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October 17, 2003
Called Out
It was bound to happen. Actually, I had anticipated it much earlier in the interview process, despite some minor attempts to prevent it. At this late stage, I was off my game and didn't even see it coming.
I've said before that the veil of anonymity which I hide behind on this site is thin and easily pierced. Anyone who really wants to find out about me can do so. Now I've had that confirmed.
Partner: So, you'd rather be in San Francisco, but with the way the market is, you're looking in L.A. too.
Buddha: I want to be in L.A.
Partner: [holds up copy of Buddha's resume] You left the most interesting part off of this! Jewishbuddha.org!
Buddha: [Gulps, looks away] Oh. Well, I thought I was going to the bay area, but I'm happy with L.A. too. So, you, uh, found my web page, huh? I have to give you credit. You're the first one to bring it up in an interview. Hah. I guess my feeble attempts at anonymity failed. How'd you find me?
Partner: I searched for your name in Google, then I searched within the results for your school.
Buddha: Oh. Good one, that. Heh. For a while, I was the number one result for my name, which was kind of awkward. So I emailed some people to have them change the links to my page, but I guess it didn't work quite well enough. I, uh, try not to say anything too embarrassing or that will stop me from getting a job. It's just for fun.
Partner: Your site is well-written and sets you aside from other candidates. You should really include it on your resume.
Buddha: Thanks. I'll think about that.
Partner: Well, now that you've been caught with your pants down, I'll make a joke or two and we'll pretend it's cool. Here, look at this goofy picture of me from the 70s. [Shows Buddha goofy picture from law school.]
I guess it could have been worse. But now I know I'm being watched, so the limited discussion of details will remain such for the time being (despite the conversation replayed above).
On that note, interviews are done. I'm glad I didn't cancel this trip when I got the first offer, as I initially thought I might. It was a good day, if a bit long for having two callbacks in a row. I have some waiting to do, then a decision to make before I discuss it much more.
One more footnote:
+ If you have two consecutive callbacks, without a break in the middle, take it easy on the iced tea at lunch. You'll be glad you did.
Posted by buddha at October 17, 2003 11:22 PM
Comments
How embarrassing. I often fear the selfsame revelation.
At the same time, you do run a great site. For all that honesty compromises any pitch, the writing and the perspective are remarkable.
Next time lay off the diuretics, though. That was definitely in the final of Get A J-O-B 101. ;-)
Posted by: licious at October 18, 2003 03:06 AM
ROFLMAO. ;)
Posted by: shoop at October 18, 2003 02:34 PM
I have a very small bladder. I try to avoid drinking liquids for 5-6 hours prior to any interviews so I don't get 'the urge.'
Posted by: Aaron at October 20, 2003 07:05 PM
In light of these recent events would you suggest, maintaining anonymity if I alter my current blog content to the law school variety? Sub-question, don't you think it is a lot harder and less interesting if you cant talk about specifics in your life due to self imposed secrecy?
Posted by: Aaron at October 22, 2003 06:05 PM
Aaron(2), are you suggesting my site isn't interesting?! ;-)
Secrecy and anonymity aren't the same thing.
I actually find that being (somewhat) anonymous allows me to be more candid and write about more interesting things. If everyone who read this knew exactly who I was, I wouldn't have been willing to talk as openly as I have in the past about my classes and professors, or about my job search. Last year, a writer from my school's paper asked if he could interview me about my blog. I chose not to do it because I didn't want to broadcast my writing to everyone in school.
I can tell you about my callback trips, my amusing interview anecdotes and the like because I'm not generally risking anything when I do it. If my name were all over this, you'd get less candor because I don't always want my thoughts publicly attributable to me. There would be less interesting things and more "This is what I did today. And then I did this. And then I had lunch. Then that was done."
To answer your first question, do what you're comfortable with. If you wish to be completely anonymous, be sure to cover your tracks. If you don't care about anonymity, consider running your internal monologue through a filter as employers might read it.
Personally, I'm cautious enough with what I say here that I don't have any regrets. Yes, an employer learned I was looking in another city. Even people I know looking at NY and DC generally didn't limit themselves to one city.
Every law school Career Services Office in the country is telling students that it's stupid not to look in more than one market. Employers know the game too.
Posted by: buddha at October 22, 2003 06:27 PM
A quick "whois" on your domain from any registrar gives you up (plus some). How could that ever have been thought of as anonymity?
Posted by: hubbard at October 23, 2003 11:37 PM
Wow, gee, thanks for teaching me about the internet. ;-)
Fact is, the whois records for my site returned an error for over a year straight of regular checks. You're right, it's all there now (probably since I last renewed).
More to the point, however, I never said it would be hard to find out who I am, especially starting with the domain name. In fact, I've said it would be farily easy.
But my name no longer appears on the site or in metatags or anything like that. I don't name my school or professors, though an observant person could figure that out. To a casual reader who has no need for the information, I remain anonymous as Buddha. Someone starting with just my real name would be harder pressed to end up at the site than someone who wants to know the name behind the site. Googling interviewees is something I've heard of. I've never heard someone checking to see if a candidate has registered a domain.
Posted by: buddha at October 24, 2003 02:29 PM