Common Ground

There’s a saying that I like quite a bit: The thing that’s interesting about common sense, is that it’s no so common.

I think in many ways, it could be extrapolated for common ground as well. The ideas off community, sharing, understanding and agreement are almost swallowed up in our fast food culture that I’m continuously amazed that people can come from two completely different perspectives, to the same place in space and time and connect in a way that goes beyond pretense and tolerance, but onto respect of differences and recognition of how those differences can work together for a greater cause, that it reminds me, explicitly, as to why I’ve moved to the city. (A sentence Dickens would be proud of.)

My meeting with Caz today was exquisite. Caz runs a design house. Companies come to him with a problem, Caz engineers a solution. He offers services from design conception, modeling, animation, prototypes, first article production and small production runs, for a variety of industries, the medical device industry being one of them rocket planes being another. Check him out here.

So I used him as a guinea pig, with my spankin’ new resume, and high quality prints of my portfolio, I laid everything out for him, and used the pretty eye candy as visual aides to discuss my resume. For an engineer, I’ve found that to be one hell of technique.

We chatted about each other’s needs, and as we talked I could see his brain racing, he wanted to get me in there, and was afraid that if he didn’t make me an offer, I’d go elsewhere. And I will. However, he’s not in a position to bring me in, and I know that. I’m willing to get a real job to establish some experience in the medical industry and let him get his business up to speed. He’s been in business for three years, and he’s got another full time engineer, and an intern for the summer. He’s got work on the horizon, but nothing concrete, bringing me on board would be a risk. A risk neither of us want to take.

So after laying it on the line, letting him know that I liked what I saw, and would like to be a part of it, but I understood his financial situation, and making him aware of mine, we came to some common ground with regards to how we’ll proceed with any future affiliations. I’m thrilled. It was a very productive meeting, and although it did not generate a job offer, it laid the foundation for a future working relationship, and the avenues in which we forge that relationship are entirely open for discussion on both ends. I couldn’t have asked for more…

So in conclusion to the opening blurb, I compare and contrast the backgrounds of both Caz and I, and I'm excited about our differing, yet complimentary skill sets. Tie that to the desire to have a positive impact on (the global) society, and a willingness and understanding to slow down, be patient and take the baby steps necessary to do it right, I find to be the type of connection that I've been dying to make in this industry...in this life.

More on job news: I did in fact get a second interview with the plastics company. They first asked me to come in tomorrow at two, and then called me up five minutes later and asked me to come in first thing in the morning…like seven. They know I’m interviewing elsewhere, so I’m hoping that’s lighting a fire, and perhaps they have some serious interest. Put out your good vibes for me, I want this job…

I’m not sure if I’ll get to my GPS story tonight, I need to do some research and prepare for tomorrow, but we’ll see…stay tuned!