twenty minutes into the interview I realized that I was being interviewed for a that had a position in San Ramon and not the Mission District of SF—the one for which I had applied.  I thought that it was sad that they didn’t even consider interviewing me for that position.  Midway through the interview Dave came in.  We talked for a bit but Brian had all of the questions.  When he was finished he gave the action over to Dave, who declined to ask any questions.

After that Dave walked me around the facility and eventually I saw all the old faces.  I said bye after confirming with Dave that they had made no decision.  Justin, Bihn and Brian House are the unit for which they had considered me for in San Ramon.  I left at 930 and immediately Kathryn wanted to know how it had gone.  I told her I didn't know yet but that I wasn't broken hearted.