Yesterday, I had one of my more interesting job interviews. Even though my present contract doesn't expire for a few months, I've started to look now because we can't afford to be without income for 3 to 5 months as we have in the past. Actually, we couldn't afford it then, either. But God supplied All our NEEDS. True, we nearly lost the house, but we are on the road to recovery and getting ahead, if ever so slowly.

What made the interview so special? First, that I made it this far is noteworthy. Without a college degree, it is getting increasingly difficult to be considered for a position as a software engineer, even with 25+ years of experience, some patents, and well-known employers. My present employer made a very nice job offer about a year and a half ago, and it went as far as negotiating salary and start date, and me signing the offer letter and sending it in. Two or three days later, I got a call fromn the HR department rescinding the offer because I do not have a degree in a related field.

Having cleared that hurdle, and after passing phone screens by the recruiter, V.P. of engineering, and Lead Software Engineer, the scond point of interest is that the fit didn't appear to be all that good until I spoke with the interviewers and asked, what was for me, a key question. Note to self and others: need some thing to say when asked if you have any questions, one of them should be what I asked of three interviews, namely, "Why me? What did you you see in my resume or hear in the phone interview that makes you think I would be a good candidate for this position?" My reason for asking this? I wanted to be sure that what they think are buying is something I can deliver.

Third, this job would let me broaden my knowledge and experience by getting me into a field and position I have not been in before. I do, and have done, software for cable tuners--set-top boxes--for the two largest domestic manufacturers. The technology is amoral--neutral, but the contect it provides is not. The quality and nature of TV programming speak to this. Yes, it's a mixed bag, but the vast mojority is a time waster, at best, and an enticer to think and do evil at worse. Its far too easy to soak in wrong attitudes, impure motives, and unGodly lusts.

Fourth, this is a highly visible position with significant impact. Siemens bought the company in the fall of 2006, and has designated it as their global center for computer vision competence. One part of my job would be to visit PhD's in Princeton, and elsewhere, and turn the algorithms they develop into work production quality code. This is arguably the single most important position in the newly acquired company, as it will have worldwide impact for its capabilities.

The only disturbing thing that happened was that, at the end of the process, the HR recruiter asked me if I would also consider a non-lead position for less money, and how much. I wasn't prepared for this, and didn't have time to give significant thought to my answer.

One thing I haven't mentioned until now, is that the interview was rescheduled from last week, due to my having developed a bad cold and being unable to do it then. God showed his grace by the company accomodating me at the last moment, and giving me another opportunity to present myself.

I've heard from a couple of other employers, much closer to home, that may want to interview me, but I think the position I interviewed for yesterday would be the most personally rewarding I've ever had. The company is VistaScape Security Systems, http://www.vistascape.com/. As I told them, protecting people, property, and the security of companies, and potentially that of countries, is something I can get excited about.