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Friday, August 8, 2008

If it sounds too good to true . . .

. . . it probably is, and it was. I had a phone interview with Cognex last week. It sounded like the perfect job, and I sounded like the perfect guy for the job. The manager was going on about how there is very little in the way of politics, they don't have any trouble getting any of the equipment they need. It's a real engineering firm doing real work for a real company that is actually making products, selling them and making money doing it.


When we finished up I thought he said he wanted me to come in for an interview this week just to see if I would be compatible with the people who are already working there, you know, before he went ahead with hiring me.

Well, I a week went by and I didn't hear anything, so I called my HR (Human Resources) contact at the main office in Boston and inquired. No response. So I called the manager and the HR person this morning and I finally got a response. Manager has decided not to proceed.

Well, thanks for letting me know. (That's sarcasm, just in case you were wondering).

I beginning to wonder if I am in right line of work. Maybe I should write a book complaining about what's wrong with the American business establishment. That sort of thing seems to sell really well in America. Side effect of freedom of speech, maybe? Dictators get tired of hearing it, so they outlaw it. Can't do that here.

Stay tuned for my startling (or would "sweeping" be better?) expose on the pervasive H-1B corruption infecting our nation.

10 comments:

Chris Dow said...

i worked at cognex and it was the worst place I have been in 15 years. It is highly political, mismanged and the sum total of its IP can be found in the basic image processing toolbox. The 'real' engineers are a deceitfull pack of old men tired of working. The founders may be from MIT but few people at cognex have relevant education or experience. Vision apps like face detects in cameras or lane departure systems (though they are common) have been deemed impossible becaus they have tried and failed. I could go on. But just stay away from these animals.

Chris Dow said...

ps: i bet the prick you spoke to was moed.

Chuck Pergiel said...

Good to hear that I dodged that bullet. Doesn't really sound too different from any of the other places I worked in the past, or, with my luck, any place I might work in the future.

Anonymous said...

I had similar experience with Cognex a guy who called me said that he is a manager of a new group that builds custom application etc. I have been working in such group for a while so that i answered all the questions and told him that this is what i would like to do. Never heard back from him.

Chuck Pergiel said...

This is odd. Two comments on this post. Maybe I should write about some of my other interviews.

Anonymous said...

It also would be nice to learn what is wrong with Mr Moed. I thing i had a phone interview with him. He sounds OK.

Chuck Pergiel said...

Who knows? He could be a real nice guy, or he could be a complete sleazeball. No way of telling from a five minute conversation. I expect Cognex is just like most other companies, a mish-mash of political fiefdoms each struggling to make themselves look better than the others. Getting any work done is just a side effect.

Anonymous said...

Chris Dow mentioned Mr. Moed in his comment so that i was just curious.
In your case, most probably it was somebody else because you probably were looking for a job in Oregon. This blog is the only place where some info on tech interview with Cognex could be found. Glassdoor has only 2 records both from sales/marketing people.

Anonymous said...

And to finish the story. I have gotten an on-site 6.5 hrs interview with 2 different groups. Among the others, met Dr. Moed. He did make bad impression though. Actually, I liked him. The interview went well in my opinion. However, I did not get an offer.

This is my story with Cognex.

Anonymous said...

My mistake. I meant to say: "did not make a bad impression".